Dreamscape

by Philip R Benge

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  It was just after midnight, and two days after the attack of the deadly vine, as Carrie had called it, and yesterday night they had all slept within the protective pentagram, and as nothing happening during the night Rob was hoping that the attack had ended. Cassie had gone to bed early, for even though it was the weekend and there was no college tomorrow, she still felt exhausted following Sunray`s visit. The moon was streaming through her window lighting up her room, she blinked wearily at it and realised that she felt terrible, she wondered if she was coming down with the flu for once again she felt exhausted and so she decided to get two paracetamol. Sunray had just left her bedroom for he had felt the familiar scent that told him that a demonic attacked of the hell kind was underway. Once again he slipped back into Cassie`s bedroom and whispered in her ear even as she attempted to go back to sleep.

  “Cassie, wake up, Rob is in danger again,”

  Sunray did not see his act as illogical, even though earlier he, a demon, had carried out a demonic attack of his own upon a young human female; he then left the apartment in a small cloud of smoke.

  Rob was just about to enter his bedroom when Carrie opened her bedroom door and screamed out a warning to him.

  “Don`t go in there Rob, I am sure that another creature from hell is in there.” Carrie cried out in fear.

  Carrie`s cries brought Christina running into the hallway. “Not another attack Rob, when will it ever end?” She cried out in anguish.

  Rob looked at the two women and then collected three bottles of holy water from the sideboard in the front room. “We will have to get David to give us a new batch if this does not let up soon.” Rob said only half in jest.

  Rob slowly opened the door, just a little at first and then he put the light on, seeing nothing of the hell kind he gently pushed the door open a little wider and again wider still, inside the room all was normal, there was no vine from Hell waiting to snatch him away, no point of light through which it would come forth. “There is nothing in there Cassie, see for yourself?” Rob said allowing Cassie to see passed him.

  Cassie was shivering now for she was dressed only in a thin nightgown. “Rob, don`t you feel it, the cold.” Cassie said fearfully. “Something is in there, I know it.”

  And now Rob also felt the cold for it had begun to spread throughout the apartment.

  “Maybe we should get out of here Rob, drive over to David’s place for the weekend?” Christina asked fearfully, for she too felt the cold entering her bones, a cold that she knew all too well.

  The bottle of holy water that Rob held was in the form of a spray bottle, and it had a red dye added to it. Rob edged slowly forward and when he was just inside of the bedroom he wafted a fine spray of water across the room. Curled up upon his bed a snake screamed in pain as the spray of holy water fell upon its body, its outline visible from the red water that had hit it. The snake then threw itself at the three humans in an attempt to complete its task, but it was hit by water sprayed and thrown at it by three bottles, this was even too much for a hell snake, and it pulled back before it reached the open door way, but then it broke apart into two smaller snakes that began to grow at an alarming rate. To make matters worse Rob saw two more of the snakes coming through a small spot of light that was barely visible in front of the window. He instantly sprayed the spot of light which exploded and immediately went out. The four snakes now began to make for the doorway, two along the floor and the other two actually flew through the air at them.

  Christina and Cassie were both visibly shaken, and even Rob was shocked by this second attack and they all hastily drew back from the doorway, this was a mistake for the snakes managed to escape from the room and were now between them and the outside door.

  “Christina, Cassie, we cannot use the holy water against them, they might well sub divide again, we need to retire inside of the pentagram, from there I can phone David. I will ask him if there is any way to keep the minions of Hell out of our house.” Rob said leading the way into their spare room and after closing the door they stepped inside of the pentagon. Christina immediately lit the candles, new ones as the ones that Rob had originally put out had burnt down, this charged the pentagram and hopefully it would then protect them. She did not rely solely on this though, in her hand she held a large claw hammer, she meant to brain at least one of the snakes if they managed to penetrate the protective ring of salt.

  From the other side of the door the four snakes threw their now large bodies against the closed door making it shake and while they battered at the door Rob phoned their friend, he was in of course as it was after midnight, and thankfully he was still awake. When he had told Father Pritchard of their latest fright, their friend said that he had some good news for them.

