by Gerard Denza
Becky cried in Michael’s arms.
Yvonne had fallen to her knees in prayer and supplication.
-What is going on? What has happened to us? Tell me, dearest Lord! Tell Yvonne!
A waste of good breath.
Melody knelt down by me and put her hand on my shoulder.
-Howard, let’s get that lantern and the candles.
She helped me to my feet. We started toward the staircase.
Irene called out to us.
-Don’t be too long. We’ll be waiting for you.
Oshido went over to Yvonne and gave her comfort. Max and Sean were at the bar. Abraham was near no one at this moment. Rose stood closest to the window and reached out to touch the glass. I stopped her.
-Rose, I wouldn’t if I were you. I have a feeling that it might shatter. And, after all, it is the final barrier between us and them.
Rose withdrew her hand and gave me a dirty look. She held grudges.
Melody and I climbed the stairs. I led the way to my bedroom. I flicked open the light switch, but the light was dim and depressing so I switched if off.
-The lantern is in the closet, on the door attached to a hook. The candles are in this top drawer.
Before I could move to get them, Melody put her arms around my shoulders and kissed me. I grew hard and passionate. I put my leg behind her knee and tripped her and myself down on to the bed. With one hand, I opened my trousers’s fly and pulled my rod out.
-Taste it, first!
I sat just above her chest, not touching it for fear that my weight might hurt her. Her lips and tongue were moist and the inside of her mouth felt humid and damp as some of her lipstick rubbed off on my shaft. The pleasure was exquisite. I reached back to lift up her dress and grab her. I pulled my rod out of her mouth and already I was dripping.
I slid down to enter her. It went in smoothly and with no guidance. I pounded and drove it in, until I could no longer hold out. She stroked my sweaty back as I came and shot into that beautiful, tight hole.
I pulled out and got off her. Leaning against the bureau, I let my rod relax before pulling up my trousers. Melody walked over to the bureau, but did not come over to me. Her purpose was to fix her mussed up hair and retouch her make-up.
-Howard, turn the light switch on, please?
I did as I was asked. Her strawberry blonde hair was soon restored to its feathery texture. She reached into her handbag and touched up her lipstick. I smiled at the thought that my rod might still have some traces of lipstick on it.
Melody was ready. She opened the top draw and found the ten candles and took them out. I went into the closet and unhooked the lantern. She joined me at the doorway and this time it was she who switched off the light.
-Ready?
-Howard, I feel that you may leave us tonight. Come back to us or-
-“Or” what?
-Change something. And, if you do so, find me. Don’t forget me.
-How can I leave you, Melody?
-There are ways. Here, I’ll leave you my scent.
Melody reached into her purse and withdrew a small spray bottle. Before I could stop her, she squirted my neck with the perfume.
-Why did you do that? I don’t want to smell like a woman.
-You won’t. But, in a way, I’ll be near you with every breath.
-Melody, I must ask you a question. Why do you ignore Sean? I thought you were his friend.
-I’m not his friend. I barely know him. I don’t even like him.
-But, you steal documents for him.
-I haven’t stolen any documents, Howard. I would never do that. Did Sean tell you this?
-Yes.
-He’s a liar.
CHAPTER FIVE
THE SEANCE
-I’D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT in hell they’re doing up there.
-My dear sister...Rose, you know perfectly well what they’re “doing” up there. Let’s not pretend to be naive. And, I for one do not care.
-Ha! You’re full of shit, Irene.
-Only if it affects the seance do I care. I won’t stand for that.
-And, that reminds me, dear sister, of a little question I’ve been meaning to ask you. Why are we having this little seance of yours in the first place? You haven’t filled us in on that, yet. You think it’s gonna’ help us any?
Irene hesitated before answering her sister.
-The answer to our difficulties lies outside the physical realm. No one here can give me all the answers that we need to survive this night.
-Including yourself, Irene?
-Yes, Rose. Including myself. I am not above the fray.
-Who in hell are we contacting anyway? Do you know that much?
-A woman whose shadow I saw on the staircase this morning. I could be wrong, but I think she’s from that year 1947.
-Well, I hope this “shadow” knows what the hell is going on. Max and Yvonne were exchanging comments.
-I wish they’d hurry up with that lantern. It’s bloody dark in here.
-Yes, Max, I too am terribly frightened. Perhaps, another drink would help to calm me?
-Yvonne, you’ve had enough, I’d daresay.
-I’ve had enough of Howard and his games, that’s for sure. He likes to insult people. He’s cruel.
-I think Howard means well.
-I don’t. But, Max, what do you make of all this? I feel that we are contemporaries and that I can speak freely with you.
-If I didn’t know any better, I’d say we were all in some bloody nightmare. The trouble is: nobody is waking up.
-I think it is far worse than that. I know what my Aunt Madeline would say.
-What would the dear lady say?
-That all of us have been eliminated from an evil world that we did not fit into.
-And, who in God’s name did this “eliminating?”
-At first, Max, I suspected Howard. But, I sense that he is as frightened as the rest of us despite his bravura and his bullying. He tries to hide it, but I can see through the bastard.
