Apollyon's Saint The Collection: Books One through Ten

by Zachary Koukol

  Chapter Fifteen

  Turning away from Apollyon Gabriel started walking out of the graveyard and back to his truck. Looking at a white stone cross Gabriel saw a film of orange fungus growing on it. Much like heavens abomination's were growing on the cursed earth. Being rejected from heaven, and hell not knowing their name.

  But they did not seek either, heaven or hell. All they wanted was a dream that Gabriel once had. Not eternal life, or damnation. They wanted their suffering, love, hate, and loss of god to disappear into a black hole. Never to return again, where all matter was lost and they could finally rest in peace. Gabriel found it as hard to deny them that, as it was to find hope for mankind.

  Driving away from the graveyard Gabriel could not help to wonder if Tiffany got away. Why didn't Apollyon take Abimelech, after all he was far more valuable to the hounds of hell. One thing Gabriel knew, Apollyon had a reason for every move he made. Apollyon never did anything beyond god's will, but he still had free dominion over those who signed their deals with him.

  If the world, heaven, and hell was a chess match between god and man. Then Apollyon was his queen, able to move about the world freely. But he could only take the pawn's who fell into his snares. So how could some get away from such a dominate force. The only possible explanation that Gabriel could figure was that it was god's will for Apollyon to fail.

  Cain, was cursed to wander the world from god's will. Cain saved Abimelech from Apollyon, as he did with many others. So it was god's will that inevitably saved them from hell, and heaven. Taking the bypass around Axal, Gabriel was driving passed the railroad track's and grain elevator that he had jumped from.

  Then just as he passed the spot where his mangled corpse once rested a light bulb went off in his head. God willed, Apollyon to trap him in worlds immortal pandemonium. Apollyon thinks he is at war to prove god wrong, but he is merely a pawn to prove him right. There was a reason Tiffany was not in the pits of hell. A reason why Cain roams the earth. A reason why the women haunted his house. A reason why heavens abomination's suffering was there.

  As Gabriel drove down his driveway he stopped his truck in the middle of it. Finally a enlightening revelation happened. Apollyon didn't choose him, Cain didn't find him, god did. Whoever, or whatever that was. Whether it was the god Apollyon, the bible, or the world portrayed he did not know. Everything inside Gabriel told him it could not be the god any of them portrayed.

  It was the god burning inside of him all those years that told him although mankind's suffering is painful, it's worth being felt. The god that lead Gabriel down the moral crossroads between love and hate. No matter if that god was something physical, or merely an emotion inside all of us. Gabriel was no longer sure if Apollyon, or anything he went through since he met him was real. Maybe it was all merely insanity from the loss of love. But he now knew that god was there, even if only an emotion.

  Driving the rest of the way down the driveway Gabriel remembered his fight that morning. It felt like a lifetime ago, but now he would be faced by an estrogen filled paranormal mob. If everything that happened was just insanity, then his mentally ill mind was cannibalizing itself. Pulling into his parking spot, all looked well. He looked into each window, scanning the house before getting out of his truck.

  Knowing Sophia would be laying in wait for Gabriel, he cautiously approached his home. Creaking up the steps he prepared himself for the door to burst open releasing decades of fury from one man's sin. Gabriel knew it was not him that the anger was directed at, but the man who plunged his blade into the young and defiled.

  Pausing for a moment, Gabriel grabbed the door knob. Turning it he expected to feel the pressure of yet another locked door. Instead, the door came open almost on its own, as to welcome him home. Walking into the house he looked around the stairwell and living room. He did not want to investigate to deeply, hoping they would not notice him.

  Walking up the steps the bitter sweet chloroform hit his nose. A reminder, that they were there. The fact that he could not see them was creating an uneasy feeling. Scanning the halls upstairs it was clear that the cost was clear. He went into his bedroom and shut and locked the door. Rearranging his dresser, he used it as a blockade and pushed it in front of the door.

