Evil Agreement (35 page)

Soon I will walk this place in human form along side of
Lucifer. Our legions will march before us. We will have our Armageddon,
thought Moloch.

Turning around he spoke, “I have come,” in his deep and
menacing voice.

Samuel’s eyelids flickered for a moment before they
completely opened. Samuel lowered his arms, which had become weary from having
been held up for several minutes.

“Moloch, welcome, I have some news and I need your advice.”

“Go on.”

“I spoke with Powell tonight. He has agreed to meet me
tomorrow. I don’t think we should wait any longer. I will try to persuade him
to join the coven, but if he should refuse, I believe we should be prepared to
force his cooperation. I suggest we hold the ceremony tomorrow night, with or
without his willing cooperation.”

“I understand and I agree.”

“On another matter, I must report that my sister Kelley
escaped tonight. Two of our men were ambushed and shot to death.”

“I know, I greeted their souls just moments ago. It seems two
women set a trap for them.”

“Two women?”

“Yes. An old woman and a younger one who did the shooting.
You know who these women are don’t you, Samuel?”

“I think I do.”

“Good. You must also know where your sister is now.”

“I think so.”

Leaning into Samuel, so their faces were a mere couple of
inches apart, Moloch furrowed his eyebrows and said, “Then make sure your
sister is present at the ceremony along with these two women. Do what you have
to do Samuel, you don’t want to disappoint the Prince of Darkness, not when you
are this close.”

Samuel could see the twisted misshapen teeth and smell
Moloch’s breath. It reeked with an odor that reminded Samuel of rotting leaves.

“I understand,” said Samuel. “But what about the traitors in
the coven?”

“They will show their hand. Of that you can be sure. Only
then, will you settle with them.”

“But, I need to know who they are?”

“When you need to know, you will know.”

“Moloch, I haven’t asked this before, but I was wondering...”

Stepping back from Samuel, Moloch stood up straight saying,
“Speak no more. Lucifer will show you his eternal gratitude for what you have
done. As you know, many have tried before and many have failed. I can not say
any more.”

Moloch suddenly was surrounded by a swirl of pulsating light.
He stood still and closed his eyes. The swirling lights spun faster and faster.
Moloch’s form began to appear as if it had turned into a sort of liquid state.
It lost its human shape, and began to shrink down into a small dark mass.
Suddenly, there was a flash of light as the shape, and swirling lights disappeared.
Lingering about in the room was a strong odor of burnt sulfur. The temperature
in the room had to be nearly a hundred degrees. Samuel was drenched in sweat.
The temperature in his bedroom began to slowly drop.

He felt a slight breeze. He turned, and noticed his window
had been blown away.

***

Korie
was lathering up her body as
she stood underneath the warm spray of water coming out of the showerhead. She
applied a generous amount of soap. She rinsed herself off. Next she poured some
shampoo out of the bottle into her left hand. She placed the shampoo bottle on
the shower shelf and applied the shampoo to her hair.

She heard a “click” sound. It startled her. She was still
jumpy from all that had happened earlier.

“Aaron, is that you?”

There was no answer.

She pulled back the shower curtain and looked around the
bathroom. The air in the room was already fogging up from her shower. There was
no sign of Aaron. She quickly surveyed the room and didn’t notice anything out
of place.

Korie
returned to washing her hair.

Suddenly, she felt as if someone was watching her. The
feeling was very strong. She slowly turned to look at the shower curtain. She
was looking to see if there was a shadow of someone in the room. She saw
nothing. She decided to pull the shower curtain partially back, in a sudden
move, to surprise whoever had come into the bathroom.

She snapped the curtain partially back.

No one was there.

“Damn,” she said.

She looked over at the pistol she had left on the toilet tank
shelf. She could reach it, but she would have to leave the shower to do so. In
the back of her mind she had an odd feeling about the gun. She couldn’t quite
settle on the reason. She looked at the gun again, and then she noticed that it
was not lying in the same position she had placed it. She had put it down, with
the handle lying away from the shower. Now it was sitting there, with its
handle pointing towards the shower. Someone had moved it. She was sure of it.

She surveyed the room again.

