by Mark Romang
Chapter 44
Spooked by the enormous demon holding the cash money, Sara ran pell-mell through the mannequins. The human-sized plastic figures toppled off their hooks and tumbled to the ground all around her. She had no plan other than to retreat and stay alive.
She wanted to make her way as fast as she could outside this shop of horrors. But Maddix might need the sword once he took care of Webb. So she stalled for time. She tried not to think of the demon. Shivers still ran up and down her spine. The demon’s crimson eyes and charred face kept flashing in her head like a bad nightmare.
Webb had a point when he said there was no way Maddix should be able to see the spirit world without the manna. But somehow he saw the demon, and so had she. It frightened her to think they no longer needed the manna. Lord, I don’t want to see demons everywhere I go. I can’t live like that.
Sara glanced over her shoulder, half-expecting to see crimson orbs shining through the murky warehouse. Fortunately she saw nothing but swaying mannequins jostling against each other. But then an odd sound caused her to stop in her tracks. A scuffling sound, faint but distinct held her attention. And then she heard a pattering sound, like a child running. The sound came from either side of her.
Sara spun in a circle. The pattering of small feet had stopped. But now she thought she heard a hissing sound, an eerie sound a human couldn’t make. Sara felt her heart pick up speed. Her scalp tingled. Something not of this world followed her. You own my soul, Lord. The blood you spilled on the cross purchased it. Protect me from whatever is following me. Draw near to me.
Sara listened intently for the hissing sound. But now all she heard were grunts and the sounds fists make when striking flesh—Webb and Maddix fighting each other in the warehouse’s back corner. Sara took a deep breath and forced her feet to take steps. She circled back toward Webb and Maddix. She ached to be with other humans. If something supernatural tracked her, she didn’t want to face it alone.
Sara held the Eden sword out in front of her, clasping it with a death grip. She shuffled forward a few feet. And then she saw a face peeking at her through the mannequins.
Sara lurched to a halt. She screamed, but no sound came out. She wanted to run but her legs froze in place. A small creature stepped out and faced her. Naked and hairless, it looked to be the size of a small kindergartner. It had skinny arms and legs. Long claws extended from its fingers. A short tail similar to a possum’s tail snapped back and forth behind its flanks. Red eyes bulged from behind a pointy nose. The creature opened its mouth and hissed at her. A forked tongue slithered in and out between yellow fangs.
It’s a gargoyle come to life, Sara thought. She trembled as the repulsive creature took a slow step toward her. Stay calm. You have the Eden sword, and you’re much bigger than it.
The demonic creature suddenly leaped up and caught hold of one of the wooden rails holding the mannequins. The plastic figures broke loose and clattered on the concrete. The creature worked his way rapidly along the rail, hand over hand toward Sara, hissing and growling.
Sara’s frayed nerves sent spasms hurtling into every corner of her body. “Don’t come any closer!” she warned, her voice a hoarse croak. “I’ll cut you in half!” But the hideous creature didn’t comply. It continued its rapid approach, leaving a trail of fallen mannequins in its wake.
“You must give me the sword, Sara. My master desires it,” the demon said.
“Your master is tricking you. He only wants the sword so he can kill you,” Sara replied as calmly as she could.
“You lie!” the demon screamed. “My master loves me.”
Jesus, draw near to me. Help me fight off this little…monster. Sara waited until the demon moved closer, to within five feet. And like a child swinging a club at a piñata, she swung the heavy Eden sword upward at the creature’s dangling legs. The sword erupted into flames in midflight. The searing blade sliced off the demon’s legs.
The legless demon screamed and changed direction, fleeing as fast as it could. It used its clawed hands to grip the wooden rail and make its escape. Sara followed close behind, swinging the Eden sword with bad intent. The flaming sword grew hotter and set off overhead sprinklers. The cold water drenched Sara and made the concrete slippery. But the Eden sword continued to blaze. Sara swung the sword again. She missed the demon, but the flaming sword blade smacked against the rail, knocking it down and bringing the demon with it.