  “Rob, the last book that I read was the odd one out of all of Ulysses Bourbon`s library, the last chapters dealt with ways to prevent attacks by other Satanists, and one section should allow me to show you how to protect your whole apartment.”

  The door shook again, but this time the top hinge was torn from the wooden frame, and when the snakes hit the door again it flew open allowing them to enter into the room.

  “That is great David, when can you come over, we are all just a little shaken over here and we could do with whatever aid you can offer, even if it is curtesy of the Bourbon family.” Rob replied gratefully. “You should know that the snakes have just broken the door down and joined us in the spare room.”

  “Stay inside of the pentagram Rob, I have an idea, I am on my way now.” With that Father Pritchard put down the phone and ran to the door.

  All of the snakes had advanced into the spare room and had now encircled the pentagram, but although they made attempts to pass the protective ring of salt, none were able to cross it, no matter how often they tried.

  Rob passed out three small plastic cards, on each one was written the Lord`s Prayer, however it was now that they heard a soft female voice urging them to leave the pentagram.

  “It is quite safe to go back into the front room, the snakes are my friends, I sent them to protect you against those who harbour you ill will, please come for I am waiting there for you to tell you who your enemy is and to offer you protective amulets against them.”

  Christina and Rob were clearly wavering as these honeyed words came to their ears, however something was telling Cassie that this was all lies, and she now read from the card in her hand, the words ringing loud and clear in the room.

  “The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; thou annointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of The Lord forever. Amen.”

  Even before she had finished reciting the prayer both Rob and Christina had recovered their senses and joined in reciting the prayer. When they were done all was quiet within the room, except for the slithering of the snakes that were circling the pentagram to hold them prisoners within their own home.

  Rob immediately phoned his friend to update him on the situation.

  “Take care when you arrive David, for someone just tried to get us to leave the pentagram using hypnotism; it was only Cassie that stopped us from doing so.” Rob advised his friend.

  This was the scene that Father Pritchard found when he arrived outside their apartment block three hours later; he had stopped on the way to purchase a number of curious items from a shop that only someone interested in black magic would know about and which would only open at this time of night for him. He opened the front door with the key that Rob had given him a while ago and set down a large parcel on the hall table just inside of the door, then
he called out to his friends who answered telling him that the situation had not changed, and unless he had any ideas to help them that the situation would not change until the sun rose.

  Father Pritchard pulled two Taser pulse pistols out of the bag and fired one of them at the first snake to take notice of him, the darts hitting the snake’s large body and plunging through its skin. The electrical charge made its body shake violently, a screech coming from its mouth, and then the hell snake exploded leaving only a terrible smell behind to tell that it had ever been there.

  “My god David, first you fried it and then you disintegrated it!” Rob exclaimed.

  His friend did not answer, the second snake had seen him and launched it long body at Father Pritchard, who in the best traditions of the Wild West fired at it while it was winging its way towards him. The two darts hit it when it was only two feet away from his body, but he had thrown himself sideways and the snake disintegrated to one side of his shoulder.

  He was now out of Taser pistols but his hand reached inside of the bag on the hall table and brought out a large canister of gas and a cigarette lighter. Pressing the control button of the can he lit the gas coming out and went after the third snake which was edging away from him until Christina hit it on the head with her hammer. With the snake temporarily stunned Father Pritchard used his home made flame thrower on it, and that left just one of the snakes which was coiled up in the corner of the room ready to spring at anyone foolish enough to approach it. Father Pritchard turned down the gas flow to save enough for the final snake and was about to launch his attack on the last animal when Rob stopped him.

  “David, do not approach it until I give the word, then approach it from the left.” Rob said. “Christina, I want you to approach it head on, show it your hammer, but be sure to stay inside of the pentagram.” Rob instructed and then he turned to Cassie.

