by R L Delaney
"Where-did-they-come-from?" Justin's mouth hung open, as did Amy's.
"The King of Heaven is at work," a familiar loud voice from behind informed them. They turned and stared into the beaming face of Brother Perpetiël. "Somehow, Desastrotrax makes people allergic to rabbits."
"What did you say?" Justin gasped.
"Desastrotrax cannot stand rabbit fur," Brother Perpetiël explained again, while his face harbored a wide, boyish grin. "The proof is right before your very noses.”
"But w-where did these rabbit—"
"It doesn't matter where they are coming from," Brother Perpetiël interrupted Justin. "Now is the time to act."
His voice took on a serious tone. "I have sent Officer Frost and Father Gálvez home to call Brother Josebius. The two of us will start to pray over all these unfortunate people here. We will rebuke the evil that has entered their lives through that horrible Desastrotrax, and heal them. But you, young Justin and Amy…," he stared long and hard into Justin's face, "… you two will have to deal with Sternfoot. Now is the time."
"D-Deal with Sternfoot?" Justin stammered. "How do we do that?"
"Haven't you been anointed with the Elixir?"
"Yes, I have, but… eh…"
"Come on, Justin," Amy said as she pulled on Justin's arm. "This is the action you craved. Let's go to Sternfoot before he escapes."
"Amy is right," Brother Perpetiël said. "The King of Heaven will lead and guide you. Just go. We both have our different roles to play." Without saying another word he bent down, placed his hand on Belinda Witherspoon and spoke several unfamiliar Latin phrases. "Ut curari nequeas. Expergiscimini, et normalis sint vobis in ipso."
For a moment Justin stared at the scene before him. Right before his very eyes, color returned on Mrs. Witherspoon's face, her sneezing stopped and her eyes began to shine again with her own familiar light. She looked up into Brother Perpetiël’s face and stammered with a confused expression, "W-what has happened…Who are you?"
"Come on, Justin," Amy called out again, and she yanked Justin's arm once more. "We must do as Mr. Perpetiël has told us. We must go to Sternfoot… it will be made clear what to do when we are there. Trust the power of the Elixir."
Justin nodded. "I… eh… suppose, you are right, Amy."
While the two youngsters made their way to the front, they noticed Sternfoot was still dancing up and down on the stage, making movements that resembled more those of a maniac than those a chemistry teacher was supposed to make. "Kill the rabbits… Kill them all," he kept yelling. Nobody listened. Confusion was rampant.
Then, and to Justin and Amy's horror, they saw how Rigby climbed up on the stage as well and handed Sternfoot a gas mask. Rigby himself was already wearing one, and it seemed to protect them from the influence of the rabbits.
It gave the two main Shadow Walkers an even more sinister appearance. The black mask, with the enormous snout and big, round glasses for their eyes made it look like both men stepped directly out of the underworld and as Justin and Amy approached, Justin shuddered.
Have no fear. I will fight for you.
There was that still, small voice again.
The Elixir.
It was working. The King of Heaven was with them. Justin could not tell where the voice had come from, but all of a sudden he felt enormous strength coursing through his body. Fresh courage enveloped him and a sensation of well-being he had never felt before almost overwhelmed him.
But it wasn't just a peaceful feeling of confidence and faith he felt. Unbridled hatred welled up from somewhere deep within as well. Yet it was not anything like the disdain he had felt for Billy Bratmeyer the day when the bully had pushed him in a mud puddle years ago and all the girls of the school had been laughing at him. And the anger he had felt for his own father the day he had gotten a belting for having lied about something trivial, it no way compared to the fury that raced through his body at this very moment. But the hatred he felt was not directed at any human being. It was like a rabid wrath directed against evil and wickedness. An unrestrained desire to wipe off wickedness from the face of the earth…
As Justin stormed forward, he understood. This was not mere human wrath. This was the fury of the King of Heaven. This was the indignant anger of the One who never got mad, except when faced with relentless, sickening rebellion and sin.
