The Night the Sky Fell

by Stephen Levy

  As Banks drove back to the Powers’ house, he felt his face where Dan slapped him. The pain and sorrow of his present state far surpassed the slap. He thought about his Uncle’s words…words of an old man that had no appreciation for the white man’s world. He thought of Dan’s kindness to Peyton. Then it hit Banks. When Dan told Peyton he had the soul of an Indian, perhaps he was telling Banks that Banks lost his Indian soul. Maybe Dan was right. Banks knew that at the moment he gave Julie the eye drops last November that he had given her his soul. Then he thought that that was nonsense. It was always easy to deny the disliked information from his beliefs with, “That’s nonsense.”

  Immediately following the action of giving Julie the eye drops, Banks had a solid month of his dreams coming true. There was that beautiful house, a sense of purpose working with Peyton, and of course there was Ann, his one and only girlfriend.

  Banks thought that the eye drops had no effect on Peyton. After all, this whole thing with women started with eye drops according to Dan. Julie religiously gave Peyton the drops when he moved in. Peyton always complained. Maybe, Peyton would sneak to the bathroom and wash the drops out. Banks would have to talk to Peyton about that. Banks rationalized that if Peyton’s vision did not improve, then Banks didn’t breach his pact. Banks took a deep breath as he drove and felt less guilt. Yes, denial can be soothing.

  As some of his guilt dwindled, horror crept in. Just what did his Uncle mean when he said that they were the last of the bloodline? Did this thing, this Old Soul want Banks and his uncle dead? If it wanted them dead, why didn’t they just kill them? If his dead parents made a pact with the Great Spirit and his parents defaulted, the consequence was death. He wondered if this could happen to him. Was Banks Blackhorse to become a target of this Old Soul? These thoughts led Banks to more thoughts, which led to more questions, which led nowhere. Then he thought the most important thought: “How can I stop the madness in Juneau?”

  As Banks drove to his ‘special place’ to think, the Monarch Raven flew between the Abrams and Powers’ household. On the second floor of the houses, Ann and Tricia stared at one another through their respective windows. They appeared to be in ‘sending’ mode. There was a knock at Ann’s door which she ignored. Murray and Dassi walked in.

  Dassi apologized, “Sorry to disturb you, Ann. Dad has spoken to the medical board.”

  Murray continued, “Kitten, a shipment came in of medical equipment so that we can administer sonograms to all the pregnant women. We will begin in alphabetical order. You’re first.”

  Murray placed a hand on Ann’s shoulder. She ordered, “No checkups.”

  Murray backed away as Dassi approached Ann, “It’s for your own good.”

  Ann spat in her mother’s face. Dassi slapped Ann. Ann socked Dassi in the face. As Dassi fell backwards, Murray was quick to break the fall.

  Ann raised her arms above, “I will tell you once and only once. Any person that tries to give any exam to the women of Juneau will die. Spread the word to the public as I spread the word to the women. Now get out!”

  Banks sat next to his unlit campfire area in the Juneau wilderness where he spoke with the ‘essence’ of Ann. He thought about Ann then shifted to the thoughts of how and where he spent his eighteenth birthday with his uncle. Banks texted Stan telling him that he would be back late and for the family to eat dinner without him.

  Banks lay back and scrutinized the beauty of nature. He pined for the company and conversation of Ann. She was so substantial. He wanted her to be free with conversation and not dumb herself down. There was a mutual respect and mutual hope for love and more. If she were here, he would tell her about his argument with his uncle. He thought that she could give him some advice.

  Banks thought about his uncle. Dan was his only true family that was always there for him. He thought about what his uncle said. It was clear in his uncle’s mind that Banks was responsible for all this. Was this an exaggeration or true? Roger never said anything like that to him. Yes, Banks Blackhorse has much thinking to do. Somehow at this very instant, he thought that the location where he spent his eighteenth birthday, that place where he got his eye drops would be where the solution might lay. What Banks Blackhorse thought…was absolutely correct.

  At the Powers’ dinner table, Peyton scooped up the last of his mashed potatoes. “Dad, Dad, the Chief said I have the soul of an Indian.”

  Stan eyed Tricia and Julie’s ‘sending’ as he responded, “I think he is right, Peyton.”

