by Paul Rice
Ken shot another helpless glance to where his pistol lay.
He needn’t have bothered; as he looked back to Red, he saw the man begin to cry, a dam of tears that had been filled by years of loneliness and abuse, topped up regularly with enforced guilt and misery, suddenly burst its wall. A veritable stream of tears flowed down his blood covered face. “M…M… Mikeeeyy, awww Mikey! My Mikey, I’m so sorry I cudn’t help yoo Mikey. I’m sorry Mikey. I’m so sorry Momma, Momma, Momma!” He threw his head back and screamed at the roof of the porch. “Mikey!” The blood filled spittle flew from his lips and splashed onto the underside of the roof that lay above them. Red thumped down next to Mike and placed his large blood covered hands onto Mike’s chest. Through disbelieving eyes, Ken could see him trying to will some life back into Mike’s fading energy. Then Tori did something they would all remember forever.
She walked around the other side of Mike’s prostrate figure and knelt next to him. Quite calmly, she said: “Michael… its Tori, open your eyes this instant, please!” Ken thought that maybe she wasn’t quite getting this, and was just about to say as much when Tori’s deep brown eyes suddenly changed colour. Ken felt Jane stiffen beside him; their thoughts, their words, even the very breath within their lungs, suddenly froze as they looked at the beautiful girl in disbelief. Tori’s eyes went a deep violet blue. They seemed to swirl momentarily before suddenly turning a brilliant, much lighter, cobalt blue. It was the colour of the oceans when seen from space, the same hue as the tips of lightning – the clearest blue, Ken had ever seen. Hearing Jane gasp next to him, he guessed that she shared in the thought. Then Tori spoke to Mike again. “Michael…” She placed her hand over his mouth and blew a stream of breath at his face. Mike’s eyelids fluttered. “Michael, it’s your sister, now open your eyes and say goodbye properly – Michael!” Mike opened his eyes and smiled weakly.
He licked his lips and then whispered so softly it was almost impossible to hear what he said, almost impossible but not quite. “Sorry, I was dreaming, sorry Sis.” He turned to Ken and Jane, they saw the light flicker in his eyes, the brilliant blue colour flared briefly and then faded. It looked like a candle sputtering in the draft caused by a suddenly opened door. He smiled and said, “Sorry guys, it’s a long story but it’s all alright now, don’t worry about me too much, OK… I just have to go somewhere else that’s all. Don’t worry; I’ll be here forever… I love you.” He reached out and laid his fingers across the back of Ken’s hand. He smiled once more and looked up at them.
Ken let the tears run down his own face, taking a shuddering breath, he said, “It’s all right Mike, if you need to go then that’s OK, we’re fine, I’m just gonna miss you man…” He swallowed hard and only just refrained from sobbing himself. Then, without waiting for any more goodbyes, Mike died whilst looking right into their eyes. No big drama, no sudden jerking or terrible death rattles, like you would see in the movies. No, it was far less spectacular; one minute he was there and then, without changing the expression on his face, he had gone. Mike’s candle blew out. It was twice in his life that Ken has seen Mike die, and it didn’t get any easier the second time around. In fact, it was so unbelievable that he had to look more closely. Leaning across he peered into his friend’s eyes: “Mike?” Seeing all he needed to see, Ken sat back and said, “Shit!” Jane gripped his hand tightly. Together they sat with Mike’s hand in theirs and let the emotions flow from their eyes.
