Circles Of Fear

by Brian Cain

CHAPTER FORTY FIVE

  New Year’s Day, nineteen ninety-nine. A New Year’s Eve party for the family saw Anita’s parents, Malinda’s parents and Mary’s family still celebrating around the pool. Jason and Tammy had visited the children’s hospital in North Adelaide that morning, on invitation from the hospital staff, a never-decreasing line of engagements Jason was now used to. They were returning home at about four pm and Jason was passing the site of the old convent park at the base of the Adelaide Hills. Tammy pointed to the park.

  “Daddy, look!” Jason looked towards the park to find the convent standing in all its glory. He swerved to the side of the road and reversed to the entrance. “What’s happened to the park daddy?” asked Tammy.

  “I think you’ll find it will be back when we leave love.” Jason parked at the entrance hall and took Tammy by the hand as he walked to the door. The door opened by itself. They walked down the long corridor, passing doors at even intervals either side of them. The corridor opened into a spacious room, a solitary nun sat at a table at one end of the room, she took off her glasses and put down her quill pen as the pair approached her.

  “Please forgive our intrusion,” said Jason. “Is it possible to see sisters Parker and Staples?”

  The nun was young; she looked about twenty-five. “I’m sorry that’s not possible, they passed away some time ago. I am Sister Bickford, may I be of any assistance?”

  “What year is it?” asked Jason.

  Sister Bickford smiled and clasped her fingers in front of her on the table. “I think you will set the time, what year is it outside?”

  “New Year’s Day, nineteen ninety-nine,” replied Jason.

  Sister Bickford pointed to benches along the sides of the table, “Please sit down.” Jason and Tammy scrambled onto the bench; Tammy sat on her father’s knee as the bench was too low for her to see over the table. “You and your daughter are the saviours written of in Sister Parker’s visions. I studied them after her death, we all did. Some pages we could never open, the information you seek is within them. You must find the book, the pages will be revealed to you, it will tell you your task.”

  “Why can I not see Sister Parker myself, I want to tell her I will succeed; she helped me once,” said Jason.

  “You are the one who summons us. When we appear we are visible to the dark side, our spirits are taken by evil. I will join Sister Parker and Staples when you go, only you can save us and all who are possessed by evil. You are the mighty symbol of good, delivered to us by all that is good. Even the supreme demon must tread carefully near you. Do you know where the book is?”

  “Yes I have it.”

  “Then go to it immediately, the book will reveal all.”

  “Is there anything I can do for you?”

  “No. You must leave now or all will be lost, the dark side approaches; it must not find you here.”

  Jason held her hand, “I will do as you have asked.”

  “If you return again, the dark side may be here, waiting. Good luck, the forces of good have chosen well.”

  Tammy slid to the floor and tugged at her father’s arm. “Come on daddy, we have to leave, the time isn’t right.”

  Jason took Tammy by the hand and they made their way to the entrance hall, the door closed behind them. A howling wind whipped up leaves in the garden. There were piercing screams from the building; dark clouds rushed overhead hanging low in the sky. Jason and Tammy turned to face the building, to find all was calm, the convent had gone. People were scattered around the park having get-togethers and barbecues; two young girls said hello as they whisked by on their roller blades. They were standing by the kerb next to their car. Tammy spoke to her father but didn’t move her lips.

  “The book, daddy.”

  “Yes, it’s at home in the safe. Come on let’s go.”

  The home gathering was lounging round the pool as they came in the front door; they paid little attention to Jason and Tammy as they opened the robust wall safe in the study. Jason carefully removed the old hand-bound book; it had the same mass and appearance as a well used encyclopaedia. Jason had left a bookmark at the spot shown to him by sister Staples, he opened it there. The pages beyond previously stuck together opened freely, Jason and Tammy studied them anxiously. “Latin,” said Jason. “I can’t understand it. There’s an antique bookshop in the city, the old man who owns it lives above on the premises. Let’s see if he can help us.” They slipped quietly away in the Rolls.

  Jason knocked hard on the door at the top of the open stairs leading to the flat above the shop. The old man was astonished to find the Prime Minister at his door. Once inside the old man studied the book for them.

  “Judging by the binding and Latin calligraphy, I’d say this was mid to late eighteenth century. The monks and nuns of the time produced books of this nature; I say it would be worth several hundred thousand dollars.”

  Jason raised his eyebrows, Tammy screwed up her face. “The value for us is in its meaning,” said Jason. “What does it say?”

  “I have no idea, I can’t read Latin,” said the old man as he scribbled on a piece of paper. “Take it to this man; he is the Dean at the Adelaide University chapel. He knows more of religious history than any man in the country; he reads and speaks many languages. I see a lot of him when he lectures at the Uni. I get him books from all over the world. He lives as a recluse in the chapel cottage, some say he’s mad. I think he’s a very clever man; he reads and writes fluent Latin. He has asked of a book for a long time; I think this is it.”

  Jason remembered the old chapel and cottage from when he studied there himself; he could not recollect anyone living there. He brought the Rolls to a silent stop outside the cottage door; it looked a picture amongst its well kept gardens and lawns, sleeping quietly in the shadow of the chapel. Jason knocked, a few moments passed before a bent figure shading his eyes from the light opened the solid wooden door. The man looked about fifty; he had black rings around his eyes from little sleep. He lowered his hand revealing his pale complexion when he saw the book. He looked at Jason’s face. “My God, you’re the Prime Minister, the book sir, where did you get it?”

