Trial & Tribulations

by Rachel Dylan

  Pushing herself up to her feet, she prepared for this fight. Pain emanated throughout her body, and she knew what she needed to do. Standing firm, she rebuked the powers of darkness in the name of Jesus.

  A loud shriek sounded in her head. But then she was able to breathe again and was no longer in pain. The wind whipped up, blowing her hair as she looked all around her, searching for anyone. But nobody was in sight. No, she was fighting an invisible enemy.

  Quickly, she walked the rest of the way to her Jeep and got in. Steadying herself she took a few deep breaths. Then she jumped when she saw the man sitting in her passenger seat. But it wasn’t just any man. It was the long blond haired man with the beard from church.

  “Don’t be afraid,” he said. His deep voice calming, and his dark eyes filled with compassion. “I’m Micah.”

  “I’m not afraid of you.” She knew with all of her heart that she had nothing to fear from this man. This angel.

  “I’m sorry about what happened out there. But they’re going to test you. You need to know that you can handle it. You can fight back. Just like you did this time.”

  “I’ve fought before. Years ago.”

  He smiled and the kindness touched his eyes. “I know. I was with you then, too.”

  “Really?” Thoughts flashed through her mind. Memories of seeing this man decades ago in her dreams. That’s why he seemed familiar to her.

  “Yes.”

  “But why me? Why now? I have so many questions. Do I need to go back to DC and get away from all of this?”

  “No. You are not to leave Windy Ridge.”

  “Really? Why not?”

  “God has chosen you, Olivia, for a very important fight. A spiritual battle that threatens this entire community and beyond. If the forces of evil are not defeated here, they pose a threat greater than we’ve seen in years.”

  So the Lord had put her there for a reason. “What can you tell me about what I’m up against?”

  “Both groups are very strong. Astral Tech is utilizing cutting edge methods, but Optimism is relying on the oldest lies and tactics out there.”

  “Nina Marie is very involved isn’t she?”

  “Yes. Her, Clive, and Matt, though she is the strongest and most focused on the task. Plus a group of others that follow them. But at this point, they aren’t coming after you. That will change, and even if they end up helping you, don’t ever mistake the fact that they are the enemy.”

  “I understand.”

  “But the immediate battle is the one against Layton Alito and Optimism.”

  “Then why do I feel so awful in the Astral Tech offices if they aren’t targeting me?”

  “Demons and evil forces thrive there. And those forces are doing everything they can to try to sway you to the darkness. Each day, trying to break you down. But so far they haven’t even been able to touch you. Although they’re very persistent and will keep on trying. Their goal is to try to bring you over to the their side to help in the fight against Optimism.”

  “Am I strong enough for this?”

  “You won’t be fighting alone. I’ll be with you along with other angels. Also go to Pastor Dan. Let him know everything we’ve discussed.”

  She nodded. “Of course.”

  “There’s one more thing that’s very important.”

  “What?”

  “Grant Baxter is also vital to this mission.”

  “Grant? He’s not a believer in anything.”

  Micah smiled. “Not yet. But that’s where you come in. You have to find a way to break through to him without pushing him away. Because we really need him for this fight.”

  “But how?” She looked down and back up. Micah was gone.

  She drove straight to Windy Ridge Community Church and prayed that Pastor Dan was there.

  **

  Nina Marie stood staring out the window of her office at Astral Tech trying to get a handle on the events that had just transpired. She’d almost run outside, thinking that Olivia was having a heart attack or something. But then she’d gotten a whiff of Layton and knew that he was responsible for this attack.

  She’d watched with interest as Olivia had a long conversation by herself in her car. It was strange, and Nina Marie thought she might have been on her phone hands free. But it also occurred to her that Olivia might have been praying.

  What intrigued her even more, though, was how Olivia fought back against the evil onslaught. Nina Marie had vastly underestimated Olivia’s strength. She’d recognized Olivia’s Christian devotion, but hadn’t realized that she was so spiritually gifted. In the short term, that would be a tremendous benefit. As long as Olivia didn’t decide to turn against her own client, everything would be okay.

