Bedeviled

by J. Ashburn

  “Nicki…”

  “The place is full, Micah don’t be rude.” She waited for the doctor to look around and get told there would be a wait by the uninterested hostess. He glanced around and smiled, recognizing Nicki and Micah. Nicki waved her hand and gestured for him to come over to their table.

  He walked over, his blonde hair catching the light of all of the neon signs and his blue eyes twinkling, stopped and smiled, mostly at Micah. “Hi.”

  “Hello,” Nicki smiled widely. “You’re the new doctor? I’m Nicki and this is Micah.”

  Micah put up his hand. “Hello.”

  “I’m Jake, Jake Mason.”

  “Nice to meet you, Jake,” Nicki continued. “You’re welcome to join us, I know you’re waiting for a table.”

  “Yeah, this is a popular place. You sure, you don’t mind?”

  “Not at all.”

  “Great.” Jake slid beside Micah. “Thank you so much. I just moved here and haven’t met many people yet.”

  “Well, we’d be happy to show you around, wouldn’t we Micah?”

  Micah smiled. “Sure.”

  “I appreciate that. You guys work there long?”

  “About five years,” Micah replied. “We’re paramedics.”

  “That’s great. So you must be really good friends.”

  “When we’re not trying to kill each other,” Nicki laughed.

  Jake laughed along with her. Micah cracked a smile and noticed Jake shift closer to him, nearly rubbing elbows now.

  “We heard you’re from Tennessee.” Nicki kept the ball rolling.

  “Yes, born and raised but I was looking for new challenges and a change. When the hospital showed interest I made a few trips to get a tour and go on some interviews. I think I’m going to like it here.”

  “I hope so.”

  “With people as friendly as you two, I know I will.”

  “Aw shucks,” Micah said and Nicki kicked him under the table.

  “So,” Jake said. “What do y’all recommend for dinner?”

  “Everything is good here,” Nicki said.

  “They do a really good fried chicken dinner,” Micah said.

  “Oh boy, I’ve eaten fried chicken my whole life…I’m from the south, remember?”

  “Your whole life?” Micah said. “So unhealthy and you’re a doctor?”

  Jake laughed and brushed his hand across Micah’s arm. “It’s my mama’s fault. Seriously, she was an incredible cook. Nobody can top my mama’s fried chicken.”

  He was funny after all, Micah thought. “Then a cheeseburger. They’re amazing here.”

  “That settles it. Cheeseburger it is.” He rubbed his thigh against Micah’s.

  But he was coming on a bit strong. Micah fidgeted and sucked in some air. He wasn’t sure he was ready for this or Doctor Jake Mason.

  5

  A lonely train whistle called on the other side of Blackstone. In the wooded thicket that lined the railroad tracks, a shadowy mist formed as the train approached. Shadows stretched into a vague humanoid shape. Great, black-feathered wings unfurled then faded into smoky tendrils. The darkness moved, and a man stepped from it, naked, toned, muscular, devilishly handsome with silver-gray eyes and a shaved head. Sebastian had arrived.

  He strolled across the tracks as the train bore down on him but as it should have run him down, he morphed into gray smoke and allowed the train passage through him. He materialized on the station’s platform and watched the people get off. No one could see him.

  Sebastian watched men and women depart the train and noticed the big difference between he and them. He wiggled his fingers and wove his hand over his taut body. Clothes draped him, a pair of jeans, a burgundy thermal shirt and a blazer. He walked among the crowd unseen when he picked up on an energy source.

  A very sexual, bearded man passed by him, duster coat rippling in the wind. Sebastian smiled, his dark heart fluttered and his skin tingled.

  “Ah,” Sebastian sighed. “A dark witch. I haven’t come across one in a long time. How delicious. Sage… Sage Parrish? How exquisite. Fun times ahead for you. I’ll be seeing you at a later time. I have more important tasks hand.”

  He watched the dark witch enter the railroad station café before exiting the platform and crossing the next street. He entered the old village part of Blackstone, cute houses, a suburban feel, lots of trees, stone walls and old farm houses that were no longer in use. He entered a open field, passing through a rickety fence in his misty form and stopped in front a barn.

