by Derek Adam
My mind was so preoccupied with helping Emma deal with that mess that I wanted to get right back to it.
As I lifted the phone to dial, Michael put his hand on mine, gently pressing my hand down toward my lap. “Please, not while you drive. We’re almost there.”
Sutter was back in his face again, examining him closely. He kept getting between us so I couldn’t see Michael’s face.
“Yeah sure.” I tucked the phone away.
“This driveway up ahead, on the right.”
He had led me out to the southern edge of town. It wasn’t too far, but I was still uncomfortable putting so much distance behind me.
The homes out here were fairly isolated, set well apart from one another by a quarter mile or so. Each were somewhat visible from the road, nestled into clearings among the denser trees that made up the thick forests of the area.
I used to love it out here as a kid.
Town sucked, there wasn’t anything to do, but I would lose myself for hours on the game trails.
I’d probably been up and down every hill out this way. It was a lot less populated then. These homes started popping up in the last decade.
Most of this would get cut down for development and subdivisions soon enough.
There were at least a dozen vehicles parked all over the place, mostly scattered through the front yard of the home. The house looked like something off the cover of a home and landscaping magazine.
“Looks like there’s a party…”
“It’s a bit more serious than that.” Michael removed his seatbelt and climbed out with me. I reached in for the gun belt and he bent down to look inside, putting a hand out and shaking it at me.
“You won’t need that. You’ll just scare the family.”
I looked at him and spotted Sutter behind him, shaking his head at me. “Don’t do it, Rooster. This one smells like a turd.”
Looking around, I could see Pastor Jim’s old Mercury Cougar among the cars and trucks.
The putrid smell was just as potent here, which was odd given we were a few miles outside of town.
This place was going to hell.
Shutting the door, I nodded to him over the roof of the car and pulled the phone from my pocket again.
Michael was already heading for the door when he turned to wait for me.
I had intended to ring Emma but the crossbar at the top of the screen was showing no service.
That figures.
“Luca?”
“I’m coming.”
“Boy, you need to take me with you.” Sutter was standing in front of me, glowering with steely eyes. “Don’t you go wrestlin’ with devils without protection.”
“It’ll be fine.” I stepped through him and followed Michael up toward the house. I didn’t look back but had the feeling Sutter was staring daggers through my back.
Even if I parked closer to the home, he wouldn’t be able to wander in. They couldn’t go far from their belongings. The only way he’d come in with me was if I was wearing the gun. I considered just going back and grabbing it.
If there was some evil shit going down with this girl, I could defend myself if I needed to with Sutter close by. Between him and the silver rounds, I’d be fine.
As long as it was one of those bodebastards or something similar.
Anything like Emma and I tangled with, and it wouldn’t really matter. I’d find out soon enough.
I followed Michael inside through the center hall that cut the home in half. Toward the back of the home, we passed a wide arch that led to the kitchen on one side.
Several people were gathered in there, standing close to one another, as if they’d been speaking.
They were quiet now, watching Michael and I pass. He paused at a large set of double doors, sliding them open into a large dining room space.
The walls of the expansive room were covered in markings identical to those at the cabin, red in color, some still dripping slowly as if freshly painted.
The metallic scent of blood rose from the room, mingling horribly with the stank that was clinging to all corners of the town.
I coughed and brought my arm to my face, fighting the urge to gag as I looked between the half-dozen fully cloaked figures in the room, covered head to toe in deep brown flowing robes. Each wore pendants shaped like a large black sun with other symbols within.
“Ah shit.”
Chapter 14 – Emma
Virgil was all too happy to share with me about Luca.
I had learned a great deal about his childhood and his grandfather, at least from Virgil’s perspective. The pictures were pleasant to look through.
As much as I tried to focus on them and absorb the steady and uninterrupted flow of information from Virgil, my mind was continually cycling back to the incidents of the morning.
I was caught between an agonizing pull to return to the cabin and bring an end to that demon and a very new and uncommon loyalty to wait for Luca to return.
There really wasn’t any need for his help. At least, that’s what I tried to tell myself.
But I had already admitted how he helped me, and there was no denying that having him with me would be beneficial. I felt a bit selfish at the idea. Like I was using him somehow if I waited for him to return.
I’d been doing this for so long, through so many hunts, that I didn’t know any other approach than to tackle everything alone.
But this wasn’t like those other hunts.
The encounter this morning made me feel inadequate. Lesser.
It brought the possibility of mortality into focus.
What if I couldn’t beat it? Could I be killed and dispatched in the same way I’d ended so many of them?
I’d been injured, I’d healed, I’d bled.
But I’d never died. I’d never really feared that.
Virgil had climbed through years of history about Luca. The last time I was really processing and paying attention, he was reminiscing about Luca’s teenage years.
He was talking to me now about Hitch and Paula, and Luca’s wedding.
That reeled me right back in.
“Luca was married?”
“Oh no, it didn’t quite make it that far. Engaged, yes. His betrothed found herself with another man – with Hitch. Luca found them and they separated.”