  It was time to level the playing field. If Layton thought he could attack the Astral Tech lawyer at will, he was sorely mistaken.

  She had to fill Clive in on this latest troubling development. Not wasting any time, she drove over to his house since he wasn’t in the office.

  After he ushered her in, she watched as Clive took a big sip of his dark-colored drink. Who knows what concoction he had put together and how many different types of liquor he had in there. He’d begun to drink a lot lately, and Nina Marie worried that he might not have his head in the game to go against Layton and the others. Although the minute that Clive really faltered, she would step up and fill the void. So if he wanted to drink himself to death, what could she really do?

  Right now though she wanted his attention. Because as long as he was technically in charge, he needed to be fighting this thing with all of his energy. They sat in his formal study which was one of her favorite rooms in Clive’s expansive house in Windy Ridge. Definitely one of the nicest in the neighborhood. The dark oak desk was accented by tall ornate bookcases. The maroon rug on the floor was an import—one of kind. And the other furniture was just as expensive and unique. Only the best for Clive. Including the fancy antique chair she sat in that had been reupholstered to match the rug.

  “What was so urgent that you came running over here and interrupting my evening relaxation time?” he asked.

  “It’s about our lawyer.”

  “What about her? I think she’s been doing a great job so far. I was assured by Chet that she was their superstar attorney.” He downed more of his drink.

  “That’s not the issue. I told you that she was being targeted by Optimism.”

  He swirled his drink. “Yes, and there’s more?”

  She leaned forward to prop her arms up on his oak desk. “I actually just witnessed her being spiritually assaulted right outside of our office.”

  “What? Are you sure?”

  “Absolutely. But it isn’t the attack that freaked me out, Clive. It was her response.”

  “How so?”

  “I knew there was something a bit off with her, but now I’m convinced I know why she’s made me uncomfortable. She fought him off a like a battle hardened warrior. I’ve never seen anything quite like that.”

  He laughed. “Now isn’t that ironic. We have ourselves a Christian attorney do we?”

  Nina Marie shook her head. “Not just a Christian who pops into church on holidays.” Nina Marie stood up and clenched her fists. How was she going to get through to Clive?

  “What are you trying to tell me, Nina Marie?”

  “This girl is very powerful. If she was strong enough to ward off a direct attack orchestrated by Layton—and I’m sure that’s who was behind this—then who knows what else she could do?”

  “If she’s that strong in her faith, she’s not going to work with us—even if it is against Optimism.”

  “No, she’s not. I’m worried about her turning on us.”

  Clive laughed. He stood up and walked over to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “My dear, Nina Marie. I think all the stress from the lawsuit is getting to you. There’s no way one woman can take us down. Most certainly not both of our organizations. We’ve got hundreds of members be
tween the two groups. Years of experience. It will take a lot more than one short little lawyer to bring down our empires.”

  She took a step back from his grasp. “I don’t think you’re taking this seriously enough. I know what I know.”

  “As do I. I’m not saying we just let her run rampant. We should protect ourselves, but as long as she’s focused on winning the lawsuit and is doing her job, that is my top priority. It’s our jobs to concentrate on the spiritual aspect of the battle against Optimism.”

  “You’re not listening to me.”

  “I am. I’m telling you that you’re wrong. Olivia Murray is not the enemy. Not now and probably not ever. Now get out of here before you totally ruin the rest of my night. Your target is Layton Alito. Execute on that directive and everything will be fine.”

  “You should know that I’m planning on engaging in some pay back against their attorney tonight.”

  “That’s more like it. How do you think that will go?”

  “He’ll have no idea what’s happening. I almost feel sorry for the guy.” She laughed thinking about how much fun it would be. “Unlike Olivia, he has no spiritual foundation at all. A total blank slate. A non threat as far as I’m concerned. Although he could be a fun diversion.”

