The Tapestry

by Wigmore, Paul

  CHAPTER 6

  This one wasn’t going to get away thought Saul as he focused his mind on bringing Gavin's spirit to him. He had tried many times to bring a soul to him. It was the only power he had not been able to master as yet. Sure he had stolen a soul once before, but he hadn’t been on hallowed ground at the time. Everything was a hundred times harder on hallowed ground.

  He had a feeling about this one though. The soul he was stealing was the darkest he had felt for a very long time. The mind was twisted with some sort of dementia. If it were coloured it would be a dark purple mottled with patches of black running through red veins. He had to wait until just the right moment as a soul cannot be taken from a living person. They have to have just passed on.

  When he felt Gavin's soul break free from its earthly inhibitor Saul began the incantation. After the incantation, which was spoken in the language of the angels, which is Enochian, (for your own safety I wont repeat the words here) he began to chant in English.

  ‘Bring thy soul through the air

  To serve before your master here’

  ‘Bring thy soul through the air

  To serve before your master here’

  ‘Bring thy soul through the air

  To serve before your master here’

  And so he did. Before Gavin had a chance to even consider what was happening, or where he was going, he was in an old warehouse that looked pretty abandoned.

  He was able to stand before Saul, which felt good.

  Saul appeared to Gavin as a man. The two men stood face to face in the gloomy surroundings. It was Saul that spoke first.

  ‘My name is Saul, I have brought you here because I know of your misery and woe. I have watched your plight through your very own eyes. I am going to offer you the power to take the most outrageous revenge on your enemies. They will all die at your hand. You will have whatever riches you desire. You will live forever in riches and glory, rule the Earth if you so wish. All I ask is that you contract your soul to me and my bidding until I have no further use of you and then you will be free to satisfy your own desires.’

  Gavin wasn’t really sure what was happening. Five minutes ago he was dying, and then he was watching himself die. And now he was being offered all the power and riches he could ever want...how?

  The voice was booming, it seemed to come from the strange man but also from everywhere else, the shadows in the corner, the rats scuttling across the floor, even inside his own head.

  ‘If you refuse my offer then you should be no more and go to where your destiny lied before you met me on this night’.

  Gavin was in awe of this man called Saul who stood before him. He was a good head and shoulders above Gavin. He wore what looked like a very expensive suit, which was odd considering the surroundings. The suit was very dark; it seemed to absorb any of the natural light that seeped in through the windows. In fact it seemed blacker than the shadows which seemed to shy away from this awesome being. For that is what he truly was, Gavin knew that as soon as he spoke. His voice resonated authority that would not be denied, but it was his eyes that sent a chill down Gavin's newly returned spine. When Saul had spoken to him, the eyes had turned from a deep purple to a crimson red. They were now back to purple. He knew this man had brought him from death across the city to appear before him. He didn't know how but this god like creature had summoned him.

  This was for real; he didn't feel like he was dreaming anymore. He had just been given an option but he already knew his answer. He had vowed to avenge his princess, and it would appear that his prayers had just been answered.

  ‘DO YOU ACCEPT?’ bellowed Saul. The bluntness of the question along with the many decibels that joined brought Gavin to his “dubious” senses.

  ‘I... I... do, that is... I would like to... I think... yes’, stammered Gavin.

  ‘Good... then it is agreed. You will do as I require until it is time for you to leave this place. Then you shall do as your heart desires’.

  Over the following weeks Gavin had no need to leave the confines of the warehouse. Saul knew he couldn’t just transfer his powers to Gavin and then let him be on his way. That would be like giving a five year old the controls of a nuclear warhead.

  No he had to nurture him, he also had to become his friend and gain his trust. He spent a little time each day with the transference, little by little, drop by drop. This was done by mixing blood and hair from the two of them together which was then drunk by Gavin.

  It took a week before Gavin's docile mind managed to initiate any sort of magical feat. He was still so upset at the loss of Michelle. Saul could have just conjured up another “Michelle” for him to fawn over but wasn’t sure if he would be more or less focused than before. So what he did instead was he made the surroundings more comfortable for him.

  He magically transformed the inside of the warehouse into a plush hotel type lounge room with a bar. The bar was a very large polished oak effect that ran along the north wall. There were marble pillars of a bronze hue, four of them in all that led your eyes toward a ceiling that rivalled the Sistine chapel. Only the figures in this masterpiece were always moving, writhing together. Humans and demons having unholy sex that really should have scared the life out of Gavin, but he could hardly tear his gaze from that beautifully sinister ceiling.

  A chandelier of enormous proportion hung from the centre of that ceiling. Sometimes he would see some creature that looked like a shadow resting on that chandelier... just watching him. He only knew it was watching him because of its intense yellow eyes that appeared from the blackness of its form. He felt as if the creature was trying to bore through his body with those eyes. Nevertheless, he never once felt scared. And he felt sure that was because he knew this magnificent man Saul was not going to let any harm come to him.

