Carl Prescott and the Demon Queen

by Karl Morgan

  As Burt emerged from the shock wave, the sphere contracted slightly, and those outside took two steps forward. Burt set Barbie down, and both joined with the others to contain the pulse.

  Barbie was now next to Carl. She leaned over and whispered, “This is your moment, Carl. It all depends on you.”

  On the opposite side of the sphere, Aida shouted, “Do what you have to do, Carl, and remember that I love you!”

  The pulsing gravity wave roared like an angry ocean. The entire existence of the universe seemed compressed into this instant. Carl Prescott took a deep breath and stepped into the gravity wave.

  There was no sound, not even his own heartbeat. He took a step into the void between his body and the brightness ahead of him. The sound was like that of a heavy leather shoe on the stage in an empty auditorium. The noise echoed off the inside of the sphere. All around him, streams of matter and energy moved toward the light. As he moved forward, the sound of soft sobbing touched his heart. He felt his own body beginning to come apart, so he concentrated on holding himself together. He continued forward.

  It seemed to take hours to reach the intensity at the core of the singularity. He could still see the three in their hug. He thought it had been Sylvia crying, but now he could see all three were in tears. “What’s wrong?”

  “It’s my fault,” Sylvia said and then moaned. “I’m too weak. I can’t even resist a fifteen-year-old boy.”

  “And if she fails, we all fail,” Gabriel added.

  Carl moved over to Sylvia and put his hands on her shoulders. “Come on, sweetheart, it’s time to go home.”

  “I can’t go home!” Sylvia exclaimed with tears on her face. “Father hates me for what I’ve done.”

  Carl put his arms around her waist. “That isn’t true. He loves you, just like Gabe and Connie’s father loves them.”

  “What about you, Carl Prescott?” Sylvia asked.

  Carl laughed. “How many lifetimes do I have to give you to prove myself? How many times do I have to tell you that I love you for you to accept it?”

  Sylvia choked back more sobs. “Maybe one more.”

  “Sylvia, I love you.”

  She broke the group hug and threw her arms around Carl’s neck. He picked her up in his arms, turned, and walked toward the edge of the gravity wave. Two massive blasts of power shot into Carl’s back. He groaned in pain and struggled to stand up. “Don’t give up, Carl. We’re close.”

  The edge of the wave accelerated toward them. Carl braced for the impact. As it hit, every nerve ending in his body seared in pain. He and Sylvia fell ten feet to the bottom of the hole that was made by the wave, with her landing on top of him.

  Sylvia kneeled over him. “Carl, are you okay? Can you speak?”

  His eyes opened. He looked around blearily and passed out.

  Chapter 20

  Headmaster Dorchester sat on the edge of the couch in the school infirmary and rubbed his forehead. Dean Whitehall paced back and forth in front of him. Carl lay quietly with his friends all around. He had been here two days with no change in condition.

  Nurse Paxton opened the door. She and Doctor Godson walked in. Dorchester stood up and shook the man’s hand. “I’m glad you could make it today, doctor. It’s unfortunate that only a psychiatrist was available.”

  Manny smiled. “I am still a medical doctor, and I do have a few other talents. Nurse Paxton was telling me this boy was involved in that matter in Bulgaria. Is that correct?”

  “Yes, although some of the details are classified, so I cannot divulge much information.”

  “Understood. Perhaps I could have a few moments alone with the patient?”

  Dorchester nodded. “Certainly. We’ll be outside if you need us.”

  As the others began to leave, the doctor said, “Aida should stay. She is his girlfriend, and their connection may be beneficial.” When they were alone, he said, “You know who I am, right?”

  “Yes, Father.”

  Manny hugged her. “I am so proud of you for completing the Rope Bridge. That is an amazing accomplishment for someone your age.”

  “Carl told me I wasn’t finished until I crossed the physical bridge?”

  He chuckled. “Well, that is part of the process, but with what you already know and accept, it is only a formality.”

  She blushed. “Thank you. What’s wrong with Carl?”

