“Because, in his previous school, he was the bully,” her grin twisted and became sinister. “Everyone gets what’s coming to them, Charlie. Turnabout is fair play, and I see to it that everyone gets what they deserve.”
A commotion ensued, as two of the boys dragged the newcomer off his seat, and then threw him to the ground. One holding him down, the other punched him repeatedly until blood covered his face and a small amount dotted the ground. Releasing him, the pair stood and walked away, the rest of the group following as a bell rang loudly inside the building behind them.
A feeling of de ja vu swept over him, and Charlie looked around anxiously, as if he were in a dream; one of the dreams he sometimes had about Clarisse. Seeing nothing out of place, he waited, turning to look at the woman next to him expectantly. When the boy rolled over and got to his feet, stumbling to collect his things and head inside, he demanded, “You’re not even gonna help that kid?”
“I did help him,” she grinned, and he could see the satisfaction on her face, “I saw to it that he got exactly what he deserved. This isn’t the other plane, Charlie. This is the real world. My world. There are no angels here; no clients to be served. I deal in justice, plain and simple.”
An instant later, they stood in the dining area in Purgatory. Staring at the cacti that lined the transparent wall, he sighed loudly, aware that she knew all that he knew, and she wasn’t fooled by his attempt to garner information from her.
“Ok, let’s get to it. I want to know everything,” with his head down-turned, he cut his eyes up at her to make his demand.
“Sure, Charlie,” her glossy red lips curled into a smile. Indicating for him to follow with her long fingers, she turned and walked to the front door.
Outside, Charlie observed the grass on either side of the path. His eyes drawn to the rose bushes, he again noted that there were two on each side; a pair standing side by side. “Why are there two of everything?” he demanded as they walked towards the barn.
“Because that is the way of nature,” she supplied easily. “Do you not have two eyes? Two ears? Everything must have its equal; its balancing partner. A yin for a yang…” her voice trailed away as they reached the structure. Pausing in front of the massive doors, she waved her hand before them, and they parted.
The entrance swinging wide, the cool air hit him as he followed the mistress of the property inside. His eyes adjusting to the darkness of the room, the large panels closed behind them, and he realized that it wasn’t a barn at all. “What is this place?” he breathed.
“This is my haven; the closest thing to home that I have on this planet,” she twirled slowly in the middle of the floor. Surrounding them, the walls of the one massive room were lined with oversized couches, chairs and beanbags. Oddly, they also held draperies that covered non-existent windows judging from the plain walls he had seen outside. Taking it all in, he also noted a large bed stood in one corner, with at least a dozen fluffy pillows calling to him to lie upon it.
“I don’t understand,” he shook his head. “It looks like… a palace, or a room for a harem, or something.”
“Well,” her head bobbed around for a moment, “A palace, perhaps; a harem, not so much.” She faced him squarely. “We have evolved beyond being physical creatures; pleasures of the flesh are less stimulating than those of the mind.” With a graceful wave of her hand, she indicated one of the couches. Taking a seat, she patted the cushion next to her and softly said, “Join me, Charlie.”
He sat at the opposite end, leaving a length of cushion between them. Curling her legs beneath her, she leaned comfortably into the corner and waited. Kicking off his shoes, he drew his legs up as well, ensuring she kept her distance.
“This is nice,” he grinned, hoping that he appeared at ease.
“Open your mind to me, Charlie,” she implored.
He inhaled deeply and blew the breath out through a relaxed jaw. “I’m ready,” he replied softly.
“Good, because I have shown you much. What did you see, back at the playground?”
“I saw some kid get beat up by some other boys,” he stated flatly.
“Yes, he got exactly what he deserved. A bully, bullied. That is my purpose, Charlie. You see, when Keeper and I first came to this world, we saw in it great promise. But to reach that promise, we believed that one side must never be allowed to overtake the other.”
“You mean the darkness and the light,” he supplied what he knew.
