Neon Nights

by by: Anthony mayfield

  'Shees, honey you're wearing me out with all of your questions. The car belongs to their next door neighbor. He went with them to Atlanta , we're supposed to pick up the car, drive

  it to his house and leave the car in his garage. From there we walk next door to Nancy's house look under the mat for the door key go in, make ourselves at home, and wait for them to get there. That's all I know babe, honestly.'

  They made it to the garage and gave the attendant their name. Soon he pulled up in the shiny BMW. 'Wow" Jim exclaimed. 'This is nice, of all the times for me not to have my license this is the worst.' 'Oh, cheer up honey. There will be other times for you to drive a car like this," she said teasingly. 'Yeah, right." They got in and cruised to Johnny's house.

  From the corner Thayer and the others watched Johnny's house. After thirty minutes or so had passed , a BMW with J. Angel on the license plate pulled into the driveway. 'That's him!' Thayer said anxiously.

  Vice pulled up to the house , Terron jumped out and ran into the garage as the door was coming down. He pulled out a gun and told Marla and Jim to, "shut up and not move." He grabbed the garage door opener and pressed the button and the door glided open. Vice pulled the van into the garage and they all jumped out and the door descended. 'Take them inside," Thayer barked. 'Move.' Terron said while shoving Jim. 'Hey, take your hands off me. Who do you think you are?" Jim said.

  Recalling with mind searing accuracy, the awesomeness of Nimmeon and how on many occasions he had vanquished many demons , both small and great, and believing that Jim was Nimmeon, when he commanded Terron to release him, instantly Terron obeyed and backed up. For a brief moment, there was a standoff. Jim had gravitated toward Marla and Thayer and the others were huddled in front of them blocking the entrance. Thayer spoke, "grab him you fools, he's as frail as we are in these earth suits.'

  They slowly surrounded them. Jim made a move for a hatchet that was hanging on the wall. Terron got to him just as he was pulling it free. They wrestled with it for a few minutes before Terron knocked it from his hand and floored Jim with a left hook to the face.. Blood freely ran from Jim's nose. Seeing it, Terron was lifted up in pride.

  Olar, having witnessed the whole scene, whispered in Terron's ear 'I knew you could do it. If you took Nimmeon so easily, just imagine what you'll do to BA-El.' Terron smiled and stuck out his chest. 'Get up!' he shouted grabbing Jim in the back of his collar. Olar drifted to the ceiling laughing to himself.

  'Get them inside." Thayer commanded. 'Yeah, now you want to get tough again, after I do all the work.' Terron thought. They moved Jim and Marla inside Johnny's of house.

  Marla, who had been quiet the whole time, began to scream and shout at them through hysterical sobs. 'Why are you doing this? What do you want?'

  Fearing that she would arouse the neighbors, Thayer walked over and slapped Marla to quiet her. She spun around like a weathervane in a windstorm and slumped to the floor. Jim objected and rushed Thayer. Terron tripped him , grabbed him by his hair and drove his head into the floor. "I told you, Thayer yelled, he's mine. Don't do anything else to him unless I give you the word. Do you understand!" Terron eyed Thayer. He slowly released Jim's head and stood up. "Yeah, I understand.' he said with a wide smirk on his face.

  'Get him up and tie him to that chair,' Terron picked him up and slammed him into the chair. Vice and Connley tied him down. Thayer began to strut around the room. His body literally swelled as he rejoiced at having captured Nimmeon. "Well, he began, we meet again, Nimmeon. And as I swore to you when we last met, I'll have my revenge.'

  Jim sat limply in the chair, his nose and head were bleeding as he struggled to maintain consciousness. 'Nimmeon! he said. I don't know any Nimmeon. You've got the wrong man.' 'Oh forgive me, I forgot we're not using our spiritual names, I guess that's appropriate," Thayer said.

  "Who are you?' Jim mumbled. 'You still don't know. Tsk Tsk Tsk. And I thought we were so close all of these years. It is I, Nimmeon, BA-El. But since we are on earth you can call me Thayer Diamond and I shall call you by your earth name, Johnny Angel." 'Johnny Angel! I'm not Johnny Angel. You're making a big mistake." Jim started to stir. He sat up as straight as he could and began yelling for help. 'Help! Somebody, Please!" Thayer panicked, he recalled how Jesus had warned that he was able to call a legion of angels to his defense and thought Jim would do the same. "Quickly, silence him. Don't let him call others to his defense.' Thayer yelled.