Red didn’t see it when Mike went as he was lying with his head on Mike’s chest. He didn’t need to see it – Red had heard Mike go and he sobbed deeply as he lay there cuddling Mike to his injured chest. Ken still felt like shooting him. He would continue to feel that way until Tori put him right. She looked at him and calmly said: “Red didn’t do this, there’s no time to explain right now, but you need to trust me!” She looked at him and her eyes blazed again. “Maggie will be here in a minute with the ambulance. Help me with Red!” It wasn’t a request and both Ken and Jane obeyed immediately. They helped Red away from Mike and, whilst Jane and Tori tried to consol him, Ken had a look at the big man’s injuries, they were substantial. Very much like Mike, Red had several horrible knife wounds across his body and on his hands and arms. It appeared as though the weapon, which had caused such damage, was now firmly lodged in his side. By the looks of things, Red definitely had a punctured lung; his breath was rattling and he was doubled up in pain. Jane ran inside and fetched a bowl of clean water and some cloths. After washing the blood from his face and chest, Ken was fairly glad to see that most of the cuts weren’t too deep. Obviously, the one with the knife still in it was far from good news, but the rest didn’t look to be life-threatening. Ken laid Red on his side and told him to keep the injury facing downwards. Red did as he was asked and lay there in silence. Tori sat next to him and held his hand.
Jane and Ken didn’t really know what to do next as they were both still deeply in shock. Ken looked at her and she shrugged, it was a gesture of despair and confusion. “What the hell is going on?” Ken’s mind twisted and turned as he paced around the veranda, looking down alternately between Red and Jane and then back to Mike’s body. He contemplated covering Mike with a blanket, or something, but just couldn’t bring himself to do it. Mike looked so peaceful and if it wasn’t for his deathly white complexion, and the blood, it would have appeared as though he was having a quick nap. “Ah Mike, what the fuck are we gonna do now?” Ken knelt by his side and tidied his dead friend up a bit, pushing the dark hair off his forehead and straightening his hands. He stayed there for a while and looked down at Mike, the tears still wanted to come, but with an effort he pushed them back. His anger at this whole situation filled him. “I need some answers and I need ‘em now!” He rose angrily to his feet and turned just in time to see a strange black van pulling onto the driveway. The vehicle had approached without a sound and as it came to a halt, Maggie leapt from the driver’s door. She brushed past them and immediately made her way to Red’s side. They were so busy watching her that they didn’t see the other person, the passenger.
“Scuse me ladies and gents, coming through – mind your backs, please!” For the second time of asking, Melias still had no time for niceties. It was just the way it was with this guy. He made his way to Red’s side and, like Maggie before him, knelt beside the mortally wounded man. In seconds, his neat little scanner had made its diagnosis and was quickly followed by the syringe, the one that made hissing noises. “Help me with this boy, will you? He’s too big for a porky old soul such as me…” Melias said and beckoned them over.
Red had such strength that he even managed to stand on his own two feet, and using the many helping hands as support, he staggered towards the black van. Melias didn’t need any help after that. He manoeuvred Red into the rear of the vehicle and they heard him say a few words to someone, or something, inside the van. Melias leaned out of the back doors. “Stand back please, Maggie… you’re going to need this for Michael.” He threw her a small, bright blue package. The old woman caught the object and then slid it into the pocket of her dress. Checking they had done as they were asked, Melias nodded and then slammed the doors closed. The van began to move away, which wasn’t unusual in itself, but Ken hadn’t seen a driver. Just as his jaw was starting to drop open of its own accord, there was a deep ripping sound and the black van disappeared right before them.
As they stood on the driveway and looked at the sky, Ken felt like he was waiting for some signal, a cheap neon sign or something similar, anything! It was going to appear right about now and put them all at rest. They’d all look up with relief and then turn away with sickly smiles on their faces. Big yellow letters were going to light up the sky and there would be some cheesy music, too, blaring out its tinny accompaniment to the unseen master of ceremonies’ meaningless, shitty words: ‘It’s all just a bad dream, folks. Wake up now… here we go; you see… just a bad dream is all, now, c’mon everybody, smile!’ Cue fairground music… Ken could have stood there for a
long time before he felt like smiling, forever, perhaps. And he knew that it would be even longer before any such message would be delivered. Ken knew that for a fact and it filled him with despair, he turned to look at Jane, she walked across to him and they embraced. Standing under a faded red sky, they clung to each other and cried until the dusk came and embraced them. Tori and her grandmother stood next to Mike’s body on the old porch and looked down at them as the couple pined for their departed friend. When it was over, when they could cry no more and the tears were nothing more than a memory, a memory like Mike had become, they turned to the house and wearily made their way back to where the two women remained patiently waiting for them.
