Above and Below

By Lisa Groszek

After sixteen years of relative peace and quiet, Elizabeth Renzen will once again be sought out and have to battle the forces of good and evil. Her son, Mitchell will join her on a crusade uncovering truths long buried. The strength of family consistently shines as they struggle together to free themselves from darkness for good.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lisa Groszek
• Release date: Jun 2, 2012
• ISBN: 9780615651842

Lisa Groszek

I am 34 years old, a teacher, a mother to two beautiful children, and a writer. I have a wonderful husband that supports me in all my endeavors. I have always had a passion for the written word and love being able to express it.

Book preview

Above and Below

By Lisa Groszek

Copyright 2012 Lisa Groszek

Smashwords Edition

*Special thanks to my husband Sebastian for always supporting my endeavors, my sister-in-law Melissa for helping me with formatting, my mom for nurturing my love of writing and my kids for continuously keeping me inspired!

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Prologue

He looks so much like you, Thomas said while adoring our son, all except for those green eyes. I’m so glad our little Mitchell finally came to join us.

As Thomas finished his statement, he turned his eyes to glare at me which suddenly became flame red. His face quickly elongated and his features became razor sharp. He seemed to be struggling with a scream that wanted to break through his locked jaw. His agonized expression only lasted a moment, and then he broke into the sweetest, most charming smile. This was no longer my husband of six months; this was the man that tried to take me away from everyone that I loved. Dominic’s eye color turned the superficial green that it had been during the time that I’d known him. They were the emerald green that I could never quite get enough of; the same color of the son that he was still cradling in his arms. A terrified sound came breaking through the surface and before I knew it Thomas was in a panic.

Lily, Lil, Elizabeth honey, wake up! It’s just a dream, you’re safe, honey, you’re safe with me.

Thomas’s arms were around me; holding me tight, comforting me with their strength. The screams stopped and the tears began. As usual, Thomas rocked me gently, like I was a child, and waited for it to stop.

This can’t be good for the baby, he lamented while he held me, I know it’s hard to do, but honey, Dominic is dead. We watched him die, he’s not coming back. You have nothing to fear.

I wish I could believe that, I said quietly as I unwrapped myself from his arms and sat on the bed beside him.

Honey, you’ve got to believe me, your fears are getting the best of you, Thomas got up as he spoke, "You’re due to deliver any time now and yes, we know that Dominic fathered the child that you’re carrying, but we’re going to raise him. He’s going to be perfect and Dominic will not be around to influence that one way or the other ……he……, Lily, Lil, are you okay?"

I had been staring at the floor as he was speaking to me and when he turned to look, he saw that tears had begun to fall.

I think it’s time, I said as I looked up at him.

Now? he asked with shock in his eyes, I thought the doctor said that we have to wait until your contractions came evenly and repeatedly.

I’m sitting in a puddle and as you were talking just now I had three long…..ouch….hee, hee, hee, whoooo……..no arguments………let’s go, I said as I got up and stripped off my wet clothing.

I was changed and in the car in minutes, our disagreement overshadowed by an immediate need. A very awestruck Thomas was carefully, but quickly navigating the path to the hospital. I was having contractions every two minutes. I was sure I wasn’t going to make it, but then we arrived and I was carted away to the labor and delivery room. Once strapped to the monitors and poked, prodded, and examined, the nurses determined that I was already dilated 8 centimeters and by the looks of the contractions, would be delivering within the next few minutes. They were paging the doctor frantically. It was too late for an epidural. I would just have to deal with the pain. The contractions were coming right on top of each other now. Every time I thought I could breathe again, my uterus would contract. Out of nowhere, my body took the controls and I felt not just the urge, but the acute need to push. Suddenly all of the force and energy I had were used to expel this child from my body. I vaguely heard the nurses screaming STOP, but knew I couldn’t. I was no longer in control; I had to continue the effort to send this child from my womb.

I realized there was no one there to catch him and bellowed, Thomas get down there now.

Thankfully he didn’t even think; like a ball player sliding under a ball dangling in the sky, Thomas slid on his knees, eyes wide in disbelief, reached between my open legs, and safely caught our son, Dominic’s son, in his open arms.

