by David Kempf
“Since you believe in nothing, I guess I can see you having an attitude like that. It comes easy for you…. probably like your virtue did.
“You know I think we’ve always known you were bat shit crazy,” said Logan.
Book looked both humiliated and angry.
“You have no sensitivity at all, Book,” said Natalie Leeds.
“I must say that I have always suspected you two were not Christians. I just knew it; I guess I always have,” said Book.
“I’m sure you do,” Logan said, “Think such things.”
“You went to a public school, Natalie and you, Ms. Logan, I suppose you went to a Catholic school.”
Both women nodded.
“Where did you go?” Leeds asked.
“I went to a public school before I was saved.”
“Well, good for you,” Logan said with scorn.
Book looked all around the church, things were quiet, the windows displayed nothing but pure darkness. Now that they had quieted down, they again heard the sound of howling wind.
Logan looked all around and signed with relief. “I think they’re gone…”
Out of nowhere one of the creatures jumped on top of Logan’s head. Before the others could blink, they felt their arms bent back by the two other two monsters.
“Oh God,” Logan said.
“Little thinker, you’re so smart.”
The thing whispered in her ear, tormenting her.
“Please, don’t,” she pleaded.
“Go away,” said Leeds.
“I’ll kill these demons,” Book said.
The other two creatures snarled in as they almost broke the captive arms. Book and Leeds were helpless to watch what was now coming next.
“Stop!” Logan screamed.
Leeds closed her eyes so she would not see.
Devon Logan felt her tiny tormentor push her head to the floor. It pulled her head backwards and then slammed it down with inhuman strength. Blood spilled instantly like a nightmarish waterfall. Then while Book and Leeds screamed with her eyes shut, the creatures giggled.
Natalie Lees watched in horror as the little creature pulled out Logan’s entire brain, held it in his claw-like hands and put a rotting fish in its place. Then in a flash, all three fiends flew up to the darkness of the church ceiling like flying monkeys in a fairy tale.
“We’ve got to get the hell out here,” Book said, exhausted from breathing heavy.
“No,” Leeds said.
“Do they…. have wings, James?”
“No, I think they just jump high or claw their way up fast. For God’s sake, Natalie, we have to get out of here.”
“No, I’m sorry, I can’t…”
“You can’t what?” he said.
“I can’t move…”
“Yes… you can.”
“No, no, no…”
“Natalie, yes. You can.”
Leeds saw the expression on his face and it was one of great confidence.
“Okay, I’ll try James.”
Book grabbed her arm and they walked briskly toward the front of the church. They looked at the front door, which like every year at this time was barricaded from the inside to prevent the monsters from entering.
“Oh God, James, we’ll never get out now.”
“Yes, we will.”
Book walked away from the front door and pulled the woman with him by her hand. They went inside the men’s bathroom. Book turned on the light and stepped up briefly on the sink to give himself a boost. He removed one of the squares from the ceiling tile. He pulled out a shotgun from its hiding place.
He jumped down from the sink. “Let’s go.”
“God help us,” she said but she followed him to the church’s front door.
“Stand back,” Book said.
He blasted door and all of the heavy boards nailed to the door to keep them inside were blown to pieces.
“We’re free now,” he said.
“Thank God.”
“Maybe. Let’s get out of here!”
There were three cars in the otherwise empty parking lot. Book took out his car keys and opened up the door to his jeep. He was gentleman enough to help Natalie Leeds into the passenger side of the vehicle.
Book pulled out the parking lot and they raced down the long country road that was in front of the church.
“Put your seatbelt on, Natalie, in case we get into an accident.”
Directly in front of him, the jeep at the end of the road, a large green square, full of radiant light appeared. It looked like a door or a portal. But to where?
“My God,” Book said.
“Turn!” she screamed at him.
Book spun the car around and drove as fast he could make the car go in the opposite direction.
“Why aren’t they’re any other cars on the road?” he said.
“I don’t know, James but I sure don’t see any.”
Book rolled down his driver side window to see if he could get a clue as to what was going on.
“We should go to the police, the police will help us,” Leeds said.
“Yes. Good idea.”
“Natalie, call them on this,” he said, handing her his cellphone, “Let them know we’re on our way now.”
“Sure.” She punched numbers into the phone.
“Proudville Police,” said a voice.
“Hello, we need help…”
“This is Officer Pauper, how can I help you ma’am?”
“You…”
Before she could say another word, the two of them looked in front of them and could not believe their eyes. They were right back where they started on that first country road. It was a journey that somehow went all the way back to the beginning.
“This isn’t happening,” Book said.
“Turn the hell around!”
The green door was back but this time it was much taller and wider. It about the size of a five story building.
“No, you won’t get us,” Book said.
Leeds was paralyzed with fear.
“I can’t control this car anymore,” Book said.
The two people both closed their eyes because they expected something beyond terror and pain to occur. Instead, they both heard a voice in their heads at the same time.