  “I was guided to it after a vision within a vision some time ago. A further vision yesterday told me to consult the book; I need your help.”

  The man opened the door. “Bring the child, please come in.” The cottage was very dark. The man opened the curtains of the only window in the musty living area, set back in the stone wall. Light beamed in, the surroundings were meticulously clean, and books lined all walls in robust wooden cases. The man offered his hand. “Victor Drummond is my name; I know much of you and your daughter.” They shook hands; a smile of joy creased the face of Drummond as he felt the magic of Jason’s touch. “Could it be I wonder? The book, please.” Jason handed Drummond the book, he settled with it in the light of the window, opening at the page with the bookmark. He read several pages of the Latin manuscript, removed his glasses, and looked at his two visitors. “Do you know who you people really are?” asked Drummond.

  “We are chosen for a task by all that is good, this much we know.”

  “Yes, this book is from the Saint Marie’s Convent at the base of the hills, the site is well known for obvious reasons thanks to you. In eighteen ninety-nine, convents and monasteries all round the world were burnt on the same day. Heretics driven by the forces of evil on the dark side, tied the establishment’s occupants to parts of the buildings, then burnt the places to the ground. Much was being written then of saviours coming before the second millennium, the writings were to guide the saviours to victory in the battle of Armageddon. The forces of evil wanted all the writings destroyed, so the chosen ones would be without guidance. I have found much evidence of a surviving book, psychics have written of it for many years. My studies found it to be in the continent of Australia, the only place that fits all the facts is St Marie’s. Evidence shows that sister Parker of that convent was a psychic of deep power.”

  “S
ister Parker appeared in my first vision,” said Jason.

  “Then what we have here is the very book. This book holds the key to the downfall of evil at the turn of the millennium. This book says the battle for Armageddon will start on the first day of ninety-nine and finish on the last day of two thousand and one, minutes before the new millennium.”

  “I am to fight who and when?” asked Jason. Drummond read on for several pages, until the pages would open no more.

  “The book reveals plenty. The supreme demon has lived many lives, taking the soul of whomever he pleases in his next life. As he has failed before, evil is giving him his last chance. If he fails this time, he will perish and evil will take many generations to recover. This time the tactics he has chosen are frightening, there are six of them in all, one being the supreme demon. They all hold high military office with superpowers across the world, they plan to destroy civilisation as it is known on; Christmas day two thousand and one. The most sacred day to those that are good this is to mock their martyr, whose birth is celebrated on this day.”

  “I have no connection with religion, why me?” asked Jason.

  “One does not have to be religious to carry the sword of cross; religion is now one of its own enemies. Millions of good people have died in wars between different faiths; you are chosen by all to stop this. Look what you are achieving in this country; you will carry that throughout the world, but the Six-Sided Circle will do all it can to stop you.”

  “The Six-Sided Circle, what does that mean?” asked Jason.

  “Somewhere on the face of this planet, is a round table with six sides. At this place the supreme demon meets with his five chosen anti-Christs; you must find this place, or kill one of the five. This will break the master plan; the supreme demon would be forced to confront you. If you find the table, your presence will overpower them. Kill one before finding the table; the master plan will be useless. Whatever way it happens, you will have to confront the supreme demon.”

  “How do I kill them?” asked Jason.

  “The five are possessed souls; your presence will stir the good within them. Unfortunately the battle within them will take their lives; they will die before your eyes. The supreme demon however is far more dangerous, you may not survive a confrontation with him alone; you will need your daughter. He has no good within him at all; he is where all evil derives. He can summon the forces of evil to back him, as you can summon the forces of good to crush his intent. The writings tell us together you can defeat him.”

  “Are there any clues as to who these five may be?” said Jason.

  “They have the birth date of evil daddy,” said Tammy. “The old man told me.”

  “Your daughter is correct, it is in the only clues we are given, the five were all born at one past midnight, on the sixth of the sixth sixty-six. One six meaning the Six-Sided Circle, the other three sixes being the sign of evil. There are other clues, the writings tell they may not all be male and the supreme demon may resist being sensed for a few minutes if you are alone. He will only cringe in fear on sight if you are together, this is his ultimate weapon. While you are oblivious to his presence, he will summon the full power of evil, and you would be in great danger. The soul he has taken is unknown, other than he is in high military office.”

  “I have no idea where to start,” said Jason.

  “Use your instinct Jason, it has served you well to now and can only improve,” said Drummond.

  “Is that all we are told?” asked Jason.

  “It says the weapon of Armageddon must be used wisely and is not infallible. I feel you know what that means, no more pages will open; I can go no further.” Drummond handed the book back to Jason.

  “The pages will open when we are in need of them,” said Jason. “Thank you for your time, I may return later.”

  “The book told me one more thing Jason,” said Drummond. “I will be dead by tomorrow morning. They will do all they can to find your identity. I sold my soul to evil many years ago; the dark side will sense you have touched me. I won’t tell them who you are; your touch has sealed my soul, thank you. I will wait in darkness with all the captured souls, till you drive them from the face of the earth and free us.” Jason went to touch

  Drummond. “No, you must not touch me, you have a powerful aura that protects you, evil is with us now. Touch me and it may find you. Go and may my soul go with you. I am not afraid, I have beaten the dark side, and they can only hold me down. The destiny of mankind goes with you.”

  Jason closed the door on Drummond’s smiling face; the black rings around his eyes had gone. Maybe some day, they would meet again.