  Trying to think of what plot they were devising against him, Gabriel laid down in his bed. Would they attack him in his sleep. Or would they wait, leaving an uneasy feeling, which was worse than revenge. Maybe they are gone, he thought as grasps of exhaustion quickly pulled him into a deep sleep. Loud creaking of the house, and the bright moon were not enough to disturb his slumber.

  “Gabriel help!” A woman's voice cried out from outside of the house. Keeping his eye's closed Gabriel heard the cry for help but thought it was just a dream.

  “Help!” The voice cried again. This time he knew it was no dream, but his insanity that was becoming reality. With heavy eye's he opened them and stared at the moonlight for a moment. Trying to convince himself that the voice was not real, he closed his eye's again. Wait, he thought, what if it's Tiffany. What if she was in danger, maybe Apollyon knew she would come for Gabriel and was now dragging her to hell?

  Jumping out of bed Gabriel ran to the door forgetting the dresser was there. Falling into the dresser the surge of pain made him momentarily lose all bodily control. Wanting to wait in pain, Gabriel convinced himself to move the dresser. Grabbing it from the top Gabriel just knocked it over onto the floor. Then grabbing the bottom he rolled it one more time, the sound of breaking wood filled the room.

  Swinging the door open Gabriel rushed out of the room and down the steps. Pausing for a moment he quickly opened the front door and ran outside not stopping to close the door. Running into the open area before the dark woods Gabriel stopped to scan the darkness. One shadow caught his eye as it danced in the moonlight through the tree's.

  “Gabriel!” The voice cried in the direction of the dancing shadow's. Not waiting to process things Gabriel rushed into the dark wood's chasing shadow's. A shadow would flash one way, then another would flash a different direction. Running in what was circle's Gabriel stopped to allow his mind to process the shadow's.

  Wait the voice's were different, Gabriel thought. That wasn't Tiffany, and now he was lost in a dark forest. Flashing before him Sophea was running through the woods at him. From her lipstick covered lips blood spewed. Her red hair glowed in the moonlight, and her white blouse had stab wounds. Then from another direction appeared the image of another woman.

  It was Christa, dark black hair, and pale white skin. Her tight pink shirt was torn, with multiple stab wounds protruding from it. The poodle skirt was torn as well and blood ran down her legs. Then from another direction was the sounds of another running corpse. Blonde hair, and a black and white strapless dress. It was the dark forests slut, Tina with a bloodstained dress.

  The forest was coming to life all around Gabriel. He did not know if he should cower in fear or run. The women looked possessed with rage like demented sorceresses. He turned and ran in the only direction that he did not see a murdered ghost coming from. Laughter and rustling of the forest floor was all Gabriel could hear from behind him.

  “What Gabriel you don't want to play?!” Sophea's voice said from the forest behind him.

  “Well we DO!” Tina said. Just as she said it Gabriel saw the edge of a cliff coming. Not having time to stop Gabriel fell sliding across the forest floor. His leg's fell from the edge as his hands clung to rocks and branches. The women wanted to horrify him and then lead him over the edge of the cliff. They knew he would not die, but he would feel it which was worse.

  Struggling to pull himself up from the ledge Gabriel could hear the laughter growing. Just as Gabriel was about to let go and accept his temporary fate, he saw hands reaching down for him. Looking up to his relief Gabriel saw his beautifully manufactured monster smiling down at him. Tiffany was a teen girl with long blue and black hair, she was reaching down to help Gabriel up.

  “Wait!” Gabri
el yelled hoping to prevent another nightmare. But it was to late, the teenager gently touched his hand to help pull him up. Just as she did, Gabriel was jolted and sent into darkness’s waiting room for nightmares. Gabriel now found himself in the middle of Axal's Skate park. Teenagers zipped past him on their skateboards. Gabriel thought that it had to have been just months before since the skate park was just built not long ago.

