Fire and Water chapter4

Blake began walking towards the sounds of the coyotes. He thought they might be trying to call others to a find. He prayed they were not being summoned to a kill. The Sun was almost down behind the horizon now. Balke knew that once darkness fell, it would be next to impossible to find Ally. Sillouette, cast by the emerging darkness passed in front of him. He could make out the shape of coyotes and birds. The desert scrouches, buzzards and coyotes and tarantula's were coming alive. This was their time to roam in search for food. He heard the soft sound again. It was closer now.

 "I am coming, Ally! Keep making sounds so i can find you. You are so close to me, I know.

 Blake's thoughts went back in time once more. He remembered his and Ally's last conversation before she disappeared.

 "I saw it today, Blake."

 "You saw what, Ally?"

 "I saw the car. It was parked in front of the house. A man was watching me through our window. I closed the shades but I swear he could still see me."

 Blake recalled the fear that went directly through his body. He ran to the window but no one was there.

 "When was it here, Ally?"

 "It showed up minutes after you left for the store. He stayed there until a minute or two before you came home. He must have been watching for you.What does he want from you?"

 Blake took Ally in his arms and held her. He moved his mouth to her ear and then he whispered softly..."You, Ally. He wants you so he can get to me."

 She cried on his shoulder. He could feel her whole body shaking. "I have no gifts, Blake. I have nothing for him to fear. Please, tell me I am not going to die."

 Blake could feel the convulsing her body was doing as he tightened his grip on her. "No one will hurt you, Ally. I promise you, I will not let him hurt you."

 The following day, he got a call from Leon. He said he wanted it to be over. "If you can give to me half of what Megan got, I will leave you alone. As a show of faith, I will give you back One of your daughters. The other stays with me until I have the money. Meet me by the lake that is near your home. Then, we can be done."

 Though the lawyers had froze all of his and Megan's assets, they were unaware of their daughters accounts. Blake had gone in and withdrawn one hundred thousand dollars before going to the lake. When he arrived, he saw a card nailed to a tree. There was no car and Leon was not there. He opened the card and as he read it, he slumped to the ground and sobbed.

 "There is no daughter to give to you. I wanted to see if you could access your funds. If you are reading this, then you could and now I know.  Did you really think I would take half of something that is entirely mine? Now, I have your Allison, too. I wonder how I will kill her? She has no gifts so I think I will let the Earth have her. Unless of course, you find her before it gets too dark out there. Mmmmm, her hair smells wonderful.  Lilac is the scent, I believe, just like your daughters. Hurry now, the night desert gets very cold this time of year."

 Blake had dropped the card and driven straight to the desert. He knew the place he needed to go. It was the same place he had taken Megan and the girls for a camp out. The same place he had kissed his sweet Megan for the last time. He had walked to a nearby bluff to see if he could find any tree cover for them. When he returned, Megan and the girls were gone. Only a note that told Blake who had taken them was left there. The following day, the police were summoned by an anonymous tip to his home. They found Megan, her insides burned, lying on their bed. As soon as the police began to question him, Blake knew he had to run.

 A blinding light flashed in front of him. He was brought back to the present by it's searing heat. The screams that were coming from the small bluff were all he needed to know what was happening.

 "No-o-o-o-o-o-o-o, you bastard!!!! You said the Earth would take her. I can save her!!!! Stop what you are doing!" The putrid smell of burning hair filled his nostrils and made him gag. He ran as fast as he could, bringing his hands together and flooding the desert in front of him. Water poured over the earth and saturated everything around him. "Ally, I am coming,baby. Don't give up on me!"

 "You can do nothing for her, you sorry creature. Once again, you have caused the death of a loved one. Shame, she seemed so sweet when she begged me not to hurt her." Leon's laughter enraged Blake, causing the water to flow even harder from his body. The flame began to lessen and Leon screamed as water touched his body for the second time in one day. A breeze began to blow encircleing Leon. "Where is this coming from? You do not have this gift. This is not possible!"

 Blake knew now, beyond a shadow of a doubt that his daughters were alive. More than that, he knew they could feel him and were reaching out to help him. Blake ran over the top of the bluff. He could see Ally, rolling over the sand as if she could douse the flames that burned inside of her. Blake swung his arms towards her so the water would cover her completely. The steam that poured from her body told him he had no time to waste. Glancing back, he saw the desert sand completely swallowing Leon. The wind, water spurting from within it's funnel, was choking the flames out that were coming from Leon. He saw him run again, just as he had earlier. He heard the car start and saw the headlights come on.

 "I won't make this mistake again! Your daughters are dead!!! Do you hear me, Blake?!?! I am going to Kill your daughters! Then, I will be back for you!"

 Blake heard his words as he reached Ally's body. He pulled her to him and put his ear to her chest. She was still breathing. He kissed her lips, filling her body with water, as he did. He had to be sure he cooled her body without drowning her. Slowly, he stopped kissing her. He held her to his chest.

 "Come on Ally, breathe for me, Please. Breathe, baby. I know you are in there. I love you! Don't you leave me now!"

 Water poured out of Ally's mouth. She coughed and choked, trying to find air. Vomiting more water than a body should hold, her eyes flickered open. She looked up at Blake and then put her hand on his face. "I Love you, Blake. Thank you for saving my life."

 "Yes Love, but at what cost," he whispered to himself... "at what cost?"