by R L Delaney
As proof that we mean business we included a little gift for you.
Once you have the key, you are to hang a red towel out of your window. We will contact you with further instructions.
The letter was not signed.
Of course it was not signed. What did he expect? With love, the Shadow Walkers?
Justin felt the floor under his feet move for a moment, almost as if he were on a sloop in the middle of some stormy ocean, but he forced the feeling away and sat down on the stairs. Mother came out of the kitchen again, carrying a tray of cookies and stared at him with curious eyes.
"Poor boy," she said, trying to be helpful. "It's that bad, huh? But don't worry, Justin… there are many more girls around. Your father got jilted many a time too, before he met me."
"Yes, mother," Justin mumbled without looking up and began to drag his body back up the stairs. He needed to talk to Amy, right away.
Justin had never been east of the Westervale Mountains before, and as he looked out the window of the Ford F150 as they sped along the dusty road leading further and further away from Dewsbury, he realized why Father Galvéz had said it was a dreadful place. He had not missed a thing by not coming here.
The road before them was filled with potholes, and the land was barren and dry, and sprinkled with thistles and jagged rocks. It appeared there was a continuous stream of foul dust that washed over the land which forced them to keep the windows tightly shut and made the atmosphere in the stuffy cabin stifling.
This, no doubt, was the domain of ugly snakes and scorpions, and Justin caught himself secretly praying Father Galvéz had put enough gas in the car. Getting stuck here would be nothing short of a nightmare.
He forced his body in a slightly more comfortable position and without turning his head, he mumbled to Amy, "I sure wouldn't want to live here."
"What did you say?" Amy, who was sitting right next to him on the front seat of Father Galvéz' faithful old clunker, had a hard time hearing his voice. Ever since they had left Dewsbury early that morning, Father Galvéz had kept his foot firmly pressed on the gas pedal, and the sound of the motor drowned out all other sounds.
"What did you say?" Amy asked while leaning over to Justin.
"I said…, I wouldn't want to live here." Justin raised his voice as he turned and gave her a faint smile.
"I suppose that's why Cypher Flux decided to live here," Amy replied. "Here, he was away from prying eyes. And then to think he even claimed to be a religious friar…" The disgust Amy felt for the man was clear from the tone of her voice.
They were on their way to Bitter Grog Chapel, the place where Cipher Flux had conducted most of his wicked works, which was, unbeknownst to Justin and Amy, the meeting place for the Shadow Walkers.
They had asked Father Galvéz the night before if he would be willing to give them a ride to the dreaded place.
At first the priest had raised his brows, but when Amy insisted they really needed to go there, even though they couldn't tell him why, he had agreed. He had been willing to rearrange his whole schedule so he could drive his two friends to this godforsaken part of the world.
It had been Amy's idea to involve the old priest.
As soon as Justin had received the anonymous letter the night before, he had run off to Amy’s. After hearing the details and thinking it over, she had suggested talking to Father Galvéz.
"How can we do that?" Justin felt nauseous, and close to a panic as he stared with big, round eyes at Amy. "The letter said they would instantly sacrifice Uncle Harry if we talk to others. Oh, Amy… what are we going to do? This time we are going to be defeated."
"I don't believe it for even a minute," Amy scoffed. "But, the one thing we cannot do is to lose heart. We still have the Elixir, and the King of Heaven is on our side."
"Having the Elixir almost seems more like a curse right now," Justin moaned with drooping shoulders. "Because of the Elixir, these evildoers seem to think we can find that horrible key. But that's impossible. How would I know where that key is?" He threw his arms up in the air and cried out in a tearful voice, "Impossible… I tell you it's impossible."
"Stop it, Justin," Amy gritted her teeth. "Don't give in to your doubts like that. There must be a solution. We walk by faith and not by sight."
Justin was clearly beside himself and did not hear what Amy said. "Uncle Harry is going to die, and it's our fault. Oh, Amy… it's all over."
