The Son of Light Book 1: Rebirth (2021 Edition)

By Chris Parker

Ages ago, The Son of Light was a being of great power. But, he was murdered by the ruthless Demon Lord, Hexen. In 2018, The Son of Light has been reborn in the form of a sheltered, strange, young man named Joshua Suzuki who lives with his older brother Nicholas Suzuki. But during a surprise birthday party for Nicholas's best friend Seth Parker, the Demon Lord returns and with him...the apocalypse.

The Son of Light is the only person who can kill Lord Hexen and now Nick will go through hell to protect his brother as Josh tries to survive in a world with Demon Titans, armies of zombie-like humans, and a blood-thirty, all-powerful Demon Lord. Will he survive? And can Nick continue protecting his brother without going insane?

This is a dark fantasy story for adult readers. It contains strong language, extreme violence, gore, and sexual content. For mature readers only!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Chris Parker
• Release date: Apr 18, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310933417

Chris Parker

Chris Parker is a screenwriter for television who has written for shows ranging from EastEnders and Coronation Street to Bedlam, a Sky TV drama series he co-created for Red Production Company. He is also a prolific animation writer, working for Aardman Animations, DreamWorks and many others, with hundreds of credits including Peppa Pig, Clangers, Postman Pat and Shaun the Sheep. He was born in South Wales and lives with his family in Cambridge.

Book preview

Chapter 32: Family Reunion - Josh

Chapter 33: Battle with Lord Hexen – Josh & Nick

Chapter 34: End of the World – Josh & Nick

Chapter 35: Baby Boy 2 - Nick

Chapter 36: Tears & Blood – Demon Servant

Chapter 1

Fire & Blood

Nick

October 4th, 2008

Nicholas Suzuki’s eyes snapped open. His back and head ached with pain. His body felt like fire and his vision was blurred. When it focused, he saw a great gaping hole in a ceiling; a dark sky illuminated by purple light starred down straight at him. Nicholas tried to move, but a sharp pain seared his entire back like burning knives dancing in every muscle. His legs were numb and somehow, he knew if he tried to stand, they’d turn to jelly in a second. But his head…it was as if someone had taken a sledgehammer and whacked him from behind.

What happened? he thought. Where am I?

He tried to stand, but his legs failed him. He tried again, pushing himself up with his hand planted firmly on the warm carpeted floor below him, but he just couldn’t.

For a long moment he thought he would just lay there. The pain was too much. He wanted to rest and stare into the purple sky above him. But the floor was getting warmer, then warmer still, until it was hot, too hot for him to tolerate. And the purple light grew stronger and now Nick could smell smoke. The air around was hot. Shit! He knew he would be doomed if he didn’t move. He scanned the area surrounding him and his heart nearly jumped out of his chest. Now he realized why it felt like an oven…because he was in one!

Purple fire roared all around him and he thought in shock while squinting his eyes, Purple fire? I have to move!

He pushed himself up. Pain stabbed his back and his legs, but he continued to push himself, letting out an agonizing scream as he did so. Finally, he was off his back. As he wiped away his tears, he felt his clothes sticking to his back. They were wet, as was the back of his head. Just sweat, he thought. But with his right hand, he touched the most painful spot, and looked at his fingers. Blood! He panicked. He touched his back with his other hand and his horror only grew. More blood.

When his left hand touched the floor again, he noticed that that side of the floor was wetter, and Nick assumed the worst. His arm must be bleeding too. Or perhaps he was bleeding so hard that he was making a pool around him. But as his gaze followed the trail of blood, he saw that it was coming from somewhere else. When he found the source, he nearly vomited.

An old woman in robes of white, violet, and pink laid on the floor. Her eyes stared lifelessly at Nick as parts of her body burned and her head cracked like an egg. Brains were splattered on the blood-soaked carpet like burning ground beef. Nick screamed. The sheer horror of the sight was like a stimulant and he jumped painfully to his feet.

A second later, there was a loud cracking sound from behind him. He turned and the blood drained from his face. A colossal crucifix with a massive pink dove on the front of it, made of metal and wood, was falling toward him like a tree on fire. It had to weigh as much as a blue whale, by the look of it. But Nick wasn’t about to find out. With all his strength, he hurled himself out the way as the huge object crashed onto the floor. The entire building shook. Purple fire rose higher. Nick screamed. The floor caved in as Nick, still screaming, fell deeper and deeper into the hole left in the crucifix’s wake.

