Chapter Seven
Alyssa sped down the interstate as fast as she dared. Gabe’s head was on her lap. His breathing was shallow and ragged. Samantha opened the glove box and pulled out a small first aid kit. She opened it and showed the interior to Alyssa. “Good girl,” Alyssa said, “See that little packet? I think that’s disinfectant like the kits at the compound. Can you open it and clean the wound on his arm?”
Samantha frowned at Gabe’s bloody arm that hung out over the edge of the seat. “It’s pretty messy, but I think I can clean it. Will it hurt?”
“It might sting a bit, but he’s sound asleep, I don’t think he’ll notice.” Alyssa glanced down at Gabe. The light from the glove box lit up the interior with a pale glow. Gabe’s face was white as a sheet and his cheek caked with blood. Alyssa reached down and gently brushed a stray lock of hair from his eyes.
Samantha opened the packet and sat on the floor in the narrow space in front of Gabe. She gingerly peeled back his sleeve. “Mommy there’s too much blood and not enough light, I can’t see the ouchy.”
“Look in the bag Gabe bought at the gas station. There may be a bottle of water in there. You can use that to wash his arm. You can use my dress as a rag.” Alyssa said as she turned on the cab light.
Samantha found the water. Then pulled Alyssa’s dress out of another bag and gently cleaned Gabe’s wounds under her mother’s instruction. Alyssa didn’t dare pull over for even a moment in fear more demons would appear. More cars began to appear on the highway as they drove. She considered that a good sign. Samantha tore open some gauze pads she found in the first aid kit and laid them on the worst of Gabe’s wounds on his arm, leg and what she could reach on his chest and stomach.
Once she’d finished seeing to Gabe, Samantha made a bed on the floor with Alyssa’s coat, curled up and fell asleep. Alyssa yawned and wiggled her fingers to get the circulation going. She glanced down at the bag from the gas station that sat on the floor in front of Gabe. Pulling it up onto the dash, she reached inside and found a small bottle of the same energy drink Gabe offered her when they first met. She drank it quickly then reached out and turned on the radio.
A soft lilting tune filled the truck. Alyssa turned the knob. She found an upbeat song with a country twang she thought would help keep her awake until the drink kicked in.
Gabe opened his eyes and grunted as he sat up. “Where are we?” He asked examining the Band-Aids on his arm.
“We passed Salina two hours ago. The last sign said 45 miles to Kansas City.” Alyssa answered.
“Kansas City’s got a pretty complicated interstate system. Do you want me to drive?” He asked carefully placing his feet on the floor beside Samantha.
His shoulder brushed against Alyssa’s, and she jumped. Wiggling in her seat and stretching one arm to mask her reaction, Alyssa said, “its 2 o’clock in the morning, do you think there will be much traffic?”
“Hopefully not, but it only takes one bad driver…” Gabe chose his words carefully, not wanting to voice his concern of another attack.
“How do they keep finding us?” Alyssa asked.
He glanced at her pale features in the dim light from the dash. Her large doe eyes were focused on the road, but her hands were gripping the steering wheel with vengeance. She was frightened more than she wanted to let on.
Gabe glanced down to insure Samantha was asleep, then explained, “Approximately twenty-five percent of the population are possessed. Demons are connected by a type of psychic network. One possessed person is all it takes to alert the entire population if they find us. That’s why we are only stopping for gas; the more people who see us, the higher our chances of detection.”
Alyssa shot him a puzzled look. “You’re saying one out of every four people is possessed? That’s crazy!”
Gabe sighed, “I know it sounds like a lot, but not all demons are like those you’ve seen today. Some are very weak and simply occupy a host for companionship. They cause mild problems for the host such as headaches, depression, or sleeplessness. Most people have no idea a demon is living inside them. Other demons are more powerful. They cause evil thoughts, severe illness or some sort of psychosis. It’s even possible for several demons to inhabit one person without a visible hint to others. That’s why your gift of detecting evil in others is so valuable. You can feel the evil when most people can’t. ”
“How is that possible for a demon to jump inside someone?” Alyssa gasped.
