White Butterflies Part 1

Chapter 196

White Butterflies

Part 1

Ok, that didn’t go as planned as we drove away from the school. The Judge and two of the inquisitors stated that and asking what now. The High Bishop said. “Good question.” as we were packed into stolen VW Minnie Van silver and not very clean or fast by any means as black smoke trailed out the back tailpipe; and kicked loudly as the engine said that this thing could die on us any minute. The High Bishop left some cash inside the mailbox with an apology and gave the owner more than enough to by themselves a new one for their trouble.  

The Judge stated the obvious that we couldn’t go back to the school or the High Bishop house or anywhere they would look for us, mostly because the High Bishop was defecting to the other side. Then again having two inquisitors and a Judge did seem a dream come true. I linked with Jeff and he said tread carefully, but he liked the idea, but we need a safe house and he knew exactly where to find one. Leave it up to Jeff to pull us through another disaster. Dora gave a shrug said. “Better than nothing,” as she drove further west to West Valley City, just outside of Salt Lake City.

The place looked like a dump as we drove up to an old abandon farm house well it looked abandon when it was roughly 11 pm at night as Jeff told Dora to pull the van inside the barn finding chickens and horses and several milking cows and old farmer pulling a shotgun in our face. Dora said. “Hi my name is Dora; perhaps you know a friend of mine named Jeff.” His eyes widen at the name and quickly put away the shotgun; telling us to follow him inside the house closing the barn door.

Once inside he asked what the deal was with the funny robes pointing to the Judge and two inquisitors. She said. “A long story.”

He said. “I’ll put some coffee on.” Stating he wanted to hear this long story. He didn’t live alone as his wife and two boys and his daughter came down the stairs into the kitchen asking their Pa what was going on seeing strangers in the kitchen. He quickly said. “Not sure, but Jeff sent them.” His wife and kids eyes lit up. I cringed wondering what Jeff had done now. His wife quickly went to work opening the fridge asking if us if we were hungry, which we all were so we all nodded.

Dora took the lead and gave one hell of a story about what happened tonight. She didn’t miss a beat as she told them everything except the Preparing Ritual. After all, when Jeff is involved it is always best to assume that this was safe heaven, even though it sounded a lot like something a person would read about in fiction novel or heard on the news, well except for here seeing no TV and a small transistor radio sitting on the kitchen counter. The walls reminded me a lot like my grandmother's house instead of sheet-rock it was made of patched plaster and boards including the floors were made of wood with real old wood. The colors were old and faded what used to be yellow which was more of yellowish tan. The place smelled old, but looked and felt comfortable.

Right away the mother whipped up some eggs and beacon as the daughter helped with hot biscuits as the boys went up to their Pa’s room finding clothes for the two inquisitors and the Judge, whose name was Randle Grays and the two inquisitors were man and wife Sharon and Andy Kingston.

Randle wasn’t any older than the High Bishop with raven black hair thinning at the top as he removed his powder wig and placed it on the table; blue eyes and straight carrot noses of an aristocrat and with a strong jawline. It was unclear at the time if he was married and had kids of his own, but I did happen to notices his wedding ring which was just as elegant as ours. Stating he was married and most likely had a family. I had yet to shake hands with any of them, but the smell of rotting corpses was really strong. That was all I really needed to know regarding how deep they were inside the satanic church.

It wasn’t any of my business, not yet anyway and the same went for the Kingston’s. Sharon was the type of woman that said country rich girl with blond hair and blue eyes that could be mistaken as Ken and Barbie look likes they were a young couple. Both just had the perfection of a doll without any remarkable features but also no blemishes either.

They quickly changed into some clothes as Dora burned their robes and ours in the old pot belly stove including the Judge's wig. Nearly tearing it out of his hand stating his grandfather gave it to him she asked one question. Did the Queen ever touch it? He looked at her and he said. “Of course she did, she even placed a spell on it so it would never fade.” Dora picked it up with a broom handle and said some words that made no sense and burned in front of our eyes. She had already explained she was a witch but seeing it made them gasp as it went up in flames giving off a powerful odor of burning flesh.

