“My beautiful beloved is dead by their blood drenched hands and asinine prayers, yet they assume I will continue on with my duties for the Christmas celebration. I am not that strong, nor that dedicated it would seem. I cannot celebrate in the birth of one who would take from me my very life source. The church will have to learn to celebrate the life of a God I can only wish dead.”
Nathan leaned back and closed his eyes as the grief written in these old pages overwhelmed him. He wasn’t alone. Someone else who had walked in his shoes years ago understood. He was surprised the journals survived the flood, but he was glad they did. After devouring the remaining journals, one theme remained consistent.
A deep loss affected their faith in such a devastating manner they stepped down from their positions. The journals mirrored his own journey.
Nathan placed the journal down on the couch, unable to handle anymore. He walked over to the bay window and stared out at his backyard. He couldn’t believe how dark it had become. He had lost hours in those journals. As the sun set and cast an aurora as it gently sank behind the mountain, an overwhelming sense of loneliness set in.
He missed Sue. Things were tense between them at the end, but he had to believe their love had been real. They would have been able to work through their issues, rebuild the trust he’d foolishly destroyed by his omissions.
His gaze followed the colors as they trailed down the side of the rocky hill and rested on the valley below its feet.
Nathan gasped.
A large black hole hovered in the air. A swirling mass of crows swooped into the hole and then emerged moments later, one after another, as if the currents of the dark opening forced them into a pattern.
He gripped the curtains as the black hole swirled, making its way from the foot of the mountain to the field before him. The grass beneath this mass flattened as it hovered.
Craziness ran in his family. He thought it’d skipped him, but he’d been wrong before.
The cloud stopped at the edge of the field where it met Nathan’s property line. He placed his hand upon the cool glass and recalled the heaviness he’d felt the previous night when he approached the stranger in Kate’s diner. He felt that way now.
He made the conscious effort to look away and closed the curtains.
He made his way to the kitchen and filled a glass with water from the tap. Nathan raised his hand to wave at the neighbor from across the street who stood on his front lawn, but the look of horror on Nels’ face as he held a shovel in his hands had him leaving the glass on the counter and rushing out the door.
As the screen door banged behind him, he immediately noticed the damp chill to the night air.
“Do you see that?” Nels yelled out as he pointed to a few houses down the road.
Nathan stood at the edge of his driveway and peered down the dark street. “What am I looking at? It’s almost too dark to see anything that far down.”
“You don’t see that? My wife thinks it’s a UFO. I’ve been watching it for the past half-hour now.” Nels’ knuckles tightened around the shovel handle.
Nathan looked down the road again.
About six driveways past his own, there was a dark, hazy image. It was like a swarm of mosquitoes gathering in the dusk for feeding. It moved with slow precision, on to the next driveway. A remnant of the swarm stayed in place, reminding him of a sentinel on duty.
“Did you see it move? What is it?” The panic in Nels’ voice was more than noticeable.
The swarm continued its way down the street until it stopped one house away from his. A low hum filled the air and the tiny hairs on Nathan’s arms stood up.
At each driveway, a sentinel in the outline of a dark haze hovered above the pavement.
“I have no idea,” Nathan admitted.
“Why isn’t it coming towards us?” Nels took a step backwards and held the shovel away from him.
“Why don’t you go back into your house? I’m sure Heather would feel more comfortable with you by her side.” Nels’ wife was peeking out the front curtain.
Nels held the shovel in both his hands across his chest, nodded and turned away. He kept glancing behind him before he reached his front door.
Nathan took a step towards the swarm. He watched it move away from him. What was it? A swarm of mosquitoes in search of food or could it be something else entirely?
The closer he came towards the swarm, the further it moved away. He quickened his pace but the distance between them never changed. When he finally stood on the opposite driveway, the vibrations the swarm gave off intensified.
Nathan stopped.
Something, or someone, protected him.
The black hole he’d seen out his window had stopped at the edge of his property. This dark swarm stayed away from him. Why?
An entry he passed over earlier in one of the journals flashed through his mind. Nathan rushed back into the house and grabbed one of the journals that had fallen to the floor from the couch.
“While the evil one takes residence the just shall prevail. A town surrounded by darkness will only survive if the spiritual covering remains intact.”
There was no spiritual covering over this town anymore. Not like there was back then. With the variety of churches that filled Bandit Creek, it was impossible to place this burden on one pastor.
But even if you could, placing the burden on him was pointless.
Nathan was finished with God. When he stepped away from the church, he didn’t just relinquish his title and authority. He relinquished his belief as well. And somehow it felt right.
*****
The pounding at the front door caught his attention.
Nathan rushed through the house and stopped in the middle of the living room. Who would knock on the front door? Everyone knew to come to the side of the house.
Unless that someone was Eva.
He peered through the curtains and saw her pace his front porch. He knocked on the glass. She twirled and beckoned for him to come out. Nathan shook his head. It was late. She could come in.
Except she never did.
The scowl on her face told him it was useless to argue with her.