  Sebastian looked around him and then up at sky. He raised both arms into the air and cupped his hands. He jerked and yanked as if he was pulling the very moonlight itself to him. His entire body burned with hellish power. Freedom from Hell was a pleasure only few experienced and Sebastian relished it, if only for a short time.

  He directed his hands at the barn and its doors flew open. “C’mon boys,” Sebastian said with delight. “We have a deserter to fetch. Come to me now… that’s my good boys.”

  Shadowy smoke drifted out of the barn and streamed into the air. It circled Sebastian then split into two forms. The smoke melted into dog-like figures…large, black dogs with ferocious teeth and massive claws. Their ears were bat-like and their snouts like wild boars.

  “Hungry boys? Hungry my little hellhounds? Let’s go find the one who went AWOL and drag him back to Hell.”

  The dogs morphed into smoke and streamed alongside Sebastian as he left the field and headed for the main roads.

  ###

  In the midst of the downtown area, Caleb came upon two men casing a jewelry store. Their intentions were clear and he made his way to them with the aid of his powers, floating across the quiet intersection to come up to the men clad in black.

  The larger of the men flinched as Caleb seemed to come out of nowhere. “What the fuck!”

  “Brothers,” Caleb said softly, holding his hands open and attempting to be unassuming. “You know this is wrong. This is not the life for you. Not the life you were both meant for.”

  “Mind your fucking business, pal!” the large man said.

  “Frank, forget it, let’s get out of here,” the smaller guy said.

  “Please do not go,” Caleb urged. “I can help you change your ways.”

  “No! I’m not giving this up, we spent months on this.” The larger man pulled a gun out of his jacket and aimed it at Caleb. “Fuck off or you’re a dead man!”

  “Frank!”

  “Do not do this,” Caleb kept his hands up. “I am not threat to you… I can help you turn this around and do the good I know in your heart you want to do.”

  A loud crack rang out. A flash of light blinded Caleb and he felt something surprising in his core… pain. He heard fast, frantic footsteps and once the light cleared he saw the two men running away as fast as they could.

  “Wait…” he took a step toward them but stopped. He looked down and a river of crimson poured down his shirt and to the street. “What’s this?” Confusion wracked Caleb’s brain. He felt weak and dizzy. “I’m bleeding… how…can..”

  He turned slowly and stumbled away. Crossing back through the intersection, he was out of breath. His human body was wounded and that took him by surprise. He didn’t know it was possible.

  Caleb’s head spun, the pain in his gut spread through his entire body, down his arms and legs, to all of his extremities. A pounding assaulted his head and fell onto one knee.

  This body… it is mortal…fragile… I thought it would be impervious to damage and pain…. How can this … be…?

  The fallen angel managed to drag himself into a baseball field and park, getting to a bench. He lifted his shirt and saw the bullet hole still pulsing and oozing with blood. He focused his demonic powers and his hand shifted into a scaly claw. He wove his clawed hand over the wound and the bullet wiggled its way out, floated into the air then fell to the ground. Caleb rubbed the wound with his scales and it started to slowly heal.

 
He pulled himself from the bench with much effort and exited the field, moving sluggishly into the street where a pair of bright headlights flooded around him. Caleb fell to his knees again. A car pulled to a sudden stop, tires screeching.

  The station wagon’s door sprung open and Micah stepped out. His face was struck with panic, his eyes wide. “Oh my God! Are you okay?”

  Caleb looked up and waved him off. “I am fine… leave me…”

  “No way.” Micah rushed to his side. “You’re bleeding. You’re hurt and you need help. I’m a paramedic…I’m getting you to the hospital.”

  Micah threw his arms around Caleb and something happened. Micah’s eyes widened, a charge of energy shot through Caleb. Both men stared into each other’s eyes. A half-smile formed on Micah’s face.

  “You’re him!” Micah said with excitement. “You saved my life a few mornings ago.”