After we had eaten and our circumstance explained that we just needed a place to stay low and hidden as the smoke clears. They quickly put us up for the night after a nice hot meal and a hot bath. We were pretty well set, as the High Bishop and us all made ourselves comfortable on the floor as one big slumber party in front of the fireplace.

We didn’t dare make any phone calls. Not here, anyway. We didn’t want trouble coming anywhere near the family. So Dora walked the house and the yard putting up protection spells. We had agreed to leave at first light and see where we stand from there and long before the family woke up. Yet I should have warned them that farmers usually woke at the crack of dawn and the women in the house even earlier.

Yet I didn’t. Mostly because Dora and I as well as the Benson’s wanted to see the looks of country living on the rich as they woke up with a start hearing the rooster crow and the mother sing in the kitchen. Dora said good morning as she quickly helped set the table letting Eli and the girls clean up the living room putting away blankets and borrowed pillows. It felt like home again. Something I was missing ever since the Downing’s as the boys and their Pa came down the stairs for breakfast and got ready for chores. I was still useless as ever due to the fact the drugs Dora gave me still hadn’t worn off and having the Judge here and the inquisitors.

I decided that being helpless was the best way to be until we had come to a decision on how much to tell them. Even Jeff thought was a good idea. So Eli helped me to my wheelchair and we all had a nice hot breakfast together.

I linked with Eli and the girls to help with the chores; thinking it would be good for them. They didn’t complain like I thought they would. Dora too agreed that it was a good idea while she goes into town and makes some calls and sees about getting us some better transportation something that was more reliable.

It was a sight to see sitting on the porch as the sun rose over the mountains and clear crisp air of a farm making me homesick for the Downing’s. Maybe Mom and Dad were right perhaps having some of the life would maybe do me some good, but every time I thought about doing it. The images of what had happened in Highland always flooded back and our favorite campsites we would go as a family.

The girls looked great and so did Eli with straw sticking out of their hair. I had forgotten how good it smelt and I could feel soft tears escaping as I pictured my Downing brothers and sisters, but knowing it would never be the same. I was now 4 years older and life had gone on without me. Life never would be the same, even though I wished it could be many times, and it still went on without me.

The High Bishop pulled up a chair beside me and the Judge as he looked out across the fields plowed for the winter. The High Bishop said. “Randle and I used to be roommates at Crest-ridge as well as Kingston’s. I told them everything including how me and my family were joining the rebels if they are willing to take us and make a deal to protect our families.”

I said “O’ and you assume that they will if Eli and I vouch for you?”  The both nodded and I said. “So let me get this straight you willing to give up the only true church because your lives are at stake. I hate to tell you this, your lives have always been at stake, and you have done some very bad things to get where you are. What makes you think you’ll be even safer by joining the rebels? I am not saying they won’t… on the contrary, they would be overjoyed to have the information you can give them. But sooner or later you’re going to have to pay for all those crimes.

“You think you and your families are in danger now? Just think about it, my family and friends are not safe by any means. We have sacrificed a lot, just so we can be in the inside and find people like you and bring them to Justus. I am not saying it’s a bad idea, but it will cost you, and I would think really, really hard about that decision. Because they will kill you, if you go back on your word, then again the church most likely will once they learn about it.”

They both said. “Death, on one side of the coin or death on the other… sounds fun.”

I smiled said.  “Not really considering I face death every damn day; if you haven’t noticed by now when it evolves my dead friend Jeff. Who has brought us here because he knows the family here and knows they can keep their mouth shut, regarding our little naughty little secrets. And he is bad dude if you cross him and decided to kill the family for knowing those secrets.

“Plus if you try to do so, I can guarantee that you won’t live long enough to try it, not after he has guaranteed your safety and he and Dora just pulled our fat out of the fire last night. In fact, I am not exactly sure what more he is willing to do. He too has a price and he isn’t by any means easy to pay it. It’s more of a spiritual nature and cash means very little to him. He can be a hard nose when it comes to making deals.

