by Heath, Joel
“GRETCHEN!” Spencer shouted, and as he did he woke up and noticed the sun was just beginning to rise over the landscape that was pockmarked with old buttes, Spencer stood and looked around as the sun rose and illuminated the desert. Spencer looked beside him, expecting to see Gretchen, but she wasn’t there.
“Gretchen?”
Spencer stood and began looking in all
directions, looking for Gretchen.
“GRETCHEN?”
Spencer felt panicked; Gretchen was with him a moment ago, wasn’t she? Where could she have gone, Spencer looked for footprints, they would certainly tell him something, but after a brief but thorough search the only footprints he found were his own.
Spencer looked around and saw an old road not fifty feet away, so head walked to the road.
There were tire marks on the road as though someone peeled out. The road weaved through the dusty landscape around the buttes and into the horizon to the east.
The sun poured down its rays, making Spencer feel like he was literally on fire, but there was no water, and besides there were more important things to do, he had to find Gretchen.
The road stretched on for several hundred miles. As the hours turned to days Spencer continued following the road until it came to an old roadside diner, Spencer noticed a motorcycle in front, but decided to go in and have a look around.
Spencer headed into the diner, a bell jingled as Spencer entered; there was nobody that Spencer could see in the immediate area.
“Hello?” Spencer called and nobody answered.
Spencer noticed a bell on the counter and hit it several times. Nobody came so Spencer headed into the only place he could not see: the kitchen.
A brief search and Spencer concluded there was nobody there so he proceeded outside to inspect the motorcycle, it was a brand new Harley Davidson motorcycle, at least it looked new and after finding the keys Spencer found out it ran great, the bike started on the first try.
Spencer pulled out and zipped down the road, for the first time since waking up two days earlier Spencer could feel a cool breeze blowing through his hair.
After two hours a town appeared on the horizon. It was after another hour before Spencer entered the city limits of town called ‘Devil’s Hill’.
The town was only a square mile or so, which was typical of a small desert town. There was a main street, a row of buildings and shops lined both sides of the street hiding three large water towers.
Spencer turned off main and into a small neighborhood. Pulling up to a house with a white picket fence Spencer saw someone waiting on the porch, it was a beautiful woman who was very pregnant.
As she saw Spencer she smiled at him, Spencer got off the bike and ran to Gretchen.
“Spencer.” Gretchen said with a smile. Just as Spencer reached out to hold Gretchen he woke up and found himself back in the desert, parked on the side of the road fifty feet away was a Harley Davidson.
Spencer’s mind raced with questions, was it real? What was going on? Spencer was not able to answer either question all he knew was that he needed to be with Gretchen so he climbed onto the motor cycle, started it and sped down the road.
Finally he returned within the city limits of ‘Devil’s Hill’ and found his way to the house with the white picket fence where Gretchen waited; he got off the bike and ran to her only to wake up back in the desert.
Spencer just got back onto the bike and returned to the town to repeat the same turn of events repeat again and again and again.
After fifteen times each time around seemed to blend with the next, until finally Spencer arrived at Gretchen’s house, any second Spencer expected to wake up back in the desert, but as Spencer raced to Gretchen something seemed different.
She was not smiling, she was almost scowling. Spencer realized that Gretchen was no longer pregnant.
Spencer stopped shot of Gretchen.
“Gretchen?” Spencer asked.
Gretchen paused, she was holding something back.
“Where were you?” Gretchen asked.
“What are you talking about?” Spencer asked.
“I needed you, and you weren’t there.” Gretchen asked.
Spencer quickly started to realize that he was losing Gretchen.
“I’ve learned to hate you since my baby was born.” Gretchen said staring Spencer down.
“Our baby?” Spencer asked.
“No, it isn’t yours.” Gretchen admitted. Spencer was hurt and confused.
“Who is the father?” Spencer asked, Gretchen bit her lip, she didn’t want to admit who the baby’s father was.
