* * *
This being another beautiful spring afternoon, Jilly and Patty lay sunning themselves on the big flat rock in the clear cold water of Blue Springs. Quackrak popped out of Hell between them.
Jilly screamed—Patty screamed—Quackrak said, “Uh oh!”
TEN
PINA COLADA, margarita, or frozen daiquiri. Harry couldn’t make up his mind.
A tough decision in paradise, he thought, happily. Warm sun, white sand, nubile young snow bunnies frolicking in the surf. Oh, sweet Lauderdale. Definitely the closest I’ll ever get to heaven.
He lay on the sandy towel gazing up at the seagulls circling overhead, and breathing in the pungent beach smells: hot sand, salt spray and coconut tanning oil. He decided on the frozen daiquiri.
Harry got up and walked across the crowded sand towards the pool bar of the Crystal Sands Resort Hotel. The bar was an open, thatched roofed affair, common to the luxury hotels along the Lauderdale beach strip, and as always during Spring Break, overflowing with golden tanned, young college types intent on partying till they puked.
Reaching the bar, he squirmed his way through a group of giggly young co-eds and waved for the bartender’s attention. Over the noise of rock & roll blaring from a five-piece band by the pool, and the general mayhem of Spring Break insanity, Harry shouted his drink order loud enough for the bartender to understand.
His frozen daiquiri came in an oversized plastic glass. Holding it high to keep it from being jostled out of his hand, he elbowed his way out of the crowd at the bar, and walked back across the, somewhat, less crowded beach to his towel.
Harry sat down on the towel and sipped his daiquiri. The sun was warm, the daiquiri was cold, and Harry was as happy as a pig in mud. He was already beginning to forget about the whole devil thing.
Yep, he thought, bartender by night, and beach bum by day. That’s the ticket.
Things had worked out perfectly for him. The job at the hotel lounge happened just like he thought it would, and he loved it. The tips were great, and he’d already made a few friends, among them a busty blonde cocktail waitress named Alice. For Harry, life in the real world was looking good.
ELEVEN
“SUBTLE?” Aubrey Crumb cocked her head.
“Yeah, subtle,” said Amanda. “Nothing you can put your finger on. I mean, just acting kind of different, like out of character or something. Not everybody, but enough people to make it, I don’t know—just different.”
Sarah Crumb looked confused. “I don’t get it.”
Melanie regarded the Crumb twins. “You don’t think it’s a little…uh, wacky? Jilly and Patty all of a sudden so goody-goody? Really out of character for those two. And the guy going crazy at the drug store, and Dad threatening to whip his ass?”
Amanda added, “And Joe Paul, who usually walks around in a dull daze, flippin’ out over nothing? Not to mention the Reverend going goofy. And whatever that was with Emma and the shotgun shells—talk about out of character.”
“So, that’s it? A few rude people and a coupla kids behaving themselves?” Sarah still wasn’t getting it.
Claudia groaned. “Sarah, all that and it’s only ten o’clock in the morning. Think about it!”
Sarah thought about it. “So?”
Amanda prodded, “Sarah, we’ve all lived in Brandell all our lives. We all know everybody here, or at least almost everybody. It’s Brandell, for God’s sake. People in Brandell don’t take on different personalities overnight unless—”
“Ah!” snapped Sarah, “Unless, indeed!” Her face screwed up in righteous indignation. “Unless certain persons, who should know better, and against our better judgment, released the Beast to do what he does best: spread evil and wreak havoc.” Aubrey raised her eyebrows and nodded vigorous agreement with her sister.
“No, no,” said Claudia. “Huh uh. We don’t think it’s anything like that.” She almost laughed, imagining Harry running evilly rampant through the countryside in his silly red suit.
“No, we think it might be something else.”
“Like what?” asked Aubrey.
“Well, okay, first we have to agree that it’s too much to be a coincidence—all this stuff going on right after Harry leaves.”
Sarah stiffened, opening her mouth to speak.
“Hold on, Sarah, please. Just let me finish before you start hopping up and down, all right?”
Sarah deflated, and Claudia went on, “Last night, remember? Harry said we couldn’t name one thing he’d ever done, personally, that was evil. I’ve been thinking about that and, well, can we?” Both Crumbs fidgeted, but said nothing. Amanda and Melanie were silent.
Claudia continued. “He said people were evil, not him, and that he was just a focus for our evil—present company excluded, of course.” She paused, waiting for comment.
“But—” stuttered Sarah.
“But what?” demanded Claudia.
“But he’s the devil,” Aubrey sneered.
“Not anymore,” said Claudia.
Aubrey persisted, “Then what’s going on? You’re saying everybody went crazy because the devil left town?”