  Although it had taken Saul many human lifetimes to acquire and master his dark powers, it took only a very small amount of time for the transference, and then for Gavin to become fluent in the use of the dark powers. This is because Saul had already mastered them and had only to teach. It was only a matter of weeks before Gavin conjured his first successful life form. He produced a white dove out of thin air. He had seen it done so many times as a child. He knew there was a trick to it, but now... he had done it for real. All he had to do was think about it... and it appeared.

  Saul took a ride with it as it flew from the warehouse/hotel. It flew up above the trees and over a nearby housing estate. Saul was bursting with anticipation. Not knowing what... but sure something fantastic was about to happen.

  And so it did, the bird homed in on a staggering drunk, obviously on his way home from a night of revelry in the local pub. He seemed to be in good cheer, as he was singing to the great empty, but also unjudging audience as he staggered. This wasn’t to last for long.

  Within a matter of seconds, the bird had swooped down and landed on the man’s shoulder. He tried to shoo it away but to no avail. Then came first blood, the bird literally tore a chunk out of the man’s cheek... the singing turned to screams.

  Saul felt a smile growing on his demonic face as he realised this wasn’t just a fucked up bird.

  The little white dove had teeth in its beak, little tiny razor sharp teeth. Gavin had done well and he didn't even know it yet.

  The bird persisted until the man was on the floor. His arms were flailing about him like a dysfunctional windmill, but the bird was relentless. It resembled a scene from Mr Hitchcock’s “The Birds” as it chewed on the eyeball it had just ripped from the socket of the poor drunkard. It then chewed through the carotid artery in the man’s neck as if it were an afterthought before it flew into the night.

  The demon was very pleased with Gavin that night. He offered to conjure as many women for him as he desired, and for the first time, he nearly accepted. This was good, for although his love for Michelle was still strong, the evil inside him was growing.

  Gavin and Saul were now close friends, (or at least as friendly as you can
get with a demon).

  The days were spent with bloodletting and teaching, however, Gavin was a fast learner and the demon knew the day would come soon for Gavin to leave, but before he did... Saul needed a kill from him. He needed to know that Gavin was now pure evil and was strong enough to fight for him.

  ‘And so it is on this night my friend that you shall leave this place, and bring back one of your own kind. You will then be rid of them in the most fantastic way imaginable. I want you to really show me what you have learned from me. And then I will let you leave here my brethren’.

  The request did not seem strange to Gavin at all, not as strange as it would have done a couple of months back. He knew Saul was only imparting his wisdom and power because he wanted revenge himself. They had discussed the terms and agreed.

  Besides, he didn't feel any loyalty to his fellow man anymore. He had been betrayed and lost the only person he would ever love. And now with this plethora of dark magic and super strength, what could they do to him now?

  He knew the only person he had to fear was Saul. Although he wasn’t so sure of how true that was anymore. He knew Saul couldn’t leave the prison, although the demon had never explained in full, just that he may be in danger if he left and this is why he needed Gavin.

  Even so, Saul was the only person to help him when he needed it. Saul came to his rescue and he wasn’t about to consider betraying him.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Gavin found his new powers were even stronger than he had dared imagine. The first place he went to was a bar named The Fiddlers Green in Levenshulme.

  It was almost as if he were a celebrity, everyone wanted to be his friend. The reason for this is because he charmed a spell so that every woman saw their perfect man when they saw him, and every man saw the man they wanted to be.

  He ordered a double brandy and took in his surroundings. It was obviously an Irish bar, that was a given from the name. It was quite a large bar which appeared to have two floors although the top floor seemed to be a balcony of sorts.

  Although he had lived in Levenshulme for many years now, he had never been to The Fiddlers or any other pub for that matter. He had lacked the confidence before... but now... well, now he could feel the confidence oozing from his pores.

  He felt as if nothing could go wrong. It was like electricity shooting through his veins, in fact he felt like... a god.

  He went and sat at one of the few empty tables near the karaoke machine. It seemed like the rejects from x-factor were out in force tonight.

  There was a bit of a no hoper on at the moment, some young doleite he thought. Giving his rendition of Chris de Burghs classic “The Lady in Red”, which Gavin thought should be re-titled “The Lady Is Deaf” for this particular performance.

  It had been so long since he had enjoyed the sweet taste of his favourite poison. He sipped slowly whilst watching the next victim getting ready to make an absolute fool of himself.

  There was a gaggle of girls drinking at the far end of the bar nearest the karaoke area. They were looking over to Gavin and they all seemed awestruck. It looked like they were daring each other to go over and speak to the stranger. He saw this and was amused as he could will any one of them to come to him right now without uttering a word, but he was enjoying the game so he let it carry on for a little while.

  Sandra couldn’t help wanting to go and talk to the man, she was on a night out with the girls and they had made a strict pact of no boys tonight. It was due to Becky's recent harsh treatment from her now ex boyfriend Marcus. It seemed he was only with her for a free ride as he was unemployed and always sponged off her. After her recent layoff at the paper shredding company she had worked at for the last six months he unceremoniously dumped her and moved in with one of her friends (also ex now) and will undoubtedly repeat the cycle again with her.

