by S S Bazinet
She opened the front door and tried to smile. “Carol and Peggy, come in.” She paused. “Where are the children?”
Peggy spoke up. “Tim is doing some work at home today.”
Carol nodded in agreement. “He’s being a dear and watching both the kids.” She reached out to Elise. “Elise, your eyes are all red. Have you been crying?”
Elise cuddled a struggling Freddie. “A little.” She swallowed hard, bit her lip and still felt a new crop of tears making their way down her cheeks. She hadn’t told her friends about the possibility of being pregnant or that it was a false alarm. “I’m sorry. Nothing is really wrong,” she said with a sniffle. “It’s just that time of month. But I think this lunch will be exactly what I need to feel better.”
Elise, Peggy and Carol were similar in height, five three and under, but that’s where the similarity ended. With thick, red hair and gorgeous, brown eyes, Peggy was the shortest. Carol and Elise both had blond hair, but Carol wore her straighter, sleek version, shoulder length, or pulled back. Elise had to fight her shorter locks. Her unruly curls insisted on sticking out in odd directions. Sometimes she noticed Arel staring at her morning hair. She could tell he wanted to tame its contrary nature, but he resisted the urge and usually kissed her instead.
“Elise, maybe this isn’t a good time,” Peggy said. “Why don’t we postpone the lunch?”
Elise had started into the living room, but she stopped and turned around. When she saw Peggy’s face, she suddenly forgot about her troubles. “Peggy, you don’t look well. What’s wrong?”
“I’m suffering from lack of sleep,” Peggy said. “I’ve been having some awful nightmares.”
Elise frowned back. “I know how that can be. But maybe some lunch might help.”
Carol took Peggy’s hand. “Elise is right. Have something to eat, and you can tell us about your dreams.”
“My nightmares are so awful.” Peggy stared down at her black, ballerina flats. “Tim’s been sweet, but he doesn’t know what to do when I wake up crying. I don’t think I should talk about them. If I do, I could get upset again.”
Elise had never seen Peggy look so fragile and worn. “Try to forget about all that for now. Come into the kitchen and see what I’ve prepared.”
Peggy shrugged. “You’re right. Having lunch with you two always cheers me up.”
Elise led the way to the kitchen. “I hope you like what I made. It’s a layered mozzarella and tomato sandwich on ciabatta bread. I found the recipe online last week. And for dessert you can have either New York cheesecake or cherry pie.”
Carol laughed. “I bet Carey wishes he hadn’t volunteered to help Tim with the children. He would love everything you’ve made.”
Peggy sat down at the table and offered a little smile. “Elise, is it hard having Michael and Carey living here now that you and Arel are married?”
Elise smiled back. “Michael suggested he and Carey could get their own place, but Arel wouldn’t hear of it. I think I understand how he felt. Neither of us has family we’re close to, so it’s sweet having those two living here. But it’s strange, both Carey and Michael seem to have an uncanny sense about always being gone when Arel and I need privacy.”
Carol reached out for her napkin and put it in her lap. “Michael and Carey were a couple of real matchmakers from what I observed.”
Elise went to the counter and retrieved a plate of sandwiches and put them on the table. “You’re right. If it hadn’t been for those two, I would have never gotten over my bitterness and taken another chance on love. I don’t think Arel and I would have married.”
“That would have been a shame,” Carol said. “You two make a wonderful couple.”
“I never dreamed I could be so happy,” Elise said. But as soon as she made the statement, her sadness flooded back in. A moment later, a dam of bottled-up feelings broke. “I miss Arel,” she cried out. “I thought we were going to be parents, but it was a false alarm.”
Carol and Peggy both jumped up and hugged her.
“You poor thing,” Peggy said. “That’s really tough.”
“You bet it is,” Carol said quietly.
Elise pulled back. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Carol. Arel said you lost a baby.”
Carol nodded. “Yes, but after it happened, I learned I was stronger than I thought I was.”
Peggy added to her statement. “William helped Carol when she was at her lowest.”
Elise’s brows arched. “What did he do?”
Carol went back to the table and sat down again. “He convinced me to see some things. I didn’t believe in myself, but he said I was very strong and totally capable. I learned that he was right.”
Peggy laughed. “Since then, Carol’s been driving my brother crazy. Kevin’s a little slow when it comes to change. He’s constantly trying to keep up with Carol’s new attitude.”
Carol blushed. “Kevin’s doing a lot better than he lets on. Last Valentine’s Day, he actually bought me a gift card for a little lingerie shop in the mall.”
“Holy cow, that’s amazing for someone like Kevin,” Peggy said.
Elise felt better listening to her friends. Whatever she’d been holding in was mostly purged, and talking and laughing was helping her lighten up. There was only one area she was having a hard time dealing with. “Can I bring up something unpleasant? I’m mad at Arel. Sometimes he answers my calls and sometimes he doesn’t. I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s bothering me.”
Carol and Peggy glanced at each other.
Elise put her hands on her hips. “What is it?”
“Arel is a darling, a real sweetie, Elise,” Peggy said. “But he can get into a mood and check out at times. I think it’s the way he deals with life when he’s overwhelmed.”
