Apollyon's Saint The Collection: Books One through Ten

by Zachary Koukol

  Chapter Five

  That familiar shock of electricity jolted through Gabriel throwing him back into present time. He still had a hold of Tony and just as fast as he was back his disgust in the men who killed his grandfather sent enraged energy to Gabriel's arm. With all of his might he threw a heavy punch into the jaw of Tony knocking him and Tony to the ground.

  Gabriel got on top of Tony and continued to throw a barrage of undirected rage filled punches. Tony turtled up on the floor trying to shake the cobwebs out. Steven came in from behind Gabriel with a knife in his hand. Gabriel could feel slight pressure as Steven thrust the knife into his back. After the third stab wound the knife stuck to Gabriel's back lodged and into his ribcage.

  None of Steven's deadly attack's threatened Gabriel though blood was now running from the flesh wounds and he had a knife stuck inside him. Tony was now knocked out on the ground. Somewhere in Gabriel's uncoordinated barrage of punches one landed clean to Tony's jaw leaving him limp on the floor.

  Steven struggled to remove the knife from Gabriel's back and then retreated back a few steps and let out a barrage of kicks to the flesh wounds. Gabriel turned and caught one of Steven's kicks and pulled him to the ground. The men struggled on the ground in a pool of Gabriel's blood. Steven could not get a good grip on Gabriel due to the bloody mess on the two men.

  In the struggle for positioning Gabriel ended up on top of Steven and was again throwing wild punches. Gabriel's hands were bloody and one had shattered with the side of Steven's head causing the knuckle crack and pop out. Gabriel's hand was now broken, most men would have been dead at this point in fight like this. But Gabriel's curse was now a blessing as Steven tried to cower from the blows.

  “Stop, stop I give we will let you go!” Steven shouted. How the tables had turned and revealed a weak and terrified murderer. Gabriel wrapped his hand around Steven's neck and started to choke him. Veins bulged from Steven's eyes as he looked up at Gabriel in terror and disbelief. How easy it was for Steven to take a life, and now when he was faced with his own demise he was more terrified than any of his victims.

  “Let go Gabriel, get away from here before Apollyon comes and cages you in damnation!” David shouted from the basement. Gabriel let go of the coward and the deadly struggle stopped. Steven held his hands up in surrender. “What the fuck are you!” Steven said. “I am death and if we cross paths again you will meet your death. Leave Axal and never come back, and if you kill one more innocent person like your cousin, or a college girl I will find you and show you what terror looks like!” Gabriel shouted.

  Now Tony was conscious laying on the floor looking at the two battle hardened men. Gabriel reached back and jostled the knife around until it came free. He threw the bloody knife down next to Steven. “This is the last time your blade meets any mans flesh, now get the fuck out of here!” Gabriel shouted at Steven. Steven, and Tony could not believe what they just witnessed. Gabriel stood up and both Steven and Tony scrambled to their feet. Tony was still on wobbly legs and almost fell down but kept himself up with one of the benches and then they ran out the door.

  “Exorcizamus te, omnis immunde spiritus, omni satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica, in nomini et virtute Domini nostri Jesu Christi, eradicare et effugare a Dei Ecclesia, ab animabus ad imaginem Dei conditis ac pretioso divini Agni sanguini redemptis!” Jesse shouted into the church at Gabriel.

  The words were latin meaning: we cast you out, every unclean spirit, every satanic power, every onslaught of the infernal adversary, every legion, every diabolical group and sect, in the name and by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ. We command you, begone and fly far from the Church of God, from the souls made by God in His image and redeemed by the precious blood of the divine Lamb.

  The rays of heat now shot out from the corridor where Jesse was standing. Jesse repeated the saying and bright flames and rays cast into Gabriel sending him sliding down the isle. For once Gabriel could feel something and it was a heat like never before. He struggle to his feet and ran for the double doors. “Be gone from my church DEMON!” Jesse shouted as Gabriel ran out into the sunlight.