"It's not, Justin…," Amy narrowed her eyes and shook her right index finger in Justin's face. "Don't give in to your fears," she scolded. "We are serving the King of Heaven. It's His power that we need. Of course we don't know what to do. With man it is impossible, but with God, all things are possible."
Justin leaned back, surprised that Amy did not agree with him. He heaved a deep sigh and moaned, "Where then is His strength? I don't see it."
"It's called faith, Justin." Amy tilted her head. "Don't tell me you believe these wicked Shadow Walkers are smarter than the armies of Heaven. This is a setback, that's all it is… or rather, it's a test of our faith." She stopped for a second and wrinkled her nose, "I mean no offense, but if we whimper like little children every time we have trouble, we won't be accomplishing very much, will we?"
Her words were sharp and they stung, but they did seem to work. Justin felt a waft of shame brush through his chest, and he looked down at his shoes while fumbling with his fingers. At last, he looked up. "You are totally right, Amy. I gave in to my fears. I am so sorry."
"It's all right," Amy answered. "It's understandable. I can get in a worried state quite easily myself. But not now. This letter just makes me angry… no, it has made me furious."
Justin looked up at Amy. She was sweet and gentle, but that didn't mean she was a pushover. She had such inner strength. If only he had such faith.
These Shadow Walkers were shooting themselves in the foot, for now they had infuriated Amy. Justin chuckled.
"What?" Amy arched her brows.
"Nothing," Justin replied. "It's just so good to see you riled up like this." He hesitated and then asked, "So… what do we do now?"
"We pray," Amy answered. "That's what the monks do. Father Perpetiël believes it's the very thing that keeps him alive. Let's set the Elixir to work. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God." *
And thus it happened that both Justin and Amy knelt down, and asked the King of Heaven for relief, comfort and guidance.
Justin had never done much praying himself, but as he closed his eyes and heard Amy's confident voice as she poured out her heart before God, great peace washed over him, a peace he could not easily describe in mere words. And even though he heard no voice while he was praying, and he saw no vision, and no fire appeared out of heaven, somehow his ruffled nerves calmed down and a deep rest settled on his heart. His outlook changed. No longer did he see that foul letter as a problem, but now it had become a challenge, an exciting opportunity through which the King of Heaven would again be able to show His great power. Somehow everything would be made clear.
"I think we need to talk to Father Galvéz," Amy's voice was clear and calm.
Justin opened his eyes and looked up at Amy. "But the letter said if we talk to other people they would instantly kill Uncle Harry."
"We won't tell him what's going on," Amy replied, "but I believe we need to go to that chapel, that place where Cipher Flux died and where he carved the words about Hannibal on the wall."
"Why?" Justin queried.
Amy shook her head. "I don't know, Justin. It's what I feel after prayer." She looked up at Justin. "You have a better idea?"
"No, I don't." It was all Justin could say.
"All right," Amy said. "Then, let's talk to Father Galvéz, and see if he can drive us there."
*2 Corinthians 10:4
Justin had just dozed off when Father Galvéz stepped on the brake and the car came to an abrupt stop. He had been entertained by a pleasant dream in which he and Amy sat on a
terrace in some sort of tropical holiday resort, sipping cold drinks. The contrast by waking up in the smelly, hot cabin and his sweaty back sticking to the seat of the old Ford, couldn't have been bigger. "W-Why did we stop?" he mumbled as he wiped the perspiration off his forehead with a brush of his hand.
Can't go any further," Father Galvéz said. "We have to take a left here, but the sand is too loose. We'll have to walk the last mile or so."
As Justin opened the door a wave of hot air mixed with dust and sand brushed over him. He had to cough as a gust of wind forced sand into his lungs, and he pulled out his handkerchief so he could place it over his mouth. What a dreadful place this was. Wherever he looked, he saw nothing but rolling hills of sand and earth that were covered by prickly bushes, rocks and dry, desert grass that could cut deeply into your skin if you weren't careful. The road before them was still visible, but Father Galvéz had said they were to take a left here.