The on-call doctor came in the room a mere thirty seconds later, my doctor was vacationing with her family.

I’m so sorry I didn’t get here sooner, said Dr. Jones, Thank God you were here.

Yes, that was lucky, said Thomas a bit annoyed, but who knew he’d come so quickly?

A nurse came with the doctor and they took little Mitchell James Renzen, Thomas cut the cord, and the baby was taken to be cleaned up. His loud wails were enough to relieve me. My little boy was healthy. That assessment was seconded as the nurses finished their job, swaddled him like a little burrito, put his newborn cap on him, and handed him to me. I cuddled him close and waited for him to open the eyes that would be a constant reminder of the one I wished to forget the most.

Chapter 1

Mom, he’s just some idiot professor. Probably not even a full prof, just some student teacher or something. Don’t worry about it. Just because he says I couldn’t have remembered my own birth doesn’t make it true, does it? We’ve been over this, I’ve told you the story countless time and you’ve confirmed it. I don’t care what some bonehead thinks, said Mitchell, my sixteen year old prodigy who’d called me as he walked between classes on his first day of college.

Yes, Mitch, I know we’ve talked about it, but not openly. I didn’t want your year to start off any more difficult than it already will be what with your age…….and that bonehead will be giving you your grade at the end of the semester, try to remember that, I gently chastised him, now go finish your classes and have a good day. I’ll see you at home.

I was walking back to my office from my lunch at a little café nearby. The thickness of the Boston metropolis made it difficult for me to keep my phone to my ear and not run into anyone. Teenagers and businesspeople clogged the sidewalks. The uncommonly pleasant August weather that we’d been enjoying the last few days was giving way to an incredibly hot day; I noticed the thunderheads gathering on the horizon.

Alright, alright. You’re right about the bonehead giving me the grade, I guess. Can’t wait for next year to have verified teachers at a real school. See you later Mom, Mitch laughed shortly and hung up.

We said maybe, Mitchell, I said to the dead air.

I never doubted Mitchell’s story of being able to remember his birth. The first time his then soft blue eyes met mine I saw an awareness that could only come from someone incredibly gifted.

He told me about it the first time when he was about five years old. I was pregnant with his brother, Nicholas, and due to deliver any day. I was saying something about how quickly everything had gone when I had him and he said, ‘I know, I was ready to come.’

When I was able to speak again I asked him to tell me what he remembered. He said he remembered hearing Thomas and I speak to one another. He realized that he wanted to see us. He made the decision and knew exactly where to go.

It was not painful as he was squished through the narrow birth canal and out into the light. He has vague memories of the clearing of his lungs and washing of his skin. He felt annoyed that he couldn’t see anything after the nurses put something in his eyes. He does remember being swaddled tight and placed in my arms. He remembers Thomas’s voice that sounded so familiar. That’s where it ends. His next memories are the same foggy memories that anyone might have of being a few years old and playing.

Mitchell had grown up incredibly fast. Sixteen physical years had gone by since his birth, but he was beyond bright from the start. There didn’t seem to be much of baby getting used to life outside the womb. Mitchell seemed to know what to do just by me thinking or him feeling it.

He nursed the very first time with no problems. When he grew teeth, he knew what would hurt me and would not bite down. He progressed through both physical and mental stages of development quickly and easily. By the time he was a year old, walking had become mundane. Words were his new passion and he was unstoppable. If he heard it, he integrated it into his growing vocabulary with barely a thought.

Mama, did you know that you are magnificent? asked a two year old Mitchell.

Mitchy, where’d you learn that word? I asked through my amaze.

Daddy told his friend Steve that he had done a magnificent job. Magnificent must mean better than good because he was happy, he reasoned.

And you are amazing, I told him and smiled.

He was bored in preschool and it quickly became obvious that he’d have to have some special classes or tutoring. Instead he advanced through the grades one half year at a time. He graduated high school at the age of thirteen; would have finished at eleven but his maturity was slightly behind his age.

