MUSICAroLina

by Daniel William Gunning

  John looked where Kurt was pointing and said, “You’ve got to be kidding me.” By the side of one of the stone houses, Virginia’s form emerged, lit by the smallest of candles, illuminating the darkness just enough to show her outline and her outstretched arm. She pointed a short distance up the street where there was a building quite different from the rest of those in the town.

  While most of the buildings in Musicarolina were made of stone and had a rustic antique-like quality about them, this building was small and made of simple wooden planks. It was painted the purest white, which stood out prominently in the blackness of the night, and it was surrounded by a simple picket fence of the same color. Outside, in the middle of the yard, was a large wooden cross. Torches had been lit and placed in the ground all around the churchyard. It was almost like someone had set them there to serve as a beacon in the night for the hunted. He recognized it instantly as the church they had passed by the night before.

  “Hey, it’s worth a shot. You got any better ideas right now?” Kurt said, beginning once again to pant. John just nodded to him in agreement and they used every last ounce of energy they had to run as fast as they could toward the tiny church. As they ran toward their new destination, Virginia blew out her candle and disappeared, once again, into the void of the night. Upon seeing their new course, something instantly changed in the demeanor of their pursuers; John and Kurt felt the ground begin to shake violently. They took one final glance behind them and saw the crowd had begun to run at full speed toward them. The mayor creature, however, was now far ahead of his minions. Its cruel claws cracked the stones as it barreled toward them, sending fragments careening through the air, shattering nearby windows and felling a handful of its own unfortunate followers. John and Kurt put their heads down and sped toward the church with all their might. Upon their arrival, they didn’t slow down. Instead, they hurtled themselves over the picket fence and landed on the green grass beyond, where they rolled through the churchyard and lay there panting hard, every last ounce of strength exhausted.

  The mayor creature skidded to a stop at the fence and roared at them in anger. The crowd eventually caught up to the beast and spread out behind him, completely surrounding the fence, but staying well back of it. John and Kurt looked around the circle of faces looking for the mayor creature, but they no longer saw him amongst the gathered crowd. He had retreated into the darkness, but they could still hear its snarls somewhere out in the black.

  They were suddenly startled by a kindly and distinctly British voice behind them abruptly saying, “Oh, why hello there.” They whipped around to see who had spoken. Standing in the doorway of the church behind them was the holy man they had seen the night before. He was dressed in simple preacher’s clothing and carried a Bible in his right hand. He held both hands up defensively and continued, “I imagine you’ve been through quite a lot today, my children, and I’m equally sure that you have more than your fair share of questions.”

  “Yeah, you could say that again, pal,” John shot back.

  “Well, I’ll be happy to answer as many of them as I can for you. Please come in,” he said, gesturing for them to follow him into the church. He noticed they kept glancing nervously at the mob that had so forebodingly surrounded the fence. “Oh, yes, them. Don’t worry about them,” he said, gesturing toward the crowd. “They can’t come in here.”

  “And why exactly is that?” Kurt asked.

  “Why do you think? Because they are the minions of evil incarnate, and let’s just say my boss tends to frown on things like that. He has a lot of pull, you know?” the preacher said, cracking a warm and comforting smile.

  “Well, that’s as good a reason as any, I guess,” Kurt said, as he rose to his feet and went inside the church.

  John shrugged, figuring it was as good as any plan they had right now, and was headed after his friend when he heard shuffling in the crowd. He turned and saw that Virginia had broken free from the masses and was walking toward the fence. She came to stand directly in front of the gate. “John, can we talk?” she called out to him calmly.

  CHAPTER 12

  A FINAL WARNING

  John cautiously crossed the churchyard, moving toward where Virginia stood waiting for him by the front gate. With every uneasy step while he approached the fence, he scanned the crowd, searching for any sign of the slightest movement. When he finally reached his destination, he stood nervously behind the fence, still looking around at the assembled masses, wary of his perilous proximity to the mob, and still unsure of the preacher’s promise of safety. When he was reasonably certain that no one was making any move toward him he, at last, began to turn back toward Virginia, but not before he took a single glance back at the safety of the church, briefly considering simply making a break for the door. He saw that Kurt and the preacher had already gone inside.

  John then turned back and looked out into the darkness. He could see, partially illuminated by the flickering light provided by the torches in the churchyard, the shadowy figures of the townspeople keeping well away from the fence, as sure as if it was electrified or wrapped in razor wire. He still did not see any sign of the glowing eyes of the mayor creature, although he thought that he could still hear the clicking of the grotesque beast’s claws on the stone streets somewhere out in the night, just beyond the reach of the comforting torch light. He tried to put this unsettling thought out of his mind, and finally he returned his full attention to Virginia and said, “I’m gonna be perfectly honest with you here. I’m going to leave out all the clever, unnecessary witty verbal flourishes and forget the back and forth discussion and the attempted rationalizations of the lunacy we’ve been subjected to and I’m just gonna cut straight to the chase. Here’s the deal; unless you’re about to give us a way out of this freak show, I really don’t have anything more to say to you.”

