Inside in the living room on the sofa, both were sitting behind their cups of coffee as Earl was stirring up all that sugar.
“Where you from Earl?”
“Brought up in Ocean County in Jersey. Fell on hard times a while back and lost my house. That’s what happens when you can’t afford to pay the taxes. And for some strange reason, they just stopped sending the reminders.”
“That is too bad Earl. Life has a way of sucking at times.” Stella took a sip of her coffee. “Would you like to watch an old movie? I was going to watch All About Eve with Betty Davis and Anne Baxter. I believe it's from 1950. Funny as hell.”
“I guess I could go for that.”
They both wondered if this was the start of something or if they were just passing the time. Stella still thought that she was most likely foolish, but Earl was like new scenery to someone that never traveled.
chapter fifty-one
JIM DIALLO WAS BACK, at least in spirit form, watching Olivia sleep. He was trying desperately to wake her but didn’t know how to accomplish it. He stared at the Bible that Aunt Stella had given the detective on the dresser and was trying hard to make it tumble to the floor. He had been told that spirits could move solid things in the physical world but that it wasn’t easy. Many ghosts never learned to do it.
Diallo had also tried to enter her dream and wake her from there, but she was playing with the baby, and he wasn’t able to get her attention. And he was in a time crunch; he had information that would help, but it wouldn’t remain viable much longer. If that butterfly got into someone else, she would need to kill an innocent to get it out, and he knew Olivia wouldn’t be able to do that.
Diallo screamed as he pushed on the book, his anger actually allowed him to move it though only about an inch. A second attempt didn’t work, but on the third try, he knocked it to the floor with a thump.
Olivia opened her eyes and went for the gun on the end table, but then saw that it was Jim. “Diallo?”
“Olivia, get up! Quick!”
She got up and immediately started getting dressed. “What is it now?”
“I know where the insect is gonna be, and you can kill it before it gets to someone else, but you need to hurry! Liberty place alley Olivia!”
Though still groggy, Olivia was out the door fast, and she took her gun and the dagger.
She raced to the alley with her lights flashing. The alley was short and connected Liberty Street with Maiden Lane west of Nassau Street, almost felt like she was sleep driving instead of sleepwalking.
In the alley Olivia found a homeless man snoring, his name was Two-Gun John; he had been arrested almost twenty years ago with two revolvers, and the name had stuck. He now had more whiskey in him than should be humanly possible and he was sleeping in his own vomit, but demons were getting less picky with the vessels they selected, especially since they had been told that there were at least three daggers around that could now destroy them.
The dark soul that had been inside Calvin approached the alley. The charcoal butterfly was practically invisible in this light, and now it was able to see Olivia’s flashing lights in the distance.
Two-Gun John wasn’t dead, but he sure looked it. He had killed once and gotten away with it, but he was really only a danger to himself now. Although he did make off with an old woman’s purse that he had discovered forgotten in a shopping cart.
With the flashes of her vehicle's lights behind her, Olivia was in silhouette as she loomed in the alleyway with the dagger in her hand. Diallo stood beside her pointing at the insect that was just above the vagabond on the wall, but she couldn’t see it. Could she kill an innocent to dispatch the creature inside him if it came to that?
“Throw the knife Detective! Before it invades his body!”
“How the fuck can I throw the knife when I can’t even see it!” Olivia was doing her best to find it, but in the dark, it was impossible, even with her flashlight she wasn’t able to spot it.
“Just throw it above his head! Hurry! Now!”
Olivia thought it was ridiculous to throw the dagger at something she couldn’t see, but she went for it. The blade bounced off the wall landing on the unconsciousness fellow.
“You destroyed it, Detective. Great shot!”
“Really?” She approached Two-Gun John, and the smell of his vomit almost choking her. She removed the dagger from him, and sure enough, the black butterfly had been skewered. “I don’t believe it.” As she stared at it, the insect turned to dust. Must have been some divine intervention in that throw.
“Good work Olivia.”
She suddenly felt alone and as she turned Diallo was gone, and it saddened her. She guessed that prolonged conversations with him were now a thing of the past.
chapter fifty-two
IN THE MORNING VALERIE COOKED EGGS OVER EASY, and Daiyu ate three of them washing them down with two glasses of milk. The doctor considered that she might pilfer something expensive and be gone by morning, after all, she was a stranger; Valerie was pleasantly surprised when she didn’t. There was just something that she liked about her, besides the obvious that she was a hunter like herself.
Daiyu was pouring herself a third glass of milk or a half one in any case; it was incredible how some teens could eat so much and not gain a pound. “Someone killed a demon last night.”
“How do you know that?” Valerie guessed that it had something to do with the rock.
“If you’re watching the stone when it happens the red dot just kinda explodes.” Daiyu wondered If she had been talking in her sleep, though usually, it was in Mandarin.
“Well, then I guess that’s good news to start the day.” Valerie finished her eggs and toast.
“Being a doctor, I’m surprised that you use real butter.” Daiyu sat back as she was finally full.