Gabe glanced out the window as they passed another road sign and the lights of Kansas City appeared in the distance. “Demons can’t just jump inside you. The victims have to be open to the possession. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying they are willingly looking to be possessed or willingly allowing the possession, but they aren’t protecting themselves from it either. Their belief in demons or lack of belief in a greater good can leave them open to possession, or worse. It can leave their loved ones open as well.”
Alyssa frowned at him and pulled over on the shoulder. “If you are sure you can drive, I could use a break. I’m hungry. It’s been a long day and my fingers are cramping from driving.”
“So you understand what I’m saying about protecting yourself from a demon?” Gabe asked.
“I’m not really interested.” Alyssa added.
“Faith can protect you from many things.” Gabe added then climbed over Samantha and hopped out of the truck.
Alyssa slid over to the far side of the seat careful not to step on Samantha. She reached down, pulled Samantha off the floor and cradled her.
Gabe opened the driver’s door and climbed in. Pulling off his shredded jacket, he tossed it behind the seat. Alyssa’s heart beat faster. His muscular shoulders and upper arms shone through his torn shirt. She quickly glanced down at Samantha and shifted her slightly on her lap. Gabe reached down, picked up Alyssa’s coat off the floor and draped it over Samantha’s legs.
“Why don’t you try to get some sleep?” He offered.
“I just took one of your energy drinks.” She smiled at him. Her eyes sparkled in the dim light. This time it was Gabe’s pulse that quickened. “If you can get us through the city, I’ll drive after that. You need to get some rest. You’re hurt, and the two hour nap you just took isn’t enough.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Gabe grinned and threw the truck into gear. “If we keep up this pace, we should be in St Louis by morning.”
They pulled back out onto the highway and used the bypass to stay on the outskirts of Kansas City.
From there, Alyssa drove until they reached a rural town on the outskirts of St Louis and pulled into a Walmart. She left Gabe and Samantha asleep in the truck and ran inside to buy bandages and a change of clothes for Gabe. She also bought a box of doughnuts, juice and fresh fruit from the grocery area. When she returned, Gabe and Samantha were awake waiting for her.
Gabe jumped out of the truck when he saw her coming and went to meet her. “Next time, give me a heads up if you want to stop.” He said quietly taking the bags from her hands and escorting her to the truck. “We aren’t out of danger. It’s not safe for you to go off on your own. We need to stay together even if it’s a deserted area.”
“Your clothes are a mess. If you don’t change, you’re going to get a lot of questions when you make this delivery.” Alyssa smiled knowingly at him. “Besides, the store was empty. The only people I saw were the employees and no one gave me a second glance. I thought this was the best place to stop before we got too close to the city.”
Gabe glanced in the bags and asked, “You bought me clothes?”
“Yes and some antibiotic ointment for your wounds.” She added as he opened the door and helped her climb inside the truck.
“I’m fine, I just needed some rest.” Gabe answered climbing in behind her and starting the truck. Alyssa took the bags from him and dug inside for his new shirt.
She glanced up at him and said, “Take off your shirt, and we’ll change your bandages before you put on th
e new one.”
Gabe looked around the parking lot; it was empty. “Okay,” he answered pulling off his tattered shirt.
Alyssa forced herself to concentrate on the bandage and dried blood. She pulled a packet of disposable wipes from the grocery bag and started cleaning the blood from his muscular chest. His skin was soft and taunt over his lean frame. Alyssa couldn’t help but admire the six-pack on his abdomen as she worked.
Samantha dug in the bag and pulled out the larger bandages Alyssa had bought. Alyssa gingerly pulled off the series of band aids Samantha left on the gash across his chest and stared in amazement. The wound was gone. She flashed Gabe a questioning look.
