by Caleb Smith
Furfur flew overhead like a hawk seeking prey. Tired eyes from below looked up and wished they were in his position to come and go as they pleased – anything better than the torturous labor that would simply never end and was rendering them ragged. Most were also whipped constantly as they labored, while hell’s floor burned and scored their feet. The flying demon duke coughed and choked until he vomited up the soul of the pit worker he had devoured on the surface. He spat him out among the hordes in the production lines. The eyes of the freshly lost soul were wide and terrified as he fell through the musty air, landing on the hot surface. Those who were closest to him dropped their iron ore and sank to the ground sniffing and biting for any light left in him. Furfur had digested most of the soul light, which had given him a small boost, but left nothing but scraps for the tired masses below. They still fought among each other for the meager gift. The thought of digesting any soul light left was still enough to pit them against one another.
Furfur landed on his preferred perch, hoping his superior dukes would be nowhere in sight. Amducaius’s palace flat was empty and quiet. He sensed no interruption in Zabos’s grip on him. The last thing he wanted was for Zabos to piss on his parade. He would much rather deal directly with Amducaius.
Furfur made his way into the open room that he had visited before his last departure to the surface. It was empty. He felt awkward as he spoke his higher duke’s name out loud.
“Amducaius, are you here? It is Furfur. I bring words from the surface.”
There was not a sound – nor were there demoness around to point him in the right direction. He pondered what to do next. He certainly didn’t want to poke around. He decided to leave. Walking out, he paused on the stoop of the cavern’s porch. He watched the scene below and contemplated his next move. The minions and production lines were a machine in themselves. His eyes were numb to the pain and misery displayed below. He sometimes wondered why he chose to fall in with the devil. He had been such a young angel when he chose to take the dive to greed and satisfaction. Perhaps a righteous life would have been better for him. He had been sold on thinking only about himself and not for the best interests of others. Sometimes he missed the purity of his early days, as hollow, hellacious days dragged on and on. But, he was cheered by the fact that one thing was certain; he was gaining the power that he had always sought.
To his knowledge, there was no Council meeting on the slate, and he then thought again of Amducaius and where he might be. It wasn’t long after when the winged creature came to land close to where Furfur was crouched, his reptilian wings splayed and sharp nails gripping the stoned cliff.
“Furfur, my astute apprentice. How are you? I assume you bring word of your findings. What say you on these matters?”
“I just returned,” Furfur responded, but before he could say hide to boo, his superior interrupted him.
“Here, come. Let’s go sit in a more comfortable setting.” He spread his arms as if to gather his flock.
They walked together to Amducaius’s lounge.
“Here, sit,” he motioned for his young counterpart to have a seat on one side of the sofa while he took the other. And then he continued.
“So, tell me. What did you find?”
“The five that I have in place are making their mark. They have successfully completed their tasks and are in motion for their next target.”
“Which is?” Amducaius interrupted.
“A public market place,” the demon said. “We have been able to get them into three new bodies, which should keep them fresh for the time being, but you know as well as I do that their time will come to a halt. The twins are on the scene, and I’m surprised they have not yet acted.”
“And, why are you surprised?”
“Because, in the past, they have cleaned up rather rapidly. And this brings me to the next development. The boy.”
“Yes, you mentioned a boy. What do you make of it?”
“The boy is something in the making. As for what is to come, I don’t know exactly, but they have armed him with weapons of the heavens. I believe he is a surface master in the making.”
“Weapons. What kind of weapons?” Amducaius snapped back in an edgy manner.
“He has a blade and a tetragrammaton around his neck. He also has a guardian that never seems to leave his side, and one that appears in the physical form of a cat.”
“Nonsense!” The elder demon yelled out in rage. “They think they can use their humans against us, but we shall see. This boy – is there any way to turn him. Can you get in close?”
“His articles prevent me from getting close. His necklace holds a light that my eyes can’t bear. His guardian created an impenetrable barrier for him, and I’m sure his blade cuts like that of any other sword forged from the fires of the heavens.”
“How do you know this? Did you even attempt an attack?”
“Yes, my duke. I attacked and was unsuccessful.” Furfur dropped his head, ashamed by his failures, but he showed loyalty in sharing his shortcomings.
“Pick your head up: it’s OK. Knowledge of this development is good. You did exactly what you were supposed to do. How long did you try before knowing you could not penetrate his shields? Sometimes they do give out to higher powers.”
“I attacked until the brothers arrived. I simply could not handle both. And then I came here to bring this information to you.”
“I see.” Amducaius replied. He knew of the twins’ mighty power and that most lone, fallen angles could not beat them in a battle. He extended his arm to the shoulder of Furfur and gave him praise.
“You have done well for us. I am proud of your efforts, as will be the Council. If the twins showed up, then they most likely have been working with the boy. But this surprises me, given their duties. I don’t know where they find the time, considering our success rate in setting free our spirit energies from the tablets. Why, I wonder? Either way, this boy now holds dangerous weapons, and this is not good for our position and what we are trying to accomplish. This boy. If he can’t be brought to the dark hood, then he must be stopped and exterminated. He must not be allowed to turn others. This would be detrimental. Do we know anything about his parents? From whom and where was he born? And what is this boy’s name? Where is he in the eye of our established grip? Is he breaking through yet?”