  “Mom, may I have more mashed potatoes?”

  Stan grabbed the bowl and warned, “Mom and Tricia are busy.”

  Peyton ignored him with, “Mom, does the baby kick?”

  Tricia stood up. She pointed to the door as Julie smiled nodding.

  Stan tried, “Tricia, do you pick up messages far away?” His question was ignored. One more time, “Don’t I get a kiss, Sweet pea?” Tricia left out the front door as Stan poured himself another glass of wine.

  In the living room, Stan finished the bottle of wine while watching TV. Upstairs, Julie tested the bath water as Peyton undressed. Julie turned off the faucet and grabbed the eye drops. She yanked Peyton’s head back.

  Peyton growled, “That stuff is so sticky! What makes you think I want to see what you see?” Undaunted, Julie picked Peyton up and placed him in the tub, “Mom. It’s too hot!” She pushed him down in a sitting position. “Hot. Hot. Hot. Can we use that shampoo that smells like strawberries?” Peyton splashed in the tub. Unknown to Peyton, Julie got wet but worse, she had become irritated. She ceased shampooing his hair and seethed as Peyton continued to splash.

  She began to lather his hair with fury. Harder and harder as he protested, “You’re hurting me, Mom.” He slid down to avoid her grip on his head. Julie got into the tub. She pushed his head underwater!

  Downstairs, Stan finished his wine. His eyes closed. He snored.

  Upstairs, Peyton came up for air and released her grip. He tried to catch his breath. His arms flailed at her as he poked her in the eye. Julie fell backwards as Peyton stepped out of the tub and ran for the door. “Dad! Dad! Help!” Peyton turned the door handle, he opened door but Julie slammed the door shut and locked it. She picked Peyton up by the waist and carried him back to the tub as he kicked and screamed. Julie forced Peyton’s head face down in the tub. She stepped on his head. Peyton managed to bite her foot. He raised his head inhaling for air and exhaling with screams. She pushed him down again. Knock-knock at the door.

  Julie released Peyton’s head as if she were triggered into a trance, “Knock-knock? Who’s there?”

  “Banks.”

  Julie continued, “Banks who?”

  Peyton screamed, “Mom is trying to kill me!” Banks yelled to open the door as Stan arrived. Stan grabbed a key from atop the door’s ledge. He opened the door. As Banks dodged to a breathless Peyton, Stan walked in.

  Stan said softly, “It’s okay, Peyton. Dad and Banks are here.” As Julie watched Banks wrapping Peyton in towels she slugged him in the face. Banks got his wind back and exited slowly with Peyton.

  Stan cautioned, “Take Peyton to your room, Banks. Lock it…and barricade the door.” Banks ran to his room carrying Peyton.

  Julie stepped a few paces toward Stan as he backpedaled into the hall. Stan heard the noise of Banks’ creating a barricade against his door.

  Julie cocked her head and raised her eyebrows. Eerily she stated, “Peyton hasn’t finished his bath, Stan.” Slowly, Stan backpedaled to the master bedroom. Julie entered and locked the door.

  They stood still starring one another down.

  Julie: “Knock-knock.”

  Stan: “Who’s there?”

  “Julie.”

  “Julie who?”

  “Julie’s going to kick the crap out of you!”

  She kicked Stan in the groin. He doubled over in pain. After he fell to the floor, Julie got on top of him and wrapped her hands around Stan’s neck. She wrung his neck as he turned purpl
e. He flung his body as Julie lost her grip. He crawled away gasping for air. He stood as she charged him. They rolled around the floor with her going for his neck and his fighting off the impending strangulation.

  Stan screamed, “Julie, stop!” For a moment she does stop. At that instant he punched her in the face. They both stood. She charged again as he managed a killing blow to her stomach.

  She hunched over and knelt down in pain, “How could you sock a pregnant woman?” She then pulled off her pants as she watched Stan’s bewildered reaction. She ran to the bathroom, sat on the toilet. Stan came in.

  “Stan, I’m losing it. I’m losing it.” She looked up to him as tears rolled down her face. “Gin and tonic, please.” Stan obeyed gleefully as if her last utterance meant that the old Julie was back.