Elise was still disappointed with Arel, but she tried to be agreeable. “I suppose you’re right. Maybe telling him I might be pregnant upset him more than he let on.”
“Try to be patient with him,” Carol urged.
Elise went back to the counter, letting the advice sink in. It made sense. Arel had been a bachelor for a long time. He probably wasn’t prepared for her news. She looked at her guests. “Let’s forget everything and enjoy our meal. Besides the sandwiches, we have a baby greens salad with cheese crumbles and walnuts, a fruit salad, and an assortment of chips.”
Eight
WILLIAM’S BROWS WERE narrowed in thought as he sat in his bedroom. He’d been going over the way he conducted himself earlier. He’d attended a meeting hoping to get some answers about Col. It probably could have been much more productive if he’d kept his mouth shut. But no, his anger got out of hand. That wasn’t good. He’d once prided himself on keeping his emotions in check.
He’d left the meeting after criticizing Arel’s behavior, but he was really upset with himself. Col’s sudden appearance back in his life was a shock. He was buying into the fear of what that could mean. According to Michael, this wasn’t just about the possibility of Elise having a devil child. It was about Col being able to manipulate the minds of whomever he pleased.
But William wasn’t only concerned about someone playing with minds, he knew about Col’s ability to act on a physical level. In a past life, Col had thoroughly enjoyed himself when he’d thrown a young boy into a roaring fire. William could still feel the flames if he let himself remember the event. Trying to deal with that type of trauma without any emotion was almost impossible.
But he’d done the impossible before he’d ingested angelic blood. He’d successfully shut out all the pain. He’d conducted his affairs with self-respect and composure. When he needed to, he could be cold and pitiless. He was in charge of his life. Arel accused him of having no heart, but what choice did he have.
His way of navigating life had been forced on him. Cruelty was his constant companion when he was an innocent child. His father had no conscience when it came to killing everything that mattered to William. The land, the animals, and even William were there
to glorify his father’s needs. Everything William loved was desecrated. All that was left for William was a cold, calculated hatred. It served him well.
Everything changed when angelic blood entered the picture. It was a purging agent that targeted what he’d denied. In spite of never wanting to feel anything ever again, he couldn’t avoid it. The helplessness he’d suffered as a child, the inability to defend what mattered most, all of his worst nightmares came to the surface. The process of excavating what he’d hidden away became so all-consuming he’d had to battle for months to hold on to his sanity.
When the worst was over, he was left wondering if his journey had been worth it. Supposedly there was an upside. Once purged of the bulk of his negativity, he’d be free to open his heart again, to love and be loved. That promise was fulfilled. He’d found room in his life for Annabel. In turn, she loved him completely. “But what good is any of it now?” he whispered.
If only he was still the ruthless man he’d once been, he’d show Col just how cruel he could be. Unfortunately, he wasn’t that person anymore. So where did that leave him? Surely, he was strong and resilient after all the trials that life had thrown at him. A worthless father, angelic blood tearing him apart, he’d weathered it all. So why was he letting himself be bullied by a discarnate soul named Col?
He walked over to his bed and lay down. The meeting he’d attended with Arel, Rolphe, Annabel and the angels didn’t present any solutions. But a plan was coming into focus. To carry it out, he had to believe in himself and put aside any doubts.
His strategy was simple. He would do a little astral traveling and visit Col. Once he came face to face with the ghost, he’d set things straight. After all, he wasn’t some helpless waif who couldn’t defend himself. Col would have to go up against a man this time, a man sporting angelic blood.
William shut his eyes. It felt so good to be in charge again. The feeling intensified as he began to drift into a special space he’d come to know. It was that space that separated being awake and alert from being asleep. It was a space of opportunity. If he took a number of attentive breaths, he’d soon be on his way to wherever Col was hidden.
With practice, he’d become quite adept at separating out from his physical vessel. He wasn’t surprised when it happened this time, and he found himself floating above his body. He was getting almost as good as Arel when it came to handling such feats.
The next part was easy too. He stated his intention. “I want to visit Col. Take me to his location.” His astral form was very responsive. Without a moment’s hesitation, he was moving swiftly to his intended destination.
* * * * *
Col knew exactly who and what he was. He was a soul on the other side of life who had worked long and hard to become a master of darkness. The thought of some heavenly realm was the last thing on his mind. He had his own ideas about how to create his little piece of the afterlife.
The stench that fouled the air was thick and suffocating. It added to the other nauseating aspects of the dark cell where he stood. He’d whole-heartedly embraced what some termed evil, and he wanted everything around him to reflect his chosen path. If he could, he’d crown himself the king of all that was vile and sordid.
Yes indeed, he’d had quite the amazing experience since he’d taken his last breath as a helpless, pathetic human. He was powerful now, and he knew how to wield his power with a merciless hand. The idea of being in a physical body felt distant, almost dreamlike.
“So long ago,” he hissed. Of course, he knew that he’d just made a ridiculous statement. In the dimension where he existed, there was no time. Time was a construct that was part of the physical experience. But being on the other side didn’t stop Col from working tirelessly to make his surroundings as real and horrific as any hellhole that ever existed. It wasn’t an easy chore. Those dogs of heaven, the angels, had been tireless too. Always appearing when he relaxed the slightest bit, they pleaded their case. “Come back to the light, dear friend.”