“I don’t know a lot about the boy other than what I saw demonstrated, and what I have shared.”
“We need to know more, and I want him stopped. We can’t allow him to grow stronger than the barrier, or we will lose our position on him. We can’t have him coming and going in physical form, able to demonstrate to others the path he took to get there. He must not acquire a name for himself as a prophet. What is his name? Have you told me yet, Furfur?”
“They call him Noah Thomas.”
“Noah. Of course,”Amducaius said. “What the hell will they have him do now? Build another Ark?”
Both dark angels chuckled at the biblical reference.
“Pick and assemble your band of soldiers. Kill Noah’s parents and friends. Turn him, and if he refuses, kill him and drag his soul down here to me.”
Furfur was surprised at the radical commands given to him. This would be a big test for him to prove his worth and he was ready. But he was worried about the interference of the twins.
“What if the brothers get involved? And what of the boy’s protective gear?
“You will have to wait for perfect timing. Show him fear, and make sure he sees the loss of his loved ones. When he is weak and willing, turn him Furfur. Need I say more?”
“No, duke. I understand clearly.”
“Good. Then see to it that my orders are carried out.”
Chapter 50
Evelyn was trying to put her best face on for Noah. Her late husband’s death and all the tragedy that came with it, as well as her new promise of love that she had largely kept away from Noah, had been eating away at her.
But, she had spent years
longing for proper love. The strong hands of a man holding her close, caressing her soft cheeks with firm fingers, was now a reality again. She thought about Earl’s gentle kiss on her lips and whispers in her ear. It had broken her down, but she had tried to hide it from Noah. And yet, Noah was the apple of her eye, and her love for him was incomparable. Noah would hug her, and they would snuggle on the couch from time to time – these were the moments she cherished.
She knew her son was special, more so than other boys his age, but she didn’t like to convey these thoughts to anyone. She kept this knowledge to herself – it was more of a gut feeling. But Noah would also be gone one day; even though he was now only entering eighth grade. Where would she be when he left?
This is what she had been pondering while working at the diner, trying to pick up shifts to make ends meet. She had never expected love to enter her life again. And then she had met Earl. There had been no immediate attraction. They had been mere acquaintances – a connection established through their children; who happened to hit it off despite being extreme opposites.
Earl was always friendly and genuine, offering to lend a hand as much as he could, and he didn’t do it for any other reason than to be a good man. The pain of his wife leaving without explanation had crushed him in many of the same ways that Evelyn had been hurt. He too, wasn’t used to expressing emotions, especially around others. He had spent the long nights hugging a pillow, sobbing himself to sleep, thinking about another chance to speak to his wife and trying to make things right.
His kids, however, had brought him joy and reason enough to carry on. If he had been without them, who knows what the outcome might have been. Most likely, he’d be an alcoholic, considering that the affliction ran deep in the veins of his bloodline. But he had to step up and be a dad, especially to his struggling daughter who would most likely develop abandonment issues later in life.
Like Evelyn, Earl had given up on love and had focused on being a parent. Evelyn would not normally have been his type; she was far too soft, kind, and gentle. Previously, Earl had been drawn to aggressive and bossy woman who had wanted a strong, hard-working man, and so that’s what he had given them.
Yet, his friendship with Evelyn proved real. Their manner was easy, and they spent each moment together in the present, though they had shared their past moments of pain. Time had seemed to slow down when they were together, and each found themselves anxious to be in the others company.
For Evelyn, a gut instinct had told her to pull back for the sake of her child, but she just couldn’t. And, things hadn’t really gotten physical, other than sweet touches and simple kissing. It seemed, though, that because both had suffered loss and loneliness, this simple touch and physical connection was a beacon of hope.
In any case, it wasn’t until late June when Earl had first reached out with his worn hand and rested it on her shoulder one late evening after a walk around the school playground. Feeling like a teen again, he leaned in gently and touched his soft firm lips to hers, pulling her in close. The gesture brought smiles to both faces, and goosebumps to Evelyn’s spine. Earl then hugged her tightly to the upper part of his chest and took a deep breath. This was a feeling he had longed for.
That was the beginning of a friendship that had turned into something more. Since that day, Earl had frequently picked her up and they’d driven around the park by the water’s edge in easy conversation. They grew to depend on this burgeoning friendship to survive in an uncertain world. Earl would usually put some music on in a low volume, so as not to interrupt the words spoken. They would kiss and laugh and hold hands and enjoy their comfortable moments of silence. It wasn’t until Wendy caught them kissing out front, a month or so later one afternoon, that their relationship changed. This was right before Earl’s accident.
Evelyn had been feeling guilty about sneaking around; they had both known that their desires would not forever go unnoticed. The thought of hiding had stopped the afternoon that Earl had leaned over and kissed her before exiting the car. Wendy was standing on the porch to see it unfold.
