Of Pagan Gods and other tales

by Thomas James

  Stretching catlike, Ella stood and sauntered to a nearby pile of ash. Scooping up a handful, Ella allowed the ashes to sift between her soot stained fingers. “Allow me to introduce my stepmother.”

  Horrified, the fairy godmother said, “Oh you poor dear.” Whirling back to Leona she said, “This is entirely your fault.”

  “My fault? If you were here instead of off trying to find out how many virgin nerds can dance on the head of a pin, none of this would have occurred.”

  “And if you did not use illegal immigrants to work your salt mines, you would not have to do community service.”

  “It is a diamond mine. Besides, I only hired seven of them and they were happy. Hell they even whistled while they worked. Imbecile.”

  “Who are you calling an imbecile you barren hag.”

  “New age hippie freak.”

  “Enough,” Ella said.

  Both women turned to regard Ella, painting false smiles on their lips. Leona spoke first, “Sorry about the mix up.”

  “Mix up?”

  “Yes dear,” the fairy godmother said, “You see, although you do possess an innate ability with the elements, the gift was not meant for you, but for a Carrie White.” Then she muttered, “Hope Mr. King does not find out about this.”

  “What was that?”

  “Nothing to worry yourself about, at least I can relieve you of this horrid burden.”

  “I think not,” Ella replied.

  “But my child, look about you. There is nothing left but cinders Ella.”

  A flush rising up her neck, Ella screeched, “I am not a child.”

  Taken aback, the fairy godmother reached for her wand, but never got a chance to use it as she was engulfed in a ball of flame, disappearing in a shower of gold and blue sparks. Ella returned to the throne steps and poured herself another cup of wine. Sipping the wine, Ella studied the shaken expression on Leona’s face.

  “Going somewhere?” Ella asked, stopping a slowly retreating Leona.

  “Er, I uh- that is –

  “Tell me. The seven workers. Are they about this tall,” Ella said, holding her hand four feet above the floor.

  “Um, yes, yes they are or were anyway.”

  “Were?”

  “Mining accident, tunnel collapse.” A bead of sweat blazed a trail through Leona’s heavy makeup. Clearing her throat she asked, “W-Were they friends of yours?”

  “Friends of my cousin, Snow White. She may be a sanctimonious bitch, but at least she is true family.”

  “Look I’m sor – A fireball cut off her apology.

  Still sipping her wine, Ella mimicked the late fairy godmother, “There is nothing left but cinders Ella. Cinders-Ella. Cinderella. I like that."

  ###

  Masquerade

  “Sophia, slow down. You are driving too fast!” exclaimed Angie.

  “What’s the big deal, you are wearing a seatbelt and besides it’s not like anything is going to happen to us,” replied the driver.

  “I’m not worried about us. I don’t want you to hit any Trick-or-Treaters.”

  “Not to worry, no one would live on this road.”

  Angie stared out the passenger side window. The blue sedan whipped past gnarled oak trees and withered grass. Leafless tree branches reached skyward, stirred by an October wind, creating dancing shadows along the road. The cloud filled night sky partially hid the moon and stars, while nocturnal creatures scurried throughout the woods. A dense fog obscured portions of the woodland and spread thin tendrils of mist along the rut-filled dirt road. The muted headlight beams and growling engine of the sedan, cut through the gloom, stilling the creatures of the night.

  The sedan passed rapidly along the tortuous, fog-shrouded road. Luminous eyes followed the passage of the vehicle through the woods. After the auto’s taillights disappeared into the distance, the violet eyes blinked once, and then faded away.

  The vehicle hurtled down the unpaved road. A deer ventured out of the woods, into the path of the oncoming auto. The doe stood motionless, frozen in the glare of the lamps; soft, brown eyes becoming glowing orbs of light.

  Desperately, Sophia slammed a foot down on the brake pedal, slewing the vehicle from left to right in an attempt to halt over 2000 pounds of metal from hitting the helpless creature. Brake pads screamed in protest as the sedan came within inches of striking the innocent animal. The right tires of the vehicle slid into a roadside trench and the sedan came to rest at a slight angle. The engine idled for a moment, gave a harsh rattle and then cut out.

