by Steven Evans
I’m spitting bullets and ready to fight, but I’m helpless, I can do nothing but watch the flames grow higher and higher. I’m looking at the woman and there is still no sign of struggling or any attempts to get loose, no, now she is chanting and looking up at the moon.
The crowd screams frighteningly. “Heretic!”
Some even turn and run at the sound of her chanting. The screams continue. She just calmly accepts her fate and welcomes the fire. I see her smile as her skin is melting from her body. I can smell it frying before it falls to the ground, but not once does she moan or shed one tear. She stares the people down. “You shall taste my vengeance now! My blood marks your souls for all eternity!”
“Who is that woman?” I ask my companion. “Who is Katherine Palmer and what could she have done to deserve this? Why did this happen?”
She looks remorseful. “The answers to those questions you will have to figure out for yourself. I can only show you the events that transpired, I can’t give you specifics or spell it out for you. Trust your instincts.”
“That’s a load of horseshit, lady! You bring me here and make me watch this woman’s tragic and unnecessary death, but then say you can’t tell me any specifics! Then why show me this in the first place? You can’t explain yourself? Or is it that you refuse to explain it? And why did her chant sound a hell of a lot like yours did all last week?”
She sneers at me, “Some things you have to figure out for yourself!”
Then it all disappeared and we were traveling back again. I ended up in an all too familiar place, I was hanging half off my bed and ready to crash to the floor.
I looked around but she was nowhere in sight. My mind was running in overdrive and I was mad as hell at the little fat man, the crowd, the woman for not fighting more - for not fighting at all - and especially at her for forcing me to watch it all and not being able to do a damn thing about it.
CHAPTER 16
A NEW DREAM
HAD SHE NOT SHOWN UP FOR TWO WEEKS because she knew how pissed I was, or were there other reasons for her absence? I had been here just stewing in my anger over that poor woman and how all those people acted. Was she worried I would keep asking more questions, questions she didn’t want to answer? Why would she show me that knowing it couldn’t be stopped? That was by far the worst kind of torment she could possibly put me through. Knowing I wasn’t able to stop my family from dying, just to show me that poor woman’s death…Why? That woman’s threat was convincing enough for me and I wasn’t responsible for her torture or death. It still didn’t make any sense. Why would I need to know or see any of that?
There were no answers to my questions, but they were always on my mind. I wondered when she would appear again… She had to come back. She couldn’t leave things like this. She was cruel and loved to torture me but this was a whole new level, even for her. What did this have to do with me?
Time was passing slowly, almost standing still and I was trapped in the memories of the fire and flames rolling up toward Heaven. I almost felt a connection to her, I was just as helpless watching her die as I was with my family.
In the memories that play out over and over again, I turn around and see her tied down and not struggling to get free. I smell her flesh cooking. It’s a horrid odor that always turns my stomach. I hear that fat bastard’s holier than thou voice echoing through the wind and instantly my blood boils. When I close my eyes, I see that single tear forming in her eye and the sympathy written on her face, but she wouldn’t stop it… Why?
I couldn’t think about it anymore tonight. My brain was aching and I couldn’t take the pain starting up around my eyes, so I headed to bed to hopefully get some rest. Maybe, some answers would come tomorrow, after I had slept and my thoughts were a little clearer.
***
Here I am in the middle of the road. It’s my old house. The only lights are coming from down the block. I don’t feel scared, I’m not even worried. I’m wondering what I’m doing back here and then the memories hit me. This is where I lost my wife and daughter. Why don’t I feel anything? Why am I not crying? I still don’t feel anything for them. The blank expression on my face matches how numb I’m feeling inside. It’s almost like I’m taking part in someone else’s memories. I’m so disconnected from them now. I should feel something, I know I should, but, there’s nothing, only emptiness and indifference.
I can see the suburban roaring down the road. The light is red. I see my wife’s car coming toward the four way stop, but why is she bent down fumbling for something in the seat? Can’t she see the truck heading straight for her? Look up! Hey! Look up, baby! Hit your brakes! She never straightens back up in the seat and the truck never slows down, it just steams right on through the light. I can see my little angel screaming as the two vehicles collide, and for a second, she looks toward me and I see the tears already running down her cheeks. I try to run to them but I can’t. My legs won’t move; they won’t carry me at all. I fall to my knees and lose it. I’m sobbing like a baby but I can’t move. I can’t reach them. I’m trapped, left squatting in the road watching everything happen but helpless to do anything. I watch as the rescue workers get there and fight through the crowd standing there gawking at the senseless carnage scattered all across the road. I smell the fluids as they run together and mix with the blood forming small puddles around the bodies. The engines are still hot and steaming, spewing water everywhere. Yet, I still can’t move.
This dream is different than all the others. I was never there in time to see the accident happen or watch everything unfold. So, why am I here watching it all now? Why is this time so different? Finally, I’m able to move. I run down the street and force my way through the crowd, only now there’s no sign of my wife or daughter. The ambulance is already gone and the people are starting to leave. The only things left are the cars still shooting hot water from their radiators with their doors open and pieces of scrap metal lying all over the place. As I turn to look back at the house I see an image appear from the darkness. It’s a familiar image and I know exactly who it is.
