by Amy Miles
“Interesting proposition. However, I will soon provide. Now listen, and your sister will be saved.”
Alexander’s mouth drew shut again as if Herak commanded it. He tried to place the rock on the ground yet was still unable to release it.
“In the beginning, I was a great man. Ruler over many,” Herak said. “I was blessed and raised up. I honored Heaven by dethroning those who were unworthy and protecting the less fortunate during the thirteenth century.”
He was old, but Alexander hadn’t realized he was that ancient.
“I am from the thirteenth century B.C., so yes, I guess ancient would be a good term. I am old because I am not of Heaven. I am of Earth. I live an old man’s life, aging slower than any other Earthly creature.”
The old man’s habit of reading Alexander’s thoughts was becoming annoying. He still couldn’t figure out how the old codger was even doing it. For now, he needed to make a point of keeping his mind clear.
The corner of Herak’s mouth twitched before he continued. “As time passed, I began to resent answering to those who bestowed my powers on me. It seemed pointless, as I had already gained the strength and wisdom to rule the world. Certainly, I was their equal. My love of helping those who were wronged and fighting those who had committed crimes changed. The desire to be a God consumed me.”
Herak paused, leaning back to stretch his aged body, as if to muster up the strength to continue. To anyone other than an angel who had lived eons, Herak would seem completely crazy. Alexander knew better.
“I gave up the love of my life, the mother of my children. I turned my back on my people and left them to die. A war raged, not only between kingdoms, but also between Heaven and Earth. When Hell caught wind of my power, they tried to convert me.”
While Alexander found the story fascinating, he failed to see how it would save Sammy? Why couldn’t Herak just give him the medicine and send him on his way with a guarantee of his servitude afterward?
“I tell you these things because you need to hear what happens when one allows pride and self-importance to fill their life, to become the center of all things. To live a life that is harmful and unjust. To condemn those you love, even when you mean to help them.”
He felt the muscles around his mouth relax. “I have only protected the ones I love. I’d never harm them,” Alexander managed to say before his mouth sealed shut again. The look of surprise on Herak’s face confirmed that Alexander being allowed to speak just then was unintentional. The old man must have been distracted by his reminiscing to falter on his concentration. So he did have a weakness. And Alexander intended to use it to his full advantage, once he knew what and where the medicine was.
“But you have. Sammy’s fall from Heaven. Gabby scratched by a demon and almost driven mad. Even Sammy’s wound that you so desperately want me to heal. These are all things you have caused either directly or indirectly to happen. Stop playing the victim and recognize what your role was in these events. I know it’s difficult, but you must open yourself up and see what you have done in order to overcome it.”
Alexander glared at Herak. He’d find a way for Sammy to return to Heaven if it was the last thing he did. “You missed two,” Alexander nearly growled at him. “The death of Gabby’s mother and her father’s ensuing alcoholism.”
“No, I missed nothing. Those were Forras’ actions. However, your hubris in believing that you, and only you, could stop him is another matter. He used it to gain his revenge. He still is.”
Alexander stood up, rock in arms, his stomach twisted in grief and fury. “I can’t change the past. I can only try to save my sister, who’s lying in bed dying while you continue babbling.”
“If you will calm yourself and stay seated, I might be able to explain things better.” Herak gestured to the seat.
Alexander’s legs buckled and he collapsed back onto the bench. “How can you control me? Are you demon or angel? Or something else?”
“It is not that simple. I must explain my entire story for you to truly understand.”
Alexander sighed. “I’ll listen to everything you have to say but first, please, let me save Sammy,” he pleaded.
“If you listen, you save her.” Herak stared down at him as if he were the densest being alive. “In the beginning, I was a man of great ability and full of compassion for others. I traveled and used my strength to help villages build homes, dig wells, and protect them from harm. I would teach the townsmen to fight and defend their land. I was seen by all Greeks as a great man, and was worshiped as if I were a God. As time passed, I found favor, and developed more powers. I was a God walking amongst man, or so I thought. I had such great power I was able to save people from evil, or even death.
“As time went on, I felt used by the people. I thought I deserved more favor and became angry when others did not appreciate my abilities. I was young and ill tempered. There were those who thought I did not belong on Earth. There were demons who wanted me gone so they could have their way.”
Herak knelt in front of him and stared up into Alexander’s eyes, as if looking for something, then rose and paced the small cave. “A group of Greek townsmen fell prey to the promises of demons and joined their cause to rid Earth of my great power. When they came to destroy me, I showed no mercy. After that, something inside me changed. The slightest incident sent me into fits of madness. As time went by, I grew paranoid, believing all were plotting against me. Heaven became angry and denied me the death of a warrior.”
He drew a chair over in front of the bench and sat. “Anger welled up inside until I could no longer control it. Now, I look back at the death and destruction of those around me. I see how I used my powers and strength to bully others.” Herak stood, stooping over his cane. “I will make tea now.”
Alexander had been so engrossed in Herak’s story he’d forgotten for a moment about Sammy. Was it Herak’s powers forcing him to listen? “I don’t need tea. I need medicine.”
