The Reaper Chapter 3

The Reaper: Chapter 3- Written by Brandon Marko AKA Wade Wilson DPA NWO RIPD 
 

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The Reaper- Chapter 3 Written by Brandon Marko AKA Wade Wilson DPA NWO RIPD 

A man is seen stumbling away from the grave site. He's in tattered clothes, the resemblance of an old police uniform. They were tattered and shredded, barely covering his body. He walked slowly, nearly tripping over himself, not being used to walking. The caretaker was in his office asleep, When the man knocked on the window, stumbling through the door. The caretaker saw how dead the man looked and let out an intense scream. Shaky hands went to try and help the man when he stumbled. The man shrugged him off and held onto the desk. Breathing heavily, his long black hair covered his face stained with blood, water, and dirt. He looked like a ghost, his body moved like a wraith or spirit of the night. He was nervous, and scared, not knowing where he was.

The man shouted, his voice hollow, even eerie.. Filled with sorrow and mourning like a ghost, but fueled with anger and fire. “What's the date!!? The...The..the.. Year?!!!”

He slammed his fist on the desk in anger, causing the whimpering caretaker to whimper more. The caretaker looked on worried, he spoke up. Stammering a little at first, before regaining some form of courage. Seeing this man wasn't here to harm him, he was only frightened about something. It was in the Caretaker's' nature to help those in need, he was a kind old man and he knew this young man was in some kind of trouble. The Caretaker spoke this time, not afraid of him, but concerned for the man's well-being. “May, 20th,2029” “Are you in some kind of trouble young man?” The Caretaker asked, seeing the state of the man once again. This came as a great shock to Travis and he stumbled back against the wall of the little shack they were in.

He clearly sounded upset, and the hair was matted all across the figure's face. He didn't understand what was happening to him, he couldn't, he didn't realize he was dead, he didn't realize who he was. Travis, breathing slowed down a bit as his senses came back to him. Travis looked at the man through a covered face with hair and looked on. Sighing a bit, “I...” Travis was about to say, upon seeing visual images of men beating the Hell out of him. Travis tried to block one of the men's attacks, having a Caretaker see a weird look on his face, when Travis fell back once again, against the wall. Travis took in another deep breath and screamed hard, falling to his knees. His hands clutched his matted hair, while he cried out.

The Caretaker could see he was upset, he walked around and placed a hand on his shoulder. Giving Travis the first real comfort he had in years. Travis calmed down and took a breath.. Calmly, with a dark tone in his voice.. “I...don't...remember...anything..” he said solemnly, looking down at the ground. The Caretaker continued to remain there and saw, something on the guy's clothing. He wasn't wearing his cop uniform but the badge he was wearing. “You gave me quite a fright young man, It's not every day I receive a visitor at this late of an hour..I...” He looked again and saw once more. “Are you a police officer?”The Caretaker asked the man, with the mangled-up badge on his chest. Now, he carried two kinds of badged, the one given was from his chest, this one was placed on him when he was buried. It was the broken badge he wore that night being attacked.

Travis tried to remember if he was or not, but all he had gotten was a searing headache. He clutched his hands on his head and screamed loud in pain. Nearly collapsing to the floor in pain once again, the old Caretaker comes to help Travis back to his feet, and Travis smiles slightly. He takes a deep breath and rubs his head slightly. Through a trembling voice, Travis spoke a bit shaky at first. Clearly, showing signs that he had been through a terrible ordeal, in his weakened state. “I..Don't know anymore.. what is real.. or what's not... I...don't know..” Travis stammered trying to regain a sense of where he was. He sighed and took some water down, that the Caretaker had given him. It spilled down his shirt from not being used to drinking anything for a long time.

Travis even coughed some of the water up, he looked back at the man who asked him that question about being a cop and sighed, looking at his own hands with his head slumped down..”I could be...But...I don't remember who I am... I need your help..”

Travis looked on at the old man, giving him a pleading look now as some of his hair had fallen away from his face. He held the cup in his hand, and his head remained lowered. He had a sad look on his face. And a personality like a spirit would. He also felt that he didn't belong in that time or place. Travis looked at the old man again and the old man felt sorry for him. With the look in Travis' eyes, the old man knew that he could trust him. Travis had that way about himself with people, that was one of the reasons why he was such a good Detective. People knew he was a straight shooter, and the old man smiled. It had started to rain and he grabbed an old blanket. Wrapping it around Travis..

Tyler Anderson spoke now, smiling as he wrapped the blanket around Travis' body.

