Harbinger (The Bleeding Worlds) by Justus R. Stone Read Free Book Online

took hold. An impetuous decision, chasing after something he had no right to claim, had left him scarred again. At the age of seven, he trespassed on the old Wilson farm and sliced his abdomen on the barbed fence. Being impulsive, crossing over into worlds you had no right to be in, led to pain and scars. But how did scarring like this happen? If Pridament had the answers, would it clear the cloudy nightmare Halloween night had become?
    “Tell me what you know,” Gwynn’s words were slow and labored, “I’ll give you a chance.”
    Pridament paused. He seemed to be searching for the right words. “Thousands of years ago, a group of people were born that had special abilities. They were elevated to godhood. The masses of normals praised and worshipped them. In their own way, those special people tried to be good and benevolent gods. They called themselves the Anunnaki. Over time, others were born with similar powers. In some cases, people raised them up as gods through adoration. Others assumed the role through force. While still many others chose to hide their abilities. All over the world, patches of these people appeared. Our modern world remembers them as the Olympians, the Aesir, and the gods of Egypt.”
    “So what does that have to do with me?”
    “Those people,” Pridament said, nodding toward Gwynn’s arm, “were marked the same way you are.”
    “So you’re saying I’m one of these people?” His mind reeled. When Pridament said he wouldn’t believe, he had no idea just how outrageous the story would be. Him? Gwynn Dormath a god? What a bad joke. He would’ve said so to Pridament, would’ve told him to save the fairy tales for toddlers, but nothing but conviction resided in the older man’s voice and eyes. Yes, he understood what he said sounded foolish and impossible. But he believed every word of it.
    “I know. It was a lot easier to believe in a world not dominated by science. The truth is, science is very much behind this. You see—”
    “What the HELL is going on here?” A male voice—old leather worn through years of smoke and alcohol.
    Pridament made a startled jump to his feet. “Please, let me explain.”
    “I think you damned well better.” This man’s grey and thinning hair made him look much older than Pridament. He wore thick glasses that fell halfway down his hawkish nose. His attire marked him as a doctor.
    Pridament extended his hand, which the other doctor showed no interest in taking. After an awkward minute, Pridament withdrew his hand. “I’m Doctor Alcandre, Pridament. I was friends with Gwynn’s parents.”
    The older doctor looked to Gwynn, who nodded his agreement.
    “It’s true. He knew them.”
    “Well, I’m Doctor Saduj. I’ve been overseeing Gwynn’s care since he arrived. While I’m fine with you visiting my patient, doctor, I’m wondering how you can justify removing the dressings on his arm.”
    “When he came out of the coma, he started tearing at it. He seemed in a great deal of distress. When I got him calmed down, he said that it felt like it was on fire. I removed the bandages so that I could see what was happening.”
    Had Pridament practiced that very speech just in case? Even knowing it as a lie, Gwynn thought it sounded flawless and convincing.
    “What did you find?”
    Gwynn couldn’t shake the odd feeling that being around Pridament made this Doctor Saduj uncomfortable.
    “Just as you see. Scarred, but no obvious issue. Once he got over the shock of seeing the scars, the sensation ceased. It might have been merely psychosomatic.”
    Doctor Saduj scratched the top of his nose and pushed his glasses further up. “Well, nonetheless, let’s not make butting into other doctor’s cases a habit, shall we Doctor?”
    “Yes, absolutely.”
    Pridament came closer to Gwynn and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. “I should let Doctor Saduj do his job now. As soon as I can, I’ll come back and finish our conversation. Deal?”
    “Yes.” He