  “Please John, it’ll only take a moment.”

  “Oh, I believe I’ve wasted more than enough moments in this town. Like I said, there is nothing more to discuss, but I suppose he sent you here to give me one last chance to join Satan’s happy glee club and angry mob 200k fun run? Shoot, that was an unnecessary, witty verbal flourish and in my first sentence, too; I suck.”

  She laughed this off and responded, “No John, he didn’t send me. I’m not just some pawn for him to move around as he sees fit. He doesn’t control me, at least not entirely.”

  “Oh, well, he doesn’t control you entirely; that’s very comforting indeed. Thank you for that. I feel soooo much better now. Thanks for clearing that up. So you’re only semi-possessed then? That’s not so bad at all then, is it? That is just perfect, in fact. I suppose I’ve been a complete fool this whole time. You’ll just have to forgive me for overreacting!”

  “That’s not fair; you’re oversimplifying this whole mess. It’s bizarre that anyone would even try to attempt to simplify something of this magnitude of madness, but go you. It’s not a possession John; it’s not really like that at all. We are still who we always were; who we always have been. We still have control over our actions, he merely feeds on our souls and while he keeps all of our poor wayward souls trapped here, they are still ours. He can control you, or possess you, if you prefer that term, if you give in completely to him. You can let yourself fade away and let him worm his way into the deepest fibers of your being, but you can still choose to fight him. As it always has been, as it always has to be, that choice is always entirely and inalienably yours. The others may have completely given themselves to him a long, long time ago, for all the pretty promises and lovely lies he whispers in their ears, or maybe just because it’s simply easier to let go, but I never have. Not in all the wretched years I’ve been trapped here. I’ve never given up, never given in and I never will. I’m the one wild horse whose spirit he could never break. It may seem that I’m okay with all the insanity around me, but you have to understand, John, that this is the life I was born into, not one I’ve chosen. It’s all I’ve ever known, this struggle and str
angeness.”

  “And that’s supposed to make me feel better about things, I suppose? I don’t know if you’ve been paying close enough attention and maybe noticed what all has been happening today; maybe you really are just used to all this madness by now, being born into it, as you apparently were, and all. I guess this sort of stuff happens on a semi-daily basis here in crazy, singing, soul-sucking, monster-eating, tentacle-rapin’ town, but you have to see it from my point of view. You have to admit that, compared to the rest of the world, this is some pretty abnormal, paranormal, super freaky stuff.”

  “No, John, I understand your position perfectly; I really do. I just needed you to know that what I feel for you is genuine. Everything around you here may be lunacy and lies, but this one thing is the absolute truth.”

  “Don’t tell me you’re going to start up with all that love stuff again? Look where we are right now. Look what’s around us. I can look it up for you if you want, but I highly doubt any great love story in history started out with singing mobs and monsters.”

  “Well, you may be right about that, but as far as love stories go, it’s no worse than that sparkling vampire crap.”

  “True, but then again, getting brutally eaten alive by that sea serpent back there would’ve been far better than that. That’s not really an accurate scale. Using that for your scale is like patting herpes on the back for not being some new strain of crabs carrying super AIDS. Hey, way to go herpes; you’re not quite as bad, huzzah!”

  “Look, can’t we just talk like normal people for one minute, John? After all, you did promise no unnecessary witty verbal flourishes. Which you are failing miserably at, by the way. Let’s face it; you’re stuck there behind a mystical fence and I’m out here with a singing mob that’s pretty much entirely under the control of the most frightening demon to ever plan the woe of mankind. All of whom want to tear you into tiny li’l pieces and shower in your fresh, warm blood. I would think that alone should be the basis for a good long fireside chat. Besides, what else ya really gonna do?”

  “Well, that is a valid point. I’ll give you that one, except for the part about us being able to talk like normal people. I think we left that in the dust at least one monster ago, but considering that you are out there with the mob that wants to rip us to pieces, why should I trust you?”

  “Oh, I don’t know, maybe because you are in a town where the entire population wants nothing more than to tear you apart and play jump rope with your gory entrails. You should consider being just a wee bit kinder to the only person who doesn’t rejoice in the idea of your extremely painful demise.”

  “That is...well, a very solid point.”

  “Thank you. Finally, some progress at last; men, I swear.”

  “Yeah, yeah I’m a pig; this is not news.”

  “It has been rightly said that men are much like crazed dictators. You may be able to get rid of one, but another’s bound to come along eventually and cause just as much damage.”

  “Cute, can’t you just come over here and talk?” John asked, opening the gate, as if daring her to come across. “I’d feel a whole lot safer.”

  She shook her head and said, “It doesn’t work that way, John. Once he’s fed upon our souls, we can never come in there.”

  “I thought this God guy was all about the forgiveness, right? So just repent, say a few Hail Marys, or whatever you have to do, and come on in, the holy water’s fine.”

  “I wish I could, I really do, John. Believe it or not, I even tried it once, but it simply doesn’t work.”

  “Then where are we at here, Virginia?”