  Julie stood up from the toilet and examined the toilet bowl. She grabbed a white towel and yanked out the apparent fetus. She covered it with towel and then unwrapped it to get a better look. The white towel oozed green. She threw it on the floor. As she staggered to the bed, Stan walked in carrying two large drinks. She guzzled one down and extended her hand for the other. Stan ran over to Banks’ room and knocked and announced, “It’s Stan. I’m okay and Julie is fine. No more fighting. You okay, Peyton?”

  “We’re fine. I’m beating Banks at gin.”

  “Good, stay in there and don’t open the door until I come back. Love you.”

  Banks added, “I can see Tricia in Ann’s room across the street.”

  “Thanks, Banks. Knock on your wall three times if she leaves the Abrams house. Or text me if you can.”

  Peyton giggled, “I like secret codes.”

  Later, Peyton whispered, “Gin.” Banks congratulated him as he eyed his bedroom window and caught a glimpse of Ann and Tricia.

  After Banks gathered the cards, he confronted Peyton, “Do you wash your eye drops out?”

  Peyton replied, “I hate that gooey stuff but Mom says it’s good for me; but recently she doesn’t say much.”

  Banks checked, “And that’s the truth?”

  “Of course, Indians never lie. Right, Banks?”

  “Right, Sport.”

  In the master bedroom the alcohol began to take its toll on Julie. She slurred, “Peyton, Peyton. How will he ever forgive me? Stan, that…thing. It won’t flush. Get it out of the house, please.”

  Stan suggested, “I thought I’d take to the hospital lab—”

  “Stan, just get rid of it!” Stan crept to the bathroom. He stared at the towel-wrapped fetus. As he went to pick it up, it moved! Stan stepped on it with one foot. It moved again. He jumped up and down on it with both feet.

  He covered up the pile of green ooze with another towel. Stan ran down to the back door and tossed it into the garbage bin. Tricia and Ann watched together from Ann’s window.

  When Stan returned to his drunk snoring wife, he wrapped the blankets around her and kissed her on the cheek where he punched her previously. He opened his Bible to Matthew, Chapter 10, and verse 36. He whispered to himself “…and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.” To add to his anxiety, three knocks were heard from Banks’ room. He placed his ear to the door. Silence. He opened the door.

  Stan jolted as Tricia peered in. Stan whispered, “Sweet pea, you startled me.”

  “Peyton’s missing,” she stated in a monotone. Stan explained that he had a nightmare and was spending the night with Banks.

  She added, “Something is different with mother. I can’t read her thoughts.”

  Stan yawned, “Let’s talk about it in the morning, we all need our rest.”

  Tricia slowly walked to her room as Stan watched. She turned towards him with a demonic glare. Stan shut his door.

  Julie stirred and sat up. “We have to do something about Tricia.” Stan nodded. Julie added, “The baby she’s carrying; it must…die!” Stan gasped as Julie ran to her computer. “I have a file in my documents that I saved. Ann ordered all of us to kill anyone that tried to give the women examinations. We need to trick her. We need to drug her. We need to abort.” Stan looked at his Bible.

  Conspiracy

  On the following morning, Tricia spent time with Ann in Ann’s bedroom. Ann ‘sent’ out an all-points bulletin regarding delivery day. Once completed Ann addressed the puzzling activities at the Powers’ house. Additionally, she found it highly unusual to note Stan’s emptying garbage at midnight. Why communication stopped between Ann and Julie could only mean one thing. Julie was no longer a part of her inner circle. She could no longer be controlled. The why of this predicament needed to be verified.

  Ann’s immediate plan was to be executed via Tricia. Ann communicated to Tricia a new directive: Tricia must be more vocal with her family and, contrary to her nature, to be sweet. Perhaps this would solve some of the mysteries at the Powers’ house like Peyton’s sleeping with Banks and Stan’s emptying garbage at midnight and other activities. But most important, Ann quietly thought that Tricia might be in jeopardy. Tricia attempted to debate this theory since both of her parents were good Catholics. Ann dismissed her thoughts immediately and Tricia acquiesced to the new plan.

  Julie and Stan had their strategy as well. Julie grabbed six one-milligram Xanax tablets from her medicine cabinet. That, she thought, should be enough put a horse to sleep. She printed out the directions of emergency abortion that she had saved after her delivery of Peyton.

