The Plague of Darkness by Gracie Cochran (best self help books to read txt) 📖

Prologue

“West you need to get some sleep. She isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. It was just too much for her.” Derek says patting my shoulder.

 

I shrug it off. “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have held her there. I should have tried something to save her brother. Instead I let her father walk to his death. I wouldn’t be surprised if she leaves and never turns back when she wakes up.”

 

Elizabeth laughs and I turn to glare at her. “It wouldn’t be the first time you made that mistake West. Hurting the ones you care about. I swear it’s like you enjoy pushing the ones you love away.”

 

“Shut up!” I say angrily. “You have no clue what it’s like to lose the person you love. All you care about is watching me suffer.”

 

She glares at me. “How do you think I felt when you left me at the first sign that I wasn’t your perfect image any more huh? When you never turned back. You think that felt great?” She asks.

 

I sigh. “I’m sorry Elizabeth I’m just stressed. I can’t think let alone sleep.”

 

She huff but says nothing else. I look at Anne’s unconscious body solemly.

 

Anne’s been unconscious ever since her father died and her brother was taken away. My heart ached when I heard her cry of pain.  I wanted nothing more than to comfort her. To tell her everything will be ok.

 

I was given instructions by her father to keep her from going to Satan no matter the cost. I tried to argue with him. To reason with him but he wouldn’t hear it. Eventually we all agreed that we would protect her. If I had another choice I would be dead instead of her father. I would have gladly taken my life for her.

 

I sigh and get up from the chair. I place a kiss on her forehead and walk out into the woods. I make sure my sword is handy.

 

Ever since she has been unconscious more evil has come out of hiding. I’ve killed nearly 20 demons this past week.

 

She’s been unconscious for over a month and nothing we’ve tried would bring her back. We ended up getting a doctor to check her out and he said that she has gone into shock. He also said that she’ll come out of it when she’s ready. That we just need to make sure she stays nourished and hydrated.

Me and Derek have made sure to change her bags out when they empty and change the sheets when needed. I just want her to come back to me. I miss seeing her smile. Hell, I’d be happy with her ignoring me and being made. As long as she wakes up.

 

All I can do is pray that she will. Hope that she will open her eyes. I want to hear her voice even if she’s yelling at me. I just want Anne back.

 

Chapter 1

Anne’s POV

 

Blackness.

 

It’s all I see.

 

I can’t feel anything either.

 

It feels like it’s been years but I can’t tell. If I really try I can hear muffled voices. Most of the time I don’t even try. What’s the point?

 

I lost my father again.

 

This time for real, and my brother was taken by that annoying Devil angel. It didn’t help that the one person, or angel if you prefer, that was supposed to help me didn’t. He held me there while I had to watch helplessly as my father was killed.

 

I feel like I’m losing myself every second I let the darkness have me. Is it bad for me to say that I want to lose myself? I want to forget everything so I don’t have to deal with this pain.

 

I try pulling the darkness away a little but hear nothing so I let the darkness completely envelop me again.

 

I see a little light among the darkness and become confused. An image starts to form and I see my father.

 

He smiles sadly. “Baby girl you need to fight. You need to be strong. I did this for you. I made West hold you. It was my choice. I knew the outcome but still had to try. I made the mistake of leaving you and your brother to deal with your mother. I needed to make up for that.”  

 

I feel a wave of anger. “You didn’t have anything to make up for. You should have let me deal with it! I was going to trick him and leave with Jim safely. I am not a helpless little girl anymore!” I yell at him.

 

He nods. “I know your not a little girl anymore. But what would I do if your plan backfired? If you and your brother were gone? I wouldn’t be able to live without you guys. What would you want me to do if I had lost you guys?” He asks.

 

I sigh knowing what he means. “You would want us to live our lives as if you were still here, but I can’t. Life was hard enough when I thought you were dead. Now that you really are and I saw it for myself it’s just to much. I feel empty. My heart aches. I can’t. It hurts.”

