This Present Darkness

by Frank E. Peretti

  “I know,” Kate answered assertively.

  “It’s just another smear tactic, Kate. They’re trying to take away my newspaper, they’re trying to take away my home, and now they’re trying to destroy my marriage. There isn’t now, nor has there ever been any kind of goings-on between Bernice and me. For crying out loud, I’m old enough to be her father!”

  “I know,” Kate answered again. She took a moment to build up strength to continue. “Marshall, you are my man, and if I were ever to lose you I know I’d never find one better. I also know you’re not a man given to just tossing around his passions. I have a prize in you, and I’ve never forgotten that.”

  He took her hand. “And you’re all the woman I could ever handle.”

  She squeezed his hand as she said, “I do have confidence that these things will never change. I suppose it’s that kind of confidence that’s kept me hanging on, waiting …”

  Her voice trailed off, and there was a moment of silence. Kate had to choke down her emotions, and Marshall couldn’t think of anything to say.

  “Marshall,” she said finally, “there are some other things that haven’t changed either, but those things were supposed to change; you and I agreed together that they would. We agreed that things would be different after we moved from New York, that you would take it easy, that you would have more time for your family, that maybe we could all get to know one another again and patch things up.” The tears began to flow and it was difficult for her to speak, but she was committed now, so she kept going. “I don’t know what it is, whether the ultimate scoop simply tags after you no matter where you go or if you concoct it on your own, time after time. But if I were to ever be jealous or suspicious of another lover, that’s what the lover would be. You do have another love, Marshall, and I just don’t know if I can compete with it.”

  Marshall knew he’d never be able to fully explain everything. “Kate, you’ve no idea how big this whole thing is.”

  She shook her head. She didn’t want to hear it. “That’s not at issue here. As a matter of fact, I’m sure it is big, it is extremely important, it probably does warrant the amount of time and energy you’ve put into it. But what I am coping with now is the detriment that this whole thing has been to myself, to Sandy, and to this family. Marshall, I don’t care about comparisons; no matter where Sandy and I have been placed on your list of priorities, we are still suffering, and that is the direct problem that I’m dealing with. I can’t care about anything else.”

  “Kate … that’s what they want!”

  “They’re getting it,” she countered abruptly. “But don’t you dare blame anyone else for your failure to live up to your promises. No one else is responsible for your promises, Marshall, and I am holding you responsible for the promises you made to your family.”

  “Kate, I didn’t ask for this to come up, I didn’t ask for this to happen. When it’s all over—”

  “It’s over now!” That stopped him cold. “And it’s not really a matter of choice for me. I have my limitations, Marshall. I know there’s only so much I can take. I have to get away.”

  Marshall was too weak to say a word. He couldn’t even think of any words. All he could do was look her in the eye and let her speak, let her do whatever she had to do.

  Kate kept going. She had to get it all out before she would be unable to. “I talked to my mom this morning. She was very supportive of both of us, and she’s not taking sides at all. As a matter of fact—and you might find this interesting—she’s been praying for us, for you in particular. She says she even dreamt about you the other night; she dreamt that you were in trouble and that God would send His angels to help you if she prayed. She took the whole thing pretty seriously, and she’s been praying ever since.”

  Marshall smiled weakly. He appreciated that, but what good was it doing?

  Kate came to the bottom line. “I’m going to stay with her for a while. I need time to think. And you need time to think. We both need to know for sure just which of your promises you are truly willing to live up to. We need to get it settled once and for all, Marshall, before we go one step further.

  “As for Sandy, right now I don’t even know where she is. If I can find her I might ask her to come with me, although I doubt she’ll want to leave Shawn and everything they’re involved in.” She drew a deep breath as this new pain took hold of her. “All I can say is, you don’t know her anymore, Marshall. I don’t know her. She’s been slipping away and slipping away … and you were never here.” She couldn’t go on. She buried her face in her hands and wept.

  Marshall found himself wondering if he should even go to her, comfort her, put his arms around her. Would she accept it? Would she even believe that he cared?

  He did care. His own heart was breaking. He went to her and gently put his hand on her shoulder.

  “I won’t give you any pat answers,” he said quietly. “You’re right. Everything you’ve said is right. And I don’t dare make any more promises now that I may not be able to keep.” The words hurt even as he forced himself to say them. “I do need to think about it. I need to do some real housecleaning. Why don’t you go ahead? Go ahead and stay with your mom for a while, get away from all this mess. I’ll … I’ll let you know when it’s all over, when I’m settled on what’s important. I won’t even ask you to come back until then.”

  “I love you, Marshall,” she said as she wept.

  “I love you too, Kate.”

  She rose suddenly and embraced him, giving him a kiss he would remember for a long time, a kiss when she held him desperately tight, when her face was wet with tears, when her body trembled with her weeping. He held her with his strong arms as if he were hanging on to his very life, a priceless treasure he might never have again.

  Then she said, “I’d better just go,” and gave him one final hug.

  He held her for one last moment and then said as comfortingly as he could, “It’ll be okay. Good-bye.”