  Freed from the mesmerizing glow of the headlights, the nervous doe bound for the other side of the road, vanishing into the shadowed woods. Not long after, the sedan’s driver side door flew open and Sophia, clad in form fitting crimson leather, stepped out of the vehicle. A similarly ivory clad figure bounced out after Sophia.

  “Damn it Angie, can you believe this shit?”

  Angie looked to her crimson clad companion, knowing that Sophia did not expect an answer. The driver walked from the sedan’s grill to the auto’s tail, muttering under her breath all the while. After completing the circuit, Sophia stopped and kicked the rear tire.

  “It could have been worse you know, at least we didn’t hit that poor defenseless animal,” said Angie.

  Sophia snorted, “Leave it to you to worry about some dumb animal. What about my car here, huh?”

  “This can be repaired,” said Angie, indicating the vehicle, “the dead cannot come back to life.” After a slight pause she added, “Although I know of one person, who after three days ─

  The driver interrupted, “Okay, okay, I don’t need a sermon.” Desiring to vent her frustration, Sophia pounded the side of her fist on the sedan’s hood and then frowned at the resulting dent. Climbing back into the tilted auto, Sophia retrieved her handbag. Searching among the accumulated clutter at the bottom of the bag, she extracted a slim cell phone. Touching the screen, did little to appease her temper. No carrier signal bars were evident. Stuffing the cell phone back into her handbag, with more force than was actually necessary, Sophia suppressed the urge to scream.

  “Happy Halloween,” a playful Angie said.

  “How can you find this amusing? Our night is shot to hell! The car is dead, there is no signal on my cell, and we are on a deserted road, in the middle of who-knows-where! I mean really, we are screwed! And get that stupid grin off your face!”

  Angie finally had to laugh aloud; she was accustomed to Sophia’s frequent rants. The cry of a night creature interrupted Angie’s laughter. Both she and Sophia looked about trying to discern what had produced the sound.

  “Probably just an owl,” Angie said.

  “Well, it is official,” said Sophia, “we now have all the ingredients for a lame horror movie. All we need now is for ─”

  “Do you ladies require any assistance?” a voice from darkness asked.

  “─ that!” finished Sophia.

  Both women had turned at the unexpected voice. Angie moved closer to Sophia, as a handsome, strapping man stepped into the somber glow of the headlights. The stranger approached the women, his long black coat nearly brushing the earth, his walk a proud swagger.

  “Forgive me; I hope I did not startle you.”

  Sophia asked, “Who are you?”

  “I am Tomas Reginald Martyin,” he replied and gave a ridiculous little bow.

  Sophia studied the odd man for a moment, not sure what to make of him. Angie moved behind and to the right of Sophia, keeping her eyes on the newcomer, taking in every detail. Finally, Sophia introduced herself and her friend.

  “Do you always walk down deserted roads at night?” asked Sophia.

  Tomas gave a disarming smile, “I live just up ahead around the bend. When I saw that the lights of your vehicle had not moved for a time it seemed prudent that I should come see if I might be of service.”

  “Well Mr. Martyin, may we use your phone? I can’t get a signal out here.”

  “Signal?”
asked Tomas.

  “Yes, you know signal, cell phone, satellites, and towers.”

  “Ah, I see cell phone. Of course, you may use my telephone and please call me Tomas.”

  Angie leaned forward and whispered into her companion’s ear, “Are you sure about this?”

  Sophia replied, “Everything will be fine; after all, there are two of us.”

  With a mischievous smile on her lips, Angie said, “Yes, and I bet that’s the last thing someone says before they go missing.”

  Ignoring the comment, Sophia turned back to Martyin. “Just let me turn off the lights; I don’t need a dead battery on top of everything else.” Shutting off the Sedan’s lights left them in near absolute darkness, thankfully a shaft of moonlight shined through a break in the clouds. Just as the three set off, Angie paused. She could not be sure, but she thought that in the moonlight, Tomas’ eyes took on an unnatural glow, not unlike the animal shine of a woodland creature. She quickened her steps to catch up to Sophia and their new companion.