  “Good enough. Why don’t you tend to him, and I’ll see in you in the office tomorrow.” He turned around and went back to sit in his chair behind the desk.

  She wasn’t a woman to sit back and take orders. She’d bide her time, but there was no way she was going to assume that Olivia wasn’t a threat. Because she knew deep in her gut that she was the biggest threat they would face. Maybe not tomorrow. But eventually they’d be at war with their own attorney.

  Chapter Five

  Grant walked into his house and was ready for a big dinner and a night of relaxing in front of the TV. Maybe he’d order Chinese food with some fat noodles and greasy egg rolls. He’d been hitting the gym every morning, so in his mind he deserved something totally unhealthy.

  Throwing his keys on the table, he stopped short as he entered the living room. A shadow caught his eye. Was someone in his house? That couldn’t be possible. He’d armed his security system today and had just turned it off.

  Instinctively, he rushed to the kitchen and grabbed the biggest knife he could find. He had a gun for personal protection, but it was locked up in his bedroom. There’s no way he could get to it now.

  Taking slow and deliberate steps, he moved toward the living room where he had seen the shadow. He started to sweat as the temperature in the room became inexplicably hot.

  Scanning the room, he didn’t see anyone. He took in a few deep breaths, realizing that his mind was probably playing serious tricks on him. Maybe he was coming down with the flu.

  Then he felt something grab onto his wrist so tightly that he dropped the knife. It hit the dark hardwood living room floor with a resounding thud.

  “What in the world?” he said out loud. A wave of nausea washed over him as flashes of light filled his vision making him entirely disoriented. “Leave me alone.”

  He didn’t even know who or what he was talking to. But something was in that house with him. “I said, leave me alone,” he shouted as loud as he could.

  Then he could’ve sworn that he heard a woman’s laughter right in his ear.

  Suddenly the room temperature dropped back to normal and the sickness lifted off of him.

  To say he was freaked out was an understatement. Confused, he picked up the knife off the floor and walked back toward the kitchen.

  He took a seat at the table now not so hungry for Chinese food. Pulling out his cell, he dialed Olivia. Yeah, she would think he was crazy, but he had this nagging desire to talk to her. Maybe she could tell him he was imagining things. Or something.

  He just knew that he had to talk to her.

  “Hello,” she answered.

  “Olivia, it’s Grant.” His voice was ragged as he tried to keep his breathing in check. He wiped a bead of sweat off his brow.

  “Are you okay?” she asked.

  “No. I’m not. I’m not feeling well.”

  “Where are you? What happened?”

  “I’m at home, and I have no idea what happened. You’re going to think I’ve been doing drugs or something. But I can’t even explain it.”

  “What’s your address? I’m coming over there.”

  “Right now?”

  “Yes.”

  He rattled off his address.

  “We’re on our way right now.”

  “We?”

  “Yes, I have Pastor Dan with me.”

  “I don’t know if that’s a great idea.”

  “Yes, it is. Just hold tight.”

  He hung up and the pressure built at his temples. He couldn’t even begin to process what had happened. Clearly, he was ill. He had to be. Sitting in a daze, he was broken out of it when the doorbell rang.

  Jumping up, he went over to the door. Olivia walked in with a man at her side. He was probably in his late thirties or early forties with dark hair that was slightly graying.

  “Grant, this is Pastor Dan Light from Windy Ridge Community Church.”

  Dan outstretched his hand, and Grant shook it. “Please come in.”

  He directed them to the kitchen because he didn’t want to go back into the living room right now.

  They took a seat around his large kitchen table.

  “What happened?” Olivia asked with eyes wide.

  “It’s going to sound completely psychotic.”

  Dan shook his head. “Don’t even worry about that. Just explain what happened as best you can as you experienced it.”

  Trying to pull himself together, he went to the refrigerator and pulled out sodas for the three of them. Then he sat back down after popping the soda top and taking a huge gulp. Here goes nothing.

