“I don’t give a damn about how smart you are Beth. You’re an idiot who doesn’t know when she’s being used.” Matt turned his attention to David, still at his feet covered in blood and seemingly dazed. Holding the gun in one hand, he grabbed David’s hair and pulled his head upwards sharply. “Where’s the Amulet? You know what I’m talking about. I’ve been watching you two. If you want to see her live, I suggest you give me the Amulet now.” He pulled David’s hair sharply, causing him to wince.
“Okay, just don’t hurt anyone.” David reached into his pocket.
“Don’t give him anything,” snapped Beth.
Matt waved the gun at Beth, while holding David’s hair. “You, shut it. Now give me that.” Matt had seen David’s movement towards his pocket and pushed the gun closer to David’s temple. His hand released its grip on David’s hair. Matt cupped his palm expectantly in front of David’s pocket. David reached in and placed an object, wrapped in a leather pouch, onto the palm of Matt’s outstretched hand.
Using one hand, Matt managed to open the leather poach. With Matt’s focus was directed towards the poach. David had managed to slide a hand across the belt buckle of his jeans. Concealed in the buckle, was a short spike, attached to a handle. It looked like it was part of an elaborately designed buckle but it detached, forming a small but effective weapon. David extracted the serrated spike. In one fluid movement, he took the opportunity to jam the spike firmly into Matt’s thigh. Matt screamed in pain, falling backwards from the force. David held on tight to the handle of the spike, causing it to rip flesh on its way out. As Matt fell, he knew he had to hold on to the gun.
David was fast and managed to thrust the spike into Matt’s side, shooting searing pain through his ribs and back. David finally lost his grip on the spike and leapt to his feet. Beth and the Vicar froze, astounded at what they had witnessed. “Run, now!” shouted David.
The Vicar grabbed Beth’s elbow and steered her to the right side of the Church and into a recess. David followed, ducking as he heard a shot whiz past his shoulder. They ran into a little dressing area, concealed from the Church. Running through the little room they headed towards a door that led to the graveyard. The rear exit was locked and the Vicar frantically searched for the key. His eyes flashed around the room as he tried to remember where he had left the key.
He rummaged through a drawer, within a small wooden credenza. He approached the door and fumbled with the key in the latch. The door opened and they were about to run free. “Hold it right there!”
They all turned to see Matt holding the gun, pointed in their direction. “Walk through the door slowly and stop. This room’s too small and full of potential weapons. Slowly now and stay close to the Church wall.”
They walked slowly into the graveyard, still close to the Church’s door. “Stop here.” Matt had selected a spot, well concealed from prying eyes. High tombstones, shrubs and trees created a private space. The torrential rain had stopped but it was still spitting. The cold wind blew the moisture into their faces. The sky was dark and the storm had passed but it looked like the second wave was about to start. Matt looked towards the sky. The dark angry clouds looked threatening. The wind was stronger and a cold northerly wind lashed the trees. The branches were stripped bare; a stark black color against the shifting sky. The graveyard was dimly lit. A solitary lamp bled a yellowish light from the street far away. Matt held the gun in one hand; with his other he clutched his bleeding side. He pointed the gun at David’s head.
“Matt, please don’t do this,” begged Beth.
“Shut it. You’re so stupid. I’m not Matt. I’m just using his body. You’ve no idea who I am and I’ve no emotional ties to any of you. I have my reasons for doing this. I need that Amulet now. Give it to me or people will start to die.” He turned the gun on Beth and aimed it at her face.
“Okay it’s yours.” David reached into his shirt and pulled the Amulet over his head. He held it in his hand and let it dangle from its chain. Matt could see the Amulet and moved his aim back to David.
“Now, give it to me quickly.” Matt felt weak, he was losing a lot of blood and the feeling in his leg was rapidly subsiding. He would not be able to support his own weight for very much longer. He needed the Amulet and then he could discard this frail shell of a body. David held the Amulet high in the air and watched it swing in the wind. He jerked his arm to the right and threw the Amulet across the graveyard. “You fool,” snapped Matt.
David motioned to spread out, making it difficult to track them all with a gun. Matt scampered to the landing place of the Amulet. The Vicar managed to slip behind a large gravestone covered in wet green moss. He slipped away and ran for help. Matt regained his balanced and trained his gun upon Beth and David. He had the Amulet in his hand but he still felt weak. Matt was wounded badly but he grasped the Amulet by the golden chain. Blood ran from his abdomen. His thigh had a dark bloodstain soaked into his blue jeans. The Amulet was not actually touching Matt’s flesh. He held it by the chain. It remained suspended blowing in the wind. The healing effects of the Amulet would not activate. Matt needed to slip the Amulet over his head and let it rest upon his bare chest. Matt continued to bleed and become weak.
Matt’s leg gave way, unable to support his own weight. He slumped to his left, clutching onto a headstone for support. Matt waved the gun around erratically. Beth and David remained rooted. “I don’t need to kill you. I have what I came for. Just stay calm and no one need get hurt, understand?”
