“That’s, that’s just too much, I can’t ...believe that, me, I’m supposed to save the world. Where’s God in all of this? Isn’t he supposed to come again at the end of the world and save us somehow? I mean, he created the world. It’s his world. How could he just watch it being destroyed by Lucifer? It doesn’t make sense,” said Aaron, as he shot to his feet.
“Yes, God created this world. It is also true, that he will come upon this earth to save the souls of the faithful. That is all. You see, you’re not the first person in human history to face this challenge. I believe you already know this. Remember, I told you a moment ago that this has all been foretold except for one thing?”
“Yes,” said Aaron.
“This battle has been waged several times already, and each time, human beings have prevailed in battle. The one thing that is unknown is, when in the course of time will someone chose not to try, choose not to fight, prove too weak to prevail?”
The words just hung in the air.
“I see. I could be the one to fail, to bring about the end of the world. That’s some fucking burden,” he said with a tension that was all too obvious.
“Easy, Aaron,” said Korie as she rose from the swing and threw her arms around him.
“You will not be alone,” said Miss Beacon.
Korie and Aaron both stopped hugging and turned and looked at Miss Beacon.
“This, we’ve got to hear,” said Korie, as she sat down on the porch floor in front of the swing. Miss Beacon took Aaron by the hand and sat him down on the swing.
“Think, Aaron. Who could help you?” asked Miss Beacon.
“I don’t know, I mean, I’m not really sure. My ancestors?” asked Aaron.
“Yes, they can and will help in their own way. But there are others.”
“Korie?”
“I’ll help, honey. You can count on me.”
“And you, Miss Beacon.”
“Of course, dear. I am here to assist in any way that I can.”
“I can’t think of anyone else.”
“Oh, there will be others. You’ll see.”
They continued talking, until the first light of the morning sun began to brighten the southeast sky.
“It’s getting late. Let me show you to your room. You can settle in while I start breakfast.”
Aaron and Korie picked up their bags, which had been lying on the porch since last night. They followed Miss Beacon, in through the front door, into the foyer, and up the stairs to the second floor.
When they were alone in their room Korie said, “She sure is an incredible old woman.”
“Yeah,” said a subdued Aaron as he unpacked his things.
“What’s wrong?”
Aaron’s eyes were swelling up with tears. “I don’t want to let them down. My ancestors, my mother, shit, the whole world,” he said as he tossed a shirt into the open drawer.
She turned him around and hugged him. She searched her mind for something to say that could make him feel better, but nothing inspiring came to mind. All she could do was hold him. She softly shed her own tears, not wanting to add to his burden.
“All I can do is try, Korie, all I can do is try,” he repeated.
“I know,” she said.
Meanwhile, in the downstairs kitchen, Miss Beacon prepared a hearty breakfast, even though she half expected that neither Aaron nor Korie would have much of an appetite. Miss Beacon allowed her mind to travel to a place beyond her kitchen. Her mind’s eye was now entering the dark place where Kelley was entombed beneath the church. She pushed hard to reach Kelley’s own subconscious.
“You’ve got to hold on. Help will reach you soon. You will survive. You will have your revenge.”
Kelley heard the voice inside of her mind.
“Where are you?”
“Near.”
“Why can’t you help me now?”
“Because it is not safe, it is not time. Soon it will be!”
“Who are you?”
“Think of me as your guardian angel. I will stay with you until tonight, and then I will come for you.”
Kelley seemed to perk up slightly from the contact. She tried to stand as erect as she could, even on her swollen feet. She shook once to shed some of the spiders. It seemed to work. Several fell off and the others decided to retreat from her body. She was left alone for the time being.
Meanwhile, Korie and Aaron headed back downstairs to breakfast with Miss Beacon.
As they entered the kitchen Aaron asked “Miss Beacon, if I may, you know, you never explained how you know so much about my family. In fact, how did you know we were coming, and that we would end up staying here?”
