Black was flung backward, slamming against the wall, the bullet holes in his chest smoking pocks. But he would not die. He slowly rose to his feet, laughing insanely. You don’t fight fair, half brother,” he said, flicking the tip of the sword at Sam.
Ain’t that the truth?” Sam said, then cut off Black’s legs at the knees with another burst of lead.
Black shrieked and thrashed on the floor, unable to get up. Sam heard loud voices and the faint sounds of boots, running, a door slamming, then another door opening and closing. He jerked a stake out of his belt and drove it into Black’s chest. A filthy liquid poured from his half brother’s chest and mouth, the color and odor of stinking pus.
As he lay dying on the floor, Black said, One point I must make, dear brother,” he gasped, as unlife ebbed from him. Have you taken into consideration that one day you may have to do this very thing to your wife?”
With pus and foulness rolling in streams from his body, Black closed his eyes and died.
Sam pulled out a small bottle of fuel. He doused the drapes and carpet with it, then tossed a match onto the floor, the extremely flammable fuel going up with a whooshing sound, the flames jumping around the room, spreading into the hall carpet.
Picking up a sword, Sam ran from the room, literally knocking Judy down in the hall. She hissed at him, teeth fanged. Sam ran her through with the rapier, leaving her pinned to the floor, flopping and screaming, foulness staining the carpet beneath her thrashings.
Sam ran from room to room, setting the drapes, beds, and closets, full of clothing, blazing.
Fire!” someone yelled. The house is on fire.”
Sam ran to the balcony and opened fire on the panicked Coven members, knocking several of them spinning and howling to the marble floor. He ran down the hallway, setting rooms blazing, quitting only when he ran out of fuel and matches. He looked up at the top floor, it was blazing, smoke pouring out in oily plumes.
It can’t be this easy, he thought. I can’t have won this easily.
Quite right, young man,” Falcon’s voice reached him from the floor below.
Sam spun, the Thompson at the ready.
Oh, for pity’s sake,” Falcon said. Put that foolish weapon away. It can’t harm me in any manner—unlike your half brother. I’ve been shot by more jealous husbands than you have cartridges for your weapons.”
Falcon’s face was only slightly bruised from Sam’s hard punch. He was dressed in a smoking jacket, his right hand in his pocket.
Sam looked at his watch. He was shocked to find it was eight-thirty. He had ninety minutes to get to Nydia and the others and get away. Where had the time gone? It must have had something to do with his dad’s picture; that odd sensation he experienced.
Are you taking some sort of medication or expecting company?” Falcon asked.
What?”
Your watch, and the expression on your face when you consulted your timepiece. Ah!” comprehension flooded his features. I see. The ancient warrior gave you a timetable, did he not?”
Sam chose not to reply. He shifted the Thompson from right to left hand and stepped onto the stairs, the bannister hiding his right hand from Falcon’s eyes. He hoped. His fingers closed around one of the two vials of holy water he had left.
Ah, God’s young warrior.” Falcon smiled. You are really going to fight me?”
I don’t see that I have any choice. Where are all the others?”
Falcon laughed, rather bitterly, Sam thought. What others? You’ve been charging around here firing that weapon and driving swords and stakes into people. We were not that many to begin with.”
You’re a liar.”
Falcon merely shrugged. I have been called much worse, I assure you. No, a few ran away into the night.”
Roma?”
Gone. Safe.”
You set Black up to die, didn’t you? Giving him that silly sword?”
Very astute of you. Yes.”
Sam was only a few steps from the bottom. He slowly removed the bottle of holy water.
You can’t win by fighting me, Sam,” Falcon told him. Then, quite unlike him said, I set you up, too.”
Sam flung the holy water at the warlock, deliberately aiming at the spot just in front of his feet, so the bottle would break and splatter its contents.
The blessed water splashed on Falcon’s legs and a few drops hit his flesh, burning him. The warlock screamed in pain. Sam jerked the last vial from his pocket, smashed the top against the railing, and threw it into Falcon’s face.
It had the same effect as acid, producing holes in the man’s face, smoking pits. One eye turned to ooze, running down Falcon’s face.
You lose, young man,” Falcon managed to hiss, the words like a gurgle from the smoking holes in his throat.
I lose?” Sam said.
But Falcon could no longer talk, his throat a burning hole, emitting putrid odors of the grave and beyond. He slowly pulled a flat automatic pistol from his jacket pocket and pulled the trigger twice, both slugs hitting Sam, in the chest and stomach.
Sam tumbled forward, down the steps. He rolled next to Falcon’s rapidly metamorphosing body, his blood mixing with the slime oozing from the warlock’s rotting burning flesh.