Thomas and I wouldn’t let him start college that young. He studied on his own for a while. We finally gave in when he turned sixteen and could drive. He’s going to a community college for now, but is begging us to send him to Harvard. We made him a tentative deal. If he made it through his first year of college with no problems, we’d consider sending him to Harvard for the rest. We normally wouldn’t object to Harvard, but the age factor had us wanting to keep him at home for a while longer.

I turned off my phone, popped it into my yellow leather purse, and returned to my busy office. I’d gone back to work as a writer full time once all three of my kids were in school. Nicholas was eleven; smart, but not a prodigy. He had a great attitude toward his older brother and Mitch would never allow anyone to call Nick the dumb brother. Their eight year old sister Maggie fit with them like peas in a pod. She was smart, witty, and worshiped her big brothers. They loved her just as much.

I was thinking about this as I sat behind my messy mahogany desk to gather my notes on my latest piece. I nudged the mouse on the desk to bring my computer back to life and started to sketch an outline.

I could be incredibly focused when I worked, but there was a nagging insistent voice in my head that wouldn’t be ignored. I looked up from my work and listened carefully to the sound of many keyboards being played like pianos. The voice returned but it couldn’t be…could it?

I got up, crossed to my office door and closed it eliminating the outer noise and listened again. My hands began to shake as an all too familiar voice formed words in my mind.

Elizabeth, it’s time to tell you, said the voice of Dominic.

Several years prior Dominic had held me, much of my family, and several others hostage on an island. I was assigned to do a story about that very place. That’s how I came to discover my talent for hearing thoughts and that my mother was alive.

I led the initiative that ultimately ended with all of Dominic’s prisoners going home and what we believed was his death. I was now being shown different.

"What? Dominic? Where are you? I said to the empty room.

I’m on my way, I heard the bodiless voice say.

There was a knock on my office door and Arianna, my assistant, was there.

Did you ask for me? she said, concerned, I thought I heard you talking in here……Elizabeth, are you okay? she asked as she’d obviously seen the blood run out of my face.

What, oh sorry, Ari, yes, I’m fine, I quickly composed myself, I thought I saw something, but it was nothing. I think I’m not getting enough sleep. I do need something as a matter of fact, do me a favor and run a search on any mysterious natural events out on Martha’s Vineyard, would ya?

Sure, what am I looking for?

Just let me know if you find anything at all in the last ten years or so, I told her.

I’m on it, she said with a look of concern in her eyes.

I was not the kind of person that usually kept ideas to myself. I was not free to tell her exactly what I was looking for so I didn’t. She noticed.

I closed my office door as Arianna left and sat at my desk so that I could take a moment and stew on what I had heard. I could be losing it, but why now? After Mitchell had been born it didn’t take long to realize he had very little in common with his biological father. Dominic was not a concern after that.

I listened again carefully to see if the voice would come back but it didn’t. The strange voice that seemed to find its way effortlessly into my mind like a mist hovering in the air was gone. Once again, the muted sounds of many keyboards working at once played like music.

My office phone rang and I was surprised by the caller. My niece Clarissa hadn’t called in a while and never at work. I wasn’t sure how she knew the number here. There was suddenly a very bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. I knew what this call would be about.

Hi honey, is everything okay? I said as I’d answered the phone.

Not really, do you have time for lunch Aunt Lily? she called me by my nickname.

I just got back into the office honey, what about dinner tonight? Would you be able to come to the house?

I really need to speak to you alone, she said, a note of panic in her voice.

How about this, meet me at four o’clock at my office, that’ll give me some time to finish my article. Will that work for you?

I’ll be there, she said and hung up.

Arianna knocked then stuck her head in my door, everything okay? You don’t usually keep this closed?

Yeah, all is well, just needed a moment. My niece just called and needs to talk so she’s coming in around four. Please let her come right in. She sounded pretty upset about something, maybe she’s worried about med school again, I said knowing that wasn’t the case.

Okay, well, I did the search you asked me about and though I haven’t had time to root around much, there didn’t seem to be too much recently. There were some old pieces, but none of them within the time period you specified.

Okay, thanks Ari. I kinda figured there wouldn’t be, but wanted to see what you pulled up.

Sure, she said as she left the office and closed the door behind her.