“I’m a fast healer.” Gabe shrugged and reached for the bag Samantha was holding.
Alyssa grabbed his left arm and tore off the bandages over the knife injury. Again, no hint of a wound, not even a hint of a scar. “Who are you?” She demanded, releasing his arm.
“He’s an angel.” Samantha offered proudly. “Only angels can fight demons.”
Gabe grinned at Samantha and said, “So you believe in angels too?”
He reached in the bag and pulled out the red and black flannel shirt Alyssa bought for him and put it on. Alyssa snatched the bag from Samantha, yanked his jeans out and thrust them at him. “We will turn our backs so you can change your pants.”
She reached out for Samantha and spun her around to face the window. Gabe did as she asked and pulled off his torn and bloody jeans. He tossed them behind the seat with his shirt and pulled on his new pants. Despite her anger at his reaction to Samantha’s suggestion that he was an angel, Alyssa resisted the urge to glance in his direction. Instead, she allowed her anger to build. How dare he take advantage of her confidence? He was using Walton’s insane belief that Samantha would receive a divine protector to grow closer to her. Little did he know, Samantha was unaware of the prophesy. Alyssa was not going to allow otherwise.
It was insane to believe that some mystical God would send a divine protector for Samantha when she knew nothing of Him and never worshipped Him. Alyssa did everything in her power to keep Samantha away from the compounds demon worship. She would not even allow her mother to teach Samantha about Christianity for fear it would give credence to the demon beliefs. The only way she knew how to keep Samantha from believing in demons was to teach her there was no after life, no divinity, no Hell and therefore no demons.
Alyssa sighed, recalling how her mother still managed to teach them both about the bible without their knowledge. She smiled; he mother was stronger than she ever imagined. Now that the demons appeared, Alyssa dreaded the moment Samantha would begin to question all that Alyssa had taught her. Her mother’s deception was well meant, but Gabe was not family and had no right to interfere.
“Okay, let’s get going.” Gabe said after he zipped up his pants and pulled his boots back on. “The warehouse is open 24 hours so it’s shouldn’t take too long to unload.”
“Let’s just get it over with so I can get Samantha to my grandmothers and you can be on your way.” Alyssa snapped.
Gabe frowned at her. She ignored his stare and buckled Samantha into the seat near the window staying between them adding, “And I’d appreciate it if you would not encourage her overactive imagination. I don’t believe in angels or Heaven so I would appreciate it if you would not discuss it with her.”
“Then how do you explain the demons? You can’t have Hell without Heaven.” Gabe asked casually as he shifted into reverse.
“I don’t know,” Alyssa admitted abruptly, “They looked more like lizards than demons. Perhaps they are some mutant race Walton kept hidden until now. Who knows, he’s a very secretive and crazy person. But he’s also very smart.” Alyssa didn’t know why she was arguing with him about demons. She did believe they were real. But that didn’t mean Heaven was.
Gabe backed out of the parking spot and turned to head to the highway. “I won’t argue the fact he is crazy. As for the rest, you know perfectly well…”
“This discussion is over,” Alyssa declared sharply. “I don’t want Samantha’s head filled with nonsense. I don’t believe there are mysterious forces at work in the universe. I don’t believe in fate or destiny. We exist; that’s it. There is nothing fancy about our existence. There is no mystery as to why we are here. We simply exist because of biology and evolution. I have seen nothing that would lead me to believe otherwise. There has been no point in my life where I have witnessed any sign whatsoever of a loving and peaceful entity guiding or protecting me. There was no one there to comfort me when my family was held against their will. There was no one there to comfort me when my father was beaten, taken from me, and likely killed. There was no one there to comfort me every night Walton raped me. Where was this God of yours then? I’ll tell you where. He was, nowhere, because He doesn’t exist.” Alyssa’s eyes filled with tears. She glanced past Samantha out the window so Gabe wouldn’t see.