-So, who’s your next suspect?
-Abraham.
Max’s attention was distracted by Becky.
-Oh, Michael, I’m scared. I wish we could begin just to get it over with.
-I know, Becky. They’ll be down soon enough. Are you gonna’ be okay?
-I don’t know. I guess I will. But, it’s the strangest feeling because for the first time in my life, I actually feel like I’m with friends. I’ve always been afraid of people because they seem to know that I’m different from them.
-I know what you mean.
-Once, when I was taking the subway, these people who were sitting across from me, they kind of nodded to each other. And, I’m sure it was about me. I got off at the next stop. I couldn’t stay on that train another minute. The look in their eyes was so mean and cruel. Michael, why were they looking at me like that? And, it wasn’t the first time either.
-Just put it out of your mind. Like you said, you’re with friends now. No one here is gonna’ hurt you.
-They waste too much precious time.
Oshido, who was standing near the window, agreed.
-Abraham is correct. It is close to midnight and we must begin at once. Sean, help me place the largest of these tables in the center of the room. Then, we will place the chairs about the table. Quickly! Time is of the essence or we may be-
-Doomed?
-Yes, Sean. I was about to use that exact word.
Sean and Max carried and placed the round table in the center of the room. Each person brought a chair to the table. Rose wanted to put the drapes back up, but Irene stopped her. No. They must be seen by the moon and exposed by her light.
Everyone sat down and waited for our return. Melody and I joined them. I placed the lantern above our heads, dangling over the table: the lantern of light that would take the place of the sun. It would symbolize the warmth and serenity of His radiant light and balance the evil of the moon that was closing in upon us.
Melody sat to my right and Irene sat to my left. Sean was next to Irene and Michael sat next to Sean and, then, came Becky and Abraham who was now directly across from me. What fucking irony! Yvonne was to Abraham’s left and, then, came Max, Rose, and Oshido who was on Melody’s right hand side.
Irene struggled to speak in a calm voice.
-No one must speak once the seance begins. We must use our psychic abilities in our concentration. The circle must not be broken or else we will fail. And, I don’t think we’ll be getting a second chance Now, place both hands on the table and touch fingertips.
Irene took a deep breath and began the seance.
-The woman whose shadow I saw today...come to us now and speak to us. Tell us who you are and what you know of all this. Save us! Save us from this evil! Speak through your chosen channel.
The lantern began to sway back and forth casting its light upon one side of the room and then the other side: brightness on one side and then darkness on the other side...day and night...life and death. No one in the bar knew where to look.
The moon was beginning to sink below the horizon. The room grew colder and darker until it was illuminated only by the lantern and the eerie light of the moon. Outside, the voices had stopped.
-Look!
Irene nodded in the direction of Abraham: behind him, a grey shadow moved. This shadow moved through the table...it moved behind Becky and stopped. It descended into the girl’s body and took possession of her. Just a moment before the lantern shone upon Becky, the shadow had taken the form of a young, Latin woman. The woman spoke to us.
-Of course, I may now speak. The body is strange, but it’s usable. Has no one here anything to ask me? I would have many questions if I were in your place.
Irene asked the first question.
-Who are you?
-A very simple question to answer. But, perhaps, I chose not to answer it, eh? What then? Tell me what would you then do? But, I’ll answer it because it will benefit me as well as yourselves. My name is Yolanda Estravades. You see? It means nothing to you. I knew that it wouldn’t.
-Are you the woman whose shadow I saw on the staircase?
-Pitiful, no? Reduced to a mere shadow; but, now I have substance, however imperfect.
Irene pushed on with her questions.
-Why a mere shadow, Yolanda? Why haven’t you passed on?
-Because of him. Don’t ask me his name, for I cannot say it. It should never be said.
-Why did you come to us?
-You need me to tell you what has happened. Can no one stop that lantern? I find it annoying. A sun should be stationary and not moving back and forth.
-What has happened to us, Yolanda?
-Ask the Hasid your question. He told you before. I’ll tell it to you so that you can understand and there will be no mistaking my words.
Yvonne shouted at the now possessed Becky.
-Are we dead? At least tell us that much.
-Don’t interrupt me! Death is the least of your concerns. You’ve all slipped through to that which is always present but cannot be seen. You find yourselves now on the other side of existence. It is the evil side of the glyph.
Irene continued to question.
-How and why did we get here?
-All of you possess psychic gifts which you’ll have need of. None of you actually slept last night, am I not right? But, for a moment, you did “slip off.” It was then that he pushed you through the doorway, as I was pushed through. Or, perhaps, you are the outcasts...the survivors of the end or their descendants?
Yvonne spoke the question that we all wanted to ask.
-How do we get out? Tell us that much.
-By never being here. No. I don’t taunt you with riddles. What happened must be changed for all of our sakes and for the world that you thought you knew. Someone here will have to change the course of the world’s destiny. You must prevent the cataclysm from happening.
Yvonne continued, but her voice betrayed her growing frustration and fear.
-Prevent what from happening?
