by Michael Dean
Leonard knew what he must do next. He started walking to the bedroom where his wife and child were hiding. A couple shots rang out behind him as the soldiers finished off Colonel Wallace.
CHAPTER 4
DÉJÀ VU
Leonard reached down and grasped the door knob to the bedroom and slowly turned it. He sucked in a deep breath and walked in. He made his way around the room and found Isabelle hunched down on the floor next to the bed, cradling Christina in her arms. This scenario was taking on a very familiar tone. Now that Leonard was closer to the females, I realized I had seen them before.
“How long has this been going on? How long has it been since you betrayed me?” Leonard asked heartbroken as he looked at the cowering woman.
“I never meant for it to go this far. Colonel Wallace promised me money, land, if I would just hand over any information about the rebel cause because he knew I was married to a high ranking soldier. He just spent so much time coming here that…”
“How long?” Leonard screamed.
Isabelle sat there, clutching their daughter, sobbing before she could mutter out, “a-about-a year.”
Without saying a word, Leonard began to reload his rifle. As he did so, Christian came into the room, ordering the men behind him to stay out as he closed the door. Leonard finished loading his weapon and cocked it. His hands began to tremble as he raised the weapon, aiming it at his wife and child.
Isabelle shook in fear as she stared up at her disgruntled husband, “I know what it is you must do, I don’t blame you. Please, take Christina out of here before you do this…please.”
Leonard didn’t say a word. He was summoning the courage to do the unthinkable.
“I’m afraid you do not grasp the gravity of this situation my lady. You’ve put your husband in a compromising position because of your treachery. Law states that the punishment for treason is death. But since Leonard here can be held, and killed, because of your actions, the price for his freedom and the American cause is to take your life, and the life of the girl. We know not if the girl has played a role in this treason, so we cannot take any chances.” Christian answered for him.
Leonard remained quiet, still aiming the rifle at his wife and child.
“You would do this? Execute your own daughter…your innocent daughter on top of that?” Isabelle’s watery eyes looked to him for sympathy.
Leonard struggled to hold back tears that began to flow down his face like a waterfall. Then it happened.
“Please, do what you will, but leave her out of this…she had nothing to do with it. This is your daughter, Leonard.”
The familiar scene I was witnessing had finally reached the point I had seen play over in my mind a million times before. There it was. The haunting vision that had overtaken me so many times in the past was now playing out in its entirety, uninterrupted, right in front of me. The before and after, everything was coming together. Just as in my visions, the next scene played out spot-on.
Christian walked up behind Leonard and whispered into his ear. I never heard what was said before in the vision, nor did I know who it was whispering, but I could hear it plain as day now and knew precisely who it was.
“Finish the mission, Leonard. Complete your destiny. This moment of sacrifice will set the stage for you. You will live in infamy, becoming more powerful than you could have ever imagined. All you have to do is pull the trigger and become what it is you are meant to be. The time is now.” He urged Leonard on.
Leonard walked up to the petrified girls and stood over them. I remembered from my vision that the next thing I heard was a gunshot and that is where the vision would always break away. I’ve never seen what happened next. I didn’t know if I would in this moment either, but I knew what he was about to do.
Without a word, Leonard steadied himself, reigning in his tears and stopping his hand from shaking. Isabelle clutched her crying daughter and braced herself for what was coming next. Leonard started to squeeze the trigger before suddenly turning the weapon on himself and placing it under his chin.
The sound of gunfire went off and suddenly I shot back out of his body and hovered over the scene at the top of the room. Leonard’s lifeless body fell to the floor in a clump as Isabelle and Christina crawled over to him. The two laid over the top of him, embracing him while they sobbed uncontrollably.
Christian looked frustrated. “You fool, but nonetheless, mission accomplished.” He scoffed.
The door behind him swung open and a couple of soldiers stood in the doorway with their weapons drawn.
“Stand down men. Our boy Leonard here has decided to take the side of traitors and sacrifice his life instead of theirs. He lacked the guts to do justice. Let us go.”
Christian started to make his way out of the bedroom when he addressed one of his men, “Private, let me see your rifle.”
The soldier obeyed and handed his weapon over to their leader. Christian was now armed with a pistol, and a rifle in each of his hands.
“Gentlemen, this is how we must deal with traitors. Take note.”
Without hesitation, Christian walked back to the grieving mother and child and aimed the rifle first as he ordered the soldier to hold his pistol. Isabelle and Christina both screamed as Christian pulled the trigger and shot Isabelle. Then, without an ounce of hesitance, he handed the rifle back to the soldier and ripped his pistol back from him. He walked up and shot the crying girl like he was stepping on a bug. Both bodies fell lifeless on top of their father on the bedroom floor. It was a sad sight to behold.
I started to hover right in front of Christian's face as he sat their smirking proudly at what he had done. I wanted to punch him, but couldn’t. As I was staring at his face, the environment around him, including what he was wearing, changed. The next thing I knew I was hovering back away from his grinning face. After getting a few feet away from him, I instantly knew where I had been taken this time. I was in Darryl Kite’s room, after he tossed Shade off the balcony and right after I threatened him and went out to save Shade.