Gabe’s face screwed up into a tight knot. He gripped the steering wheel hard and scowled at the road. “How can you sit there and deny everything that’s been happening?” He began slowly keeping his voice low and calm. “Are you really that naive? You have no idea what’s really happening or why. I understand why you chose the path you’ve taken. However, that path has fallen out from under you. You are hanging by a thread, dangling from the walkway above a fiery storm. You’re ignoring the hand that’s reaching out to pull you onto solid ground. If you continue, you’re going to fall, and it’s a real possibility you’re going to take Samantha with you.”
Alyssa turned to stare at Gabe. “What?”
Gabe turned to meet her gaze. “There’s no middle ground in this.” He turned back to the highway, and they drove to the warehouse in silence.
Gabe backed up to the dock of the large stone building. It sat alone in a field at the far edge of the small outlet mall that held the sporting goods store. Gabe opened the door and called over his shoulder as he climbed out, “Stay in the truck. This won’t take long.”
He jumped up onto the cement dock and walked inside the open docking bay. Alyssa watched him disappear inside through the side mirror. Samantha wiggled in her seat and handed Alyssa a banana peel. “I have to go to the bathroom.” She announced unbuckling her seat belt. “Do you think they have one here?”
“Can you wait until Gabe is done unloading the truck?” Alyssa asked glancing in the mirror again. The dock was empty, not a soul was in sight. Alyssa didn’t treasure the idea of climbing out of the truck without Gabe’s presence.
“I can’t hold it mommy!” Samantha began to whine, “I really have to go!”
Alyssa sighed and glanced in the mirror again. “Okay, stay close to me and don’t talk to anyone.” She said unbuckling her seat belt and reaching over Samantha to open the door.
They took the set of cement steps that led up to the dock area. Alyssa and Samantha moved deeper into the dock toward an open door that led down a hallway. They didn’t have to go far before discovering a set of bathroom doors. Alyssa released a sigh of relief and took Samantha inside. The olive green bathroom walls were bare. Three stalls sat across from the two sinks attached to the wall. The first stall was occupied. Alyssa took the second and motioned for Samantha to take the larger stall on the end.
Finishing quickly, Alyssa emerged as a young woman came out of the first stall and walked up to the sink next to hers. They finished washing their hands at the same moment. Alyssa stepped back from the sink and glanced at Samantha’s stall. The young woman began to check her make-up and fluff her short red hair. She turned to leave, then stopped and spun back to face Alyssa.
Alyssa’s breath caught in her throat as the woman’s dark brown eyes met hers. A cold chill ran through her as the woman flashed Alyssa an empty smile and said, “Do you really think that guy is going to protect you forever?”
Without another word, the woman turned and left. Alyssa stood staring at the door as it closed behind her. Samantha flushed the
toilet and walked slowly out of the stall to the sink. She washed her hands and pulled a paper towel from the dispenser. Glancing up at her mother, she frowned when she saw Alyssa’s startled expression. “Mommy?” She asked reaching out and taking hold of her hand.
Alyssa jumped at Samantha’s touch and glanced quickly down at her daughter. “Let’s get back to the truck.” She said quickly and pulled Samantha toward the door.
Gabe and another man were raising the door on the back of the truck as Alyssa and Samantha appeared from the hallway. Alyssa held her breath expecting a huge pile of mangled animals tossed throughout the truck from her rough treatment last night. She was rewarded with a neat pile of wooden crates of various sizes that appeared undisturbed. Alyssa rolled her eyes at her own stupidity; of course, the animals would be in crates.
Gabe shot her a questioning glance, and she quickly led Samantha back to the truck and climbed inside. Gabe returned a few minutes later. “We got a sweet little paycheck for all our troubles.” Gabe flashed a brilliant smile, which quickly disappeared when their eyes met. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, everything is okay, but I think we should get moving.” Alyssa answered calmly, glancing away from him.