“That’s awful… he must have been crushed.”
“Well, that was when we left. Once Luca tore out his roots, he never planted them anywhere again. We’ve been quite mobile ever since.” Virgil tilted his head in thought, looking upward as he spoke “Love is a smoke raised with the fume of sighs.”
“Shakespeare.”
“That’s right!” Virgil looked to me, surprise filling his face. He clicked his tongue and leaned closer to me. “Romeo and Juliet was always my favorite.” Virgil seemed to settle and his eyes wandered, as if he were lost in thought. “Poor Luca. He hasn’t been the same since.”
“There is no remedy for love…”
“…but to love more!” Virgil finished the prose for me and grinned wide as I smiled at him. “Henry Thoreau. Emma, you are stunning.”
“Thank you, Virgil.” I leaned toward him from the edge of the bed. He had been standing and pacing slowly about the room, but had drawn closer to me again as we got into quotes. He nodded in approval.
“I hadn’t expected you to be so well-read. You’re very masculine.”
I pursed my lips and blinked at him. I knew what he meant and didn’t take it as any kind of insult. He didn’t even consider that it could be taken the wrong way. He just continued speaking.
This time, he was comparing my own fighting abilities to Luca’s, and was going into great detail about how Sutter spent years teaching Luca to fight and shoot.
I had meant to respond with how easy it was to be well-read when you don’t sleep, and you’ve been alive for decades. There wasn’t any chance of getting a word in at the moment, though.
Virgil was, I think, just grateful t
o have someone who would spend any length of time listening to him.
Knowing Sutter, even the little bit I do, I imagine the conversation is lacking.
And Luca…
Luca doesn’t seem the talkative type.
Though I imagine that has a bit to do with the social isolation. I was all too familiar with that.
I may not have been absorbing everything Virgil was saying, but most of me enjoyed the experience. It was a welcome change of pace.
Bella had given up the discussion a while ago, and was currently sprawled along the floor up against the baseboard, her belly exposed.
She probably appreciated this downtime more than I. I hadn’t seen her sleep this much in ages.
It made me happy that she could relax as well.
There was still that part of me that wasn’t enjoying this. It was the sliver of thought that kept going between Luca and the cabins.
He was taking much longer than he said, and I had found myself watching the clock more often. When an hour turned into more than three, I grew uncomfortable. It was eating at me.
It would be all too ‘normal’ if I were to find interest in a man, only to have that taken away so abruptly.
Every time I heard a noise outside, I was hoping to see him walk through the door with coffee in hand.
I should just go and deal with this… or go find him. He said he was going to the church. I could take Virgil and Bella right now and go find him.
Finding things is what I do. How many churches could a town have?
My thoughts, and Virgil’s monologue, were interrupted by a heavy knocking at the door. I looked to Virgil as if he could provide some kind of insight. He merely shrugged.
I scoffed and gestured to the door and it finally registered in his face. “Sorry! Sorry. Sometimes I forget myself.” He walked to the door and slid his face through it, most of his head disappearing for just a moment before he yanked himself back through and spun on me, looking somewhat in shock.
“It’s Hitch.”
I debated answering it, but I didn’t exactly want to deal with having the door kicked in. I had no clue what he wanted, but I was also worried about why I hadn’t heard from Luca.
He beat harder on the door this time, shaking it on its hinges. I gave in and pulled the door open.
There wasn’t an inch of his face that didn’t twist into a look of surprise. It didn’t last long. He stood there in his brown-on-brown officer’s uniform and shook his head.
“I knew Luca wasn’t alone, but he was by himself when he got into town. Dumb shit tried to order two coffees in front of me. My wife’s coffee is shit; ain’t nobody finishing a full cup of it, let alone drinking two.”
I just stood there, sizing him up and trying to get a read on his intentions. My eyes went to his duty belt and holster about the same time his eyes fell on the pistols strapped to each of my thighs.
He whistled and bent his head to the side.
“Those are nice. Didn’t realize Luca had friends. Who are you?”
“Emma. He has friends. Some of us don’t betray him.”
“Yup, you know Luca alright.” He plucked the hat from his head and gestured into the room with it, stepping forward.
I backpedaled to let him in. Bella was standing close to my side, moving with me. She was clearly guarded, but more curious than aggressive. She was bobbing her nose toward him, sniffing the air. The most I got from her was a quiet grumble.
Bella disapproved, but not nearly enough to eat his face.
That makes Hitch just your run of the mill asshole.
Sounds about right.
“So, the question is, how do you know Luca?”
“Tell him St. Peter.” Virgil was standing nearby, with his hands tucked behind his back, chin up defiantly toward Hitch and looking down his nose at him.
I had no reason to question Virgil. It was obvious from the way he talked about Luca’s past that he didn’t care for Hitch at all.
Frankly, I didn’t either.
“St. Peter.”
“Oh. Right. One of those.”
“He thinks you’re a student for the convent.”
I almost responded to Virgil and had to bite my tongue. I could feel the ‘Really?!’ practically kickboxing my teeth to come flying out.
