Uprising Read Online Free PDF Page A

something in me. For a split second I consider his offer and then blink wildly to expel the thought. Coming to my senses. Ashamed and abhorrent. I realize why he keeps repeating himself.
    “What are you doing?” I narrowed my eyes at him. “Trying to compel me with you’re Lighter speak? I’m not bringing myself or the children anywhere. I guess your magic doesn’t work on me.”
    “It would seem not.” He pursed his lips. “Not in your dreams anyway. Then we’ll have to try another tactic.”
    As he spoke it all turned to fire and smoke. It blew through me and I could feel every lick of every flame. I scream. Light so bright it burns and my eyes can’t physically stay open burns all around me.
    The ground is removed from my feet and I’m falling, burning into darkness. Hearing his words ‘YOU WILL FEAR ME AND COME TO ME’ bellowed and burned into me like a brand.
    My arms flail and ache and the pin pricks in my shoulder are the most painful they’ve ever been. I wait for my feet to hit bottom and crush beneath me. All the while I burn and scream and fall flailing in the darkness.
    I catch glimpses of things, the Takers mind. I remember Merrick telling me you transfer thoughts when they look into your mind. I see patience and amusement. He will wait for me, for the right time and he finds me...entertaining, silly and intriguing and actually does think I’m beautiful. And, unfortunately, that little bedroom scene he showed me was only one of many.
    Silly? What does that mean? And why do I care? He thinks I’m silly because I’m naïve and trusting. I care about people and that makes me weak. If I had never grown to love the children, he could never have used them as a liability against me. He wants me to come to him to balance things out. What does that mean?
    Then I hear Marissa. What is Marissa doing in my dream? She’s saying something but I can’t hear her over the singeing and crackling flames and my owns screams which echo all around me even though I’ve stopped.
    She’s saying ‘breath’. Why would she say breath? I’m breathing aren’t I? I take a deep breath to test myself and am brought out of my dream into Merrick’s arms. With Jeff, Marissa, Danny and more standing in my door frame, watching me with wide scared eyes.
    My throat is sore and I grab it reflexively. I’m covered in sweat and the scar on my arm is burning and throbbing and glowing red.
    “What happened?” I said wheezing, and then coughed from the scratchiness.
    “You were dreaming,” Danny said.
    “It was him wasn’t it,” Marissa asked, kneeling to sit beside us on the floor. “The Taker. I’m sorry, Sherry. I saw it but it was too late. He already had you by the time I got here,” she seemed almost out of breath.
    “You saw him come for me?” I gasp. “That means it was real.”
    I glance down to look at my shoulder to check and it’s still glowing red, just like when the others are near. Oh no. It was real. Merrick rubs it with his thumb and frowns.
    “It was very real, Sherry. And this isn’t the first time you’ve dreamed of him is it?” she asked but it sounds like she already knows the answer.
    I brace myself for the onslaught of unhappy glares from Danny and Merrick at my confession.
    “No. It isn’t. Once before.”
    A low grunt from Merrick and I look to see the worry on his face. He still has me on his lap so I pull myself further into the shelter of his chest.
    “I’m sorry. I didn’t think it meant anything. The last one wasn’t like this one. This one he tried to...seduce me.” Embarrassed, I look up to see everyone looking at me in disbelief.
    “What?!” Merrick barks.
    “Not just sexually-” I start but Merrick cuts me off.
    “Not just sexually!”
    “Not just sexually but with other things too. Like motherhood for one. He claimed he would give me everything I desired, if I would come to him. He had Calvin and Lily with him in the dream.”
    “Sherry...I don’t understand. Why