“Exactly,” she agreed. “In the world that we came from, there is no darkness,” she wafted her hand, indicating the room in which they sat. “There is only light, and joy, and comfort.”
“What’s wrong with that?” Charlie demanded, almost angrily. “Shouldn’t people be allowed t’ be happy? To not have some kid or person picking on them an’ beating them up?”
“Oh, Charlie,” she smiled, “You fail to see; there can be no light without the darkness. Happiness does not bring pleasure without the understanding of pain, of sadness, and despair.”
He stared at her, rolling his tongue around as he considered the concept. “So your sayin’ that we can’t define one without the other.”
“Yes,” she nodded. “Our world had lost something, in the elimination of sorrow and suffering. We had become complacent; bored with our existence.”
“So you came here, an’ started mucking things up.”
She burst into a loud laugh, “We have done no such thing. We have merely ensured that neither side will win. Keeper holds the balance, and our children champion their sides.”
“Your children!” he sat straight up as he screamed, “You mean Destiny and Fate are your kids?”
“Of course,” a glass of wine appeared in her hand, and she took a slow sip from the beverage. “But not in the physical sense that you understand of propagation. Keeper and I are ancient beings, and we created our children with the purpose each has been given.”
She paused, getting to her feet and pacing in front of him, her clothing shifting to a long red robe that flowed around her. Watching her, Charlie’s mind raced; the devil is a woman in a red dress.
“I am not the devil!” she snapped.
Shit. He hated being around people who could read his thoughts. “I’m sorry, it’s just a saying, that’s all.” He felt surprisingly calm, having heard her story thus far, but after all the crazy things he had already experienced; meh. He wasn’t impressed.
“So, you and Keeper came here, made your kids, and basically took over.”
Sighing loudly, she shook her head. “Not exactly, but that version will do.”
“Ok, then why have you brought me and the other Forgotten Angels here? Are we your servants, like the Summer Angels to Destiny and the Dark Angels to Fate?”
Staring at him, her voice quavered, “You are not an angel, Forgotten or otherwise. Where did you hear that name?” she demanded, stepping closer to tower over him.
“I made it up,” he admitted, a little afraid for the first time since he had arrived there. “Look, I didn’t mean anything by it,” he tried to stand, but she blocked him, keeping him seated on the pliable surface. “I just thought it fit; we have powers, we’ve seen the other side, but we don’t really belong, like someone forgot about us.”
Her hands on her hips, she stepped back, making a slow circle in the large room. “Yes, I see,” she whispered loudly, “You understand more than I had suspected.” Looking up at him, she didn’t mince words; “I need you, Charlie.”
Thinking he had just been propositioned, he leapt to his feet. Holding his hands out in front of him, he growled, “Now wait a minute -”
“Not like that!” she laughed, cutting him off. Stepping towards him, she grasped his trembling digits firmly. “I mean that I need your talent; your understanding.” Seeing his confusion, she continued, “I like that, Forgotten Angels; and you are exactly right, the other plane has more or less forgotten about us. They don’t care that we are here, and we are unimportant to the
m. We are not the darkness, nor are we the light; we are the combination of the two, where the lines meet and are blurred. But we will have our day, with you on our side; I guarantee it!”
Karma Knows Best
Charlie stared at the woman before him as if she were sprouting extra limbs. “Why is everyone in your world so damned interested in me?” This is the third time one of them has insinuated I should side with them!
“It’s your world, too,” she soothed, rubbing the back of his hand with her fingertips. Turning it palm up, she swiped it a few times. “Charlie, listen to me. I know that you think we have hurt people, by being here, but that’s really not our intention.”
“I thought you were here to punish people,” he quipped.
“I am,” she stammered, “but that’s only because that’s the job I took. We wanted to care for this place; to see that it didn’t end up like our home, with nothing to live for. Without challenges to face, life has no meaning, no reason to grow or develop.” She cut her eyes up at him, then raised her chin to meet his gaze squarely.