  “Well, that’s a rather complicated question these days, isn’t it?” she said, smiling.

  “Funny.”

  “I just needed a minute to tell you the most important thing you’ll ever hear in this town and believe me, I’m the only one that will ever tell it to you honestly.”

  “Well, I am super anxious to hear that; honesty seems in such short supply lately. What is this big, Earth-shattering revelation you have for me, Virginia?” John asked. He then paused, recognizing his enormous mistake. Upon realizing what was inevitably coming his way, he sighed defeatedly and said, “Oh great. You’re going to sing it to me, aren’t you?”

  She smiled as she noticed his complaint was laced with far more humor than hatred for once and replied, “Very perceptive; it’s good to know I picked a man for his brains and obviously not his looks.” She winked and continued, “What can I say, we are what we are, John; some things you just can’t fight,” and with that she began to sing.

  John wondered, as he had since he first came to this town, where the music that filled the air came from. Then, as quickly as he wondered it, he let the question go to the back of his mind. Why? Partially, he thought to himself that trying to figure out the logic of things happening in a musical, monster-infested town was surely an exercise in pure insanity, and partially because he found that, to his own surprise, he was being swept up by the song.

  Oh, I can’t even imagine what you are feeling right now.

  How I wish that I could simply ease your pain somehow.

  I know all the horrors and death that you have seen.

  And I wish I could just tell you that it all will be okay.

  That you will soon mercifully awaken unto a brighter day.

  But the sad truth is there’s no happy ending to this scene.

  So please my love, heed my warning; I assure you it’s true.

  If you leave that churchyard it will be the death of you.

  Though I long for us to be together with all of my heart

  I’d much rather you be safe there, though we are apart.

  I am filled with such crushing sadness but also with great joy.

  For you are safe in a place that this evil can never destroy.

  I do wish I could take my rightful place there by your side.

  But alas, my poor soul is bound out here; I’m lost in the dark.

  Tragically I am not free to join you there safe within your ark.

  But at least I know you’ll be safe there long after I’ve died.

  So please my love, heed my warning; I assure you it’s true.

  If you leave that churchyard it will be the death of you.

  Though I long for us to be together with all of my heart

  I’d much rather you be safe there, though we are apart.

  Oh yes, we could be together out here in this wicked hell.

  But in this wasteland true love could never blossom nor dwell.

  For there is no true love, no hope, nor goodness out here

  And so out here what we have would surely wither and die.

  No true light can penetrate and shine from this darkened sky.

  And therefore all that remains here is pain, darkness, and fear.

  So please my love, heed my warning; I assure you it’s true.

  If you leave that churchyard, it will be the death of you.

  Though I long for us to be together with all of my heart

  I’d much rather you be safe there, though we are apart.

  From the moment I saw you, I finally knew what love truly was.

  And for that lone beautiful fleeting moment I felt eternity pause.

  In that glorious moment, I lived a lifetime lost there in your eyes.

  And I felt the deep emptiness of the centuries spent here alone.

  I beheld the depths and wonders of your soul, all you have known.

  And I saw there the radiant beauty of your soul free of any disguise.

  So please my love, heed my warning; I assure you it’s true.

  If you leave that churchyard, it will be the death of you.

  Though I long for us to be together with all of my heart

  I’d much rather you be safe there, though we are apart.

  I want you to stay there, safe behind those holy wooden walls.

  And live forever there in safety, until this town crumbles and falls.

>   Please don’t venture out into this wretched land of the damned.

  For though we may be together, we would never be truly whole.

  For out here you’d have this darkness seep into your very soul.

  So stay there, where your soul is still yours to own and command.

  So please my love, heed my warning; I assure you it’s true.

  If you leave that churchyard, it will be the death of you.

  Though I long for us to be together with all of my heart

  I’d much rather you be safe there, though we are apart.

  Oh my love, my heart it will surely burst if I don’t tell you this.

  That this magnificent day was the only one I’ve ever felt true bliss.

  I wish that you could, but believe in me as I have believed in you.

  Still I am truly happy I met my soul mate if only just for one day.

  And though I now know we will be forever apart, I do not dismay.

  For verily, I lived eternity in that moment with a love that was true.

  So please my love, heed my warning; I assure you it’s true.

  If you leave that churchyard, it will be the death of you.

  Though I long for us to be together with all of my heart

  I’d much rather you be safe there, though we are apart.

  She finished her song and the music faded gently into the background, growing softer and softer until it mingled with the cool night breeze and eventually disappeared entirely. She stood there, on her side of the fence, and looked deeply into John’s eyes. Her face was a curious combination of joy and of sadness. John looked back at her, finally seeing clearly for once in his life. He understood for the first time that everything that she had told him was the God’s honest truth, though he hadn’t been able to grasp it until this moment. He felt an odd and rather confusing mix of ecstasy, of sorrow, and of shame for the way he’d treated her all this time. She said nothing to him as a single tear ran down her cheek. She lowered her head to hide the tear from his gaze and slowly, gracefully, she backed away from the fence and vanished into the night amongst the gathered crowd.