  Terron began pounding him about his head. "Not that way, you fool.' Thayer shouted. 'Get something to cut his tongue out !' Marla was stirring, wobbly and in a daze, she began to scream again. Thayer snatched the tablecloth from the table, ripped it and crammed as much as he could into Marla's mouth. He tied her hands behind her back her feet together and plopped her down in a nearby chair.

  Vice came running from the bathroom with a pair of scissors. 'Grab his head." Thayer said. Thayer put his knee in his groin. Jim screamed, 'You're making a mistake, I tell you, I'm not Johnny Angel. RRRRRR.' Vice pried his mouth open, Thayer cut his tongue out as far back as he could. Jim passed out .

  Thayer got off of him and relaxed. He felt safe now that Jim could not call on the Lord. Blood was everywhere on the floor, chair, and on everyone including Marla, who sat numb at the set of events. Connley said, 'Do you really think this is him? I mean look at him, he looks so frail and puny. Is this the Nimmeon we know?' 'Yes, it's him." Thayer bellowed. 'You think I'd make a mistake. This is his house and the car has his name on it . It's him." 'Well then, who is the woman?" Vice asked. "You two?' Thayer said looking at Vice bug eyed. "Don't you remember when the strongman said that he was sent to help someone. That's her!" Search him to see if he has any other identification.'

  They began going through his pockets and finding nothing to dispute nor agree with Thayer's claim, they were satisfied that he was Nimmeon. Terron was inwardly elated that they had found nothing to indicate that this was not Nimmeon. It was official, he was the first of them to beat and subdue Nimmeon.

  Jim was still unconscious and hunched over in the chair. 'Now what ?' Terron asked. Thayer looked over at Marla, 'Now we get loose.' Thayer said. He grabbed Marla's blouse and ripped it open. Vice tugged at her pants. 'Cut her loose.' Thayer said. They untied her hands and feet but left her gagged. She began to rain angry fits down upon whoever came within her reach.

  Thayer stepped back and laughed. She tried to untie the gag. Connley rushed in and belted her in the stomach. "oooph!' she whimpered, doubled over and fell down. Thayer rolled her over, he took a knife and cut an arch over her breasts nipple. It fell over and flapped like a ripped shirt pocket Thayer laughed at her. He leaned over licked the blood, smeared some on his lips and kissed her on the forehead. He looked at the others and said, "as the saying here on earth goes, let's get busy.' With that the carnage began. They left nothing to the imagination. Every orifice on her body had been explored. They pulled, poked, prodded, and pushed. When she passed out, they sat around laughing and talking until she regained consciousness at which point they would begin again. Each episode was more intense than the last as their sounds of extra mingled with her muffled wails of terror.

  At one point, Jim roused and saw what was going on. He grunted in defiance. Thayer got up and went over to him. "Oh, you want to watch?' he said. "Jim shook his head violently to indicate no. 'Sure you do. ' Thayer calmly said. 'Let's get you closer.' he slid Jim closer to the action. Jim turned his head and shut his eyes. Thayer grabbed his head and twisted it back toward the sexual melee. Tears streamed from Jim's bloodied face; nonthe­less, he kept his eyes tightly shut.

  'Hey, 'Thayer called, "help me out here.' They stopped for a moment and went over to Thayer. 'Hold his head again, hold it real steady.' He grabbed the scissors. "This is your last chance to watch, Mr. Johnny Angel. Either open your eyes or I will.' Jim resisted. Thayer pulled his eyelashes one at a time, until they extended out over the eye then he snipped his eyelids off like you would a thread dangling from an expensive suit. Hi
s eyes were bloodshot; they rolled round and round in his head as if they were searching for somewhere to hide. When Thayer and the others saw it, they fell on the floor rolling and laughing uncontrollably. 'He looks like one of our hellish comrades now, doesn't he Thayer.' Vice said.

  They laughed until they urinated, laughed about that, and continued to roll around. Jim fixed his eyes on Marla . She was balled up in a corner. Every inch of her body was either bleeding, swollen, or bruised. Her face was swollen to twice it's normal size. Her hair had been pulled out in various spots. A tooth had been knocked out and there were teeth marks all over her body.

  After a few more rounds of laughter, Thayer said, 'Hey, let's get back to the party. He's watching now, in fact, he's all eyes.' That brought on more laughter. When they filially stopped, they went back to Marla. Jim was outraged. He began rocking back and forth in the chair and making loud guttural sounds.

  'Shut up!" Thayer demanded. But Jim only got louder and more insistent. 'I'll shut you up, 'he said . He got up and began beating Jim. The others saw it, and like a pack of wild dogs, they joined in. Thayer went to the kitchen and got a butcher's knife.