“It is almost time.”
The two survivors passed out. When they woke up, they were back at the church as if their escape attempt never happened. Leeds stared long and hard at the ceiling. The things were there. She saw their eyes, slightly faded but still glowing an unnatural red color. There were two orbs. Two creatures left to torment them.
She foolishly made another run for it. The front doors were not forced shut, not even locked anymore. Leeds made a dash out the door and slammed it behind her in hopes for a final escape for this perpetual nightmare.
“Natalie!”
She was right back behind Book once again. Leeds repeated this until she finally bumped into Book. She grabbed hold of him and began weeping uncontrollably.
“I never thought I would be seeking comfort from you, James.”
Book laughed joylessly.
“All jokes aside, we need each other now, Natalie. We have to figure out what this ghastly test is all about. As for me, it makes no sense that I can think of. I feel like it’s Judgment Day but there are no red horned devils… I…” Book suddenly smelled that rotten fish smell and saw the hideous abomination on the church floor.
“Oh my God,” Leeds whispered.
The creature was dead. It was almost surely one of the three monsters that persecuting them on this unholy night of nights. The thing on the floor was nothing more than a skeleton, maybe three feet long with a little hair left stuck on its bones. It was something like a dog or monkey’s hair, enough to notice but not enough to distract that that its body was mostly a skeleton.
“There’s a chain around its neck,” said Leeds. “I’m going to take that damned thing off.”
The chain had
a small vertical block of wood with a rotting fish attached to it. Natalie Leeds threw it into the trash in the adjacent bathroom.
“Why does it have a dead fish necklace or board or whatever around its neck?” Leeds asked.
“I don’t know,” Book said. Nothing makes sense… there are no rules here…”
“No,” she said.
He looked down at the filth laying at his feet. This had to mean something. Was it some kind of punishment by foul smell? Could it be some sort of test of bravery? Were he and Natalie truly facing their darkest fears? He simply could not decide.
“I just thought of something,” she said.
“Well, you always discuss the first thing that pops in your head in school so why should this be any different?”
“We don’t need snarky observations right now James.”
“I’m so sorry I said that. I’m just becoming so afraid.”
She smiled at him.
“Okay, what were you going to say?”
“James, the fish is a Christian symbol.”
“I don’t think these things are Christians, Natalie.”
“No, remember your point? That this could be some kind of test of our faith or character.”
“My God, you’re right.”
“We have got to get out of here, James.”
“You know; we’re faced with a choice here. To stand up and be counted or to commit the terrible sin of despair. I don’t know about you but my Lord deserves better than despair for dying for me.”
Leeds rolled her eyes. Then she felt guilty for doing it.
Book scowled. “Oh, I’m sorry but does my personal relationship with God offend you?”
“What offends me, James, is your self-righteousness.”
“Yeah, yeah… I have standards that’s why I never give out grades students don’t deserve. No wonder we’re being punished…”
“You flunked students who you knew were smarter than you because you were threatened by them.”
Book’s anger was written all over his face.
She continued without mercy for his feelings. “You also knew that people like me had goals they wanted to achieve, James. All you have is your religion and the way you love to try and control what other people think.”
“So you could write your stupid secular poetry books, Natalie?”
She grimaced. “You’re being punished, too, James. I don’t know why or if it’s from God but you’re in the same hellish boat as me and the other poor devils.”
“I’ve been humble and meek along enough. I need to be a man of action now.”
Natalie Leeds shook her head in confusion.
“This is a trial,” he insisted.
She sighed. “Sorry that I have a life, James,” she said ignoring the obvious fact the two of them were captives, “What about my hopes and dreams?”
“They mean nothing. This is a trial for those who have ever doubted His word or even his existence.”
“We need to finish solving this puzzle, James. There must be something they want, a solution to this…”
“Yes, a trial by fire.” Book walked back into the bathroom. He stepped on the toilet and withdrew some more goodies hidden on top of the ceiling tile panels, a small tank of gas and a pack of matches. He walked back to Leeds who was terrified by what she saw.
“James, don’t…”
Book poured gasoline all over the pews and lit match after match, watching the entire front row catch fire.
Leeds screamed.
Book went to her, trying to embrace her, to comfort her. She wasn’t having it. Leeds was looking all around, attempting to find an escape. Book pulled her, almost by force, closer to him.
“It’s okay, Natalie,” he murmured. It’s almost over now.”
Leeds tried to pull away from him but wouldn’t release her.
“I don’t want to die, James,” she whispered.
“Soon you’ll be with Him, don’t worry.”
“No…”
“The Lord isn’t just holding our feet to the fire, he’s giving us the ultimate test and we’re going to pass.”
“James…”
“This fire will burn our bodies but more importantly it will burn away all of our doubts. Close your eyes, Natalie.”
She did as he asked. She felt the flames slowly crawling up her back. Oddly, there was no pain yet but she knew the fire was there just the same.