Korie looked at Aaron disapprovingly.
Miss Beacon only smiled as she put two cups of coffee on the small dining table in the kitchen.
“There’s sugar in that bowl and fresh cream in the refrigerator. I’m making some fresh strawberry pancakes for breakfast. It’s a specialty of mine.”
Aaron pressed his line of questioning.
“Look, I need to be able to trust you. I feel as if I do. But, I need to know the truth. You can understand that. So please, tell me! How are you connected to this Powell family thing? And how did you...?”
“All right, I will tell you. I was going to tell you soon anyway.”
She placed dinner plates in front of Korie and Aaron. Each plate was filled with a stack of homemade pancakes, covered with fresh strawberries cut in half, which in turn were covered with a dollop of real whipped cream.
“You can pour some maple syrup over them if you want. It’s in that small crock,” she said gesturing to the delicately, hand painted crock sitting across the table.
Miss Beacon sat down with Korie and Aaron. She wiped her hands on her apron.
“Aren’t you going to have some?” asked Korie.
“Dear, I don’t need to eat,” she said with a cherub-like smile.
Korie held a fork filled with whipped cream and a large piece of strawberry, in front of her mouth, which was wide open in disbelief. Aaron was sipping some of the hot coffee, when he too froze in place. Aaron slowly put the cup back down on the table.
“You don’t eat. You know all about my family history. You also know about this Moloch, and you knew we were coming here. Who or what are you?” he demanded.
“Aaron Powell, you will need to be much sharper than that. You saw me last night when you looked into that picture over there, on the wall, next to the light switch. Don’t you remember?”
“Yes, I remember examining that picture. There was a woman and a little girl and ...” he said as he looked over towards the picture, and then back at Miss Beacon, who was sitting perfectly still.
Aaron looked back at the picture and again at Miss Beacon. He then ran his fingers through his hair while he tried to focus. His forehead became furrowed.
“What is it, Aaron?” asked Korie.
“I know, I know...you’re a ..., a guardian angel. Am I right?” he exclaimed, as if he had just given the winning answer in Jeopardy.
“Indeed, I am.”
“But, a guardian angel, I mean, don’t they have wings and uh..., aren’t they, well, a little younger?” asked Aaron.
“Oh, that. We can be any age we want. Most of my colleagues like that little naked child with wings look. It’s sort of classical. As for me, I sort of like this matronly look.”
“Just whose guardian angel are you?” asked Korie.
“I’m Aaron’s angel. I have been his guardian since he was born,” she said rather proudly.
“But I don’t remember ever seeing you before. And haven’t you owned this place for a long time?” said Aaron.
“Well, you see, I can travel about in the blink of an eye. I had to buy this place and run it for the past fifteen years, just to establish a cover for being here, and to give you a safe haven here in Sutton. I’ll admit it hasn’t been easy, what with traveling back and forth, between your life and here.”
&nb
sp; “My guardian angel?” said Aaron.
“Aaron, look at me,” said Miss Beacon.
“Yes.”
Before his very eyes she began to change her appearance. One moment, she was the neighbor down the street, when he was a little boy, the neighbor that he stole cherries from. Next, she was his third grade teacher, Miss Carson. She next changed to look like the girl he once had a crush on, when he was a sophomore in high school. She then changed into several other people, and ended with looking like his close friend, and onetime fellow teacher, and singer in his band, Sylvia.
At the end of the series of transformations Aaron and Korie were absolutely speechless, as Miss Beacon returned to look like Miss Beacon.
“Now, now, go on and eat those pancakes. I’ve made them special for you. We can talk some more after breakfast. I’ve much to teach you and very little time to do it in.”
Meanwhile, Miss Beacon sent a mental message to Kelley Porter “Hold on dear. My friends and I will be coming to rescue you. I promise.”
Korie and Aaron slowly began to eat the strawberry pancakes.
“Are you a guardian angel only for one person at a time?” asked Korie.