“There.. that's better... Wouldn't want you to catch your death of cold now young man.. It looks like, you could use a warm meal and a soft bed. My daughter will have dinner ready by now.. She's about your age, she'd be happy to meet you, Oh,” He extends his hand. “I'm Tyler Anderson, I'd ask your name.. But, we'll get to that later. Right, now..Let's get you fed and washed up.” Tyler said to him. Travis thanked the man and followed him to his car. He couldn't remember anything, out of the corner of his eyes he saw the empty grave where he had risen, but couldn't see that it was empty. Travis just saw the grave, as they drove off in Tyler's' truck heading off towards his daughter's home. The ride to Tyler's' home was quiet, Travis sat looking out at the rain.

Travis saw his reflection, but it didn't feel like it was himself. He kept trying to remember who he was, but all that had been coming to him had been a fogged haze in his mind. He kept hearing a voice in his head, echoing and sounding far off, saying, “Remember,” It kept a constant echo, and he suddenly woke up very quickly.

His eyes darting around the truck, panic nearly gripped him while he jumped out of his seat a little. Tyler had placed his hand on his shoulder to wake him up gently. “Sorry, didn't mean to wake you, but we're here..” He said quietly, getting out of the truck.

Walking up to the house, Travis looked on and sighed. Rubbing the temples of his eyes, he had gotten out of the truck as well and followed the old man to the house.

Images of another home started appearing in Travis' mind. With each step he took, when he gazed upon the house, it looked familiar... It was almost like he was stepping into his own home the way he was looking at it.. He remembers seeing Trish there, standing in front of the house waiting for him. The house he was being taken into was his old home, Travis used to live there... 'How can this be? Am I dreaming.?' He asked himself as the rain started showing signs of dying down when he had gotten out of the truck. It felt refreshing in a way.

It was almost as though the water from the rain, had begun cleaning his soul, his spirit. “I use to live here...” He said to no one but himself, he didn't want the old man to know this use to be his home yet. It had been a long time since then, and the old man would think he was crazy. A young boy opened the door to greet the two of them, upon seeing the two walk up he yelled in excitement... “Grandpa's home!” Shaun yelled with excitement and ran towards his grandpa. Jumping in his arms, Tyler laughed hugging him tightly.

“You been good today kid?” He asked him. Shaun laughed and answered.. “Not at all Gramps..” Tyler laughed.. “Good boy..giving your mother a hard time again I see..” Tyler said, “Go in now.. don't want you to catch a cold..” He said.. Shaun ran in while Travis came walking up the steps. “My grandson.. little firecracker he is..” Tyler said with a smile on his face. Footsteps could be heard, echoing off the hardwood floor.

A young child around the age of 10 comes running back up to him. A woman is following close behind him, and the child leaps into Tyler's' arms once more, having the woman shake her head.

Shaun Jr. excitement still beaming in his voice, while they walked in.. “Gramps..we were wondering when you'd get home.. Mom's made dinner..” he said and suddenly stopped talking for a moment upon seeing the strange man before him. He turned his head into his Grandpa's' chest, shy. It made Travis smile and suddenly images of a young girl came across his mind now... She was half the age he was, she was laughing and she was playing with someone..But, he couldn't see who, and he couldn't remember who the little girl was. A beautiful woman comes walking into the room, looking at Travis and then at Tyler. Showing concern on her face at the lateness of the hour. Tyler smacks his head and sets his grandson down...

“Oh...where are my manners... Forgive me...Ashley...this young man, is going to be staying with us for a while...He's...well.. a little out of sorts, and I offered him a place to stay until he could get back on his feet.” He said, this seemed to please Shaun as he took off towards the living room.. Ashley however, needed a little more convincing.. “Bringing home strays again huh dad? Well, at least you won't need your shots...” She said smiling, taking Travis's hand in shaking it. Hiding her concerns in front of Travis, while she turned to walk back inside... The two men followed her as well..

“Dinner is in 30, you, look terrible.. towels and bathroom can be found upstairs in the guest room.. You can make yourself comfortable until then..” She said kindly to him and took off back to the kitchen.

The smell was amazing, Travis hadn't eaten anything in what seemed like an eternity. Travis watched her leave, after thanking her, and made his way up the stairs. Closing the door behind him, Tyler went back into the kitchen snaking a snack before dinner when Ashley gave him a stern concerned look.. “It's just a cookie...I know that look..” Tyler said to her. “You get that from your mother, God rest her soul...” Tyler said, eating the cookie. Concern in her voice once more, after continuing the tending of dinner.. “Now..Look...you have no business in bringing home a stranger..How do you even know you can trust him? He looks...bad...” Ashley said.. What she meant was that he didn't look evil, he just looked to be on his deathbed.