After a long time, Nicholas’s eyes slowly opened again and for a long moment he did not move. All was dark and hot…not as hot as before, fortunately. When he managed to sit up, this time with a little less pain than before and his vision clearer and focused, he saw little fire. But by its light, he saw that he had fallen into a large basement.

He got to his feet. At once, he saw the damaged crucifix and the wreckage it had made and was grateful that he wasn’t under it. He took a quick look up at the hole above him. He was several floors down now, but at least he was in a much cooler area. He scanned the area of the basement and found a sink and mirror. He moved over to it and took a good look at himself. A thin half-Chinese, half-Japanese 16-year-old boy stared back at him. His royal blue hoodie, white shirt, and jeans were torn and burnt, but for the most part he was still in one piece.

Ju-long Zhi Nicholas Suzuki. Whew! At least I still remember my name, he thought as he felt his head for any signs of damage.

He was indeed bleeding ─ not only on the back of his head, but his lower lip was cut, his left eye was swollen, and there were deep scratches on his hands and forehead. His jet-black hair was covered in dirt and pieces of broken wood. What the hell happened? It was all a blur. Then he remembered.

Seth, Karl, Engel, Trent!

A scream from above made him jump. Another came, then more.

HELP! HELP Please! Don’t hurt me!

From the sound, he judged that it was a small boy. And for a horrifying instant, Nick thought, Josh! Whatever weakness that was in him vanished. He found the door and dashed towards it, racing up a flight of stairs and towards the screams. Ignoring the strange purple fire creeping down from above where the Pink Dove had fallen, Nick dashed from room to room, but they were all empty. He pressed on, climbing higher and higher, all the while thinking, Josh, please be okay. Please be okay. I’m coming, baby brother.

He found more rooms, more doors, some locked, some not, but still he couldn’t locate the source of the screams. Finally, he reached a floor where he could hear them clearly. They were coming from behind a large pink and violet door with very childish doves drawn on them.

Nick tried to open it, but it was locked. He could feel extreme heat and even heard someone kicking at the door from the other side. Shit, he thought desperately. Now was not the time to hold anything back. He had to do it. Taking a few steps back, Nick extended an arm. The hallway was soon illuminated by shimmering purple, light blue, and white light. A ring of the same light surrounded Nick’s hand. In the center of his hand a bright upside-down triangle with spheres of light at its corners flashed.

A powerful blast of plasma energy hit the upper part of the door. It exploded. At once, Nick jumped in through the smoke and was greeted by terrible heat.

Purple fire blinded him. Nonetheless, he rushed in, protecting his face. Through half-shut eyes he could see small figures running around the burning room. Screaming children in robes, like the dead old woman’s, were all around him. There had to be at least twenty of them, running frantically from wall to wall, some rolling on the ground, a few burnt to a crisp. The sight was heartbreaking, but he had to help. He summoned his powers again and this time instead of plasma, powerful jets of water escaped his hands. No space, no inch of the floor, was untouched, yet the flames did not extinguish. Strangely, the fierce flames seemed to be laughing at him. Nick repeated his efforts, but to no avail. The flames laughed and consumed the children. It was a high, cold, and ominous laugh.

Then Nick realized that the flames were not laughing at all. Someone other than the screaming children and him was in the room.

He didn’t know what to do. His powers were useless. He wanted to call out to the laughter to ask for help. But as he stepped further into the room he could see what seemed to be a cloud of purple and black mist at the far end. Within it, a figure in a long-sleeved black cloak was thrusting its hips. Nick moved closer as the screams of Help me! Please stop! came again.

Nick paused in horror. A young boy about the age of eight was planted face first into the ground. His robes were in shreds and his lower half exposed. The dark hooded figure laughed again as it continued to sexually play and devour parts of the boy. Nick stood there in shock and disgust. The boy’s eyes found Nick’s.

Help me! Please!

The boy let out an even horrifying scream, one that cut Nick’s heart deep. The hand that held the boy’s head down pressed harder until his eyes began to bulge. They popped from his skull with a wet crunch. Nick felt his heart ready to burst from his chest. The dark figure continued to devour the boy, but then it paused and very slowly turned to face Nick. When Nick peeked through his fingers, two glowing pale pink eyes stared at him. Illuminated by the flames, the figure’s face was strangely beautiful. It was clearly male, dark-skinned with thick black eyebrows and a strong jaw. It smiled, baring its razor-sharp teeth. Though it looked human, it was clearly not a man. It had to be a demon!

