by Matthew Buza
“We dropped him in the street as he left the building.”
There was a pause as Lazarus’s eyebrows lifted. “I’m not judging you.”
“It sounds like it.”
“You got a body that’s all I asked. The arm won’t matter. We don’t need it.”
Luke and James returned with armfuls of supplies.
Luke handed jars of red salt to Isaac. “Make a circle around the body. James take your candles and set them up on the surrounding pews. Make sure you have catches below the candles. I don’t want to clean up wax tomorrow.”
The men spent the next half hour prepping the séance. Luke turned down the lights and the church was lit by candlelight. The flames danced and sent shadows climbing over the walls. Wisps of smoke climbed into the air and disappeared against the heavy purple curtains that tightly covered the church’s stained-glass panels.
Luke stood with his hands on his hips and watched the final preparations. It had been years since he allowed a séance to be conducted in his church. It had been Lazarus’s séance and carelessness that caused the chaos and cost the lives of a number of parishioners. It still haunted him to this day. The waves of memories rushed back and he felt nauseous. There were two young men working diligently on the ground. Their lives were now in his hands and in his trust with Lazarus.
Lazarus saw the pain in Luke’s face and leaned in. “Are you alright?”
“I’m just remembering last time.”
Lazarus’s eyes closed as he pulled in a deep breath. “Yeah, let's not worry about that right now.”
“Just tell me you know what you’re doing.”
“I don’t, I never do, you know that.” Luke shook his head in disgust. “I’m just following what the book says.”
“Lazarus, you have to be sure.”
“I’m sure it's going to work. What happens on the other side, that will be the hard part.”
“You can’t leave me here to pick up the pieces again.”
“Luke I hear you, I understand, it's not going to happen again. We’ll get back just fine. Just be here waiting for us.”
“You know I'll be here. But will I still see you after?”
“If it goes right I’ll be around. I still owe you Sundays.”
A smile crept across Luke's face. “Damn right you do.” He paused a moment. “Lazarus, this kid is a good one.”
“I know. Just enough cynicism to make it through. He will need you.”
“I know he will.”
Isaac and James stood up and carefully crossed the red salt circle.
“I think we’re ready,” Isaac said. “Is there anything else we need to do?”
“No. You guys did a good job,” Luke said.
Lazarus turned to Isaac. “It’s time to go.”
“Where are we going?”
Lazarus looked to Luke. “Do you have the knife?”
Luke pulled the leather sheath out. The blade handle was wrapped in red leather and looked like it had been dipped in blood. Two leather tassels hung from the end and were tied into firm knots. Luke's hands tingled with anticipation as he tossed the knife to Lazarus.
“Thank you.” He looked down at the blade. “It’s time old friend.”
“What is that?” Isaac asked.
“Well, it's a special blade, older than you can imagine.”
“Why do we need it?”
“It will get us into a place we're not supposed to go.” He pulled the blade out and stowed the leather case in his pant pocket.
Lazarus kneeled down, his hand caressing the cadaver's belly. His fingers tapped in rhythm as if trying to find the sweet spot to strike. He lifted the blade and struck. He ripped down and opened the stomach. Plumes of formaldehyde vapor lifted into the room and drops of fluid splattered over Lazarus's hand. He rested the knife on the chest and reached across pulling the abdomen apart, exposing the preserved organs. Isaac looked down at the pink organ flesh, his eyes following the intestines like a wandering maze. Lazarus's hand pressed the organs apart and created a small cavity at the base of the stomach.
He leaned back, small speckles of splatter resting on his cheek. “Luke I need that spell.”
Luke tossed the wooden box to Lazarus and he dumped the white powder over the opening and coated the insides like a fine layer of flour.
“Isaac, hand me that candle there.”
Isaac pulled the red candle from the pew and soft drops of wax dripped over the floor and across the body.
“Cover your eyes everyone, this is going to get bright.”