“I require tea and rest in order to continue, so you may help with the fire and speed the process along, or you can sit there sulking. I have a feeling you are more accustomed to self-brooding than hard labor.”
Alexander froze. The words, while different, were similar to things both Grace and Sammy had often told him. He still had a hard time believing that listening to this old man’s ramblings could save his sister, but perhaps it was time he stopped arguing. “What do you need?”
“You may gather more wood. You will have to go down the mountain to retrieve it.”
Alexander stood up, dropped the rock to the ground, and walked out of the cave, ready to take flight from the side of the cliff.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
“Why not? I thought you wanted firewood.”
“Yes, but I don’t want you in a million pieces,” Herak said. “Your powers do not work here, any more than mine do. It is part of my punishment, to live with the knowledge that once I was strong and could do anything, but now I am as weak as a newborn only able to perform simple tricks and mind manipulation. However, if you do not believe me, continue in that direction and fall to your death. But, of course, it will mean Sammy’s death as well.”
Alexander stepped back into the cave, contemplating all-out war but the smug old man just sat hunched over the fire pit, stoking the flames and whistling to himself.
No use. There was no choice but to descend the mountain on foot, and pray the old man was right. That time didn’t matter here, that he could still save Sammy, but that meant trusting Herak, and he wasn’t sure he could. But he was out of options.
Moonlight lit the path, keeping him from falling to his death as he followed it along the edge of the ridge, but the walk seemed eternal. Not a sound filtered through the air. Not from nature. Not even from his own footfalls. Nor was there any smell of flowers or trees. This sunless, soundless prison was a hell, as surely as the ones demons lived in. Maybe more so, because Herak had no relief, whereas demons could come to ear
th to torment and tempt weak humans.
Upon reaching the bottom of the hill, Alexander tried to pry a small limb from a nearby tree but couldn’t. With no strength at all, he was reduced to the simple task of finding and gathering small twigs from the ground. On the ascent, his arms and legs throbbed. Never had he felt so tired and sore, or old.
By the time he reached the top, he could no longer stand. He fell to the ground, landing on jagged stones, blood oozing from the many cuts and scrapes. How was this possible? An angel’s skin couldn’t be cut by mere rocks.
He pushed himself up and collected the fallen wood. As he staggered into the cave, he spotted the old man sprawled on a bed in the corner, his snores echoing off the curved stone walls.
“Herak.” Alexander dropped the wood to the floor next to the burning embers. “Herak, I’m back with the wood.”
No response.
“Oh, God. Please don’t let him have a stroke.” Alexander walked over and nudged the bed to wake him, but nothing. “Herak, you need to wake up. It’s time to finish. We’re running out of time.”
Herak snorted awake. “You don’t need to yell at me. I’m old, not deaf.”
“I’m running out of time.”
“You are running out of time?”
“My sister. She’s running out of time, but she’s counting on me to save her.” Had the old man forgotten that already?
“Have you ever thought that the fact you’re always trying to save everyone is at the heart of your problems?”
Alexander threw his hands into the air. “What am I supposed to do? Let her die?”
“I’m not saying that, but are you the only one that can save everyone? Does it always have to be you alone, standing against all odds, with no one else’s help?” Herak sat up on the bed, his silver eyes keen and probing.
“Grace.” Alexander stared at the old man, understanding beginning to dawn, yet still thoroughly confused. “Those words came straight from Grace’s mouth.”
“Thank you,” Herak said.
“I don’t understand. How do you know Grace?” Alexander shook his head. “Right now, I don’t care. The sun has not yet risen, so that means I still have time.”
“If you wait for the sun to rise, you will be waiting a long time. As you have already figured out,” Heark said with a smirk.
Alexander walked over and dropped onto the bench. “You’re right. But the sooner I leave, the better Sammy’s chance is to survive.”
“Then go, my young friend.”
“I can’t. I need your—”
“Help? Hmm. I thought you needed no one’s help,” Herak stated with a look of satisfaction.
“Fine. Yes, I do need your help,” Alexander said, yet he knew it wouldn’t be that easy. Herak wasn’t finished with him.
Herak’s silver eyes sparkled as the smirk on his face widened. “Now, where was I?”
“You had great power but used it for evil.” Alexander wanted to stay focused on Sammy. That was his whole reason for being here. Yet, if what Herak said was true and he really could communicate with Heaven from Earth, there could be a way to help Sammy redeem herself. Maybe a way he could save her.
“You just don’t learn, do you?” Herak said.
“What? What are you talking about?”
“I tell you that you need the help of others and you start planning how to save someone all by yourself by using what I know. Grace was right. You are the makings of me all over again. Well, son, I’ve told you that I spoke to Heaven, but did you know I’ve been to Hell?”
Chapter Twenty
Gabby pushed the pale green curtain back and searched the driveway. “Where are you?” she whispered into the silence. Two hours had passed and still her dad hadn’t returned home.
For some reason, the empty house made her jittery. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other then backed away from the window at the sounds of far off dogs howling in the night.
Patronus raised his head but remained on the foot of her bed.
Kaboom. A loud crash sounded from the woods outside. A tree falling? Forras and his friends having a party? It could be anything. Yet, Patronus appeared unfazed.