“Is everything alright, honey?” It was Vince.
“Vince?” Spencer asked, “You’re the baby’s father?”
Vince nodded, yes.
A baby cry came from inside the house.
“I have to go check on Vince Jr.” Gretchen awkwardly said and excused herself to go inside to tend to the baby.
“Vince?” Spencer asked, he barely knew what to say.
“Look, you remember that night when you stormed out last year?” Vince asked. Spencer said nothing because he didn’t know what to say, but because he was distracted.
Vince’s voice was a deeper than Spencer remembered, not by much but enough that Spencer noticed.
For no reason Spencer became
completely incensed and drew a gun he didn’t know he had.
Vince backed up and put his hands up. “Whoa, Spencer, what do you think you’re doing?” Vince objected.
“You liar!” Spencer spat, his gun hand started shaking, Spencer never intended the gun to go off, but it did. Vince was knocked back by the force of the gunshot. As he slid down the outside wall of the house Spencer stared in shock and awe at what he had done.
Spencer put the gun away as Gretchen emerged from the house to see Vince lying dead against the house, slumped over on the ground.
“VINCE!” Gretchen shrieked, and then glared at Spencer with tears in her eyes. “What did you do to him?” Gretchen demanded before she tried to wake Vince hoping that it was nothing more than a bad dream.
Spencer scurried over to the motor cycle and mounted it before starting the bike and speeding away all the while Gretchen’s screams for Vince.
Spencer raced out of town and into the desert, he kept going until he found a butte that had a road going up the side, he raced over to the edge before coming to a stop. Spencer got off drew the gun and marched to the edge of the butte and placed the gun to his chin and closed his eyes. Spencer stopped just short of pulling the trigger. He stayed there for a couple of minutes, the desire to end his own life was swelling within him, but he managed to resist the urge.
After a few minutes, he heard a voice. “Do it.” The voice pushed.
The desire to die was starting to diminish.
“You killed your friend, you deserve to die.” The voice justified.
Spencer lowered the gun and looked for the source of the voice, there was a man standing between Spencer and the motor cycle.
“What’s stopping you, Spencer?” The man’s identity was shrouded in confusion, but Spencer vaguely recognized the man.
“I know you.” Spencer admitted, almost unsure.
“Of course you know me, I’m your Master.” The man said.
A name floated up out of the confusion.
“Lucifer.” Spencer said, he suddenly knew what was going on, and knew that he could not trust anything he had seen.
“You’re remarkably strong…and stubborn.” Lucifer commended.
“I aim to please.” Spencer said raising the gun to point it at Lucifer.
Lucifer glanced at the weapon, he showed no fear only annoyance.
Spencer pulled the trigger but the gun just clicked, Spencer tried again and again, he pulled the clip out and checked the ammunition, the clip was still loaded.
“This isn’t over.” Lucifer warned.
Lucifer snapped his fingers and a tiny point of light appear
ed that quickly filled the surrounding mile, the light was so bright that Spencer was forced to drop the gun and shield his eyes.
When the light faded, Spencer lowered his hands to find himself in a padded room a face stared in from a window in the door. Fear quickly gripped Spencer at the sight of the face, but he rushed to the door and began to pound on it.
“LET ME OUT!” Spencer shouted. Within a minute four orderlies came into the room causing Spencer to retreat to the bed where he was sedated.
When Spencer came to he was still in the cell, but there was a doctor sitting in a chair on the far side of the room, flanking him were two orderlies.
“Good evening, Spencer. I am Doctor Henry Marks.” The doctor introduced.
“Where am I?” Spencer demanded standing up and looking around.
“You are at the psychiatric ward at St. Vincent’s Hospital.” Doctor Marks replied. “Your father committed you when you started suffering from delusions of the armies of hell attacking Earth, since then you keep mentioning a girl.
