by Tony C. Skye
Julianna laughs.
* * *
After Caroline gets to Jennifer’s house, the meeting seems a little awkward between the three. They counter the ill-feeling with a few rounds of double-shot Crown Royal via a game of quarters. It doesn’t take long for the girls to loosen up and begin socializing on a much more intimate level.
Jennifer gives Caroline a rundown of her newest understanding of Julianna and goes on to mention everything involving her brother and the SB7 Spirit Box. After which, the three of them contact Danny, but he is still too weak to talk for any real length of time.
With the silent support of Julianna, Jennifer reveals her addiction to cocaine. Caroline gives Jennifer a hug and tells her how proud she is of her. The scene causes Julianna to enjoy the moment. It seems with the seriousness of her birth rite, these moments seem to be happening with less and less frequency.
Caroline takes her turn at explaining what she knows concerning her cousin. Jennifer puts back quite a few more shots as Caroline gives all the details involving her dream guy, the hospital, and what she saw after her possession. Jennifer is all too eager; whenever, Caroline changes the subject in order to describe her new car.
Together, Jennifer and Caroline go over sub-prophecy material. On occasion, Julianna steps in to help clear things up while they work to understand the confusing subject matter. Caroline takes the opportunity to mention the aunt she was robbed of ever knowing. Julianna offers to look for her in the Place of the Dead, but Caroline decides to let things be; at least, for now.
“Speaking of which,” Jennifer says.
Caroline and Julianna look at the tall cheerleader.
Jennifer glances from Caroline to Julianna, “I really need to understand what I’m getting myself into. The blood ritual was one mistake too many. I didn’t even believe it would work. The rest of us did it because Becca wanted to – seemed harmless at the time. I don’t want to end up like goofy here.”
“What’s your question, Jen,” Julianna pushes for the girl’s point.
“You mentioned vows a few minutes ago,” Jennifer says, “But before Caroline got here, I thought we had an understanding – friends, not servants. So what’s the deal?”
Julianna pauses as she contemplates the best approach in explaining things in the way she believes would be easiest for Jennifer to understand. She looks at Caroline.
“You ever heard of the mark of the beast that the Christians are always talking about?”
Caroline shakes her head.
“You mean the number six-six-six?”
Julianna moves her attention towards Jennifer, “You’re familiar with the story?”
“Not really,” Jennifer confesses, “I think I seen it in a movie.”
“It’s the number of a man,” Julianna explains, “Its value equals the name of my future son.”
“Huh?”
Julianna looks at Caroline, “In prophecy, every person’s name has an equal mathematical value. The number six-hundred and sixty-six has multiple meanings. One meaning is the value of the name itself. Another value is the spirit-realm value. And then there’s the physical-realm value. There are more, but that’s not important right now.”
Julianna shifts her attention back to Jennifer. The tall cheerleader stands behind her bar while Julianna and Caroline sit on bar stools opposite of her.
“When the time comes, the world will be given an opportunity to show their loyalty by accepting the mark of my son.”
Jennifer looks at Julianna with confused eyes.
“The mark is the value,” Julianna clarifies.
“Oh,” Jennifer nods her understanding. “But what does that have to do with us making vows to you?”
“Your verbal vows are the same thing.”
“I don’t understand,” Caroline interjects.
Julianna looks to her left. Caroline tilts back another shot and clumsily sits the shot glass down on the bar. Jennifer auto fills the glass back to the rim. Somehow, Jennifer has deemed it necessary to appoint herself as bartender.
“Those who don’t take the mark of my son will be executed.”
“Whoa.”
“Those who do accept it will be sentenced to the Place of the Dead…by Him.”
Jennifer looks at her ceiling as Julianna momentarily glances upward. The buzzed cheerleader chuckles.
Caroline moves her stare from her cousin to Jennifer, “What’s so funny about that? This stuff freaks me out. Doesn’t it you?”
“Yep,” Jennifer says with a giddy tone, “But the mother of the antichrist over here has me staring at my ceiling every time she mentions God.”
