The Savior Rises

by Christopher C. Payne

  “Sure, if you could wait until we take off, I could make you a plate with some cheese and crackers. Do you have a preference, or would you like me to bring you an assortment?” the flight attendant asked.

  “Hmmmm, an assortment would be excellent,” Stefani stammered in response.

  It just didn’t make sense that people lived like this.

  Once the plane took off, she spent the entire flight eating, watching movies, and playing with her chair. She did venture back to the coach section briefly and decided she really did like the amenities of first class. As long as she was privy to the elite status, it was an acceptable idea to segregate, she laughed to herself. She wondered how much Matt had paid for the tickets.

  Then, she realized it wasn’t actually his money footing the bill for this flight. It was really Greg’s money and that thought almost made her sick to her stomach again. She vowed to enjoy herself and did her best to set it aside as she ventured off to the restroom. There was nothing she could do presently about the escalating turmoil, so why not relax as much as she possibly could.

  When she flipped on the light in the bathroom, she smiled as she saw there were flowers in there, as well. A limited, signed print by some artist she didn’t recognize hung on the wall. She sat down on the faux wood toilet seat, feeling a little overwhelmed. Maybe she was in over her head.

  Jesus, she was definitely in over her head – she had no experience with flying first class. She was nothing more than a poor stripper, thrown into a pool of sharks, and she had no idea how to swim. What was the next step, what was her role in life? She felt the tears flowing down her cheeks, and she realized she was crying again.

  She found out her mom, or somebody who might possibly be her mother, was alive. But, she may have lost her again all in the same day. If her mother had been alive all this time, why hadn’t she contacted Stefani? Was her mother connected to Greg? It appeared so. It was almost like he had called her. It was as if she were his whipping dog, doing his bidding.

  After what happened to Matt, Stefani began to wonder if the woman she had known the first 10 years of her life was even her actual mother. Maybe this was all some kind of sick game rich people played on the poor working class. Maybe they had been drugging her. Maybe the things she remembered weren’t even real.

  For that matter, who was Matt? Did things like this ever happen in real life? Was Matt the shining knight in white armor, riding in with his first class tickets to Europe in order to hand her all the answers on a silver platter? What was that smell? The last time she smelled that was in Greg’s office when the dogs from Hell had been led in.

  She opened the door to the bathroom and followed the scent. She felt as if she were turning into a bloodhound. Damn, maybe that is what she would turn into. Instead of getting to be one of the cool, flying, almost-human gargoyles, maybe she was destined to be one of those ghastly dogs.

  She followed the odor to the bathroom at the tail end of the plane, all the way through the business class and the coach areas. She stood outside for several minutes, just sniffing and staring. Then, she realized the flight attendants were staring at her, so she walked away, heading back to her seat.

  It made no sense, really. It wasn’t like one of those horse dogs could fit on the plane, anyway. They’re huge, Stefani thought to herself. Everyone on the plane could not be part of a conspiracy, and somebody would notice a beast that big and that ugly if it happened to saunter through the gate with a boarding pass.

  “Are you ok?” Matt asked her when she returned.

  “Yes, I’m fine.” she said. “It’s just that I can only relax for so long. I keep thinking about everything – my mother, your father, monsters, death. It just overwhelms me, and I get a little lost. It’s now three days since this insanity began. I just wish…it just seems like we’re lost, and I don’t see any options for finding our way back again. My life might as well be over, and I can’t put a finger on where I’ll end up. How can my road possibly end with anything good happening?”

  “For now, just sit back and breathe. We only have four or so more hours left, and you might feel better if you got some sleep. Even if you can’t sleep, just closing your eyes might help.”

  Stefani leaned back in her seat and did just that. Shutting herself off from the world did help some, but it also allowed her mind to swirl in so many different directions. It was just overwhelming. Not much I can do about it now, she told herself. Somehow that wasn’t giving her much satisfaction.

  Dennis waited a few minutes before stepping out of the restroom. Stefani’s skills were growing quickly. Soon she would be ready for the change. He knew that was both a good thing and a bad thing. It all depended on the next few days. It was anyone’s guess how life would turn.

  It had been difficult following these two. He would never have guessed they would be going to England of all places. They were most likely going to see Hector, his long-time friend. He would have to call him as soon as they landed. He had to make sure Hector was prepared. Jesus, Dennis knew he had really screwed things up.

  It should’ve been him sitting up there with Stefani, not this weasel. Greg’s son – what a joke. Greg had more sons than grains of sand on the beach. You had to give it to the guy, though. He really had a way of spreading his seed. Dennis wondered if Matt knew. Dennis guessed he probably didn’t. Greg had a knack for keeping people twisted in a warped universe so they had trouble telling which end was up.

  He went back to his seat, three rows from the back end of the plane. That was ok. He was actually more comfortable in coach. It was where he fit in. It was his place in life. Some people were born to be wealthy, and some people were born to do the right thing. Rarely, it seemed, did the two go hand-in-hand.

  At least he was able to rub himself down with lotion, masking his scent. The guy sitting next to him was probably going to have an uncomfortable trip, but hopefully he wouldn’t be in danger of being detected again.