Still staring at Nick, it continued to play with the now-dead boy, giggling. With great fury, Nick fired another beam of plasma. It struck the demon’s face, but the demon only laughed. It laughed so hard, it fell onto its back, holding its sides. On and on it laughed until it stopped abruptly. It smiled at Nick again, staring at him for a long moment.

What’s it doing? wondered Nick.

Then something moved, but it was neither Nick nor the demon. It was the dead boy…he was starting to stand. His crushed skull pieced itself back together like an eggshell, but the cracks were still visible. Bulging purple veins throbbed on his face and body and his eyes were pale as the demon’s. Nick was too stunned to move. In a blind rage, the boy ran to him and bit him on the leg. With a scream, Nick pushed the boy away, but the kid kept coming like a wild dog, screaming and shouting terrible, filthy words.

More screams erupted, matching the booming sounds of the purple flames around them. Nick realized that they were coming from the still-burning children, even the ones burnt to a crisp. They rose to their feet, surrounding him. The demon laughed one last time then vanished in the purple fire and black mist.

Nick ran from the mad children, doing all he could not to hurt them as they scratched, bit, kicked, and beat at any part of his body they could touch. With one huge blast, he destroyed what was left of the door and dashed from the burning room. The children were hot on his tail, snarling like mad dogs, their glowing pink eyes and purple-veined faces twisted with hate.

Terrified, Nick climbed the stairs once again, but he tripped. He dared not look back, but he knew the mad children were closing in, fast. There was a crash; Nick looked back and saw that a huge chunk of the upper floor had fallen onto them. Part of the stairs gave way and their hateful screams faded into the darkness below. An instant later, however, that strange cloud of mist rose from the darkness and hovered over Nick as it took shape. The demon had returned, leering down at him with that same smile. The inside of his hood was as red as the blood dripping off his plump lips. Then something clicked in Nick’s head. It was all so suddenly clear. This demon…He gasped.

Hexen?, he thought with horror.

The demon bared its teeth once more in an even wider smile. Its feet touched the stairs just a few steps away from Nick. It took a step forward. Nick backed away, his whole body shaking. The demon took another step, and Nick scooted away again. He knew it was toying with him. The demon kept coming until Nick realized he was too scared to move now. It towered over him with its muscular frame.

On its bare chest, Nick saw a necklace in the shape of a huge M with smaller letters — c and p — on its sides. Protruding from the M was a long demonic face with fangs and two sets of eyes. No! It is him, Nick told himself.

Now nose to nose with him, the demon screamed. Nick tried to push it away as the demon snapped its teeth at his hands and face. The purple fire was now coming from below and above. Nick had to do something. With great force, he summoned all his courage and from his shimmering palms unleashed a powerful wave of fire directly into the demon’s face.

The demon backed away, holding its face. Oh no! My face! My beautiful face! Oh, what have you done?

Its voice was strange: childlike, high-pitched, and demonic at once. Then it laughed as it uncovered its face. There was no damage. It went cross-eyed then stuck a long tongue out at Nick, mocking him like five-year-old boy might. It brushed its long slimy tongue across Nick’s face, probing his nostrils. Angered, Nick jumped to his feet ready to fight. But once again, the demon only laughed and danced.

Fire! It cheered. At once, a massive explosion of purple flames came from below. The demon vanished again as the fire came up the stairs in a rush.

Shit! shouted Nick as he took off up the stairs again. He pushed his legs as hard as he could, but the fire was too fast. He turned quickly and hit the flames with another powerful blast of plasma energy. The two elements met, and Nick felt himself being launched off the ground. Everything was spinning. And then the next moment he was racked in pain again as he broke through walls and floors until he found himself back where he had started.

The hole made by the giant crucifix was still in plain sight and so was the purple fire, worse than before. This time there were other people inside with him. And unfortunately, like the children, they were all burning.

There was so much running through Nick’s mind: What started this fire? Where are my friends? Are Mom and Josh okay? And why is Lord Hexen here? And why did he seem different? What the hell is happening? But there was no time to think, he had to get out. From what he gathered after scanning the area, he was in the church he and his friends were told about by that crazy old man. He found the grand doors on the far side of the room. Passing by all the burning people and dodging the falling parts of the ceiling, Nick dashed his way towards them like a fierce cat. But then a hand grabbed his left ankle, forcing him to fall on his stomach. When he turned, he saw a boy a few years younger than himself with short blonde hair and a torn black polo shirt and khakis.

Seth! Nick cried, reaching over to aid him.

The young man was badly injured, worse than Nick. With a rush of adrenaline, he pulled himself and his friend up, held Seth tight and continued to make his way towards the grand doors of the church.