Ashley had every right to be concerned, she and her son lived alone in the house. They moved back in with her father after her husband had died in the army. He had served in Iraq, and had gotten killed over there. It was too hard for her to live on her own, and she needed her father to help and give him support for herself.

Tyler shook his head now, peaking in the pots before Ashley slammed them down looking at her father.. He was impossible, just like her son in every way, it was like she was raising two kids. Tyler spoke to her in a hushed whisper... “Now, Ashley look. I know you have a perfect right to be concerned..But, something in me told me he needed help. It felt like the right thing to do. I think this young man is some kind of cop, the way he moves and the way he was dressed.” “I was a cop in the day, and I know my kind when I see them. He looks like he's been through Hell and he needs some time to get his barrings. Shaun would have wanted it that way...

“Tyler said to her.. It made her drop the ladle back in the pot and leaned over the oven sighing a little.. “I'm sorry..” Tyler said to her...placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. She took it and sighed again. Tyler knew that Shaun Sr. was a low blow, but he also knew that she could tell he was right. Ashley also knew that he had good instincts when it came to people, and if he thought this man was good, then she would too. She sighed and rubbed the temples of her eyes, grunting a little in frustration, knowing she just let her father win another argument.. “He can stay as long as he needs to stay.. You and your weakness for strays father. Besides, he's kind of cute in a way..” She added smiling at the afterthought. Upstairs in the guest room, Travis took a shower to get ready for dinner. Travis had been taking a shower for a long time, but the warm water felt great on his muscles. He had his head lowered and eyes closed while he let the warm water run down his body. He felt it gave him new life and a newer sense of purpose.

Travis felt relaxed, and he started getting images in his mind. Flashback images of men torturing him, from his point of view. Men had been striking him. Hitting him, he then saw himself in pain and crying out every time they were hitting him. A loud burst of thunder echoed throughout the distance, and he stumbled into the shower. Leaning against the side, he had his head lowered and he was breathing heavily. He went to the window wiping away the steam the warm water had produced and looked at himself through the mirror. Who are you?” Travis asked himself in a hushed whisper, turning the water off, and drying himself up. Travis thought to himself, he closed his eyes and saw an electric razor. Travis started to shave and shaved his hair into a neat military-style hair cut. Cleaning himself up, he dried himself up and looked presentable.

He walked into the guest bedroom and there were some old clothes laying on the bed for him. He ran his hand along the fabric, images of himself and a woman making love on a bed. He could feel the passion, the intensity of the love. The moment, he heard her whisper a name. Travis Was that his name? He thought to himself, he had gotten dressed and looked in the mirror. Travis sat down on the bed and then said his name out loud again.. “Travis..” It does sound like a name that would fit him.. He was about to think some more when he heard his name being echoed through the bathroom, and then he heard Ashley yell that it was time for dinner. He looked at the family pictures by the bedside and looked at the husband in the military uniform with Shaun and Ashley together. He then felt sad, he felt as though he had been through that same experience. But, he couldn't tell from where and he walked down the stairs with the dirty towels in his hands.

Making his way to the laundry room, he placed them in the dirty clothes hamper. Tyler, Ashley, and Shaun had been sitting across the table when Travis entered the room and Tyler smiled. Tyler spoke upon his arrival... “Good, I was hoping some of Shaun's' old clothes would fit. I see you clean up pretty well. That was an understatement... I'm going to have to thank my father later... Ashley thought to herself, after seeing the handsome Travis standing there in the doorway. He smiled and took a seat. The dinner looked amazing, it was spaghetti, with bread and salad and wine. He waited till it was time, and he dug in with the rest of the family. He was trying not to eat the way he was, but it felt like he hadn't eaten in decades.

The food was amazing and he felt incredibly hungry. Everyone else was staring at him, and while he was eating he was aware that they were staring. He slowed his eating down and smiled. Travis spoke slowly, “I apologize, it's just been a long time since I had a decent home-cooked meal... You are a very talented chef Ashley...” Travis said while he continued eating, it made Ashley blush and it made Shaun Jr. giggle at the statement.

The dinner continued on through the night they were laughing together and telling jokes. Travis had never felt more at ease with the entire situation of being with strangers. They felt as though they had been with him his entire life. It had gone later on in the night, and Ashley had been cleaning the dishes while Travis and Tyler had been drinking coffee together.