If Hitch believed that, with two pistols strapped to my thighs, then I had little hope for justice in this town for anyone.
My heart ached for the locals.
“Well, Sister, Luca filled me in and said it was being handled. Is it being handled?”
“Tell him that you’re totally going to Han Solo that son of a bitch.” Virgil stood stoic, straight-faced, with one eye brow up, like he was instructing me in something far more serious.
I couldn’t help but look at him when he said that.
Hitch followed my gaze and looked back to me. “What?”
“Nothing. I’m gonna go Han Solo that son of a bitch as soon as Luca gets back.”
Hitch’s face lit up with the goofiest grin as he bobbed his head. “That’s what I’m talking about. It’s too bad Luca isn’t so enthusiastic about it.”
I was reminded exactly why I avoided direct interaction with people. There may be a lasting craving for civilization and the comforts of a concrete jungle but I had a low tolerance for ignorance.
“I’m sure he’ll come around, Hitch.”
He narrowed his eyes at me and leaned in. “…How’d you know my name?”
I wanted to shoot him in the face right now and put him out of his misery. “It’s on your badge.” I pointed to his chest.
“Oh. Yeah, I guess it is. Listen, Luca took my ride. I’m not really that upset about it because there isn’t dick goin’ on today… pardon the language, Sister… but he’s not answering his phone, and I wanted to apologize to him again.”
“For what?”
“Nah it’s… I need to say it in person, so ask him to maybe not leave it in the woods like last time, and to come see me.”
“Sure, Hitch.”
“OH! Oh... oh, Emma.” Virgil jumped at me and made me blink. I cleared my throat as Hitch looked me over. “Ask him if he has any chocolate.”
I blinked again and, as Hitch opened the door, I put my hand on his arm.
“Hitch… do… you have any chocolate?”
He was quiet and his head bent down a bit, a hint of red coloring his cheeks. He couldn’t look me in the eyes as he quietly said, “No ma’am. Goodbye.”
Virgil fell into a fit of laughter, clapping his hands once hard as he bent backwards. It was a stark contrast to his usual posture and attitude.
I moved to shut the door behind Hitch as he left, and turned the lock, looking to Virgil with a confused face. “What was that all about?”
Virgil put a hand to his mouth, stifling his laughter and stared at me with this spark of mischievous joy in his eyes.
“To exact his own revenge on Hitch, Luca presented them with a rather large case of chocolates as a wedding gift. They were made with laxative. Apparently Hitch had to have the seats of his vehicle redone not long after.”
I closed my eyes and sighed, feeling bad at having let Virgil use me for such a juvenile prank – even on someone like Hitch. The mental picture registered though, and I enjoyed a bit of the justice Luca was able to experience. That much made me laugh inside.
More than I should have.
Virgil had been trying to control his laughter but it came up again.
You don’t realize how things like laughter are really lacking in your life, until they happen naturally.
I understood now why Luca didn’t push these two, especially Virgil, to finally cross over and be at peace.
They couldn’t go anywhere. After so many years, they were every bit a part of him as his own soul.
Knowing Virgil was like spending time with Luca, and it made me feel infinitely closer to him. I needed to hear more about that incident though, and there was obviously time to kill. I start
ed to move from the door when there was another knock.
Hitch may have heard me laughing and some shame crept back into me. I sighed and released the bolt, opening the door.
It moved faster than I could react, shoving the door open. Bella erupted into thunderous barks and was poised to attack. Its hands were on my face again and I could feel the heat rising as the demon lifted me and forced me back into the room.
Chapter 15 – Luca
Being strapped to a long wooden plank and propped against the wall was a new experience for me.
It’s not like the movies, where they use a couple shitty knots that you could wrestle out of. Or some chains with a crummy lock that could be picked just by wiggling fingers.
Not that I knew how to pick a lock…
No, they went all out. I was practically mummified from ankles to shoulders by rope, with my hands secured firmly against my sides.
I was starting to freak out a little.
One thing I learned from my grandfather though, was that when you’re capable of freaking out, don’t. Being able to freak out means you’re still alive.
And if you’re still breathing, there’s a solution.
Not sure what that solution was at the moment, but I was trying to keep my cool. If they went to all the trouble to wrap me up like this, it wasn’t likely that I was going to die.
Unless they were gonna fucking eat me.
I crushed my eyes shut and tried to get my brain to shut the fuck up.
It didn’t help that they propped me up in that empty dining room. The figures in the full robes and hoods were just standing around. They weren’t moving, or chanting, but they were staring.
Whatever garb they were wearing had dark sheer fabric that completely covered their faces. I couldn’t make out any features beyond the shapes of their faces.
Michael was nowhere to be found.
Definitely no sign of Pastor Jim.
Maybe they ate him already, or used his blood to paint the stuff on the walls.
Jesus Christ.
I tried to squirm a bit under the ropes, but they were crazy tight. I could barely take in a full breath so exhaling didn’t give me any real wiggle room.