We’re gonna make it! We’re gonna make it! Nick kept telling himself. Hang on, Seth. We’ll find the others and get out of this city. We’re okay. We’re okay.

Nick pushed the booming sounds of the flames and screams of the burning people out of his mind. But there was an even bigger sound cracking from above. He ignored it. They were nearly at the doors. Suddenly, Seth nearly collapsed.

Come on, Seth! We can make it─

The cracking sounds grew too large for him to ignore any longer. Nick looked above himself. Parts of the burning ceiling were racing down towards them. Nick couldn’t even scream as the debris flattened the two boys with a sickening crash.

Chapter 2

Lullaby

Josh

October 3rd, 2008

The day was beautiful: a clear sky, tall green grass, the sounds of nature, a warm breeze, and nothing but quiet. Joshua Suzuki sat on top of a grand building taking it all in. He did not know exactly how high it was, but he knew it was the highest he had even been if the trees below him looked like tiny green puffs. But he found himself not caring about falling. He knew he would be all right. There were more important things to focus on anyway, like the warm sunlight gently touching his face.

His turquoise eyes stared into the distance, where he could see a lush forest that seemed to go on forever. There was a light mist covering it, but it did little to hide its magnificence. His very soul danced and felt tranquil the longer he gazed at it.

Then he heard a voice whispering. He turned. At once his mouth dropped open and his eyes went wide. In the distance on his right was a grand palace. It was like Baby Bear’s palace but taller and more beautiful. It too had a light mist covering it that did nothing to hide its beauty. Now his six-year-old muscles were twitching, aching for adventure. Then he glanced to his left and said, Wow! He could see another palace, even more luxurious than the other. A light mist covered this one too.

Josh could feel his brain tingling. He smiled as the warm feeling from his soul, body, and mind traveled to his right hand. Then he heard a voice behind him. Josh, baby.

He turned. A woman with olive skin and long black hair tied up in a ponytail stood beside him. She wore blue jeans and a scarlet button-down sweater over a white shirt.

Mommy! said Josh. He ran to Kaldea Suzuki and jumped. She caught him with ease. She was always strong. And her hugs were the best ever. He felt her lips kiss his beige colored cheeks as she brushed his shaggy brown hair with her fingers. He held her for a long time and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his heart raced with joy and his eyes glistened.

Another figure stood just a short a distance away from him and his mother.

Nick-poo! His mother let him down and Josh took off like a missile towards his brother. Nick knelt and Josh slammed into his brother’s arms, knocking him over. Josh held him and never wanted to let go. He kissed him repeatedly on the cheek, forehead, and even on the nose. Nick returned his love with the nose snuggling that the younger boy always loved. When they finally looked at each other again, Nick spoke.

You’re finally outside, baby boy. You can be free.

Josh smiled as a tear ran down his face. Nick stood up, still staring at his little brother. Then Josh tilted his head, puzzled, as Nick pulled out a guitar from seemingly nowhere.

Here.

Josh was surprised, not just that his big brother was now a magical being who could pull objects from nowhere, but at how accepting he himself was with this. Josh asked no questions. He just took the instrument with a smile.

A few moments later, both his brother and mother were seated in front of him with their backs facing the mysterious forest. Everything went silent, more so than before. No birds chippering, no breeze ─ nothing. All the attention was on Josh. He sat with his legs crossed, the guitar gripped firmly, his family waiting. He breathed and started to play the only thing he knew…his very own lullaby.

In A minor: AEE FD EC DB CA, AEE FD EC DB CA

ABCD BCA EDCBA

AEE FD EC DB CA, AEE FD EC DB CA

The song was soft and somber, but there was an innocence to it. On and on he played until he thought he could feel himself floating. He glanced down to find that he really was. He continued playing until he realized that it was…time to fly. Finally, he could be a bird and enjoy the pleasures of freedom on his wings. Now he could see into those palaces and go into that forest with ease. He would fly high into the sky and be among the clouds. He would fly around the entire world. Maybe he would find his father somewhere, flying too. Nothing would stop him. He looked down at his family who were now standing.

Come with me, he said to his big brother, still playing the somber lullaby.

Nick stared up, still smiling, and reached out to Josh. His brother reached down and their hands met. Nick continued to smile. But Josh looked puzzled as his brother’s smile slowly went cold. In a blink of an eye, Josh felt a sharp, stinging pain pierce his chest. Nick had struck him, so fast he hardly saw it happen.