Caroline laughs. She looks at her cousin before returning her gaze on Jennifer. The night’s bartender giggles while pouring herself another shot.
“I do that a lot, huh?”
“That’s affirmative,” Jennifer says while half-heartedly saluting Julianna. Caroline laughs again as Jennifer reaches over and fills her cousin’s shot glass.
Julianna lifts the shot glass up, “I’ll try to work on that.” She throws her head back as she gulps down the familiar liquid friend.
“Your hands feeling better?”, Jennifer makes an observation. Throughout the afternoon and evening, Julianna has exhibited continual improvement.
Julianna nods while she holds out her left hand towards Caroline, “Could you?”
“Sure,” Caroline says while looking for the edge of the wrapping. She finds it and gently begins the process of removing the bandage.
Julianna turns her green stare upon Jennifer, “Physical actions in our world will always yield a spiritual consequence. It doesn’t matter how mundane the action might seem to be. There is always a reaction in the spirit realm. If you take a rock and throw it against a tree, that sound will be heard in the spirit-realm.”
“Sounds confusing,” Caroline says while she slowly unwinds the bandage so as to not cause her cousin any pain.
“It’s not as complicated as it sounds,” Julianna answers while watching Caroline near the end of her job, “Once you realize that the two realms are the same realm, then it becomes easier. The only differences are the physics laws that govern the two.”
“Okay, now I’m confused,” Jennifer chimes in, “I thought you’ve been telling us of two different places. Now you’re saying they’re the same place.”
Julianna looks at Jennifer, “They are different; yet, they are the same. It’s like a coin. Two different sides. Same coin.”
“Oh,” Jennifer connects the dots, “And if I’m understanding you correctly, then the edge of the coin would be the divider between the changes of the laws of physics.”
“Exactly,” Julianna agrees, “That edge is small enough that the people in the physical realm can’t see it. The scientists and physicists will never believe it’s there. They are looking for life on other planets, but those planets already have life. That life belongs to the other side of the coin.”
“Crap!”, Caroline yells while quickly releasing Julianna’s hand. She jumps back from her bar stool, “What’s wrong with you?!”
Jennifer sees Caroline frantically pointing at Julianna’s uncovered hand.
“I thought you said it was blistered?!”, Caroline looks at Jennifer with blaming eyes.
Jennifer’s eyelids blink as she attempts to focus in on Julianna’s left hand. The girl is holding it up with a grin on her face. Small black dots – similar to ink splotches – are fading in and out as they dance across the pinkish hand. The evidence of blisters is no more.
“Damn girl,” Jennifer says with a reverent and nervous voice.
Julianna begins using her left hand to remove the wrapping around her right.
“One of the perks,” Julianna says nonchalantly, “I don’t know how much of this will be given to those of my inner-circle, but I know it’s more than any foolish blood oath.”
“You mean power?”, Jennifer’s fear sounds diluted with interest as she attempts to steal glances of the
mesmerizing dots.
Julianna looks up, “More than your comprehension.”
The Mother of Darkwaters turns her attention to the direction of Caroline. The brown-haired cheerleader watches her cousin with caution. Caroline’s eyes clearly tell Julianna to remain seated so she can keep her comfort zone intact.
Julianna decides to speak to Jennifer, “Scared the living daylights out of me when it first happened. I accidentally broke a physics law in the other realm. Nearly killed me, but it didn’t.”
Julianna frees up her right hand from the bindings. She shows her palm to the bartender, “When I came to, I could do this.”
“Do you have to concentrate very hard?”
Julianna grins while shaking her head. “No, it just does it on its own.” She turns and looks at Caroline. Julianna pats the bar stool next to her, “Come cousin. I’m not a plague. And I’m not here to cause you harm. We’re family. I’d never hurt you.”
Caroline forces an uncomfortable grin as she looks at the bar stool. She begins walking towards her seat, “It just took me by surprise.”
She sits down, “You could’ve warned me.”