Sam tried to get to his feet, but strength was leaving him. He collapsed as darkness enveloped him, falling into the oozing slime.
THE FINAL MOMENTS
Get into Wade’s car,” Balon projected. Everybody! Don’t ask questions. Do it. I will bring the Clay Man.”
You?” Miles said. That golem weighs half a ton. Ask me. I almost gave myself a hernia fooling with it.”
Don’t argue with me!”
Yes, preacher,” Miles sighed. What do we do when we get into the car?”
Go to The Digging. We will be waiting for you there.”
This is it then?” Doris asked.
Yes.”
Ohh,” Miles said, putting one hand to his mouth. Already I feel strange.”
Miles,” his wife said. Be quiet. All right, Sam, I’m ready. Let’s go.”
Doris!’ her husband said. Don’t be in such a hurry. You got to be so pushy!”
Don’t be afraid,” Balon projected. When you get to The Digging, get out of the car and walk toward the crosses. You won’t be seen or bothered.”
Why?” Miles asked, stalling for a little time.
I’ll tell you when you get there. If I told you now, you wouldn’t go. Move it, people.”
You were a sergeant, weren’t you, preacher?” Miles asked, Doris pushing him toward the door.
That is correct.”
Once a sergeant, always one. Must be something in the food they serve you guys.”
His wife shoved him out the door.
No one noticed that when they walked under a bright street lamp on the way to Wade’s car . . . none of them had a shadow.
Sam felt hands on him and he tried to fight them off, finally giving up. He was too weak. He opened his eyes and looked into the beautiful face of Nydia, and eyes of pure love.
You’ll have to help us, Sam,” she said. Try to get up, honey—please?”
Us?” Sam asked, painfully struggling to get to his feet.
Janet is with me.”
Where’s Linda?”
Dead. She was ... one of them. I told you there was something about her I didn’t like. Come on, we’ll talk later. Move your legs, Sam, one step at a time.”
Don’t forget Dad’s Thompson. I want it.”
It isn’t here, Sam,” Nydia told him. And neither is the pistol with your dad’s name on it.”
Where’d they go?” Janet asked, on one side of Sam, helping him toward the door.
I don’t know,” Nydia said.
Cool air hit Sam as they reached the front door of the burning mansion. I do,” Sam said.
When Wade and the others drove up to the old dig site, they witnessed the end of the Coven. The golem was indestructible and awesome in his fury. Not even when dozens of D
evil-worshipers charged the Clay Man could they move him, stop him, or even slow him in his killing frenzy.
We’re supposed to walk through all that and not be harmed?” Miles asked, looking around him. Dear God, how?”
But Wade had already guessed. We’re not here anymore, old friend.”
They glanced at him, Doris saying, You mean . . . we are . . .?”
Yes,” Balon’s voice came to them. You are free of this earth. Walk toward the crosses.”
They walked across the digging site, littered with the broken bodies of those who chose to live with the Dark One. No one seemed to notice them. Miles stopped by one Coven member who was paralyzed with fear, unable to move or tear his eyes from the sight of the golem in its fury. Miles tapped him on the shoulder.
Hey, you shnorrer2, you still owe me for that living-room furniture you bought ten years ago.”
But the man paid him no attention.
You hear me, you crook?”
The man ran screaming into the night. He ran right through Miles and Doris, Wade and Anita.
Through them.
So send the money to the JDL, you goniff!3” Miles called after the fleeing, frightened man. Miles turned, once more facing the starkly outlined crosses behind the circle of stones. Oh my,” he said, his eyes finding the tortured form of Jane Ann. Oh no.” He began prayers in Hebrew, his wife joining him.
Hideous,” Anita said. How could a human do that to another human?”
Easily,” Wade told her. Ever looked at pictures of Nazi concentration camps?”
The four of them walked through the scene of blood and pain, past the golem who was occupied solely in tearing both arms from a shrieking Devil-worshiper. They paid no attention to him, for the Clay Man was still earthbound, still a part of a world to which they could no longer relate. They walked to a petite figure standing beside the tallest cross, under the ravaged pale naked body of Jane Ann. Beside the figure dressed in a white robe, her hair shining in the glow of the torches, her complexion unmarred by bruises, beautiful and radiant, was the tall rugged form of Sam Balon. The four of them ran the last distance, Wade holding out his hand in greeting.
No, don’t touch,” Sam Balon cautioned them gently. Not just yet. It takes a little time.”
You’re speaking . . . normally,” Miles said.
Yes. Come, old friends. It’s over.”
But no one wanted to move. Anita smiled at Jane Ann. I’ve never seen you looking lovelier, Janey.”