Josh looked down at his shirt and saw a red stain spreading fast. The guitar fell from his hand as blood spilled from him like a river and his right hand burned.

The clear sky was suddenly poisoned by darkness, with every star shining bright. They seemed to be screaming at Josh. He had to cover his ears, despite the pain in his chest. It was so loud and awful that he wanted to tear his ears off. He let out a yelp. A blinding flash of purple stung his eyes. When he opened them again, everything was engulfed in purple flames; the forest, the palaces, the building he was floating over ─ everything!

Josh fell from the sky like a stone. He screamed as his young body descended. He was going to die. He knew it. The ground was coming closer, yet it felt like it took forever to reach him. Finally, he landed with a bounce, but he wasn’t dead. His mother and brother were gone. It was just him and the fire.

Mommy! Nick! he cried, but no one came. Then the mist from before gathered from where the forest and palaces had been. It mingled with the flames in front of him, turning pitch black where the entrance to the building should have been. Josh gulped as the flames parted and a male figure could be seen. He was muscular, dark-skinned, and at least eight feet tall. His face was hidden behind a blood-red hood. He moved without walking as the black mist swirled around his body. Josh was frozen, too scared to move. To his horror, the flames reached out to him like greedy hands and touched his clothes, burning them away.

Please stop, he begged. His mouth seemed to move on its own. He knew he was too afraid to speak, even to beg for his life. But he could feel a swelling sense of dread in his soul, which felt different, not his own.

The flames went cold and felt like invisible hands…hands violating his body. He could feel them toying with him, touching him inappropriately. The hooded man drew closer. Josh tried to move, but the invisible hands prevented him, as if they were thick chains. Then, just as the scary man came within inches of him, Josh felt something pull his right hand upward.

Like a rocket, his body shot into the dark sky. Higher and higher he rose. The stars screamed at him louder. Josh was flying up so fast he thought his skin would fly off. Then he came to an abrupt stop. He gasped. Now the stars were all around him and Earth was the size of a speck of dirt.

Mommy! he screamed. His right hand was on fire. He tried to touch it, but he couldn’t…it was gone! He blinked. His whole right arm was turning into some kind of gas. Then his torso, then his other arm, his legs, and soon his head. His whole form was now gas, shimmering in light blue, deep purples, and hot white. Then without warning he felt himself explode in a glorious supernova.

Josh sat up screaming in a cold sweat. Mommy! Mommy!

His heart raced harder than he could remember, his breathing heavy. It took him a while to realize where he was. A room that was half messy and half organized. On the clean side, posters of cartoons and young girls dressed as dragons hung on the walls. Musical instruments were stacked at the far end of the room. Next to them was a box labeled Josh’s Baby Bear Toys – Please put back, Nick if you play with them. On the far wall to Josh’s right were shelves filled with books on math, various languages, history, and such.

The messy side of the room had shelves too, filled with books on cooking, computers & software, travel guides, and personal journals. But the floors were something to behold: piles of hoodies mixed with dirty jeans and shoes, homework, and backpacks filled with maps, and odd things from different countries. A half-eaten sandwich and chips were on the nightstand with a few flies hovering around them. Behind that was a clock that said 7:02 PM. Over the nightstand hung a calendar that was on the month of October 2008. The 4th was circled in red with a smiley face.

Normally, this would disgust Josh. He always hated his brother’s messiness. But right now, it gave him comfort…but only for a moment before he called out again. MOMMY!

The door opened and his mother rushed in, her nightgown swirling around her.

What’s wrong, baby? she asked.

Josh immediately reached for her. She pulled him out of his bed but held him away from her chest, her eyes on his pajamas. Josh hadn’t realized that he had wet himself, and his sheets were soaked as well. He started to cry.

Oh, my baby. It’s okay, Kaldea told him, and took him into the room’s bathroom to wash up. After throwing his urine-soaked pajamas into the hamper, she helped dress him in clean pajamas, with the cute face of a koala on them.

Josh gripped his mother, shaking and crying. She comforted him as she carried him down the hall to her room. Josh couldn’t stop crying. He could still see the purple fire and the dark man approaching him. Kaldea continued holding him tight in her arms saying, It’s alright, baby. Mommy’s here.

Her eyes were full of worry as she kissed his forehead and rocked him.

After a long time, his tears finally stopped. His mother wiped his eyes on her gown. Did you have a scary dream, baby? she asked.

Josh nodded.

Okay. It’s over now. Mommy’s here.

Mommy…hungry.

Okay.

