by Stan Mason
‘He’s protected by me!’ she told him calmly in a soft voice. The electrician stared at her in awe, wondering how the strange woman had appeared so suddenly. ‘I’m his protector!’ she went on. You’re not going to be allowed to kill him!’
Toomey shook his head in disbelief. Who was this strange woman dressed in such odd attire? What was she saying? ‘I’ll do what I damn-well want!’ he insisted, lifting the rifle to his shoulder.
The Goddess raised her hand and pointed her finger at him. There was a flash of light and Toomey’s body burst into flame. Within seconds, it was burned to a cinder impressed upon the driver’s seat of the car. He would no longer be a danger to his adversary nor would he have the opportunity of turning him into a martyr. He was dead... irrevocably dead!
The police were extremely concerned when they found the body later that day. This was the second time they had been left with a burnt corpse and there was no evidence on either occasion of how it came about. The first time in the church and now in a car. They were completely baffled and set up a special unit to investigate the matter. In effect, they were wasting their time... they would never find the person responsible, not unless they could find a way to travel to the celestial kingdom!
***
Rebecca returned from the supermarket the next day after watching the forensic scientist examine ’Toomey’s car which had been parked close by. There had been a lot of fuss about nothing even though the police had set up notices to prevent the public getting too close to the vehicle. When she arrived at the house, she almost fell over two suitcases parked in the hallway. She made her way into the lounge where Sheila’s children were playing, both smartly dressed and ready to go out. Then the bathroom door opened and Sheila emerged with a solemn expression on her face.
‘Glad you’ve come back in time,’ she said simply to her husband’s mistress.
‘What’s going on?’ asked Rebecca, although she almost guessed the answer to her question.
‘You’ll be highly delighted. We’re leaving,’ replied Sheila bluntly. ‘I’ve found another place to live.’
Rebecca stared at her in astonishment. ‘I can see you’re leaving. What’s it all about?’
‘You can gloat if you like,’ returned Warrior’s wife, aiming the comment without bitterness as she placed three toothbrushes and a a tube of toothpaste into a holdall. ‘I really ought to thank you for helping me to see the light. You were right. I don’t think I could live with Stephen when he pursues this crazy idea about religion. I don’t know what I was thinking of. We’ll be out of here in five minutes. There’s a taxi coming. So he’s all yours now. You can do what you like with him.’
‘What about your baby?’ Rebecca could have bitten her tongue for the remark but she really wanted to know the other woman’s intentions.
‘I’ll manage. For the first time in my life I’ll be a single parent. We’ll survive on our own.’
Rebecca went swiftly into the kitchen to deposit the shopping on the table top before returning to the lounge. ‘Well I’m glad I got back in time to see you off,’ she managed to say, trying to cope with the sudden change of events. ‘It would have been strange to find you gone.’
Sheila stared at her dolefully. ‘It took an argument between us to make me see sense. I don’t want Stephen back. I don’t think I ever did. I can’t stand the mission he’s taken on. I hat it. But when he made love to me in the bathroom, I went out of my mind. The wonderful times we had in the past all came back to me. Suddenly we were husband and wife again. It was all very silly really. I don’t know what got into me.’
‘Are you saying you’re not pregnant with his child?’ The words rang out in a kind of challenge.
Sheila looked at the other woman with a frown appearing on her forehead. ‘Oh, yes! It’s his child all right. I know that for certain. It’s just that I don’t need him any more. He’s not for me.’ She observed the whimsical expression on Rebecca’s face. ‘Don’t worry. I’ll manage somehow.’
Rebecca pursed her lips sadly. ‘In a way,’ she commented, ‘I’m sorry it’s worked out this way for you.’ By now she began to feel triumphant that she was going to be left alone with her lover and she didn’t mean a word of it. ‘We might have been friends under any other circumstances.’
‘Don’t kid yours, Rebecca,’ snapped Sheila point-blank. ‘We could never be friends... not under any circumstances! But at least you’ll have peace with me out of the way.’
‘For how long?’ came the question. ‘How long will it be before you change your mind again? You may want to come back after the baby’s born.’
Sheila released a long laugh. ‘Well that’s for me to know and for you to find out,’ she retorted. ‘In truth, I don’t think we’ll ever meet again.’
‘What about the times when Stephen sees his children?’
‘He’s seen them for the last time,’ came the response. ‘He’ll never see them again. I assure you of that!’
‘What are you saying?’
‘My brother lives in Vancouver, in Canada. We’ll be going to live with him. I doubt if Stephen will ever find the fare to visit us. I’m certain of it even if he wanted to.’
Rebecca didn’t know whether to applaud or cry at the news. She was delighted to learn that Stephen’s wife was going to leave them for good but what effect would it have on her lover? He adored his offspring, even if he didn’t show it, and to be denied them by default was a terrible indisposition.
Before they had time to discuss the matter further, there was the sound of the engine of a vehicle purring outside and there was a knock on the door.