“Gretchen.” Spencer said drawing near to Doctor Marks where another chair was setup, Spencer sat down.
Doctor Marks nodded, “That’s the name you kept calling.”
“Wait a minute; you said my father had me committed?” Spencer asked.
Doctor Marks nodded.
“Yes, he brought you in last week.” Doctor Marks confirmed. “But we’ve made tremendous progress since then.”
“I don’t buy it.” Spencer said standing up and walking away from Doctor Marks.
“Why not?” Doctor Marks asked. Spencer turned to face Doctor Marks.
“Because he’s dead!” Spencer snapped.
Doctor Marks looked disappointed then looked at the door where another orderly stood and watched; Doctor Marks nodded to and after a couple minutes the door opened and a man who bore a resemblance to Spencer entered.
“Spencer, I thought you were done with your issues.” The man said mournfully.
“Dad, I don’t know what’s going on.” Spencer said.
The man put up his hands.
“You can’t let go of your imaginary girlfriend. You’re an embarrassment to the family, and I’m done with you.” The man said before storming out of the room.
Spencer went to his bed.
“Out!” Spencer said briefly.
“But, we’re not done with…” Doctor Marks was interrupted by Spencer.
“GET OUT!”
Doctor Marks and the orderlies left, locking the door on their way out.
Spencer sat on his bed, and didn’t notice the light level going down until there was no light. It wasn’t long before a voice emerged from the darkness.
“So.” Lucifer said, hiding in the dark. “You’ve lost everything you ever knew, and everybody that you ever cared about has abandoned you.” Lucifer said.
“What do you want now?” Spencer demanded.
“I want you to prove to yourself how strong you are, join me, I will restore to you everything you have lost and more…I will not betray you.” Lucifer said.
An indignant look spread across Spencer’s face.
“Yes, you will. Just as you’ve betrayed everybody that agreed to serve you.” Spencer said.
“LEAVE!” Spencer said.
“What?” Lucifer demanded.
“You’re wasting your time; get your ass out of here!” Spencer shouted pointing away from himself.
“I can see that you have made up your mind, but your unborn son won’t be able to survive forever, you’ve already been in my labyrinth for nearly two whole days.”
“What’s your point?” Spencer spat, not wanting to think about the woman he loves or their child.
“My point is you have a until tomorrow to
save your son, so when you wake up there will be a guard outside your cell in case you change your mind. That guard is your only way out of the cell before your time runs out.” ” Lucifer said before turning and walking away, returning to the darkness.
Spencer finally woke up; he was trapped in a dungeon cell. Several other cells lined the walls, two of which were occupied by Vince and Jessie. A demonic guard the resembled a pig-like creature, Spencer noticed a barred window and peered out to see a graveyard of trees
encompassed by fog,
Beyond the fog was a building that looked like a skyscraper. The physical
manifestation of the nine circles of hell. They were free of Lucifer’s sick games, free of his lies, but they were not out of trouble, not yet.
Spencer considered what Lucifer had said just moments earlier, was it a dream, or was it an image from the darkest recesses of Spencer’s mind, or could it be a worry of what might be? He had to know, and if he had to join the dark side to save his son, then so be it.
“Hey,” Spencer shouted to the guard.
The guard turned.
“I want to see your Master.” Spencer requested, defeated.
Chapter 12 – The Stench of Betrayal Vince finally woke up after hearing a cell door close with great force, Vince looked and saw Spencer being escorted out of the room by a demon. Vince quickly got up and rushed to the bars on his cell.
“Spencer.” Vince called, but Spencer did not acknowledge Vince so Vince turned to the demonic guard.
“Where are you taking him?”
The guard laughed.
“To see Lucifer.” The guard said with a
slight chuckle.
Vince started searching for Jessie as panic over took him, Vince found Jessie in a cell across the small hallway that ran between the cells.
“JESSIE, WAKE UP.” Vince pled. Jessie groggily opened her eyes and looked at Vince, she looked confused, Vince’s concerned looked made her focus.
