Removing all the audio cables from the walls caused the setback of three days. Taking all the lightbulbs slowed them down three hours. Watching was all she had left to do. Her warnings, and the research he had done hadn’t kept him from returning home, and it seemed nothing she did opened his mind to what Belphegor intended.
Cody left the stage, descending the spiral staircase, which he still hated, to the arched tunnel hidden behind the basement of each building. Hector’s gaze blazed through the creeping shadows, keeping them away from him.
Stepping into the cavernous space holding the boiler, Cody froze. The door across from him stood open. Shadows swayed with the swinging bare bulb hanging from the ceiling.
Quietly, he approached the door, peering inside. Stacks of glass jars rose to the ceiling, each containing masses of…he didn’t know what, but it looked disgusting.
No one was there. Curiosity pleaded with him to inspect them closer. Careful not to bring a stack tumbling around him he took a jar and held it up to the lightbulb glowing over the door.
The matter inside seemed familiar. Holding the jar by the lid, he twisted it around, so the contents swirled in a vortex. Hector bent over laughing. Squinting and bringing the jar closer to his face, he saw a golden kernel of corn spin past the glass.
“No way.” His Watcher’s laughter turned into howls as he unscrewed the lid. The moment he removed the lid the stench of methane attacked his nose. “Damn it!” He dropped the jar, shattering it on the floor. Splatters of feces mixed with urine attached to his pants, and painted the tops of his shoes.
“Who’s there?” Jen said, running into the room.
The moment she crossed the threshold from the white and green washroom, she wished she hadn’t. Cold raked its claws across her skin. The air pushed against her with jagged hands. Instantly, she knew what Bill had meant.
Cody stepped back into the boiler room, unaware of Jen’s presence, even with her calling out as she entered. His concentration was occupied with what had come with him from the small room. He saw nothing there.
His skin, however, told him something else had come with the stench he had released from the jar. It clung to him, squeezing his legs, then his waist, and up his chest. He wretched as his mouth was pried open and a cold, slimy thing slithered down his throat.
Jen saw him pulling at something near his face. Coming to his side, she saw nothing, but still, he pantomimed pulling from his mouth.
Her hand found his arm. The touch of his skin was like putting her hand on a metal pole in the middle of winter; it stung and burned.
Hector no longer laughed but watched in horror as the beast pushed its tentacle into Cody’s mouth. It hadn’t been her intention to cause him harm. She had wanted him to see the store of offerings to Belphegor.
Instead, something lurking in the shadows had found him. The splash of golden light caught her eye. Jen’s Watcher hovered near the washroom door.
We have to help them. Hector demanded.
Unlike you, I haven’t been instructed to intervene. Not as though it has helped in your case anyway. Cason replied.
Come on, Cason, you did before. Jen’s Watcher didn’t respond. Do what you usually do. She needs a distraction. Besides, it’s kinda your fault she’s here in the first place.
Fine!
The golden blaze transformed into two beams of light emitting into the room. His bronze skin glistened in the gloom, and curly, yellow hair shown similarly on his head. The muscles of his body were perfectly formed as though he were cut from stone. Moving toward the couple trapped by the beast, he glared at Hector.
“Excuse me,” he said. “There are no towels in the bathroom.” Hector shook her head, wishing he had chosen something else. Jen’s focus zoomed toward his voice. “I heard you down here.” She looked down his naked body.
“Come on,” Hector said. “A giggle is all you need.”
“Are towels in there?” He pointed to the room filled with jars.
“No, they are not!” Belphegor shouted. “He’s not for you. Release him!”
Cody shuddered, and he and Jen collapsed.
“What are you up to?”
Cason darted behind Hector, who was at least three feet shorter than him.
“Trying to get Cody out of here,” Hector said, crossing her arms across her chest.
“Well it appears to be working out quite nicely,” Belphegor said smugly. “I see you’ve recruited a friend. It’s good to see you, Cason. Has Gabriel sent you in as well to stop me?”
“No, uh,” Cason said. “Hector—”
“Yes, Hector. Of course. Do you still think you have any influence? Everything is moving along. Tomorrow, after sundown, Cody will free the world.”
“Why not tonight when the Sabbat starts? I think God will appreciate the sentiment more. You are spreading the Holy Word, aren’t you?”
“I enjoy your banter, Hector, but you forget your place.”
“And I think you forget your place.” Her light brightened, fixing on Belphegor. “And you forget the rest of God’s laws Angels have.”
“Watch yourself, child. I will destroy you.”
“Please do. It will help your case with God,” she said, as Cody stirred from his stupor. “How are you going to explain all this to him?”
“Explain what?”
Belphegor vanished into the shadows. The door to his secret chamber closed. Cody sat up, noticing Jen on the cold floor next to him. He nudged her arm, causing her to groan. She rose, head twisted around, trying to determine where she was.