  Things were so close he could almost taste it. He would have his chance again, he knew. Maybe it was for the best they were flying over the ocean. They would be out of Greg’s sector now, and he had very little influence in Europe. This was more Dennis’ territory.

  One thing was certain though, Greg would have to pay. Dennis would make him pay if it were the last thing he did on this planet. Greg had robbed him of everything he valued in life, and he would gain retribution. They would all pay in the end. He felt certain of it. His plan was still on track, though, despite the bumps in the road.

  It was going to work. It had to work – there was no other alternative.

  His mind wandered back several years to times when things were different. He and Greg had not always been at odds. There were times in their lives when the two were inseparable. Their mother had always said they were like twins – two peas in a pod.

  Somehow the pod had been severed, and they went off in different directions. Still, how could Greg have turned into this kind of monster? Everyone did things they were ashamed of, but you always held onto the core of what was right. At least, that was what Dennis thought. How else could he keep his sanity?

  Stefani could still smell something. What was it? She was having trouble sleeping, and the smell just wouldn’t go away. Maybe the old dude next to her was having a bad gas day. That happened a lot to old men, right? That was the last thing she remembered as she finally dozed off.

  Would You Like Some Tea and Crumpets?

  Hector was so old he’d actually forgotten his age. Time was a different barometer for gargoyles. Not that you could really call him a gargoyle anymore. He hadn’t changed in more than 100 years. He’d grown tired of the game, tired of picking sides. But they were coming that day, he could feel it. After all these years of waiting, the moment had arrived.

  He felt comfortable with death. He had seen countless people expire in his time, so now it was finally fitting he would see his own end come to pass. The irony of knowing when you are going to expire does nothing to so
ften the moment when it actually occurs.

  Death was really just a stepping stone anyway. He would move on to something new and different. Hopefully, it would be better, but Hector knew too well that was not always the case. Hell was all too real, and he had no desire to head in that direction.

  Stefani awoke well rested, as the flight attendant came by and gently nudged her arm.

  “Miss, it’s time to wake up and return your seat to the upright position.”

  Upright position – she must be joking, Stefani thought. She’d just spent the last few hours sleeping while lying down in a plane. How awesome was that?

  Matt continued to smile at her. She felt like a kid in a candy store, but now the store was closing. Reality would return very quickly. It was only six days until her 21st birthday. There wasn’t much time left, and life continued to tick by at a fast pace.

  “Let’s grab a rental car and head out as quickly as possible. Bath is only a couple hours drive outside of London,” Matt said. “We should try and get there as fast as we can.”

  Grabbing a rental car was the easy part. Remembering to drive on the left hand side of the road was difficult. Matt did fine pulling out of the airport parking lot. The issues arose when he hit the first roundabout. Those darn things are insane.

  “Holy crap!” Stefani yelled. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing? I would hate to have gotten this far only to be killed because you can’t drive,” she said with a grin.

  They were driving a MINI Cooper of all things. Stefani had seen them on TV, but this was the first time she’d ridden in one. They were like the poor man’s sports car, but she loved every minute of it. Her only worry was the sustained claustrophobia. Matchbox cars seemed almost as big, and she wouldn’t ride in one of those.

  Matt quickly won her trust, and their excursion seemed more like a vacation than a quest for information. She wondered what it would be like to hang out with him in a natural setting. He looked awesome in his uniform, but even in jeans and a short sleeve shirt he looked damn cute. She almost felt bad for giving him a hard time earlier.

  “You can stop staring at me now,” he said with a chuckle. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  Stefani’s face grew red, and her cheeks flushed. She couldn’t remember ever blushing before. She felt like a teen-age schoolgirl.

  “How far is it to this guy’s house again?” she asked, changing the subject. She was willing to try anything she could to get her mind back on the task at hand. It didn’t matter that she really didn’t understand what the task was. Hector from England, the omniscient oracle of information – he would help them out.

  Stefani played with the ring again. It was quickly becoming her habit. The necklace had hung around her neck since Matt gave it back to her in the cab. Now she fingered it absent-mindedly every time she sat still. She couldn’t figure out how this little trinket of metal was the crux of this entire mess.

  “They’re on their way,” Dennis said quietly. “You know what to do. I’ll be there as quickly as I can. I only have one stop to make.”

  “Sure thing, boss,” Hector replied. “I’ll keep them here until you arrive.”

  “Who do we have close to Bath?” Greg barked into the speaker phone. He slammed his hand down on his desk. “That is not good enough! WHAT THE HELL, DOES ANYONE UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS?! I need some options, and I need them now. If I have to come over and collect them myself, I will bring a few heads home with me.”

  With that, he slammed the receiver down, breaking the connection. Jason had always been reliable, but there was no room for error anymore. Greg had worked too long, and there had been too much planning to fail now. Jason must succeed, if he knew what was good for him.

  Hector could be easily neutralized, that was not really the issue. Greg just didn’t know for sure how much information he would pass along before the dogs arrived. Information was power, and he wasn’t ready to give up too much power at this point. It was all a game of cat and mouse. The only question was who would be at the feeding dish when the bell tolled.