Jane Ann returned the smile. I’m fine, Anita. At last.”
Come,” Sam Balon said, motioning them forward.
This is the part I ain’t real thrilled with.” Miles looked nervously around him.
Sam Balon laughed at his old friend, a hearty, booming laugh. You’ll never change, Miles.”
Miles put his hand on his left forearm, the hand going through the arm as if moving through vapor. This is not a change?” He looked at Sam Balon.
Balon smiled at him. Come, we must go. Time is growing short.”
Far down a strange-appearing road that angled softly, gently upward, they could see a line of people walking. They were happy, laughing and talking.
The ones who stood beside me at the end,” Jane Ann explained.
Miles took his wife’s hand. Together, hand in hand, they walked up the road, Sam and Jane Ann in the lead, Wade and Anita following.
The six of them walked the strangely lighted road, a road with no ruts, no holes, no obstacles; a smooth nonsurface. All around them a misty blue light illuminated their way.
Don’t look back,” Balon cautioned them. Look straight ahead for a time.”
Toward home,” Wade said, his words almost a sigh of relief.
Yes,” Reverend Sam Balon said, his big hand seeking and finding the soft hand of Jane Ann.
And the two were together, forever, at last.
When the golem’s work was done, he began his lumbering walk to the river, miles from the scene of defilement. At the river, the Clay Man stepped down the bank and stood on the clay that was him. He slowly melted into the earth and became once more that which he was: all things of this earth, a creation of God, with the Almighty once more reclaiming him.
The fireball seared the land, leaving nothing but smoke and fire and desolation. The land would one day grow again, bits of grass popping forth, flowers springing upward, seeking the warmth of the sun. But it would be a long time. Years. And when the first flower would appear, pushing out of the earth toward God’s sun . . . it would be a blood-red rose.
The doctor in the small French settlement finally came out of his small operating room, a smile on his lips. He’s going to be all right,” he told the young woman standing beside the young girl.
Thank God,” Nydia said, tears streaming down her face.
He’ll need lots of rest and care,” the doctor told Nydia and Janet. But,” his smile was gentle, I think he’ll be in good hands.”
EPILOGUE
In a small French settlement in Eastern Canada, a woman died giving birth. No doctor was in attendance. The baby did not birth normally. It literally exploded from the womb in a gush of blood and mangled flesh. Roma screamed for the last time as the gaping wound in her belly tore the life from her. She saw only a glimpse of the infant before she finally died, but that one quick look was enough. She died with a smile on her lips, knowing she had served her master well.
The child fought the hands that cleaned it and bathed it and held it. It had enormous strength. It howled and snarled and snapped. And then, as if spoken to by an invisible force from some far-off world beyond human comprehension, the child became docile, losing its monsterlike features.
The child allowed an old woman to hold it for a time. The old woman’s daughter, who had just birthed a child, was brought in to nurse the infant. The nursing mother, like her mother, and all the others in attendance, wore a strange-looking medallion around her neck.
The child, after nursing, played with the medallion.
In the caves behind the charred remains of the once great mansion called Falcon House, the Beasts settled in for a long sleep. They had kept a very low profile during the battles between the evil forces and the old warrior. They knew when to fight and when not to fight. Now they slept. With only a single sentry on guard. They would be called again. They always were.
And on the sixth day of the sixth month, at precisely the sixth minute of her pregnancy, Nydia gave birth to a tiny premature baby. The doctors were astonished at the baby’s condition, for the boy was in perfect health. A beautiful child.
Amazing,” the doctors said.
Mother and father could but look at each other in silence . . . and wonder.
I’ll help you take good care of the baby, Janet told Nydia. ”I promise I will.”
Janet’s parents were fond of Sam and Nydia, and delighted their daughter had been returned to them unharmed.
I know you will,” Nydia said, patting the child’s hand.
The bite marks on Nydia’s neck had healed and vanished without scarring months ago.
Janet just loves babies,” her father said, smiling.
I don’t know what we would have done without you,” Sam said.
Janet walked to a window in the hospital room, away from Nydia and Sam and her parents. She stood for a few seconds, looking at her reflection in the glass. She smiled, the parting of young lips exposing teeth suddenly fanged, the points glistening sharply, blood-red. Her eyes were wild, that of a person possessed.
The wild look vanished, the teeth were again normal. The young girl turned around, facing the adults. I don’t know what I would have done without you and Nydia,” she said, looking at Sam. I owe you both my life. And I promise you both I’ll look after the baby. Forever and ever.”
Janet smiled. Very sweetly.
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Notes
1 strong man
2 Chiseler
3 Thief
Devil's Heart Page 29