Still holding on to her son, Kaldea walked downstairs, through the living room, and into the kitchen. There she fixed him a bowl of mixed berries and a glass of hemp milk. She started to take a plate of vegetables labeled Nick from the refrigerator. It had been there for long time, half-eaten and unwrapped. Some of it was off the plate, dirtying the rest of the refrigerator.

Oh, my goodness! That damn boy. Just like his father, Kaldea murmured.

She sat Josh down at the table and turned on the television. Let’s see if that cute bear is on again, she murmured as she flipped through the channels. Ah-ha. She smiled.

She moved back over to Josh as he ate and drank. An upbeat musical score came from the TV and at once his eyes were glued to the screen.

"Last time on The Adventures of Baby Bear, the dragon girls were finally united. Ice, Fire, Thunder, Shadow, Love, and Light now fight on the same team. But now, they must meet their maker. The royal family of Dragonia has summoned them to fight a new evil and Baby Bear is caught smack dab in the center of the drama. What will happen next? Find out now."

A cute light brown koala bear’s face appeared on the screen. I may be cute, but I’ll kick your butt!

Josh’s eyes sparkled. There was Baby Bear standing with the dragon girls, his new Dream Sword in hand. He had used that same blade when he fought the evil Darcleptor with the D-fighters at his side. It was in those episodes when Baby Bear learned how to use energy blasts and fighting skills. Without realizing it, Josh had gathered his bowl and glass and moved to the couch for a closer view.

Baby Bear is not afraid, he thought.

So many times, Josh had imagined himself standing side by side with Baby Bear. He saw himself alongside the D-fighters, standing against the enemies.

Every time he was alone when Nick left the house or when his mother was asleep, Josh felt brave enough to walk down any dark hall or to go pee in the dark because Baby Bear was always there next to him. Now, he had Baby Bear and his mommy, but Nick was gone. The dragon girls were cool, too. He remembered Nick always blushing when he saw the ice dragon. She looked like a teenaged version their mother, but her skin was a shade darker.

Her melons and buns are too big for a children’s cartoon, Josh remembered Nick telling him…but Josh never saw any of the dragon girls holding melons or buns, which left him puzzled.

The episode continued. Baby Bear and the dragon girls were approaching a huge palace, and Josh’s mind immediately went back to his dream. Then the forest came back to him, then the other palace, then his family, and finally the fire and that scary man. It was still chilling to think about, but there was only one good thing about it…he was outside. The sun on his face, the smell of the trees, the sounds of nature around him, and the stars ─ it was all so real.

As his mother worked in the kitchen, humming to herself, Josh let his eyes drift. This was a new house, new…but all the same, just like all the others. He could remember being in the car next to his brother so many times, going from place to place. He was told to never move from his seat.

Every house was a bit different; some smaller, some bigger. But he and his brother always shared the same room. And just like always, he was told never to stand near the windows, even if Nick or his mother covered him. He was also never to open the front door or answer the phone or watch TV or play games unsupervised. But most of all, he was absolutely never allowed to play outside.

It made him cry and throw tantrums, but his mother was extremely strict. She rarely yelled at him, but when she did, it was beyond scary. Again, his mind went back to his dream. He saw himself sitting on that building gazing into the distance, the sky, the endless fields and forests. I want it, he told himself. I want it. I want to fly.

Every house felt like a cage and he was a helpless bird…trapped.

The only times he enjoyed being in the house was when his whole family was with him. It was fun playing swords with Nick or pretending Mommy was a monster trying to get them. He turned to his mother. Mommy.

Hum?

Where is Nicky?

Oh, that’s right. Let me check on him.

She pulled her cell phone from a pocket on her gown. She tried calling her older son, but there was no answer. Kaldea groaned irritably. He knows better than to turn off his phone. She looked at Josh. He’ll be here, sweetie.

Josh suddenly felt that he should explain how Nick had hurt him in his dream. He gasped.

Mommy! Uh…Nick and me were standing on a house and then…Woosh! He swiped his hand as if he was cutting something. And I screamed, aaah! He pretended like he was falling. And mommy, the was fire! Fire! Fire! Everywhere! Then I was flying into the sky and boom! And, oh my goodness! Nicky attacked me! I don’t know why!

Oh, that’s nice, baby, his mother said, opening the refrigerator again. You still hungry?

He got off the couch and approached her. And mommy, fire! Woosh! And Nicky and you went bye-bye. And there was more fire! And, aah! He tried to fly into the sky. Boom! And oh, my goodness. I died.

