“No more… lesser demon… leave us,” Noah commanded with faith strengthened by the heroic act.
“The old one is dead… his spirit has passed through me. His soul directed your weapon to the un-beating heart… of this carcass. I praise your victory and look forward to being with you all… in hell.”
The voice silenced and gradually the form, which had pulled Candice Goddard into its embrace, took shape. A decayed human body fell to its grave, beside its final victim. Noah figured the carcass to be as Lonnie Wilkerson would appear in the grave, minus the icon made in China. He rose to his feet and met the eyes of James Lansing. Candice Goddard embraced death, as did Abner Hollis, yet today so many more lived.
***
The fog dispersed. On the horizon a new morning began to gently filter into the dark sky. Stars and the moon, shielded by the night’s murkiness, battled for one last moment’s dominance. A new day would soon be offered. The survivors would accept the morning’s light as a sign of victory.
In the vision Keri remembered last night, when standing at the water’s edge, James held her while the brunette named Stephanie stood nearby. She hadn’t seen Noah, but now she realized he was at the Jeep’s rear. Her dreams focused on the two people who were touched by her past, deep in the core of their being. Stephanie forced to feel a prostitute’s arousal and shame. James, embracing a harlot with an emotion she hadn’t felt worthy of, until now.
“I would have told you… before our relationship went much deeper,” Keri said. She backed up against James as he wrapped her in his arms. She felt his desire for her and knew they’d be making love again tonight.
“Doesn’t really matter.”
She felt his breath against her head when he spoke.
“It pried at the sins we wanted most to hide,” she reasoned. “I might have strived to never fall in love… completely, and taken my secret to my grave… especially if love meant the risk.”
“Risk?”
“The risk of loosing love… once gained. I always imagined being desperately in love with the man of my dreams, having him find out about my past and having him leave me… ashamed… vulnerable. You have no idea what you’ve saved me from.”
“The evil thing didn’t necessarily bring bad things,” Noah interjected his opinion as he passed.
“How so?” Stephanie asked, deciding to involve herself in the conversation. “Abner is dead.”
“So is Candice,” Keri added.
“Abner… rest his soul was an old man. He was more than ready to go to his maker. We have all emptied the darkest portions of our souls, that which kept us from doing what our creator calls us to. Candice would not have ever changed. Death couldn’t make her cry out to God for forgiveness… I’m sure life wouldn’t have forced her to… either.”
“And what of me?” Stephanie asked the minister and anyone else who might possess an answer. “What have I possibly gained by my union with this evil?” Stephanie’s gaze bore into the girl whose sin she witnessed. Keri felt her gaze and chose not to look away. She held nothing within her that needed to be hidden in private places anymore.
“Insight… into others… maybe… understanding of the darkness inside you that your morals and situation in life help you to defeat. All this will pass and we will move on into a new day… with new friends,” Noah looked over his shoulder to the couple leaning against the Jeep’s front, “and new lovers.”
Keri leaned her head back against James’ shoulder and watched Noah hold out an inviting hand to Stephanie. Hesitantly the walls protecting Stephanie Hawkins from the outside world collapse and fragile fingers united.
The End
Other Books by Paul Donaldson
Crossroads (Available exclusively at Amazon)
Soon to be released on Smashwords:
The Bridge Over Miller’s Creek (Dark Soul Trilogy – Book 2)
Dark Places of the Soul: Dark Soul Trilogy - Book 1 Page 11