  Caleb nodded.

  “I was hoping to see you again… to thank you. I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind.”

  Caleb smiled back. “Me… either…”

  “C’mon, I’ve got to get you to the emergency room.” He helped Caleb to his feet and walked him to his car. He opened the back seat and set him down, encouraging him to lie down.

  Micah took the wheel and did a U-turn in the middle of the street. He sped across the city back to the place he worked everyday.

  “What happened to you?”

  “I was shot,” replied Caleb. “Two men planning to commit a robbery. I really never though this would happen to me.”

  “What were you doing in that part of the city at this time of night?”

  “I—I—don’t know… anymore.”

  ###

  Micah waited patiently in the emergency room until Doctor Gerard came out to greet him. He stood up quickly and met the doctor half way.

  “He’s fine, Micah. There’s no bleeding, no wound. The bullet must have grazed him. He’s got a little bit of laceration but that’s it.”

  “That’s strange. You should have seen all of the blood.”

  “There’s something else. He doesn’t have any insurance or any identification of any kind.”

  “I can vouch for him. He saved my life a few days ago.”

  “Well, I guess we can have the state take this one.”

  “Yeah, sure, the hospital has a number of cases that can’t pay, right?”

  Doctor Gerard nodded. “I’ll have them write this up but he needs insurance if he comes here again.”

  “I’ll make sure.”

  “And… I need to discharge him to someone. He insists on leaving but someone should take him home.”

  “You got it. I’ll take him. Thank you so much.”

  “You got it. Glad everything’s okay.”

  Micah looked over to see Caleb walking a little more steadily now. He had put his bloodied shirt back on and seemed stronger. His eyes actually twinkled in the ER lights. “You look better.”

  “I told you it was nothing.”

  “Great. I’ll give you a ride… ah…. I never got your name.”

  “It’s Caleb.”

  Micah suddenly recalled his dream. “Cool, that’s so biblical sounding.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “I’m Micah.”

  “I know.”

  “You do? How?”

  Caleb scrambled a bit, realizing that he’d nearly revealed too much. “The doctor told me.”

  “Ah, okay. Let’s go.” Micah led him out of the ER and into the parking lot. He was parked right up front because he thought Caleb was in dire condition. “You’ll feel better after you get a good night’s sleep at your place. Where do you live?”

  “Micah…I…” Caleb spoke with some hesitation. “I do not have a place to live.”

  “What? I’m sorry. Are you homeless? Are you staying at one of the shelters?”

  “No, no…it’s nothing like that. I’m not from around here. Passing through, sort of. I just have not settled on a place yet and I…”

  “Then you can stay at my place.”

  “No, Micah…I could not. I do not want to inconvenience you.”

  “It’s no bother really. You can stay at with me until you find your own place.”

  “That’s very kind of you.”

  “You shouldn’t be alone tonight. You’ve just been through an ordeal, I couldn’t just drop you off at a hotel or something.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Don’t mention it.”

  Something good and happy stirred inside of Micah. He liked being able to help this man especially since he had saved his life. Micah didn’t know why but he felt some kind of connection with him. He didn’t know him from Adam, but it felt as if he did. As if somehow they were supposed to meet.

  He drove Caleb back to his apartment and helped him inside. The apartment was quiet and the twins were asleep. Early to bed, early to rise. At least that’s what they always said. Micah explained that his two roommates were asleep and was trying to keep quiet and leave the lights off as he led Caleb through the darkness.

  “I’ll take the couch,” Micah said. “You take my bed and get a good night’s sleep.”

  Caleb sat slowly on the bed as if he’d never been on one before. “This is nice. Thank you.”

  “Sure. You should probably get out of that shirt. You can wear one my t-shirts.” Micah grabbed a t-shirt from his dresser and handed it to Caleb who had just pulled off his soiled one. Micah couldn’t help but stare—-a smooth chest except for a cute trail of hair that circled Caleb’s belly button before sending the eyes lower. His shoulders were broad with a scattering of freckles, his arms were muscular with extraordinary biceps. Micah wanted to lay his head on Caleb’s chest but he resisted the urge.