“Not exactly,” said Claudia. “Suppose we go along with Harry on this…that people, or some people, are naturally evil—at least to an extent—and the only thing that keeps it from coming out is…and here’s where the logic gets a little foggy…but what if…well, Harry said he, as the devil, was just the focus. If all evil is focused in the devil, what happens if there is no devil?”
“What does that mean; focused?” Sarah looked confused.
“I think he meant,” Claudia paused to think for moment, “that mankind’s evil gets channeled to him instead of building up in people, or something like that.”
“Far-fetched,” scoffed Aubrey.
“Yeah, maybe,” Amanda admitted. “But something’s not right. Something’s happening, and if Claudia’s right…” she trailed off.
Melanie picked up the thread. “She means, if Claudia’s right about what Harry meant that the devil is like a sponge that soaks up people’s evil and keeps it contained, then if suddenly there’s no devil…what if it starts building up in people?”
“Still far-fetched,” said Aubrey, “and still just a few people acting funny.”
“Nevertheless,” Claudia said, “If the gentle townsfolk of our fair town don’t settle down a little bit, and it has anything at all to do with Harry, then we need to be ready with some ideas no matter how far-fetched.”
TWELVE
QUACKRAK WAS TERRIFIED. He lay on the rock, knobby knees drawn close to his thin chest, fetal-like, while the two incredibly noisy creatures hopped up and down on either side of him threateningly. They had stopped their horrible screeching, and were now making loud squawking sounds like “Oh, my God,” and “Yuck” and “Gross.”
Quackrak scrunched his little red eyes closed and tried to play dead.
Jilly’s hysterics had subsided somewhat. She still shivered with disgust.
“Kick it into the water,” she cried.
“No way.” Patty shuddered. “I’m not touching it. My God, it’s ugly.”
Cautiously, Jilly bent down for a better look.
“Is it dead?”
Patty squatted down and inched a little closer. She stuck a finger out towards Quackrak, tentatively, then poked him in the side.
Despite his fear, Quackrak, being ticklish, giggled. The girls jumped back as far as the space on the flat rock allowed, and Quackrak, sensing the creatures had retreated, opened one eye. They don’t look like they’re gonna attack me, he thought.
“It doesn’t look like it’s gonna attack us,” ventured Jilly.
The two girls and the demon regarded each other for a moment. Feeling a little better about the situation, Quackrak slowly sat up, careful not to make any sudden movements. The two creatures tried to move further away, but were already at the far edge of the flat rock.
“
Just gets uglier and uglier, don’t it,” Patty said.
“I don’t think it’s dangerous, though. I think it’s scared,” said Jilly.
“Yeah, but what is it?” Patty grimaced. “Looks like a cross between ET and Yoda on a bad day.”
“It’s a troll. I bet it’s a troll,” said Jilly. “Or a whatdaya call it…those little green things.”
“Martians?” snickered Patty.
“No, those…you know, leprechauns!”
“Can’t be,” said Patty, “Not here. Those are in Ireland or someplace. Besides, it’s more red than green…reddish green, or greenish red.”
Quackrak studied the two squawking creatures hunched up across the rock from him. Suddenly, a light went on in his head and the truth poured in.
“People!” he exclaimed, incredulously. “You’re people, aren’t you? I’m in the people world.”
Jilly squealed, “Oh, my god, it’s quacking!”
“Like a duck,” Patty said, laughing. “…a troll duck.”
Jilly was giggling, loudly. Patty’s laughter was getting out of control.
She stammered through it, “An ugly duckling Martian…troll…greenish…” She started losing it in laughter.
Jilly picked it up, barely managing to get out, “…greenish, reddish, leprechaun, thingie…” before both girls doubled up in hysterics.
Quackrak flinched at the new outburst. His initial fear had gone away, but his ears hurt from all the noise and he was beginning to feel queasy. He was pretty sure these people weren’t going to hurt him, but then again they were obviously insane and that could be a little iffy, so best to stay alert.
“Just my luck to run into crazy ones,” he murmured to himself. Then a disturbing thought came to him. What if they’re all insane…all people? What if that’s why their souls are slimy and foul smelling? He felt cold all of a sudden. What if I’m stuck here, and can’t get home?
Panic rose inside him, and he began to shiver.
Jilly had calmed down, back in control. She grabbed Patty’s arm. “Look. Patty, look. I think it’s crying.”
“What? No way.”
“Really…look.”
Patty looked. “It is! It’s crying… I think.”
Jilly reached, slowly, toward Quackrak.
“Ohhh,” she cooed. “What’s wrong, little fella?”
Patty chuckled. “Oh jeez, Jill, get serious!”
“No, look at it…really…the poor little thing.”
Patty moved closer, still suspicious of getting bitten, or worse, but Quackrak just sat there, wide-eyed and teary, feeling very vulnerable and alone.
Goodbye Lucifer Page 13