The pastor exhaled slowly. “Please, Lord. I’m weak and a sinner. I need you. You are my strength. You are my hope. Even if I am slain, in you I will trust.” He prayed intensely, purposefully.
Peace fell upon him. He opened his eyes slowly and looked around the room, half expecting to see something. There was nothing but the cold remnants of the demon’s presence. He could see the fog of his own breath. It was obvious and undeniable. He was under demonic attack, and this was only the beginning.
***
Mark looked at Sotare. So much had happened so quickly. It was as if the shadows of the surreal were interfering with reality. He examined his own sense of wonder as he experienced this new knowledge. It was amazing, yet also disturbing. Just a couple days ago he was depressed, wondering about the death of his son and the purpose of life, and now he found himself talking to an angel, seeing demons, being told how important he was and that his life was threatened. As he reflected, he glanced again at Sotare, who was the proof that there was so much more than the physical world. He had seen this angel appear and disappear several times. He had seen another world. It was undeniable. He knew he would never be the same. He forced his mind to focus.
“I can’t believe how I missed all of this,” he said to Sotare. “I feel like I have wasted so much of my life pursuing…” he strained to find the right word until he realized what it was. “…pursuing my own desires, my own self interests.”
Sotare smiled and nodded.
“I mean, there is so much more to life than what I was able to see.”
Mark thought about what he had just said. It was a revelation into his own soul and he didn’t like it. He needed a moment to reflect. “Would you mind if I went into the house and got something to drink? I’m thirsty.”
For the first time since their encounter Sotare reached out and rested his hand on Mark’s shoulder and said, “Yes, of course.” After a pause, he continued. “Do you mind if I go with you? I would like a drink of water as well.”
Mark raised both eyebrows and after a moment asked, “Are you thirsty, too?”
“No, but I would like a drink nonetheless.”
Mark thought about it and realized Sotare’s real motive. “You want to stay close to me and protect me?”
“Yes.”
“Of course.” Mark walked out of the gazebo and headed for the back door. Sotare followed. Nomos watched them both, intermittently glancing at the treetops.
Mark felt a little odd leading an angel into his house. But he did so without letting his mind wander too far from his immediate goal. Focusing on getting a drink was a needed and familiar break from all the new experiences that were flooding his mind. He marveled at his own experience, at merely walking to the back door of his house, such a mundane and common thing, yet somehow it wasn’t anymore. He listened to the footsteps of Sotare behind him as they arrived at the back door. Mark pulled it open.
“After you.”
“Thank you,” said Sotare as he entered. Mark studied Sotare from behind, noticing his broad shoulders. He gently closed the door, headed to the fridge, and pulled out a cold pitcher of water. After retrieving two glasses from the cupboard, he turned to Sotare, “Do you actually want a drink?”
“Yes, please,” said Sotare, smiling.
“I didn’t know angels got thirsty.”
“We don’t.”
Mark looked at Sotare, “Then why are you having a drink of water?”
“When I am in a human form I feel human experiences such as gravity and wind. I don’t get thirsty, but since I am in this form, I thought I would like to take a drink. It is more like experiencing something unusual for me.”
Mark realized the irony. A drink of water was nothing extraordinary for him, but Sotare considered it something uncommon enough to want to experience it. On the other hand, seeing the spirit world was commonplace for Sotare, yet extraordinary to Mark.
“Okay,” he said as he poured Sotare a glass and handed it to him.
Sotare nodded politely and lifted it to his lips. In one long drink, he emptied it. Mark watched.
“Aaahh,” said Sotare, smiling. “That hit the spot.”
Mark smiled back at him, amused and impressed by Sotare’s use of idiomatic English. He knew the angel was putting on a display for his benefit. Mark poured himself some water and drank it all in one gulp, same as Sotare. “Aaahh,” said Mark “You’re right. That hits the spot.”
Sotare smiled.
Mark took both glasses and set them in the sink. Then he walked over to the refrigerator and returned the pitcher of water. Sotare was watching. Mark turned to him. “I’m curious. Do you have all the human body parts when you’re in this form?”
“Well, yes and no. I have real hair and real skin, but this is only a shell, an appearance, and I don’t need internal organs to keep me alive.”
“Then where did the water go that you just drank?”
“Into my stomach.”
“But, you just said you don’t have internal organs.”
“Actually, what I said was that I did not need internal organs to keep me alive. Not needing them and not having them are different. If I drink water, it would be a good idea to have a stomach, so I have one.”
“Okay. So, are you telling me that you just manifest a stomach when you need it?”
“Yes.”
“The water went into your stomach?”
“Yes.”
“Are you going to need to go to the bathroom in a little while?”
“No,” replied Sotare with a smile. “There is a lot about us you do not understand.”
Mark agreed to that understatement with a grunt of acknowledgement.
“All I need to do is disappear and the water will fall to the ground.”
“That is an interesting visual.”
“Hold on.” Sotare disappeared for a few seconds, and then reappeared.