Um-hum. Finish your berries, sweetheart, his mother said, her head still in the refrigerator. She stood up and closed it. Okay, Mommy will be right back. Will you be okay?

Josh nodded. It was disappointing that she didn’t care about his dream, but he heard the Baby Bear song:

La-de-da-da-de, la-de-da-da-do, he’s so magical, yes, it’s true

La-de-da-da-de, la-de-da-da-do, he’s so wonderful, how ‘bout you?

Baby Bear, Baby Bear, he’s your best friend, yes, it’s true

Baby Bear, Baby Bear, he’s so magical, yes, it’s true

The dragon girls were now in a grand throne room, singing. Then the sounds of horns came through the TV. Baby Bear was standing before a very handsome young man with olive skin and spiky black hair. His robes were gold and black. In his hand, pointed right at Baby Bear’s nose, was his sword, a swirl of gold and silver and sparkling rubies encrusted in its hilt. Josh’s eyes lit up.

Wow!

You stand before His Grace, heir to Dragonia, champion of the dragon girls, the most handsome character I’ve seen, Prince Tin, said Josh’s mother. She sighed. If only he was real, and I was 20 years younger. Oh, here we go, Josh! The battle is about to begin.

Yeah! Ouchy time! he cheered.

Prince Tin and Baby Bear began to duel, their awesome swords clashing and flashing. Battle cries echoed in the throne room. The dragon girls cheered and screamed on the sidelines. Josh and Kaldea were cheering on Baby Bear too. Then without warning, the Fire Dragon summoned her flaming sword and charged into battle to aid Baby Bear. With the prince at bay, Baby Bear fired an energy beam that lit up the entire throne room. Josh jumped to his feet, shouting, Yeah!

His mind went back to the moment that scary man had appeared in his dream. He was charging at him; Josh saw the Dream Blade appear in his hand. Then Nick appeared next to him with a flaming sword. With a loud battle cry and Nick at his side, Josh charged at the scary man. He jabbed and his blade plunge into the dark man’s chest, as Nick went for his head, but the man vanished back into the purple flames. Josh and Nick followed and found him again, their swords high above their heads, charging.

I want to fight in that room! I want to fight a bad guy! He wanted to be in that throne room. He wanted to meet a prince. He wanted to fight, firing energy beams. All the more reason to leave the house one day. Though he loved his brother, it wasn’t fair that Nicky was allowed to leave home whenever he wanted to.

Nicky has fought a Prince before, he thought. Nick had never said he actually had, but Josh wouldn’t be surprised. Nick was always doing great things in the house; Josh could only imagine what he was doing out there. All through the house were pictures of the family, but a lot of them were of Nick by himself or with his mother in some kind of jungle, or a place with a lot of snow, or a place with a giant lake. Nick used to entertain him with stories of his adventures in places called Sweden, France, Africa, and Spain, of dangerous drives on motorcycles down dark streets with crazy people, until their mother told him to stop mentioning them. But Nick never listened.

I don’t give a shit what she says. You deserve to know, he’d tell Josh. But their mother would always scold him whenever she heard that.

She threatened both of them to never disobey her and to never use words like shit. But it was funny. Josh had once heard his mother use that word one day when she was speaking to someone on the phone.

You tell that shithead I don’t care who he thinks he is. Diamond Bank my ass! We need to find another manager, sis. He’s stealing money, I know it!

A diamond bank? Shithead? Who’s stealing? Josh wondered. Who was she talking to? Nick? Why would Nick have a diamond and not tell him?

He had never heard his mother use such words and wondered who was going to scold her? His daddy? That would be impossible; he never knew his father. But there was a large painting of the whole family over his mother’s bed, his father included. He had his hand on a younger Nick’s shoulder as Kaldea held Josh in her arms. His daddy looked a lot like Nick and how nice would it be if he, Nick, Baby Bear, and Josh were all fighting that scary dark man? But Josh wasn’t sure. Every time Josh asked Nick about him, Nick would shout out a whole stream of foul words and would be angry for days. And one day, Josh swore he saw fire coming out of Nick’s hands!

Baby Bear’s song came back on. The episode was over. Seconds later a commercial started.

Hey kids and teens, Morris Parker here! Now you can meet Baby Bear yourself and all his friends. Tickets to Baby Bear’s Dream Kingdom are now 25% off. Rides! Toys! Games! La-de-da-da-de, la-de-da-da-do. This great deal is just for you! So, let’s get magical with your favorite koala bear. Call the number on the screen for hotel reservations.