  Her bags were already packed. She didn’t take much. After the front door quietly closed behind her and their little pickup truck eased out of the driveway, Marshall sat alone at the kitchen table for a very long time. He numbly stared at the woodgrain patterns in the tabletop, a thousand memories flooding through his mind. Minutes upon minutes passed without his heed; the world went on without him.

  At last his stupor crumbled as all his thoughts and feelings came to rest on her name, “Kate …” and he cried and cried.

  CHAPTER 28

  GUILO BIT HIS lower lip and surveyed the valley below, along with his two dozen warriors. From their vantage point halfway down the mountain slopes and in among the rocks, the Strongman’s Lair was a boiling, humming caldron of black spirits, their myriads forming a swarming, living haze over the cluster of buildings below. The sound of their wings was a constant, low-pitched drone that echoed back upon itself from the rocky crags all around. The demons were very disturbed right now, like an angry hive of bees.

  “They’re building up for something,” a warrior observed.

  “Even so,” said Guilo, “something doesn’t feel right, and I would venture to say it has to do with her.”

  All around the complex, vans and trailers were packed with everything from the office supplies right down to Alexander M. Kaseph’s stuffed trophies. The personnel were now going through their dormitories, packing up their personal belongings and sweeping out the rooms. Everywhere there was a pervading excitement and anticipation, and people clustered here and there, chattering in their native languages.

  In the big stone house, secluded from all the activity, Susan Jacobson worked hurriedly in her private room, consolidating a huge box of records, ledgers, documents, printed matter. She was trying to eliminate anything she didn’t absolutely need, but almost every item seemed indispensable. Even so, only one suitcase—now sitting on her dresser—would have to contain it all. So far, the load was too bulky to fit in the suitcase and too heavy for Susan to carry even if it did.


  With some hastily muttered prayers and some more quick perusals, she eliminated half of the items. She then took what was left and began to carefully arrange it all in the suitcase, a ledger here, some affidavits there, more documents, some photographs, another ledger, a computer printout, a thick ream of photocopies, some undeveloped film.

  Footsteps in the hall! She hurriedly closed the suitcase, pressing the lid shut so she could fasten the latches, and then lugged the heavy thing over to the big bed where she quickly slid it underneath. She then threw all the other unpacked items back into the box and concealed the box on a shelf behind some linens in a small closet.

  Without knocking, Kaseph came into the room. He wore casual clothes because he too had been packing and taking part in all the activity.

  She went to him and threw her arms around him. “Well, hi! How are things on your end?”

  He returned her embrace briefly, then dropped his arms and began to look around the room.

  “We were wondering whatever became of you,” he said. “We are meeting in the dining hall, and we were hoping you would attend.” There was something strange and ominous in his tone.

  “Well,” she said, a little abashed at his demeanor, “of course I’m going to attend. I wouldn’t miss it for anything.”

  “Good, good,” he said, still looking around the room. “Susan, may I look through your suitcase?”

  She looked at him curiously. “What?”

  He would not change or qualify his question. “I want to look in your suitcase.”

  “Whatever for?”

  “Bring it here,” he said in a tone not to be argued with.

  She went to her closet, brought out a large blue suitcase full of clothes, and laid it on the bed. He opened the latches and threw back the lid, then proceeded to very quickly and very rudely unpack it, throwing its contents here and there.

  “Hey,” she protested, “what are you doing? It took me hours to get all that in there!”

  He thoroughly emptied it, opening every side pocket, unloading and shaking out every garment. When he had finished, she was quite angry.

  “Alex, what is the meaning of this?”

  He turned to her with a very grim expression, and then his face suddenly broke into a smile. “I’m sure you can pack your suitcase even more efficiently the second time.” She knew she didn’t dare give him any comeback for that. “But it was necessary for me to check on something. You see, dear Susan, you’ve been absent from the normal flow of the population and absent from my presence for a considerable time.” He began to walk slowly around the room, his eyes darting over every nook and corner of it. “And it seems there are some very important records and files missing, things of a very delicate nature—things that you, my Maidservant, would have access to.” He smiled that same old smile that cut like a knife. “Of course, I know that your heart is indeed in union with mine, despite your … second thoughts and petty fears of late.”

  She raised her head high and looked right at him. “Those things are strictly the weakness of my humanity, but something over which I expect to gain a victory.”

  “The weakness of your humanity …” He thought that over for a moment. “That same little weakness that has always made you so intriguing, because it could make you so very dangerous.”

  “You are implying, then, that I could betray you?”

  He approached her and rested his hands on her shoulders. Susan imagined how his hands would not have to move far to clamp around her neck.

  “It is possible,” he said, “that someone is trying to betray me, even now. I can read it in the atmosphere.” He looked at her very closely, his eyes burrowing into hers. “I might even be reading it in your very own eyes.”

  She turned her eyes away and said, “I would not betray you.”

  He leaned closer and said very coolly, “Nor would anyone else … if they knew what would be in store for them. It would be a very serious business indeed.”

  She felt his hands tighten their grip.

  A messenger streaked across the sky and then darted, zigzagged, and weaved through the woods above Ashton looking for Tal.

