The knife had not pierced Matthews’ lungs or any vital organs; it had embedded into his pectoral muscle and rib bones. Still, he was bleeding profusely. She packed gauze into the wound and then applied dressing and a bandage. She would have to stitch his face later. For the short term, she used tape to hold the wound together until she could properly flush it and stitch it up. The wound on her face was not as deep as the one on his. It would probably leave a scar, but right now, she was powerless to treat it.
“You’re all gonna die,” hissed Parker.
“We need to do something about it,” said Matthews.
Parker laughed. “You can’t do anything. Just let me go. Eventually I will be free anyway.”
“We need to exorcize it,” suggested Matthews.
“You?” screamed Parker. She raised her head and strained against the straps. The muscles in her neck stuck out like cords of rope. “You have no authority!”
“How should we do it?” asked Matthews.
Parker glared at him, eyes wide and bulging, face contorted with rage. “You can do nothing!” she screamed and threw her head back in wild laughter. “Religious man!” she mocked, “Because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!”
His face went white and he backed away. “This is no ordinary demon,” he whispered.
“You know nothing of our power, and yet you still cringe. I can see the fear in your eyes! You are the expert? When is the last time you saw one of us?”
Matthews shook his head.
Lennon stood and touched Parker’s arm. “Parker,” she said softly.
“Do not touch me, hypocrite! You still belong to us.”
“No she doesn’t,” Matthews stated matter-of-factly, but with a soft voice. “She has been paid for by the blood of Jesus.”
Parker chuckled. “So why am I still here? She has no power.”
“Don’t listen to her, Lennon.”
“No,” Lennon countered. “She’s right.”
Parker’s voice softened and became sympathetic, with the normal timbre of the real woman that had been friends with Lennon. “Lennon,” she sobbed, “don’t leave me alone. Don’t leave me tied up like this.”
“We’re friends, Parker. I’m not going to leave you tied up.” She took Parker’s hand with her own and Parker managed a weak, tired smile.
“Thank you, Lennon.”
“The demon is going to have to come out, Parker.”
The smile disappeared. Parker’s face twisted and contorted in rage and she squeezed Lennon’s hand with unexpected strength. Lennon felt a bone in her hand snap and she cried out in pain.
Parker screamed an otherworldly sound that was a mix between howling and growling. “You’ll have to kill her, Lennon.”
“No,” Lennon winced, fighting off the pain in her hand. She pulled at Parker’s hand, but was unable to release her grip. Matthews stepped in to help, but he could not remove her hand either.
“You have no power over me. KILL ME OR KILL HIM.”
Lennon screamed in pain. “I have no power,” she admitted. “That’s been my problem this whole time. I thought it was me. I thought I could do it. I tried to save you. I tried to save myself.”
Parker grinned and eased her grip. “You can do nothing.”
Lennon took hold of Parker’s shirt and looked her directly in the eyes. “‘Wanderer,” she addressed the demon directly, “In the name of Jesus Christ and by the authority of His name I command you to leave.”
Parker’s eyes bulged until they appeared that they might pop out of the sockets. Her skin turned dark red and nearly went purple, and her teeth gritted in furious anger. She thrashed and pulled against the restraints, and then fell flat on the bed, still.
Parker sobbed quietly. “It’s gone,” she said repeatedly.
“That’s it?” asked Matthews.
“Yes,” confirmed Lennon.
“How do we know? How do we know it’s gone this time?”
“Pride,” said Lennon. “I sinned in pride. I just had to let go. God took care of it this time, not me.”
Matthews put his arm around her and she put her head into his shoulder and cried.
“It’s not over,” pleaded Parker. “It will come back, unless… You said Lennon was paid for. I want that. Tell me how to be saved.”
Matthews smiled. Lennon turned to Parker and hugged her, and after a small discussion, the three of them prayed together. When they finished, Lennon saw movement in the entryway. Dish stood, propped against the door, and the wooziness and aftereffects from the drugs were not enough to hide the look of amazement on his face.
Day Two Hundred and Twenty-Five
Captain Petri’s eyes moved from one person to the next, never settling for more than a few seconds. “So you’re sure it’s gone?”
“Yes,” Lennon confirmed.
“Just like that. Gone.”
“It’s gone, Dish,” confirmed Matthews.
“You really buy this, Doc?” He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “You’re a scientist.”
“I am a scientist, Dish. Nevertheless, I saw things that I could not explain with mere science. These cuts…”—she held out her arms—“They just appeared. I felt the demon leave me.”
He eyed her warily. “You really believe it was in you?”
“Yes.”
“Controllin’ you?”
“I don’t know. Maybe.”
“You don’t remember?”
“Some of it is coming back in bits and pieces.”
“What about you, Parker? You got nothin’ to say?”