The demonic creature thudded onto the concrete and used its hands to run away. Sara chased after the demon. Its hands slapped loudly against the concrete as it fled. Sara caught up with it and gored its neck with the sword tip, stopping its flight. The demon flopped about like a fish stranded on a riverbank. Her heart spluttering in her chest, Sara stepped on the demon’s head with her hiking boot, holding it fast. She withdrew the Eden sword, wanting to spear the demon’s chest with a deeper strike to neutralize it. The demon growled and hissed as it flopped on the wet concrete. Sara raised the sword and plunged it back into the creature, finishing it off. Silvery-black blood gushed out the demon’s chest and pooled around the flaming sword.
When the demon ceased its flopping, Sara pulled out the Eden sword. She stood unmoving in the downpour, trembling and on the verge of passing out. Tears erupted from her eyes. She turned and walked toward where she’d left Maddix and Webb. I’m okay. I survived. This day will end and I’ll still be standing, she thought bravely.
But her attempt at self-exhortation didn’t last long. Something whacked her from behind and latched onto her back. And without seeing she knew exactly what it was: another gargoyle.
Sara found her voice and screamed. She spun around and around several times. She flailed at the hellion riding her back, tried to peel it off, but the demon only dug its claws deeper into her flesh and hung on. She felt her attacker’s sulfurous breath curl against her neck, felt its lips brush against her hair.
Handicapped by shock, Sara could think of only one sensible thing to do: she ran toward Maddix. Andrew will get it off me. He’ll help me. Still clinging to the Eden sword, she plowed her way through a pile of naked mannequins, tripped, fell down hard but popped back up. The little demon rode her back like a demented horse jockey.
Over the din of her feet drumming against the concrete and the snarling demon affixed to her back, Sara somehow made out Webb and Maddix fighting. She hurried toward them. But then she spied a support girder and an idea burst into her head. Sara ran straight for the steel girder. She increased her gait, and just before she would have plowed right into the support beam, whipped her body a tic to her left. The demon struck the steel beam head on. The sudden impact knocked him from Sara’s back.
The crash stunned the demon. It lay mostly still on its back, low growls gurgling in its throat. Sara raised the Eden sword high over her head. The demon looked up at her. Its red eyes bulged at the sight of the upraised sword poised to strike. The demon opened its mouth wide, and from out of its gullet a black mist billowed up toward Sara.
She remembered Maddix telling her about a demon in Perdition Canyon that did the same thing. Maddix thought the demon was attempting to enter his body through the black mist. Sara smashed her hiking boot down over the demon’s mouth, blocking the mist curling upward. And then without hesitating, she plunged the Eden sword’s flaming tip deep into the demons’ chest, ending the ordeal. Seconds later, after the demon stopped convulsing, she withdrew the sword.
Two down, one to go, she thought wearily, remembering the large demon that held the cash-filled attaché case. She wanted nothing to do with the big one. She barely conquered these two miniature demons. She would leave the big one to Maddix.
Sara noticed her entire body trembling. She felt weak and puny, and her hand burned from holding the hot Eden sword. I need to rest a bit. Sara limped a dozen feet away and slumped to her knees. Her body shuddered. Pent up emotions poured out, her storehouse of adrenaline finally depleted. She dropped the blazing hot sword onto the wet concrete. It sizzled
out.
Suddenly a career as a corporate accountant or a canyon guide didn’t seem so bad. I would trade this day for a day crunching numbers in a heartbeat, she thought. She closed her eyes and sighed. The past twenty-four hours had caught up with her. Her body needed rest. Sleep beckoned her mind to relax and not worry.
Sara’s eyes snapped open. A fresh stench of sulfur wafted from somewhere close by. And then a shadow loomed overhead, darkening the warehouse. She looked up and felt her blood drain.
The demon who tried to purchase the Eden sword from Webb approached. A deathly still came over the warehouse. Sara tried to move but her body froze in place. Her mouth gaped open. Surely this demon was once an archangel. As tall as Gabriel, his muscular body was entombed in armor, a strange-looking, charcoal-colored metal that glistened under the lights. He wore his enormous black wings tucked behind him like a ponytail. This demon had obviously participated in countless battles in the spiritual realm. Scars and wounds covered every inch of him.
