In a loud voice he cried, “In the Name of Jesus Christ, I cast you back to Hell, demon!” He propelled the Crucifix and it struck James fully in the chest. He shrieked in pain and surprise as the metal burned into his flesh. Steam and vapors exploded from his body. James fell onto the floor writhing in agony. Collapsing into a fit of seizures, his demonic form changed and dissolved. His body gradually turned back to human shape. He crawled across the floor toward Katie. His pale face was pained and sorrowful. Tears fell from his eyes and his mouth trembled. With a weak voice he cried out, “Katie, please forgive me. I did it all for you, my love.”
She was overwhelmed with shock and confusion by what had just transpired. In spite of what had taken place, there was a part of her that understood that James had been possessed. He had surrendered himself to evil. Her heart was filled with pity for the dying man.
“I am not the one you should be asking forgiveness of,” she said sadly.
His eyes filled with sorrowful regret. He looked up mournfully and prayed, “Please God forgive me. I have greatly sinned. Lord have mercy.” His eyes closed slowly as his spirit departed.
Katie turned her attention back to Daniel. A slight smile covered his faced as he gazed up lovingly.
“My love, you’re safe. I love you so much, my Katie girl.” His beautiful blue eyes closed softly. As he took his last breath, a peaceful glow washed over him.
“Daniel. Oh no, Daniel!” She kissed him gently as her tears streamed down her face.
Overcome with grief, she closed her eyes and wept over his body. The room suddenly began to spin and to lose focus and she was transported back to her cabin.
CHAPTER 33
To Love another person is to see the face of God.
-Victor Hugo, Les Misérables
In a state of shock, she found herself on her bedroom floor. The ceiling had splintered above the bed. Large chunks of wood and varnish had fallen down on the comforter. She slowly stood up realizing shards of glass covered the floor. The cold night air whipped through her bedroom curtains. The picture window was completely shattered.
Her body was ice cold as she made her way to the front door of the cabin. Bright lights flickered outside the kitchen windows. She managed to walk to the front porch. Several police cruisers were parked in her driveway. The lights hurt her eyes. The officers called out loudly to her:
“Are you Katie O’Brien?”
“Yes?” she answered in a daze.
“Your security system has reported a possible break in.”
She continued to stare out at the police officers. Out of the group of men appeared a single female patrol officer. She was tall and slender with short blond hair and a compassionate face.
“Ms. O’Brien, would you like to sit in my car while the officers look inside your house?” she asked kindly.
“Yes.” Katie answered in a faraway voice. “That would be fine.”
They headed over to the police cruiser and sat down in the back seat.
Once inside, she began answering a series of questions regarding the proposed break in. Her mind wandered as she tried to explain the fact that she had awoken to the damage in her bedroom and the sound of the security alarm going off. Even in a state of shock, Katie realized that telling them the truth would most likely result in a trip to the psych ward. After answering the officer’s questions, Sergeant McShane asked if she would like to contact her family or friends.
“Yes,” she whispered, “I would like to call my neighbors.”
About fifteen minutes later, Camellia and Steven arrived at the cabin. Mercifully, the house alarm had been turned off as well as the police sirens. Frogs and crickets had replaced the manmade sounds with their natural ballad. They parked their van next to the patrol cars and hurried over to see their friend.
“Are you alright, Katie?” Camellia asked frantically.
It was impossible to explain what had just happened.
“I…” she hesitated, “My bedroom window is broken, I don’t know what happened.”
Steven looked at her with concern.
“I think she’s in shock, Camellia. Katie, we want you to come home with us tonight.”
She looked up and nodded absently. The police officers took turns questioning her, inspecting the cabin, and dusting for fingerprints. It seemed to go on forever before they’d finished. The cruisers finally drove away. Afterwards, the Sanchez’s led Katie back to the cabin. It seemed contaminated in the wake of the violence, and the recent police investigation.