Twenty-five percent off. Wow! What a deal, said Kaldea sarcastically. Now ordinary families everywhere will have enough money for those overpriced cups and crappy food…

The TV news began. A man older than Josh’s mom dressed in a clean suit was seen standing in front of a wide digital map of the world.

Tonight, reports are in about the violent storms between the African continent and South America that are spreading distress and chaos among travelers at sea. More details tonight at ten o’clock.

Kaldea’s eyes narrowed as she continued listening to the news intently. When it was over, she looked at her son and sighed. Well now, kiddo, feeling better?

Josh nodded. Mommy, I want to go to Baby Bear’s house, he said, pointing at the TV.

Kaldea sighed. Oh no, baby. You’re not old enough to go there. Trust me.

Please!

When you’re older!

But that’s one hundred million billion years from now.

She shrugged. Well, at least you’ll be tall enough to go on the rides, she smiled.

Josh frowned. I want Nicky, too.

He’ll be here in the morning.

"No! I want Nicky! I want Baby Bear! I wanted NICKY! I want BABY BEAR!" He repeated it over and over, stomping both feet on the couch. His mother crossed her arms, giving him a stern look. He gave her the same look, then he acted as if he was going to cry.

They stared at each other for a moment. Then Kaldea said, Don’t you start smiling.

Josh immediately tightened his mouth.

Josh, I’m warning you. Don’t…start…smiling…

He covered his face, giggling. She picked him up. Josh! Are you smiling?

No! giggled Josh.

Yeah, I see you! You’re not crying. You’re laughing! Let me see. Let…me…see!

No, he laughed.

She tickled him. Yeah, you’re not crying! You’re smiling. Faker!

A burst of hysterical laughter escaped him, his mouth wide open, revealing his absent two front teeth.

Sorry, Mommy? said Kaldea, laughing.

No sorry, Mommy! He laughed harder. Okay, sorry Mommy! Sorry, Mommy!

Kaldea pinched his dimples and kissed his forehead. Okay, bye-bye bedtime.

No bye-bye bedtime!

Yes, bye-bye, bedtime!

They went back and forth like that as Kaldea carried him up to her room. It was earth-colored with a small indoor waterfall in one corner. Along the walls were pictures of her with her two boys, along with the huge family painting over her queen-sized bed. But above her TV set, which was directly opposite her bed, was the largest painting of cherry blossoms he’d ever seen. She had them in every house they were in, but none this big. She had always loved cherry blossom trees, but never told him why. Nick used to like them, but now he’d just curl his lip when he saw them.

She sat down on her bed, placing him gently beside her.

Mommy…

Yeah?

I’m still scared. And Nicky.

She pulled him in closer. Sleep, baby. No bad dreams are going to hurt you here. And Nick will be here in the morning. You’ll see. Okay?

Okay.

She kissed his forehead again.

Can you sing, mommy? Josh kindly requested.

She nodded. And Josh shut his eyes as the sounds of her voice touched his ears.

Her voice moved through him like peaceful streams. And it always amazed him that along with her voice, he could hear other instruments playing the melody. He felt himself slipping back into his dream. The scary man was not real, which meant, unfortunately, his freedom wasn’t either. The only thing that felt real, oddly, was his right hand. It was warm.

Chapter 3

Baby Boy

Nick

It was October 4th, 2008. Morning had finally come after a long cold night. The sun’s warm light touched the Medicine Bow National Forest in Wyoming. Every tree, every waking animal, and every mountain felt its warmth. Birds chirped as they flew over sparkling ponds and streams that ran through the mountains like human veins. Fish swam gracefully up and down, catching insects in their mouths. A figure in a royal blue hoodie stood on a hill overlooking a pond, absorbing the beautiful view. He took in a deep sniff and let the forest air fill his nostrils. He exhaled with a long sigh of relief.

Nicholas Suzuki loved mornings like these. He could sit on that hill for hours, watching the trees turning into their fall colors of orange, red, and purple and humming his favorite songs. He was tempted to take off all his clothes and run around the forest shouting, I’m free! I’m free! For a moment, he almost did, but then decided not to. His mother wouldn’t like that. But the thought of her made him realize he had better see her before she started worrying, like she always did.

He checked his phone. It was one of his mother’s and Chad Parker’s latest model. Very light, slim and impervious to nearly every hazard except an extreme plasma blast. The sound and video quality were very good. Nick’s brother Josh always loved seeing videos of his adventures behind their mother’s back. This model even had holographic screens. He was alone, so it was safe to use it. He navigated to his message screen. Luckily for him, she had not yet sent him