“Oh, no dear, we can be guardian angels for several people at a time. Right now, I am carrying a light load.”
“So, besides Aaron, who else are you a guardian angel for?” asked Korie.
“I’m your guardian angel, too, dear. And I have one other that I guard, a young girl from right here in Sutton.
“Incredible,” said Korie.
“Tell us about the young girl. Will we meet her?” said Korie.
“Indeed you will. We will be rescuing her tonight.”
“Rescuing her?” asked Aaron.
“Yes. I’m afraid she is being held in a terrible place, by the leader of this evil coven. She is being punished for trying to run away. She is expected to become a concubine for Lucifer when he takes human form.”
“But you’re her guardian angel, can’t you do something for her now?” asked Korie.
“Not alone. But now that you’re here, together we can rescue her and protect her from the coven. More coffee?”
Korie and Aaron were amazed by this old woman who had chameleon like abilities. They both felt safe around her.
Aaron still was wrestling with the burden of his future. His mind kept returning to what Miss Beacon had said was his destiny, to wage a battle against the forces of evil, to prevent Armageddon.
His mother, and all of his ancestors had spent their lives, indeed had sacrificed their lives, so he would one day have the chance to wage this battle. He didn’t want to let them down. He was a Powell and deep inside of him there existed a strong sense of right and wrong. There also existed, a strong sense of purpose. The two feelings were now merging into a new awareness of who he was and what he was meant to do. Miss Beacon was to become his teacher, his mentor. He would prove to be a fast and eager student.
Indeed, he would be as good a student as all the other Powell’s that she had looked after, for the past one hundred and sixty plus years.
23
It was nearly seven o’clock in the morning. The summer sun had topped the ridge of the mountains to the east. Early morning light rays sliced through the opening in Samuel’s bedroom window and painted a bright yellow swatch on the well worn,wooden floor.
In the middle of his bedroom floor, under the rug, was the pentagram he had previously drawn on the wide planked, pine floor. The rug began to slowly spin. Its rotation speeded up with each revolution. The center of the rug began to lift off of the floor. It moved as if someone, or something, was pushing against it from below. The rug was spinning without touching the floor. It slowly rose in the air spinning like a top.
Underneath the rug was a swirling motion of lights of several colors. It rose nearly to the ceiling when it suddenly flew across the room and landed against the bedroom door. The mass of lights began to form into a shape.
Samuel was still sleeping. He rolled over in his bed. He rolled from his back onto his stomach. One leg hung over the side of the bed. The bed covers barely covered him.
From the outside of his bedroom window came the sounds of chickadees chirping.
The shape continued to take on a more solid form. Scaly skin began to show first. The shape stretched itself. Two powerful arms with equally powerful hands extended upward and outward, a couple of times, as if the shape was trying on its solid form for fit.
It was Moloch, paying a call to his new protégé. Samuel had called to him from his sleep. Moloch didn’t need much of an invitation. He had a need to confer with Samuel anyway. He was now nearly completely solid. His burning red eyes looked down upon the sleeping Samuel.
Once his transformation was complete, he stepped to the foot of Samuel’s bed. He extended his arms and hands over the bed, slowly raising his hands. As he did so, Samuel’s body also rose up off of the bed. Samuel was now suspended in the air, over his bed. Moloch turned his hands in a circle. Samuel turned over in the air. Now Moloch brought his hands and arms up towards his chest. Samuel’s still sleeping body moved, so that Samuel was now hovering over his bed in a standing position facing Moloch. His feet were just a few inches off the surface of the bed.
“Samuel, awaken,” commanded Moloch.
Samuel’s eyes fluttered a couple of times and then opened. A smile filled Samuel’s face.
“Welcome, Moloch. This is quite a surprise!” said Samuel.
Samuel didn’t seem to notice or care that Moloch had control of his body or that his body was suspended in the air over his bed.