-I can’t speak of it. It changed the world. It was evil and perverse and horrible.
Irene took over the questioning, again.
-How can we stop this thing from occurring, Yolanda? For heaven’s sake, how?
-One of you can slip back into the past. I’ll help. Then, we must wait until we no longer exist in this phantasmic world.
-Why were you pushed in?
-As it always is, Irene, I knew too much. I knew him all too well. I knew of the event that would take place.
Again, Yvonne interjected, but without asking a question.
-Mon Dieu!
-Yes. Call upon Him for you’ll need His help. His Son helps you now or all would be lost.
In a frightened voice, Irene asked her final question.
-Who is to “slip” through to the past?
-The moon...look...it sinks below a horizon which doesn’t exist.
Max spoke up.
-Can you tell us more of this event? I’m not clear on that at all.
-It was the day the world ended.
Yvonne was close to hysterics as she screamed out.
-What? What is it that you say? But, we are alive, so how can this be? You’re lying to us.
-I am not lying. Look at the moon. It sets.
An arm reached out toward the swaying lantern and knocked it down. We were plunged into darkness. Screams were heard and there was one scream of torture.
-It stopped.
-What stopped, Yvonne?
-Those horrible screams, Oshido.
Oshido addressed the others at the table.
-Is everyone present?
-Ha! Who in hell can see anything? It’s worse than being blind. Irene? Are you there?
-Yes, Rose, but-
-I am here, but Becky is not. Her chair is empty. I am Abraham.
Irene spoke up.
-Howard’s gone. I didn’t feel him get up. He is gone, isn’t he, Melody?
-Yes. But, I can still feel his fingertip.
-How interesting, dear. But, where is he?
-I’m getting up. Melody, where are the candles?
-We left them on the bar on the left hand edge, Max. Be careful.
Sean volunteered to help.
-I’ll help you, Max.
The two men groped their way toward the bar.
-What the hell is this?
-Rose dear, are you all right? Please, try not to panic.
-There’s something wet and sticky on this table, Irene. It’s spreading!
-Rose dear, what in the world- Oh! Something is on the table.
Irene pushed her chair back, but not quickly enough to prevent the liquid from spilling on to her dress. Michael pulled away. Abraham pulled away, also, as did Melody, Rose, and Oshido, but all too late. All of them were stained.
Melody called out to Max and Sean.
-Guys? Please, hurry! Something’s happening over here.
-Irene, it feels like blood!
-Dear Rose, please don’t start a panic. I’m sure-
Michael shouted.
-Oh, my God! It is blood!
Irene’s hand slipped on to the table and she screamed The lantern was once again lit. It was still dangling from its hook, but something or some bits of fiber obscured its light. One could almost see through these bits dangling long and loose like remnants of a spider’s web.
Melody turned to look over her shoulder and saw a point of light coming toward her.
-Max, thank goodness. Someone’s turned on the lantern.
Everyone at the table got up and moved back toward the bar. Another point of light appeared: this one nearer the table. It was Sean and he also backed away. For a moment, the blood stopped at the edge of the table and, then, in a cascade of slow motion, it overflowed. All nine people were back at the bar bumping into stools and pressing themselves against each other. More candles were lit by Sean and now each person he
ld a candle: nine points of light in the darkness.
Irene knew what had to be said.
-Look at the lantern.
Yvonne screamed and could not be stopped.
-Mon Dieu! There she is- how did she- Ah!
The pale outline of a face permeated through the lantern’s light like a long lamp shade with the outline of dead features. Murdered. Butchered. It was a part of what remained of Becky. The other pieces of her torn and mutilated body had been nailed to the ceiling above the table with the lake of blood beneath it.
Michael collapsed to the floor.
Max couldn’t look away. He spoke to no one in particular.
-Skinned alive like some animal! Horrible! Horrible!
Oshido was aware that he could not blink his eyes shut. He spoke without taking a breath.
-She has been skinned alive like a slaughtered pig: cleanly and neatly and the rest of her is torn to pieces.
-Thanks for the run-down, pal.
-I state the obvious, Sean.
Michael wiped the tears from his eyes.
-Why Becky? Why did he do it?
-Howard didn’t do this, Michael. I’m sure of that. He wouldn’t do such a thing.
Yvonne stopped her screaming and addressed Melody with a couple of sarcastic questions.
-Oh? And, how do you know this, Melody? Where is your precious lover gone to? Eh? Answer us that, if you can. You can’t.
-I can, Yvonne. He was pushed back through time to when this all began. Howard will help us. I know he will. He’ll attempt to stop a terrible event from occurring, and that will bring us back to where we should be.
Sean looked at Melody.
-You hope.
Yvonne spat on the floor.
-Riddles! Riddles! How I grow tired of these damned riddles. I need a drink. Someone get me a drink!
-How will we know if Howie-boy succeeds?
-In all likelihood, dear Rose, we’ll never know. We won’t have any memory of this dreadful night, which is fine by me, dear sister.
Oshido spoke a warning.
-There is still a murderer amongst us. He is the cause of all this.