What would Evelyn tell Noah? Before she could formulate a plan, the attack on Mid-Town had happened. And, ever since that day she had felt distraught, not only by what she had witnessed, but for a man that she now was growing to love, who had had his arm torn off by bears.
Since then, Evelyn had visited him in the hospital as much as possible, but her work schedule was demanding, and money was always tight. Earl had been mangled and put through hell. He needed a lot of time to recover, but when he eventually regained consciousness, it would be Evelyn who was there to greet him.
So now, she needed to tell her son everything. But she could not seem to find the time or gumption. Finally, a free night emerged. She had worked both the morning and afternoon shifts and was at the house by four. She first cooked a proper dinner, something quick but nutritious. She threw together a meal of chicken, veggies, and rice, mixed with a spicy peanut sauce.
It only took twenty minutes. Noah came out into the kitchen from his bedroom and sat quietly at the table. His demeanor was different, and he sat silent and patiently. With brows furrowed, he emitted an air of confidence that Evelyn noticed immediately.
“Are you feeling OK?” She asked, spooning rice in a bowl and then dressing it with chicken.
Noah responded instantly. “I feel perfect,” he said in a steady, clear voice.
“I only ask because you look different tonight,” Evelyn’s smile seemed weird. But she was trying to act normally.
“Different… how?”
“I don’t know; you just seem different.”
“Well, seeming different and looking different are two different things. I think what you are now seeing, with regard to my manner, are confidence and patience?”
His vocabulary and way of speaking had seemingly changed overnight, and Evelyn didn’t know what to make of it. She continued, brushing her concerns aside, “Well, how was your day today?”
“It was brilliant. I learned a lifetime of knowledge.”
She chuckled at the thought before replying. “How so?”
He looked up at her, unable to share the truth at this time. Noah then brought a little bit of the kid in him out to answer the question so that he could move on. “I read a lot mom; you know that.”
“I do know that. What are you reading?”
“I was reading about sixteenth century samurai, and it hit me like a ton of bricks that I am a samurai.”
She looked at him peculiarly while placing a spoonful of steamed veggies on top of the chicken. “Well, that’s good, dear.”
“How’s Earl doing? I’m sure you have been over to see him, right?”
He had caught her off guard with his comment, but she now knew that he knew.
“Well, Earl is getting better, slowly but surely. The most important thing is that he is going to be OK.”
“He’ll be OK, but he probably won’t ever turn a wrench again. Maybe it will give you two more time together?”
She looked at him with guilty eyes and knew she couldn’t keep it from him any longer. She dropped the fork in her bowl and took a deep breath.
“Noah, I have something I would like to share with you.”
He already knew what she was going to say, and so he replied, making it easier on her.
“I know, Mom; I know. It’s OK. I’m not going to be upset at you for wanting to find love in your life. I just wish you would have kept me in the loop. I would rather have heard it from you than from Wendy.”
This made her feel awful and lacking as a mother. “What did she tell you?”
“I don’t know… something about you guys kissing out front of their house and that she saw you. I didn’t particularly enjoy hearing about it, but we can’t change the past now, can we?” he replied in a calculated tone.
Guilt-stricken, Evelyn thought about Noah and of his father. She couldn’t explain her feelings – not to his satisfaction. How would he ever understand?
“I brushed it off, Mom, because I figured you would talk to me about it eventually, and I knew we could find some reason within the guidelines. And, it’s honestly OK anyway. I’ve had a full plate and no time to think about the secret romance between you and Earl.”
He was beginning to sound like the adult, but instead of further showing his discontent, he grew quiet and began to eat. Evelyn, too, was silent. She could not think of what to say to make the situation better. But then she finally spoke.
“I’m sorry Noah; I truly am. I know we have always been open about everything, and I’ve kept this from you and now feel awful about it. It’s not fair to you, and it’s my fault.”
How could he argue with that? It was the truth. “It’s OK. Like I said, I get it.”
“It’s not OK. I need to be up front with you all the time. It was my mistake, but I will make sure to fix it moving forward.”
“How will you fix it?”
“I promise to be up front with you about everything moving forward.”
“Really? Well, good then. Do you love him?”
Evelyn paused at his question. She wasn’t ready to define her feelings for Earl. Honestly, she didn’t quite know how to answer.
“I’m not sure.” She was trying to be honest with her son. “It’s hard for me to say because it’s been so long. I know I feel something. I’m hesitant to put a label on it, but whatever it is, it feels great.”
“That’s good, Mom.” He was sincere in his opinion. He wanted her to be happy.
In his mind, he was glad they had cleared the air. He had always wanted to know more detail about his father, but he had never gotten around to asking. He might have dug a little deeper in his life had it not gotten so hectic lately. Now his mind was more focused on his tasks at hand.
He had just experienced a rebirth, and he had gained a lifetime of knowledge from it. He was ready, now, to put away his town’s attackers. He knew it was up to him to rid his community of this evil presence.