As Justin turned, he saw what appeared to be a road, although it could have just as well have been a dried out riverbed, or maybe even a strange gully, formed by storms and wind. A dark boulder, the size of an inflated beach ball, served as a road sign. A faded arrow, barely visible, pointed left and under it were painted the letters Ch-p-l.
Justin figured it was meant to spell 'Chapel,' but clearly the paint had been washed away over the years.
Father Galvéz held a handkerchief over his mouth as well and pointed towards the road. "This is it, Justin and Amy. Why anyone would want to come here is beyond me, but I'll go with you. It's not far."
"We should move the truck, Father," Amy said.
Both Justin and Amy stared at Amy, surprise on their faces.
"Move where?" Justin asked.
Amy shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe over there, behind that hill…?" She pointed to a hill a bit out of sight. It would not be difficult to get to.
"Why?"
"Just so we are out of sight."
Justin couldn't help but scowl. "We are in the middle of nowhere here, Amy. There's nobody here."
Amy blushed. "I know, Justin… It's just… well, I have an uneasy feeling about leaving the truck here. I can't explain it, but I think we should move it behind that hill."
"No problem," Father Galvéz spoke, as he nodded at Justin. "Let's just do it, and we will all be happy."
"Fine," Justin growled.
Father Galvéz moved the truck out of sight and minutes later they stepped onto the road that was to lead to the ruins of the Bitter Grog chapel.
To Justin's relief it did not take long indeed. First the road led upwards over a hill, but once they were at the top, they could see the remains of Cipher Flux' chapel.
A dreary sight it was. The broken remains of the chapel stood like a bleached out, weatherworn skeleton in the middle of nowhere, and although it was a sunny day, there was nothing that sparkled with beauty or luster.
But one thing stood out.
There, amidst the rubble and the debris, stood the stable, presumably, the stable in which Cipher Flux had lived the last days of his life.
Justin frowned as he stared at it and turned to Amy. "You see that, Amy?"
Amy stopped and looked. "What do you mean?"
"That stable…," Justin began. "… It's not broken down. It's in perfect condition."
Amy strained her eyes, and as she realized the truth of Justin's words, she shuddered. "You are right," she whispered. "Somebody's been doing some upkeep on the place."
As they approached the stable, stepping over stones and parts of the old chapel that were strewn all around, Justin's heart began to beat more rapidly. Clearly, somebody had been here not too long ago. The wood had been covered with a strong smelling wood-coating, to give it more protection against the wind and the sand. Justin let his fingers slide over the blackened planks and shook his head. "Who would come here and go through all the trouble to keep this stable in good condition?"
"I don't know…," Father Galvéz who had followed a ways behind them stammered almost out of breath, "… but right now, I don't care." The walk had been hard on the old priest, but to his relief he saw a bench that was placed against the side of the stable and he planted his aging body on it. "Do whatever it is you two have to do. I am not taking another step until we go back," he sighed. "In fact, if you don't mind, I am going to rest my weary body, and maybe I will even fall asleep and take a little nap."
Amy chuckled. "Go ahead, Father. You've done enough."
Amy and Justin walked around the stable and found the main entrance. It was locked. A heavy, well-oiled padlock hung on a shiny chain and it would take considerable force to break it. What was more, the lock was new and not something that would have been used in the days of Cipher Flux. Somebody was using the place.
"What do we do now?" Justin asked. "What are we looking for?"
Amy pressed her lips together and looked around. "There is a tiny window," she said as she pointed to a small window near the roof of the stable. "Maybe we can climb up somehow and see if we can peer inside."
Justin scratched his head as he looked up. "That's high, Amy… It's at least 10 feet."
Amy nodded. "I am pretty light. What if I stand on your shoulders? That would just about do it."
Justin nodded. "It's worth a try." He preferred holding Amy in his arms, rather than having her stand on his shoulders, but this was not the time to complain. He sighed and knelt down near the wall of the stable, so Amy could climb on.