Sara gaped in wonderment. Fear cemented her to the concrete. Oddly enough, the demon didn’t pay her any mind. Instead it headed for the small demon she’d just neutralized. The big warrior demon dropped to its knees and gathered the unconscious demon in its arms. The little creature disappeared in its embrace.
Sara recognized her opportunity. It’s almost over, Lord. Help me conquer this last demon, she prayed. Sara grabbed the Eden sword and stood up. She crept forward on rubbery legs, inching her way up behind the kneeling demon. She waggled the sword as she slinked, but it wouldn’t light.
Sara rolled her eyes and looked up at the ceiling. I can’t do this on my own, Lord. I’m powerless to do anything in this fallen world without you providing me the strength. Please, make the sword light!
Standing directly behind the demon, her body shaking so much she wondered if she was having a seizure, Sara waved the sword again. But it still wouldn’t light. She tried again and failed once more. Finally, on the fourth desperate waggle it erupted into flames. Grabbing the sword’s handle in both hands, she raised the Eden sword skyward. The shadowy warehouse lit up and glowed. One by one, overhead sprinkler heads opened and unleashed torrents of water.
Despite wanting to end her trial, Sara paused. The demon before her had surely harassed millions of unsuspecting people over the ages, and had likely performed its evil deeds without regard or experiencing guilt. Yet now it displayed a tenderness Sara didn’t think possible. Pathetic mewling sounds came from the heartbroken demon. Its powerful body shook. For a moment Sara felt pity, but only for a moment.
Putting her weight behind her thrust, all 118 pounds, Sara plunged the Eden sword downward into the demon’s black wings. The flaming blade tip encountered resistance when it met the strange-looking armor, but then penetrated and ran all the way through the grief-stricken demon, setting it on fire.
Chapter 45
Maddix and Webb crash-landed in a tangled heap. Maddix untangled himself quickly and sprang to his feet. But Webb mirrored his movement. They circled each other, bouncing on their toes, fists up and ready to strike, two men equally adept at hand-to-hand combat.
“We don’t have to do this, Webb,” Maddix said. He cast a quick glance backward where the demon had stood. The demon and cash-filled attaché case were gone. “Sara has the sword. We can go our separate ways. And we can forget this ever happened.”
Webb shook his head. “You just destroyed my future, Mad Dog. I needed that money to pay my creditors. Now I’m going to take my frustration out on your head,” Webb said before delivering the first punch, a crisp jab.
Maddix ducked, and the punch grazed the top of his head. “Your brother is a banker. He’ll give you a low-interest loan if you ask him,” Maddix said as he sized up his opponent.
Webb flicked another stiff jab that caught Maddix in the mouth. “How did that feel? Bet it hurt. And it’s only going to get worse for you.”
Maddix could tell Webb was loading up to throw his right hand. The jabs were measuring punches. “I think Cody can hit harder than you C-Dub,” Maddix said and delivered a hard leg kick to Webb’s left knee, followed by a straight right to his nose. Webb staggered backward, knocking over mannequins but didn’t go down. Blood trickled out his nose.
Webb smiled. “Not bad. I knew you would be good.” Webb sprang forward and unleashed a wild hook and a straight right. The hook missed but the right clubbed Maddix in the forehead. The punch rattled his brains. Webb sensed he’d inflicted damage and barged in. Maddix threw an uppercut that connected with Webb’s chin, but the bigger man shrugged off the jolting blow and kept coming. He grabbed the back of Maddix’s head and simultaneously brought his knee up into Maddix’s face. It was a classic Muay Thai move.
Muay Thai is a combat martial arts sport from Thailand that utilizes stand-up striking and clinches. Muay Thai is also known as “the art of eight weapons.” The fighting technique uses fists, elbows, knees, shins and feet to deliver blows.
Webb held Maddix’s head down and delivered a series of knee shots to Maddix’s face, six of them in all. Each subsequent blow sent Maddix reeling deeper into a stupefied world. The concussive knee shots bruised his eye orbits and broke his nose. And if he didn’t find a way to stop the one-sided drubbing, Webb would knock him out cold.