He rounded the corner of his house and could hear her muttering. “Why is it my job to tell him? This was your decision--”
He scuffed his foot on the rocks loud enough to grab her attention. If she was on the phone he didn’t want to interrupt. Except she wasn’t. Her hands were empty and there was no bluetooth ear piece in her ears either.
“Who are you talking to?”
Eva jumped. “You shouldn’t sneak up on people.”
Nathan climbed the stairs and then leaned against the railing before crossing his arms. “I didn’t.”
Eva continued to pace across the porch, her footsteps pounding on the wood.
“I know I need to replace some boards, but I wasn’t planning on doing it tonight,” Nathan drawled.
Eva stopped in her tracks directly in front of him.
“You know, it’s a lot warmer inside my house. One of these days you’ll have to come in.”
When she turned he noticed the tears that ran down her cheeks.
“Ah, Eva…” Nathan held out his arms and waited for her to accept his embrace. What was going on with her? He dropped his arms at the firm shake of her head. He caught the way her shoulders stiffened.
“Today…Nathan…today—”
“Was hell. I know. I was there. Are you okay?”
She shook her head before reaching up and gathering her hair in her hands. With deft fingers, she quickly braided her hair and let it rest against her shoulder. The silky black strands sparkled in the moonlight.
Nathan swallowed and took a moment to compose himself. God, she was beautiful.
“I heard the tree is already gone. The mayor wants a pergola made out of it.”
Eva snorted. “Just what this town needs, another monument to the past.” She took a step closer to him, her knees bumping into his.
A shot of electricity up his legs from the slight touch.
“What happened this morning, Eva? I leave you sitting alone in the park and then not even fifteen minutes later crows start falling to their death and I see you lying on the ground.” Nathan gripped the rail post in his hands and stared deep in Eva’s eyes. He dared her to lie to him. To tell him nothing happened this morning.
When she turned her head and stared out at the road, he’d had enough.
“Damn it, Eva. I need to know what happened. When the tree was about to fall on us, tell me you didn’t see that crow rise from the dead! Tell me you didn’t hear him. Tell me damn it that I’m not going crazy!” It took everything inside of him not to let go of his death grip on the rails and reach out to her. The sudden feeling of drowning overwhelmed him. She was his anchor and he needed her. God, he needed her.
She must have heard it in his voice. Her gaze returned to his, her eyes as black as night.
“You’re not crazy,” she whispered. “Today was a sign. A message meant for you. I just hope you listened.” She leaned in and pressed her lips against his before stepping back. A look of sorrow and sadness passed over her features before she turned and ran away from him.
There wasn’t time for him to act or even react. Eva had kissed him. Brief as it was, it shook him to the core. He hadn’t kissed anyone like that since…Sue.
Nathan whipped his body around at the roar of Eva’s motorcycle. Damn her, she couldn’t leave. Not now. She didn’t answer any of his questions. What did she mean, today was a message for him. Message for what? And from whom? God? He shook his head.
He doubted this was the type of message God would send. Not now. It was too late for him, his soul too black.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Joanne woke to a blinding light. She tried to close her eyes from the light, hoping for a reprieve from its intense glare.
A parade of shivers travelled over her skin. A black circle crept along her iris, blocking out the light. It reminded her of an eclipse she once peeked at as a child.
Tears formed, creating sand-like texture within her eyes. She wished she could rub them, blink them, anything to alleviate the dryness which formed.
Whispers surrounded her. She tried to distinguish the garbled words, but failed. The sensation of floating underwater while listening to the voices overwhelmed her. She blinked. Surprised, she blinked again. She turned her head and realized nothing held her back - no pain, no restraints.
A soft beep sounded to her left, above where she lay. The smell of the room had changed yet was familiar somehow. She knew where she was. The air, with an antiseptic, metallic taste to it, confirmed it.
She wasn’t with Max anymore. She was back in her room at the Mount Joseph Private Hospital. A wave of relief flowed over her.
She turned her head towards the door and stared at the back of a white doctor’s coat. The soft glow around the man reassured her. Everything was fine. She could see. Thank you, Jesus. She could see. Tears streamed down her face as she took in the drawings she made and taped to her wall, the pictures of Nathan as a child she’d kept and the row of journals on her single white book shelf.
A low murmur caught her attention. She strained to hear what was being said, but could only make out a few words.
“Not strong enough.”
Joanne stiffened. She recognized the voice.
Then remembered.
“Yes, Doctor. I understand.” The soft voice of Joanne’s favorite nurse reached her ears. Shelly. She could help her. Shelly was always there with her, listening to her. She would understand. She had to.
She raised her arm up to catch Shelley’s attention up but the doctor took two steps back and settled his hand settled over top of hers and squeezed.
He glanced over his shoulder and smiled.
She knew those eyes. She’d recognize them anywhere.
She wasn’t safe. Not here. Not anymore. She knew exactly where she was.
In hell. With the devil named Morax.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Kate held the cordless phone in her hand. Something was wrong. She knew it deep in her bones.
After the tree fell yesterday, Rachel was determined to get answers. Kate begged her not to go to the cabin, not by herself, but Rachel refused to listen.