“Sorry,” Cody said. “I was ducking a cobweb when I came out of the tunnel and didn’t see you.”
“What?” Jen asked.
“We crashed skulls, and apparently, knocked each other out.”
“But I heard breaking glass, and there was a fine naked man.”
“Sounds like you had a better time than I did. All I had was darkness.” He glanced around the gloom. “Let’s get upstairs.”
* * * *
“She’s becoming a nuisance,” Belphegor said toward the window. He sipped his wine. “At least Cody is ignoring her pleas. It won’t matter after tomorrow. Everything will be the way it should be. God won’t have a choice but to take notice.”
Becki listened outside his door. She’d never hated anyone as much as she did him. He had ruined everything for her. Today was her 75th birthday, but she was stuck here the age she had been when he had played his nasty tricks, trapping her until the end of time—the door to their room had swung open.
Her mother had gone to take a bath before they checked out, and hit the road again on their voyage to see Becki’s aunt; she expected to see her mother come in the door.
The door opened, showing her the empty hall. She slipped off the bed and snuck to the door with her heart racing; she’d heard stories of children being stolen and didn’t want it to happen to her.
Peeking into the hall, she saw no one. Her mom probably hadn’t latched the door, and it had opened on its own. As she reached to close the door, the sound of jingle-bells danced down the hall to her ears. Joy emitted from her, loving the way the sound made her feel.
Looking back into the hallway, a woman passed her door. Becki saw the source wrapped around the woman’s ankle; a leather thong had small bells sewn on it.
The woman stopped at the door down from where Becki peered into the hallway. She didn’t knock, but the door opened, and the woman entered. The man with the blue, glowing eyes found Becki as the woman stepped inside.
He spoke to her in a quiet voice, “Aren’t you lovely. Do you want to play a game while you wait for your mother to return?”
“I’m not supposed to leave the room without her,” Becki replied, disappointed.
“You don’t need to leave your room.”
“Ok.” Her face brightened. “What’s the game?”
“Close the door. You’ll see.”
Becki did as he told her, and looked around the room to th
e small window, the bed and nightstand, and the dresser near the door.
Rustling came from under the bed; her attention darted to the gray, space there. Something dark moved.
She squatted near the door, her head tilted so she saw what was beneath. Terror filled her as glowing eyes peered back. The beating in her chest intensified. She popped up, then spun to the door, fumbling with the knob.
As she pulled the door open, she peeked over her shoulder. The dark monster darted toward her. She ran, screaming from the room toward the sitting area. It followed, gaining on her.
“I don’t like this game,” she screamed, grabbing the banister.
It howled. In her fright, she started down. Her polished shoes slipped on the wooden stairs. A scream filled the hotel as she tumbled to the landing.
Her head hit the wall with a thud. Her mother rushed from the bathroom, one shoe in her hand. She surveyed the hall to her open room. She ran a few steps, stopping, looking down the flight of stairs.
Becki lay crumpled on the wooden floor. Becki tried to put her arms around her mother, but she didn’t see the little girl standing next to her at the top of the flight. She went down to the landing, sobs echoing around to her. The man from the room approached, laying his hand on her shoulder. Becki tilted her head to look up at him.
In the blink of an eye, they stood at the door leading into a dark cavernous tunnel. She pulled away from him, escaping into the washroom. Not knowing where she was, she darted into the darkness, expecting him to chase her, but he didn’t.
A whisper told her to hurry up the stairs to the light. Becki thought it meant going to Heaven, but she found herself in the hotel lobby, never able to leave, but at least it wasn’t the basement—maybe now, with Cody agreeing to preach, she could move on and never have to continue reliving the moment of her death ever again.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
Matthew 24:26, KJV
Morning came too soon for Cody. He had spent a restless night wondering what he was going to say when he stepped on stage.
Reading and rereading the Holy Bible from cover to cover in the last few weeks, made him anxious. After what Mr. Bel had told him about it being world history and stories to scare people into converting to Christianity, he stared at his notes with a knot in his stomach.
There seemed little point of using any of it if what Mr. Bel had said were true. Watching sermons and religious shows on television gave him less inspiration. Everything was overplayed by the men and women telling the viewing congregations to take Jesus Christ as their savior.
But there had to be something with what they said. Their congregations grew as did their coffers. Speaking about God wasn’t about money or notoriety for Cody. In fact, he wanted neither.
“It’s not too late,” Hector said, staring at the dishes in the kitchen sink as though her words were directed to the soaking porcelain and stainless. “You can get in your car and drive far from here.”
Cody jumped hearing her voice; something he had heard little of in the last three months. Shifting on the stool to face her with a thin smile, he said, “I want to do this. The world needs mending, and I want to help.”
