Chapter VII: Henry

A Chapter by Sheik

The horror of darkness.

Tristan was distraught. Knowing his luck, Satan would kill Sean. Even if he thought about this earlier, there was nothing he could do.

“What will you do with Melissa?” he asked.

“She will be an honored resident, as part of my goal to have more than God’s kingdom. I want to be ruler of the masses.”

A sigh of relief went through Tristan. At least Melissa would be okay. Until the end came. When God and Satan had their final battle in the end of time. Then they would be destroyed.

Suddenly remembering Melissa’ stew, his eyes flashed to see it on the brink of burning. Hastily, he turned off the heat and took it off the stove.

Satan laughed lightly and said, “Is that all you need to ask me, boy?”

“Yes.”

“Very well. I take my leave.” He disappeared.

Melissa felt too sick to be angry. Her head was getting dizzy. She stood in front of her bedroom window, not sure what to do.

So she was Tristan’s prisoner. By requesting his protection, she fell into his trap. The painting she loved betrayed her.

For the first time she wondered, Is he really an angel?

“What could you be thinking about?” whispered a voice in her ear. Frightened, she looked to see who it was. There was no one there.

Was she hearing things now? Or could it be? Could it really be him?

“Meet me in the cemetery, if you want to see,” whispered the voice.

See what?

Tristan knocked on the door. “Melissa?” he asked quietly.

She hesitated. Should she tell him? If she let him in, he would know that something’s wrong. What would he do if she didn’t answer again?

She didn’t know he was already listening to her thoughts.

He opened the door. “Tell me what?” he asked.

“How do you know?”

Ashamed, he bent his head. “I read your thoughts. I promise it was the first time.”

“As if you haven’t taken enough control over me.”

“Can you tell me what happened here?” he persisted.

“No, I can’t. It doesn’t make any sense.”

“You’re lying.”

“No I’m not.

“I can tell when anyone’s lying.”

“That doesn’t mean I have to tell you the truth.”

“I know you’re trying to get back at me for making you stay. If this is about the ghost, I need to know.”

She considered for a moment. After all, she knew he cared for her and that wasn’t something she could ignore. Because of him she had felt…so much better. He was there for her, when no one else was. Without him, she would be alone and vulnerable to whatever was after her. Without him, she would have no one to talk to in the time when she needed to most.

“He told me to meet him at the cemetery. It’s behind the church.”

Tristan turned away and said, “Try my stew then maybe we can figure something out.”

“Fine. I’m tired of feeling sick and it would be rude not to.”

They left her room. Then he poured a bowl and set it in front of her.

“You forgot a spoon,” she said, going to a drawer and pulling one out. She glanced at him mockingly and he stared at the floor.

“Sorry. I’ve never served food before.”

“Do you ever eat?”

“I’m never hungry, but I did taste it to make sure it wasn’t burnt. Tell me if I was wrong.”

“No. It’s just overcooked, but don’t worry. I’m eating it.”

He went silent. One problem was solved. Now he needed to think about the ghost, Henry.

Sitting on the couch, he thought about Henry meeting Melissa in the cemetery. Tristan was done saving people at the last minute. From now on, he would take the direct approach. If Henry wanted to see Melissa, he would have to see Tristan too. He couldn’t let Melissa face the same fate as Lindsay.

Such interference would never be allowed as an angel.

Would it really be that easy? Henry might not show up. Otherwise, he had something greater in mind. A challenge for Tristan.

A shower started running. Tristan got up and saw the empty bowl on the table. She was starting to live again, finally. He washed it out for her and put away the leftovers.

Looking out the window, he saw that night was falling with some light snow. It had been a while since Tristan was around snow. Sean’s home in San Antonio was warmer, but snow was okay. It made him think of a little girl he once knew.

Her name was Sasha and she lived in Moscow. Her mother was single when she gave birth to Sasha, but she refused to give her up. Once Sasha was old enough to stay home by herself, she was alone almost all the time. Tristan taught her how to fend for herself, so she wouldn’t suffer neglection. Her mother loved her very much, and didn’t want Sasha to be taken away because of her need to work long hours.

Sasha’s favorite thing to do was play in the snow. She liked making snowmen and snow angels.

Broken out of his memory, he heard Melissa scream. He ran to the bathroom door and moved through it, using his powers. Looking outside the shower, no one was there.

“Melissa!” There was no answer. He had to check the shower.

Through the plastic curtain, he could tell at least someone was on the floor in there. He searched for her conscience and recognized her presence. She was awake.

“Melissa?” he asked quieter this time.

“Tristan? Is it you?” she asked. He could hardly hear her over the shower running.

“Yes, it’s me. What happened?”

“I saw him. Through the curtain. I think…all this time…he was watching me.”

Tristan took a towel and said, “Can you get up? I have a towel for you.”

“Yeah. Hold on.”

He waited until her hand took it away and she stepped out, holding it around her. Her face looked pale and frightened.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.” She brushed past him and disappeared into her room.