  Downstairs, with Xanax in hand, Julie headed to the refrigerator. She opened an unopened carton of milk. She placed the drugs in the carton, shook the carton and placed it next to the dozen vials of Peyton’s eye drops. The plan was set.

  At dinner time, Tricia entered the living room where Banks and Peyton played cards in the living room.

  Banks tried, “Hey, Tricia.”

  Surprisingly to Peyton and Banks, Tricia chirped, “Hi, Banks. Hi, Peyton.”

  Peyton smiled, “You’re such a sweet pea!”

  Tricia forced a smile to Banks as she walked into the kitchen and faced her mother, “Need help, Mom?”

  Julie answered, “Well yes, if you don’t mind setting the table for five.”

  Tricia stated, “Mother, I can’t send with you.”

  Julie sat down and took Tricia’s hand, “I know, I lost the baby last night.”

  Tricia accused, “You’re one of them now, mother.”

  “I almost drowned Peyton. I almost killed your brother.” Julie wept.

  Coldly, Tricia said, “The baby was more important, you should know that, mother.”

  Julie tightened the clench on Tricia’s hand, “It makes us hate.” She released Tricia’s hand as Stan entered.

  Stan tried, “Hello, girls.” Peyton followed in while sniffing the kitchen aroma.

  “Yum,” said Peyton as he attempted to seat himself at the kitchen table, “I smell meat loaf.”

  Banks aided Peyton and adjusted his chair and place setting.

  Peyton addressed his mother, “Mom, you won’t hurt me will you?”

  Julie sobbed and clutched her crucifix. She caressed him, “Never again, I promise.” She took a deep breath and went to the refrigerator.

  Julie brought soft drinks for Stan and Banks. She opened the used milk carton for Peyton and the drugged carton for Tricia. Peyton drank his milk and he inadvertently placed his glass next to Tricia. “I beat Banks at gin.”

  Banks nodded and added, “You sure did, Sport.”

  Peyton gobbled meat loaf with relish. He went for his milk…only it was Tricia’s milk. Julie’s eyes widened and became aware of Peyton’s mistake. She needed to react quickly. As Peyton brought the glass to his lips, Julie retrieved the glass before he could drink the drugged milk. Quickly Julie interjected as Stan waited, “Sorry, Peyton. There’s a crack in the glass. Julie emptied the glass and tossed it in the garbage.

  Later as Julie and Tricia cleaned up, Tricia pulled out the discarded glass. She scrutinized it.

  With a matter of fact tone, Tricia announced,
“Mother, for future references, I’ll make my own meals. No need to throw away a perfectly good glass.” Tricia placed the glass in the dishwasher as if to emphasize her edict.

  Later, Julie pulled out the drugged milk and emptied it as Stan walked in. Julie turned to Stan, “She knows.”

  The next couple of weeks that led up to delivery day, or ‘D-Day’ as many men of Juneau referred to it, was met with escalated tensions. At the Indian compound, women were becoming more physical and abusive toward the men. One man got his arm broken just for looking at his wife. When other incidents were reported, men moved into other men’s apartments and locked and bolted their doors. The women simply did not want any men to concern themselves with the upcoming deliver.

  The Chief had many visitors from the married men and he and Roger gave consult. Roger always concluded the meetings with “… once the women delivered, they would become normal again.” This was reported to him from Banks in the case of Julie and from several other similar incidents. The men accepted Rogers’ words as a comforting solace and to simply remain on high alert until D-Day was complete.

  Evelyn Sands had few friends but after that special Christmas Day at the Powers’ house, some wives of husbands who were district attorneys became acquaintances and confidants. She often ‘sent’ speculations about the deliveries but was urged to simply follow Ann’s orders. After a few months of pregnancy she acquiesced completely to Ann’s instructions.

  Julie Powers was deeply involved in plotting conspiracies. She felt that this was a race against time. She concentrated strongly about ending Tricia’s pregnancy. How to abort the monster was a problem. The nights in the Powers’ master bedroom were shrouded in whispers. Stan was slow to come around to her latest plot.

  Peyton felt that he was recapturing his mind’s eye. This in turn resulted in a more pleasant disposition and less grill and drill. Banks enjoyed the welcomed pauses as the two played cards on a nightly basis.