“Honey, lets go to your bedroom and get you a nice overnight bag ready,” Camellia suggested.
Katie nodded mechanically. Broken glass crushed under their feet as they made their way into the bedroom.
“Katie, I know a wonderful cleaning woman that can help you with this mess.”
“Thank you,” she answered absently.
Camellia was worried by her friend’s unusual behavior. She seemed to be in a trance as she gathered her items together.
“Do you need a coat or sweater? It’s pretty chilly tonight.”
In a daze, she pulled a jean jacket from her closet. She draped it over her shoulders and they left arm and arm for the van. Just as her hand reached the handle, Katie looked up in alarm as she remembered her friend’s son.
“Camellia, is Bennie alright?”
“Yes. Why do you ask?”
She took a deep breath of relief and replied, “I had the strangest dream about him tonight.”
“Don’t worry,” Camellia gently assured her. “Lizzie is back at the house taking care of the children.
“I was just wondering if he was safe….”
When they arrived back at the Sanchez home, Camellia led Katie to the guest bedroom and helped her get settled. She sensed her need for privacy and did not linger too long.
“Let me know if there is anything you need tonight. Our room is just down the hall on the right.
“Thank you,” Katie answered absently.
She solemnly finished unpacking her overnight bag and brought her toiletries to the bathroom. She changed into a pair of soft flannel pajamas and climbed into the comfortable full size bed. The room was decorated with a combination of burgundy and cream accents. A painting of a vineyard rested above the bed. A large, golden Crucifix hung over the oak dresser across the room. Looking at the cross gave her a sense of peace in spite of the horrors that she had just endured. She climbed into bed and drifted immediately to sleep.
The next morning, Katie awoke to the sounds of excited children preparing for their school day. She took a quick shower and dressed in the guest bathroom. Her outfit consisted of an old pair of jeans, a long sleeve flannel shirt covered with a jean jacket.
Her skin was still cold to the touch even after the warm shower and extra layers of clothing. She slipped into a pair of white Keds and headed to the kitchen. The family was sitting around the table eating breakfast. There were plates of pancakes and scrambled eggs surrounded by pitchers of milk and orange juice. The children beamed at her excitedly.
“Hi Katie!” they all waved happily in unison.
Their parents had not explained the reason of her overnight visit. The children believed that she was simply enjoying a fun sleepover at their house.
Katie held her overnight bag on her arm. Bennie grinned up at her. She returned the smile, grateful that he was safe.
“Good morning, Katie. Come on over and join us for breakfast. I can make fresh pancakes if you like,” Camellia encouraged.
“Thank you. If you don’t mind, I’m going to walk down the hill and go back to my cabin. I have some things to sort out,” she answered in monotone.
Camellia and Steven exchanged worried looks.
“Katie, I hope you don’t mind, but I called a window repair service, one that I use in my contracting jobs. They’re planning to come by this afternoon and repair your bedroom window,” Steven gently remarked. “We would be more than happy to give you a ride if you’d lik
e,” he added.
Katie looked up and thanked him for his thoughtfulness. “It’s kind of you…but the exercise would do me good.” The family reluctantly agreed.
“Katie, when you’re ready for an outing, I’d love to take you out for coffee,” Camellia replied.
“That’d be nice,” she smiled.
Bennie suddenly jumped up out of his chair and hugged her. “Don’t worry, Katie. You’re going to be just fine,” he announced confidently.
She hugged him back and as she did this hot tears rose in her eyes. She couldn’t imagine her life ever being the same after that night. Her heart felt like it had been ripped out of her chest leaving behind an empty husk in its place. She put on a brave face for the benefit of the family and said her goodbyes, pulling her overnight bag over her shoulder as she made her way out the door.