‘It’s the taxi,’ remarked Sheila, handing the holdall to one of the children as she opened the front door, pointing to the two suitcases to the taxi driver. He picked them up, placed them in the boot of the car, and they all entered the vehicle.
‘Well goodbye, Rebecca,’ she said finally. ‘I can’t say it’s been fun knowing you.’
Rebecca watched the taxi as it disappeared into the distance with a number of thoughts flashing through her mind. She could hardly tell Warrior that Sheila never intended him to see his children again. The woman might changer her mind after a while and return to make her look a fool or a troublemaker. Maybe she would emigrate to Canada to live with her brother... maybe it was all talk in the heat of the moment. His wife had already changed her mind once with regard to living with him. It was possible she would do it again. The future was still relatively uncertain. The woman was neurotic! Why did she have to leave in such a hurry? There had to be a reason! And she still claimed that she was pregnant with Stephen’s third child! Was that a figment of her imagination? It was well within the bounds of possibility. She had tried to influence her husband by claiming it to be true and what better way of doing it! There was still a chance that Sheila had slept with another man who had made her pregnant and, in a moment of panic, she had turned to her husband for support. Well for whatever the reason, the woman had gone leaving Rebecca alone with her lover, albeit the thought that he had seduced his wife in the bathroom still haunted her. Maybe it did and maybe it didn’t happen. Stephen had told them that he had been sleepwalking. He might have been telling the truth and nothing happened that night. At least that’s what Rebecca preferred to believe. In her mind, Stephen was innocent. His wife had been lying. However in her heart, she knew it was far from the truth. He had seduced his wife on that dreadful night!
Chapter Thirteen
It was late at night and Warrior was very tired. Rebecca had already gone to bed on her own. Since the declaration by his wife that he had seduced her in the bathroom, she had adamantly refused to have sex with him. The knowledge of his infidelity had been devastating and it had upset her greatly, even though it had been with his lawful wife. She had judged her lover to be honest especially when he had disclosed, with hand on his heart, when Sheila
came to live with them, that all sexual activity with his wife had ended. Yet after a short while, she discovered it to be untrue. At the present time, she couldn’t allow him to come near her or even touch her. Warrior was frustrated by her frigid attitude towards him. He had no idea how long her feelings of rejection would last. He simply hoped that she would come to grips with the situation and forgive him although he had denied that anything had happened with his wife on that particular night. When it came to cases of infidelity concerning lovers, women seemed to have their own set of rules; their own codes of conduct. His mistress had a forgiving nature normally but the incident between his wife and himself was something that she had to resolve in her own mind by herself. Until that happened, there would be more frustration, while the satisfaction of sexual activity was a far distant hope. He was well aware that any pressure by him to urge her to comply with his sexual desires would not be appreciated. She didn’t want him to touch her and she didn’t want to hear any excuses. Sheila Warrior’s name was an evil word in the house. As a result, he tended to stay up late after Rebecca had gone to bed and he often fell asleep on the settee. He had crossed the line of infidelity and that was his undoing!
On this particular night, he leaned back on the settee in the darkness of the room pulling an old coat across his body in an attempt to keep himself warm. It was not comfortable but it was no better than climbing into bed with Rebecca by his side and staring at her back. There was no hope that she would turn around and take him into her arms. There had been a few false dawns of late when he felt that she would accept an approach but he disliked it when rejection occurred. After twisting and turning for a while, he eventually fell into the arms of Morpheus. He had no idea of the time but it wasn’t long before he began to dream. It was the same one which came to him repeatedly. Without any effort, he found himself flying high in the sky with his arms outstretched in front of him, floating on a reef of warm air. His body moved swiftly over the terrain as he observed the cities and towns beneath him. In the dream he didn’t know what was going to come next so he was forced to bide his time. There was never any problem when flying effortlessly in and out of the drifting clouds. Shortly, he climbed to a higher level, moving upwards in flight all the time. The distance to the celestial kingdom was a very long way ahead although he had never been there before. Usually the Gods and Goddesses came to him rather than the other way around. This time it was different.
In due course, after climbing for some considerable time, he arrived at the outer level of the celestial kingdom to hear the sound of lilting music. It was a tune he couldn’t easily recognise but it was very pleasant to the ear. As far as he could gather, from his elevated position, the kingdom was vast stretching out as far as the eye could see. He floated over an enormous castle to arrive at the place inhabited by the Gods and Goddesses. When he reached it, he lowered his arms to land softly on the surface to stand in awe outside the front gate.
‘Who is without?’ a bass voice boomed out.
‘I Stephen Warrior... messenger of the Gods!’ he replied anxiously, being totally unaware of what he might have to face if he was allowed inside.
‘Advance and enter!’ boomed the same voice sternly. ‘Serve to remember you have come to the celestial kingdom!’