  Looking around Gabriel spotted the teen girl who touched his hand on the cliff. She was holding a teen girls hand on top of the half pipe. The girl who was with Tiffany was wearing a jean skirt with fishnet stockings and a black tank top. The hand she was using to hold hands had a fishnet spiderweb glove. Gabriel walked over to them as they watched a kid riding the half pipe.

  There was another group of kids just a little ways away from the two girls. Gabriel could see them pointing and laughing at them. Surprisingly the kids did not phase them, and the teen lovers held hands not caring what the others thought of them. Everyone at the park singled them out and stuck to their own little niches.

  Watching the girl's Gabriel felt as though he was watching Rosa Park's in the shitty mountain town of Axal. It was an impressive sight of ones love and individuality. Gabriel could already see the problem though. Unfortunately the two lovers had to be born in the ignorant town of Axal. It was clear that they would be eaten alive by close minded town scum.

  Being in a skate park Gabriel figured the girl's might be safe from the typical closed minds. But that was far from the case as even in a place of expressing art and love, the girls were singled out. No one could simply accept them for being who they were. Although the tables had been turned they would have wanted the same respect.

  The skate park was filled with fake people seeking acceptance. Except for the two teenage girls, expressing who they really were and standing on stage to be judged. Blood drained from the eye's of the kid's pointing and laughing. No one was being threatened, their sexuality was not being challenged. Some how though, the bloodline of ignorance ran deep and they feared the two girls. Gabriel could feel Axal's scowls, but the girls turned and gave each other a kiss.

  Kid's that were poking fun now acted as though they were going to throw up. Gabriel could not hear them but he know their intent. They were bullies, who were too afraid to accept others for who they are. Gabriel dealt with the same kid's, he was bullied and the bully. He knew both side's were victim's being filtered through a monstrosity of a society.

  Two young lovers of the same sex had to face people to afraid to face them. Scared the bullies let their fear over whelm them to the point of ignorance. Gabriel had seen Cain slaughter his brother, the harlot being defiled, and Abimelech's wars. This was just as big of a fight as those biblical. The two girls were soldier's, in the army of love facing an army of fear and crudeness.

  “You guys are gross!” A girl said walking up to them. She was trying to impress her fake niche of friends.

  “Piss off bitch!” The blue haired girl said.

  “Ohhh really? I'm not a bitch you stupid dike!” The other girl said. The blue haired girl let go of the other girls hand and started towards the girl mocking them.

  “Lura she's not worth it!” The other girl said grabbing a hold of her.

  “Yeah hold your little pet back Sarah!” The bully said.

  “How about I tell your mom that your a homo?” The bully said. Lura was now struggling against Sarah to kick the shit out of the bully.

  “Just leave my mom out of it.” Sarah said hugging Lura from behind so she would not jump down and fight the girl.

  “We used to be friend's, but now I don't even know who you are.” The bully said.

  “Lura stop! Lets get out of here.” Sarah said. Lura stopped fighting against her young lover.

  “Yeah lets go, this dumb bitch is not worth our time.” Lura said.

  “Fuck you homo!” The bully said. Getting down from the half pipe Lura and Sarah walked away from the girl teasing them.

  “I'm gonna tell your mom!” The bully said as they walked away. Gabriel followed them as they walked through a grassy area surrounding the skate park. They stopped and sat down under a huge willow tree.

  “Why does Stephanie have to be such a bitch.” Lura said.

  “She is just trying to show off, but I hope she does not tell my mom.” Sarah said.

  “So what, I don't care who knows about us.” Lura said.

  “I know, I just don't want to have to tell my mom about it. Then she won't let us see each other anymore.”

  “We could run away, then no one could mess with us”

  “But where would we go?”

  “I don't care as long as it's you and me. Maybe we can jump on the train and ride it out of here. Then we could just travel around.”

  “What would we eat, I just don't think we could survive.”

  “I could survive in the wild better than I could without you.” Lura said going in for a kiss from Sarah.

  “Well I have to go home, I will message you on FB tonight.” Sarah said getting up to walk home.