The air was clean from last night’s storm. The hazy sunlight reflected the dew covering the shrubbery lining the borders of the walkway. She slowly made her way down toward the dirt-covered trail that led to her cabin. A loud rustling shook the foliage following the curve of the road. The noise made her jump in her tracks. Out of the thicket emerged a tall, young buck. The antlers were impressively large on his head. The animal stood his ground for a moment before crossing the road. The eyes of the creature were a deep mahogany brown and startling in their awareness. He slowly crossed the dirt path, turning briefly to look back at Katie before trotting back into the dense woods. The strange encounter did not faze her in the least. She continued to make her way down the hill lost in her thoughts.
Time escaped her. Eventually she found herself standing in front of her cabin. She could see the remnants of the yellow security tape running to the back of the house. The police had failed to clean up after their investigation. She knew she would be busy trying to get the house back in order. She wandered up the porch steps and reached for the front door. Her hand held the porcelain knob but couldn’t seem to find the motivation to turn it. Instead, she walked over to the porch swing and sat down. She dropped her tote bag by her feet. Looking out at the woods left her feeling empty and alone.
The sharp aroma of the grand oak trees filled her senses. The mid morning sun gently caressed the moist, forested canopy. Steam rose from the rain-soaked flora. The natural beauty of the forest would have normally filled her heart and mind with happiness and peace, and yet on this sad morning she observed the miraculous scenery with a numb indifference. An empty void had replaced her newly awakened heart and soul. In its place, a feeling of hopelessness had taken refuge. She took a deep, anguished sigh and leaned back against her wooden porch swing.
Her solitude was interrupted by a loud honking sound coming from the side of her house. Cozy The Goose waddled up to the porch. His white plumage shone brilliantly in the early morning sun. His sparkling eyes glowed in excitement as he discovered Katie sitting on her porch swing. Relief washed over her as she realized that her gentle goose was safe after last night.
“Hello, sweet thing,” she tiredly whispered.
He honked happily in response and carefully hopped up the porch steps. To her surprise, he made his way over to her feet gently resting his face against her white tennis shoes. She reached down and stroked his downy head. He closed his bright, velvety eyes at her touch.
A sense of peace came with the knowledge that her little friend was unharmed. Katie closed her eyes and surrendered to the sounds of the forest. The melodic calls of the songbirds sang out softy among the impressive collection of trees. The amphibious inhabitants of the lake joined in the harmonies. These soothing sounds flowed over one another for several minutes. Unexpectedly, they were interrupted by a loud rustling noise directly behind her cabin. Katie reluctantly opened her eyes, expecting another deer or wild animal making its way out from the thicket of vines and brush.
But this was not the case. Instead, there appeared to be a man emerging from the protection of the woods. Alarmed, Katie sat up in surprise and fear at the unexpected intruder. The stranger surfaced from the tangled collection of honeysuckle vines. Shadowed at first from the dense foliage, his form slowly became evident in the soft morning light. Dark auburn highlights shone beautifully on his thick, wavy hair. The handsome man’s vivid blue eyes gazed intently at his beloved. Daniel stopped several yards away and smiled down at Katie’s shocked and startled face. Her mind could not grasp what she was seeing. She did not dare believe this. It simply couldn’t be.
With long strides, he quickly closed the distance between them. Standing before her, just a few feet away, he slowly took off his hat, looked her squarely in the eyes, and asked, “May I sit there beside you, my love?”
She stared in disbelief. “Daniel?”
“Yes, Katie, your eyes are not deceiving you.”
He carefully sat down next to her on the swing. He looked at her kindly and gently took her hand kissing it softly. His lips were warm and sensual on her cold skin. Her heart flooded in search of a rational explanation for his being there.
“I thought I’d lost you,” she whispered in a shaking voice.
“I’ve been given another chance. It turns out that you do sometimes get a second try in life,” he smiled brightly looking deeply into her eyes.
“Oh Daniel.”
He reached down gently, taking her face in his hands; he kissed her softly.
“This is real. I’m not dreaming?” she asked desperately.
“Yes, my love, this is real.”
They held each other tightly for what seemed like a small eternity. Katie’s heart slowly regained its steady beat. Her body warmed to his touch.