This feeling of anger was what the rightful King of the world felt. The King whose only true rule was love, hated the actions of those who willingly and knowingly sought only selfish gain, power and pride, and who showed no mercy to those who were weak and broken.
Amy felt the same way. Even without looking at her, Justin knew what she was feeling at that very moment.
They were now right by the stage, and Sternfoot, with that ridiculous gas mask, stared at them. In one enormous jump, Justin landed right next to the man on the stage and was immediately followed by Amy. They both glared at the two Shadow Walkers who seemed unsure as to what to do and stared at them through their sickening, shiny gas masks, aghast.
"We meet again, Sternfoot," Justin hissed.
"And you, Rigby," he heard Amy say.
"D-Did you send the rabbits?" Sternfoot mumbled as he took a step backward. "How did you know it's the one thing we can't stand?"
"I do not know about rabbits, Sternfoot," Justin spoke through gritted teeth, no longer addressing the horrible man in a respectful manner. "But I know about you, and you are finished."
Without realizing what or why he was doing it, he lifted up one of his fists and even though there was nothing in his hand, he moved his hand forward with great force, as if he were hurling a stone in the direction of Sternfoot. The man yelped and fell backwards. As he landed with a loud bang on the wood of the stage, his smudgy lab coat ripped in two, and the man loudly cursed.
Justin stared at the scene before him. What had just happened? Had he pushed Sternfoot over?"
Just then, Amy wanted to deliver a similar blow to Principal Rigby, but the man let out a fearful cry in Latin, dropped one of his crutches and moved back. “Don’t,” he whined as he shielded his face with his free arm. “I-I am sorry.” His cowardice startled Amy, which gave the man the opportunity to turn around, and he hobbled to the stairs of the stage, hoping to disappear in the wailing crowd of sneezing, coughing people.
“Leave him,” Justin howled when he saw Amy wanted to go after him. “It’s Sternfoot we need.”
Amy stopped and turned her attention back to the chemistry teacher. It was a good thing she did, as Sternfoot had just crawled back up and began to hurl a string of Latin curses at both Amy and Justin.
And then the most horrifying thing happened.
There, right before Justin and Amy's eyes, Sternfoot morphed into another being. No longer were they facing the chemistry teacher with his wild hair, but now they stood eye to eye with a dark monster that was so horrible, and so grotesque, that even Hollywood had not yet been able to come up with a character so wicked, vile, and evil.
Even though this creature still possessed the same weird, messy hair that had adorned the wicked face of Sternfoot, this monster looked nothing like a human being.
His eyes had turned into glowing, red coals, and small drops of blood were trickling out of their sockets. The strangest thing about the swaying, stinking body before them were these horrible tentacles that stuck out of his body. They resembled the tentacles of an octopus and somehow sprang forth out of the demon's fat belly. But the monster still had arms too. Strong, muscular arms with big leather bands on them, decorated with silver studs.
Instantly Justin knew the purpose of the tentacles. They were meant to crush its victims with the strength of a python--suffocating and paralyzing. By grabbing his victims, he would seek to paralyze people's emotions. He would crush their hopes, their faith and their convictions, so there would no longer be any movement, no vision for a better situation. There would be nothing left but a comatose state of slavery in the hands of the Evil One.
> "Oh, King of Heaven. Please deliver us from this evil creature," Justin prayed out loud. No sooner had he uttered the words, he felt a wave of strength coursing through his body, and he delivered another blow with his fist. As he swung his hand around, to his astonishment and without actually hitting the creature before him, he saw a ray of light bursting forth from his fist and crashing into the scaly body of the monster.
A loud, raw scream emanated from the creature that had been living inside of Sternfoot. The beast stumbled, but just before falling over, he found his balance, and delivered a similar blow to Justin. A ray from his powerful fist burst forth as well, but was unlike anything Justin had ever seen. That ray was not light, but black and dark, and yet it sparkled. As it hit Justin, a wave of coldness hit him. It was as if someone turned a bucket of ice water over his head, and that on a freezing day in the midst of a barren, storm- swept field. Justin gasped for air and he too stumbled backwards. As he stared into the wicked eyes of the beast before him it was as if a magnet was pulling him into a world of darkness.