  Tomas led the two women just past a bend in the road then turned right and continued down a foliage-choked path. The ground, strewn with damp dead leaves, muffled their footfalls. Around them, the fog drifted between the oak and elm trees, helping to deaden the sounds of their passage. The chill weather pressed upon them, their breath frosting in the night air, adding to the fog bank. Moonlight faded and grew stronger as clouds drifted across the October sky, at times masking the moon completely.

  “You must have very good eyesight,” Angie said.

  “Oh, I have spent many a night walking this path. I could walk it with my eyes closed.”

  “Is it much further until we reach your house?” Sophia asked.

  “The house is not far ahead, about 40 or so yards.”

  “Probably lives in a mausoleum,” Sophia muttered.

  They continued walking in silence for some time. As they approached a small clearing to their left, a deer mouse ran into a view. Angie could make out its white feet and long bi-colored tail. She watched as the deer mouse stopped and rose up on its hind legs, with its tiny, twitching, nose sniffing the air.

  Tomas broke the silence, “I am intrigued by your choice of attire.”

  “Balance,” replied a distracted Angie.

  “Forgive my ignorance, but I do not understand?”

  “Good and Evil, Heaven and Hell ─,” replied Angie.

  “Halloween costumes,” Sophia clarified, cutting off Angie.

  “I see; were you on your way to a party?”

  “Yes,” answered Sophia as she snuck a quick look at Angie who arched an eyebrow at her. Sophia shrugged her shoulders.

  “Ah, fortune must ride with you. As it so happens, I am entertaining some associates this evening. It would be my pleasure for you to join our gathering.”

  A loud screech erupted from the darkness. Angie reached out and placed a hand on Sophia’s shoulder. Panicked, the deer mouse ran, but before reaching the relative safety of the scrub brush, it disappeared in an explosion of fur and dead leaves. Angie gasped as a great horned owl, its mottled brown wings pumping forcefully, flew off with its prize.

  “Oh, that poor mouse,” sighed Angie. Sophia shook her head, not understanding Angie’s compassion for such creatures.

  Tomas had taken several more steps before he stopped. He turned to face the women. “Do not be overly concerned, these woods abound with creatures that hunt in the dark.” In the murky night, the two stranded women could barely discern the facial expression of Tomas, but his voice seemed to imply a sneer.

  “Here we are,” said Tomas gesturing ahead of them.

  Rising up out of the fog was a two-story clapboard house. A small stream led past the right side of the home, slowly turning an attached waterwheel. Behind the house, they could make out the form of a lake. Although the front windows were dark, they could see lights emanating from connecting rooms.

  “It’s a lovely home,” said Angie, although she could detect an unpleasant odor about the area. Sophia rubbed her nose, a secret signal to Angie to indicate that she too detected an unpleasant odor.

  “Thank you. I had it refurbished a few years back. When I bought the property, this old mill was a burned out husk. The road your vehicle broke down on gets its name from this place, ‘Old Mill Road’. Had you continued on, you would have passed by my driveway and we would never have met.”

  “Well, everything happens for a reason,” said Sophia.

  Opening the door, Tomas stepped aside and bid the women to enter. Angie hesitated a moment, but Sophia had no qualms about going into a stranger’s home. Following her companions lead, Angie entered, but not before glancing at the face of their host. Angie thought that the moonlight gave his eyes a violet hue.

  Once inside, Tomas hung up his coat on a wall rack and walked into an adjoining room. Sophia nudged her companion with an elbow and then pointed to the man’s clean, unmarred, shoes. Not understanding, Angie inclined her head. Sophia lifted her leg, displaying a muddied boot. The two women followed him into the other room.

  The dining room appeared to be from another age. Sculptured molding lined the walls. A large bay window, framed by heavy red drapes, looked out upon the lake. Across the room stood a hearth, a smokeless fire blazing within its interior. Above the mantle hung a painting, an excellent rendition of the ‘Old Mill’ in its glory days. Candles placed about the room, created an atmosphere of tranquility. The oval pinewood table, laden with food and drink, sat in the middle of the room.

  Two men and a woman sat at the table. Similar to the host, the two men were dressed in expensive dark suits and extremely white shirts, the woman wore an exquisite evening gown of diaphanous material. Tomas moved to the head of the table. Although there were two empty seats, there were place settings for six diners.