  “Thank you,” Caleb said again.

  Micah just nodded, he couldn’t find his voice. He gathered a sheet from his closet and the extra pillow from the bed and headed for the couch in the next room. He pulled the bedroom door behind as he left, leaving it slightly ajar. He leaned on the wall before entering in the living room and sighed.

  Oh God… what am I doing?

  ###

  “It’s okay, Sylvia,” Father Sullivan said, standing in the kitchen’s doorway. “Go ahead and go home. We’re all set for the night. All the beds are almost full tonight.”

  She finished the last of the dishes and wiped her hands on a dishtowel “I’m glad we could help so many. I think it’s going to be a cold one tonight.” She flashed him a smile and reached for her jacket.

  Father Sullivan walked her to the door and watched her leave. He switched off the lights and checked in on the residents of the shelter. Some of the older women were making sure everyone had a blanket.

  “Good night,” he whispered to Millie, the matriarch of the shelter and its residents.

  “G’night, father.”

  He closed the doors to the bedroom and headed through the kitchen and out the back door, locking the shelter up behind him. Father Sullivan rounded the corner of the building and crossed the street. He reached the steps of his church and the air grew suddenly colder than it had been a moment ago. His breath streamed into the air.

  “Where is the traitor?” A soft, sharp voice not unlike the wind moaning through trees, asked.

  “Excuse me?”

  “His tracks stop dead here,” Sebastian said. “They just disappear.” He looked over at the church and grimaced. “It’s this blasted place. Infernal holy ground.”

  “I don’t know what you’re looking for, son, but perhaps I can help you find it. Come in and tell me what troubles you.”

  “I am not your son.” Sebastian’s voice lowered to a hushed whisper. “I am no one’s son.”

  “We are all God’s children.”

  “The Father? You know nothing of Him and his cruel games and festering malice for us. You think you are in his graces even when he has turned his eyes from you too. He no longer protects you. Now, tell me where the traitor has gone.�
��

  “I don’t know who you’re talking about. Perhaps you need a warm bed to sleep in tonight?”

  Sebastian laughed, hollow, cold, withering and a snarl rose behind him. Father Sullivan saw the tall, handsome demon’s eyes flash red and terror struck him. He rushed to his church doors, throwing himself through them.

  He closed the doors and pressed himself against them. His heart pounded in his ears, his palms grew damp. He prayed. The doors buckled. He heard footsteps tap softy up the church steps.

  “Go get’em boys!” The doors slammed again and the wood cracked. Another bash and Father Sullivan slid across the floor, hitting one of the pews.

  “Run father…run! You think I cannot enter your place of worship? No primate’s temple to his sky god can keep me out.”

  The doors burst open and the hellhounds raced inside, fierce visages of smoke and shadows, the sounds of claws on stone floors, red eyes glaring at Father Sullivan.

  The poor man jumped to his feet and bolted for the altar at the other end of the church. Throwing himself against the altar, he clamored for the gold cross on top of it. “Get thee behind me Satan!” He cried with as much conviction as he could muster.

  Laughter came again as Sebastian strolled through the broken doors. “I’m afraid you have me confused with Big D. Oh, I am a high-level demon, an arch-demon to be sure but I’m not at the top. Yet.”

  In the blink of an eye, Sebastian appeared before Father Sullivan who felt invisible teeth clamp down on his hands, wrestling the cross from them. He wailed in agony as Sebastian leaned into him.

  “Where is Caleb? Your holy ground has destroyed all trace of his trail. So, where did he go?’

  “Please… I’m begging you…I don’t know any Caleb. I don’t know anything…please…”

  “Please, keep begging. It’s adorable.” Sebastian ran his fingers across Father Sullivan’s cheek. The man screamed again, his cheek felt as if it was on fire.

  Sebastian frowned. “You really are telling the truth. Didn’t know your species had it in you. Well, this is disappointing.” He turned away and walked back through the church. “Back to the drawing board. He’s all yours boys.”