“Even with everything you know? He isn’t doing this to help anyone, but himself. God isn’t going to give him a second chance, and he knows it. He just wants it to end.”
“How do you know?” Hearing his raised voice, he stopped, staring blankly at her for a moment not wanting to argue. He continued again in a quiet tone, “When I first came here, all I wanted to do was push Tyler into the car and drive away. Something about the place and the offer made my skin crawl. But something kept me here, kept me listening to what was said. Then, when I saw how rebuilding the block had affected the town...”
His brows raised. “Yes, for the better; people were stopping, not just driving through as quickly as possible. They wanted to see what was happening. People are genuinely excited about the restoration, including most of the townspeople.
“Of course, there are naysayers; the ones who say evil is at work in Shoshoni. It’s strange how people dislike or doubt things when they aren’t what they are used to.
“I know I fell into this category when my journey began. But isn’t it part of the human condition, to doubt, to not trust, to not like what we don’t understand. I see them coming around.”
His attention regarded the one hundred twenty faces looking up at him from the seats of the theater. He continued, “As I was saying, I felt the same way at first. An insistent voice warned me there was nothing good here. The reason for me being here was insidious.
“After much soul searching, I realized my fears were unwarranted. And I began looking inside.” Cody tapped his chest. “I discovered everything started with me. Before I shared the Word with you, I had to know myself.
“I needed to see what was at my core. I had to stand before God and admit who I am and everything I’d done in my life which weren’t pure. Things He has forgiv…”
The words stopped in his throat. He was surprised to see Nathan, Leona, and especially Bergen in the third to the last row. Cody strode to the side of the stage, taking a glass of water from the stand behind the curtain.
“Sorry.” He returned to the audience. “All my sins have been washed away.” A smile spread across his face. “And the best news, yours can be too.” Whispers sputtered up to him from the audience.
“I know what you’re thinking. I would think it too if I were sitting among you. I’m going to tell you your sins will be washed away, and all you have to do his open your wallets.” He shook his head. “I don’t want your money.”
“Sure you don’t,” a man in the front row said, blushing when Cody focused on him. Others around him murmured their agreement.
“What brought you here today?” Cody asked with a smirk. “You seem to have come here with the understanding I’d ask for your donations, but still you came.”
“Curious.”
Cody beamed. “Me, too. Believe me. Even after the horrors, I experienced before coming here, I was curious. Why was it so crucial for me to be here? What was it my benefactor possibly wanted from me that he couldn’t do himself? And most importantly, why me?
“Why not someone with experience in spreading the word of God? Why not a celebrity? I don’t have the qualifications. Sure, when I was a kid I wanted to be a preacher at one point. But I also wanted to be a Veterinary, among a thousand other things.” He gulped more water.
“The answer was simple. Simpler than I expected. I want to believe. I want to be free. I want to love. I want to receive love. Burning love. Love everlasting.” Sighs came from the audience with the crescendo in his voice.
“And it is what I am receiving. God has warmed me in his loving arms. He wants us to be happy. He wants us to love one another. All we need to do is stand before Him. He already knows us. He already knows everything we’ve done, but we need to release our secrets to Him.
“The first step is simple. Ask Him for forgiveness, and mean it, never to stray from His path again. Look deep inside at all the anger and hurt you carry. Let it go. Give it to God. He will heal your wounds. Trust me, the moment you do, you feel will Him. You will know He is with you. His acceptance and love is all we need.”
“I need more,” a woman in the back row said. “Love and acceptance don’t pay the bills. Or put food in my kids’ bellies.” A few looked at her over their shoulders. “I’ve prayed for help and nothing. I work three jobs.” A sob hiccupped in her throat. “What am I supposed to do?”
Mr. Bel stared at Cody with a tilted head and raised a brow from behind the curtain stage left. Cody hadn’t told him any of what he planned to say, but everything he had said thus far had been perfect. The one thing he hadn’t expected was the event being an open forum. No matter, Cody was handling every interruption like a pro.
“You’re right. They don’t do anything. But they give you a foundation to build yourself in Him. Nothing will change in your life until you change.”
“Easy for a spoiled, rich kid to say,” the woman retorted.
Cody’s blood pressure rose. His fist clenched, which he forced to relax. He breathed deeply. The first interrupter in the front row, nodded with a devilish smile, expecting a backlash from the man on stage in his fancy clothes, telling them to repent. He started to rise from his seat. The people next to him watched him move, wondering whether they should follow.
When Cody spoke again, the man froze; the seat had started its ascent to meet the back of the chair. “I was no more than seven when God visited me.” Belphegor cocked his head to the side, knowing the event, and delighted to hear it recounted in such a way.
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