Travis took in some coffee once more, leaning back a little to look in the kitchen, he spoke quietly... “You have a very lovely family Tyler..” Travis said, running a thumb along the brim of his glass, before setting it down on the table. Travis let out a deep sigh, and lowered his eyes downward. Taking in a deep breath in the same process. Tyler could always tell when something was wrong, it was a gifted sense he had. That, and the fatherly instincts of being a parent most of his life, he knew that something was wrong with Travis. Tyler placed a comforting hand on Travis' shoulder, reassuring him, that it'd be alright. Tyler had a deep concern when he spoke to Travis this time... “Son, I been a cop a long time..And a parent longer... I know when something's wrong.... I can see it in your eyes son. You were a cop, weren't you? I noticed the uniform... Well..what was left of it...”

Tyler said a little solemnly at that moment as well. The moment Tyler spoke about his uniform, Travis knocked the mug over by accident. He saw images of strange men torturing him to death in an unknown building. “Travis?” Tyler spoke quietly, shaking him a little... “Travis...” Tyler said once again. Travis comes back to reality and he sees Tyler sitting there opposite side him.. His body had jerked suddenly, knocking over the half-empty wine bottle. Tyler was reaching out to grab it, and Travis had caught the bottle, instinctively without thinking before it even hit the floor. He caught the bottle inches before the bottle hit the floor. There was a look of surprise on his face. Tyler also had a surprised look on his face as well. Travis had been admiring the bottle with his hand. His hand then began to tremble slightly, before he brought the bottle back onto the table.

Tyler was about to say something and closed his mouth. Taking in a sip of coffee, he continued to look at Travis's' face. Travis continued to examine the bottle and his own hands. He then looked at Tyler before returning his gaze back to the table. Tyler had a surprised tone to his voice...

“Quick aren't we?”The tone of his voice told the entire story. Travis was even surprised himself that he had the reflexes as quick as they were. Everything was so confusing to him, so jumbled and hazed. He didn't know who he was, or even what had happened to him. He saw images of the graveyard this time, and a faint voice echoing through his head. Remember....Remember...Travis heard the voice echo through his head once more. Travis saw images of himself being tortured and then saw images of a graveyard and a hand bursting through the ground. Travis snaps back to reality once again, slamming his hands down on the table in frustration as to what happened. Tyler took the pot off the mat and poured Travis another cup of coffee. Travis' voice was in a hushed whisper, it was almost faint...Distant sounding even, it was like his body was there, but his mind was somewhere else..

“The last thing I remember.... I was taking a call.. The call...” Travis said, leaning against the table. He placed his hands against the wood, and lowered his head. Sighing softly, he closed his eyes... He can see himself driving along the road to an empty building, now he knows it was a warehouse...

Travis rubs his eyes, and takes a deep breath..

“I was sent to....a warehouse....to check out a normal disturbance,” Travis said, struggling a little to regain his memory. It still remained a hazed blur to him... Tyler could see he was frustrated with this and placed a calming hand on his shoulder.. “Take it, slow son.. it'll come..” Tyler said to him. Travis nodded and closed his eyes once again... “It was a normal patrol...something, I've done a million times You know..” Travis spoke, he continues to see men torturing him to death.. Travis now sees a shadow-like figure in the background, coming up to him.. The men who had tortured him stopped, it was clear the shadow man was in charge. Travis had a strange look on his face, as he was taking all this in. Then Travis continued telling his tale to Tyler, while Tyler sat there. Thinking over the events that had been going on, when he finished Travis sat there now..

Travis sighed, and rubbed the temples of his eyes once more, before setting his coffee down on the table. He was done with coffee.. “That's the last thing I remember.. After that... I don't even know, how I wound up in the cemetery..” Travis said, in a dark tone.. He looked on and took in another breath. Wiping his brow a little, giving a half-heartened smile to the old man sitting across from him. Tyler took in a breath and took a sip of coffee, the hour was late. But, he felt that Travis was making progress with his remembering. He felt responsible in a way, he did find him. Tyler wanted to make sure he was going to be OK.

Tyler spoke to Travis this time, “This is what I gather so far.... I can definitely tell you that you had no place in that cemetery. You also seemed like you were out of time. Meaning, you didn't belong to this time frame. This year and time its different then you remember.   

The expression and reaction you gave me when I told you the date.. I could tell that you weren't expecting that.. I can also tell you're a cop if I knew you're name..I have some friends in the local precinct, that can look into your past... What's your name...?” Tyler asked him quietly. It was such a normal, basic question. Travis couldn't think about the answer... When Travis thought about the question. He had a searing headache and placed his hands against his head. Clutching it in pain, when he hunched over against the table. Tyler made a move to help him when Travis made a hand motion to stop him. Travis gave him a reassuring smile. Travis' eyes came down, looking at his hands. Travis looked up slowly and said quietly... “My Name...Is Travis...”