Daniel quietly lowered himself to the ground and retrieved a green, velvet box. “Katie, would you please do me the honor of being my wife?”
Tears flowed down her face.
“Oh yes, Daniel, my beloved.”
He took her left hand and carefully slipped the antique diamond ring onto her finger. It fit as perfectly as it had so many years before.
“You’ve made me the happiest man on earth, my Katie girl! Oh, and one more thing, my love. Would you wear this golden locket?”
She smiled excitedly, admiring his beautiful face.
“Where did you find it?” she asked.
He gave her a quick wink and slipped the chain delicately around her neck. The locket fell against her heart. The sensation was absolutely exquisite. They both stood up and embraced passionately. Daniel slipped his arms around the small of her back and pulled her closer. Her hands eagerly explored his strong arms and chest. She pulled away, surprised by what was missing behind his broad shoulders.
“Sorry, my love, I traded in my wings for an earthbound life. I hope you don’t mind?”
“Of course not,” she sighed. “All I want is for the rest of our lives to be normal.”
The both laughed as they held each other passionately.
In their moment of bliss, they failed to hear the vehicle moving up the driveway. An explosion of children’s laughter could be heard coming from the open window of the van. The two lovers stepped away from each other. Camellia and Steven were grinning inside. The entire family quickly made their way out of the van and stood staring with curious expressions. Camellia beamed happily and said,
“Sorry to interrupt. We were just worried about you making it home and thought we’d stop by.”
Katie blushed. “Oh, I want you to meet my fiancé, Daniel McCarthy,” she smiled back.
Steven and Camellia exchanged a look. Camellia was the first to break the awkward silence.
“Mi amiga! I’m so happy for you!” She wrapped her arms around Katie and gave her a big hug, in her ear she quietly whispered, “He’s so handsome!”
Camellia smiled excitedly. Steven reached out to shake Daniel’s hand. The two men introduced one another and seemed to hit it off immediately. Camellia’s eyes looked down at Katie’s engagement ring.
“It’s gorgeous!” she exclaimed.
The children began giggling behi
nd their parents. Lizzie was all smiles, admiring Daniel. She made eye contact and gave a quick thumbs up. Katie smiled back happily. Camellia clapped her hands together with excitement.
“It looks like we have a wedding to plan! We have flower girls and ring bearer if you are looking for volunteers.”
The children squealed excitedly in response.
“Camellia, would you be my matron of honor?” Katie asked.
“Of course I will!” Camellia answered excitedly.
Camellia turned to Daniel and asked if he had a best man in mind.
“I’m afraid that I am pretty far from home. I do not, my lady.”
Steven interrupted, “I would be happy to volunteer as your best man. Katie is a member of our family now. This means that you will be part of it as well.”
Daniel reached out to shake Steven’s hand. “It would be an honor, sir.”
Camellia smiled in response to his thick, Celtic brogue. “Is that an Irish accent, Daniel?”
“Yes it is, my lady,” Daniel answered politely. “I’m from a small village in Galway by the name of Kinvara. I don’t suppose you’ve heard of it?”
She paused for a moment, and tried to remember why the name sounded so familiar. In a moment of shocked disbelief, Camellia quickly glanced between Katie and Daniel. “I’ve heard of the town of Kinvara,” she answered quietly. “Katie mentioned the same town to me awhile back.”
Camellia locked eyes with her friend and begged the silent question. Steven looked at his wife unsure of why Daniel’s Irish background was so startling. He interrupted by turning the conversation back to the subject of the wedding.
“It’s settled then. I’m sure Father Peter will be happy to bless your marriage,” he smiled.
The family chatted about the upcoming wedding and made a dinner date for the following Sunday. Camellia quickly grabbed Katie by her hand and hugged her tightly. She bent down and whispered in her ear, “I will be calling you up for a private coffee tomorrow! I have so many questions.”
The Wall People Page 16