Valerie opened the New York Times that she hadn’t finished from yesterday and glanced at it. “It’s all about moderation. Too much of a good thing will leave you wishing that you hadn’t had too much of a good thing. You can get away with eating like you do for now, but as you age that will most likely change. Who do you think killed the demon?”
“I have no idea but whoever it was is some freaking powerful.” Daiyu belched and excused herself.
“Why do you say that?”
“Because, whoever the hell is it, their light is at least three times stronger than everyone else, including the demons.” Daiyu yawned, already feeling like she needed a nap. “Are you going into work today?”
“No, I’m on a bit of a sabbatical. Chasing these things around and working is exhausting.” Valerie was again thinking about the seeing stone. “Are you sure you won’t sell me that rock?”
“Sorry, I can’t.” Daiyu yawned and stretched.
Valerie briefly considered just taking it, but she didn’t want to make an enemy of another hunter, besides for all she knew the girl knew Kung-Fu or some other martial art. She supposed that was prejudiced thinking. “Do you think it shows all the dark souls and hunters?”
“I have no idea it didn’t come with a manual.” And again Daiyu yawned. “Do you mind if I go back to bed for a nap?”
“Not a problem at all. I’m just gonna finish the paper.” If these were normal times, I’d have to report her to child services, but these are strange days. Besides, she wouldn’t stay put anyway. Maybe I’ll be able to find out more about her this afternoon.
There was a loud bang and some sort of commotion going on in the other room, and when Valerie ran in Daiyu was suspended two feet off the floor; she was turning blue as something was strangling her. She tried to get closer to grab Daiyu’s dagger, but whatever it was prevented her from getting any closer.
chapter Fifty-three
FATHER EDWARD PRIESTLY was a short, skinny man with curly hair; he was standing in the meadow near the forest wearing brown pants and a white shirt with prayer beads around his neck. The forty-year-old priest had escaped the city life and was hiding out here. He had fled
from things that go bump in the night without telling anyone, except for two. Behind him was his small two-bedroom log cabin.
The bees were buzzing around the colorful wildflowers encircling his home as he stared up at the silver moon still visible in the morning sky, it was full though not as impressive in the morning’s light as it was at night. Still fascinated him that people had walked up there. Father Priestly was waiting and listening for the sound of an all-terrain vehicle, but so far, the forest was quiet.
A Black-throated Green Warbler flew up onto his roof, lit on the chimney and sang. Tweet tweet tweet, tweedle tweet. Its black bib and bright yellow face made it such a beautiful bird. Father Priestly got down on his hands and knees and said a prayer. A bee buzzed his face making him smile as he opened his eyes.
There was a peacefulness out here away from the rat race. Nature was instilled in most people from a simpler time, poked at one’s instinct even though some ignore it anyway. In the forest was like stepping back in time, and the sound of a gurgling brook soothed one’s soul.
A crow flew down from a nearby pine tree and set down on his left shoulder. “And how are you this morning Mildred?” A year ago, he had found the bird at the base of a tree and had taken care of it until it was healthy enough to fly away, and now Mildred visited most mornings. “God’s beauty is so evident within the exquisiteness of the forest, don’t you think so Mildred?”
The bird cawed and flew off. His kindness had paid off as far as he was concerned, the bird’s visits were always appreciated. And now Priestly was able to hear the faint hum of the four-wheeler in the far distance, making him nod. The flowers freshened the air with such a lovely fragrance. He made the sign of the cross and blessed the cabin for the second time this morning.
The four-wheeler Polaris buggy stopped at about ten yards from the cabin and then Ryan and Landon got off and greeted the priest heartily, exchanging hugs. They had been parishioners of Father Priestly who had become friends. They brought three boxes of groceries inside the cabin, mostly can goods, but also water and a case of Pepsi.
Landon was a big man at almost six feet three inches tall, he had black hair and brown eyes and a bushy beard. He looked somewhat like a mountain man. “How are you doing Father? You seem pretty good.”
“So far so good. At least the spooks haven’t shown up here. Come in, come in.” Inside Priestly gestured for them to have a seat at the square wooden table. “Anything interesting going on out there?”
Ryan gave Landon a look and then back at Priestly. Ryan was mostly bald and heavy set. “I’m not sure if I should tell you but the demons are back at it, cutting the heart out of people. We tracked one to a crime scene, but we don’t know what to do about them. I mean they are already dead so what the hell can we do to it?”
Landon nodded. “I flicked holy water on him without it noticing, but it had no effect whatsoever.”
Father Priestly nodded. He had almost been strangled by one of them. “That is surprising. I’m sorry that I made you aware of all this. In this case, ignorance would definitely be preferable. It appears that heaven and hell are battling here on Earth. It does seem like the end of times is approaching doesn’t it?”
“I don’t know about that but it is scary stuff. Didn’t Jesus say that the end of the world would come like a thief in the night?” asked Ryan.
“Yes, he did.” Father Priestly always wondered if one of those things would follow them here, but he supposed now that he was out of the picture they couldn’t be bothered. “There are more people out there fighting and I pray for them every night.”
Landon nodded. “Yeah, well, I think we probably need a lot more.”
