FanStory.com - The Unwilling Heir - Chap 35by Begin Again

"Grandfather!" Billy's voice carried across the room as he hurried to William's bedside. He stopped, stunned, because it was empty. His eyes widened, and his ethereal form dimmed as he imagined the demons, or possibly even the mobsters, had somehow found him. Frantic, he raced back to the door and called down the hallway, "Grandfather!"

Billy's unease increased with each moment he darted through the corridors, searching for any sign of his grandfather. Every passing second felt like an eternity as worry gnawed at his ethereal being.

"Grandfather!" Billy called out frantically, his voice carrying through the ancient halls.

No response came, only the faint whispers of other spirits floating in the shadows. Slumping against the wall, he muttered to himself, "Please don't let the demons have him."

A distant echo, sounds of creaking floors above, and voices caught his attention. Pressing himself into the shadows, he moved along the walls toward the staircase, checking each alcove or darkened corner. With each step, his worry grew, fueled by the uncertainty of his grandfather's whereabouts.

As he reached the top of the staircase, a flicker of movement caught his eye — a shadowy figure disappearing around the corner. Billy's earthly figure faded, returning to its translucent form. His ethereal form gave him the element of surprise if it was one of the mortals.

Slowly, he glided down the dimly lit corridor, hugging the wall, until he reached the corner where he stopped and listened, then peered into the next hall.

Several figures huddled together about twenty feet away in a darkened alcove. Billy strained to hear their conversation. A wave of relief washed over him as he recognized one of the voices. "Esther?"

Surprised, Esther jumped at the sound of Billy's voice and stepped out of the shadows to face him. "Billy, you startled me. What are you doing here?"

His eyes focused on the shadowy figures behind her. As their earthly forms faded, he realized they were not mortals. "I was looking for grandfather. Are you alright?"

Esther nodded and turned away, addressing the emptiness that had replaced the men she had been talking to previously. With an urgent ring in her voice, she called, "Vinny! Vinny! Come back. This is William's grandson."

A dark shadow glimmered faintly and then took form. A man in his late forties, close to Billy's age, materialized but remained in the darkened alcove.

"It's okay, Vinny. Please tell him what you told me," Esther pleaded, then let her eyes focus on Billy once again. "Vinny and others were in the cemetery today and saw Louie and Marco. They saw them take Madeline, but there was nothing they could do."

Billy moved closer to Esther, protectively reaching for her. "It's not safe for you to be alone — Grandmother."

Her form shimmered and brightened at the sound of Billy's voice calling her grandmother. "It's okay, Billy. Vinny is an old friend of your grandfather's and mine. He means me no harm."

"And Grandfather? He's not in his room."

"I know. William insisted on speaking with the other ones — friends from his past who understand his mission."

"But — he's not strong enough. What if —"

"Calm yourself, Billy. Vinny has sent others with him, and your grandfather is highly regarded among his old friends. He's safe. Our urgent concern is Madeline. Those men from the cemetery won't show her any mercy."

Vinny finally stepped out of the shadows so Billy could see him. "They've sealed her in an old water tower and have turned on the water, slowly filling the tank."

Alarmed, Billy gasped, "They're drowning her." When Vinny nodded, his eyes widened, and he shouted, "We've got to save her! Can you take me to her?"

"Yes, but it's being guarded. You can't go alone."

Billy's mind raced as he thought about Madeline and how to rescue her.

"Time's running out, Billy," Esther cried. "You need to go for help."

"There's no time. We have no idea how fast the tank will fill with water." He rubbed his temples and then spoke, his voice filled with doubt. "Grandfather taught me to call for him through concentration. I've not done it for a very long time, but it's worth a try."

"Do it, Billy, before she drowns."

He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and concentrated. As he drew on his energy, his earthly form faded, not as a whole, but piece by piece like a puzzle. Gasping, he opened his eyes. "I can't. These walls are too thick. My energy isn't strong enough."

Esther grabbed his hand. "We'll do it together. Pull from my energy. I know you can do it."

Billy tightened his hold on Esther's hand, inhaling and closing his eyes again. The hallway crackled, shooting sparks of electricity around them. Narrowing his thoughts to his friend's face, Billy called out, "Benny, I need you. Madeline needs you. Can you hear me?" His voice trembled with urgency, depending on the bond they shared.

There was no response. Frustration gnawed at him.

Esther squeezed his hand. "You can do it, Billy. Don't give up. Try again."

He could feel the drain on his field of energy. Shaking his head, he muttered, "I don't think I can."

Having experienced nothing like this, Vinny was skeptical, but if William had taught Billy, then it must be feasible. He moved closer to Esther and Billy, extending his hand. "Can I help?"