They both nodded, watching the life drain from his injured body. Matt switched the Amulet to his gun hand. With his free hand he fumbled for the Golden box. The Golden box was heavy and his strength was draining. He glanced quickly to his right and spotted a weathered headstone sculpture. It was a stone Angel with outstretched hands. The Angel was a grave marker for Theodore Jackson. Sometimes fate plays its strange hand in ways that is difficult to understand. If humanity has learned anything from our collective experience, we know that there are no coincidences. Participants in this deadly scene did not know Jackson. In another, simpler time, Jackson and his trusty Beagle Dusty, had once played their part in protecting the Amulet. They now lay buried together, deep below the stone Angel marker. A lightening bolt flashed across the darkening sky, temporarily illuminated the graveyard. A loud thundering roar accompanied the lightening bolt, a second later.
The noise caused the trees to burst into life as a flock of black crows took flight, squawking their disapproval. David could hear the fluttering of wings as dark shapes moved quickly across the sky. The crows screamed loudly before settling in different trees to take refuge from the wind. It seemed spooky and surreal, the type of scene you would expect in a great B-movie horror flick.
The Angel headstone cupped her outstretched hands. Matt used them as a resting place for the heavy Golden box. He opened its lid, while keeping his focus on the anxious couple. Matt knew that in the malaise he’d lost the Vicar. He was either hiding behind a large gravestone or going for help. By the time he returned it would be too late. Beth took a step forward causing David to turn his attention towards her. Over the noise of the crows and the screaming wind he shouted, “Let him go Beth, we need to be safe.” Beth looked at the grave marker’s inscription, Theodore Jackson. She concentrated for a quote, something that Theodore Jackson might have said. “You know, sometimes you have to let him go, because it’s for the best, even though at the time you don’t think so.” That was the sign she was looking for. She nodded to David, knowing that he was right.
Matt was feeling light headed. His eyelids grew heavy and his vision was starting to get blurred. His sight was now partial his lids had closed, obstructing half of his normal sight. He had to tilt his head, to look forward. He knew he had to hurry; he was near to the end. If he needed to use his gun he would struggle to aim and he knew he would not be accurate. It was the implied threat that kept the balance of power in his favor. The spike had hit an organ and his internal bleeding was causing
his body to shut down. The loss of consciousness was imminent.
Matt took the Amulet and shuffled towards the Golden box, dragging his bleeding leg. He turned towards David and Beth, still waving the gun directly at them. “I can’t tell you how I’ve waited for this moment. I just needed to find a couple of fools like you. Fools in love, are complete idiots. You know that it’s quite ironic. I’ve travelled across time for the very same reason. I’m not doing this for power. I’m doing this for love. It’s the one thing that makes a person a complete fool. What, no snappy quotes Beth?”
Beth stood silent. She heard a voice to her side; it was David. “Never pretend to a love which you do not actually feel, for love is not ours to command.”
“Very poetic, I didn’t expect you to come up with a quote but it looks like your little friend is speechless. With these, I’ll be able to command time, feelings and affections. I can feel the life seeping out of this useless body, so I’m going to leave you now. Before I go, let me fill in a few blank spaces for you. Beth, I’ve been controlling Matt all along. I lived in the crystal pendant for a while, gaining power and waiting for the right moment. I then moved into Matt’s mind. You’re so naive. The engagement and the ring, was my idea, to gain your trust. The crystal is a very special artifact. Matt’s nightmares were unfortunate but it became harder to separate my thoughts and experiences from his. His nightmares were merely a reenactment of my life.” He waited for her reaction, “Yes, I killed those men and I don’t regret it.”
Matt placed the Amulet inside of the Golden box. This had not occurred for thousands of years. He placed his hand on the Golden box and immediately felt a powerful force flooding through his body. He suddenly felt strong, vibrant and with no pain. He was being drawn in. It was Paul Smith, who was starting this journey to unlimited potential. Matt was in pain, unconscious and dying, due to his fatal wounds. Paul’s spirit entered the glowing light and bathed in its powerful healing energy.
David and Beth had a different perspective. When Matt placed his hand on the Golden box a luminous light surrounded him. The weathered Angel headstone took on a different appearance. The Angel shone a brilliant white, illuminating the entire graveyard. The Vicar accompanied by three men appeared just as the Angel started to glow. Frozen by the unusual sight, they stopped in their tracks, watching the scene unfold before them. Beth looked at the calming sight of this majestic Angel and realized she had seen this image before. It was the clue to the next portal. She had seen this image flash into her mind, that fateful day in Brussels. The opening of the next portal was foretold by that image.
Paul Smith’s spirit left Matt’s body in a golden stream of light. It glowed but it didn’t emit light. It was like a strange fog with a different color and consistency. It snaked its way down to Matt’s feet before being absorbed into the ground. After watching this strange fog disappear the Angel suddenly stopped glowing. She returned to the weathered, dull marker, that she was. The graveyard was dark again and the crows were silent. It was over and calm prevailed. Matt’s frail body buckled and he fell to the ground, dropping the gun.