That was all Gabe needed to hear. He started the truck and quickly pulled away from the dock. Alyssa sat and stared out the window absentmindedly holding her daughters hand. She'd placed Samantha between her and Gabe intentionally. She needed space and time to think. Luckily, Gabe didn't quiz her about what happened at the warehouse. Alyssa supposed he was not pushing for details because he figured she must have noticed something unusual. He had no idea that someone had actually approached her, let alone spoke to her.
The woman’s words echoed in her thoughts. Gabe had been protecting them. She’d come to rely on his protection. Yet he never mentioned anything beyond getting her to her grandmothers. As if reaching her grandmother's farm was like crossing the finish line in a race, everything would be over. Alyssa chastised herself; she should have taken the demons more seriously. She was foolish to think she could simply take Samantha and disappear once she was free of Walton's grasp.
Whatever power Walton held over these creatures, she was going to have to face the fact that Walton was not going to stop. A sudden flash of realization rushed through her petite frame. Whatever protection the farm offered, she couldn’t hide out there forever. Gabe was right, she chose the wrong path.
Instead of running from Walton, she should have killed him in his sleep! Alyssa gasped and instinctively pulled her hand away from Samantha. What was she thinking? She could never kill anyone. Not even Walton.
Gabe shot a questioning glance in Alyssa's direction. She brushed her hair from her face and turned her head further toward the window. He must have heard her gasp. Her thoughts turned quickly to Gabe's intense blue eyes and muscular arms. She took a deep breath and pushed them away. Why is he here? What is he doing? He must know that these so-called demons weren't going to disappear just because they reached a small farm in central Indiana. Why was he acting as if it would? What was he hiding? What else did he know that he wasn't telling her? Alyssa slowly turned to stare at Gabe. He instantly turned to face her.
"Are you alright, Alyssa?" He asked softly.
The concern in his eyes seemed to intensify their sapphire hue. Alyssa found herself wishing she could forget the world and become lost in his gaze. She tore her eyes from his and glanced at the floor. "I'm just tired, that's all. I'm not used to all this excitement."
Gabe turned back to the road without further comment. Samantha leaned against her mother and said, "What is the name of grandma's dog? Will it let me play with it? Is it a girl or a boy? I hope it’s a girl so she’ll have puppies."
Alyssa smiled at her and wrapped her arms around her, "Bo, every dog grandma has ever owned has been named Bo."
"That's funny!" Samantha giggled and snuggled against her.
Alyssa laughed and added, "I remember when I was a little younger than you, one day her dog Bo was suddenly a puppy. I thought grandma gave her a bath, and she must have shrunk."
Gabe chuckled as Samantha's laughter filled the small truck cab.
The drive through St Louis was uneventful. They stopped for gas without incident. Alyssa made a point of keeping as much distance from strangers as possible. When they reached the outskirts of Indianapolis Gabe pulled off the highway onto the outer road. "There's a branch of my bank here. I want to cash this check. We could use some ready cash instead of having to rely on your grandmother’s credit card. And we can get some lunch." He explained.
Samantha was fast asleep leaning against Alyssa when they pulled into the parking lot. The truck was too large to pull into the drive through. Gabe backed into a parking spot and headed inside. Alyssa locked the doors as he left and watched him walk across the parking lot.
What was it about him that made her heart race each time their eyes met? Was it simply the fact that he was kind and brave? It made sense to Alyssa that she would be attracted to a kind man since all the men in her life since her father’s passing had been so mean and full or anger. However, Gabe was nothing like her father. Yes, he was a soldier, but her father was not a warrior. He was a mechanic stationed overseas. He was wounded when his transport drove over a landmine. He'd never been in battle.
Gabe was some sort of warrior. He was made to fight these monsters. Perhaps that was why he was here, why he knew how to fight them. There was so much about the world Alyssa didn't know. Her only reference to the outside world was through the memories of a little girl and the pages of some old encyclopedias. Why didn't she remember any mention of demons in those books? Why hadn't her mother warned her of Walton's monsters instead of filling her head with bible stories?