“So before you get off the devil's train, think if it is really something you want to do. Death may be at every corner. And then there is the Queen that you just made her your worst enemy and is haunting you and your families down by any means necessary. One of the main reasons Dora is right now trying to get the low down on how bad it is. I can ask Jeff to deliver a message to my rebels, it might be no, but if you are honestly doing this he will know and trust me he knows just by looking inside your souls.

“Tell me where your families are and for now he’ll take care of it. I don’t know if he’ll slap you in the face, but if I was you I’d be praying to a God that isn’t the devil or that Mormo devil could go a long way in getting him on your good side. When you have done that maybe by then Jeff would have done his part by making sure your families are safe from the s**t storm that is coming.” They each gave a heavy sigh and I gave them a nod as they told me where each of them lived. I said. “Ok, he’s willing to go and make sure. Now go make a pact with a true God and tell the devil to go straight to hell.” 

They each asked me how they would know and I said. “You don’t. Trust is earned. I haven’t lied about anything that matters. In fact, at the moment everything regarding my condition is true; mostly. Now go and do what Jeff asks, he’ll give me a sign that says its all taken care of, in fact, if you see 100 white butterflies swarming around you, it will mean Jeff has kept his word, but he wants you to make amends first so off you go. There is plenty of fields to be alone in. I have been told that Dora will come back around lunch time and with a few friends.”

They each gave a nod and the High Bishop went one way and the Judge went the other, I was lightly dozing with a warm blanket around me, not knowing who put around me as I was dreaming about the Downing’s and the farm I loved. I woke hearing a car coming and seeing the dust and smiled seeing that it was Stringum and my adoptive parents. I didn’t leave the porch still feeling the numbness in my legs as they quickly came into the yard. Mom and Dad gave a sigh of relief as they saw me and Eli and the girls come running, I said. “I take it you got my message?”

Stringum said. “Yea we got it and then some, your friend Jeff hasn’t stopped talking. I have sent the men to collect their families as requested, I should know within the hour.”

I quickly introduced them to the farmer’s family, as they all shook hands. Dad asked how I was and I said. That I have had better days, which stated we were going to have a nice long talk. 

The High Bishop was almost giddy as he said. “The butterflies were a nice touch.”

The farmers said. “Butterflies? It’s little late in the season for butterflies.” Then he watched several of them circle around them and he said. “Let me guess Jeff’s doing?” I nodded he said. “Well, then that’s not all that strange.”

The judge too came quickly with his own set and but by then it was nothing unusual.  We all went into the living room and made ourselves comfortable around the fire. Stringum paced as he listened regarding what has taken places. He was calm on the outside, but I knew was dancing a jig on the inside as they told them they were jumping off the devil's train. Dad looked at me and said. “Jeff’s doing? Or yours?”

I said. “Not sure Dad. I didn’t know about it until this morning, well all except the High Bishop. The other three I didn’t know as I said.”

Dad said as he asked. “So how much do they know?”

I said. “Not much, I was kinda waiting to see what you thought first, and then Jeff of course, but I haven’t seen Jeff all morning since I sent him to make sure their families were safe. And apparently, they are if the butterflies are an indication.”

Dad nodded then said. “Ok, so we have ourselves a little explaining to do.” They all nodded and Stringum quickly broke it down, now that I have paved the way.

I waited for them to jump ship again but instead they listened and nodded stating it was a due able plan. Yet the biggest problem is the Queen. Stringum jumped when Jeff taped him on the shoulder said. “The Queen is not going to be a problem at the moment.”

Stringum said.  “Jeff, how many damn times have I told you not to sneak up on me?” Everyone in the room looked at Stringum more so for the ones that couldn’t see him. The farmers family wasn’t one of them as they each gave Jeff a nodded, raising more questions.  You would think I’d be used to it by now after seeing Jeff and knowing that others can besides me. But I did like the look on their faces that made it look we had all gone loony tunes.