  “Can't you just stay a little longer?” Lura said.

  “No, my mom will be home soon and I am already in hot water.”

  “Well I love you, talk to you tonight.”

  “Yup you too!” Sarah said walking away. Gabriel stayed with Lura watching her play with strands of grass. Lura watched as Sarah walked away, Gabriel could see that she already missed her. She was intoxicated by young love. Gabriel knew that nothing was as strong as teen love. They would do anything for the one they loved, which is what made it so poisonous. They had yet explored the depth's of ones love and still had the fresh euphoria for one another.

  It was dangerous, and destructive. Passionate love at a young age was destined for slaughter. At such a time when teenagers are finding themselves, they become addicted to feelings of desire. Once that addiction is seized, the withdraws of desire send them into a lethal spiral ending in disaster. Many young lovers fall to this fate, turning them into a cruel and calculated lover. This is a plague much like Cain's rage, or Eve's fascination with power.

  Gabriel looked over at Lura, playing with the grass trying to distract herself from young loves withdrawal. Then Gabriel was shocked into nightmares waiting room, ready to see the destruction of love and being who you are. Now Gabriel found himself on a bed with a black comforter. He was in Lura's mess of a bedroom.

  Posters of band's with tattoo's, leather, spikes, and black hair lined her walls. No princesses, kitty's, ballerinas, or bright colors. The room was dark and drab, Gabriel felt at home being there. If he had known Lura as a teenager then he was sure they would have gotten along well. Music blared from a CD player, it was a modern version of kiss, mixed with demonic and hollow lyrics.

  Gabriel instantly loved the music, and could see Lura sitting in front of her computer in a tank top and boxers. Getting up from the bed to see what Lura was doing Gabriel stepped over cloth's, spikes' and chain's. Lura was on her facebook page and it was blowing up. Gabriel read some of the messages in disbelief at the menaces of teenage social media.

  “Nasty homo slut!” One girl wrote.

  “They shouldn't even let you in the girls bathroom. I don't want you being a peeping tom when I am going to the bathroom!” Another girl wrote, as though Lura would even be attracted to a girl taking a piss.

  “If I see you in school I’m going to kick your ass” Some other girl wrote, the messages were stacking up. Gabriel could see in Lura's hand a bottle of prescription pills. Knowing exactly how she felt clinching a bottle of pills. Even now Gabriel wanted to down the bottle and see if it would be over. But how many times would he have to attempt suicide to prove to himself that there was no escape.

  Lura unclenched her hand and rolled the bottle back and fourth. Messages continued to fill the screen with ignorant, mob mentality hatred. Gabriel's generation did not have social media, so when you left school and went home you were safe from a bullies menace. It was cl
ear that Lura had no escape though, school was a institute of aversion. Outside of school, she still was unable to be herself without hate. Then once home she faced something even worse. Unable to defend herself the cowards attacking her hid behind a screen and the comfort of their homes.

  “Bing” The sound of a new personal message filled the room. With hesitation Lura opened the message. It was from Sarah, Gabriel looked closely at the screen to try and read the blocked message.

  “I am so sorry, I wish I didn't have to do this but I have no choice. Someone called my mom tonight and told her about us. She was so mad and yelled at me for the past hour. Now I have to call my dad and we are going to have an intervention as my mom put it. I had to tell her the truth because I was tired of hiding it from her. But she said that we can no longer see each other. She said it's immoral, and unnatural. Then she said how if I don't change and repent then I will go to hell and so will you. Lastly she said it was just a phase and I need to stop being childish. I hate to have to do this but I have to break up with you. I can't take the harassment anymore and now I am grounded for life. I hope you understand and please don't make this harder than it already is.”

  Tears ran down Lura's face as she thought of the words to type. Gabriel watched as she would start to type something and then delete it and stare blankly at the pills. Lura had went through hell expressing who she was, and who she loved. Now it seemed as though it was all for nothing. The poison of teen love, and suffering ran through her veins. Blankly staring at the screen and keyboard she finished her message.

