The Calling

by Jeffrey Hancock

  I yelled out, “Okay, you plate of spoiled calamari! Right now, or do I have to hunt you down?” While all the lights were out, there was still some minimal illumination coming from the exit signs and lights on the ends of the rows of seats. It was spooky as Hell. I scanned all around, then I saw it. It was on the balcony. Its tendrils of shadow pulsing in and out. “What are you waiting for? Perhaps you’re a scaredy cat?” My stomach churned. I could use something to settle my stomach, but my costume had no pockets to hold a roll of antacids. The whole effect I’m going for will be ruined if I toss my cookies. Aren’t heroes supposed to be calm and collected?

  The words I spoke to my wife came bubbling up to the forefront of my thoughts. I only did what had to be done. Wow, I’m smarter than I thought. True heroes don’t rush into burning buildings to be a hero. A fighter pilot doesn’t steer his failing craft away from a school instead of jettisoning to be a hero. A soldier on the battlefield doesn’t charge a machine gun nest trying to be a hero. All these examples are people only doing what must be done. A calmness washed over me. I am only doing what has to be done. Not for glory. Not for fame. Not even for the loving embrace of my wife. I am only doing it because it has to be done.

  Striding off the stage, I made a quick march toward the doors of the auditorium. I pushed the doors open with a snap portraying more confidence than I felt. The lobby was both dark and quiet. Scanning for my adversary, the lobby was clear. Where are you hiding? When nothing jumped out at me from the shadows, I cautiously climbed the stairs leading to the balcony. Halfway up, I saw my foe waiting for me at the top of the stairs. It rushed me.

  Tumbling as I tried to take the stairs backward, I landed on my butt at the foot of the stairs. Its laughter filled my mind. It loomed closer, beginning to fill the whole of my vision. It was almost upon me as I stood. Trying to stay out of its reach, I ran. Only the laughter was in my mind. The laughter blocked all my thoughts. Turning my head as I ran, I saw the creature pacing me. It was playing with me like a kitten with a ball of yarn. Pain was mine as it seemed to be feeding on me again without touching my body. Pain filled my chest arms and legs. Even the spot on my forehead began to burn. The plan. Remember the plan!

  The stage grew closer. My mark. I must hit my mark. My costume was not meant for running. My foot caught on the edge of the stage, and I stumbled, trying to regain my footing. Planting my feet on my mark, I stopped and turned to face Mr. Squidman. This creature stopped also. It needs to be closer. “I’m done running from you! Come on and fight me, you reject from a sushi bar.”

  It slowly rolled to me. A little closer. Closer. It was hovering over the mark placed on the stage. I shouted, “Now!” Everything happened all at once. As if by magic, six overlapping pools of light flooded the stage surrounding Mr. Squidman. It could not move lest it touched the blinding light. Keeping my eyes on the creature, I saw it started to move edge-on to me, but escape would not be so easy. On the stage, about a dozen members of the crew stood up from their hiding places and encircled the creature. I had reasoned out that its projection on this plane was only two dimensional. Every time it had retreated, it had turned edge-on to whoever was viewing it.

  The shadow incarnation of Mr. Squidman spun to no avail. Every time it turned edge on to someone, another of the cast faced it. Mr. Squidman was trapped, and it was my turn to put fear into it. My mind resonated with the words, “Release me. Release me!”

  I lectured, “You had a chance. I feel no obligation to you.” Sitting down on the stage, I prepared myself for the next step. I felt Lizzy holding my shoulders. As fast as thought, I lifted myself up into the astral plane. Lizzy had done as I asked and gently lowered my head to rest on the floor. In my astral body, I looked to the creature; it was hideous with its writhing tentacles. One tentacle touched the barrier of light surrounding it. A blue-white light sparked, and I got the odor of burnt flesh and ozone.

  It whispered its threat: “Release me or suffer even greater torment than only your death will bring.” The creature’s writhing slowed. One by one, each of its tentacles jutted straight at me. Each looked like a sword ready to duel with me. The tentacle with eyes looked at me, the eyes showing emotion as if its brows furrowed. “You tasted sweet, man-thing. So sweet and far better than fear. I can sense the fear you are feeling. It is feeding me. So tasty. So sweet.”

