9

“Summon who?” James asked. “I don’t understand that.”

Kailie barely heard him at all. Looking through the Bible in Revelations, all she heard was Joseph’s voice. When she was little, he occasionally read a couple passages to her to help her sleep. Somehow, she grasped the ideas, even then, and drifted off, eventually. It wasn’t before bombarding him with questions, though. He never minded. He’d love to answer anything she wanted. His voice was now screaming at her. Think, Kailie! Think! What was that verse?! Skimming through, it looked, to James, like waves passing by. She was blind to any other goal in the world. Tears rolled down her face, tickling her nose. Other than being on the pages in the Bible, her fingers didn’t move. Next, James heard a slight smack on a page.

“This is it!” Kailie screamed. “Apocalypse: Revelation. Of course!”

James glanced at her, still confused. Her face was still red, but her eyes had a slight sign of relief in them. He didn’t want to ruin it by asking random questions, but he couldn’t fight the urge.

“What is it, Kailie?”

“Revelations 12:7-9. ‘And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out’�"”

“‘The great dragon’, meaning the Devil,” James concluded.

Kailie nodded, white as a sheet. She closed the Bible, not even bothering finishing the passage. She knew very much what it meant, indeed. Staring at her grandfather’s body, water rose into her eyes, once more. Why him? He was the only family I had left, you b*****d! A friend was missing now, as well, but she couldn’t bring herself to move from Joseph. Still stroking his hair, all she could do was think. Slowly inhaling, she closed her eyes to think. Her grandfather, she knew, would never say such a phrase without a meaning behind it.

Apocalypse: Revelation. I understood that much. And vice versa. But if there were to be a war, the angels would have come down already, wouldn’t they?!

Her head was killing her now. It felt like a hammer was knocking at the right side of her parietal lobe. Thinking outside of her comfort zone was never a useful habit. That’s what her Grampy was for, at times: answering questions about things that didn’t seem possible, much less logical, to her. The way he told them, at first, it was all a fairy tale. But she knew, growing up, that fairy tales were stories that weren’t really finished yet.

“Maybe there’s more to it than what the Bible says,” she suggested. “Satan had a son that was born from a human. As far as I’m concerned, that’s an abomination.”

James nodded. Looking down at Joseph, he shook his head. They both knew this man gave up everything to care for the only two people that really mattered to him once his own child was dead. What did he mean by “apocalypse”? There couldn’t have been more emphasis on the word if he tried. It might as well have been written on the wall in blood. Kailie knew, that was for certain, but what else? As he was thinking, he barely noticed Kailie’s wide eyes.

As he turned to look at her, she gripped his hand, tight. It was as cold as the morning air.

“What is it?”

Kailie inhaled deeply. “1 John 3:8.” Her voice was trembling, James could barely under-stand her. He moved a little closer to her, to make sure he heard her correctly. “‘The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.’ It never said anything about the son of Satan…” She shook her head wildly. As she closed her eyes, more tears rolled down her cheeks. They were pink now, as James stared at her. Her fingers, now, were rose red, and he looked at the verse once more. Rolling his head back, he felt like he should have been slapped.

“Of course it didn’t!” he exclaimed. “The son of Satan that we know of didn’t come around until the nineteenth century!” He lightly slapped his own forehead. “When Jesus died, for the time being, all was well with the world: the wars were over, and sins were forgiven. But if Satan could bring his own spawn into the world…” James’s hands started shaking and he quickly closed the Bible.

“The apocalypse would come,” Kailie whispered. “A war would begin.” She swallowed back an acidic feeling in her throat. She knew it, and she didn’t want to. That’s why Kana needs a host. When he was born, as punishment, God would never allow Kana to enter the gates of St. Peter. Lucifer wouldn’t take his own son because there would be a purpose for him soon enough… And if the war was successful in Lucifer’s eyes, well, there’d be no need, anyway, to enter the gates of Hell. When Kailie told James this, he nodded slowly, clasping his head in his hands.

“And if this war can’t be stopped,” James sighed. “Your grandfather, most likely, will not be welcomed into Heaven.”

