by J. Thorn
Another shake, and loose mortar began to fall and crumble from the top of the crypt. The coffins slid, and the dust made Doug cough.
“It does not matter now,” replied Gaki. “The time has come. Whatever Ravna told you and whatever you planned on doing is not enough. The Portal is opening.”
“It must,” replied Doug. Gaki tilted his head sideways, the full impact of the revelation not entirely evident. “Too soon and the Portal shuts and reopens somewhere nearby. Too late and the demons are through, and they begin to turn others, like you did with Frank’s four teenager buddies. The timing has to be just right,” Doug said.
The crypt shook as if a giant hand had reached down and grabbed it. Gaki was thrown into one wall, and Doug was knocked into the other. The coffins on the top ledge toppled to the floor, spilling dusty bones and skulls in silent screams. Doug grimaced and tried to overcome his natural aversion to death as Gaki scrambled to grab hold of an iron loop set in the wall of the crypt.
“My wife is stronger than you think,” Doug said. “You underestimated her ability to fight off the infection.” He thought he saw a glimmer of understanding cross Gaki’s empty eyes. “She’s been a firefighter’s wife for a long time. She knows what I face and the risks I take. She also knows how to start fires and put them out. That little stunt you pulled at the coffee shop? That almost worked. If she had to go back in there and see Austin behind the counter again, it may have all been over. But she didn’t, which means you failed.”
“The Portal,” said Gaki. “It is about to open.”
“You’re right. And then it will be blown to fucking Hell.”
Bits of stone and rotten mortar flew from the crypt’s walls as an otherwordly force smashed into the ancient structure. Doug crawled toward the door while Gaki fought to crawl out from beneath a hunk of granite that had pinned its legs to the floor. Massive chunks of stone rained down from the ceiling, and the dust turned Doug’s skin as chalky white as the demon’s. He made it to the door and used both fists to push it open. Sage had Peter’s gun pointed at the bronze door, while Kelly stood behind her, standing over Peter and Frank, both of whom were on their knees with their hands tied behind their backs. Doug detected movement behind them as he saw a womanly figure step out of the shadows with hands extended.
“Hurry!” Doug screamed as Taylor emerged from the chaos, reached down, and pulled him by the wrists to his feet. Kelly grabbed Frank and Peter, but neither man needed much incentive to run. All six of them sprinted through the cemetery as the crypt began to shudder with an electric red light. The energy turned the sky into a fiery, orange haze, as if a nuclear bomb had detonated above it. The ground shook, and the wind howled with such violence that Doug could not hear his own screams. They stumbled past the headstones and toward the house as the energy consumed the crypt. The red light burst through the mortar as the Portal began to open wide. Doug stumbled and fell face-first on top of a grave, rolling over to watch as Gaki’s form came out of the crypt’s door. Doug could see Frank’s four demons along with several other creatures behind Gaki and realized that the first of his minions had passed through the Portal and that he couldn’t wait any longer.
Taylor appeared at his side, and she was screaming at him, but he could not hear her. She reached out and handed him the remote detonator before diving behind a headstone. Doug took one last look at the Portal as several more demons climbed out of the door from behind Gaki. They scuttled over the stone like swarming insects, and Doug felt his stomach tighten. He pushed the button and hoped the Hunters had made it far enough to survive. A blinding, white explosion rocked the ground and rained stone and debris from the sky.
***
He caught glimpses of the first responders as they rushed past him in a blur of helmets and reflective strips. Doug sucked as much oxygen as he could from the mask and would throw an occasional thumbs-up at his fellow firefighters. The police arrived at about the same time. They walked past Peter to and from their squad cars, each taking care of their own. Doug turned his head to look at what was left of the crypt. His ladder crew was arcing water into it from twenty yards away, throwing steam into the night air as the water hit the molten stone. The haze of vapor cast the entire cemetery into a fog that could have come from a Hollywood sound stage. Doug felt Taylor squeeze his hand on one side while Sage stood with her arms crossed, smiling, on the other. The EMS crew from East Fallowfield had a heavy emergency blanket around Kelly and were wrapping a bandage around Frank’s head.
“You hid it from me, asshole,” Sage muttered. “The entire plan.”
Doug pulled the mask off his face, and his lungs spasmed immediately. He coughed and smiled at Sage. “I had to. We had no idea what we were in for. I couldn’t risk it being tortured out of you. I don’t think I could have handled that.”
“Mashoka would be proud. He is proud. I’ve got to ride in one of the buses to the hospital with them,” Sage said, pointing in the direction of Frank and Peter.
“I can’t say for sure, but I don’t feel it anymore,” Doug replied.
“Me neither, but I want to be damn certain. I think your timing was right. You blasted the shit out of the Portal just as the sons of bitches were coming through.”
“We didn’t kill them,” Doug said. He had no proof but knew it to be true.
“No, but we did slam the door in Gaki’s face. When I get home, I’ll toss some lines out and see if anyone has a bead on other Portals.”
“Thanks for everything, Sage. Thanks for coming down here.”
“Stop with the sappy good-bye before your wife slaps you.”
Taylor smiled at Sage while her hands rubbed Doug’s arm.