The entire cabin shook as if they had experienced the briefest of earthquakes or been hit by a truck. Father was now as pale as a ghost. Landon looked at Ryan not knowing what to do, and so he went outside to look around but saw nothing. Priestly’s hand shook as he opened and drank from a can of Pepsi assuming that it was a warning to stay out of it, which meant to him that he probably shouldn’t. He was getting a bit better at calming himself.
“Whatever it was is gone, Father,” said Landon as he returned to the cabin.
Father Priestly took another drink and then took a deep breath. “Yes, I can feel that its weighty presence has left us. Did you know that they are most powerful three days before the moon is full until three days after?”
Ryan shrugged. “Why do you suppose that is?”
“I read it in the Vatican archives, so I believe it to be so, but it didn’t explain the why of it.”
The topic eventually shifted to the weather and other subjects that weren’t so grave or scary. Ryan and Landon spent the night but left early the next morning. Father Priestly had dry cereal for breakfast and walked around the cabin thinking seriously about opening the book. Perhaps it was time that he read the fifteen-hundred-year-old tome from cover to cover? And just maybe it was time to get into the fray. He wasn’t going to be any help just staying out here.
Priestly stared at the sky as it looked like a thunderstorm was in the making, perhaps mother nature was about to get all riled up too.
chapter fifty-four
OLIVIA WAS EXAMINING her new baby stroller. It was one that she could jog with, nice and solidly constructed, though she doubted that she would be jogging with it. She wondered how many ghosts would be strolling along with her when the time came. Olivia still had a hard time accepting all this spirit stuff. She needed her train of thought to switch tracks.
Jack was coming over tonight, and she was a bit wary that he was going to propose, and if he did might she accept because of the baby? And if she did she imagined that divorce would be in their future. The detective could just imagine the size of the rock.
Ding dong. Ding dong.
“What the fuck? It would be good to get some peace and quiet for a change.” Olivia went to the door and opened it. There stood the ghost of a man in his twenties with a scraggly beard. A little person. He was just a bit over four feet tall. And the guy wasn’t ringing the bell he was saying ding dong. “Are you trying to be funny?”
“May I come in?” said George.
“I doubt I could stop you.”
George entered and looked around nervously as if someone might be following him. “Five minutes after midnight. You have until tomorrow night at five minutes after midnight to stop the portal from opening, and if it does God help us all. We don’t know how to close this one.”
Olivia looked down at him. “Well, tell me how to stop it or get the fuck out of here.”
George ran to the window and looked out. “Wyckoff Farmhouse was constructed in the 1600’s and has dark energy emanating from about ten yards in front of it. The last of the black butterflies will open it at five minutes after midnight unless you stop it. Part of the battle that has been prophesied many years ago.”
“Why don’t you stop it?”
“I would if I could. My name is George by the way, not that it matters I suppose.” He was still looking around as if expecting someone.
“Will it be in human form?”
“We don’t know that, but if the insect reaches the small skull shaped rock buried there, the portal will open allowing entry from the netherworld. The house is in Brooklyn, and I’m sure you can find it.”
The Detective thought that butterflies would never be the same to her after this. “Just about impossible hitting one of those damn things with the dagger.”
George looked at Olivia appreciating her attractiveness. “The dagger will have my guiding hand though the odds are against us, almost as if this thing is destined to happen. If opened the portal will become a physical archway that nothing will be able to knock down.”
“I don’t know how anyone would explain that thing popping up.”
“We are sending others to try and nip this thing in the bud.” George walked through the window and was gone, but she looked down and was able to see him on the sidewalk, fighting with something th
at she couldn’t see, and then he vanished. It had Olivia wondering if he would be there to guide her hand or if something had just happened to him. Olivia thought about taking more time off and just sitting at some beach and stare out at the ocean.
chapter fifty-five
A MYRIAD OF BIG SNOWFLAKES DRIFTED DOWN as Olivia was walking in a field covered with a light blanket of snow with the sound of her feet compacting the fresh snowfall. The trees in the distance looked as though they had been decorated by the hand of God and would definitely make an amazing scene on any postcard. The largest snowflakes the detective had ever seen as she stared into the sky trying to track a single one all the way down.
The scent of freshly baked bread drifted to them though she wasn’t aware of its source, perhaps there was a cabin nearby, though if so it went unseen. There were three drops of blood amongst the white stuff, one the size of a quarter and two smaller ones, and obviously fresh.
“Mama, what’s that sound?” Willow asked.
“That’s a woodpecker hammering on a tree. They do that to either get food or to claim their territory and attract a mate. Just one of the many wonders of nature.”
Willow gazed at the blood and wondered what had been hurt and how. The drops were bright against the snow, and the strange thing was that the precipitation didn’t appear to be covering the blood at all. Willow saw a large black cross in the tree line that was as tall as a person. “Mama, what’s that cross doing there?”
“That’s where a demon is buried. You know most people can’t see the crosses, but that’s what keeps it from getting back out. After seven years it returns to hell and then it can never come back. So as long as no one digs it up. We don’t have to worry about it.” Olivia watched as her daughter skipped and then stopped.
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