“Ok,” he shrugged, her deep brown orbs getting the better of him. “Is that why you keep your kind a secret?”
“Yes,” she agreed, dropping his hand and turning away, “If we are discovered, it changes everything. It’s happened a few times, and the consequences have been disastrous. We put a few rules into place when the twins took on their roles, but accidents happen.”
Staring at her long auburn waves, Charlie considered his previous knowledge on the subject; secrets were shared, and many paid the price. “Did you punish the ones who did it?”
“I punished everyone, hun,” she admitted quietly. “Have you ever heard of the black death?”
“You mean the plague?” his voice rose at the thought of it.
“Yes,” she turned to him once more, “I unleashed it. It was the only way I could contain the spread of the leak. Mankind was not meant to know about our existence, and it must remain so at all cost.”
“I get it,” he agreed with a huff of air. “So if I agree to this, what would my job be?” he asked, still tempted to tell her to piss off, and take the prison route.
Shaking her head, she sighed, “Please don’t make me hurt you. I know what’s good for you, and I want you to have a good life. If you refuse, then I will be forced to motivate you…” her voice trailed away.
“Motivate me, as in with a stick or some other form of torture?” An instant after he said it, images of his mother appeared in his mind’s eye. “No, you wouldn’t!”
“Don’t push me, Charlie,” she gritted her teeth. “I can be fair, or I can play dirty; I’m good either way.”
Staring at her with his mouth agape, he understood why Phil had been so upset with her. I wonder what she did to him.
“I didn’t do anything to him,” she answered the unasked question, her eyes growing a shade lighter. “You’ve talked with the others; you’ve seen how it is. We can do this the easy way, or we can do it the hard way, but we are going to do it. You will serve me, and do my bidding, or I won’t have to look very far to find something or someone that matters to you.”
Turning, her gown swirling around her, she glided across the room. Each of the four walls held a pair of curtains; fake windows he presumed. Pulling on a cord hanging down the side of one, the drapes parted, exposing a pane of glass; but instead of seeing the desert through the opening, he could see a short plump girl cleaning tables at what appeared to be a diner.
“Tabs,” Charlie breathed, recognizing the best friend who had shared his life for so long. “Why are you showing me this; what does it mean?” he demanded curtly.
“It’s time to get to the bottom line,” she wafted her hand at the scene. “It’s my job to see that people get what they deserve, and these monitors help me keep track of who has earned privileges… and who needs to be punished.” She cut her eyes over at him and smiled deviously. “But, there is only so much of me and my minions to go around; sometimes it takes a while to catch up with everyone.”
“So Tabs has done somethin’, and you’re gonna punish her,” he deduced.
“Oh no,” Karma grinned wickedly, “Tabitha hasn’t done anything I’m interested in dishing out. However, her father has been skating along for a while…” her voice trailed away as she turned her attention back to the oversized screen.
“Uh-huh,” Charlie knew it was true; his mind briefly wandered, recalling the drunken mess that was Tabitha Turner’s dad. “So what’re you gonna do to him?”
Cutting her eyes over at him, Karma’s deep brown orbs began to shift, a soft green taking its place in them. “You know the rules, Charlie. I can’t attack him directly, but I can send a bit of justice his way.”
“No, don’t!” his voice thundered. “Her mom left, and her dad’s all that she’s got. It would devastate her t’ lose him…” he surmised the worst was coming.
Her smile shifted into a warm grin, “My my, you do have so many targets. People you wouldn’t want to see suffer. So unlike the young man I remember.”
“You remember,” he took a half step back, not really surprised that she, too, had watched him as a child. “Look, why don’ you just tell me what you want.”
“I want your allegiance,” she stated calmly. “You have a great power, Charlie. Things are changing, and time is running out. Pledge yourself to my cause, and you will be rewarded. But, should you cross me, the consequences would be most severe,” she flicked her eyes over at the girl, who now stood behind the register.