“What was that about?”
“I went into the garden and got rid of the water.”
Mark exhaled slowly, nodding. He chuckled slightly as he smiled. “I can see it now on the phone. Honey? Did you know angels go to the bathroom? Well, not exactly. They just disappear and the water drops to the ground. One just did it in our garden. Oh, and by the way, I’ve seen some ugly demons, too. But don’t worry, hon, I’m feeling fine.” Mark was obviously amused by the whole thing.
Sotare was smiling. “Think that’d work for you?”
“Yeah, right.”
“Okay, well, let me continue. We are able to take human form. You wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between us and humans. But we can see two worlds at once. We can fly and see through walls. Compared with your strength, we are very strong. We also have the ability to learn hundreds of languages, and to learn more in minutes. Our essence is nonmaterial, but because we are able to control material manifestations regarding our own presence, we can take almost any form we want.”
With that, Sotare morphed into a smaller man, about a foot shorter, with black hair. His clothes even changed into jeans and a jacket. Then in an instant, he was back to normal.
Mark wasn’t quite ready for that and he shook his head briefly. “Whoa. That was a head rush.”
Sotare smiled again.
“You know, two things surprise me. First, I find it difficult to believe that I’m here talking to you, watching you do this, and it somehow seems so normal to me now. On the other hand, I can’t quite get used to your changing forms and disappearing. It’s a bit distracting.”
“Would you prefer I not do it?”
“Actually, I kind of like it. In a strange way it is entertaining as well as reassuring. It helps me continue to believe that all this is real. All this angel and demon stuff is still settling in my mind.”
“Yes, I can see your point. Some people don’t handle it very well, but you’re a natural.”
Mark smiled. “Thanks.” He paused for a moment and reflected. “These demons and angels have always be
en around us, right? I mean, they’ve always been around humans, haven’t they?”
“Yes, we have. We were made before you and there are millions upon millions of us working in and through the world in both kinds of people.”
“Both kinds of people?”
“There are two kinds of people in the world: the slaves and the free. The slaves are the ones who are ultimately in the service of demonic forces. Some slaves are possessed while others are merely manipulated; most don’t realize it. The free are those who are no longer slaves.”
Mark was curious. “And which one am I?”
“Let’s just say that you are not free.”
From feeling good to feeling bad, the quick change was unsettling. Mark took a deep breath and shifted his weight to one leg. After a few seconds of letting Sotare’s words sink in, he said. “I don’t understand. If I am not free, as you say, then that means I am a slave to demonic forces. But how can that be since you are here with me and I want nothing to do with them?”
“Whom do you serve?” asked Sotare. “There’s only God and the devil. Which one do you follow?”
“Well, I like to think that I follow God.”
Sotare stared at him. “Were you following God a week ago, or a year ago?”
Mark looked down momentarily. “Okay, I guess it is obvious that I have not really believed in him very much. But, I wasn’t out killing anyone or stealing anything.”
“This is true, but we do not measure who you follow by what you do not do. We measure it by what you do.”
Mark knew that he hadn’t really given much thought to God’s existence. He didn’t go to church and he dismissed God as an unknowable concept. But now with the stark reality of the spiritual world staring him in the face, he had nowhere to escape, no ignorance to hide behind anymore.
“But, I’m not following the devil. I mean, I don’t lie and cheat and steal.”
Sotare stared calmly at Mark. “Have you ever stolen anything? Have you ever lied?”
Mark felt his heart sink slightly.
“When you were twelve, you stole two dollars from your best friend’s mother. When you were seventeen, you lied to the police officer who stopped you when you were speeding. In college, when you were a junior, you deliberately got hold of the answer sheet to an upcoming test. You obtained it from someone you knew had stolen it. Remember when you got drunk in college with Rebecca and what happened afterwards? Your first job out of college you would take extra-long lunches and not report it on your time sheet.”
Mark lowered his head and set his teeth on edge. He tapped them together. “All right. You made your point.”
“There’s much more. I could go on for hours and work my way up to this week.”
“No, that’s all right,” said Mark as he waved Sotare’s suggestion aside. “You’re right. I have not followed God. I must be serving the only other option, right?”
“Yes. If there are only two options, and you are not with one, then you are automatically with the other.”
“Even if I don’t want to be with the other?”
“Your actions reveal your wants and whom you serve.”
Mark felt a wave of despair. “This isn’t good. It’s confusing. You’re telling me I’m in league with the devil. This isn’t helping me at all.”
“Mark, please understand that on a human level you are basically a good man. You’ve been faithful to your wife. You don’t try to hurt anyone, you work hard, and you’re honest. But all of what you are—your heart, mind, soul, and body—has been touched by pride, selfishness, and envy.”
“My wife lets me know that often enough,” said Mark as a weak attempt at humor.
“Remember what I said before about truth and how it is independent of what you feel or what you want?”
“Yes.”