The three joined hands, and Billy pressed against the wall, concentrating as hard as he could. Bolts of energy shot across the hallway, bouncing off the walls, picture frames, and light fixtures. The crackling sound intensified.

"Benny, put down that glass of bourbon. I need you now."

Suddenly, an eerie silence filled the hallway. Slowly, Benny materialized, his translucent form flickering, gaining strength and then fading. Then, when the three thought they couldn't endure the energy pull anymore, he appeared, looking annoyed but still holding his glass of bourbon.

His first words broke the tension. "This better be good. You owe me a bottle of bourbon, my friend."

Still weak, Billy dropped his head to his chest, chuckling. "You're a tough one, my friend."

Benny's face darkened as he saw Esther and Vinny, someone he'd crossed paths with in a prior life. "What's going on?"

Sensing the friction, Billy wasted no time. "Louie's sealed Madeline in a water tower and is filling it with water. Vinny knows where she is."

"And what does he get out of it?" Benny scowled at Vinny. "I remember in the past, everything had a price."

"Just like you, Benny, I'm different now. I want to help."

Benny's eyes shifted to Billy and then back to Vinny. "Old habits die hard."

Vinny looked directly into Benny's eyes. "I'm doing this for William. He asked me to help."

Billy nodded. "Grandfather is with some others now, trying to make a plan. We can't waste any more time if we are going to save Madeline. Are you in?"

Benny nodded, extending his hand to Vinny. "I'm in!"

Billy wasted no time. "We need to save Madeline."

Benny's face darkened. "Where is she?"

"Vinny saw them take her. He'll lead us there."

As they hurried through the mansion's shadowy corridors, Billy couldn't help but feel desperate with every second that ticked by. They followed Vinny through the winding corridors until they reached a hidden door. Vinny pressed his hands along the wall, causing a stone to shift and reveal a secret passage. As they entered the passage, the sound of running water and Madeline's desperate splashes echoed through the dark tunnel.

"Stay close and stay quiet," Vinny whispered, his eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of danger.

Reaching the water tower, they saw the two men standing guard.

The water was already waist-high, and Madeline's terrified screams filled the air. Billy's ethereal form flickered with anger.

"We need to distract them," Benny whispered.

Billy nodded, determination hardening his features. "Let's cause some chaos."

Vinny focused his energy on a nearby chandelier, causing it to sway violently before crashing to the ground. The gangsters froze, their faces showing their fear.

"What the hell was that?" one of them shouted.

Taking advantage of their distraction, Benny glided forward and sent a cold shiver through one of the men. The man screamed, waving his arms in the air. "Something touched me!"

Chuckling, Benny touched his companion, who followed suit by screaming and waving his arms. "I don't know about you, but I'm getting out of here. This place is haunted!"

"I'm with you." They both ran down the corridor, leaving the water tower unguarded.

Billy and Benny rushed to the water tower's door, pushing and tugging on it. "We can't open it!" Billy exclaimed.

"There's a window at the top," Vinny pointed out.

Quickly, they stacked old barrels and crates to reach the window so Madeline would have something to climb down on after they rescued her. Benny pounded on the rusty latch, but it refused to budge.

"Grab one of those rocks. I'll have to break the glass."

Madeline's frantic cries echoed. Esther called out to her friend. "Madeline, it's Esther. Watch out for the breaking glass above you. The boys are going to shatter the window so they can get you out."

"Hurry! The water's getting deep."

Benny yelled, "Cover your eyes. I'm smashing the window now." The sound of shattering glass echoed against the water tank.

Esther had found a rope and tossed it up to Benny. Billy scrambled to the top of the makeshift structure and leaned through the broken window. It was a black pit inside.

Pulling his bead out, he looked at Benny. "She'll never see the rope. I'll have to go inside."

Benny nodded as Billy's ethereal form faded. "You better hurry, my friend. If I recall, you didn't breathe so well underwater."

Billy chuckled, and his translucent form slipped through the window, descending to Madeline.

"Grab the rope, Madeline!" Billy shouted.

Madeline, gasping and exhausted, managed to grab the rope. She screamed when Billy reached out and touched her.

"It's me. Billy. I'm going to help hoist you up to the window while Benny and Vinny pull from their end. Okay?"

Madeline's eyes were wide with terror, but she managed to nod.

With all their combined strength, they pulled her up, inch by inch, until she was safely out of the water. She wiggled through the window with the help of Billy, collapsing into Benny's arms. She shivered violently and coughed, spewing water from her lungs.

Esther, her spirit glowing, smiled at her friend. "You're safe now, Madeline."

Vinny chimed in. "Not just yet. Those guys might come back with reinforcements. We need to get her out of here."

As they moved to a safer part of the mansion, Billy cast a final glance at the water tower, his heart heavy with the knowledge that their battle was far from over. But for now, they had saved Madeline, and that was a victory he would cherish.