by Manjunath R
***
It was eleven in the evening as we sped toward Rush Street. We had the driver pull quickly to the curb in front of the building where the gargoyle usually was perched. I had since learned his name was Smokey of all things. The sight that followed was both shocking and disturbing all in one. Lying in pieces on the pavement was said gargoyle. Apparently he had been discovered and dashed to the street below. Being unable to move before the stroke of midnight he was defenseless, but that didn’t mean he didn’t know what was happening. I thought of the horror that must have gripped him as he hurtled downward to crash upon the pavement.
Bates grabbed my arm. “Time is of the essence, my good man! If we don’t get the pieces together and under the moonlight before midnight, Smokey will be no more. That of course means we will be in the dark more than ever I dare say.”
We quickly moved about and scooped up the pieces and got them to the car. Bates shouted instructions and the driver quickly laid about five bucks worth of rubber behind as the car jerked away from the curb. We arrived back at the house and Bates without speaking motioned for me to follow him to the elevator that sat in a hidden alcove off the main hallway. We hurried in and after closing the gate the elevator moved up at a rather rapid rate.
The door opened onto a vast and quite fantastic green house built upon the roof of the brownstone. We hurried to a long table that was cast in the full brightness of the moon which by now had made its way high into the night sky. I emptied the bag containing the shattered pieces of Smokey. Bates chanted words from some ancient Hebrew text and slowly the pieces on the table started vibrating. It was a sight to behold watching the pieces move together until lying before us was a whole Smokey. The clock struck midnight letting us know just how close it had been.
“Glad you made it, boys,” Smokey said. “Have I got a tale to spin for you guys.” There was a wry grin upon his face as if he had captured the king’s proverbial crown. I looked at Bates and we just burst out laughing.
Smokey began to describe the knight, first shocking us with the fact that it was a woman. The next shock shook me to my very core. Smokey described the raven black hair, the jade green eyes, and the jagged scar along the forehead. The rest meant nothing to me. I was completely numb as I fell into a nearby chair.
I bowed my head as Princeton set his hand upon my shoulder. I was in disbelief or shock or possibly both. I felt as if someone had plunged a fist the size of a boulder in and through my gut. I gasped and sweated and shook my head, a blank stare all I could muster up. I looked up at Princeton as he looked puzzled.
“I say, whatever is it, Magee?”
“The Knight is …Arrisa, Bates.”
“Good Godfrey man! You mean the Arrisa?”
“Yes, I’m afraid so.”
“But why MaGee, and…how?”
I shrugged. I didn’t have an answer for him. I wasn’t sure myself. But it all sounded so crazy. I mean, did Michael banish her to Hell? Was this the reason why? I cleared my head, because whatever the reason, Arrisa would be mighty powerful if she kept absorbing souls. I needed to stop her. I looked at Bates and Smokey as spoke.
“Gentlemen…we are in for one hell of a battle…no pun intended.” I smiled as Bates shook his head.