  It was my turn to be pinned in place. I could not move my legs, but my knees wobbled. Gut-wrenching fear tore at my body. It was not fear alone, I felt. Apprehension at what I must do weighed at my thoughts. I must kill this thing, yet it is a living creature with the same right as me to live. I do not wish to kill. I could have lived out the rest of my life quite well if it had but listened to me and left this cast and crew in peace. “I offered you mercy, but your own hubris has led you to what awaits.”

  It had laughed when first I threw my will toward it, but I was not on the astral plane then. I gave my will form and projected it at the creature. Several blows in succession battered at it from my mind. It worked! Cool. Tentacles began being knocked away. Slowly my blows came closer to the main body of this horror. With a roar in my mind, the creature struck back with its own will. It felt like a mule had kicked me. I flew back, and my bell had been rung pretty loud. The creature bellowed laughter. My mind was fuzzy, and I could not think. It’s kicking my ass. I need to… What do I need to do? Get out of here is what I have to do. Trying to clear my mind, I rubbed my head.

  I heard a pop as one of the lights which kept the creature trapped exploded with shards of glass falling to the stage. Fear took hold of me as the creature started to squeeze through the gap of light. By instinct, I started scrambling back away from this horror. I was trembling so hard I made little progress. It was finally free of the light trap. As it drew closer, it menaced over me.

  I will not die on my back cowering, I thought. I stood to face my death. Shaking with fear still, I waited for the death stroke. Looking straight at this horror from a lower plane, I faced it. A gentle hand was placed on my shoulder. Knowing Lizzy was there, and I was not alone on the astral plane gave me courage, which in turn renewed my resolve. Throwing my will against it again, it was its turn to be thrown back.

  A part of its body touched the part of the light trap still working. More electric-blue sparks and burnt flesh smells filled the air. Mr. Squidman shrieked in pain. It is time to end this. I drew forth my sword. It was not the costume sword I had worn earlier. This was the sword I had forged with my hands and blood. I still have to give it a name. Not fazed by it, Mr. Squidman laughed again.

  We drew closer until its tentacles came within easy reach of me. Of course, that meant my blade was in reach of them as well. Mr. Squidman threw two tentacles at my chest. My sword slashed at the attack. The creature pulled back two stubs dripping in what I could only imagine was blood. My counter-stroke had severed the limbs, and they twisted on the floor for a moment before melting away. Tongues stretched out from various mouths from other tentacles. They licked its wounds to soothe the pain.

  “Go back! Return to your own realm.” My words had infuriated it. Mr.Squidman charged at me. It was wary of my sword, so it tried to distract me with one tentacle only to attack with another. Keeping myself cold and in the moment, I didn’t let its tricks fool me. I scored several other hits, but none quite so devastating as my first slash. It kept probing looking for weakness and waiting for me to tire. I saw an opening and severed another tentacle.

  Eagerness blinded me. As I severed its limb, another tentacle wrapped around my sword arm’s wrist. Its bone-crushing strength forced me to drop my sword, and it skidded away out of reach. Mr. Squidman jerked at my wrist and nearly pulled my arm off with the effort. I had lost my footing and was on the floor. My shoulder was on fire with pain. The creature’s laughter filled my mind once again. On the floor, and no weapon in my hand, I did anything to hold off the inevitable. The creature started whipping me with its free tentacles. Large strips of my astral flesh ripped away. Batting at t
he attacks with my free arm proved fruitless.

  It decided to finish me. It wrapped two of its tentacles, one each around my legs. Mr. Squidman stopped whipping me and began to pull me closer. In the center of this hideous monster, a giant maw opened. This thing’s huge mouth looked like the Kraken from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest. It had numerous concentric circles of teeth, all pointing down its gullet. My mind shredded from the fear. Raising my free hand to shield my eyes. Who would want to see such a gruesome end coming?