  Gabriel slammed the double doors shut and on the ground before him like a welcoming mat was a large dusty old bible most likely from the basement. Gabriel reached down and grabbed it and headed for his broken down truck. Just as he was about to leave the church property the bells rang a beautiful chime. Gabriel looked back at the bell tower and in all his cryptic horror his grandfather David was standing in the tower ringing the bell.

  Once back to his truck Gabriel set down his bible and reached his hand back to feel his wounds. They were now gone and even Gabriel's clothes had patched themselves leaving no trace of what happened in the church. He reached his hand up and tried to start the truck, with one quick crank his truck started like nothing had happened.

  Gabriel had enough of the town of Axal for a lifetime and the horrors of what happened at his country home sounded like a vacation to a social recluse. He flipped his truck around and paid no attention to the townsfolk walking and driving around him. He was easily doing 15 to 20 miles over the speed limit just trying to escape the clutches of Axal once again.

  The dirt driveway leading to his home that had seen so much pain and suffering was nothing more than a welcoming sight. Gabriel pulled into his spot and grabbed the kids ball that he took and threw it off into the woods. Then he grabbed his bible and headed up to his room. Everything in his home seemed as depressing as ever and Gabriel knew he had a grim eternity. He closed and locked his bedroom door to barricade himself from demons or holy saviors. Neither one had the answers he was still searching for.

  Staring at the old bible for hours, part of him tried to convince himself to burn it while the other part knew he needed the answers it might hold. His mind raced, why did his family keep him in the dark about religion and his grandfather. Maybe his parents thought he would never need religion, heck even Gabriel never thought he would need it.

  But now it was the only way to figure out what he was still doing living immortally in the world of mortals. If only he could speak to his parents, but just like all things that once had meaning in his life they too were dead. It was like his whole life everything protected him from the word of god or the ways of satin.

  Why was Jesse who was farther from the word of god able to banish Gabriel from the church with a simple saying. Maybe it simply was the fact that any man could use god's words for his own agenda and power regardless if the act was in the name of Apollyon or god. Maybe they were linked in some hidden way that left the world struggling to understand their place in life and death.

  Finally Gabriel reached over and grabbed the old bible. One the first page his grandfather had signed it and just below had the saying “One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. Job 1:6”

  What does that mean Gabriel thought. Why are all the verses double edged and confusing and how could you possibly find literal answers in such a collage of books and verses. It would take a lifetime to understand it and even then what if it was a false understanding?

  The next few days Gabriel spent in his grandfathers scripture. Gabriel never had to leave the room to eat or do the deeds of the living. The only thing that separated him from scripture was sleep and even that came in random bursts that lasted only a few hours. He read the entire bible front to back and though he had some knowledge he still lacked all the answers and was closer to where he started than where he ended.

  Were the books all talking about the same god, were they written by god or man. How could he really know what would be of use and what was just words of man. The bible was so vague on everything of importance to the living in modern day society. Where was the new version of the bible he wondered.

  Why was the word of god from centuries ago, a long with the savior. Did his word just stop there, and now all of mankind was forced by soc
iety to live an unfaithful life. Or did they just live by the laws of man and then beg forgiveness to god on their judgment day saying “Well the world made me live this way I had no choice!”

  Should Gabriel go burn a goat and plunge into clear creek with Jesse to be baptized? It was all madness, god, satan, and mankind. To Gabriel they all were royally fucked up. Was the answer to just live this trail of faith and hope for the best. Should he beg forgiveness for the sins he unknowingly committed? Was it time to pray or give into temptation and say fuck it all.

  He fell into his pillow exhausted in either useful or useless information depending on his level of faith in the man who god intrusted to write the information. Within minutes Gabriel was in a deep slumber briefly free of immortal thought.

  Awaking in the night once again the figure of youthful beauty filled his vision. That familiar polka dot dress and brown hair tied stood before Gabriel's bed. “I told you to leave my home!” Gabriel barked at her. “Please Gabriel I never had the chance to introduce myself the last time we met” The woman said. “I don't want you here in my home, go away” Gabriel said. “May I sit down?” The woman asked as her eyes burned into Gabriel with lust.

