The End of the Rainbow (Hudson 4)

"All right, here's what we'll do," I said as a compromise. "You'll take the first shift out there and then I'll come out and wake you and you'll come back here to sleep. We'll take turns at guard duty. If I hear them. I'll come and get you quickly."

"You'd have to. Summer. You couldn't do it without me," he warned.

"Don't you think I know that. Harley? I'd be too frightened anyway."

He studied me a moment to be sure I was sincere and then he nodded.

"What about your ankle?"

"It's okay. It won't be a problem now. Harley.'

"Right. Okay, let's say in four hours, you come out and then four hours later, which will be closer to the morning. I'll come out and you'll go to sleep. Is that all right with you. Wonder Woman?"

"Yes." I said smiling. He kissed me.

"We're going to be all right," he said. "This is almost over I promise."

"I know it is. Harley...

He squeezed my hand gently and then went to the outer room to listen and wait for his opportunity.

I fixed the bed as he had suggested and then I lay down and closed my eyes. It took me longer to fall asleep than I had expected. I kept imagining I heard Harley out there rushing up the steps, but it was only the sounds from above.

What are they doing? I wondered. How can they continue to do this to us? Was his grandfather that insane, really that confident in Suze and her powers? How does someone come to believe in such things and believe in them so strongly that he would even risk hurting other people, hurting his own flesh and blood, and getting himself into serious trouble?

The extent to which people would go to avoid facing the truth and avoid accepting guilt and responsibility was tr

uly incredible. I thought. They went so far as to create their own world and then move into it, treating this world and the rest of us as if we were the illusion.

That was real? What was not? It didn't seem to matter what age you were. The answers to those questions were always the most difficult.

Finally. I drifted into sleep, but it was a restless repose. I tossed and turned, fretting in and out of dark dreams, running through tunnels, fleeing in such a panic that when I woke after imagining hands grasping the back of my neck. I was actually gasping for breath and in a sweat.

I sat up and pressed my hand to my pounding heart to quiet it down. Slowly, my breathing became regular again and I was able to swallow. I glanced at my watch. I had slept a good half hour past my turn to listen for them. and Harley hadn't come in to wake me. I knew he wouldn't. I chastised myself for failing him and rose as quickly as I could.

It was very quiet above now. They're probably asleep, comfortable in their beds, comfortable in their damned insanity, I thought. Strengthened and energized by my anger. I started for the outer room. When I reached the entryway. I called for Harley, but he didn't call back.

I looked in and saw him sprawled at the foot of the stairs, his body curled up, his head on the hard surface.

He can't be too comfortable like that. I thought. He's going to wake up sore all over.

"Harley!" I cried and passed myself through. He didn't stir. I hurried over to him. "Harley."

I knelt down and shook him. His eyes fluttered, but they didn't open.

"Harley!"

I turned him over on his back and shook him as hard as I could, calling his name. Still, he didn't open his eyes. I saw his eyeballs move, but the lids didn't separate.

"Harley! What's wrong? Harley!"

My heart did a flip-flop. I felt a cold wave of air wash over me with the realization that Suze must have put something stronger into the food. Harley had eaten too much of it. It sent a quick chill down my spine.

"Help!" I screamed. "Help us! Something's happened to Harley! Help! Help!"

I shook him and cried and shook him and he didn't wake. The tears streamed down my cheeks.

"Harley," I muttered. I lifted him to embrace him to me and I rocked with him, calling him.