After she left, he searched the bathroom for any sign of Henry. Nothing. That little perv, he cursed. Just like every creepy ghost. Yet he could understand why she was so frightened. There’s nothing worse than knowing you’ve been watched.

“Did you find anything?” asked Melissa. She peeked in the doorway.

“No. Not even a cryptic message.”

“That’s too bad. I’m sure you could figure it out.” She smiled and entered the room in new clothes.

“I think we should go tonight. To the cemetery. After what happened, it’s best to confront him now. We can’t let him instigate the fight. The advantage of first move should belong to us.”

Her face paled. “Do I have to?”

“Don’t worry. It’s surely a challenge for me, not you. You’ll be fine. Come with me.”

He put his arms around her and before she could protest, they were flying through the walls. She was too shocked to close her eyes. I know nothing of his powers, she thought, as the floor flashed over their heads. Outside the building, snow stuck onto their faces. She could see his wings taking them away from the ground. They flew past the park and over the church. Then landed in the cemetery.

Flying reminded Tristan of his last moments as an angel. His previous flight into hell. Just a brief reminder he shook away into the night sky.

“We’re here,” he told Melissa. He let go of her and looked around the cemetery, knowing he had to put his guard up. He took off his coat and gave it to her. She put it on in silence, their surroundings creeping in.

“Henry!” he called out. As if responding to his name, the wind shifted. Tristan and Melissa stood a small distance apart.

Why did he bring me here so suddenly? she thought. I could have brought my own coat. Is he that eager to do this?

“What’s that!” said Tristan. Melissa followed his gaze to the ground in front of them. Something was digging up from underground.

She shrieked and hid behind him. Two razor-sharp daggers appeared in his hands. They glowed with a red light.

Someone emerged, dirt falling off of them. As they stood there for a moment, Tristan recognized Seth. The boy’s swim trunks were pitch black and his skin was shadowy. He stared and said, “Let me see Melissa.”

“What’s your name?” Tristan demanded.

“My name is Seth. Melissa, are you there?”

She came out and looked. His appearance frightened her but she was curious. “You died,” she said.

“Henry trapped my spirit. He wants yours too.”

Her eyes widened in horror.

“You’re not Seth. You spread nothing but lies,” Tristan countered. “Don’t listen to him, Melissa.”

“What if he’s telling the truth?”

“He isn’t. You must stay back.” Tristan lunged for the zombie, but it disappeared too soon.

“Damn it!” he cursed, clutching his weapons hard. “He’s gone.”

Melissa dug her hands through its shallow grave. “It’s Seth. He was here. My dear Seth…”

Tristan dropped his weapons and knelt down beside her. He could see her face was lost in longing.

“Tristan. Can you free him? Can you free Seth?”

“Seth is already in heaven,” he said. “He doesn’t need to be freed.”

“I know that was Seth.”

Tristan closed his eyes and recited, “For Jesus said to him, ‘Come out of the man, unclean spirit!’ Then He asked him, ‘What is your name?’

“And he answered, saying, ‘My name is Legion; for we are many,’” (Mark 5: 8-9, NKJV).

She stared at him. “Why are you saying this?”

“Because, we are dealing with many devils, and they appear as many people close to you. If I can learn their name, I will be able to cast them out.”

Upset, she slapped him hard across the face and cried, “Seth is not a devil!”

Tristan couldn’t turn back to face her. His hand felt the burning on his cheek, her hatred. She asked for my protection, he thought. She didn’t know I’d even protect her from herself.

He got up and started to walk away.

“Wait!” she said. “You have to help me, Tristan!”

He ignored her and kept walking. Eventually, he heard her following him. He turned around and asked coldly, “Do you still want to live?”

“You promised to protect me,” she begged.

“If I keep that promise, first you must agree to the terms. Not only will I protect you from your enemies, but I will also protect you from yourself.”

He could see her anger resurfacing. “Protection comes with a price,” he added. More than you know.

“Fine,” she said, clearly holding a grudge against him. “I accept you as you are.”

“Then remember, if you ever want to try and survive without me, you’re welcome to it.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Hugging herself to keep warm, she came to face him closely. “Are you angry because I hit you?” she asked.

“No,” he replied. “You can hit me whenever you want. I couldn’t deserve it more.”

She was confused. “Why would you deserve it?”

“Because everyone I’ve guarded in the past was killed somehow. Every time I try to protect someone, I fail.”

“That isn’t possible.” Being at the same risk wasn’t something she wanted.

“Those situations were different from yours,” he explained. “I couldn’t make my presence known to them. Normally, all I could do was manipulate their thoughts.”

“You controlled them?” She already didn’t like the idea. Not since she became his prisoner and he read her mind.

“I gave them advice,” he argued.

“Why show yourself to me?”

“Because I can trust you not to tell anyone until this is over. Until I’m gone…”

There were other charges I could say the same for, but that was when I was an angel of God, he thought. Maybe this time it would be different. Perhaps this way, Melissa would live.

She went quiet, content with his answers. Tristan knew she couldn’t learn everything. Not yet.

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