  “No, no you may not” Gabriel said. The woman sat down on Gabriel's bed next to him. “My name is Emma Blackworth and as you know I once lived here, well near here in the woods anyways” Emma said. “Well what is it you want Emma, I can't even help myself let alone a young woman who has been dead for years now” Gabriel said. “You know what I want, to feel love again, to be wanted. Really that is all any of us here want. I don't mean to frighten you I just want to be your friend” Emma said.

  “I have to many people wanting to be my friend, all I want is to find a way out of this mess” Gabriel said “I can help you with that, I know a way we both can get what it is we want. You must know though some of the other girls here have their own agenda and may look to harm you” Emma said in a caring soft voice.

  “How can anyone harm me, I have been electrocuted, on the brink of death in endless dark, shot in the head, fell to my death, and stabbed. What more could really be done to me?” Gabriel said. “Hehehe the girls here are capable of many evil things, your life here can be bliss or a endless nightmare but regardless we are always here. I just want to be loved again and I can help you, even protect you” Emma said with a laugh that was sweet to Gabriel's ears.

  “What do you mean always here?” Gabriel asked “We have been here long before you Gabriel, I watched you many nights in pain and agony. So many times I wanted to just wipe away your tears and kiss away your pain. But the other girls did not want me to and told me you would be gone from us soon. They know you wanted to die, but now you can be with me...Us” Emma said.

  “What of Daniel where is he?” Gabriel asked. “When he died he left us, maybe heaven or hell we don't really know but for some reason he has kept us trapped here on these grounds. At first I thought it would be a painful eternity. That is until I saw you Gabriel” Emma said.

  “So why the theatrics when we first met?” Gabriel said. “Apollyon demanded me to do it, he said he would remove me from roaming this earth if I refused. I did it to stay here, with you where we belong Gabriel” Emma said. “I think your reality is just a little twisted. I am not going to be with you, these girls, or anyone else” Gabriel said.

  Emma had a shocked look on her face as a tear rolled down from one of her eye's. “Why don't you want me, I have done so much to protect us and you are going to just throw it all away!” Emma said now distraught and full of tears. “You people are fucking crazy, I just want my little piece of solitude and instead I am stuck living in a house of estrogen filled dead women crying at my bedside?” Gabriel said.

  The door came open and another woman with dark hair and a poodle skirt with a pink shirt came in. Her shirt was tucked into the poodle skirt so tight that her boobs looked strangulated. “Oh Emma see I told you he wouldn't love you, all that heartache for nothing!” The woman said. “I hate you Christa!” Emma shouted as she ran crying from the room.

  “See what I have to deal with, that fucker leads me on, says he loves me and then what? stabs me to death so I have to deal with these dense women. Why did his taste in women have to be so frustrating!” Christa said. “So now I have to see you, why can't you go back to living invisible to me?” Gabriel said. “Well, you see we don't have a choice, it's not us deciding to appear to you. But your knowledge of the unknown revealing itself to you. I don't care either way really, but maybe we could have a little fun this way?” Christa said tilting her head to Gabriel like a bratty kid.

  “Could you please just leave the room and shut the door?” Gabriel said. “Sure I can, I can have my fun without you” Christa said as she turned around and closed the doors. Gabriel sighed and laid his head back down on the bed. Now he had no choice but to deal with the women Daniel murdered. He thought about moving, but where would he go and even if he did the madness would just follow him. After all a house full of dead women had to be better than a bunch of dead men.

  Gabriel fell back into his slumber but once again was awoken. This time there was a blonde in a black and white strapless dress straddling him. She had short puffy hair and a smile that lit up his room. The sun was just sending it's rays through the trees in the forest around the house. “Goooood morning!” The woman said in a high pitched perky voice. “You have to be kidding me!” Gabriel said. “Nope!... my name is Tina!” The woman said. “Okay Tina, can you get off me?” Gabriel said in an annoyed tired tone.