  “I have a weapon Rob.” Cassie said pulling out a children`s catapult and a bag of large metal nuts. “I did not exactly have another of my premonitions Rob, but just as I was passing a toy shop I saw it and decided that it could prove useful, just in case our enemy had not finished with us, the nuts I bought from the builders’ merchant.” Cassie said smiling and took her place beside Christina, after loading her weapon.

  Rob smiled at her and then turned back to his friend. “David while the girls and I distract it please send the snake back to hell.” Rob instructed.

  Cassie immediately began to fire the large metal nuts at the snake while Christina hit the floorboards with the hammer making a loud enough noise to distract it, and probably the neighbours. Rob stood to the right of the girls and he pulled out his automatic pistol, after giving his friend the OK to approach the hell fiend he fired at the snake, the bullets entering its body but seemingly without causing it too much harm, although it did hiss much louder and it stretched up its long body in an attempt to reach him.

  Father Pritchard had moved around the pentagram unnoticed, but as soon as he turned the gas up full the snake turned towards him and began to edge backwards while readying itself to spring at the him. Father Pritchard felt his fear rising as he readied himself to meet the coming battle of man versus hell creature, however Rob had seen the snake readying itself to spring forward and had stopped firing at the hell creature, instead he had grabbed a hold of its tail. It seemed to spring at the same as it noticed that someone had grabbed a hold of its tail, and while it hung there, mysteriously suspended in air, Father Pritchard turned his weapon on the snake and sent it back to Hell.

  “Is that it, is it all over now?” Christina asked of no one in particular.

  “I think so; the attacks are from a Satanist with only limited satanic power, he or she will be exhausted by now.” Father Pritchard replied.

  With this declaration the massive amount of tension that had been weighing them down finally left them and they made en masse for the kitchen and a cup of tea. Once seated and drinking his tea Father Pritchard told them how to demon proof their apartment, something that they would have to do each evening before the sun set. The system involved walking around the apartment while praying and spraying a mist of holy water upon the walls, the ceilings and finally the floors. They then had to mix a potion together that was burned much like an incense and it would give off a sweet smelling odour. Rob was sure that he would soon tire of the smell, however both Christina and Cassie declared that they liked it when they finally lit the potion, in any case it was preferable to hell vines and snakes invading their home.

  Father Pritchard then turned to Cassie. “Are you feeling OK, Cassie, you look exhausted?”

  “I think I must be coming down with the flu David, I have woken up lately feeling absolutely exhausted.” Cassie replied and immediately yawned.

  “I am not so sure Cassie, these premonitions of yours, have they just popped into your mind or have you heard an actual voice warning you?” Father Pritchard asked.

  “Oh, I haven`t thought about it, but yes now that I come to think about it, both times I heard an actual voice telling me that Rob was in trouble.” Cassie replied.

  “Just what are getting at David?” Rob asked anxiously.

  “In one of Ulysses Bourbon`s books it tells of a creature called a wood demon, it is earthbound, not like the usual sort of demon, and it is your actual vampire. It is quite difficult to spot because it can actually turn into a puff of smoke, just like a regular Dracula.” Father Pritchard replied.

  Cassie now jumped in. “David, I haven`t been bitten, I do not have any puncture wounds.”

  “You wouldn`t find any Cassie, because he steals your life-force not your blood, he places his hands upon your head and sucks out your energy.” Father Pritchard replied.

  “So we now have a vampire problem David, on top of everything else, so how do we protect Cassie from another attack, garlic and crosses, just like the movies?” Rob asked.

  “What we have done should be enough, but maybe closed windows, strings of garlic and a cross around Cassie`s neck might be a good idea, just to be sure.” Father Pritchard replied.

  “Well he may be draining me of my life-force, but he has also saved Rob`s life, twice, so he cannot be all bad.” Cassie said. “Mind you I will take the extra protections, I have some important papers to finish over the next two weeks and I need to be fully fit, not exhausted.”

  Cassie thought that she caught sight of her mystery visitor twice over the next week, but the protections that they used kept him from visiting her at night and she was soon feeling fit again.