Darryl was standing back out on the porch, looking down. Christian transformed himself into shadow form and started to hover around Darryl’s head. He was whispering in his ears—a common tactic Drift Demons use to make a human think they are going mad, hearing voices telling them to do evil things. I had used this tactic on Darryl, and apparently Christian was, and had been, using it on him, too, without my knowledge. It wasn’t just me on the Darryl Kite job, it was Christian too. It was clear to me now. But why? Why would Christian soil his hands on such a low level Drift Demon job?
Anyway, I could hear what Christian was telling Darryl in his ear.
“You have killed the girl…now you must kill yourself…they’re coming for you, Darryl…nothing can save you now…you must die, Darryl…die. Death will set you free.” Christian kept repeating to him.
“No, stop it, leave me alone! I can’t listen to you anymore. Leave me in peace! Go away! I am not committing suicide. Stop telling me this!” Darryl shouted and stomped around on his porch, holding his hands over his ears.
I heard Christian growl as only a demon can and he materialized behind the embattled Darryl who was unaware of his presence.
With another snarl, Christian grabbed Darryl, who screamed like a banshee, tossing him off the porch and to his doom. Darryl hadn’t committed suicide that night, Christian killed him. Christian had directly interfered, multiple times from these two flashback points in time, in the death of humans. He had been the direct cause of them. He broke spiritual law. The heavens now have cause and a legal right to kill him. But why they hadn’t yet, was unclear to me.
I was still hovering in the room behind Christian, just inside the sliding doors that led to the wrap-around porch and could see the moon in front of Christian as he walked up to the porch railings, looking over the side and down into the valley where Darryl’s body lay in ruins. His hands gripped the railings and he began to laugh in glee. Suddenly I was being pulled b
ack away from the scene. It wasn’t long before it faded and I was again soaring through the star-surrounded, rainbow-like tunnel.
My next sensation was Elysia’s hand was being removed from my eyes. I was back at my spot, standing before the two angels.
“Now do you see, Leo?” Argento questioned.
It took me a moment to regain my senses before I could answer. “I see that Christian is more of a beast that I thought. Not sure how that was even possible. I see that he has broken spiritual law by directly interfering with the death of humans.”
“Indeed he has.” Argento approached me.
“I’ve already known Christian can’t be trusted, what does this have to do with me trusting you? As far as I can see, this makes me trust the two of you less. The heavens could have taken him out at any time for breaking these sacred laws, but yet, again, you’ve done nothing.”
“There is more to this story, why we have let him go this long after the atrocities he’s committed against the humans.”
“But let me guess, this reason can’t be told to me as of yet…right? Need to know basis? Humans are dying because of his actions, Argento.” I answered for him in frustration.
“He must think, which he does, that he is beyond the reach of the Heavens. A process must be completed before we can get him right where we want him. While he thinks he’s gaining power, he’s actually losing it, making it easier for us to tip the scales of balance back into our favor. It is unfortunate that lives are being lost in this process, but a lot more will be lost if we intervene too early.” Elysia completed for him.
“And I’m one of the tools you’re using to delay him?” I looked for confirmation.
“Not using, relying upon my boy…to stop him,” Argento added.
“Great. Thanks for that. That doesn’t make me feel any better toward this situation. I guess I am just a pawn to you, regardless.” I walked over to the edge of the cliff and looked down, turning my back to them.
“Leo, do you know why we showed you what we just showed you?” Argento approached me at my side.
“Of course, to show me his nature. As if I didn’t already know. You want me to forget what he told me about not trusting you either, I understand the game now. I’m in the middle of a tug-of-war between the two sides. I get it.”
“No, that’s not it.”
I looked at him confused. “Then why?”
“Isn’t it clear to you…yet?” He smirked assuredly at me.
“I wouldn’t be asking if it was, Argento.”
“The soldier, Captain Leonard Smithey, Leonard, Leo, is you, son. That was your life before you fell under the deceptions of Christian and the Drift Demons like yourself. That was the life you lived that ultimately led you to what you are now.”
The shock flowed through me. No Drift Demon ever gets a glimpse about who he or she was before they became a beast. I was stunned and even more confused now.
“I don’t follow, he-Leonard-me, didn’t kill my wife or my child, I took my own life over having to do such a thing. To me, it seemed noble…not evil. I was condemned for eternity to be this…for that? I didn’t feel like I was an evil soul back then. I felt a troubled and confused soul, not a monster. It doesn’t seem fair.” I despaired.
“Well, there are some sins committed prior to that, but that is of no importance at this point. Sins that mankind has a tendency to overlook in times of war. Regardless, you still took a life…your own. By every definition, that’s still murder.”
“But-I-I…” I couldn’t come up with the words to say about what I was feeling inside and just shook my head in rebuttal. It still didn’t seem right to me, but it was much too late for that now. I was what I was. Nothing could change that.