Like the flash from an old camera, every second she appears in a new place on the street, drawing closer to me each time. I’m not afraid! She’s in my face, the smell of death surrounds her. Her veil that once hid her face has long since burned away. Most of her face is gone. Her eyes are barely seated in their sockets and her lips are grossly out of line. The only thing not touched by the flames is her hair. Most of her clothes are melted to her skin and I can’t tell where one ends and the other begins. She just keeps staring at me, not saying a word. We stand there for a few minutes until I can’t take it anymore.
I yell. “What the Hell is wrong with you? Why didn’t you fight? You just let them set fire to you without saying a word. Why didn’t you try to fight for your life?”
She never speaks, just rubs her face against mine and sniffs me like a dog does when meeting a new friend for the first time.
“Talk to me, damn it! I need answers.”
Still she’s quiet. She makes no sound or movement other than smelling the cologne on my shirt and quickly turning away. From behind me I hear the wind stir up a little and I turn to look.
“So, you two finally met, huh?”
“Sure if you wanna call it that. She just smells me but doesn’t say anything.”
“Did you ever stop to think there may be a reason why she doesn’t talk?”
“Yeah, but what is it?”
She gives a look of disapproval as she says. “Surely you’re not that ignorant!”
“What do you mean?”
“You just watched her get burned at the stake and you ask why she hasn’t spoken to you?”
“I see your point, but she doesn’t seem quite as scary as she once did. She seems quite gentle and playful, almost like a child.”
“I assure you she is no child. You would do well to keep that in mind.”
The burned woman keeps touching my clothes and sniffing them. She move
s from one side of me to the other, constantly checking me out.
“You know, I think you need a little reminder of who she really is and just what she can do.”
“Thanks, but I’ll take your word for it. Maybe next time, alright?”
“Oh no, my love, you need a demonstration as it seems that you have forgotten.”
She looks at the other woman and whispers to her. It sounds like part of the chant I heard them both speaking, but I can’t make out any of the words. When she is finished, she holds out her hand and the burned woman walks over and takes it. She’s still leaving the wet footprints behind her when she walks. Then she tells her, “Ok – now.” The burned lady opens her mouth, and instantly the acid shoots out in my direction.
The ear-piercing noise can’t be from a human. I look up from the ground where I now find myself huddled, covering my ears, and I beg, “Please, no more. I’ve had enough. Stop please!”
She motions and the woman shuts her mouth. She whispers once more and the burned woman starts walking off and disappears a little with every step.
“So, do you still think she is so child-like?”
“Yes I do, but she’s listening to you and you’re leading her to do those bad things.”
“I can’t make her do anything! Have you already forgotten that she and I are the same? So, being the same, I can’t make her do anything. I just thought you should be reminded of our power.”
I yell, “Reminded of your power? I’m littered with scars thanks to your powers! I don’t need to be reminded of them. How can you two be the same person?”
“I told you, some answers you’ll have to find out for yourself. I can’t lead you to water and force you to drink it. Trust me, one day you will remember and you won’t have to ask so many silly questions.”
“I honestly can’t wait for that day! It’s too damn hard always being in the dark about all the things that are influencing my life now.”
The more she laughs the more it burns me up. She continues to smirk. “Well it’s time to return home now. Don’t worry, tomorrow’s lesson will be even more hands on.”
As she cackles out loud, everything grows dark, there’s nothing but pitch black and I know we’re moving again. I was just hoping the trip would bring me back home again so I could try to make heads or tails of this shit.
This was getting just a little too freaky for my tastes. First she showed up as her twice fried former self wanting my heart and ready to do whatever it took to get it, then she appeared as a sexy seductress wanting to have sex and receive my seed and now, as if one wasn’t enough to deal with, they were both here making my life absolute Hell.
For the next month, every night was spent the same way. The same dream played out from beginning to end. There were no differences or variations in any way, it was always the exact same way. It was about to drive me completely mad. There was no rhyme or reason for it, there were no lessons to be learned or useful information to take away from it. The only thing it accomplished was keeping me from getting any real amount of sleep and my mind was almost gone. If they didn’t leave me alone pretty damn fast there wouldn’t be any use for me at all.
The next evening, I was waiting for her to come and get me for another night of the same mundane nonsense as all the other nights, but she never showed up. I wasn’t positive if that was a good thing or not, but I was happy to lie down in my bed and get some much needed rest. As soon as my head hit the pillow I was out. I don’t remember anything until I woke up the next afternoon. Even though I had finally gotten some sleep, I still felt worn out. I figured I couldn’t sleep my life away. I also had to restock a few items I needed in the kitchen, so I thought I might as well go into town and pick them up.