Parker wrung her hands nervously, but her face was beaming. “I’m sorry,” she said weakly. “I’m ashamed and sorry. But what happened to me… after the demon left… has changed me. I can feel it, in my soul.”
“This is gonna take a bit to sink in.” He ran his hand through his hair. “Doc, I still trust you some, but you and Parker need to give me a few days. And I’ll be sleepin’ with a knife.”
“Understandable,” Lennon admitted. “We’ll stay away for a bit.”
“I really hope it’s gone. If that’s all it was… I’m not gonna say I told ya so.” He grinned. “Honestly, well, I really like you both. I just want things back to normal.” He stood up with the aid of his makeshift crutches and shuffled away.
“I think we all do,” commented Matthews.
Day Two Hundred and Forty
TRANSMISSION: START
Mission Control Station
Relayed message from lander 1 via seeker 3. Receipt time 1743z, transmission time unknown due to relay.
Subject: Weekly physical and mental health report, week 34
From: Dr. Rebecca Lennon, physical and mental health officer, lander 1
----
Crew status: Healthy and functional
Individual status:
Lt. Colonel Nicholas Quesen—Deceased
Major Jonas Matthews—Within acceptable norms.
Captain Justin Petri—Within acceptable norms.
Dr. Maria Parker—Recovering. Suffered from serious depreciation of mental health. See notes.
Dr. Rebecca Lennon—Recovering. See notes.
Kyle Abrams—Deceased
----
Crew observations:
Dr. Parker was suffering from apparent possession by a supernatural entity that led to psychotic and violent behavior. The condition affected Dr. Lennon as well. The entity is responsible for several minor events that the crew originally attributed to single event upsets. An exorcism was performed and both Dr. Parker and Dr. Lennon are recovering with no apparent aftereffects.
Due to the unbelievable nature of this report, Major Matthews and Captain Petri will digitally sign and transmit concurrence separately.
----
Recommendations:
Crew is currently healthy and functional. No modifications to crew operations are necessary.
End of report from Lander 1.
TRANSMISSION: START
Lander 1
Relayed message from Mission Control Station 1 via seeker 3. Receipt time 2112z, transmission time unknown due to relay.
Subject: RE: Weekly physical and mental health report, week 34
From: Mission Directorate
Copy crew is healthy and functional. Per the directorate, you will no longer speak of demons or paranormal entities nor reference them in your reports. Continue to send weekly status updates on crew function including performance or degrading factors.
End of report from Mission Control.
TRANSMISSION: END
Day Nine Hundred and Twelve
The capsule was rocking gently back and forth, and that motion mixed with the increased gravity of Earth caused Lennon to feel like she needed to vomit. She had been on an amusement park ride once, in a giant basket that simply spun and flattened people against the wall so that it was hard to move. She had ridden in the centrifuge in training as well, but she had been strapped down and not as free to toy with the experience as she was in the carnival ride.
She felt like she was in that ride. Lifting her arms took all of her strength, and when her arm tired, it flopped back to the armrest of her chair with unstoppable force. Still, she had managed to raise her head enough to notice that her arms were thin and bony, with most of the muscle mass gone. In a pocket on her thigh was the strange green rock that she had found—the weight of the tiny object was crushing into her thigh despite its small size.
She was unable to lift her head. She turned it to the left and right to see her crewmates, who struggled with Earth’s gravity just as much as she did. Jonas, Maria, Dish—she never could call him Justin—they were all here.
The craft was in the water. Navigation systems added weight; weight increased fuel requirements. So technically, it was most feasible to have the re-entry come naturally into a large target—few targets were larger than the ocean. There had been debate about a return rendezvous with the space station, but in the design phase, the crew had the foresight to choose a direct descent rather than a layover so that the crew did not have to spend additional time in space after the six-month trip from Mars.
The return capsule had been floating in the water for at least a few hours. Lennon didn’t know exactly how long; she couldn’t lift her arm to see her watch and the strong gravity had exhausted her to the point that she had fallen asleep for some of the time that had passed after the splashdown landing. Several minutes ago, she thought she had heard a helicopter.
There was a loud clank outside that filled Lennon with excitement. They were here. After a few unexplained thumps, she heard the screeching sound of sliding metal. The cabin door opened. Brilliant light filled the cabin and she squinted to see. She could identify three figures outside, and behind them was the sky. It was blue, brilliant blue, a brighter hue than she remembered or even thought was possible. Someone blocked her view of the sky and took several flash photos, which caused Lennon temporary blindness and forced her to look away. After some cursing and yelling, the others pushed the person with the camera away.
They debated and argued at the door for a few minutes, and then began the process of taking the crew out of the cabin. Because of the weakened condition of the crewmembers, the rescuers secured them onto backboards so that they did not sustain back or neck injuries while moving.
When it was Lennon’s turn, they placed a neck brace around her neck and then lifted her out through the cabin door. As the sun hit her face and the sea breeze filled her nostrils, she smiled.