I looked at my computer and was getting ready to get back to writing my piece when a new screen popped up. It was blank at first, but suddenly words formed on it as if they were being typed. My fingers were far from the keyboard and the keys remained still.

For sixteen years I have left you alone, but can do so no longer. Mitchell is in danger as are you and your entire family; I will not stand by and watch him take my son from me or you. I need to see you, speak to you, and it has to be soon. Clarissa knows about this as I’ve been in contact with her. Please send for me once you have spoken with her, she will tell you how. Please do not fear me. I seek no retribution for the island. As always, I want only to protect you. All my love, Dominic.

My breath was coming too quickly. I sat down expecting the blinking cursor to start dancing across the screen again.

Where are you? How are you here? You were gone, I watched it happen, show yourself, I typed in a panic.

Not yet darling, just do as I say, was Dominic’s reply.

How are you alive? I tried again. This time there was no answer.

I took a few calming breaths and tried to remember watching Dominic’s suffering on the beach. We watched as he melted away right in front of our eyes. What did he mean that he’d left me alone? It was us that had beaten him. We had held him in his parallel universe until the heat and exposure had overtaken him. He couldn’t cross over. I watched his demise just as we’d watched Sanje’s a week or so before. Sanje had been brought by Dominic, with the express purpose of his death. Dominic told me that this was how they could be killed and we watched it happen.

Yet he said Mitchell was in trouble and not from Dominic but from Him……..I could only guess that would be his father, the dark angel, Lucifer. What would he want with my Mitchell? Why was the rest of my family in danger? Why does Clarissa know about this? What does it have to do with her?

It wasn’t quite three o’clock yet which left an hour until I was supposed to meet with Clarissa. It seemed to be an eternity. I paced around my office and tried to calm down. Arianna came in one more time to bring in a phone message from a source. I could tell she was worried about me; she could have emailed me the message. I somehow convinced her I was okay and she walked out again.

Dominic? I whispered to the empty office. I’m scared. I felt like a fool, but my computer perked up again and words appeared across the screen.

Don’t be scared. I know what we’re dealing with and I won’t let anything happen to Mitch. Regardless of everything, he’s my son too and I do want the best for him. I must go now. Meet with Clarissa, she’ll tell you more.

A moment later there was a light tapping at my door and Arianna was peeking in to let me know Clarissa had arrived.

Sorry I’m a little early, she said noticing the shock on my face, but I needed to get to you quickly.

No problem, have a seat. Arianna, please close the door on your way out. Thanks.

Arianna left the room and Clarissa started crying. She was scared. I hadn’t seen her so scared since we were stuck on that island together and she mistakenly thought that I wasn’t going to fulfill my promise to get them home.

This has to do with Dominic doesn’t it? I asked as I put a comforting arm around her shoulder and let her cry a bit.

How did you know? she asked with a look of shock.

He just sent me a message, I nodded my head toward my computer.

Clarissa seemed to accept this and went on, I’m dreaming again. At first I thought it was residual dreams from when I was little. They happened for a while, but they’ve been happening for the last three nights and they’re very vivid, like he’s in the room with me. But he can’t be. I know I didn’t see it, but you were there. He can’t come back, can he?

A few hours ago I would have said no. Now I’m not so sure, why don’t you tell me what the dreams are about?

Mitchell is Below, as you called it when you went with Dominic, and he’s with a man that sits on a throne. Mitch is sitting next to him and they are talking. He looks terrified, but the man on the throne is talking to him like a grandfather explaining something to his grandson. He looks at Mitch like he’s proud of him or something, she finished as she shivered all over once and looked up at me, what does it mean? What did Dominic say to you? How is he even alive?

I wanted to tell her that I had all the answers and knew what was happening, but that was not the case. At least that would allay her fears a little bit, but I was as lost about this as she was.

I don’t know how he’s alive. I don’t get this at all, but the message made it sound as if he’d never gone anywhere. He said he’d left me alone for sixteen years, but I don’t know how that’s possible since we watched the life go out of him. He did say that Mitchell was in danger as was my entire family. He also told me that you would be able to tell me how to send for him. What did he say?