Maddix tried to time Webb’s upcoming knee and catch it. But he mistimed the blow and Webb’s knee struck his sternum. Ignoring the pain and his fluttering heart, Maddix readied himself for the next blow. He took the blow to his ribs but caught Webb’s knee and held on, leaving Webb to hop around on one foot. Maddix took a slight step backward and then immediately performed an inside leg sweep on Webb’s other leg. Webb toppled over with Maddix landing on top.
Maddix delivered two forearm blows and an elbow shot to Webb’s chin and nose. Webb grabbed Maddix’s arm to stop the heavy blows, and they grappled for several tense seconds. Maddix tried to head-butt Webb but missed and only gored Webb’s meaty shoulder.
They scrambled back to their feet. Maddix threw a jab and a right cross that landed flush. Webb nearly went down again but righted himself. Maddix repeated the punch combination. He landed a stiff jab but missed with the cross, leaving his right side exposed. Webb ducked the errant cross, torqued his body to the side and lashed out with a left hook to Maddix’s liver. The intense pain dropped Maddix to the floor.
From on his back, Maddix kicked his legs upward. He wanted to catch Webb with an up-kick as he rushed in to finish him. But Webb was ready and caught his right leg with his left arm. And with catlike quickness, dropped to the floor on his butt and turned, looping his forearm around and behind Maddix’s Achilles. The move was called a leg lock, and Webb performed the submission hold flawlessly. The painful leg lock could easily dislocate his ankle if Maddix didn’t tap out.
Webb cinched the hold tighter, putting enormous pressure on Maddix’s ankle. An MMA champion couldn’t have performed the move any better than Webb did it. Webb looked over at Maddix and smiled through bloody teeth. “Time to tap out, Mad Dog. You’ll never get out of this.”
Maddix tried anyway, because he knew Webb committed a fatal mistake. Maddix raised his torso off the ground in small increments. When his waist and head formed a forty-five degree angle, he twisted as hard as he could to his right. His prosthetic leg popped off, freeing him. Maddix immediately dove for Webb’s back. He wrapped his right arm around Webb’s throat and slid his left hand behind Webb’s neck and tucked his head down against the arm so Webb couldn’t pull it off. Maddix cinched the rear-naked chokehold tight and applied unbreakable pressure.
The human body needs oxygen to function. Likewise, the brain requires blood to flow to it. Panic will always set in when these two life requirements don’t happen in a timely manner. Fueled by fear, Webb managed to stand up. Maddix clung to his back. He wrapped his good leg and his stump around Webb’s waist. “It’s over, C-Dub. I forgive you for what you did. God will too, if you ask him. Just tap out and stop fighting me,” he said
into Webb’s ear.
Webb slowly dropped back down to his knees, and then flopped to the floor. Maddix knew it was only a matter of seconds now. He cinched the hold tighter and waited for Webb to tap out.
****
“You’re killing him, Andrew!” Sara cried.
Maddix released the chokehold. He wiggled out from underneath Webb’s body and checked his friend for a pulse, suddenly fearful he choked him too long. But he found a pulse and could see Webb’s chest rise and fall.
“He’s okay. He’s only sleeping,” Maddix said. He looked up at Sara. He took in her wet and dirty clothing, her flushed face and drenched hair. The Eden Sword dangled in her right hand. “What happened to you?”
Sara rolled her eyes and placed a hand on her hip. “While you were battling a mere mortal, I just slayed three demons, two little ones and a big one.”
Maddix retrieved his prosthetic from Webb’s hand and put it on. He rose to his feet. “I’m sorry you had to do that. Webb gave me all I could handle. He put a whipping on me.”
Sara looked at his battered face. “I’ll forgive you someday,” she said, unable to keep a grin from breaking out.
“Are you ready to leave this place?” Maddix asked her.
“Do you really need to ask?”
They started walking, and passed the large demon slumped on the floor on their way out.
“How are we able to see it?” Sara asked. “Neither one of us has eaten any manna recently.”
“I don’t know. And I’m not sure I want to know. Hopefully we will never be able to see them again.” They reached the door. Maddix pulled it open. Brilliant sunshine assaulted their eyes. Desert heat warmed their faces.
“I pray you’re right. By the way, here is your sword.” Sara said.
“Keep it. I’m still going to turn myself in. And I can’t carry it into a police station. It’ll be stored in an evidence locker indefinitely.”