“I realize this won’t help bring you comfort, but the reason why you have overcome most of you demon tendencies is because you were a good soul when you were human, a good soul that made mistakes. Sometimes things like that bleed through with the soul, wherever it goes, with whatever it becomes. That is why you feel the things you feel and have the ability to love and care for those that you do, because of the choice you made in the end. There was some good, some nobility as you said, in that choice.”
“Maybe…but I’m still here…I’m still…this.” I pointed at myself.
Argento turned to me at my side. “Yes…you are still this. A demon that cares for a human, a demon that has humans that care for him, a demon that has knocked out two of the most powerful beings that have ever corrupted mankind, and a demon that has the chance to do what no other beast from the depths of Hell has ever done before…win his freedom. That’s who you are, and that my boy, is unique.”
I looked over to him and nodded in approval.
“Don’t you ever forget that, Leo. You have greatness within you that you have already let shine, no matter what you are. Stay on point, no matter the odds, no matter what happens and that light within you will never go out. You’ll see.” He smiled.
“I appreciate that, Argento, I really do, but other than making me feel a little better, it still doesn’t help my cause.”
“It will help you more than you already know, trust me.”
“I hope so, but as for trust, I’m not quite there with you all on that just yet.” I grinned.
“Well, maybe there is something I can do about that as well.”
I squinted at him, displaying my confusion.
“There is one more part to the story that you saw, one more reason we showed you a segment of your past life.”
“And that reason is?”
“Your daughter.” He smiled.
“My daughter?”
He nodded in approval.
“I’m afraid I don’t understand.”
“Where do you think an innocent, young soul goes after they die unjustly?” He looked sheepish.
“I’m assuming they go to your realm…so what?”
“Indeed they do.” His smile grew even larger as he shifted he eyes, signaling for me to look behind my back to where Elysia was standing.
I turned and looked where he was looking, still unclear about what he was trying to tell me.
Elysia smiled at me.
“You used to know me, Leo…I was once upon this earth with you. Except you knew me when I was like this…”
Argento raised his hand to her and I began to watch Elysia age backwards. Her face, her size and her height began to change until what stood before me was a little girl, about eight years old. It was Christina, Leonard’s—my—daughter from my past life. I was completely at a loss for words.
“She is your daughter, son,” Argento added. “She’s been watching over you ever since you’ve been a Drift Demon.”
I couldn’t speak. I just stared at her.
“I am your daughter, Leo.” Christina smiled at me.
I was in such awe that I could only simulate breathing heavily and let out a huff, a very human-like reaction. I was in pure joy, confusion, and elation all at the same time. I didn’t know what to do with myself.
Then all of a sudden the little girl ran into me and embraced me. I leaned over and held her tight. I think in this moment if I was able to cry, I would have.
Within my arms, as I rubbed her head in my hands, she grew back to the woman that I knew as Elysia. We hugged for a few moments more before she pulled away from me enough to speak to me while we remained in an embrace.
“This is what I would have looked like if I had survived past that night and would have been allowed to grow up on Earth. You see me as I was meant to be, Father.” She smiled as a tear fell from her eye.
“Is this real? Is this really happening? No tricks designed for me to take your side fully in this fight?” I looked to Argento for reassurance.
“This is real, Leo. Elysia is your daughter. No tricks, no games, what you see is what is.”
I looked back to Elysia, “What about Isabelle?”
“She’s among us too. She has a different job now, like all
of us do, but she is safe and on our side. She made it.” Elysia smiled, which made me smile.
We finally released our embrace.
“So where do we go from here?” I asked.
“Have we earned your trust now, Father?”
I nodded in approval, still a little apprehensive, but more at peace with their involvement with my situation now.
“Continue on your path, Leo. That is all we can tell you for now. We will have more counsel to come, more pertinent information about your cause, but that, as you well know, will come when the proper time arises for you to learn of it. We are here for you, Leo, right when you will need us the most. I promise you. Besides, you have a phone call you’ve been waiting on that needs answering,” Argento concluded as he pointed at my pocket.
With that, my phone started to ring. I smiled at him and looked over to my daughter who smiled back.
“Until the next time, Father.” She grinned and walked back to me, giving me one last hug.
“Until next time.”
Elysia stepped back away from me, placed her hood back over her head along with Argento and the two of them walked into the nearby woods and disappeared.
CHAPTER 5
RECOVERY
I looked down at the phone and saw that it was Shade finally calling me. I hoped that it was good news.
“Hey, baby.” I picked up.
“Hey, hun. I’ve missed you,” Shade replied.
I was relieved to hear her voice again. It had been quite a while since I got to speak with my fiancée. We talked for a bit and she informed me that everyone was recovering while in my absence—full strength, for all parties that were ill had almost fully recovered. Scruffy, Benjamin, Amanda, Richard, and Anne had all returned to their human routines in life. We thought it best that I waited another week or so before returning and she would let everyone know, including my family, that she had spoken to me and that I would be back from my “missions” very soon.