  “Absolutely nothing,” Manny replied. “Do you recall why it took Carl so long to cross the bridge?”

  She nodded. “He said it was because Barbie and Sylvia were inside his head. They argued constantly and made him struggle to keep them going.”

  “Yes, that’s right. It seems that after Sylvia abandoned the other two, they knew they would fail most miserably. Carl felt two pulses of energy as he began to walk away. Perhaps, he thought they attacked him, but in truth, Gabe and Connie took refuge inside him. That, of course, is why I am here. Please stand in that corner as this might be a little crazy for a moment or two.” She moved to the corner. Manny smiled and looked down on Carl. “Connie, I love you and forgive you. Gabe, I love you and forgive you. Please come home with me now.”

  The room was filled with intense light and loud, orchestral music. A chorus of voices began to sing. The strange noises caused those outside the room to rush inside. Thousands of white winged silhouettes emerged from Carl’s body and flew around the room. They passed through the bodies of all present and filled them with a warm glow and a feeling of inner peace. The shapes swirled into two funnels as the music reached its crescendo. The brightness reached its zenith with the pounding of hundreds of drums and cymbals. Then, it faded away quickly, and quiet reigned again. Two angels stood in the room. Emmanuel was cloaked in white robes. He put his arms around his children’s shoulders and kissed their cheeks. Each angel kissed their father and then Carl. They flew out through the windows and did aerobatics around the atrium. Then, they flew away.

  Carl sat up. “Where did they go?”

  The Lord looked down on him. “They have gone home, Carl, and you are now home as well. Bless you for saving my creation.”

  “Blessed are you, Emmanuel, our God, king of the universe,” Carl replied.

  Manny patted Carl on the cheek. “You’ve been talking to Joshua again. He always was a good boy. He leaned over and kissed Carl’s cheeks. I’ll see you again soon, okay?”

  Carl nodded and wiped the tears from his face.

  Manny went to each of the others in the room and hugged them. Then, he smiled, walked out of the room, and closed the door behind him.

  Dorchester walked up to the bed. “You’re okay now, Carl?”

  “Yes, Headmaster, and I’m very glad to be back home with all of you.”

  “What do you want to do now?” Aida asked.

  “Frankly, I’m starving, but I need to do something before lunch.” He leaned over and kissed Aida. “You know. It won’t take long.”

  “Be nice to her,” Aida urged.

  Carl nodded and faded away.

  Sylvia sat on the porch of her island home with the rain pouring down on her. Her hair and the same imperial garb she had worn two days ago were soaking wet, and tears still flowed from her eyes. She sighed deeply, pulled her knees up to her chest, and laid her head down as a new torrent of rain and tears began.

  Suddenly, the rain stopped, and the clouds evaporated, leaving blue skies and sunshine. She opened her eyes and noticed she was now wearing a red bikini with a gauzy cover-up. She looked up to see Carl Prescott walking across the water toward the shoreline. He smiled and waved to her. “Go away, Carl! You left me sitting here for two whole days, so don’t expect me to listen to your excuses.”

  Carl reached the sandy beach. He wore board shorts, a Thorndike Institution pullover, and flip-flops. “Honestly, Sylvia, can I never catch a break with you?”

  She smiled but kept her head down so he would not notice. “Only when you deserve it.”

  He sat cross-legged a few feet away fro
m her. “Do you remember when I stumbled trying to carry you out of the singularity?”

  She finally looked up at him. “It was two days ago, not two years. What’s your point?”

  “At first, I thought the singularity was going to kill us. My next thought was that Gabe or Connie had attacked me.”

  She nodded. “Yeah, that’s what I thought too, but I figured that as long as we were together, it would be okay.”

  He touched her knee with his hand. She glowered at him, so he pulled it away. “Well, it turns out that Gabe and Connie wanted out too, so they hitchhiked from inside of me.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, but why for two days afterward?”