  “Well someone is not as perky as his little friend this morning!” Tina said as she reached down and grabbed Gabriel's crotch. She put her head down by his stomach and ran her tongue up to his lips and forced a kiss. Gabriel tried to fight it but her persistence and grinding went from annoying to enticing. Gabreil pulled down her strapless dress revealing her breasts.

  Right as Gabriel was reaching 2nd base just as the door burst open. It was Gabriel's long lost nemesis Apollyon. “Tina leave this room at once before I turn your death into an inferno!” Apollyon said. Tina looked horrified. She covered her breasts and ran from the bedroom. “Ha, look who shows up at the perfect time. King of lies, no it's the king of the cock block” Gabriel said laughing.

  “I guess I have to do everything.... Here I thought you were a man of morals. But noooo, you who decides the fate of murderers and sleeps with the victimized dead!” Apollyon said to Gabriel.

  “What are you afraid I put your name to shame?” Gabriel said. “You are such a fool, I don't know why it has to be you of all the billions of souls in this world. Now get your shit together we are going for a drive” Apollyon said as he left the room. Gabriel got up out of bed and left the room. On his stairwell was a line of eight women. On the top step was Emma still crying, then Christa looking off at the wall, then Tina pushing her hips out and smiling at Gabriel.

  The other women on the steps below Gabriel did not know but it looked like a whore house line up if he ever saw one. The last two women had red hair and were glaring at Gabriel. Those must be the two who hated Gabriel as he slid past them and out the door.

  In his truck was Apollyon impatiently waiting. Gabriel got in the truck and started it. “Where to miss daisy?” Gabriel asked. “Axal, beyond that just drive” Apollyon said. Then there was a silence, both wishing they did not have to speak to one another. Then finally Gabriel broke the silence with a question. “So why the women, why must I see them now and are they going to live with me?” Gabriel asked.

  “Yes, yes they will be living with you. Or have been and the reasoning is simple. All of this is a test, your test Gabriel” Apollyon said. “So my trail of faith, by who... You?” Gabriel said. “You all have a trail, although as you are about to see most failed before they were even born” Apollyon said. Gabriel just drove trying to understand what Apollyon's meaning was.

  Once in the town they drove by the bloody people of Axal. Old, young, with all their diversity one thing bound
them all, blood. “Look at them, they are now a common and Glorious site Gabriel. Bound to their sins to the fourth generation. Some have no choice but damnation, born to sin as they say. It is true they all are lost souls, my souls. They have many excuses for what they are but as the centuries passed they all lost touch with their savior and joined me” Apollyon said.

  “Yes I notice that they all are of sin but where do I fit in to all of this?” Gabriel asked. “You have the most important role of all Gabriel. You are a extinct and rare breed of man, a direct descendent of Abraham himself. Your whole life has been planned, by me. Well you had free will of course but I changed the outcome of your will to insure you don't fall into my clutches on mankind” Apollyon said.

  “Why not, isn't that what you want our extinction?” Gabriel said. “We will get to that but first you must know the things I showed you about your wife are real. I had to do it, what if you found out what your lovely wife was doing with another man? Or if you found out that child was not yours? I know what you would have done. I have seen it so many times, the blood rage that leads to a vicious destruction of the ones you love. Killing is the ultimate sin, it's the direct path to me and damnation. So is suicide, all of which I, the destroyer had to save you from!” Apollyon said.

  “So...You killed my wife, her child, and prevented me from killing myself all to save me?” Gabriel said. “Oh there was centuries of blood shed before you were even born. Those were just the last of them. Its because I need a saint Gabriel, the last saint.” Apollyon said.

  “Why on earth would you need the one thing you despise?” Gabriel asked. “Without you, a saint, my legion could not grow into a force greater than god himself! You Gabriel are the last man of god, you die, or commit the ultimate sin and our world goes up like Sodom and Gomorrah and so shall my legion!” Apollyon said.