“You’re right. I apologize,” Julianna says, “I didn’t even think about the black dots.”
“I don’t know how you could forget about ‘em,” Caroline counters while looking at her shot glass. She grabs her freshly poured glass of Crown Royal and tips it back.
Caroline places her glass on the bar and pushes it closer to Jennifer, “I know I never will.”
Jennifer smiles as she obliges Caroline with a new pour. She immediately follows up by refilling Julianna’s glass and her own.
Julianna reaches towards her right and slides her phone towards her. After making a few swipes, she begins speaking.
“We’re all probably going to puke, but could you be so nice as to pick us up another bottle?”
“Yes, ma’am,” the voice on the other end of the call answers.
“He sounds sooo sexy,” Jennifer says with devious thoughts.
Julianna looks up with a grin, “Did you get that? Jennifer thinks you sound sexy.”
“No I don’t!”, Jennifer calls out loudly.
Caroline laughs.
“Thank you , ma’am,” the male voice answers.
“Pfft,” Jennifer reacts before tilting her shot back.
Julianna smiles knowingly at Jennifer, “That’ll be all.”
“Yes, ma’am,” the voice responds before Julianna pushes end on her phone.
“Thanks for that, bitch.”
Julianna holds her glass up, “Anytime.” She follows by the intake of her shot. When she puts it down, Jennifer grabs up what’s left of the Crown Royal and rounds the bar.
She motions towards the couch, “Come on virgins. Let’s take this to the couch. I need to sit the fuck down.”
Julianna looks at Caroline with wide eyes.
“She tends to get a mouth full of crap when she gets drunk,” Caroline says loudly enough for Jennifer to hear.
Jennifer turns and plops down on the couch, “I do good. I used to be a lot worse.”
Caroline nods as she stands up with Julianna, “She’s right. I haven’t heard her say that for a long time.”
Caroline turns her gaze upon Jennifer, “But apparently, the thought of some guy brings out her nastiness.”
“Cheers to that, sister,” Jennifer says while holding up the bottle of Crown Royal. She mouths the bottle and takes a swig. Sitting the bottle onto the coffee table, Jennifer sits back.
“Okay, Julianna,” Jennifer pronounces the girl’s name with a slight slur, “You haven’t cleared up the vow stuff yet. Get to it before my brain shuts down.”
Julianna sits back. The comfy couch is a welcome change to that of the bar stool. She hears Caroline let out a quiet sigh of relief as she does the same.
“Where was I?”
“Hell if I know,” Jennifer answers, “You’re the one explaining it to us, remember? The last thing I recall is something about executions and hell. You were putting a real damper on our party vibe.”
Caroline giggles.
“Right,” Julianna recalls where she left off, “So as I was saying, the two realms are like a coin.”
“Yeah, that whole coin paradox is a real bitch,” Jennifer blurts out her thoughts.
Caroline covers her mouth with her right hand as she fights back more giggles. She glances to her right to see if Julianna is angered. To her surprise, her cousin seems amused.
“You guys want to wait until tomorrow for this?”, Julianna questions light-heartedly, “It’s a lot to take in all at once. I’m good if you all are.”
Jennifer dreamily waves her right hand at the air in front of her, “Nah, go ahead. I’d wather dwown in the pawodox.”
“Ha-ha-ha!”
Julianna smiles at Caroline’s laughter. It is good to see her cousin relax.
“The spirit realm can see the physical realm,” Julianna speaks, “But those of us who belong to the physical realm, can never see the sprit realm. It’s all because of the fall of Adam – not woman – that this happens.”
Julianna begins to look upward, but catches herself. Instead, she looks at the coffee table, “He put blinders on the fallen – us. All the physicists in the world cannot fight against those blinders. It’s the physical body that creates the blinder in the first place.”
“Whoa there horsey,” Jennifer says, “Back it up a few notches. What was that about the fall of Adam not belonging to woman? I thought the story said Eve ate the apple first.”