“The Powell male is now in Sutton. I have spoken with Townsend and it is confirmed by him.”
“That’s good news. I will immediately begin work to draw him in,” said Samuel.
“There is more. This male Powell is a powerful spirit. We know he is receiving help from others. He must be made to see the way.”
“We will destroy anyone who stands in our way, Moloch, anyone! That is our promise.”
“We have given you powers over other humans. But his help is coming not just from humans, but from powerful spirits.”
“Isn’t that your responsibility?” asked an emboldened Samuel.
“Yes. I have legions of devils available and willing to join in this battle. However, these spirits are not just powerful, they are clever and formidable. Their powers will be used to try and block ours. It may come down to your powers and your own commitment to our Agreement. You cannot rely on the other coven members to be the decisive factor. In the end, not all coven members will fulfill their obligations. We picked you for this mission because of your unique strengths.”
“Is there weakness in our coven? Tell me, and I will personally destroy them!” said an obviously agitated Samuel.
“Not a weakness, but a traitor.”
“Tell me, I must know who it is.”
“No, this traitor must be allowed to carry out his treachery. At the proper time you will deal with this weak and miserable human. We, in turn, will deal with the human traitor’s devil mate.”
“I see.”
“I am also here to give you a special gift. He wants you to have this new power.”
Moloch held his two hands together, as if he were cupping them to hold water. Instead his hands held a flame that rose up and flickered in the air. There was nothing visible inside of Moloch’s hands that were now burning. The flame appeared to simply be.
Samuel held his own hands together in a similar fashion. Moloch turned his hands over, as if to pour something from them.
His hands were now directly over Samuel’s hands.
The flame moved from Moloch’s hands into Samuel’s hands as if it were some sort of liquid.
Samuel stared down at his hands, which now held the burning flame. The flickering reflected in his eyes, which were now totally black, as if they were two highly polished marbles.
“Hellfire?” asked Samuel.
“Yes,” answ
ered Moloch.
Samuel pulled his hands to his chest. As he did so the flame seemed to travel into his chest in one seamless motion.
At that moment, a small chickadee landed on the bedroom windowsill outside the screened and open window. Samuel looked over at the tiny bird. The bird seemed to be looking back at Samuel. It tilted its tiny head back and forth a couple of times, then it froze.
Samuel slowly raised his left hand, palm side facing the window. In a split second, a small ball of fire burst from out of Samuel’s hand and exploded towards the bird. The bird turned its head as if to take flight when the ball of flame enveloped it. The flame lasted for less than a second. Suddenly, the bird was no longer there. In its place was a small pile of ash on the windowsill. There was also a hole burned through the window screen about the size of a baseball.
A gentle breeze arose and the bird’s ashes were soon blown off the windowsill.
“Awesome,” said a pleased Samuel.
He turned to speak to Moloch, but the powerful devil spirit had disappeared.
Samuel now felt his body slowly settle onto the bed. He jumped off of the bed, and padded over to the window to get a closer look at his handiwork.
“Hellfire!” he exclaimed.
His eyes were still solid black. He pulled the curtain closed and crawled back into his bed. He laid there with his hands folded behind his head, wearing a huge smile, and sporting a budding erection.
***
Ed Townsend and Walter Yandow had breakfast together at Dee’s Diner on U.S. Route 2. Sitting in another booth, two booths away, was Ed Foley and his daughter along with Phyllis Atkins. Sitting alone at the counter was Bob Senecal. Sutton was a small town, and this diner was a popular spot among local folks. It had a reputation for quality home cooked meals and a simple, but welcoming atmosphere. It also helped that the owner, Dinah Little, was a member of the Church of Everlasting Faith.
Ed and Walter were exchanging small talk about one of their past pursuits, the slaughter of interlopers.
Ed Foley, his daughter, and Phyllis were busily engaged in a discussion about Ed’s daughter having a romantic interest in a fellow member of the Church.
Evil Agreement Page 22