When Amy finally rested her full weight on his shoulders, he moaned and sighed, "You are heavier than you think, Amy. Time to think about your diet."
Amy growled. "That's not the thing to say to a girl, Justin. Come on, lift me up."
Justin pushed himself up with all his might and slowly Amy moved closer to the little window. Finally, when Justin was standing up straight, Amy had a perfect view. While leaning for support on the wall of the stable she placed her hands around her eyes so she could see better and peered inside.
"W-What do see?" Justin groaned. "Don't take too long."
"I can't see yet," Amy replied. "But, thankfully, there's a tiny window on the roof too, so there's a bit of light… "She pressed her nose against the glass and tried to focus as much as was possible. "I see…," she hissed, "… I see…"
"What?"
"Candles," Amy called back. "There's an enormous candle there, and around it, in a circle are the stumps of small candles. It's really weird."
"Anything else," Justin sighed. "I can't hold you much longer."
"All right then," Amy called back. "Lower me to the ground."
Chapter Seven
Father Galvéz found himself leaning against a beautiful stately tree. The branches above him were laden with luscious fruits that hung in ripe clusters in between the beautiful, finely shaped leaves. Where was he?
As he tried to figure out where exactly he was sitting, he noticed a soft, warm breeze brushing his cheeks. Not too warm, not too cold… just right.
Actually, come to think of it, everything here was just right. The sounds, the smell, the temperature… Everything was so peaceful, so relaxed, so full of joy… and yet, nothing was overdone. Nothing was too much. He wasn't too peaceful or too relaxed either. Somehow, he felt just right.
As he stared again at the fruit just hanging above his head, he licked his lips. What would it be like to pick one of those rich fruits and plant the few teeth he still had left into it? He imagined how the juice would enter his mouth and dribble down along his cheeks.
Would he dare to pick one of those gorgeous fruits?
And his arthritis… it didn't hurt so much. Actually, it didn't hurt at all. He moved his hands around, twisted them, and tried to make those movements that had lately caused him so much pain.
But not now. Nothing was hurting. Whatever he did, even though he could still feel a certain stiffness, it just didn't hurt.
And there was music too.
Not too loud.
Just right.
/> Somewhere far in the distance he could hear the soothing sound of what appeared to be a piano. The notes cascaded down as if drops of crystal water were falling down from a mountain top and landed in a soft flowing brook, leading through a green pasture.
How he loved the piano. Long ago he had already determined that learning how to play the piano would be among the first things he would hope to do, once he arrived in heaven.
He had often dreamed about making a heavenly appointment with Mozart or another great pianist, and ask these great musicians to teach him the ropes. After all, in heaven that should be possible. What was more heavenly than that wonderful calming sound of the piano, where every well-played note would reach deep into your soul?
Father Galvéz smiled as behind him, he heard the laughter of children.
There were children here too?
He turned around to see where these children were playing. He didn't see them, but what he did see took his breath away. As far as the eye could see, he beheld luscious, flower-strewn fields and soft rolling hills that stretched out before him.
What a beautiful place this was.
"Hello, Father."
A warm, gentle voice called out to him from behind.
"W-What… Where are you?" He turned his head, but at first he didn't see anything. But then all of a sudden, right before his eyes, materialized the most beautiful being he had ever seen.
The being was not illuminated by the light of the sun, but somehow seemed to be emitting it himself. He had wavy hair that reached to his shoulders and he was dressed in a white garment with a bright red sash. But what really impressed Father Galvéz were his eyes.
They were so deep, so warm and so loving that Father Galvéz knew nothing was hidden from the eyes of this being. Father Galvéz jumped up, but realizing this was somehow the wrong response, he fell back down on his knees again, and without daring to look up he stammered, "Be merciful unto me… I am a sinful man."
Then he felt a hand on his shoulder and the same voice spoke again. "Do not fall down before me, Father and do not fear. I am the angel Quabriel, and I have been sent to you to give you a message."