"Come on, you sissy," the creature hissed, and followed it with a loud, Latin curse. Justin was too dazed to react and to his horror he saw the wicked one preparing for another one of those devastating, cold blows.
But then Amy stepped in, and began pounding the monster with her fists, delivering blow after blow on the monster. Light ray after light ray crashed into the demon who yelled, cursed and screamed, and at last fell to his knees.
Justin glanced in amazement at Amy… and gasped again. Amy, as beautiful a girl as she was, had changed too. Still, distinctly Amy, but her beauty now radiated as the morning sun, and she no longer wore her simple jeans and blouse. She now appeared to be a powerful Amazon. How in the world was that possible? All Amy emanated was strength, and raw, heavenly power.
Her face shone as if it were made of gold. Not the glittery kind, all smooth and slick, but more like it was liquid gold, alive, rippling and radiant, and it moved along with every step she took as she swung her fists and kept delivering blow after blow on the sickening body of the monster before them.
She was literally on fire. Her blows resembled a hot stream of golden lava that emanated from her fists. Every time she smashed into the demon's body there erupted radiant sparks that burned deeply into the demon skin.
"Come on, Justin," Amy sighed, without looking at him. "Help me, defeat this monster."
Her words forced Justin back to action. He gritted his teeth and began pounding on the monster again as well. The beast sighed, lowered his ugly head and slipped further down to the ground.
"We almost got him," Amy cried out, but she cried the victory too soon. The moment she spoke the words, the monster flung out one of his tentacles and bashed Amy right in her stomach. The girl rocked and reeled for a few moments and crashed to the ground herself. Instantly the evil demon's tentacle was around her and began to squeeze Amy's stomach.
"Justin," she cried. "Help me. He's got me in his grip."
Justin gritted his teeth, took a deep breath, lifted both of his fists and brought them down with all the force he could muster, while screaming out,
"To hell with you you foul beast of the Netherworld. I rebuke you in the Name of the King of Heaven."
As the flaming rays of light crashed into the demon, the creature rasped and a guttural cry welled up from deep within. Its tentacle loosened and Amy rolled out of its horrible grip.
Amy climbed back on her feet, and wanted to deliver another one of her fierce blows, but before she did, something strange happened and both she and Justin stopped in their tracks.
The monster let out a long, wolfish howl and… began to shrink. Right before Amy and Justin’s astonished eyes, the creature diminished in size, faster and faster. But, at the same time, as the creature became smaller and smaller, a violent wind began to blow. It came seemingly out of nowhere, and ripped at their clothes. Amy placed her hands on her hair as it was blowing in all directions, and stared wide-eyed at the monster. "Look, Justin… Look!"
The demon, now no more than a few inches in size, was no longer clothed in its horrendous demonic appearance, but had transformed back into the likeness of Sternfoot. But he was now a very, very small edition of the feared chemistry teacher.
He looked up from the ground at Amy and Justin, who to him must have been transformed into absolute giants, and was wildly waving his hands, while soft sounds came out of his tiny mouth.
"W-What is he saying?" Justin asked Amy.
Amy knelt down and placed her ear as close as she could to the midget who was still yelling at the top of his little voice.
"Help me… Please," Amy translated. "He says he's sorry."
But before Justin could respond another gust of wind blew over the stage. This one was so forceful and strong, that Justin was blown into Amy, and both of them tumbled across the stage.
When they looked up, Sternfoot was… gone.
For the longest time Justin did not want to move, and it appeared Amy felt the same way. The battle with Sternfoot, and the wicked spirit that had been living within the man, had absolutely taken everything out of them. They were wiped out.
It was only when Brother Perpetiël climbed up on the stage much later, that Justin felt the need to open his eyes.
"Well done, young Justin and Amy," the monk said with shining face. "We've won."
Justin looked up at the monk, sat up, and scratched his head. "H-How did it go?"