“Where’s Spencer.” Jessie asked. “I think he’s giving up.” Vince admitted causing Jessie to quickly get up off her cot and go to her cell door.
“That doesn’t make any sense, why would he…”
Vince interrupted.
“I don’t know, maybe Satan got to him or something.” Vince said, “Either way, we have to get out of here, if Spencer is giving up and joining Satan’s army we could be a peace offering.”
Vince and Jessie started looking around trying to find some way out of the prison block. Jessie’s eyes soon fell upon an old-looking key sitting in an inconspicuous spot almost under Vince’s cell door.
“There’s a key.” Jessie said.
“What? Where?” Vince asked.
“Sticking out from under your door.” Jessie replied.
Vince looked down to see the rounded end of a key sticking out from under his door. Vince bent down and grabbed the key.
“Who could have left this?” Vince asked. Is this a trick? This is way too convenient.
“Spencer left it, I’m sure of it.” Jessie said assured.
Vince looked at Jessie to emphasize his point.
“But why?” Vince asked, “So we could help him, or to lead us into a trap?”
Vince placed the key in the lock and turned. The door opened with a grinding squeal. Vince crossed the narrow walkway between his cell and Jessie’s.
“Jessie, we may have to face the fact that we have lost him.” Vince said inserting the key into the lock on Jessie’s cell, and unlocked it.
The door swung open with a quicker, quieter squeal.
Jessie’s face was twisted into a look of worry.
“Jessie, are you alright?” Vince asked.
“I don’t know, I just had…I don’t know what it was.”
“It was like a nightmare?” Vince asked.
Jessie’s concern grew, how could they had similar dreams, unless it was all orchestrated by someone with the ability to affect dreams and make them as dark and disturbing as he was. It was clear who was responsible, they had seen him in their nightmares, and now it was time to find their friend, and hope he was still their friend.
Vince and Jessie headed out of the dungeon into an open courtyard. Dead gras
s poked through individual bricks that covered the ground, a large wall ran along the edge of the courtyard creating a perimeter.
A gate was place which broke up the wall. A type of stable was built just inside the gate or as part of the gate. Several horses waited inside and there were no other buildings in the courtyard. There was a clock tower above the gate and in the middle of the courtyard sat a fountain.
The horses were covered in the blackest of hair which was groomed with great care, the horses’ manes and eyes were blood red, and each one wore a saddle of the blackest leather. It was obvious they had been prepared for a ride. If for them, then who was doing this?
Jessie looked at the horses, then to Vince.
“Are you sure this a good idea?” Jessie asked.
“No.” Vince replied before marching toward the first mare and climbing into the black leather saddle.
Jessie cautiously inched toward the next horse.
“Jessie.” Vince said impatiently, “Just get on.”
Jessie glared at Vince before climbing up into the saddle and took the reins and steered the horse toward the gate behind Vince.
The two horses reached a full gallop as the gate passed over them.
“Do you know where you’re going?” Jessie asked.
“There’s only one road.” Vince replied, “There’s nobody back at the dungeon, Spencer must have come this way.” Vince concluded.
Vince and Jessie continued riding for another few hours until an old two-story house appeared just off the road. As Vince and Jessie slowed to a stop in front of the house they took a long look. The house was in despicable shape, Vince questioned if the house had seen any maintenance in the last three decades.
Crows fluttered around the house; Vince and Jessie felt they were being watched as they dismounted their horses. They tied the horses to one of the decaying trees before heading toward the porch.
The porch was covered with floor boards that had faded and cracked from exposure to the elements, the shutters had many broken or missing slats, and the house hid behind several trees that had no evidence of life as there were no leaves, and most of the branches looked infested by dry rot.
“I think, maybe we should keep going.” Vince stopped as he noticed something out of place, a dark shape moved away from a window in the upper floor. Vince headed for the door.