Warrior started to move forward but before he could do so he began to experience a very strange sensation. It was as though his body and soul had separated from each other and were moving in different directions. Before he had time to adjust to the situation, his body was sailing high up in the air. At the same time, he could see himself walking through the gate below. The nature of his dream had changed considerably. It was far different to those he had dreamed on other occasions. Previously, he had encountered direct visual contact with the Gods and Goddesses well away from the celestial kingdom. This time he found himself watching his actions which he could only consider to be his soul down below. He saw himself press on into the castle and enter the main room. Despite being outside, he could still see everything that happened by means of his spirit. He found himself in a colossal chamber with large wooden seats settled all the way around the walls, a giant shining mahogany table in the centre, and large ornate chandeliers. Sitting on a throne at the head of the table was Magester the ruler of the Gods. Each time he had experienced the visions, the deities had come to him in the atmosphere of a haze. They had always appeared the same size as human-beings. He now saw the ruler of the Gods in reality. Magester was massive, towering about all the rest of the Gods and Goddesses from his seat of justice, looking down on Warrior with a stern expression on his large aged bearded face.
‘We’ve brought you here, messenger,’ Magester told him in a loud stentorian voice, ‘whether you should be allowed to continue your task.’
‘I’ve been doing very well so far... .’began the messenger before the ruler of the Gods held up his hands to stop him in his flow. For a moment, panic began to overcome him and he began to perspire. ‘Have I done something wrong?’
‘Silence!’ shouted the God at the top of his voice. ‘I am speaking!’ He paused to ensure that silence reigned throughout the chamber before continuing. ‘Why aren’t the people praying to us?’ he demanded angrily. ‘I have hard a few weak words from a minimum number of people on Planet Earth. It is far too little, messenger... far too little!’
‘But my plans are working!’ exclaimed Warrior defensively in an attempt to dissuade the anger of the God. ‘I’ve appeared on television to millions of people. I’ve started a healing clinic and my success are reported regularly in the national newspapers. I hold local meetings which are now packed with people who come to them. I’ve got them praying to you.’
The ruler of the Gods smashed his hand down on the table so hard that the echo rebounded throughout the chamber. ‘Then why are so few getting through to us? Why is your contribution so paltry?’
‘It will grow in the not too distant future,’ spluttered Warrior in desperation. ‘It takes time to influence people. Give me a little more time and you be satisfied with the result. I promise you. My work will prove to be successful.’
‘Are you intimating that I am lying?’ The words rolled out of the God’s mouth as an indictment causing the messenger to go weak at the knees in fright because the image of Magester began to alter in front of his eyes. His face turned dark, from white to black, and a number of other features changed to present a horrendous vision. As the God’s anger increased, his face and body changed to liken that of the Devil bearing two small sharp horns, one on each side of his head. He assumed an evil face which his body became that of a goat with a long tail which whipped repeatedly against the table. The messenger reeled back in the sky as he watched, still seeing his image down below as he floated high above.
‘My God!’ he uttered to himself. ‘You’re not the ruler of the Gods... you’re Satan himself!’
Magester roared with laughter having heard the comment within the chamber. ‘I’m a God and Satan combined. Did you think that the Devil was a separate entity living elsewhere in another part of the kingdom? You need to realise that each of us is a combination of both good and evil. When we’re angry and do evil deeds we become the Devil. When we are willing to do good, we turn back into Gods. Is that not the same in your world? If you don’t think so, you need to examine your instincts. ‘
Warrior stared at him in surprise. ‘Then there is no Satan... no Devil! He doesn’t exist. Is that what you’re telling me?’
‘Of course he doesn’t exist. He’s the evil part of all of us! Surely you can understand that. I thought you were an intelligent people!’
‘I suppose there’s good and evil in everyone’s nature,’ returned the messenger realising the ruler of the Gods was telling the truth. Apparently, it was the same with the Gods except for the fact that they could change their form to assume the mantle of the Devil when they became angry or evil. What a pity it wasn’t avail
able to human-beings to be able to follow suit. In that way it could be recognised when people were intent on evil and the authorities could deal with them at source.
‘What am I to do with you?’ demanded Magester turning back into his Godly form again.
‘Give me more time. That’s all I ask,’ pleaded Warrior before plucking up courage to speak what was in his mind. ‘I have two questions to ask you if you’ll permit me to do so. Firstly, why have you split me up... one part up t here, the other down here?’
The ruler of the Gods stared down at him with a serious expression on his face. ‘Do you really think, as a mortal, you could deign to enter the castle of the celestial kingdom? How could you ever hope to be allowed into the home of the Gods? Therefore we separated your soul from you body.’
‘So I’m a kind of hologram!’
‘Do not concern yourself. You will be joined together when your soul leaves this chamber. What is your second questions?’
‘I wonder why you waited so long before you appointed me as your messenger. I mean Jesus Christ spread his message of one single God over two thousand years ago. Mahomet was the prophet of Islam fourteen hundred years ago. Why did you wait so long before contacting me?’