She shuffled to the bedroom door. When she reached for the handle, Patronus rose to all fours and looked at her, as if to say you’re not going anywhere. It did seem ludicrous, like a repeat of scenes from a horror movie. The dumb blonde goes outside to investigate some strange noise, only to be slaughtered by a deranged lunatic waiting for her.
Forras could definitely play the role of lunatic and she sure looked like the helpless blonde. But she wasn’t going to be that dumb, not today. Touching the play button on her iPod, she scanned through her playlist of dance music and picked a more recent song. Turning the volume up on the dock, she tried to drown out the distant howling and ignore how quiet and lonely her life was.
If Alexander were here, he’d know what to do. After all, he’d sobered her dad up. That was an amazing act in itself. But when he returned home, would he even want to see her after all those horrible things she’d said and accused him of?
Gabby tried to lose herself in the music as she paced around the room, to escape all the questions, but it was no use.
What if he didn’t return? No, he had to, if for no other reason than to bring the medicine to Sammy. There hadn’t been any time to speak about what happened before he left. Once he had time to think about things, would he hate her? The minute their love was tested, she had betrayed him.
Defeated, she dropped into her desk chair and stared out the window to watch the driveway once more.
Patronus jumped down, wagging his tail. She turned the music down and changed it to some soothing jazz, something her father listened to often while sipping booze.
Was she trying to torture herself, and wallow in self-pity for a while?
Maybe she should call and see how Sammy was doing. It was late but certainly, Grace would be up tending to Sammy.
She reached into her shorts pocket for her cell phone, but it wasn’t there. Where could it be? Downstairs in the kitchen?
All she found on the counter were the same appliances and kitchenware that had been there since they’d unpacked. After searching the kitchen table, the living room, and the laundry room, she was still coming up empty-handed. Her pulse raced at the thought of having no connection to the outside world, no way to call for help. Not only did they move so frequently, it made getting a landline impractical, but her father also believed a cell phone was more useful in a pinch. Well, when you knew where it was.
Thinking back over the day, she realized she could have left it at Grace’s house or in the clearing of the woods. Going out to find her phone in the dark didn’t seem reasonable, but staying at home with no phone wasn’t a particularly good option either.
The howls grew closer and an uneasy feeling filtered through her body, like a ghost had passed through her frame.
“Patronus, come.” The dog followed her as she headed to her father’s room. She pulled one of his handguns from the top drawer of his dresser and checked to see if it was loaded. She wasn’t sure if mere bullets would harm a demon, but what other choice did she have? Hopefully, all the time she logged at the range with her dad would pay off.
Another howl, this one sounding as if it came from her front porch. The wind blew harder, rattling her father’s bedroom window. Around her, the house groaned and creaked.
“Dad?” No answer. “I’m locked and loaded here, so you better speak up quick.” She stood to the side of the open doorway, the gun clutched in both hands, but no answer came. Locked and loaded was a phrase her father always used when they were shooting together. But it sounded stupid coming from her.
Hearing the sound of running water, she crept to the bathroom door. Leaning against the wall, she angled the gun down toward the floor. “Patronus.” She motioned him into the bathroom with a jerk of her head and he immediately obeyed. When he didn’t bark, she followed behind him. The dog
sat in front of the shower, whining. Only hesitating a moment, Gabby walked over and yanked the shower curtain back. It was empty, but a trail of blood ran along the floor of the tub, with more in the sink.
Her father must have snuck in at some point to tend his wounds. When she returned to the bedroom, gauze and bandages, iodine and a threaded needle littered his nightstand. Items she had seen far too often in her life.
But if he was home, why didn’t he answer her?
He must have been well enough to leave again. Then a thought struck her and she sucked in a quick breath. Easing over to the closet, she strategically cleared the room as her father had taught. She bent down to the floor to look under the bed. To her relief, the space was empty save for a few boxes. Strange. She was sure they hadn’t been there when she confiscated that bottle of whiskey earlier.
She grasped the flap of one box and yanked, but it ripped off in her hand, the box too heavy to pull out one handed. She set the gun down on the floor next to her and used both hands to wiggle the box out from under the bed.
After she pulled out the remaining two, she looked down at the boxes, an image flashing in her mind. This scene, it was in one of her drawings. She was sure of it. And if she drew it, that meant it was something significant.
Thinking there could be a clue in the picture, Gabby darted up the stairs, leaving the gun on the floor beside the boxes.
Papers flew in all directions as she pulled her portfolio out and bolted back downstairs. Patronus waited patiently in her father’s room, as if he’d known she would return. He was a strange dog, but invaluable the way he acted as a walking alarm when demons approached. Well, excluding Boon, of course.
Settling on the floor next to him, she patted Patronus on the head. “Let’s see what’s going on here. Maybe I can figure something out that can help.” For once.
Opening the flaps of one box, she discovered it was full of papers. She read a few lines from each page as she flipped through them, but nothing made any sense. Reaching up to grab her portfolio off the bed, she pulled the pictures out, spreading them around her. The picture of her looking through the boxes lay in front.