 

He hugs me. “Baby I know. You have to. People need you. Your brother needs you. West needs you. I know your angry at him but you must forgive him. He only followed orders like he was trained to do. You need to let go of me baby. You need to fight the darkness. You must live on for me. For West. For Jim. But most importantly. You must live on for you.”

 

I hug him tight. “But I don’t want to let go. I want to stay here with you. Even if it means I stay asleep forever. I love you daddy.”

 

He pulls me away from him with a stern look on his face. “You have to live your life. I won’t be gone forever. I will eventually be reincarnated. We will see eachother again but you must live you life first. With the lord there is no such thing as being gone forever. My body is gone but not my soul.” He starts to fade, “Live your life. I love you Anne. Do it for me.”

 

I try desperately to hold on to him but he fades away and I’m left to the darkness again.

 

Derek’s POV

 

I watch Anne carefully. Her vital signs had spiked not that long ago.

 

West still isn’t back yet. I don’t blame him. He feels like it’s his fault. I blame myself too. We had no time to plan or even argue. Once her father gave us an order we were on it. I could see it in West’s eyes how much he regretted doing it.

 

I may seem evil to people but I would never have done what Satan just did.  That was a low blow.

 

I sit down in the chair and my sister jumps in my lap. “Is she going to wake up soon?” she asks giving me her little puppy dog eyes.

 

I smile though I know it doesn’t reach my eyes. “Soon Sarah. She is going to wake up soon.”

 

She smiles and hugs me. She jumps off me going off to do her own thing. I watch her go and sigh.

 

A tiny moan catches my attention. I turn to face Anne. She is still motionless. I sigh thinking I was just hearing things but then notice her eyes twitching. Her eyes stop moving and she becomes still again.

 

I close my eyes hope dropping. I lean my head up against the chair and drift off to sleep.

 

Anne’s POV

 

I push past the the darknesses layers. I hear Derek and Derek’s sister clear as if I was in the same room. The voices disappear and I hear a sigh. I try to reach the sound but am stuck in a layer of darkness.

 

I start to feel my eyes move and let out a small moan.

 

I lose what feeling I had for a while and plunge back into darkness. I push harder frustrated. I will do this for my dad. I will do this for Jim. I will do this for me.

Chapter 2

 

I start to see a light and I push towards it. Sounds and smells fill me. I open my eyes and blink rapidly trying to adjust to the light.

 

I try to move but my arms and legs feel stiff as if I haven’t used them in a long time. I turn my head and see Derek asleep on a chair. I hear a gasp and see where it came from.

 

West is standing by the doorway frozen midstep. I smile softly. “Hey.” my voice is cracky and my throat feels dry.

 

I hear Derek wake up with a start the chair flying back. I look at him and frown. “Do you have to be so dramatic?”

 

He smiles. “Welcome back Anne.”

 

I return the smile then turn my attention back to West. He’s still frozen and I see tears in his eyes. He looks like he hasn’t slept in months. I try to get up and Derek immediately is by my side helping me up. I stretch my stiff muscles and look around.

 

“How long was I out?” I ask looking at West.

 

Derek’s the one to respond. “Over a month.”

 

That hits me in the gut. “A month?” I manage to squeak out. A month that my brother had to deal with Satan.

 

Derek pats my shoulder. “It’s ok Anne. All that matters is that your awake.”

 

I shake my head . “It’s not ok. Jim-”

 

He interrupts me. “Anne. It’s not your fault. You went into shock. I’m surprised you even came out so soon. That was a lot to take in at one time.”

 

I shrug. “I didn’t want to. I honestly wanted to let the darkness take over me. To lose myself. I couldn’t even of I wanted to. I have a job to do and I can’t quit because it is hard. There are lives that depend on me.” I say.

 

I look at West. “You going to just stand and stare at me?”

 

He walks up to me. “Anne I’m so sorry. I-”

 

I cut him off. “Don’t. There’s no need to apologize. I’ll admit I was angry at you. I mave have been out but I could still think. But I