  “It's not immoral or unnatural, how can love be immoral. I don't see how you can let them do this to us. If I am wrong for loving you, and going to hell then so be it because it can't be any worse than this. I hate this, I don't want to lose you..Please don't do this to me.” Lura clicked the send button and waited for a response. The CD played over and over intensifying the dread and suffering. Tears drenched her shirt as more hate filled messages came over the screen. Then finally one from Sarah, the “Bing” sound made her heart jump.

  “I am sorry, my mom knows that I messaged you. I have to go, I can't see you anymore.” Lura's heart dropped as she finished reading the message. Her eye's went back to the bottle of pills as she curled up in the computer chair crying. Gabriel watched as she cried herself to sleep, as always he wished he could make a difference. Hate mail flashed on the screen and the glow lit across Lura's face but she was free from their torment.

  Laying back on the bed Gabriel was about to doze off and then was jolted and sent to the dark waiting room of hell. Now he found himself outside of a high school. Teen's were all in their groups of friend's eating lunch. Not Lura though, Gabriel sat next to her as she ate alone under a tree. Just like at the skate park kid's pointed and laughed at her from the distance.

  Looking around Gabriel saw Sarah, sitting with Stephanie and some other girls. Stephanie's spite had taken Sarah away and she had won. Lura looked up at them as they laughed and ate their food. Then she would look down at her food that she had not touched. Pulling a lighter from her pocket she flicked it on and placed the flame to her skin.

  Kid's laughed at her as she tested fleshes flammability. Holding the fire to her arm it burnt her skin, but she did not flinch. To Gabriel's relief the wind blew out the flame. He wished that same wind could put out the flames of teenage blind hatred. Looking back at Sarah, Lura tried to draw her attention but it was not working.

  Looking back down at the lighter she flicked the flame under her arm again. Gabriel waited counting on the wind to put it out. But instead of the wind it was Lura getting up from under the tree. Gabriel walked with her as she left her food and headed straight for Sarah. More kid's pointed at her and moved closer to Sarah and the group of girl's she was with. It was as though they knew that something big was about to happen.

  “Hey, Sarah can we talk” Lura said, facing scowls from the group of girls Sarah was with.

  “Get away from her homo, she doesn't like you!” Stephanie said.

  “Fuck off I wasn't talking to you!” Lura said waiting for a response from Sarah.

  “Well I am talking to you, now get the fuck out of here before I kick your ass!” Stephanie said stepping into Lura's face. Gabriel had seen this before, he knew the bully was normally all bark and no bite. But Lura had enough of the torment, she grabbed Stephanie's shirt and started slapping away at her face.

  “Fight, Fight!” Kid's shouted as they all moved in to watch. Stephanie grabbed Lura's hair as she swung her by it. Lura tried to keep hitting Stephanie but she was pulling her head down towards the ground. Lura grabbed a hold of Stephanie taking her to the ground. The two girl's shuffled for control and rolled around in the grass.

  “Get off me bitch!” Stephanie yelled in a desperate plea. Lura ended up on top of Stephanie in the jostle for position. Stephanie still had a hold of her hair but Lura laid into her face with clinched fists. Lura had drawn first blood and it ran down from Stephanie's nose. The girl's that were with Stephanie started to kick and pull at Lura once they saw their friend was in trouble.

  Four girl's pulled Lura off and they were kicking and punching at her. Gabriel looked up at Sarah and she just looked on with a blank expression. She had given in to the world of fake smiles and friends. After all it is so much easier to be fake, than to be ridiculed for who you were. Gabriel figured that she must not have really cared about Lura, because if she did she would be swinging at the preppy pack of wolves.

  Teachers ran outside to break up the fight. The damage was done though, Lura had multiple gashes pouring blood out. Two girls held her down as Stephanie and two other girls kicked and punched her in the face and body. Even the kid's who came to see the show had a sick expression on their face. It had turned from even combat to a raping of ones soul and all who watched felt violated.