“We should get back to room 5467 very soon,” Sage said.
The number brought an awareness to Doug’s face, and the smile slid from it. He nodded as Sage walked toward the ambulance where Frank was being loaded onto a stretcher.
“She’s tough for her size,” Taylor said.
“Yes, she certainly is.”
“Doug.”
“Yeah, hon?”
“Promise me something.”
“Anything.”
“Promise me I’ll never have to touch a bomb ever again, that I’ll never have to feel the sickness of that demon inside of me. I’m not sure I could handle it.”
Doug shook his head. “I can’t make that promise, Taylor. No matter how much I love you, I couldn’t lie to you about that.”
***
Sage stood on one side of the bed while Doug stood on the other. The doctors were forcing Doug to keep his left arm in a sling for at least a week, but Doug knew it’d be in the trash can tomorrow morning. Sage had a few abrasions on her face that she would gladly wear like new tattoos until they healed. She had her hair pulled back into a high ponytail, exposing the ink mosaic crawling around her neck. Doug smiled at her, keeping his growing admiration to himself. It was better that he thought of her as a sister.
The lights and gauges on the machines remained steady, but Doug and Sage could see the life fading from Ravna. In the past twenty-four hours, his skin had become pasty, and he no longer opened his eyes. Without a family member present, the county would now be responsible for finding a place for him in a potter’s field. Doug had spoken with the hospital’s administrative team as well as the county coroner’s office to make sure he could take care of Ravna’s final resting place.
Ravna blinked, which brought Doug and Sage in closer, forcing them to lean over the bed. You did good. Both of you. I honestly wasn’t sure how that was going to go down.
“It was really Doug. He had the presence of mind to build the explosive and show his wife how to plant it, and she had the courage to get there and place the detonator in his hand while we could still do something about it. Another five minutes and . . .”
They would have overrun the Portal.
“Something like that,” replied Doug.
Exactly like that. You saw the devastation brought by one of the de
mons. Imagine thousands of them.
Neither Sage nor Doug had to imagine it. They had felt that raw, evil power.
There was just too much damage. Too many burns.
“You held on as long as you could. You brought Sage here to help, and you guided me.”
Sage nodded at Doug and wiped a tear from her eye.
You both have quite a responsibility now. I don’t know if you realize how much work is to be done. Neither of you are going home, going back to your regular lives. That’s gone forever. You know this, right?
Doug shook his head. He knew it but did not want to deal with it yet. Sage nodded.
I didn’t get much of a chance to Hunt because Gaki came to me. I didn’t realize it at the time, but Karen’s sacrifice made it possible for me to confront him, and now my sacrifice will seal the cosmic deal, in a manner of speaking.
Doug thought about telling Ravna that he wasn’t going to die and that everything would be fine, but the man had already been through so much that Doug didn’t think that lie was the fair or humane thing to do. Instead, he let Ravna continue communicating with them.
I didn’t have the time to teach you everything you needed, Doug. But I think Sage can help fill in the gaps. With her formal training and your experience and intuition, I think we’ll be okay. I think we might have a chance.
“Gaki isn’t dead,” said Sage.
Not in the same way we use that word. Gaki is a force, a hidden evil. And, unfortunately, light must be balanced by dark. It’s keeping that balance that’s important to the Hunters. It’s what you’ll spend the rest of your life doing.
“But I’ve got a job here, and my family, and . . .”
No, Doug. That life is over. Of course you’ll still have your family, and you’ll find a new profession in a new town. But all of this, you will never have it again.
Sage bit her bottom lip and realized for the first time just how much Doug had sacrificed to save the town and how much he must have loved his family and neighbors. She pushed a sliver of guilt down, telling herself that someday she would have a family like that, too.
Lights began to flash, and a buzzer somewhere on the machine bleated in unison.
It’s time.
Sage gripped Ravna’s hand while Doug took the other.
It’s not what you think it is or what you’ve been taught. I’m crossing the threshold of a different Portal, and I have a feeling we will see each other again, in another time and place. This is not the end.
“Sounds like a Doors song,” said Sage.
Doug smiled at her quip, and when they looked down again into Ravna’s face, his eyes had gone empty.
***
He brushed the leaves from the headstone and knelt in the fragrant spring soil. The ridge above Pine Valley had exploded with new green and vibrant wildflowers. Doug ran his fingers across Ravna’s engraved name and smiled. He dropped the latest issue of Slasher Dasher on the ground and leaned the newest Threefold Law CD against the granite slab.
“Thought you’d dig this,” he said. “Their best stuff yet.”
Doug turned to see Sage and Taylor standing by the car in front of where Williams’ Place used to be. The sprayed grass seed and straw sat on the cavity now containing dirt, the footprint of the diseased house leaving a space between the encroaching trees. They had removed the crypt, as well, hauling away the jumbled stone that was left after the explosion blew much of it across the top of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Doug wasn’t sure they’d ever come back, but he was fine saying good-bye to Ravna and leaving him to stand guard. There would be Portals that would open and others that would need to be closed.