"You know how it went," Brother Perpetiël said. "You and Amy defeated Sternfoot. You broke his power, and you did it because you were willing to trust and to step out by faith, and use the power of the Elixir."
"And the people?" Amy scrambled back up too and stared over the market square. It was virtually empty.
"Healed," Brother Perpetiël said with another grand smile. "Brother Josebius and I have been quite busy, and I must say, we too are awfully tired. But it's all worth it. Today we delivered the evil ones a big blow."
A thought hit Justin. "And… my parents? Are they all right?"
Brother Perpetiël smiled. "They are fine, young Justin. I prayed over them myself." He placed his hand on Justin's shoulder. "You see, Justin, what's really tough is to actually defeat people like Sternfoot. I've done my share of that, but no more. I can still heal people, but that is a small job compared to what you two did."
"But, it was so strange," Justin mumbled. "Horrible actually. Sternfoot suddenly morphed into this disgusting creature. It was the scariest thing I have ever seen."
"That's right, young Justin," Brother Perpetiël replied. "The Elixir is spiritual. When you have been anointed with it, as both of you have, you no longer see things in their physical appearance, but you see much deeper. You are able to see the essence of things, and the real spiritual nature. What you both saw was the evil nature of the demon that really guided Sternfoot. He is a strange, ominous and venomous creature who comes out of the world of the spirits. His heart is black with sin and evil, because he proceeds from the Dark Kingdom. His deeds are dirty and evil. He hates the light, and seeks to pull others away from the light into the blackness with him. But he could not, thanks to you and Amy."
Justin was silent for a moment as he processed what Brother Perpetiël had just said. Then he looked up and asked, "How did it look from their perspective?" Justin asked. "I mean, how did these evil folks see it all?"
"Good question," Brother Perpetiël replied. "When Sternfoot invented the formula for the Desastrotrax there was a great rumbling from the pits of Hell. In the Netherworld the cavernous gates were opened and the demons were fighting for a place in the ranks so they could physically enter our world. Legions of demons were released and it was the Shadow Walkers’ goal to unleash this wicked power to touch and hurt the people of Dewsbury, and later on, the people of all the earth. They believed their time had come to set up their wicked rule over the earth."
"So it is all over?" Amy asked. "Now, we just go back to school?"
&nbs
p; Brother Perpetiël couldn't help but chuckle. "In a way… yes. At least for now, but to be perfectly honest… this is only the beginning. You may say, this has been a wakeup call. The bell has rung, and while you have been dormant and asleep, now you have been awakened. Your time, Amy and Justin, has just begun. Let this sober you up, my dear ones. The battle against evil is only finally done when the King of Heaven returns to claim this world for his own."
Justin nodded. What a story this was, and then to think that maybe next week already, he would be sitting again in Miss Minty's class, studying the love life of the mosquito. Then again… maybe things would never be the same anymore. The whole town had gotten quite a shakeup, and it would take a little while before everything would be back to normal. People would have to recover from the influence of the Shadow Walkers.
As he looked at Amy, he shook his head and then cleared his throat as if he wanted to say something, but no words came. Instead, he blushed and lowered his eyes.
"What?" Amy asked.
Justin cleared his throat and said, "Sternfoot changed. He morphed into this horrible creature… but…y-you morphed too. You looked so amazing… I-I have never seen anything so beautiful as how you looked during the fight. You were a powerful golden Amazon warrior…"
"I-I was?" Now it was Amy's turn to blush. Then she looked up and said, "You too were changed, Justin, and…," she hesitated, and continued in a whisper, "…you looked so gorgeous. Muscular, almost stocky and incredibly powerful, but still there was this gentleness about you that I have come to love so much. Everything about you radiated safety, loyalty and integrity. Oh, Justin…" she leaned her head against his chest, "I love you…, I never want to leave you."
"Well, you two love birds," Brother Perpetiël said with a grin. "It is time you come off that stage. I reckon both of you would want to see your parents."
“And Uncle Harry? Any news from him?”
Brother Perpetiël shook his head. “Not a trace, but I recon we'll see him sooner or later, now that the air is cleared in Dewsbury.”