  In my free hand, I heard and felt a slap. The hilt of my sword was in my hand. “I will be no easy meat!” As I screamed, my emotions raged. They ranged from fear to calm righteousness. My sword glowed white, so bright it hurt me to look directly at it. My sword glows. Cool. The creature screamed an agonizingly painful cry. It released me. Standing, I looked at Mr. Squidman, where pieces of him burned and dripped off. Stepping forward, I swung my sword in a great downward sweeping arc and cleaved it in two. It was a clean slice. Mr. Squidman fell apart with its top half sliding down at a forty-five-degree angle. As the slice hit the floor, it made a most satisfying squishing noise. Its body wiggled a bit then evaporated.

  Standing there on the field of victory, I hurt like hell. My astral form is injured with strips of flesh missing and some liquid oozing from all the wounds. Taking a moment, I shunted the pain to another part of my brain quickly, so as not to distract me from my task. No time to rest for the battle was not over. The rip between the lower plane and the astral is still open. It needs to be closed, or something else, maybe worse, will come through. How the hell do you close a rip in the barrier between planes? I asked myself. Searching the theater, yielded nothing until I reached the balcony. The strangest sensation touched my astral body. It felt like a gentle breeze. I saw nothing. Trying to follow the wind was not easy. It’s not like you can lick your finger to judge the direction.

  While searching back and forth, I thought, Use your head, Nathan. Work the problem through. It finally dawned on me. The creature was not of this plane, so it would not think like we do. I expected the tear between planes to look like a door or a hole perpendicular to the floor. What if Mr. Squidman dropped down or climbed up into this reality? I started scanning the ceiling and the floor. And then I saw the little dickens. It was cleverly placed on an air conditioning vent. The surface of it rippled slightly like a small pool of water. If I had not been intensely searching, I never would have discovered it with only a casual glance.

  Now that I’ve found it, what the H-E-double-toothpicks do I do? I kept my eyes on the opening, guarding it. Some other beastie may decide to dip their toe into our reality, and I didn’t want to be surprised. My worries began to subside as the opening started to slowly close. Perhaps, Mr. Squidman was needed to keep it open. Whatever the reason, the rip was closing, and soon I would be able to return to my body. The pain from my wounds began to throb. I pushed the pain away again, but I knew it would not last long.

  The gash began closing at an exponential rate and finally disappeared with the sound of a little pop. Cool. Well, I’m done, I thought. Returning to my body, I sat up. Everyone was still in their places except Lizzy. “It is over,” I announced to all present. A little cheer when up. Everyone there was grateful they didn’t have to contend with the creepy shadow anymore.

  I was hungry, tired, in pain, emotionally drained, and regretful I had to kill a living thing. Lizzy had told me I could not kill it, but I’m sure I did. Gingerly, I started to rise, and immediately, lots of helping hands brought me to my feet. Once I was standing, everyone took off for parts unknown, except for Theresa. “Where did Lizzy go?”

  “She left a few moments after she set you down and laid down herself. I don’t understand. How did lying down remove the spooky shadow from the theater?”

  “It’s all a little complicated, but the gist of it is I entered the astral plane and did battle with the shadow. If you want to keep talking, I have to head to my dressing room. I have some glucose tabs and aspirin there, and I need both of those in the worst way.” We walked to my dressing room, where I downed a few aspirins and a whole tube of glucose tabs.

  “Theresa, you said Lizzy only laid down a few moments before she got up and left?”

  “Yes, why?”

  “I could have sworn she was there with me. She was supposed to watch my back and help if things got dicey. I guess I asked too much of her.” But I felt her hand on my shoulder? “On another note, has Matt talked to you yet?”

  “Not yet. We have an appointment later today. Why?”

  “It’s a surprise, and I don’t want to ruin it.”

  “Good or bad? Never mind, I don’t want to know. Yes, I do. What is it? What? What? What? I can’t wait until later.”

  Being excited for her, I spilled the beans. “Ms. Isabella can’t finish this run of the show. At least she can’t for a few days, so guess who will be filling in?”

  Theresa squeaked and put her hands to her mouth and answered, “Me?” I nodded. She started to do a little dance. Before I knew what happened, she threw her arms around me and gave me a huge kiss. I wished she hadn’t. It was knee-wobbling great. I didn’t kiss her back, but a part of me did want to return the gesture.