Where could someone hide?
she thought.

She considered calling out to Aaron but decided against it.
She didn’t want him thinking she was loosing it. Not after coming this close to
settling this long standing Powell family fight, against these minions of the
devil.

She finally decided it must be her mind playing tricks on
her. After all, she had been through a great deal too, and she was very tired.
She and Aaron would exchange stories tomorrow morning about their individual
adventures. Tonight everyone needed to just get whatever sleep they could.

***

Miss Beacon applied a cold compress to Kelley’s forehead. She
was still running a slight temperature, perhaps as a reaction to the spider
bites. Nevertheless, Kelley was responding well. After her shower, she had
briefly laid down on the couch in the living room. She just sat up, sipping
some lemonade that Miss Beacon had brought her.

“Would you like something to eat, dear?”

“Sure, that would be fine.”

“Good, then come with me,” said Miss Beacon.

The two women headed into the kitchen. Kelley sat down at the
table. Miss Beacon took a large bowl out of the refrigerator and began to scoop
out fresh cut fruit into a bowl. Then she put the large bowl back in the
refrigerator and removed a can of whipped cream. She shook the can and applied
a generous amount on top of the fruit.

Miss Beacon put the bowl down on the table in front of
Kelley. From a large mug on the table she removed a teaspoon and handed it to
Kelley.

Kelley began to sample the delicious cream covered fruit.

“Do you have any idea what is about to happen here in
Sutton?” asked Miss Beacon.

“I think I do. That’s why I was trying to run away.”

“I see.”

“I thought about that again tonight as we walked through the
woods. I guess there really isn’t any safe place to run away to if Samuel wins,
right?”

“That’s right.”

“Why my bother?”

“He was chosen.”

“By who?”

“The devil himself.”

“Then this isn’t really his fault.”

“I’m afraid he’s responsible for his share. He still has a
free will.”

“But he’s changed,” said Kelley as a tear ran down her cheek.

“I know dear, I know.”

They both heard a stumbling like sound coming from the floor
above them.

It caused just a momentary distraction.

“Kelley, tomorrow, the young man you saw in this kitchen
earlier will be faced with the challenge of stopping your brother. His
girlfriend,
Korie
who helped both of us tonight, and
I, will be by his side. We will join him in this battle. And make no mistake
about it Kelley, it will be a life and death battle. It is one that we must
win, or Lucifer, the most evil one, will have his way and the entire human race
will face Armageddon.”

***

Korie
was finishing up with her
shower when she spotted a spider climbing up the shower wall. She killed it
with a slap of her right hand. She watched it fall into the swirling shower
water at her feet and disappear down the drain. Her gazed fixed upon the shower
drain and then she noticed three spiders just like the last one scamper out of
the drain.

How is that possible?
she thought.

She tried stepping on them but they were too quick. Then, she
noticed dozens of spiders pouring up from out of the drain. She stumbled out of
the shower, tearing the shower curtain from its hanger, as she fell onto the
tiled floor. The shower was still on. The entire shower wall was now crawling
with spiders. She stood up and reached for her towel, which she quickly wrapped
around her.

She began to back away from the tub, her wet feet slipping
under her as she tried to steady herself. She spotted the pistol and grabbed it
out of instinct. Suddenly, she felt something crawling up her left leg. She
looked down and was horrified to see several spiders making their way up her
leg. There were dozens more crawling out of the shower, which were now also
heading in her direction. She frantically slapped away at these determined
insects.

She despised spiders. She loathed spiders. She was completely
terrorized by spiders.

She felt something moving in her hair. She swatted at her
hair and then noticed a spider clinging to the back of her hand.
Korie
clutched her towel. She wanted to scream.

She looked up and froze. Looking into the steamed haze of the
bathroom mirror she could see someone standing directly behind her. It was a
man. And then again it wasn’t human. The eyes were glowing, a deep yellow-red.
It was as if the eyes were embers from a campfire. The reflected image smiled
at her. It was a look of lust and evil all rolled into one.