  “I think Manny was making them stew in their own juices.” He chuckled to himself. “I listened to the two of them blaming you, each other, me, and everyone else for what happened. That’s why it seemed like I was in a coma or something. The two of them were in control as they bickered. After a few hours, I decided there was nothing else to do, so I sat back, figuratively, and waited for them to stop.”

  “They complained about everything for two days?” Sylvia scoffed.

  Carl nodded and then smiled. “I still remember the first time we met. You acted so silly and petulant with your dad. When I think about it now, they were a million times worse. I swear it was like an improv comedy routine. When they finally resigned themselves to accept what had happened, Manny came by and forgave them. They exited my body, and then I came here.”

  “I’m not sure I believe you.”

  Carl laughed. “I’m not surprised. You can ask your dad to check with your uncle.” He crossed his heart. “I wouldn’t lie to you.”

  She stood and crossed her arms over her chest. “Well, none of that matters anyway. Why are you here?”

  Carl stood. “I told you that I want to carry you over the threshold of the house I built for you again.”

  “Yeah, then dump me on the nearest couch and run back to your girlfriend. Frankly, I’ll pass.”

  He moved forward until they were inches apart. “There is something else that happened when the sphere collapsed.”

  She put her hands against her body and stepped back against the door. “No, not so close.”

  He moved forward until his nose was near hers. “When the wall of the collapsing wave passed by me, the memories of my past lives surged through my mind. That’s why I passed out when we fell into the pit. In that instant, I remembered everything that happened, every touch, every kiss, every time we made love. I remembered it all.”

  She pushed back further against the wall. “No, that can’t be true. It isn’t possible.”

  “I remembered our children and grandchildren. I saw their faces, their weddings, their pains, and their successes. I saw you look down on me with love when I passed.” He pulled her into his arms. “Sylvia, thank you for my many happy, happy lives.”

  She was sobbing uncontrollably now. Carl picked her up in his arms, pushed open the front door, and walked inside their home. He carried her over to the nearest couch and sat down with her in his arms. She moved back, wiped the tears from her face, and smiled at him. “What happens now? I know you’re still a boy and that this is not our time.”

  Carl held her as tightly as he could. “All of that is true, but in this place and this moment, we are outside of space and time. We can spend as much time together as we both need. When we are both ready, I will go back to school, and you will continue your life. Sometime, in this life or another, we will be together again. That I can promise you.”

  They kissed.

  Carl walked into the dining hall at six o’clock in the evening. He went through the service line and then headed toward the table where his friends were enjoying their food. He set his plates down, went to a nearby stand to leave his tray, and then sat at the table. “So, what’s happening here?”

  Grace and Burt stared back with their mouths open.

  Aida asked, “What happened with Sylvia?”

  He finished chewing the mouthful of broccoli and swallowed. “It’s all good. We talked it out.”

  “That’s not much of an answer,” Aida replied.

  “Sweetheart, she realizes that this is not our time. She’s a demon, and I’m a fifteen-year-old kid. Sure, we spent many lifetimes together, but that is in the past. I told her that I cherished those times and that now we both have to see where this life takes us.”

  Burt asked, “So just like that, it’s over.”

  Carl nodded. “I certainly hope so. By the way, is Barbie okay?”

  Burt chuckled. “Yeah, it’s like the whole thing never happened. She’s over there with her friends as usual.”

  “Good. The sooner we put that incident behind us, the better. What day is it anyway? I guess I lost track of time with all of the madness.”

  “It’s Friday, Carl,” Aida replied.

  “That’s awesome. Now we can really enjoy the weekend.” He turned back to his plate to finish his meal.

  Carl Prescott went to bed early that night. The stress of everything that had happened with the demon queen had worn him out completely. When he woke in the morning, he was surprised to see his bed was in the middle of a field of grass. He climbed out of bed and found he was near where the demon queen’s castle had been. The ruins of the coliseum sat at the bottom of a gradual slope. “Now what?”

  Manny walked up to him and smiled. “I told you that I’d see you again soon.”

  “I’m very happy to see you, Manny. Is everything okay?”