  “I got home from work ready to order dinner. I put my keys down and walked into the living room. A movement caught my eye. Like a shadow. I didn’t think anyone could actually be inside the house because of my alarm system. But out of an abundance of caution, I came into the kitchen and grabbed a large steak knife. I made my way back to the living room.” He stopped and took another a sip of soda. He wasn’t even thirsty, just nervous.

  “You’re doing fine,” Olivia said.

  “Anyway, I was standing there, and I started sweating. It felt like an oven. And that came out of nowhere. I always keep it really cool in here. Then the craziest thing of all happened. Something grabbed onto my wrist. So hard. Strong enough to make me drop the knife. At this point, I was about to lose it. I yelled out to leave me alone. I don’t even know who or what I was yelling at. Then I heard a woman laugh. It was so clear right in my ear. And just like that it all ended. The room cooled down quickly. I picked up the knife and came into the kitchen and called you. What in the world happened here?”

  “Grant,” she said. “We’re under attack.”

  “What do you mean?” he asked.

  “Olivia also had an experience when she left the Astral Tech office today,” Dan said.

  “Are you all right?”

  “Yes, but something came at me pretty hard. Like a punch to the gut. Debilitating pain. A chokehold. I fought back.”

  Grant shook his head. “I’m lost. There has to be a rational explanation for what is happening to us. Like some sort of virus we both have that is making us delusional. Maybe we should go to the hospital and get checked out.”

  “Grant, unfortunately a hospital isn’t going to help you. You’re in the middle of a spiritual warfare situation here,” Dan said. “We believe that each company is going after the other’s lawyers. That makes you a target of Astral Tech and Olivia a target of Optimism.”

  “That just seems like a big stretch. Even if I were to consider the hypothetical that a spiritual realm existed. These are legitimate corporations. Isn’t that a bit unbelievable?” Grant asked.

  “Unfortunately, it’s all too real,” Dan said.
“Olivia let me know your background, and I can imagine that you’re very disturbed by all of this and in a state of disbelief.”

  “You better believe it. You want me to think that I’m being attacked by an evil sprit. I don’t know how to comprehend something like that. It’s completely outside my mental capability at the moment. I think it’s more likely that I was suffering from a fever or something.” He touched his own forehead. “See, I’m still sweating.”

  “I know you’re a skeptic when it comes to faith, Grant. But right now, you need to start to reconsider,” Olivia said.

  “I’ve never been more confused in my life. Like any minute, I’m going to wake up from a long deluded dream and say, man, that was crazy. But I’m still not ready to take any type of leap to the supernatural. It makes me think it was some physical ailment. That is the most logical explanation. A virus and a fever.”

  She reached out and grabbed his hand. “I’m sorry, Grant, but this isn’t a bad dream. It’s real life. We’re in the middle of this dispute between our clients and now it’s turning ugly. You have the ability to step away from this though. You’re your own boss. You could withdraw from the litigation. It would be the safest thing for you to do. It would provide you with ultimate protection. There’d be no reason for anyone to come after you if you aren’t involved with the case as Optimism’s lawyer.”

  “I’ve never withdrawn from a case in all the years I’ve been practicing law.”

  “But you’ve never dealt with anything like this either,” Dan said. “You have a way out now if you want to take it. If you don’t though, you’re going to need to start thinking about how to fend off these attacks.”

  “Let’s play out your hypothetical just for the sake of argument. Even if I were to believe your position here, then why can’t we reason with them? Tell them to cut it out, start acting like professionals or we’re both out of here,” Grant said.

  “You’re assuming that the business is the most important thing to them,” she said. “And it’s not. They have a much larger and sinister plan.”

  Yeah, in a moment of weakness he had called Olivia, but now he was thinking it hadn’t been the best idea. He would just have to man up and deal with this on his own in a way that made sense to him. “Thank you both for coming over. I really appreciate it. But now that I’ve calmed down, I think I just need to be alone to try to wrap my head around everything.”