  "Remember how you drove your sword into my leg Nimmeon, huh? Sure you re­member.' With that he plunged the knife deep into Jim's thigh and forced it down to his knee and left it sticking there. Vice had found a can of aerosol. He pressed down the button and lit a match in front of it creating an instant torch. He directed the flame at Jim's ear and burned it until it turned into a blackened ash, and fell to the floor. As the massacre heightened, they were so caught up that they partially metamorphose into their ghoulish, demonic selves. The 'end for Jim came when Tenon took a baseball bat, and swinging like he was trying to fell a redwood, he bashed Jim on the top of his head. 'Rip.' The blow was followed by a tearing sound, like sheets being ripped to shreds. His brain tore away from his scull and squished through a crack in his head.

  Marla went into shock after witnessing the whole thing. 'Revenge, Thayer cried out, how sweet it is.' He spat on him and said, 'until we meet again in the spirit world Nimmeon, at

  which time, I shall utterly destroy you.' He pushed the chair over and Jim's body hit the floor with a loud thud. Blood and pieces of flesh and hair were all over the walls and floor. Thayer turned and looked at Marla, she was staring at Jim. "What about her?" Connley asked. 'Let's finish her.' Thayer said.

  'She's not even moving man. She won't be much fun now." Connley said. 'I'll make her move,' Thayer responded. He told Connley to go and fill the tub with ice water and salt. Ten minutes later, Connley popped his head into the room and said 'It's ready." "Get the girl, " Thayer commanded. Vice picked her up and took her to the bathroom. Thayer dunked her in the cold salty water. The freezing temperatures revived her, and the salt got into all the cuts on her body and began to sting her open flesh. Soon she was coughing and gasping for air. 'All right, she's ready for more.' Thayer said. They took turns with her again. Thrust after driven thrust took it's toll. Her heart stopped beating. After that, Thayer tossed her aside, laughed and said, 'let's get out of here."

  They grabbed their clothes, hopped in the van and took off. While in the van, Thayer told the others to get Ora and meet him at the airport at 10 p.m. "Why?" Terron asked. 'For part two of our operation. Everything is going smooth, dispensing with Nimmeon was easier than I thought. Nothing can stop us now. ' As they turned the corner on the opposite end of the street a car approached. Happy and renewed, Michael , Nancy, and Johnny pulled into the driveway.

  Chapter 17

  After the long trip from Atlanta, Johnny was a little stiff and tired. He got out of the car and was walking toward his house when Nancy asked, 'and just where do you think you're going Mr. Angel?' 'I thought I'd go home and freshen up just a bit." 'You don't want to meet my sister first?" 'Not like this, I don't.' 'Oh, come on in Johnny. You look fine. Besides, it will only take a minuet.' Michael added. 'Oh, all right, if you insist." 'We do," they said simultaneously. Michael threw his arm around Nancy's waist and they headed for the house. Johnny followed like a tired puppy.

  Nancy opened the door and called out, 'Marla? Where are you? We're home.' Jim?' There was no answer. Nancy looked throughout the house. 'They're not here," she said. "I saw Johnny's car in his garage,' Michael said. 'Maybe they are at my house,' Johnny said. 'Hmm, maybe, Michael said, let's go see'.

  They entered the house through the garage door. Johnny walked in and tripped over something on the floor. He made his way over to the light switch. When he flipped on the switch, before he could turn around, Nancy was screaming. Michael tried to console her hysterics as he battled to keep himself from loosing it. Johnny saw the bodies and he immediately went to work. He snatched a curtain from a window and covered Marla.

  He kneeled down beside her to see if she had a pulse. Next, he gave her mouth to mouth resuscitation and cpr. nothing. Even so, he knew that she wasn't gone yet. He laid his hands on her forehead and prayed. 'Father, I thank you for having heard me even now. In the name of Jesus, I command life to return to this body." Marla began to cough and stir. 'Quick, Johnny shouted, call an ambulance.' Michael sprung into action. Johnny pulled another curtain down and covered what remained of Jim's body. He yelled in at Michael, "get the police out here too.' Within minutes, sirens could be heard drawing near. Moments later, the house was flooded with red and white circling lights and a bevy of people. Police were combing the area knocking on doors and asking questions. Of course, no one had seen or heard anything.

  Nancy jumped in the ambulance to ride with Marla to the hospital. Michael was about to get in when Nancy told him to stay and help Johnny. 'Will you be all right?" he asked. 'Yeah, I'll be fine, really. Just hurry." The paramedics closed the doors and soon they were racing through the city.