Lazarus touched off the powder and the church hall burst into a blinding brilliance as if the sun had shone up through the floor. The sparks and flames climbed high into the air and gave way to a white smoke that billowed up and died against the ceiling. Inside the center of the body burned an unnatural green fire.
“What the fuck?” James cried out.
Lazarus returned the blade to the sheath and stood up. “Are you ready?”
Isaac nodded his head. “What do you want me to do?”
“Just watch what I do and do the same.
Lazarus straddled the green flames. They danced and rolled over his legs but nothing burned. There was no heat. He lowered his leg into the flame and slowly stepped down into the body as if he were climbing down steps. Before he disappeared he looked at Luke. “We will be back, I promise.”
Luke responded. “You better.”
Isaac's face was in horror as Lazarus disappeared into the cavity. He shook his head and stared up at Luke.
“You need to follow him, Isaac. Trust him.”
The panic rose in his chest. “He just…he just…oh my God, where the hell did he go?”
“Isaac, go. You need to follow him. Just take it one step at a time.”
“You want me to do that? What he just did?”
“You need to go now. You don't have the time to sit here and wait. Do it!”
Isaac's body trembled with fear and his eyes glowed green as he stared in dismay. He carefully stepped over the body and lowered his foot into the stomach, feeling a slim ride up his pant leg before it struck a solid step. It was as if a ladder had been placed under the body. He lowered his next foot and felt the next step. He continued on as his shoulders pressed against the cadaver's stomach stretching the skin along the edges and causing minor tears where the knife had stopped. His head disappeared into the fire and Luke and James were alone in the church.
“What the fuck just happened?” James's voice was in shock.
“James.” He took a deep breath. “Welcome to necromancy.”
“Where did they go?”
Luke walked into the circle and carefully fixed a small mistake in the salt wall. He looked up and stared directly into James's eyes. “They are going to Hell and I hope they make it back.”
James's jaw was slack and it would be nearly an hour before he spoke again.
Emerge
Isaac stepped out of the cave and rested his hand on the rock wall. The jagged lava rock felt like needles and crumbled under his fingers. He still had streaks of body fluid from the cadaver pressed through his dark hair. Just moments before he dropped through and stepped down into a dark world. The cave opened to a gravel hill covered in volcanic ash that swept down to a barren valley. Isaac stared at the bleak horizon and felt the depression wash over him. This world was the opposite of what he had grown to love about Seattle. He spent long afternoons hiking through the abundant cascade forests watered by the endless pacific northwest rain. The firs and ferns dominated the hillsides. It was a living landscape, one that felt alive. This place was none of that. It felt like the life had been pulled out and cast aside. He took a deep breath and stepped out of the cave and into the warm breeze.
At the base of the hill was a dusty dirt path that lead deep into the valley and disappeared around the edge of a distant hill. At the base of the valley were a series of slow-moving figures walking along the path towards the valley. They were h
unched as if carrying a heavy burden and looked out of place in the desert landscape wearing thick trench coats that dragged along the ground. They moved slowly like labored mountain climbers struggling for the last bit of oxygen. Isaac leaned in and took a closer look. Their faces were covered in black leather that narrowed to a metal cylinder hanging heavily off their noses. It took Isaac a moment to realize they were wearing gas masks. With each heavy step, the air filters bobbed against their chests. Isaac wondered what the masks were protecting them from. It dawned on him and he sniffed the air. There was nothing, no smells, no scent of chemicals wafting through the air. Was it something that he couldn't smell? Maybe he was too high up the hill. Isaac lifted his shirt carefully over his mouth to protect himself. It was a few breaths before Isaac realized the air had no smell at all. He dropped his shirt and lifted his hand sniffing the gray ash. Nothing. The world was dead.
He wanted nothing to do with the valley walkers. He quickly scanned the surrounding gravel opening. Lazarus had to be close.
Isaac whispered trying to conceal his location. “Lazarus? Lazarus? Are you there?”
He walked out to the edge and slipped, sending a series of small rocks and boulders tumbling below. He leaned over and called again, “Lazarus, are you there?”