Kailie nodded, staring at Joseph’s body. All the work he had done to raise and protect her, and help Stephen, would vanish. Would her parents still be there? She didn’t know, and shook her head away from that thought. No need to jump to conclusions, just yet.

“But there’s still one thing I don’t understand,” James replied. “Why does he need a host?”

Kailie’s smile was small. She shook her head in disbelief. She never thought a hint of happiness would come to her again. “My grandfather told me this over and over when I was a child. When Kana was a teenager, he disappeared after his mother found the dead animals. As it turned out, he went into the woods around where Stephen lives. The story says that Lucifer came to him, in full flesh, and told him, ‘You could not fulfill my order, so my plan is ruined. Te maldigo… Para siempre…’ ‘I curse you… Forever…’ From then on, he had Lucifer’s abilities in spirit, but he couldn’t stay out of a body for too long. Eating the carcasses was just a way to get by until he found what he really wanted.”

James gasped. “A host to help him build strength.”

Kailie nodded. “Once he’s strong again, he won’t need Stephen anymore. The war would give him all the power he’d need to stay ‘alive’.”

She rubbed her eyes, shivering all over. Gooseflesh appeared all over her arms as she closed the Bible back and forth. Staring sadly at her grandfather’s body, all Kailie could do was think. She knew that he taught her everything she now knew for a reason. This was it. But she couldn’t do this alone, she knew. Her parents were gone, and Joseph was gone. Then again, the last thing she wanted was to intentionally put her friend in harm’s way. An angel and devil seemed to appear in her mind at the moment.

Oh, the irony is hilarious! She rose from the floor and walked toward the front windows. The winds were really picking up now, and the smells crept into the cracks of the doorway. She didn’t want to bury her grandfather in this hell. She knew, damn well, he deserved so much better.

“Who are you supposed to summon?” James asked.

Kailie’s eyes grew across her face. It’s obvious, isn’t it?! Michael was second-in-command during the war. The captain, if you will, the head archangel.

Rolling her eyes, she sniffed back some tears. Yeah, so obvious it should hit me in the face! How the hell am I supposed to contact an angel?! Michael is mentioned in Revelations, but that doesn’t help much, for the time being. Her grandfather left her clues in the case of his own death. He knew the clock was ticking for him the minute Kana rose into place. No anagrams, just plain phrases they discussed when she was little. Who was she to argue with those stories?

“Maybe we’re thinking of the wrong Michael,” James suggested. This made Kailie raise her head up to meet his eyes. She had the look of a curious dog when something the owner did wasn’t part of any routine it was familiar with. She cocked her head slightly to the right and blinked twice.

James nodded and continued slowly, although, Kailie wished he would speed it up just a little. “Your grandfather taught you, and your mother before you, about the ways of the world, according to this.” He rested his hands on the Bible. “He gave you clues, riddles, and all kinds of wordplay. ‘You must summon him’. That was another clue. Normally, in biblical times, a certain angel would be summoned for specific help. But that could apply to regular humans as well; Joseph, Jesus, Moses, etc. Maybe an actual person, not an angel, is the key.”

Kailie closed her eyes and nodded. She saw her grandfather fighting for their lives, risking his own to help them. Self-sacrifice, war. To protect the one he loved, that was where this matter was tied in. War: Archangel Michael. What was the bottom line? Someone else would have had to have hidden to keep them (Kailie) safe. Someone who, when the time would come, help them fight this demon to keep from starting this potential war. This future war, if worse came to worse.

Exhaling slowly, she knew. “Michael… Reverend Michael Thomason.”

“Who’s that?” James whispered politely.

Scoffing, Kailie shook her head. “I used to call him ‘My Grandfather’s Protégé’.” Could this all really be connected? No, Michael isn’t family, but then, technically, neither is Stephen! Is there still more he would have yet to tell me?! Shaking her head more violently, Kailie hoped this was all just a nightmare. Wake up, d****t! Wake up! It was only when James gently reached for her arms, then, she slowly opened her eyes. No time, right now, for panicking! Yes, you have a lot of questions, and you damn well deserve answers… But there’s a time and a place for everything!

Wrapping his arms around her, James slowly began to rock her. Like a baby in a fit, she thought. He stroked her hair, slowly shushing her.