“It wasn’t an apple,” Julianna corrects. She continues, “Lilith was the first woman. Not Eve. The Christians left those texts out of their Bible because they’re hypocrites. I have all of the texts.”
“You talking about the Mother of all mothers?”, Caroline regurgitates something her mother has just recently explained to her.
Julianna glances at Caroline with prideful eyes, “Yes.”
Caroline smiles.
Julianna turns her attention back towards the coffee table, “So… Lilith was actually the first woman. But when the Creator told her that she had to have sex with Adam, she refused. Lilith thought it was rape; although, she had no idea it was called rape. She knew it as a feeling. She felt uncomfortable about it – felt like something was wrong with blindingly spreading her legs like that.”
Jennifer leans forward and looks at Julianna, “Are you serious?”
Julianna moves her gaze to Jennifer. The tall cheerleader seems agitated.
“That’s what happened,” Julianna confirms, “Lilith refused and God kicked her out of His garden.”
“That’s awful,” Caroline says.
“Tell me about it,” Julianna continues, “When Eve was made she obeyed like some sex toy. But Lucifer was allowed into the garden to tempt her into eating the forbidden fruit. She did, and Adam followed her because he didn’t want to lose that va-jay-jay.”
“Men are pigs,” Jennifer says while sitting back.
Caroline glances at her cheerleading sister before returning her watchful gaze upon her cousin.
“I don’t understand why God allowed Lucifer into the garden,” Caroline conveys her thoughts, “What was the point in kicking Lilith out if He was going to have everyone tempted later? I mean – you did say that He allowed Lucifer to do it, right?”
Julianna mentally notes the inquisitive nature of her cousin. She nods, “I did. And He did.”
“But why?”, Caroline isn’t satisfied with the vague answer, “And I thought Eve was made from Adam’s rib? What about Lilith?”
“Good grief,” Jennifer says, “That’s way too much. One thing at a time, bitches.”
Julianna glances over and looks at Jennifer. The cheerleader has her eyes closed.
“Lilith was made to be an obedient wife,” Julianna begins clarifying, “She was made separate from Adam. Therefore, she had her own opinion on the matter and she didn’t like the idea.”
Caroline’s brows rise as she slowly looks at Jennifer. Her friend feels Caroline’s stare and opens her eyelids.
“What?”, Jennifer questions innocently.
“That was a little brutal sounding, don’t you think?”
“Pfft,” Jennifer mocks, “I call it justice.”
Caroline shakes her head and turns her attention back towards her cousin.
“Anyway,” Caroline says, “You were saying?”
“Eve was made from his rib,” Julianna continues, “It wasn’t just a symbolic notion. Remember when I mentioned the rock?”
“Yeah,” Caroline answers, “Whenever you throw it in this realm, it is heard in the other.”
“Exactly,” Julianna agrees. “So when He made Eve in that way, He assured a certain level of submissiveness and still called it free will. Men put the Christian Bible together from the texts they wanted. They left out anything that gave women equal power to their own. Even in their so-called New Testament, women are subjugated below their male counterparts. Don’t wear makeup, wear dresses, yaddy-yaddy-yada.”
“I had no idea,” Caroline says with a hint of bewilderment within her voice. She sits back on the couch.
“Most people don’t,” Julianna says, “And everyone else doesn’t care. They disguise the ruse with the deceit of men protecting women. But with Lilith, she was made with equal mentality to Adam. And she needed it whenever she was cast from the garden.”
“Why’d she need it?”, Jennifer questions with her eyes closed.
“The garden was an area under protection. No one could enter without death. The Creator created many people. The garden was a test of loyalty versus free will. Imagine Lilith’s delight when Eve screwed it up.”
“That still doesn’t answer my question,” Jennifer pushes.
“Outside of the garden,” Julianna continues, “It was survival of the fittest.”
“Evolution,” Caroline replies.
“In a sense, yes,” Julianna answers, “Evolution of the bloodline. With Lilith being made equal to Adam, she had the mentality to protect beyond Eve’s mental state.”
