Scald Crow

Springtime is a subjective word in Alberta. Thick flakes of snow fell to the icy asphalt below. An air of excitement filled the car. Lance Ryder looked down at the letter and re-read the contents. An invitation to the jr. national hockey team.

Abigail went to speak several times. "Lance, I..." then, she'd trail off and turn her attention to the road. A worried look decorated her face.

Lance narrowed his eyes and scowled. "Mom, what is your problem?" he asked. "Just say what you need to say."

When put on the spot, Abigail tended to blurt things out. Her face knotted up. "I'm the reason your father and I got divorced." Lydia's face registered relief. "I've been holding on to that."

"What? Why didn't you try to work it out?"

"I'm a lesbian, Lance. It won't ever work out."

What could Lance say? He couldn't escape the truth or find privacy to process what he heard. "Is that why he doesn't call?"

"Probably."

"Is that why he doesn't call me?" Lance leaned against the window and watched his breath fog against the window. "I've called him so many times. He never answers or takes my messages."

Abigail placed a hand on Lance's shoulder. "The whole thing threw him for a loop..."

"Don't make excuses for him." He was barely there. Even when they lived together, the man couldn't make the time. Lance smacked the vinyl with a fist. "I never asked him for anything, and he abandoned me."

The high beams dropped to low with the click of a button. Lydia shook her head. "What is this clown doing? He hasn't turned off his high beams."

Lance tilted his head forward and noticed the lights weren't attached to anything. His hand smacked against Abigail's shoulder, "Mom, I don't think those are headlights." No response. He tapped her again, "Mom..."

"I am aware of the situation, Lance," she snapped.

The car began to slow down. The lights merged and left a silvery blue orb glowing in the middle of the road. It started to pulsate and thrum with energy.

"Buckle up, Lance," Abigail said. Her voice embodied the calm before the storm. The air inside the car grew tense.

"Mom, are we..."

"Lance put on your seatbelt."

The buckled clicked in place. Lance watched his mom smirk as she threw the SUV into reverse and stomped on the gas. The luminescent orb flashed three times and pursued them.

"I think we have a problem," Lance's hand slammed into the vinyl as his body jerked forward. His head slammed against the glass. Stars passed over his vision while the car spun around.

"Hang on tight," Abigail threw the car in drive and put the pedal to the metal.

The inertia threw Lance backward and pasted him to the seat. "Whoah, where did you learn to drive like that."

"I have a long and storied history."

"That's not an answer."

"Do you want answers, or do you want to escape whatever that thing is?"

"I'll go with the escape."

The SUV sped along the highway at record speeds. Abigail kept his hand on the handle next to the door. The car filled with radiant light and blinded Abigail.

"I can't see." Abigail did her best to keep the vehicle under control. The car teetered dangerously on the edge of a deep canyon.

Lance pulled the wheel away from the canyon. The car swerved into the opposing lane. In an instant, the orb vanished, and SUV went dark. Red beams pierced the darkness as Lydia brought them to a stop.

"What the hell was that?" Abigail checked Jaxson over. "I think we should stop for the night..."

Light smothered the car, and the orb now faced the passenger side. Lance put up his hands, "Why is it looking at me?"

"Hang on, baby. I'll get us out of here."

Before Abigail could prod the vehicle back into action, the orb streaked toward Lance. It crashed into his chest. His whole body heated up, and he fought the urge to close his eyes. Invisible fingers pinched his eyes shut.

***

Lance's eyes opened to an endless void all around him. The only light came from this body. He took a deep breath and took a tentative step forward. "I don't think this is a dream."

It isn't. A voice whispered right next to Lance's ear.

"Who's there?" He started walking.

You're mine now. The Disembodied voice grazed Lance's body.

"What?" Lance asked. A soft light illuminated the sea of nothing around him. He turned, and a humanoid made of pure silvery-blue energy tackled him to the ground. He struggled, but long bands of energy kept him down. "Who are you?"

"I'm you," the voice replied, and a bright hand covered his mouth...

***

Lance woke up with a scream. His hands closed around the rough hospital gown. "Hospital? How long have I been out?" He gazed at the window. The moon hung in the corner.

He tried to remember if the moon was up before the crash. He reached for the memories and earned a headache for his trouble. The pain felt like a million scalpels in his grey matter.

"What's happening?" Lance gripped his head and tried to steady the world. His vision doubled, and staying on two legs became a chore. The cold linoleum caused goosebumps to erupt all over his body.

His palms pressed against the floor. Jackson managed a squat before he fell again. His balled fist struck the ground, "I can do this."

A voice echoed down the hall and into Jaxson's room, "Hang in there, Mrs. Ryder. Jaxson's scans look good. The doctors are optimistic about his recovery."

"It's hard to believe that right now. Two days and no change. On top of everything else going on in the world right now." Abigail's voice threatened to crack and break.

"Mrs. Ryder, all we can do is hope for the best..." The nurse saw Jaxson on the ground and pressed a button next to the door. "I need a doctor in room 103. He's awake."