Suddenly a knock came on her window, and Alyssa jolted out of her thoughts. She turned slowly to meet the gaze of an old woman dressed in ragged, filthy clothes. Her face and hands were covered in grime. She flashed Alyssa a toothless smile and stepped back from the door. Alyssa glanced at the bank; there was no sign of Gabe. The same cold chill ran through her as before. She knew she should ignore her and honk for horn for Gabe. Instead, she rolled the window down a tiny bit and stared at the old woman.
The woman’s words were slurred and her voice guttural and raspy, "If you come with me now, all is forgiven. Everything will be as it once was. There is no further need for violence or pain."
"Go away!" Alyssa snapped rolling the window back up and checking to make sure the door was locked.
The woman moved closer and spoke louder through the closed window, "Your hero will not survive the wrath that is coming. Deny me now, and you are choosing death. No one will be spared."
Gabe darted past the front of the truck. He slammed into the woman pushing her behind the truck out of Alyssa's line of sight. The old woman's screeches rang across the parking lot. Alyssa glanced at the bank, but no one appeared. Cars drove past them on the road without slowing to gaze at the battle Alyssa could only imagine was taking place behind the truck.
Then there was silence. Gabe pulled open the door and climbed into the truck. He started the engine and raced back toward the highway. Alyssa glanced at the rearview mirror as they pulled away. There was no sign of the old woman. "What did you do to her?" Alyssa turned to ask, frowning down at Samantha, who was still sleeping soundly. “Where did she go? Why didn’t anyone notice?”
Gabe concentrated on the road, “Mortals don’t see divine interactions for their own protection. I allowed the demon to escape for the old woman’s sake." Gabe snapped, "They’re growing bold, approaching you in broad daylight. What did she say?"
Alyssa placed her hand over Samantha's ear "This one said we were all going to die if I didn't go with her. If I did return, she said Walton would forgive me. Another one approached us in the bathroom of the warehouse. She said that you couldn't protect us forever."
Gabe merged into the traffic on the interstate and headed for the bypass around Ind
ianapolis. He clenched his jaw. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the traffic around them. Taking a deep breath, he released it and said, "I won't leave you until the danger has passed." He turned toward her and their eyes locked, "You have my word. No matter what happens, no matter how long it takes I will not leave you until Walton is gone.”
Alyssa's stomach leapt at his words. Her heart pounded in her chest. “What did she mean when she said a wrath is coming?" She forced the words. “I thought you said we’d be safe at the farm?”
Gabe turned back to the road and said, "Situations like this can escalate to the point of... conflict." Gabe chose his words carefully, "When someone like Walton falls under the influence of a powerful demon bad things begin to happen. You and your family were caught in his path. You weren't the first family, but it's up to me now to make sure you are the last. Your grandmother’s farm is the safest place for you and Samantha to be right now."
Finally, Gabe was opening up and telling her the truth. Encouraged, she asked, "Is the prophesy true about Samantha? Is Walton, right? Have you come to protect her from the horrors that precede the end of days?"
"Alyssa," Gabe glanced at her, "All children will be taken up when Revelation begins. Samantha won't need a protector. Samantha has nothing to fear. Walton will be powerless when Revelation begins. There is some truth to the prophesy, but it has nothing to do with Samantha. Walton has chosen the wrong child."
All breath left her. Alyssa stared down at her little girl. It was too much to absorb. There were comfort and horror in Gabe's words. For the first time, Alyssa dared to believe there might be an afterlife for Samantha's sake. If Walton believed Samantha was his salvation and discovered he was wrong, his anger would be insatiable and devastating.
"Gabe," Alyssa whispered, "Can you stop Walton?"
Gabe turned one more time to meet her gaze, "Yes, but I may need some help from my friends."
The Light of His Sword Page 8