###
Acknowledgements
Thank you, dear reader, for taking this journey with me. If you enjoyed the book please leave a review on Amazon. It can be brief (20 words) and written in a few minutes. Authors depend on reviews from readers like you. And if you really enjoy my work, send me an email at [email protected] and I will reply with a free copy of a J. Thorn title of your choosing.
In addition, visit http://www.authorgraph.com/authors/JThorn_ where I will personalize and autograph your digital book for free. Please do not hesitate to get in touch. I respond personally to every message. My phone number is 216.245.8476 or if you appreciate creativity on the dial pad, 216.24J.THRN. Seriously, that’s my phone number. Call and leave me a voicemail with your name and number and I promise to call you back. Did a scene in the book trouble you? Call me. Did you love the book and want to shower me with praise? Call me. Do you want advice on writing or publishing your own book? Call me. Do you want to order a large pepperoni with mushrooms and cheese? Can’t help you there. I want you to have the best reading experience possible because we all have limited time on this planet. If you weren’t completely satisfied with my book, or if you loved it, or if you simply want help; please call me. I would love to hear from you.
Do you love horror and dark fantasy? Do you wish you could tell authors the kind of story you want to read? Do you want to be part of an exclusive group? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you have to check this out:
http://jthornwriter.blogspot.com/p/the-keepers.html
I am humbled and grateful for the support of The Keepers. Special thanks to Rob, Morgan, Katy, Carol, Kelly, Bryden, Cheryl, Elizabeth, Angus, Becki, ML, Hunter, Laurie, Art, Angela, Abbie, Terry, Alex, Debby, Jean, and Gene. Editors Talia Leduc, Katy Sozaeva, and Laurie Love worked their magic on the manuscript. I could not have published this trilogy without these three incredible women. I'm always grateful for the support of you, dear reader. The Evil will be combined into a box set with exclusive short stories sometime in the near future.
Other works from J. Thorn
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If you like tight and fast-paced short stories, you'll love J. Thorn's horror and dark fantasy collection, Voices from Beyond: Volume 1 as well as The Hunt, Lost Track, and Tunnel.
Praise for The Hidden Evil Trilogy...
"Best one yet - chilling, horrific. There were aspects of this story that reminded me somewhat of The Shining...a sort of creeping horror that was very effective."
K. Sozaeva, Amazon Vine Voice, Top 500 Reviewer
"...grabs you by the throat and does not let go. Incredibly graphic it had me screwing my face up in horror at many of the scenes, yet eagerly clicking for the next page just to see what would happen next."
Bernadette Davies, Amazon reviewer
"...Preta's Realm is a fine example of character building done right. Mr. Thorn does an excellent job of crafting the characters and making sure that you can identify with them. He does a better job than some of the heavy hitters in the horror realm, actually."
Bryan Hall, Author of Containment Room Seven
Preta's Realm: The Haunting (Book 1 of The Hidden Evil Trilogy)
Drew works hard, pays his taxes, and loves his family. But when a visit from the spirit of his deceased grandfather coincides with the violent murder of two co-workers, Drew falls into a desperate spiral of delusion and betrayal until he finally faces the demons of the past, which threaten to drag him deeper into Preta's Realm.
Demons Within: Unholy Fire (Book 2 of The Hidden Evil Trilogy)
Ravna thought his ordeal with the hungry ghost was over. However, when a road trip takes him on an unexpected detour, Preta resurfaces, threatening to tear apart Ravna and his new love. Ravna must again battle the hidden evil, though he now faces a choice that could destroy everything, including the Demons Within.
Eternal: Blood Curse (Book 3 of The Hidden Evil Trilogy)
Doug believes Ravna has the power to defeat the hungry ghost once and for all. But he soon realizes that the final battle with the malevolent creature has yet to begin. Doug must combine forces with another Hunter in a race against demons and apparitions, hoping he isn't already too late. If they cannot close the portal in time, Gaki will call forth the hidden evil and the darkness shall be Eternal.
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If you enjoyed this title, you'll love Reversion: The Inevitable Horror (The Portal Arcane Series - Book I). Find out why readers that enjoy the creeping doom of Stephen King's Langoliers are diving into the engaging world of the Portal Arcane series.
Praise for the Portal Arcane Series...
"This is a great start for what promises to be an engaging, intense series."
Scott Nicholson, Author of the #1 Amazon Best Selling Horror Novel, The Home
"It's all about the journey, about the creeping horror of individual moments, the long wait, the brief moments of terror, and then more waiting. It was... a fascinating read, and I will definitely be interested in following this series.."
K. Sozaeva, Amazon Vine Voice, Top 500 Reviewer
Reversion: The Inevitable Horror (The Portal Arcane Series - Book I)
With a noose around his neck, Samuel arrives in a forest littered with caution tape and artifacts of the deceased. He struggles to regain his memory while fending off a pack of wolves and the mysterious visitors who seem to know more about this dying world than he does. Major, Kole, and Mara, new companions also trapped in the strange locality, realize they must outrun the ominous cloud eating away at reality. As their world collapses upon itself, Samuel must find a way to escape the Reversion.
The Law of Three: A New Wasteland (The Portal Arcane Series - Book II)