“Oh,” said a person next to her, female. “Look at that scar! And there’s more…”
“They look battle-worn,” said a male voice.
“What happened on that trip?” whispered the female.
“Shh!” chided their supervisor.
Lennon did not mind. She was home.
~End~
Thank you for reading this book! If you enjoyed it, try “The Dark Purpose”, Cole J. Freeman's debut novel.
The Dark Purpose
In this breathtaking supernatural thriller, a Deputy Sheriff meets a young woman struggling with fate and religion who must decide whether to follow a path towards a dark, unknown purpose or to find a new destiny. Over time, they realize that their lives intertwine more than either believed possible. When the lines of reality begin to blur, what she observes may no longer align with the truth.
Other books by Cole:
Chasing Jupiter
The United States of America is changing… The foundations of her governmental institutions are evolving, but are failing to bring adequate relief to the desperate constituents. Although most will not openly admit it, the economy of the United States is in a recession. The people feel it, but the Government has reassured them everything will be all right. A few sense it deeply, but their actions to stop it are futile. They form political committees and stage protests, but nothing changes. People do what it takes to survive, and criminal activity skyrockets. The Government is drowning in debt, and the struggle for answers comes up empty. Some offer hope, but the promises are fruitless. A cry for equality with the upper class erupts as the commoners, who are slowly losing everything dear to them, observe the rich living in luxury.
In the midst of it all, a significant crisis strikes and a charismatic leader emerges. However, some suspect he may have been somehow responsible for the disaster, which caused an economic burden strong enough to tear the very fabric of the American government. Reeling from infighting and economic failure, the union of the United States crumbles and forms into three super-states—and the possibility of impending civil war may hinge on the actions of two of the most unexpected people. The first is a drifter, who struggles to survive by taking mundane jobs and playing music for tips on street corners; the other is a resolute woman—a survivor from the abyss of the deplorable and illicit underground market in Seattle, Washington—who refuses to give up. Together they unlock their full potential, but in doing so they find themselves in the middle of a political battle that could result in the end of the United States, as they know it.
Neuroptera
In the early nineties, a tight-knit group forms. Young, reclusive, computer hackers are the core of the group, and find support with each other. In homage to the emerging World Wide Web, they create a chat room called Neuroptera. The name is an inside joke about flies trapped in a web. The chat room becomes a hub for information about the new digital world—specifically, information about how to exploit computers to enable them to reach their full potential. However, there is always the temptation for someone to use this information for illicit activities, and in the computer world, accomplishing an illegal act is not difficult. The ability to remain undetected is what separates the amateurs from the skilled.
One of the members of this underground computer scene begins to wonder if the human brain is much different from a computer. If it is, a person could manipulate, or even enhance, the human brain—as one can manipulate any other computer.
This is the story of a young prodigy, who has experience manipulating electronic devices to take advantage of telephone networks, and who helps bring Neuroptera to life while learning to code. In the midst of exposing an earthshaking political conspiracy, she must struggle to understand the repercussions of her accomplishments. She is forced to protect herself from those who do not want their activities known, forced to come out of her peaceful seclusion, and above all, she has to determine whether she has finally uncovered the truth or has lost her mind.
Follow Cole on Twitter!
http://www.twitter.com/colejfreeman.
* * *
Footnotes:
[1] A Hohmann transfer is simply a way of changing between two elliptical orbits that are on the same plane. What being ‘in plane’ means is this: Imagine that someone draws an orbit on a piece of paper and magically floats the paper so that it stays without moving in the air. The person could then
draw a second orbit on the same ‘plane’, or piece of paper, and both orbits would still maintain correct orbital position. A ‘plane’ is the same as a giant, imaginary sheet of paper. If an orbit is not ‘in plane’ with another orbit, it would have to be ‘drawn’ on a second imaginary sheet of paper to float it accurately in space. To get to Mars, pilots will have to place a spacecraft into orbit around the sun in the same plane that Mars is orbiting the Sun. At a precise time, the pilots would increase or decrease the size of their ship’s orbit around the Sun until they transfer the craft into the same orbit around the Sun that Mars is in (just like drawing two differently sized, touching circles on a piece of paper) . The precise time to transfer to Mars’ orbit, of course, is when the planet Mars is also at the transfer point—everything is mathematically timed so that Mars and the spacecraft reach the section where the orbits ‘touch’ at the exact same time.
Table of Contents
Day One
Day Two
Day Three
Day Twenty-Two
Day Twenty-Four
Day Twenty-Four
Day Twenty-Eight
Day Twenty-Nine
Day Thirty-Five
Day Forty-Eight
Day Fifty
Day Fifty-Two
Day Fifty-Four
Day Sixty
Day Sixty-One
Day Seventy
Day Eighty-Five
Day Eighty-Six
Day Eighty-Seven
Single Event Upset Page 22