  Lura could not even defend herself because she was pinned down. Finally a teacher pulled two of the girls away giving Lura a chance to cover her face. Another teacher came running in and used his body to cover Lura from any more of a beating. It was far from the fight's that Gabriel remembered, where teachers would allow it to happen. No moral person could allow it to continue as even some kid's helped hold back the girls.

  Line's of teachers came running out as they prepared for an all out brawl. Gabriel walked away from the riot looking down at the ground. Sounds of teens cursing and screaming rang in his ears as the sound of raven wings swooshed down beside him. Looking to his side he saw hell's tormentor reaching her hands out to grab him. Just before she pulled him back to the beating the jolt and darkness came to his relief.

  Falling on to Lura's bed Gabriel looked and saw he sitting at her computer chair. She had on black pajama pants with white skulls and crossbones and a dark blue t-shirt. Walking up to her Gabriel saw the damage to her face. Blue and black bruises covered her eye's, lips, neck, and even on her arms. Stitches covered a big gash that was in her for head and on the side of her eyebrow.

  Her eye's were bloodshot with pain and suffering as the screen reflected in them. The old bottle and a new bottle of pills sat on her computer desk. The messages popped up on her screen, and then the worst one yet.

  “We all know you want to do it, so just kill yourself already!” One of the girls who helped attack her wrote.

  “Yeah, cut your wrists already bitch” Stephanie wrote in response.

  “Die!” Another one said. Clicking on a picture, Sarah filled her screen covering up the murderous messages. Tears fell from broken tear ducts as Lura distracted herself with her lost love. Then she reached up and shut off the monitor. Picking up the bottle of pills, Lura examined them in her hand. Pouring some out into her hand she counted them.

  To Gabriel's relief she put the pills back in the bottle. Lura got up and grabbed a leather jacket from her closet. She put it on and then pulled her hair out from under it and headed out her bedroom door. Gabriel followed her down her steps and to the front door. Looking over Gabriel could see
Lura's mother sleeping on the couch with the TV going. Lura walked up to her and knelt down. For a moment she just looked at her mother with love.

  Then she got up and Gabriel followed her out the front door. Hoping she was just walking to blow off steam, Gabriel walked side by side with her. They walked for many blocks until eventually they came to the abandoned rail yard. Lura looked up at the stars and Gabriel followed with an uneasy feeling as they passed the grain elevator that Gabriel jumped from.

  Smiling Gabriel was happy that they walked passed it and continued following the train tracks. They had walked for a few more miles and the glow from the town faded behind them. The moon glowed on the tracks. On both side's of the tracks were dark pine forests. Gabriel could hear Lura sniffle from the pain she was going through.

  Gabriel had never been so far down the track's and there were no roads around to get to where they were. Seeing the iron arches of a train bridge Gabriel had the uneasy feeling once more. Lura was sniffling more as they got closer, and more tears ran down her broken face. Following behind Lura Gabriel walked down the train bridge.

  Every so often he would peer over the edge of the bridge and could see the white water and rocks far below. They had made their way to the middle of the bridge and Gabriel listened to the rumble of the water below. Lura stopped and walked over to the edge of the bridge. She climbed over the railing and stepped out to the edge.

  “Don't do this, there is so much more to life than these shitty teenage years.” Gabriel pleaded standing just behind her. She hung onto the rail behind her and let her body lean over the side. Lura looked up at the moon as a single tear ran down her face.

  “So long cruel world” Lura said in a insanely mellow voice. The last tear fell from her face as she let go of the rail.

  “No!” Gabriel reached out to grab her but was to late. Looking down he saw her plummet to the river below. With a sickening crash he watched as her body smashed into the rocks below. Then the white water turned red, carrying her body, and suffering away. Downstream Gabriel could see a woman wading out into the water. The jolt hit Gabriel sending him back into darkness and nightmares waiting room.