“It’s going to be all right, Kailie,” he told her. “I’m not going to leave you alone in this. Besides, I’m in it almost as much as you are.”

Her ear was at his chest. His heart was pounding. She always knew that James Conroy could put on a brave face any day of the week, but that never stopped his cardiovascular system from playing a part in fear. When his mother died in their house, he didn’t even flinch, on the outside, but later told Kailie that his heart felt like it would burst when he was told about the message she left.

“But you still never answered my question,” he teased. He grinned, lightly poking her nose.

She couldn’t help it. A small smile crept onto her face as she continued listening to the beats. They were slowing down, now. Sniffing back a few more tears, she rose her head, looking her friend in the eye.

“In truth, I never really knew too much about him. Whenever I brought him up, it was the one time Grampy would turn away from the subject… After telling me the basics, that is.” She rubbed her eyes, silently begging for sleep. This has to just be a nightmare! “All I really know is that they met at Hill College in Cleburne, about thirty-some years ago. They became friends almost instantly, but about ten years, or so, later, they lost touch, so it seemed. But Grampy did happen to mention, last he checked, this Michael worked at the Lane Prairie Baptist Church.”

James nodded, holding back an obvious thought. Assuming he’s still alive. Kailie saw it on his face and quickly turned back to Joseph’s face. She gently folded his arms over his chest, checking to see if his eyes were still closed. As they were, Kailie and James covered his body with a white sheet they found in the laundry room. He would want this, I know that for sure, she thought.

#

Opening the door felt like entering a literal wasteland. A circle of Hell was more like it, they figured. The sun was nowhere to be found and the sky was darker than usual. Dust was blowing everywhere, including in their faces. Kailie had to squint her eyes, for a while, just to get off of the porch. The grass was dead, and the carcasses remained where they were earlier.

How long has it really been? Kailie silently wondered. But then, in Hell, time doesn’t really exist, now, does it? A soft, sarcastic laugh pierced through her lips as they walked from the front porch. The gate was completely destroyed, and the sounds of random animals filled her ears. One particular dog, that reminded Kailie of an old blue heeler she found a few years back, simply stared at them as they moved out of the yard.

“Ok, if we’re lunch, just get it over with, Pooch!” she yelled. “We don’t have time for this ‘Chicken’ s**t!” She saw James wince at “s**t”. Chuckling, they moved on as the hound ran into the road. Feeling James’s hand go into hers, she continued on, feeling a little calmer. He was with her, and for now, that’s all that mattered.

Dust continued to blow something fierce as they walked down the road. They knew the town of Joshua like the backs of their hands, so, seeing wasn’t the biggest issue. Coyotes never came out during the daytime, but in this case, it seemed like a pretty accurate bet that they would at any minute, now. In the distance, James could have sworn he heard howling every couple minutes. Things really weren’t too hectic until they reached the end of the sharp corner of 705.

Lined up on both sides of the road were dogs, of every breed, tearing at other random animals. Some had kittens, some had squirrels, and others had toads. Tearing at their prey and gulping them down like a dinner. Blood sprayed all over the sides of the road. Kailie couldn’t help but notice another creepy thing. James must have noticed it as well, because he was frozen in his tracks.

As they tore and ripped at their prey, the dogs were staring at them. Their eyes were completely black, no signs of any possible soul. Kana’s eyes. As Kailie and James moved slowly past each of them, their gazes never left. Blood dripped down their mouths, as they revealed fangs. Kailie could have sworn she heard a couple of them growl at her…

“Keep moving,” she whispered, trying not to look back at them. She silently begged her legs to move faster, but then, that too would be risky. No sudden movements, or they will be suspicious! Her grip on James’s hand was tight… So tight, she heard him wince again.

“Kailie,” he whispered. “What should we do?”

Kailie couldn’t breathe, much less talk. She stared back at James, slowly, never stopping her feet. Her eyes were wide, and her face, otherwise, was clear. Keep… moving! All the while, the canines never budged from their places. It was like they were testing the two of them. Daring them to make any sudden movements. Look them in the eye. Kailie was so distracted looking at them, she didn’t notice something more.

“Look out!” James hissed. His arms were shivering, and Kailie guessed it wasn’t just from the cold.