Beth and David ran towards him. David secured the gun, making sure he neutralized the danger. Beth ran towards Matt. She cradled his head. He opened his eyes looking into Beth’s sorrowful gaze. He coughed violently, choking on thick blood. The blood gurgled in his mouth, spilling from the sides, as his eyes closed. His head slumped to the side and his body grew heavy.
“Bless your soul Matt. It matters not how a man dies, but how he lives. The act of dying is not of importance, it lasts so short a time.” Beth let Matt’s head rest gently upon the ground as she removed her hands. She became aware that David, the Vicar, and other men surrounded her. She rose to her feet, “I think he’s gone.”
“Don’t worry son. The Vicar told me what you did and it sounds like self defense.” One of the men was a village policeman. He was off duty and not wearing his uniform. “I saw him die but I also saw him waving that gun around. It’ll be in my report.”
David placed his hand around Beth’s waist, “Are you okay?”
She turned and shivered, “Can we go inside I’m cold.”
“Sure. Some more hot tea will warm you up. I need to check on a few things first.” David approached Matt’s body and looked at his hand. A dark powder stain had replaced the rings. They seemed to have disintegrated. David walked over to the Angel and Beth followed. A small amount of dark powder remained cupped within her outstretched hands. The wind swirled the fine powder, blowing it across the graveyard.
David looked at Beth; she took his hand and squeezed it. She smiled, “Let’s go inside, it looks like it’s over.”
They headed inside, leaving the police to deal with the body. David turned to Beth, “Did we fail Beth? I mean; people have tried to prevent this for thousands of years. What have we done? Do we really know?”
“Don’t worry, I received a sign. It said, let him go. I don’t know why, but letting him go was the right thing to do. I’m sure of that. We played our part and I’m sure this was how it was meant to be.” Beth held David’s hand and wouldn’t let go.
They moved back into the warmth of the Church but David had his doubts. All he could hear was Matt’s words haunting his thoughts. “I just needed to find a couple of fools like you. Fools in love are complete idiots.”
* * * * *
Chapter 25: The Skin of the Gods
Duat, The Underworld.
Paul Smith emerged from the strong light and tried to adjust to his new surroundings. He felt vibrant and alive, with energy coursing through every cell. His eyes seemed to deceive him as he stared at his own arm and hand. He recognized his appendage but it was Matt’s body. He was still wearing the two Rings and carrying the Golden box, containing the Amulet. Paul had entered heaven. He had descended into the depths of the Earth, into the timeless antechamber of Duat.
Paul Smith found himself on a thin strip of sandy ground facing a dock. He was shocked and his eyes widened as he struggled to survey the scene before him. Glistening above was a pristine cloudless blue sky. This magical place was bathed in brilliant strong light but Paul could not locate the sun. Behind him, were a blinding white glow and an oddly placed white marble column. It was decorated with strange carved inscriptions.
Paul’s attention was drawn beyond the dock. A slight movement caused him to focus across the water. He could see a strange leaf-like gate, guarded by a giant green slithering snake. Paul had no intention of confronting the giant scaled reptile. He could see the coiled snake but he could not see its head. In ancient times a snake-goddess Renenutet bore a son called Nehebkau. He was a two-headed snake, designed for combat and guarding the entrance to Duat.
Paul Smith glanced to his side and saw a sight that shook him to his core. A boat, made from polished wood, waited patiently to transport visitors across the water channel. He could see figures moving around on the boat. The boat was adorned with flags bearing the ram and jackal’s head motifs. Paul thought he’d only taken a moment to study the curious sight. Unfortunately it was long enough for the large distant snake to slither into the water and cross the channel. Nehebkau was curious too and was now leaving the water, heading towards a strange scent.
The crew gathered on the side of the boat to understand why the great snake had abandoned his post. Nehebkau patrolled the shoreline, his two heads engaged in a sweeping pattern. Both forked tongues flicking the air with his nostrils frantically trying to locate the strange scent. Paul was rooted in fear. He came within inches of the snake but soon realized, if he remained still, he would not be discovered. The crew was gathered on the side of the boat but every pair of eyes was tracking the large snake. It suddenly dawned on Paul. No one was looking at him. He was invisible to them and to the snake. Nehebkau became frantic; he knew something was not right, yet his senses and predatory instincts could not find anything wrong. Disillusioned, he slid back into the water and slithered back onto dry land. He resumed his duties, guarding
the large leaf shaped gate.
Paul knew this was a dangerous place. He knew he did not belong here. His heart was pumping wildly. He had just escaped certain death at the hands of a snake design to kill. This would not have been a mortal death but a spiritual one, a permanent one. It was the largest snake he had ever seen, with two vicious heads and a thick body three times his girth. It was a while before Paul felt comfortable moving. The snake had re-coiled, basking in his normal spot on top of a rocky outcrop. The snake had height to survey the dock and anyone approaching. The crew had resumed their positions. It looked like everything had returned to normal. Paul had time to think about his next move while he let the disturbance subside.
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