He didn’t speak to me directly at all; it was more like he wanted me to see what was happening. I did hear him whisper, it started here, it must end here, but he wasn’t saying it to me, or I didn’t think so. I could see him standing over to the side of the room, but it seemed as though he were staying out of sight of Mitch and the man on the throne for some reason. That was about it. The dream has had small variations, but the main gist of it has remained the same.

Hmmm, so Dominic was hiding out from his father and in his message to me; he mentioned that he wasn’t going to let Him get to Mitchell. I couldn’t breathe again. I took long, deep breaths in an attempt to calm myself but it was too late. I’ve always had a great imagination and right now it was working in overdrive. Images of Mitchell in that place were plaguing me. His green eyes twisted up in pain pulsed each time I blinked. My frame began to shake and angry tears poured from my eyes.

Out of nowhere, my computer screen stopped its endless pulsing through the different shapes of the screensaver and the word program came back on the screen.

Run Lily, get to Thomas now. All is NOT okay with him!

Clarissa and I looked at each other for a moment and then we were running. I muttered a few words to Arianna about having a family emergency and she nodded and assured me she’d take care of things in my absence.

As soon as we left the building we were assaulted by the wind. The sky had grown dark and clouds heavy with rain overcame a sky that had been bright just a few hours ago.

I pulled out my cell phone and pressed Thomas’ name. The phone began to ring and momentarily, a winded male voice answered. It was not Thomas.

Steven, what’s happening? Why didn’t Thomas answer? What’s wrong with him? I spat into the phone.

Slow down Lil’, how did you know something was wrong? I was just about to call?

Don’t bullshit me, what’s happening?

Thomas is in the hospital. I’m not sure what happened. One minute we were in his office going over some blueprints, the next he was just staring off and nothing I could say would reach him. A few minutes later he started shaking all over, almost like the seizures Cat used to have before she got on her meds. Anyway, I called 911 and they brought him to the hospital. Doc thinks he had some sort of anxiety thing. So, what, did the hospital call you?

Yeah, yeah, they called but told me that they hadn’t found his cell phone, I replied. It was probably best not to tell him how I knew something was wrong with Thomas.

Those dumb shits, I told them I had his phone. Anyway, try and relax, Thomas is okay. I’ll stay with him until you get here. He’s been asking for you, Steve, Thomas’s best friend and colleague said.

He’s awake now? I asked.

Yep, awake and having some Jell-O last time I checked.

Thanks Steve, see you soon, I said and hung up.

What happened? Clarissa asked in a panic.

He’s okay, Steve said he had an anxiety attack, but I have a feeling something more like what happened to me today happened to him. We’re almost there, we’ll know everything once we can talk to him, hair and coats were in full horizontal position as people all over fought the wind to get where they were going. Thank goodness the hospital wasn’t far; the sky looked as though it’d open up at any moment.

As we were nearing the hospital I heard repeated in my mind, your entire family is in danger. I knew that what happened to Thomas was a direct result of Dominic somehow coming back into our lives today. Somehow he seemed to be concerned, and not just for Mitchell which would be understandable. He seemed to want to make sure we were safe. I couldn’t quite figure out why he would care what happened to the rest of us.

"Like it or not, we are all connected now," Dominic’s voice again was floating through my head talking only to me.

Why? I asked out loud as Clarissa looked at me like I’d lost it.

"Later, see to your husband," Dominic said.

The hospital doors of Massachusetts General Hospital glided apart as we approached them and I went straight to the pleasant looking plump woman sitting behind the large walnut desk to ask about Thomas. She squinted at me as the bright fluorescent lights were too much for her eyes and asked for our last name.

Renzen, I told her.

She directed us to his room and Clarissa and I headed for the elevator. We were each wrinkling our noses as we adjusted to the medicinal smell that permeated the building. Three floors up we stopped, said goodbye to the calming tunes playing, and made our way to Room 312.

Steve was there sitting with Thomas; I heard his jovial chuckle before we entered his room. That calmed my nerves some; but when I walked in and looked at his face, I knew I had been right. He hid the anguish in his eyes quickly, but I