In front of them, rows, more like an army, of spiders crowded their path. Furry backs, furry legs, about the size of her palm, there was no question that they were tarantulas. Harmless in nature, but still able to bite if it felt threatened. Thank God for tennis shoes! Slowly exhaling, Kailie moved forward with every bit of mental strength she could gather. She noticed immediately, however, that James would follow her example. They both had arachnophobia, she knew that for sure, but it was always at different levels: Kailie would stand frozen for a couple minutes, she thought, before her legs broke free from the mental ice. James, however, would always need someone’s help in getting rid of the enemy before he fainted. She knew it would be coming. If he fell, though, the dogs might also attack.

Gripping his hand gently, her lips rose to his ear. “Just breathe… Don’t make a sound, and follow me.” Her voice was so soft she would have been surprised if he heard anything. But he did, that’s all that mattered. He responded by answering her grip to his hand. In unison, they slowly continued on the road.

The b*****d knows our weaknesses, our deepest fears, she mentally screamed. How nice for him!

All the while, she couldn’t remember hearing James exhale. Glancing at the sides of the road, she noticed the tarantulas were forming two, single-file lines on each side. They were guarding any edges or curves that Kailie or James could stumble upon. Sweat crept its way from her forehead, and she couldn’t seem to feel James’s fingers anymore. But they were there. She knew they were there. He wouldn’t dare take off running without her. Not now, after everything they’ve endured so far. She realized, though, she was simply guiding him through. His eyes were screwed shut.

“Is it over?” he whispered, his voice trembling.

Kailie nodded, even though he couldn’t see. “We’re ok. Just nice and slow. Remember, these b******s aren’t our only problem.”

James quickly nodded, beginning to take larger steps. As he did, Kailie heard one of the dogs snarl softly. A warning: Don’t f**k with us! She looked over, and sure enough, it was a coyote. It might have been the stress talking, but she never remembered seeing teeth so long on a canine. Its fur was a reddish orange and seemed to glow in a certain angle.

“Dogs, I understand,” James murmured. “Hell hounds, ha, ha, very funny. But spiders?!”

Kailie sighed, shrugging. “I have no idea… Keep moving. We’re almost out of the arachnid forest.”

Once they reached the Stop sign, about a mile past her house, Kailie felt like she could finally breathe again. There weren’t any Hell hounds or stray arachnids to be seen. Although, in the distance behind them, they could still hear howls of warning signals to any newcomers. Of course, that’s only what they figured, but how were two young people to know the difference?

“How much farther?” James panted.

Kailie pointed to the right of the Stop sign. “Not far at all. Less than a mile.”

There weren’t any obstacles in their way this time, which they could see. But it was too quiet for their comfort. Much like Bethesda, there were little homes, but people were nowhere to be found. The yards were trashed, a few dead animals lay on the sidewalks, and the homes, in the meantime were deserted. But the church, Kailie noticed, was lit up like Christmas. Someone was there. Had to be! The winds were picking up and she could smell the rotting flesh from the streets picking up.

“If this was another idea of a circle of Hell, I could see why this place is otherwise deserted!” James pointed out. A small giggle tremored Kailie’s lips. No time for giggling now, sweetheart!

“Come on,” she urged. “It’s freezing out here.”

#

They ran to the steps of the church where they saw a man standing in his robes, shaking from head to toe. Kailie didn’t think it was from the cold at all. He was so pale, and his eyes kept wandering in many directions. It was like he was looking for something… or waiting for something to pop out. When he saw them, a small smile lifted his cheeks.

“Are you Michael Thomason?” she asked politely.

Quickly looking at both of them, the man nodded, extending his hand for a proper greeting. He noticed that it was shaking as it rose to meet them.

“I’m Kailie, and this is my friend James.” They nodded politely to each other, still shaking hands. “Um… this is going to sound a little weird, but did you know my grandfather, Joseph Hartman?”

The man looked as if he had been stabbed. His eyes were wide and no breathe came from him. Kailie might have figured he was now a statue, a gargoyle. Except for the hair on his head being blown, he did not move.

“Dear girl,” he said, at last. “Joseph Hartman, your grandfather, saved my life, long ago.”

#