The gravel hill was silent. There was no life except the soft warm breeze that climbed the hill face. He remembered his summer with the scouts when he was young. They spent hours drilling into boys that if they get lost to stay put and wait for help. He was determined to stay in the cave. Isaac perched carefully on the edge of a rock and focused on the parade of bodies walking through the valley. He wondered where Lazarus had gone. Could they have been dropped into different locations? Doubt crept into his mind and he wondered if Lazarus had abandoned him, leaving Isaac to fend for himself. Was this the spell shop all over again? He wanted to go back to the church, step up through that body and disappear. Isaac quickly jumped down off the rock and ran back into the cave. The walls bent and folded hiding small alcoves and crevices. He reached the back wall of the dark recesses and rubbed his hands over the warm stone. It was a dead end. Just moments ago he had stepped through the rock wall as if it were a fog. He banged his fist hard sending small waves of fine dust falling from the cave wall.
Isaac kicked at the dirt. “What am I doing?”
Isaac stayed at the cave entrance. He passed the time tossing stones down the slope waiting for Lazarus to return. Minutes gave way to hours and Isaac began to feel hopeless. He had given his trust to Luke and Lazarus only to be abandoned in this wasteland. It didn't make sense. They walked through the cave wall together. Isaac followed behind Lazarus watching him disappear into the foggy mist that became the back of the cave. They had been seconds apart. It was as if Lazarus had disappeared into thin air.
He closed his eyes and went back to Oregon, back to his hometown of Bend. It was the only place in the world that he wanted to be. Sitting there on the porch watching the sun rise over the hills to burn off the morning frost. He could smell the coffee brewing in the kitchen and the soft footsteps of his grandmother preparing a special breakfast. That's where he wanted to be. Isaac opened his eyes and threw another stone down the hillside kicking up waves of fine ash.
There was a sharp echoing cry that startled Isaac out of his daydream. It sounded like a game animal caught by a bear in the woods. The voice squealed and echoed between the valley walls. The row of bodies marching in the valley all stopped and stared up at the cave entrance. They all focused on the hillside as if he were the source. Quickly, Isaac pushed back from the cave entrance and scanned the hillside looking for any signs of movement. He turned and looked up the hill to find a dark shadow perched against the gravel face. His heart raced and his skin went pale. He knew the shape and the wisping smoke that trailed behind. It was unmistakable.
The shock ran through his body and he fell forward onto the slope. His feet slipped and the ground broke loose sending the gravel sliding down after him in a small avalanche. The ash cloud followed slowly behind him obscuring the view of the demon. He could hear the echoes of the rocks on the valley walls. The commotion had gripped the attention of everyone in the valley. The valley walkers stood like sentinels watching the man clumsily slide down the hill with the smoky demon in hot pursuit.
Isaac could hear the thundering sounds of hooves pounding the hill face. He struggled to pull himself up and sprint down the hill. Isaac felt like he was swimming through rock. He turned quickly and saw the demon had closed the gap and was nearly on him. He could hear heavy breathing and a chomping sound of teeth gnashing against bone.
Isaac let out a scream as his momentum lifted him to a standing position. He tried to keep pace, pumping his legs quickly. His foot caught a boulder and he dove head over heels, crashing into the loose gravel and settling on the valley floor. His body sprawled out over the packed dirt as rocks continued to fall all around him. He had no time. He stood and sprinted for the road. Two valley walkers were just ahead of him. They remained perfectly still, their heads turned to the side watching Isaac sprint across the barren plain. The black view-holes of the gas mask fogged as they exhaled each rancid breath.
Isaac's arms flailed as the hooves approached from behind. He felt a tug against his shoulder and a leg kicked his feet out from under him. Isaac crashed to the ground, his face grinding against the parched earth sending a cloud of dust over his body. He could hear the clicking of the hooves circling him. Fear engulfed his body and he could feel thin streams of blood pouring from his lips to disappear between the cracks of the desiccated ground. He trembled in fear as his loose teeth chattered against the ground.