  “Captain!” he called, but Tal was not there among the others. “Where is the captain?”

  Mota answered, “Carrying out another prayer gathering at Hank Busche’s home. Be careful not to attract attention.”

  The messenger soared down the hillside and floated quietly into the maze of streets and alleys below.

  At Hank’s house, Tal remained carefully hidden within the walls while some of his warriors carried out his orders, bringing in people ready to pray.

  Hank and Andy Forsythe had called a special prayer meeting, but they hadn’t expected so many people to show up. More and more cars kept arriving, and more and more people kept filing through the door: the Colemans, Ron Forsythe and Cynthia, newly saved Bobby Corsi, his parents Dan and Jean, the Joneses, the Coopers, the Smiths, the Bartons, some college students and their friends. Hank brought out whatever extra chairs he had. People began to find places on the floor. The room was getting stuffy; the windows were opened.

  Tal looked out front and saw an old station wagon pull up. He smiled broadly. This was one arrival Hank would be glad to see.

  When the doorbell rang several people hollered, “Come in,” but whoever it was didn’t come in. Hank stepped over several people to get to the door and opened it.

  There stood Lou Stanley, together with his wife Margie. They were holding hands.

  Lou smiled timidly and asked, “Hi, Hank. Is this where you’re holding the prayer meeting?”

  Hank believed again in miracles. Here was the man who had been removed from the church for adultery, now standing before him reunited with his wife and wanting to pray with all the others!

  “Wow,” said Hank, “it sure is! Come on in!”

  Lou and Margie entered the packed living room, where they were greeted with love and acceptance.

  Just then there was another knock on the door. Hank was still standing there, so he opened the door and saw an older man and his wife standing outside. He had never seen either one of them before.

  But Cecil Cooper knew who they were; he called to them from where he was sitting. “Well, praise the Lord! I don’t believe it! James and Diane Farrel!”

  Hank looked at Cecil, and then at the couple standing there, and his mouth dropped open. “Reverend Farrel?”

  Reverend James Farrel, former pastor of Ashton Community Church, extended his hand. “Pastor Henry Busche?” Hank nodded, taking his hand. “We got word there was a prayer meeting here tonight.”

  Hank invited them in with outstretched arms.

  Meanwhile, the messenger arrived and found Tal. “Captain, Guilo sends word that Susan’s time is very short! She is very near discovery. You must come now!”

  Tal took a quick survey of the prayer cover he had gathered. It had to be enough for tonight’s plan to work.

  Hank was starting the meeting. “The Lord has impressed on all of us that we need to pray tonight for Ashton. Now we’ve learned some things this afternoon, and we were sure right about Satan having a grip on this town. We need to pray that God will bind the demons that are trying to take over, and we need to pray for victory for the people of God, and for the angels of God …”

  Good, good! Tal thought. It might be enough. But if what the messenger said was truly the situation at the Strongman’s Lair, they would have to proceed with the plan whether the prayer cover was sufficient or not.

  THE DEMONIC CLOUD over the valley continued to thicken and swirl, and from their vantage point Guilo and his warriors could see the glimmer of millions of pairs of yellow eyes.

  Guilo could not relax at all, but continually watched over the mountaintops for the one streak of light that would mark Tal’s arrival. “Where is Tal?” he muttered. “Where is he? They know. They know!”

  At this very moment Kaseph’s entire staff, the implementing force behind Omni Corporation
, was gathered in the dining hall for a makeshift banquet and final get-together before the big move for which they had all prepared. It was an informal buffet affair; everything was casual, and the mood was light. Kaseph himself, usually aloof from his inferiors, mingled freely with them now, and hands often reached out to him as if imploring a special blessing.

  Susan remained steadfastly by his side, dressed again in her customary black suit, and hands also reached out to her for a special touch, a special glance or look of blessing. These she freely bestowed on the grateful followers.

  As the meal got underway, Kaseph and Susan took their places at the head table. She tried to act normal and enjoy her food, but her master still maintained that smile, that strange, cutting, wicked smile, and it unnerved her. She had to wonder how much he really knew.

  Toward the end of the dinner Kaseph stood, and as if on signal everyone in the room immediately became silent.

  “As we have done in other regions, in other parts of our rapidly uniting world, so we shall do here,” Kaseph said, and the whole room applauded. “As a decisive and powerful tool of the Universal Consciousness Society, Omni Corporation is about to establish still another foothold for the coming New World Order and the rule of the New Age Christ. I have received word from our advance people in Ashton that the purchase of our new facility can be finalized on Sunday, and I will personally go before you to close the deal. After that, the town will be ours.”

  The room broke into applause and cheers.

  But then, with a rather abrupt change of mood, Kaseph let a scowl come upon his face, to which all those present responded with an equal sobriety. “Of course, all through this massive effort we have often been reminded of how serious this business really is in which we are involved, to which we have vowed our lives and our allegiances. We have often pondered how dire the results would be to everything we have worked toward if any one of us should ever turn toward the wrong and answer the persistent call of greed, temporarily, or even,”—he looked at Susan—“human weakness.”