  Angie frowned at the place settings, “It appears that you are expecting additional guest.”

  “This evening was planned for six but unfortunately the others are unable to attend,” Tomas replied.

  Looking around, Sophia asked, “Where is your phone?”

  Tomas pointed to a small niche in the corner. Sophia and Angie exchanged a glance. Even with the dim lighting, neither could see how they had missed the alcove. Sophia walked over to the niche and the small table within; grimacing when she saw the telephone was an antique rotary dial model. Angie returned her attention back to their host.

  “We will try not to be a bother, Mr. Martyin,” said Angie.

  “Please, do not give it another thought.”

  A moment later, an exasperated Sophia returned to Angie’s side, “Your phone is not working.”

  “I apologize for the inconvenience, the telephone is frequently out this time of year, but it will usually resolve itself in time.”

  “Please, will you not join our little gathering?” asked Tomas, gesturing to the empty seats.

  Sophia seated herself on the left side of the host, and Angie the right. Sitting across from each other, the two female companions eyed each other. Angie arched an eyebrow and Sophia mirrored her, a silent communication that spoke volumes.

  “Allow me to introduce my guests. This is Dr. Henry Gross, my oldest acquaintance.” The man to the left of the host smiled mechanically, his round frameless glasses reflecting the fire light. Seated next to the doctor, Sophia smiled back, a hint of annoyance in her eyes. Tomas continued, “My newest acquaintance Mr. Richard Stark.” Stark nodded to the new arrivals, his face an emotionless mask. “And of course the lovely Lillian Jensen,” Tomas said. A ghost of a smile played about Lillian’s rosebud lips. Angie noted that the smile never reached the woman’s dull, glassy eyes. Introductions made, the host took his seat.

  “To an exceptionally long life,” Tomas said, lifting up his wine goblet. The host drank deeply, along with his three original guests. Sophia and Angie politely pushed their goblets away from them. Tomas placed his empty glass down. His three guest followed suit in unison.

  “Is th
e wine not to your liking?” asked Tomas.

  Sophia detected a slight tension in their host’s voice and shifted in her seat, only to be stilled by a slight shake of Angie’s head. “We prefer to wait until we arrive at our destination,” Angie replied evenly. Sophia stood abruptly, stating her intention to try the phone again and returned to the alcove containing the rotary dial telephone. Without bothering to attempt a call, Sophia turned back to the table and moved to stand behind Angie.

  “Any luck?” Angie inquired.

  “No, the phone is still out,” Sophia lied.

  The look in Sophia’s eyes and her tense posture gave Angie pause for thought. A pall of silence settled over the gathering. A sudden revelation struck Angie. The only person to speak besides Sophia and herself was Tomas Martyin. Gracefully, Angie rose up and stood beside Sophia. Angie nodded and then both women walked to the door and turned to face the host and his guests.

  “Is there a problem?” asked Tomas.

  “We believe that the time has come for this masquerade to end,” said Angie.

  “I am unsure as to what you mean,” replied the host.

  “Things are not what they appear to be,” said Sophia, “now end this façade!”

  “Agreed, let this charade end!” shouted Tomas.

  His eyes narrowing in contempt, Tomas rose slowly to his feet, all pretense of friendliness gone from his face. His guest sat mutely, their blank stares disquieting. Tomas raised his right hand, and began muttering an incantation. Angie and Sophia witnessed the glamour fall away, revealing the true nature of the host and surroundings. The two stranded women found themselves standing amidst burned out ruins. Decayed and desiccated bodies sat at the warped, fire-scorched table. The once handsome and commanding figure of Tomas Martyin faded into a withered, shrunken old man. Sunken, violet eyes stared out of the emaciated face.

  “You should have partaken of the wine,” said a raspy voiced Tomas, “it would have eased your passage from this mortal coil.”

  Tomas, now with both hands raised, began tracing intricate patterns in the air, his gnarled, fingers leaving a fluorescent vapor trail suspended above the corpses. A sulfurous odor permeated the atmosphere. The three corpses, their faces contorted in silent screams, lurched to their feet and staggered towards the women.