Isaac began to cry as the two legs straddled him. He felt death on his back as the demon’s throaty growl grew louder. The demon hovered over Isaac like a beast claiming his prey. The smoke was thinner than what he saw on that bus ride. He could see more of the demon as two black hands slowly rested on either side of Isaac’s face. Thin layers of black smoke fell over the demon's wrist and disappeared into the hot air.
For the first time, Isaac could hear the demon’s voice. It was hot and sounded like boiling water. “Why are you running? You are in my world now.”
Isaac mustered what strength remained and turned back towards the tormentor. “Go fuck yourself.”
The demon's hands pressed down and Isaac could feel the life being pressed out of him. “Be careful what you ask for, Hell can supply all manners of specialties.”
“Where's Lazarus?”
“The necromancer? He has abandoned you. You are just a sacrifice.”
“I don't believe you.”
“Here Isaac, you are the lamb and I am the wolf. Why do you think he brought you here? That's not how necromancers exorcise demons. They use seraphims to do that.”
“Then Jalon is on his way.”
The demon’s claws dug into his back and his words hissed like a snake. “Don’t you say his name in my presence. That whore of Christ will not come for you. But you…you will do what I ask.”
“That's fancy coming from someone who forced a woman to kill her children.”
“Trust me she enjoyed it more than she would admit. You would have enjoyed it too if you stayed in that realm. The fun we would have had. You would have cried out like a baby suckling at its mother’s tit. You would have lapped it up like a dog starved and beaten into submission. Now my little lamb, get up.”
“No. I’m not going anywhere. You’ll have to drag me there.”
“I won’t have to, you’ll do it yourself.”
The demon lowered his yellowed teeth into Isaac’s back. Pain surged through his body causing Isaac to freeze in place. It was as if he were paralyzed with fear. Panic swept through his body. He could feel the teeth sink deeper as the demon’s lips pulsed against his flesh coaxing the blood to his mouth. Isaac was frozen to the ground as thin wisps of black vapor licked the streams of blood pouring out through the holes in Isaac’s shirt. The wisps danced before stri
king like a snake.
Isaac could feel a cold sensation melting over his back as the smoke poured into the wounds. The pain disappeared and his mouth went dry. He licked his lips and tried to move. He was able to stand slowly. He still felt the fear of the demon there, but he had lost control of his body. His mind raced, he wanted to sprint away, but his body failed to listen. He could control himself, but there was an overwhelming sensation to walk the road. To follow blindly.
Isaac’s voice shuddered in fear. “What…what did you do?”
“You can’t run. Don’t try. I am taking you home and if I find your friend, I'll be bringing you both to be judged by the King. We'll see what happens then. Now walk the line.”
Isaac struggled to wipe the sweat and blood off his face. The demon prodded him in the back and grabbed Isaac’s wrists. A thin black snake slid out of the smoky wisps and wrapped itself around Isaac's hands. Its scaly flesh melted into a black band that pulled tight against the wrists.
“Why bind me? Just kill me,” Isaac said.
“I need you, you’re too valuable. You’re also a necromancer's apprentice and I’m not going to risk it. Now walk.”
The marchers stepped back from the road and allowed Isaac to stumble his way onto the worn path. The path had been walked firm and was as solid as concrete. Ahead the valley lifted up and the hills gave way to jagged mountains. The path ahead disappeared into the horizon. Isaac slowly walked forward trailed by the black demon.
From along the far ridge, hidden amongst the boulders and cliff’s edge, Lazarus stared down at Isaac and the demon. Lazarus's voice was but a whisper, “Hang in there kid.”
The Dead See
Isaac choked on the dust kicked up by the valley marchers. Each plodding footstep shook the ground and sent shivers up his spine. Loose shoe leather flapped in the air as their feet crashed into the dirt. Their heavy trench coats scraped the ground leaving long trails snaking between each footprint. Isaac could hear their raspy breathing struggling to pull air through the metal filters.