  “No. Walk with me.” Manny headed down the slope and Carl followed. “It seems that Sylvia’s little adventure had an unintended consequence.”

  “What happened?”

  Manny glanced back. “I’d prefer you were to see it for yourself.”

  As they approached the wrecked coliseum, fallen blocks of stone reassembled themselves into a ramp that led to the floor of the coliseum. They stepped onto the ramp and continued downward. “I thought this place was sealed off to keep people away?”

  “That remains true, Carl, but as you know, we are not really people anyway.”

  “I am, Manny.”

  Emmanuel stopped and turned to the boy. “Carl, you have to face the facts of the situation. Yes, you are a teenaged, male, human being. But you are also an immortal member of the Rope Bridge Society. Three days ago, in this very place, you saved fifty trillion sentient lives.”

  “With the help of my friends.”

  Manny smiled. “Yes, with their help, but without you, none of it would have been possible. I hate to say it because it sounds excessive, but all of what has happened is due to you.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  Manny sighed. “Frankly, this discussion is not why we’re here. We’ll talk about this later. Follow me.” They walked down the ramp and arrived on the coliseum floor. Manny led him over to the pit that had been dug by the singularity. They stood on the edge and looked inside. “Can you see it?”

  “All I see is a big hole in the ground.”

  “Yes, human eyesight isn’t very good. Do what I do.” Manny floated into the air and descended toward the bottom of the pit. Carl followed. They landed a few feet from the center of the depression. “It’s right in front of us.”

  Carl shook his head. “I still don’t see anything, Manny.”

  “Yes, it can sometimes be difficult to see things that do not wish to be seen. Turn your body toward me.” Carl complied. “Now keep your eyes focused straight ahead of you while you gradually turn toward the center. Hopefully, you’ll see it with your peripheral vision.”

  Carl moved his feet an inch or two and kept looking straight ahead. When he had turned halfway toward the center, he stopped. “What is that?”

  “What do you see?”

  “It’s like a silvery ribbon of light, about two inches long. It’s moving like a piece of tinsel in the breeze.”

  Manny nodded. “Now, I want you to sidestep toward it until you can hear
its sound. Stop when I tell you. You must not get too close.”

  Carl began to shuffle his feet slowly in the direction of the ribbon. After about six inches, he heard a faint sound. “I’m hearing something, but it’s barely audible.”

  “It will get loud quickly as you continue toward it, so please move as slowly as possible.”

  After three more inches, the noise was almost unbearable. The sound was like continuous thunder and lightning, along with loud screaming and a high-pitched whine that reverberated through his bones. “Yikes!” Carl bent over.

  Manny grabbed Carl’s arm and pulled him away. “Are you okay now?”

  Carl stood carefully. “Yeah. That was so strange. What is that thing?”

  “Go back to the top of the pit and wait for me.”

  Carl floated up to the edge, landed, and turned back toward the pit. It was empty. “Manny?”

  “I’m right here, Carl,” Manny said from behind him. Carl was startled and began to fall forward into the pit, but Manny pulled him back. “Sorry, I should have warned you.”

  Instantly, the two were back near a stand of trees not far from the Gratia Dei Hall. Manny sat with his back against the tree, and Carl sat next to him. “What happened with that thing?”

  Manny removed a platinum chain from around his neck and held it out. A ball-shaped stone was suspended from it. The silvery ribbon was inside and only a half-inch long. “This is for you. Please put it on.”

  “Thank you.” Carl put it on and pushed the chain and stone under his shirt.

  “You’re welcome, but it was not a gift. I gave it to you for protection. The thing inside that diamond is a two-dimensional wormhole to another universe.”

  “What?”

  “Yes, Sylvia’s plan did not completely fail. The priest and priestess who did not escape formed another universe, and that is the gateway. “The materials and souls that were sucked into the singularity are now there, and creation is occurring as we speak. That was the sound you heard. The whine was the ignition of new stars. In the original plan, all the material, energy, and souls from this universe would have been taken there to start again. With their limited resources, I expect that universe to be a terrible place of great suffering.”