“This is what truth is. It is absolute. Unfortunately, most people don’t want real truth. They want to feel good about themselves. They want the world to fit their needs and preferences, so they adopt all sorts of self-deceptions to support or bolster their delusions. They imagine they are divine, or can become divine. They think they are worthy of being with God based on their sincerity. Some people even deny his existence so they can take his place. Mark, truth may not always be pleasant and you may not always want to hear it, but truth is what it is.”
“All right.” Mark had already dropped his shoulders and, in a defeated tone, said, “Then why are you bothering with me if I’m really serving the devil?”
“Well, you aren’t deliberately serving the devil. It’s more like you’re accidentally doing it.”
“That’s good to hear,” said Mark sarcastically. “But still, why are you here helping me?”
“Because I was told to.”
Mark stared silently for a few seconds. “By God?”
“Yes.”
Sotare looked intently at Mark.
“You said you wanted answers. I’m giving them to you.”
Mark remembered what he’d seen out in the garden and what had happened. He could not deny that there was a reality he had been unaware of, a truth he had closed his mind to before, but now it was profoundly real. He knew he wanted the truth no matter how difficult it might be.
He quickly realized what he needed to say. He nodded to himself before speaking. “All right. I want to know who God is, what I have to do to please him, and what I have to do in order to get through all of this. I suspect that it won’t be easy, but that’s the way it has to be.”
Sotare smiled and once again put his hand on Mark’s shoulder. “I’m going to enjoy teaching you.”
“I’m not sure if that’s good or bad,” responded Mark with half a laugh.
“Ultimately, truth is always good, though not always easy.” said Sotare. “You will be experiencing more of it later.”
Mark noticed the words “experiencing more of it later” and wondered what was in store for him.
Chapter 6
HUGE BLACK WINGS CARRIED Paraptome’s dense mass towards the south. From above, the creature peered into two worlds: the spiritual and the material. It could see countless lost souls milling about, aimlessly walking, unaware of the forces around them. They were drawn to this area where demonic forces had a stronghold, blissfully unaware of their own state of slavery as they went around fulfilling their passions.
There were, of course, angels surrounding the dark area but they kept their distance. Paraptome ignored them. It was on a mission to find a human slave and take possession of it in order to quickly carry out its plan.
The principality flew slowly through the drug-infested area of the city and found a dilapidated building where many demons moved among the slaves of darkness. It drew attention. Paraptome hovered and peered down through the walls. It did not know exactly what it was looking for, but it would know when it found it. The creature lessened the beating of its wings slightly so that it could descend closer to the building, but not so close as to be noticed by the forces deep within. The bitter cold that fell from its hulk cascaded downward, away from the building, away from the demons. Paraptome liked surprise.
Demons were scurrying about, manipulating the minds of the lost. Two young men had a demon assigned to each of them. One had its hand in the mind of the older. On a corner, a prostitute leaned against a wall. A demon stood next to her, and fifty feet away another demon manipulated the mind of a passing man. He stopped to talk to the prostitute. Both of them shivered slightly from the unexpected chill that fell to the street from above. But Paraptome was not interested in mere manipulations. It wanted possession.
This particular building had a strong spiritual darkness. There was plenty of activity. Paraptome peered around, looking through the walls. Below, in an alley, walked three young men. Two demons were following them. In an apartment across the street, a man and a woman were arguing. A demon was manipulating the mind of the woman, its claw embedded in her skull. People were milling around on corners, smoking, drinking, and
swearing. Among them mingled demons who were constantly whispering into their minds.
Paraptome saw a prince resting on a building across the street. It would know the layout and location of the lost since it was in charge of this territory. It descended. The prince was already aware of its superior’s presence and knew not to flee. It waited, afraid; not knowing what would bring a principality to this place.
Paraptome landed on the roof, close enough to be a threat, but not so close to convey imminent danger. “Speak!”
“I am Dreglord, your servant.” The prince bowed low. Paraptome studied the creature. The prince had thin, bony hand-like digits that supported long curved claws. One of them had been broken, which meant that it had recently been in a battle.
“Are you the lord of this city?” demanded Paraptome in a deep guttural tone.
“Yes, Master,” said Dreglord as it bowed further. “I was told to assist you.”
Paraptome noticed that it was shaking.
“I need to find a host in which to dwell.”
So unusual was the command that Dreglord momentarily raised its head and looked at Paraptome.
In an instant, it jumped forward, grabbing the prince by the throat, and lifting it off the ground. With a slow, growling rumble it said, “You dare to look at me without my permission?”
Dreglord was choking and, although its face was pulled up close to Paraptome’s, it averted its eyes and forced out the words, “My master, you should destroy me for my insult. But if you do, I cannot tell you which host is here.”
Paraptome looked at the creature for a few seconds before throwing it to the roof. The prince crawled backwards as it kept its head low, then massaged its bruised neck and choked away the pain. After a couple of seconds, it lowered its head further in submission.
The Influence (Supernatural Thriller) Page 13