  “So there is no hope for man, only hope for your legion? So why don't I just get it over with and go commit the ultimate sin?” Gabriel said. “Look at them Gabriel, they still have free will. They still can choose their path. Will you be their damnation, my saint, or their savior? As long as there is one, gods will still has hope” Apollyon said.

  “But it still all comes down to me? I knew nothing of god until I read the scripture, even then I still know nothing. What about the revelations, why can't the horsemen come running from heaven and decide. Instead of me, a man who wants nothing more than non-existence?” Gabriel said.

  “Do you believe everything you read like the rest of these lost souls? Did you know most of gods true word was lost in the desert or ripped from the holy pages by my disciples in clergy robes. It astonishes me that mankind can have faith based on those few writings. If I gave you chapter 4, 12, and 14 of a book, then gave you chapters 2, 8, and 10 from 4 other books that had nothing to do with the first. Then would you know the word of the original author?” Apollyon said.

  “Well, no I would not. So then what is god's word?” Gabriel asked. “Hahaha when god created man in his likeness I would never think I would see the day when the last of his likeness asked me, what is his word?” Apollyon said laughing.

  “So I am here for eternity just to make up for mans sin, so he can continue to do so?” Gabriel asked. “No, you are here to do either god's will or have the freedom to choose yours, or mine. Really it is no different than the choice every man makes.” Apollyon said. Gabriel stop the truck next to clear creek, to absorb everything Apollyon said. Outside fishing was a man with the dragon branding that he saw on the women in downtown Axal.

  “What is with that branding I have seen it before?” Gabriel said. “That is the mark of my legion, just because a man sin's does not mean he is in my legion. He might be forced to damnation by god's will but, it does not mean he joins my ranks. But those with the branding are my soldiers, demons ready for the coming battle of heaven and earth” Apollyon said.

  “So what they are satanic, or occult...how do they join your legion?” Gabriel said. “They simply let my anger and hatred of man fill their hearts. You could say they are the occult, or even a religion. But once they join me they can never look back.” Apollyon said.

  “And If I joined your legion?” Gabriel said. “Then you would witness the destruction of earth. I know it's a lot to understand but just know this, if you live as gods servant or mine the outcome will only benefit me because even I AM in his will” Apollyon said.

  “This is to much, there is a choice, but no choice, a will, but no will what the fuck am I supposed to do. You have played nothing but tricks and games with me. My knowledge of god has simply done the same so do I base this on my morals, yours, or his?” Gabriel said.

  Apollyon laughed for a moment and got out of the truck. “Come with me to the water” Apollyon said. Gabriel got out and followed him down to the creek. Apollyon waded out into the creek and the water around him sizzled and boiled. Gabriel stood at the edge of the water watching as Apollyon turned to him with his arms raised to the skies. “Come to me Gabriel” Apollyon said.

  Wading out to him Gabriel struggled against the current to reach Apollyon. The man who was fishing was now holding a lit candle. Apollyon grabbed Gabriel and traced the sign of the cross on his forehead. Apollyon tipped Gabriel over putting him down into the current of clear creek. “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” Apollyon said in a enchanting voice.

  Gabriel was only under the water for a few moments. His eyes were closed and he saw a illuminating light. It was like nothing he had seen before. The light was not seen by his eye's but by the spirit. It surrounded him like no light he had seen before and instead of seeing the source of the light, he was the center of it.

  Apollyon raised Gabriel from the creek. Gabriel opened his eyes and in the clouds and sun emerged a huge face in the sky then it moved and was nothing more than clouds. Gabriel was still standing in the water but Apollyon was gone. The man holding the candle waded out to Apollyon and placed the candle in his hand.

  His eyes were pure black, with no expression on his face. Like a man possessed by a unseen dimension of insanity. The man turned and walked away from Gabriel. The candle was white as the light Gabriel had seen and was now out.