The Curse Conduit

The smell of cooking bacon invited the men back into Danny’s house. Bethie and Elizabeth were busy in the kitchen with breakfast ready for the four men. Uriah was surprised to see fresh eggs, milk, bread as well as the bacon on the table. “Thought all these things were hard to come by during the war?”

Danny laughed. “Just need to know the right people.”

“Yeah.” Urian said. “And have the right amount to money.”

Bethie could see that Derek and Uriah were a little uncomfortable, thinking that they had put them out. She smiled sweetly as she ushered them all to sit at the table. “It’s alright. My Danny is a good businessman.”

They all saw the expression on Urian’s face. Businessman was probably not what he would have called it.

Over breakfast Danny and Bethie compared notes on what they both had been dreaming but not told each other. Danny was devastated that Bethie had been struggling with her dreams since they had been married. Elizabeth had talked to Bethie for a long time the night before and she was well aware of what the others and her husband had seen. As a group they laid all the cards on the table. By the time they were through there were no secrets. Almost no secrets, Uriah and Urian as was their way kept very quiet about one particular aspect of their lives that tormented them.

The antics of Derek and Danny managed to change the sombre mood of the meal until they all saw Bethie go very, very pale. She was looking straight passed Danny who was sitting opposite her. Everyone turned to see what she was looking at and they all stood and backed up so they were standing with her. Derek put his arms around Elizabeth’s waist as Uriah took hold of her hand. Danny and Urian did much the same with Bethie as they all stood and watch unbelieving.

They stood in combined silence watching a battle unfold before them. It was if the doorway and wall had disappeared to be replaced by a wide movie screen. They could hear the cries of men, the crash of metal as sword hit shield. They watched knights fall to their death at the hands of others. Uriah felt Elizabeth squeeze his hand and Derek felt her tense up. What they did not see were the tears.

Bethie could not watch, turning to bury her face into Danny’s chest. Urian placed his hand on her shoulder in reassurance but could not pull his own eyes from the scene unfolding before him. It was gruesome, it was bloodthirsty and it was Uri they could see walking towards them. His hands were covered in blood and it took them a few moments to realise it was not his own. His face was strained and streaked with dirt and blood and he carried his sword heavy at his side, his eyes fixed on Uriah.

It looked like he was going to walk right into the kitchen but stopped at some invisible barrier. “You have come” Uri looked at them all. “You have all come. There is hope for Declan.” Uri looked at Uriah. “Why did you bring the women folk? Battle is not a place for them.”

“Uri. We aren’t with you. We are in a different time, a different place. With Danny.”

Uriah words seemed to worry Uri. “But you are here. I see you.”

Uriah was about to explain when Elizabeth screamed and pointed. Uri turned to see another knight coming to him intent on causing some serious damage. He readied himself for the attack. Instinctively Declan rushed to help pushing Bethie into Urian’s arms. Bethie shouted after him and the others tried to stop him but he was passed the table before anyone would get to him. Bethie screamed again “DANNY!”

The all watched horrified as Danny ran into the battle field and vanished.

Instantaneously there was a blast that sent a wave of wind rushing into the room making them all turn away to protect themselves. When they turned back Danny was lying on the floor near the table and the battlefield had disappeared. Bethie ran to his side. Urian was behind her. He knelt down to check Danny as the rest gathered around. ’He’s alive. It’s okay Bethie he’s alive.”

Elizabeth went to Bethie and helped her to her feet while the others took Danny to the bedroom on the first floor.

Derek stood at the foot of the bed with Urian on one side and Uriah on the other. “What the hell was he thinking?”

Uriah looked at Derek. “Probably the same as you only he was faster.”

Derek shot his friend a shocked look but he was right. A split second later and he would have been right behind Danny. Derek felt a shiver cover his body at the thought of just how similar they were to each other.

Danny’s groans interrupted his thoughts. “Oooooh. What happened?”

Urian bent over his friend. “You tried to be a hero you idiot.”

Danny opened his eyes. “I love you to.”

Uriah shook his head and Derek smirked. Yes they were very similar.

As Danny sat up on the bed he winced, pulled up his shirt and stared disbelieving at the cut in his side.

Uriah pulled up his own shirt to show his scars. “Welcome to the club.”

Urian helped Danny to his feet. “You up to going back downstairs?”

“As long as my kitchen doesn’t look like the battle of Trafalgar.”

Back in the kitchen the ladies had cleared away the breakfast dishes and where sitting quietly at the table looking at the only item on it, a sword. Its blade was sharp but chipped and the blood that clung to it was still damp. Both ladies looked to the men as they entered the room. Derek and Danny whistled when they saw the sword. As was there way Uriah and Urian hung back, absorbing all, working it out, filing the information safely. They looked at each other and without a word understood each other.

Elizabeth sighed. “You okay Danny?”

He nodded while he took Bethie’s hands and pulled her to her feet. “I am sorry.”

“Danny. I’m married to a pilot. A pilot in the middle of a war. There is always the chance I may lose you in battle but not like that.” Tears ran down her face. “I can’t lose you Danny. We have to make sure that Beth-Elena does not lose Declan.”

Danny put his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. “We will be alright. And with all this extra help. Well. We really are the four musketeers.”

Danny put his hand out and almost as if they were one Derek did the same putting his hand on top of Danny’s.

Uriah and Urian realised what they were doing and jumped to stop them. Unfortunately by doing so they all locked hands. Bethie and Elizabeth shouted as the thunder cracked through the house.

When they opened their eyes again it was to a sight they had not expected.

Standing with them was Uriah and Danny. Derek and Urian were missing.

The room had changed as well. At first they did not understand. It was the same room, but it felt different. Uriah was the first one to notice. “We have moved in time.” The others looked at him stunned. “Look at the shadows on the walls, the hour has changed for sure. Bethie do you keep your calendar up to date?”

She nodded and they all turned to look at the small calendar pinned to the wall next to the kitchen sink. Uriah spoke the words none of them wanted to hear. “Not only has the hour changed but so has the day by the looks of things.” He walked over to the calendar and pulled it off the wall. “We have lost over a month.”

Danny took the calendar from him. “But that means.”

Elizabeth let a cry escape from her lips. “My god Derek! What if he swapped places with you. That means…” She could not finish.

Uriah walked to her pulling her into his arms trying to hold back his own pain. Was this how it was always going to be? The only time he could be close to her was to comfort her.

Danny could see the tears starting in his wife’s eyes so he too went to hold her. “We don’t know that is what happened. They may still be back there, in time. We may be the ones that moved. They could be standing in the same place wondering the same thing. Wondering where we went.”

Holding the two women Uriah and Danny looked at each other. Each hoping that Derek and Urian were safe. The choices were unfathomable. They could have gone further back in time to Uri and Declan, they could have stayed where they were, and they could have gone into the future to Derek’s time. Or they could be anywhere in-between.

The house was so very quiet that the knock at the front door made them all jump a little.

Part Two - Galvanised