“The fire is all gone,” Book said after a moment.
She opened he eyes. As he said, the fire had vanished. There was no trace of it anywhere in the church.
“This is too good to be true,” she said.
“No. We had to swallow a bitter pill and we did. Not all knowledge is good you know. We don’t need to know why he did this. Death be not proud. Do you believe in Him, Natalie?”
“I believe in a creative intelligence, yes.”
Book felt the sudden urge to slap this uppity Episcopalian in the face for her sassy intellectualism. Before he could, he felt tiny strong claws behind his back… keeping his arms from moving. Now Natalie had one of those creatures on her head, it’s skeletal body with ape like fur all over it was surreal and insane. Gremlins or goblins? He did not know which. It pulled on her lovely black hair and she screamed.
“Get this fucking thing off of me!”
“I’m sorry, Natalie, I can’t move.”
The thing pushed her to the cold floor with its grotesque strength. She could smell its foul breath on her face.
“Good heart, no faith.”
The monster reached into her chest with its razor sharp claws and tore her heart. It showed it, still beating to Book. Then the thing opened its mouth and ate it. It let out a screeching laugh and Book passed out.
Moments later, he opened up his eyes, feeling pure despair and horror. He was extremely relieved to notice that the monster holding his arms disappeared. as far as he could see. Then the monster that killed Natalie popped up in front of his and stared into his eyes.
“What do you want?”
It made a chirping noise. It’s head was a tiny skull with glowing red eyes and razor sharp teeth in its hideous mouth that was now forming something like a smile.
“What the hell do you want?”
The thing said nothing.
“Do you want to tear me limb from limb?”
The thing nodded and then collapsed, lifelessly on the floor, less than a foot from where Book was sitting up.
“What the hell?”
Book stared at the monster. It truly seemed dead but he wanted to make sure. He walked over to the podium where the preacher had spoken a thousand sermons. The offering plates were behind it. This was the sacrificial time of year when he and his colleagues were apparently, meant as offerings to false and evil gods. Book took a plate and placed it under the creature. Book flipped the little creature several feet in the air.
The thing was dead.
“Thank God,” Book said aloud.
His troubles were far from over though. Somehow, he knew he was being watched. There had been three of those damned things. One for each of the teachers. They seemed to vanish or die or something after they claimed their unique personal victim.
“What am I supposed to do now?” Book whispered to himself.
The remaining creature snuck up behind him and before he could utter a sound, it pushed him down on the floor. It covered his eyes with its terrible little claws.
“Ahh… blind faith at last.”
Book screamed as he felt the slimy, razor-sharp fingernails push into his eyes. In one agonizing second, he knew he was blind. He felt terror and anger simultaneously.
Why did God do this to him?
What possible reason could the Divine Dictator have to punish his servant in such a manner?
“Do not weep,” it said and released its mutilating claws from his body.
Then the creature began stroking Book’s hair.
Book felt the blinding wounds in
his eyes. They were covered with tears and blood.
“Come…”
The little monster grabbed him by the hand and pulled him through a door similar to the one on the road. When they stepped through it, they were in another dimension, one that belonged to three visitors.
“Please,” said Book, weeping once again, “kill me now.”
The creature knew that in a moment, Book would realize that he was no longer in his world. This was a new world altogether. It waited until it saw Book’s jaw dropping. Then it took his hand and forced him to feel a familiar object. Book knew what it was but it wasn’t something he participated in very often. His fingers felt the circle and the smooth, almost carpet interior.
“An offering plate,” Book said.
The thing had him touch what felt like two warm stones.
“New eyes.”
Book felt the strong claws of the creature pushing the objects into his empty eye sockets.
And then a dark miracle occurred.
He opened his new eyes.
He could see again! He was grateful for that, even though he and his little friend or fiend were in a desert. It was barren, filled with oddly colored yellow sand with a pure blue sky.
“Where…”
Peering around Book saw what appeared to be some kind of an oasis in the distance. Perhaps this was Heaven, the paradise he had been promised his entire life ever since the hour he first believed.
And then he saw, mere yards away a light-filled reflection of some kind, which was green in this world. It was a tiny piece of glass. Book picked up. It was a good size, about as big as a human finger but thicker.
“What’s this?” he whispered.
He recoiled in horror when he saw his new eyes in the reflection of the glass. They were as red as those of the monster who guided him into this strange new world.
Demonic eyes from a devil’s trick, he thought.
“Look at me, brother,” said the creature.
And for the love of God, he did. Book finally got a really good look at one of these strange creatures. It wasn’t hiding on the church ceiling anymore. It wasn’t scampering around in the dark. The little fiend was probably closer to four feet tall instead of a three. It had the fur of an ape, dark brown all over its body except for its head and its tiny arms with the three-fingered-claws. The face on it… a small human skull with eyes as red as blood.