“If I do that, I want something else in return,” his chest expanded and he clenched his fists tightly.
Noting his posture, she nodded slowly, “Name it.”
“I want you out of my head; and Lorren. I want a shield that protects my thoughts and keeps them private.”
“Ohhh,” she turned her back, hiding her wide grin. “Aren’t you the clever one. All right, so long as you are faithful to your oath, you will have protection against telepathy; no one will invade your mind. Not even Phil will be able to detect anything from you.”
“And if I break my vow to serve you?” he asked cautiously.
“I’ll know it the instant that it happens,” she stood up straighter, facing him squarely. “Your thoughts will betray you.”
Watching the customers leave the counter, Charlie observed his friend for long moment. “And you won’t touch anyone that I care about, for as long as I’m with you.”
“Right,” Karma nodded. “That’s a given.”
“And I get Clarisse back,” he pushed for more.
Blinking rapidly a few times, her jaw grew tight, but she had already promised him that and reluctantly agreed, “Yes; she will be returned to you when you have completed a satisfactory number of tasks.”
“Then I guess that will have to do; if I have your word on that.”
“You have my word,” she flicked her hand and darkened the device on the wall, drawing the shade over it once more. “You will make your oath to me now. Kneel down.”
Glancing around anxiously, Charlie placed his left knee on the floor, and balanced with his right leg folded to form a lap to rest his hands on. “Like this?”
“That will do,” she stepped closer, her long fingers reaching his scalp and slithering through his hair.
He could feel a tingle that tickled his entire being. Waiting, he breathed deeply, feeling lighter, as if he could step outside his body and watch. “What are you doing?” he asked softly.
“Shh,” she quieted him. “We are joined in a way no human can understand. Your soul, the essence of your being is pledged to me. I will guide you, and release all that you are capable of, for Karma is the ultimate teacher.”
Laying his head back, his neck stretched, he felt drawn to the beauty of her strong features and noted the green of her eyes that almost glowed in the dimly-lit room. “I am yours,” he breathed.
Lying with Dogs
The sun had set when Charlie exited Karma
’s dwelling. The evening air cool, he made his way to the house, grateful that his thoughts were once again private. He had no words to describe what she had done to him, and he felt ashamed that he had enjoyed the mingling of their beings. They don’t have sex, he mused; they go way beyond it. He had become joined with her in a way he never thought possible.
Letting himself inside, he crossed the dark rooms quietly and opened the massive refrigerator in search of food. Bathed in the glow of the small light, he jumped when the overhead bulbs burst to life.
“So, you’ve gotten to see the inside of Karma’s love nest,” Phil announced loudly, crossing the room and leaning over the counter that separated the kitchen from the dining area to rest his chin on his fists.
“What’s it to you?” Charlie growled, in no mood to be taunted for the tough choices he had been forced to make.
Staring at him, Phil rolled his tongue for a moment, then bit sourly, “So was it good for you?”
“I don’t kiss and tell,” the younger man clipped, his heart beating faster at the memory of his first supernatural tryst.
Frowning, Phil stood up straighter. “How are you doing that?” he demanded loudly.
Ignoring him, Charlie selected his items and closed the fridge. Taking his food to the table, he opened the dishwasher with his mind and floated a plate and fork over to him, smiling when they had landed safely on the wooden surface beside him.
“Hey, I’m talking to you,” Phil stepped towards him, slamming his hand down on the table and rattling the dishes upon it.
Opening the containers and serving his plate, Charlie remained unmoved. When his portions were ready, he floated the platter to the microwave, opening the door and even setting the timer remotely. “I’m really getting better at this,” he grinned, feeling a bit happy to be able to use his powers openly.
“What’s going on down here?” Lorren asked in a small voice, her fluffy house shoes scraping softly on the tile of the kitchen floor.
The Karma Set - Summer Spirit Novellas 4 - 6 Page 5