Kate shook her head. She didn’t like it. Not one bit. The girl should be answering her phone. She should be home by now.
There was a steady buzz in the diner. Everyone kept talking about the strange things that had happened the past two days. There was a theme to every story. Large black holes, swarms of mosquitoes appearing in everyone’s driveway and a mystery man in a long black trench coat that kept disappearing.
“A swarm of mosquitoes?” Kate would ask, nodding her head absently. “A swarm of any type of black bug isn’t something to get excited about in my opinion. All you need is a can of spray and you’ll be fine.” She’d muttered whenever anyone mentioned it.
She excused herself after refilling everyone’s coffee and escaped into the kitchen where Jack washed dishes. He slung a dishcloth over his husky shoulder, and whistled a tune only known to him. She smiled. Even after all these years, just watching him made her happy.
She walked over to him and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned his head, gave her a saucy grin, and leaned forward to give her a kiss on her cheek.
“Don’t be telling me people are complaining about my whistling, woman. I made sure I was quiet. Don’t want anyone to know I’m really back here. I’ve had enough cooking for the day.” Jack rinsed out the sink and wiped his hands on the towel.
“I just told them I had the radio going back here so you wouldn’t be bothered,” Kate said.
“That’s my woman. So why are you bothered?”
Kate leaned back against the large wood island. “Remember that black cloud of bugs we saw last night?”
Jack gave her a funny look. “The mosquitoes? Yeah, so?”
“I don’t think they were mosquitoes,” Kate stated.
“What’s so special about some stupid bugs?”
Kate sighed. “I’m not excited about some bugs, Jack. I think the devil has come visiting and we’re serving him our best apple pie rather than pouring arsenic down his throat.”
Jack pursed his lips. “So you’re saying that these bugs weren’t natural bugs?”
“That’s what I’m saying!” Kate said.
“Hmm, imagine that.”
Kate crooked her eyebrow at her husband, but apparently he didn’t get the hint, as he turned his back and walked away. She ground her heel into the floor and groaned. Either he didn’t care or didn’t get the significance of this information.
“Jack!” she called out. God knew this man frustrated her to no ends some days. Her mama said it’s why the good Lord brought him into her life, for patience.
“What do you want now, woman?” he responded over his shoulder. “You want me to get all excited because we actually saw the enemy at work? You know me better than that.” Jack pulled a cloth out of a drawer and began to dry the dishes in the rack.
Kate lowered her voice and made sure there was no one at the kitchen door. “I think we need to call a town meeting.”
“Now why would we be doing something like that over some vampire mosquitoes?” Jack shook his head.
“I never said they were vampires,” Kate sighed. “Are you watching those Twilight movies again?”
“Kate.” A deep rumble filled Jack’s voice. She put her arms around his waist and held her cheek against his back. She listened to the steady beats of his heart, letting the rhythm soothe her.
“I still can’t get a hold of Rachel,” she whispered.
“Have you thought maybe our boy smartened up and whisked her away somewhere special? Kids do that nowadays.” Jack angled his body and put his arms around her.
“Not these two. Have you seen the way he looks at Eva? I’m not sure if Nathan is the man for Rachel. I just wish he’d make
up his mind.” Kate thinned her lips. “She loves him, but I’m afraid it’s only one sided. Besides, she was heading up to her pa’s old cabin yesterday to look for some journals he kept there. She wouldn’t have stayed the night. Not there.”
At the mention of the old cabin, Jack’s back stiffened. He’d been the one to find Rachel holding her dead mother’s hand as she rocked silently back and forth. The blood bath from her father’s suicide killing covered her. Jack still had nightmares from it.
“Let me clean up and we’ll drive by her place again on the way home.”
“I love you,” she said, her voice a whisper. She received a ‘harrumph’ as a response.
Kate waved at her granddaughter who poked her head around the corner. “Lil Marie has arrived, so hurry up.” She patted his back before turning away.
“I meant what I said. We need to get the word out and have a town meeting tonight. Folklore be damned. We need to bring out the poison. I smell a rat.”
*****
Nathan stared in amazement. He couldn’t believe the crowd that gathered in the town park. The street was lined with trucks, strollers and couples who walked closely together.
The late afternoon air was full of heavy clouds billowing overhead. That meant only one thing - a storm was coming. Nathan shivered. He hated storms. Growing up, his mother would always freak out and hide in the basement whenever a good summer storm hit on the prairies. He wasn’t that bad, but he did close the curtains and turn up the music.
Several voices called out to him as he crossed the street but he didn’t want to stop until he found Rachel. He’d woken up this morning worried for her. Every call he made to her cell went to voicemail. It wasn’t like Rachel to disappear like this.
Something was wrong but he didn’t know what.
The large gapping hole in the middle of the park hit him hard. That tree held so many memories for him. Sue had loved to have picnics there in the afternoons when he wasn’t busy at the church. She’d surprise him at the church with a picnic basket in hand. Considering the church was only a block away, they’d walk towards the park, hand in hand. At least in the early years of the marriage. The last few years…the picnics didn’t happen as often.
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