  Even though I was elated by my victory, I was sad at not being able to share the moment the way a triumphant hero should with a multitude of orgasms both given and received. I missed the passion of my marriage.

  “Nathan, is something wrong? You look like somebody stepped on your puppy.”

  “No. It’s not important,” I replied.

  “Nathan, will you help me prepare? I am so out of practice with both the music and the lines. We only have a couple of days for me to get up to speed.”

  “Of course, I will, Theresa, but I am near my rope’s end. How about first thing tomorrow?”

  She gave a bit of a pout, “Sure thing.” She didn’t sound like the delay was okay, but I need to recharge my batteries.

  “I am sure another member of the cast will help you today. Why don’t you ask them?” Theresa brightened and pulled out her cell phone and began typing away. Real food and rest are called for now. Leaving the theater, Tony was right there with his cab. I could learn to enjoy this being driven bit, I thought. We were quiet on the drive home.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  I bid Tony goodbye, then headed into the house. Char was working on her crafting, and Mo was doing her homework. It was still early, but I was beat, and my belly was empty. Sitting down at the table next to Moiraine and asked, “Char, could I get something to eat now? I am going to hit the sack early tonight,”

  Charlene put her crafting away, then said, “Of course.” She brought me the last of the beef stew. Hungrily, I ate without really tasting it.

  Pushing away from the table, “I am going to take a shower, then head to bed.” Passing the mirror in the bathroom, I stopped and looked at myself. Tiredness hung around me like a debt collector. My face looked haggard and beaten. I was a mess. The hot water felt heavenly. All the trials of the day melted away. When I stepped out of the shower, Charlene was waiting for me.

  “Nathan, I’m worried. You don’t look good. You look like you should be in a sickbed.”

  “A good night’s sleep should restore my vim and vigor,” I stated with conviction, but I had my doubts. When I was finished with the battle, my astral body was in shreds. Is this the effect when my astral form becomes injured? I asked myself.

  “Is there anything I can do for you, Nathan?”

  “I would pay real money for a good backrub.” If I had any. I still haven’t gotten my first paycheck yet.

  “Go lay down on your stomach.” Char then stuck her head out of our bedroom door and yelled, “Moiraine, keep working on your homework, then watch television until I come out and fix dinner.”

  I heard a muffled Mo say, “Okay, Mom.”

  “Scoot over to the center of the bed.” I heard a zipper, then the sound of clothes being removed.

/>   I tried to get a look at Char as I asked, “What are you doing?” Unfortunately, I couldn’t crane my neck enough to see.

  “I can’t give you a proper backrub wearing my pants.”

  The bed shook a bit as Char climbed on. Next, she straddled me. After a moment, her hands were gently rubbing my back. She paused, then next, I heard a squirting noise. She warmed lotion in her hands, then started to really rub my back like she meant it. I had thought my shower felt good. This back rub was pure ecstasy. It was so enjoyable; I didn’t even consider the fact Char was straddling me in her panties. I gave out a huge sigh. Panties may not be the best thing in the world, but they are next to it.

  Char removed herself from my back. “Rollover.”

  I did as instructed. I was both glad and disappointed that the full measure of the pleasure I was feeling was not evident. Char returned to her straddling position and began rubbing my chest and abs. Char’s deep massage technique was on the border of being painful. John Mellencamp’s song “Hurts so Good” began playing in my mind. “… Just me and you. Come on and make it hurt so good…”

  “Char, I want to tell you something.” She stopped massaging me and leaned back to listen. “Charlene, I love you, and if you say the physical part of our marriage is over, then I will not ask again from this moment on. I will not take a lover either. I took a vow before our families, our friends, and God to love and honor you. I only ask for one thing in return. Please don’t ask me to start calling you ‘Mother.’ My psyche just couldn’t take it.”

  “Thank you, Nathan. Your acceptance has removed that looming shadow. I can relax. Being on my guard against you has been tedious at best.” Char removed herself from on top of me, then put on her pants. “Are you feeling better? You look better.”