  Michael and Johnny answered all the policemen's questions, cleaned up the house and went to the hospital. When they arrived, Marla had slipped into a coma. Wires, attached to

  her body, ran to the machine that monitored her condition. A large plastic bag, filled with fluid, was being fed into her body intravenously drop by drop.

  Nancy sat at Marla's bedside crying. When Johnny and Michael entered the room, she broke down and sobbed deeply. 'Oh Michael, she's going to die.' "No she isn't honey. She'll pull through.' 'She won't, the doctor's have all ready said it's hopeless." After a few minutes of Nancy's loud wailing, Johnny couldn't stand any more. He gently pulled them apart and took Nancy's hand. She began trying to pull away. Seeing this, Michael made an attempt to embrace her again. Johnny shook him off and said in a calm and soothing voice, 'Nancy, Nancy open your eyes." She shook her head and resisted. As he held her hands, she could feel the love of God moving over her body.

  Slowly, she opened her eyes. He looked at her and said. 'Peace be unto you in the name of Jesus.' Nancy stopped crying. He continued, 'Thus sayeth the Lord, 'in a short time', Marla shall fully recover. Do you believe me?' She looked at him as peace emanated from his eyes. 'Yes, I believe you.' 'Good, are you all right?' 'Yes, I'm better now.' Her mind raced back to the paper man and how through a touch, Johnny had calmed him.

  "Nancy, did Marla say anything while she was in the ambulance?" Johnny asked. Nancy thought for a minuet, 'She kept mumbling something like Babel.' 'BA-El?" Johnny asked. "Yes, that's it. BA-El.' 'Who is BA-El?" Michael asked. "I know what he is, but I don't know who he is." Johnny said. 'Huh?' 'Never mind, Michael, it will become clear to you later on. Listen, Marla is in great danger. If they find out that she's not dead, they'll try to come here and finish her off. I'm going to have angles, I mean guards to watch over her around the clock until she can identify BA-El. She's the only one who knows what he looks like. I'm going to call them now.' With that, he stepped into the corridor.

  . As he was walking down the hall he heard someone calling him, 'Mr.Angel, Mr. Angel." He turned and there was the old paper man. 'Hello, Mr. Carson.' Johnny said while extending a hand. 'How's it going? I heard one of your relatives was involved in some kind
of an accident.' "Yes. Yes." he responded while pumping Johnny's hand. 'I'm glad you're here Mr. Angel. I've been thinking about you ever since Jenny's accident. Jenny's my niece. I remembered how you touched me and calmed my racing heart and, well, I was wondering if you'd look in on her.' Johnny smiled. He was overcome with compassion. Mr. Carson dropped his head and stared at the floor.

  Johnny stood and looked at him and noticed the gentle age lines in his face. He had the same frightened look that he had had the day they'd first met. His eyes were red and puffy.

  Tears streamed across his face and leaped off onto the floor. Johnny grabbed his arm and said, 'Again, I say unto you be at peace for all is well. Lead me to her.' The old man raised his head, there was a sparkle of hope in his eyes. 'Right this way, Mr. Angel. Her room is just down the hall.'

  When they got there, there was a man and two women in the room. Mr. Carson quickly introduced Johnny to everyone. 'Mr. Angel, this is my sister Mrs. Joyce Harris, her husband Earl, and my niece Penny. They all forced a bleak smile, murmured hello, and returned in expression and thought, to the grimness that gripped them. Johnny looked the group over. Penny was the spitting image of her sister Jenny, in fact, they were identical twins. The only difference was that Penny's skin was about two shades darker than Jenny's. And once you met their parents, you understood why.

  Earl was a tall, charcoal black man. He had a wide nose, thick lips, piercing almond colored eyes, and wavy black hair. Joyce, was milky white. She had shoulder length bronze colored hair, thin lips, a narrow nose, and hazel eyes. Together they made a stunning couple. Johnny looked beyond them at Jenny. At that moment she began to stir a bit. "And that's Jenny, the one I was telling you about.' Mr. Angel. Jenny awakened, heard recognizable voices, and began trying to talk. Joyce calmed her and told her not to talk. Johnny asked, 'What's wrong with her?' 'Well, her mother said, aside from being blind, she has cracked ribs, a concussion, and her jaw is broken so badly that the doctors can't wire it until it heals some. Are you a doctor?' Johnny smiled, and said, 'No, but I represent the Great Physician.' "The who?' she asked. Mr. Carson interrupted, 'Joyce, this is the man I was telling you about. The one who prevented me from having another heart attack. He can help Jenny. He's a mighty man of God. I know he is.'