  So tonight was about getting Becky out and having a bit of fun, in fact getting wasted was more like it if Sandra and Shelley had anything to do with it. Boys were off the menu for this evening but, there was something about that guy. He hadn’t said a word to anybody since he came in apart from Jackie behind the bar and that was just to order a drink. She didn't know what it was but she knew everyone was talking about him, asking who he was, where had he came from?

  Unaware she was doing it, she was biting her bottom lip and her breathing had become heavier whilst gripping the top of the bar stool she had perched herself on since she had seen him, she could not seem to take her eyes off him. The air around her seemed to be getting denser as if it were closing in on her which was making her breathing heavier. She could see he was looking straight at her and (were his eyes purple?) his eyes seemed to be drawing her in but she felt rooted to the spot. She had never felt like this before, she felt intoxicated with something but it wasn’t alcohol, she could hear her own heart beating rhythmically in her head. The music and the chatter in the bar became muffled. There was a new aroma too; it was a heavy and sickly sweet scent which was so thick she could actually taste it and with every breath was making her feel more drawn to this strange intoxicating man that she had never seen before tonight.

  Shelley brushed her leg on the way down, she had also been in this weird trance like state gazing into the stranger’s eyes but her heart had not quite been strong enough, at least not strong enough to substitute alcohol for blood as that is all they would find in her veins when they did the autopsy. Her blood had somehow been replaced with alcohol. (When they tested they would find that it was Courvoisier VSOP)

  Sandra hardly noticed this; all she did see was Becky. She was moving towards the stranger as if to go and sit with him. That broke her free from her trance, she felt as if she had been released and the only thing on her mind was that Becky wasn’t having him. In her mind she had already staked the flag saying MINE.

  There was no conscious thought of what happened next, it just happened. She threw herself at her friend screamin ‘get away, get away bitch’. The friends fell to the floor scratching at each others eyes and necks. The crowd in the bar seemed not to notice them at all. One chap even stepped over them to get to the karaoke area as he was next up to sing.

  Becky's broken glass inserted nice and smoothly into the soft skin of Sandra's neck. Becky twisted it and plunged it further in till Sandra’s screams were nothing more than gargles as blood poured from her neck and out of her mouth onto Becky's face.

  By now Sandra should have been dead in a bloody heap on the floor of the bar but somehow she still had the energy inside her to ensure that if she wasn’t leaving with the stranger then neither would Becky. She pulled at the large piece of glass that was embedded in her neck till it was free. It took three full force stabbing motions into her friends stomach before she realised she was dying...and she was killing her friend.

  The strange man smiled at her as he got up and walked out of the bar. It was no longer a sexy smile.

  The air seemed lighter as he left along with the sickly sweet aroma. The friends looked at each other with their last breaths not knowing what had happened or why but wishing they had stuck to their pact... No boys tonight.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Saul was overflowing with what you might call a demonic hysteria. The insane twisted noise that should have been a laugh was heard for miles... yet it made no sound. Not a sound that could be heard with human ears. It was heard by the human soul that dwells within each and every one of us and at that point everyone within range of that sound, just stopped dead... too scared to move, frozen with fright to the spot. That chill you get down the back of your neck like an icy hand on a hot body. The cold sweat of true fear, like a rabbit in the headlights gripped hold of the people of Manchester for what seemed like an eternity.

  No one knew what had happened or why but when the hand let go. Nobody mentioned it, the soul knew and knew it was too much for the earth bound body to bear so it protected Gods children, as it always does, for that is the purpose of the soul. The people of Manchester carried on as if nothing
had happened.

  The demon had laughed because he had taken a ride with his apprentice and was more than pleased with what he had seen. He knew Gavin would not have waited to bring the victim back to the warehouse. His thirst for the dark powers was too strong to let him wait. He saw no need for punishment, he had done what was requested of him and more... he was going to be useful...very useful.

  When Gavin returned to the warehouse (although it still resembled a very plush hotel) Saul was sat in a very large wing back chair by one of the pillars in front of the bar. He was dressed in the suit that betrayed the shadows and belied the very light that Gavin walked into.

  He rose from the chair and wore his most magnificent (I’m proud of ya son) smiles as he strode over and grabbed Gavin by the hand as if to shake it, but when the mystical man held his hand a surge of energy shot through his arm.

  ‘Close your eyes and follow me, this is your reward’

  Gavin did follow him but he didn’t have to move to do so, he followed him through the catacombs of his own mind. Saul showed him the man that he once was. Gavin was a sick man before he met Saul. This, he had not known, he walked through the passages of his own mind with Saul. The passages were long and they stunk of failure and disease. Not a smell one can normally detect but Gavin was healed now and he was thankful for that. There were doors on either side of them running along with only a promise of light from little gas lamps on the walls, about a hundred doors on each side, with corridors running off in a hundred directions. There were an endless number of twisted staircases leading to other levels of his mind. The walls and doors were brown and slimy, the ground beneath their feet was wet, there was a constant dripping from all around. It was as if the place had not been well maintained at all. As they walked along Gavin would stop and put his ear to each door to listen. There were banshee type screams coming from one room and from another room all Gavin could hear was crying, mutterings from another. Saul stopped at one door and invited Gavin to open it. He put his ear to the door.