Together they carried Mike into the house and took him into his bedroom. Tori was adamant that it would be she who took care of her brother, when she said that word, brother, it still shocked Ken, he looked at Jane but she was as much dumbstruck by the whole chain of events as was her husband. Maggie ushered them into the sitting room and once the three of them were inside, the old woman closed the door. “Let Tori do the deed…” She said, and took a seat on the chair by the window. The she stood again. “I think that I will make us a drink, don’t move.” Maggie went back out to the kitchen and closed the door behind her. Ken and Jane sat in silence. There wasn’t much they felt like saying anyway. Five minutes later, Maggie was back and gave them each a black coffee laced with some liquor. Ken recognised the taste instantly. Its fiery kick, seemingly laced with honey, fetched some more tears to Jane’s eyes. She looked at Ken and smiled weakly. They sat with Maggie and sipped on their drinks in silence, George’s potion worked its magic and they felt the heavy blanket of despondency begin to lift, even if only a little bit. Ken felt as though he could breathe again and began to try and figure out what the hell had happened.
Seeing his far off look, Maggie spoke. “So my dears, there we have it, a tragedy for you and a pain that must be almost unbearable, I would imagine; yes, unbearable in the very least?” She smiled at them and Ken realised the truth behind what Jane had said about Maggie. She looked very much like George. She even sounded like him, and he was just about to say as much, when he was disturbed by the sound of the kitchen door slamming shut. They all heard the Harley as Tori kicked it into life and the exhaust rattled the window panes. Ken looked at Maggie and she smiled softly at him, with a shake of her head, she said, “It’s nothing to worry about, Tori has only one final thing to do, one last performance to give, and then the current chapter of this whole, sorry tale will be complete. Tomorrow there will be a brand new day, you’ll see – a bright, shiny day!”
Chapter 30 - Maggie’s Tale
It was whilst Tori hurled herself through the night that Maggie proceeded to tell Ken and his wife a few things, a couple of points, which perhaps they hadn’t thought of. She lowered her cup and looked at them. Taking a deep breath, Maggie told them how it was: “George is my father and as his wife was a mother to me, so am I to Michael and Tori’s parents. I am their grandmother, and Tori and Michael are my direct descendants. We come from a place where time has a completely different meaning. I believe my father has told you of this? He adores you by the way; at this moment in time he is not in a fit state to address you. You grief has relayed directly to him and he has become quite ill, I’m afraid to say. He is very old, even by our standards.” Maggie looked at them, but they had no questions for her. What could it possibly be they would want to ask her, apart from everything, everything and nothing? She nodded and continued. “We have been fighting this Demon for centuries now, he appears in many different disguises, but throughout the ages he has always been there, pushing us towards some new catastrophe or another. Some refer to it as the Dragon?” Her reference to that particular name, made Ken blink, at least twice.
Maggie continued. “This latest escapade, the one in which you have become embroiled, is but another of his little games. We don’t think that he, or it, is directly responsible for any of the events that continue to shape our existence. No, it is not like that at all – at least we don’t think so. It’s more as though he simply hitches a ride along with whatever the latest cosmic event happens to be. He’s a thrill seeker, a trouble causing fairground hooker!” She snorted and shook her head. “In this world he has manifested himself as Red’s father… no, I apologise, that is not correct. He found a black hole in the soul of that poor, bereaved man. Found it and filled it. He is very good at that sort of thing! He travels between the different parallels and looks for trouble, something to keep him occupied?” Maggie rose to her feet made her way over to the window and stood gazing out into the darkness. With her back to them, they heard her say: “As soon as it became apparent this was to be his new playground, that he had taken Jeremiah, we decided upon moving to this time as well. I was dispatched to monitor the situation – to try and help Red whenever I could. It was useless though, he was almost a prisoner on this farm. George told me to wait, wait and have strength, wait until he had found the right ones?” She turned and looked pointedly at them. “So I waited, but Jeremiah was beyond help because the Dark One had taken him… I could see it on his face.”