Col answered them with a roar of laughter that ended in a snarling grimace. “Are you insane? Don’t you know who you’re talking to? I’m the nightmare that no one escapes!”
Col was headed deeper and deeper into a darkness that served purpose, his purpose. He was still in human form when he’d first succeeded in carrying out his need for punishment. He’d known both Arel and William in that lifetime. He scoffed at the memory.
“They thought they were so pure and holy! Well, I showed them, didn’t I? Arel didn’t look too pure after the inquisitors got hold of him. And all his holiness didn’t save him when he was burning at the stake!”
William didn’t escape Col’s cruelty either. “The little beggar was nothing but a bag of bones, a waif who trailed after Arel like a lost puppy.” Col made sure William followed Arel into the fire. With adrenaline fueling his limbs, Col had personally heaved him into the flames with ease and delight. Afterwards, Col stood watching as he listened to William’s screams. He found them welcome and gratifying.
Arel and William both lost their belief in a loving Creator in that lifetime. It was a beautiful victory for Col, and he celebrated. But recently, his celebration was cut short. Heaven’s big dog, Michael, managed to bring Arel back into the light. And of course, William followed.
Col’s face twisted with revulsion when he imagined Arel and William relishing their new lives. On the other hand, their recent circumstances also offered a fresh opportunity. And he’d been preparing to take advantage of it.
First, he started manipulating their minds, dropping hints of what they had waiting for them. When Col planted the idea of incarnating as Arel’s child, he’d been overjoyed at Arel’s reaction. The man was so panic-stricken, he couldn’t talk. William was speechless too. They squirmed like mice looking into the eyes of a cobra. In desperation, they started scratching for an idea, any idea about how to avoid such a catastrophe.
Col laughed at their efforts and continued to monitor the situation. He didn’t have to observe what was happening for very long. William made a very big blunder. The man wanted results and decided to strike out on his own. It was such a perfect setup that Col could hardly believe his good fortune. Shortly after William made a decision to take care of things himself, he showed up in Col’s domain.
Nine
WILLIAM FOUND HIMSELF standing in a sort of ghastly prison. A heavy atmosphere of hopelessness saturated the dark quarters. It was the kind of place where the unfortunate were taken to await their merciless captors. He covered his nose. Astral body or no, when he inhaled a bit of the air, he gagged. The heavy, damp stuff was filled with the smell of rot and decay. And if there were such a thing as pure evil, the darkness reeked of that commodity too. As it closed in on him, its touch was so ugly and foul that William felt any hint of smugness slip away.
He was about to rethink his trip to Col’s world when a bitter wind came out of the darkness and swirled around him. It was as frigid as any arctic winter’s gale. In an instant, the iciness took control of his body. He was frozen to the spot where he stood.
As he struggled to free himself, he knew he wasn’t only lacking in ruthlessness, he was lacking in common sense. Instead of carefully weighing out his options, he’d let his anger overrule his better judgment. It wasn’t like him to act so impulsively. Arel pulled those kinds of stunts, but William was usually smarter than that.
He didn’t have time to reprimand himself. A crucial step in astral traveling was maintaining a positive focus. If he let himself be drawn in by external circumstances, his control would be lost.
Taking a breath of the sickening air, he was determined to remain calm and free himself when a movement caught his eye. He wasn’t alone. Col stood in the shadows, an arm’s reach away. The freezing chill that had paralyzed William was coming from Col’s eyes.
William remembered those eyes when they hadn’t yet turned black. No matter the color, the same cruel energy was there, staring at him.
Col grinned. “It’s
William now, right? I was betting you’d show up sooner or later.”
William gave himself a stern inner shaking and a sterner order.
Don’t let this monster get the advantage again. You’re powerful too.
Col seemed to read William’s thoughts with ease and howled with laughter. William remembered the laugh just as he’d remembered Col’s eyes. But he knew better than let old memories resurrect themselves. He was in a dangerous position, and he had to remain very vigilant.
Col glared at William, still grinning, still laughing. “Oh, you can’t forget what a wonderful time we had together. It’ll always be a reminder of our relationship.”
“Relationship?” William tried to collect himself, to hold back his feelings, but he couldn’t stop the seething rage that festered inside him. “You had an innocent man brutally tortured and burned! Then you turned your hateful eyes on me. I was only a helpless child, and you threw me into the fire, you fiend!”
Col rubbed his hands together. “Yes, I remember that happy occasion. I also remember what happened before all that. You and your friend traipsed around the village thinking you were better than me. But I showed you how silly you were, didn’t I?”
“I remember who Arel was in that life. He was kind and thoughtful. That’s why I followed him. He shared what little he had with anyone in need.”
“I didn’t need his charity! And I certainly didn’t need him bewitching me with his looks!”
“The only thing Arel did in that life was treat others like his brothers!”
“I didn’t need a brother! I’ve always been my own man!” Col began to dance around William, poking at him with a cold, hard finger. “Now, I’m going to help you remember what happens when someone forgets who I am.”