  Greg had waited centuries for this day, and nothing, especially not a sniveling wreck like Matt or an inept, washed-up idiot like Dennis, was going to get in his way. They could die today, and he wouldn’t blink an eye. Death was inevitable for all creatures, even him, eventually. But his date with the black hole was a long, long time away. He would make sure of that.

  The rolling hills and plush green terrain were calmingly beautiful. Stefani felt as though she were in a postcard as she lost herself in the scenery. She rolled down her window to fully enjoy the lush vegetation speeding by. Her hair billowed in the wind, and the entire scene was picturesque. Her thoughts continued to drift around, but the focal point always seemed to be Matt.

  “Only about 10 minutes now,” he said, as they slowed down to pass through another small local village. The buildings reminded Stefani of ones she’d seen in fairy tales. Everywhere she looked, she was reminded of how much older this country was than the United States. Not that she really knew the United States – her exposure to anything in life was very limited.

  They arrived quickly on the other side of the quaint little village, and it wasn’t long before Matt veered off the road and took a little gravel path up a hill toward a tiny cottage. It looked more like a farmer’s hut than something that would house an aging gargoyle filled with vats of lost knowledge.

  Wisps of smoke billowed from the chimney as they pulled their car to a stop.

  “He must be cooking,” Matt said. “He still cooks on his old stove. He’s been around since the dawn of time, and the old goat just can’t convert to modern appliances. I do think he has a fridge, though – he likes his beer ice cold.”

  “Hello,” said a little grey-headed man, as they closed the car doors and made their way to the front step. “How was your trip?”

  Matt grabbed his hand and shook it vigorously.

  “It was fantastic. Thanks for asking. It was the first time Stefani’s flown first class, so she had a great time.”

  “I hate those darn airplanes. Never did like them, and never will. It doesn’t matter now, but I just never did,” Hector mumbled. “Come inside quickly. We don’t have much time.”

  “What does he mean, we don’t have much time?” Stefani whispered to Matt as they walked through the front door. “How did he even know we were coming? Did you call him?”

  Matt just shrugged his shoulders.

  “Old people – who knows,” he whispered back.

  “Ah, young people,” Hector said. “You’re full of questions, but not many answers.”

  Hector then began his tale:

  When I was young, and I do mean young, I met this old lady in a small village not far from here. It was well over 200 years ago. WOW, maybe it was over 300 years ago. I was a little too overeager at the time and, well, let’s just say, I did some things that were less than appropriate. You might not believe this, but she cursed me that day. She said, ’You will know the day of your death. You will see it every night in your dreams. It will be at the forefront of your mind until the moment it finally arrives.’

  I thought she was nuts, but it was true. I’ve dreamed about that day every night since then, until now. Today is that day, kids. I know it like I have never understood anything else. So trust me when I say this, we don’t have much time.

  This little old guy was now starting to freak Stefani out. She’d been exposed to gargoyles, dogs from Hell, and now what, witches that could curse people? Was a beanstalk going to sprout up out of the ground in a moment?

  “If a beanstalk does sprout up, I will be the first one to climb it,” Hector said with a grin. “Now where was I?”

  Stefani just stared at him, wondering if she had spoken that out loud or if this guy read her thoughts. What could possibly happen next?

  Hector continued:

  Gargoyles have been around longer than you or I can fathom. They’ve been called many names over the years.
Vampires, werewolves, Abominable Snowman, Sasquatch, etc. – all of them were nothing more than gargoyles of one type or another.

  Our survival has always hinged on secrecy and keeping a low profile, but some of our kind don’t adhere to that maxim. They would prefer to be out in the open, to even dominate the world. I don’t have any energy for those kinds of games or much time left for that matter.

  There are a couple of things you should know. Some of the old legends are true. To kill a gargoyle you must pierce its heart and remove its head from its body. You must do both for the gargoyle to truly die. Anything less and the darn thing will just come back. We are like those creepy little Energizer bunnies. Ha.

  Anyway, there’s been a prophecy, for as long as I can remember, about a girl being born who would embrace the ring. The prophecy says she and the birth ring would become one. All she has to do is sit in the Circle of Power at the very second and hour of her 21st birthday. If she has the desire, all the cosmic energy from our ancestors will be transfused within her soul.

  That’s what all this mess is about, young lady. Everyone thinks you are that person. You are the embodiment of the prophecy. You will be the Chosen One. They just need to get you and that ring to the Circle of Power at the exact moment and, presto, you will instantly become the most prolific being ever to have graced our planet. Just imagine what some people would do for that kind of power.

  Now here is the catch. There always is a catch, isn’t there?

  Hector paused as a distant sound broke his thoughts.

  “Oh, crap! Now the timing of that is just not good. If I die, what am I saying, when I die, head to Italy. Find Roberto. He lives in Ladispoli outside of Rome.

  “Just not good timing at all! He’s here. You will have to move very quickly, but I will do what I can to distract him.”

  Stefani jumped out of her seat, knocking the chair against the wall. It really was one of the tiniest cottages she had ever been in. She smelled them. It was a second after Hector did, but she knew they were close. There were dogs coming – a lot of them.