Jane spoke. “Is he the Devil, is that what you’re telling us, Maggie?” She looked towards Ken and he nodded at her in understanding. Maggie turned and came over to her. She sat on the arm of Jane’s chair and leaned across to stroke her hair. It was a very parental gesture and Jane reached up and took hold of her hand.
Maggie looked down at her fondly. “Of that no one is really sure, we have been dealing with his misdemeanours for millennia and have become somewhat immune to any such thoughts. His latest game, the one involving the Rip, has kept him amused for a long time now. However, unfortunately for us and for poor Michael, he has found himself trapped within Red’s father – Jeremiah. The man had become so needful of something, anything to hold onto, that he appears to have captured part of the Demon within himself. It cannot escape and Tori will kill it this very night! Only she can kill it, and only we as a family have the power to resist its charms.” She stood, gathered their empty cups and made her way into the kitchen. It was a few minutes before she returned with their fresh drinks.
Maggie then proceeded to tell them that the fun seeking entity had become obsessed by the endless possibilities, which the Rip presented. The idea of a total catastrophe excited it and the Demon had stayed around for much longer than was usual. She told them that it wanted to be there when the final events were played out in all their horror. “What fun that would be for it, can you only imagine?” She looked at them with the flicker of horror shining in her own eyes. “When it became aware of the fact that young Red was to play an inextricable part in the show, that he was to be the link in all of this, then it saw an opening and it could not resist the opportunity. The Dragon saw that if it could turn Red into the man who does those terrible things, then it would have opened the door to endless possibilities!” She sipped her drink. “The only problem it has, and one which it has never been able to understand, is the well known fact that things don’t always turn out the way in which we would want them to – fate has its own way of deciding things?” She explained that in every dimension they had been in, Red was always the key and, as Jane had realised, they had suddenly understood it was he whom they needed to change. If they managed to do that, then all of the Dragon’s time and effort would have been for nought. “We have used many good people along the way to help us with our quest. People such as yourselves, wonderful people who have willingly made great sacrifices and have helped us to ensure the Dragon never quite gets his way. Unfortunately, it manages to enter the hearts of many people, slithers its way into their very being, and then simply sits back and watches the terrible things, which its occupation of the host causes. There is a little piece of the Demon in most people – he has a far reaching influence!”
Ken asked about Mike, he needed to know what had happened to him. “Is he dead, really dead… Maggie? He had to know just for his own sanity. He stil
l had Mike’s blood all over his hands and the thighs on his jeans were black with the stuff.
She looked at him sadly. “In this time he is, yes, I am afraid so, Kenneth. Very dead, and we must bury him soon for they are waiting on him?” She smiled ruefully and continued. “But, exactly as you saw before, when you fought Red, what happens in one dimension has no say in other places. Michael has done some irreparable, physical damage to Jeremiah. Red’s father is currently down at the apple tree and is digging for hidden treasure, the fool!” She rolled her eyes in mock despair.
Jane, her voice filled with hope more than anything else, said: “But, he’s going to be OK somewhere else, is that what you mean? Mikey will be in some other place, doing just what he always does, he’s just not here, is that what you mean, tell us… please!” Her face twisted with the sincerity of her plea, Ken reached over and grasped her hand.
Then Maggie gave them the first piece of good news they’d received for quite a while. With a smile… it was almost a grin, but not exactly, because old ladies very rarely grin, especially ones who happen to be as old as Maggie… she said, lightly: “Oh yes, absolutely he will be, at this moment he is sleeping, but in a while he will wake up, wake up in a place where he imagines he has always been. This will all have been just a dream to him, a distant memory?”