CHAPTER 17
THE NAME REVEALED
WHILE I WAS HERE, I SHOULD PROBABLY check out the library again and see if I could actually get in this time. Mr. Harte was right when he said the librarian was a little peculiar. Maybe I could get there after she returned from lunch and there wouldn’t be any problems. I’d sure like to find some information on anything that might be of help to me. I didn’t even know what I was looking for or how to ask for what I needed, but there was no harm in trying.
Just my luck! She was just unlocking the door as I came up the street. I walked in behind the librarian before she could close the door behind her. She gave me a “Go to Hell” look but kept walking to her desk.
“Excuse me, ma’am, but where are your books on the supernatural?”
She looked up at me over the rim of her glasses and after a few seconds she pointed to a shelf at the end of an aisle.
“Thank you, I appreciate it.”
“Don’t mention it, but remember I will make you leave if you don’t follow my rules, and the number one rule is no noise.”
“You won’t have any problems from me.” I headed down the aisle she had pointed toward and began looking at the laughable selection on the shelf. Most of the books were at least a hundred years old and covered in so much dust I nearly blew my nose off from sneezing. That brought a look of indignation from her as she held her finger to her lips and shushed me.
“Ma’am is this all you have?”
“On that particular subject…yes! We’re not the big city libraries where hundreds of books are donated each year. We have a small budget to work with here and if the selection isn’t sufficient enough for you maybe you’d rather just see your way out of our small-town library and just go home!”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. Maybe you have some books on witchcraft, then?”
Looking disturbed she said, “Same aisle.They’re just further up this end.”
“Ok, I see them now, thank you again.”
It was the same story with these books, but maybe there was something I could use and find some information in.
“Can I check these books out or is there a limit?”
“You can take two books, but they have to be back in two days so other patrons can have a chance to read them if they want.”
I was thinking to myself that these books had so much dust on them that no one could’ve checked them out in a number of years. So, yeah, I’ll make sure to rush them back into your protective custody, lady. But, I figured I better just bite my lip or she’d kick me out without the books and where would I be then? I really wanted to try and find some answers, though I wasn’t sure I would find anything in these dusty old outdated relics. I slowly walked up to the counter so I wouldn’t incur her wrath, and I checked the books out. She reminded me they had to be back in two days, I just nodded and left. I was anxious to get home and see if these books would be of any help.
I fixed a sandwich and grabbed a Pepsi as I was getting ready to open the first book. My curiosity was tearing me up as I tore through the sandwich so I could have both hands free and concentrate on the pages. I looked up after an hour, disappointed. There was a lot of information, but nothing that explained what was happening to me. I tossed it on the end table hoping the last book would see my frustration and give up its secrets. I went to the bathroom and splashed water on my face, trying to calm down a little. Looking in the mirror I saw an image that I almost didn’t recognize. I was thin from losing so much weight. The nights of lost sleep and the days of not eating right had already taken their toll, and my body was reflecting the changes. I shook my head and returned to my recliner wanting, nearly praying, I’d find something.
Time was just flying by. I hadn’t even noticed how dark it was now. My thoughts were consumed by this book and finding answers if possible. Then a familiar chill blew down my spine and the book flew across the room, landing face down on the floor and sliding under the table.
“Did you really think you would find anything in those books? There’s nothing on those pages except for Mother Goose tales and Dr. Seuss rhymes. Maybe I’ve been too hard on you or, maybe, I just expected too much from your simple fragile mind. Maybe I pushed you too far and you finally snapped.”<
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“No, I haven’t lost it yet. I’m trying to find answers. My daughter said I had to find out the secret behind the mark to free myself so that’s what I’m doing.”
“Oh, yes, I almost forgot about that little brat. She caused enough trouble for me already.”
“She tried to help me, and that’s causing trouble for you?”
“Yes! She should’ve just stayed dead and left the afterlife to me! She doesn’t understand the powers she’s dealing with.”
“I’m glad she caused trouble for you. If she hadn’t then I would’ve been under your spell long ago.”
“Oh, my love…” she giggled. “You were always under my spell, even when you thought you still controlled your own actions. Everything you have done up to this point has been orchestrated by me. I even planned on your little bitch’s interference, though she caused a few more delays than I hoped for. All that nonsense is behind us now. You are mine! You freely offered your heart and now we will share eternity in a Hell of our own making.”
“Not if I can help it!”
“My love…you can’t help it! What’s done is done and there’s no way to go back now.”
She raised her arms and there was a whirlwind throughout the house. Her eyes rolled completely around in her head and when they returned to their normal position, they were back to being black as the night with a hint of hatred emanating from them. She began chanting again in a demonic voice and the lights dimmed. The slight chill had become a blistering frost and our breath formed ice cycles and fell weightlessly to the floor.
She moaned, “Are you ready, my love?”
I started to speak, but it was no use, as the chair straightened out and I was completely strapped to it and paralyzed. She grabbed the sash of her robe and with a sudden tug, it fell to the floor and her sweet curves were staring me in the face. I knew I should be afraid, but I couldn’t help wanting her still, needing her one more time. Her spell over me was more than I could fight, and I was not sure I even wanted to fight it. I watched as she danced over to me, and with a wave of her hand, my clothes just disappeared.