Korie
remembered she still had one
bullet left in her gun. She was prepared to use it. She turned around and fired
at point blank range. The sound of the gun going off was deafening in the
closed confines of the bathroom.
Korie
, more out of
panic than anything else, pulled the trigger a total of three times, in rapid
succession. To her great surprise, the gun fired each time. To her greater
surprise there was no one behind her. She spun around and looked for the
spiders. They were gone. The shower curtain was still on the floor where it
fell when she tumbled out of the shower. Otherwise everything looked normal.

She suddenly felt weak. She let the gun fall from her hand.
It landed on the tile floor with a loud “
thunking
”
sound. She let her towel fall next. Her mind, once filled with the terror of
the spiders, then the mysterious stranger, was now totally blank.

***

Aaron had entered deep sleep. He was drifting off in a dream
about a time when he was a small boy and his mother, who he believed then to be
his aunt, had taken him to a long sandy ocean beach somewhere in Maine. He was
standing in the shallows where the waves washed up on the beach. The water was
cold. His teeth were chattering. He turned to look back at the beach. He saw
his aunt frantically waving to him and shouting something that he couldn’t
quite hear.

Bang, bang, bang.

The thunderous sounds exploded in his dream. In a reflex
action Aaron bolted awake, rolled off the bed and fell to the floor.

***

Kelley jumped out of her seat. Miss Beacon did the same.

“What was that?” demanded Kelley.

“It was gun shots! They came from upstairs.”

Without waiting for more conversation, Miss Beacon turned
around and scampered towards the stairs. Kelley was right on her heels. The two
of them reached Aaron and
Korie’s
room. They looked
in and saw Aaron lying on the floor against the foot of the bed. He gestured
towards the adjacent bathroom.

Miss Beacon nodded.

“
Korie
, it’s me,” said Miss Beacon.
“Are you all right?”

There was no answer.

Miss Beacon gestured to Aaron to call her.

“
Korie
, please answer us. Are you
okay?”

Still there was no answer. Everyone could hear the shower
running. Nevertheless there was no other sound coming from the bathroom.

Miss Beacon slowly and carefully looked around the door jam
towards the bathroom. The door was closed, and there were three holes in the
upper middle of the door. Streaks of lights shone into the bedroom from these
holes.

Miss Beacon stood up and walked to the bathroom door and
slowly tried to open the door. It was locked from inside.

“
Korie
dear, please unlock the door
for me?”

Silence.

Miss Beacon stood up on the tips of her toes, and removed a
key from the top of the door. She put it into the lock and opened the door.

As the door swung open, she found herself looking straight
ahead at
Korie
, who was standing before her totally
naked. Her towel had fallen away after the gun shots.
Korie
had a blank expression on her face. She looked lost.

Miss Beacon picked up the towel, and wrapped it around her.
She picked up the gun and led
Korie
out of the
bathroom.

“Kelley, please be a dear and turn the shower off for me.”

Kelley moved past her into the bathroom.

“Here, hold this for me,” said Miss Beacon as she handed the
pistol to Aaron.

He took it by the handle. He turned it around and rotating
the cylinder he noticed that the six shot cylinder appeared full.

29

The bodies of the
Fecteau
brothers
were removed from the church just as Samuel had directed. Ed Townsend remained
at the church after the bodies had been removed. He was now doing some
investigating on his own. He was looking for the bullets that had passed
through the
Fecteau
brother’s bodies during the
shootout. He had no trouble locating the bullets or their fragments, which came
from the
Fecteau
brother’s own guns.

He spent the better part of an hour looking. He found nothing.
It puzzled him. Finally he left the church after turning out the lights and
locking up.

As he walked over to his car, he noticed the early morning
sun was beginning to light up the sky to the east. The sky radiated a soft
pink. There were only the faintest traces of clouds. Birds were already awake
and chirping. There was also a cool dry breeze blowing in from the northwest.

He climbed into his car. He started it up, rolled down the
front windows, and then turned around and drove out of the driveway. He didn’t
feel like getting any sleep. He decided that what he needed was some coffee. He
headed into town.

***

Aaron,
Korie
, Kelley and Miss
Beacon had stayed up all night. Nobody wanted to go to sleep. They had decided
to share information. Aaron and
Korie
told their
story and then Kelley told hers. Miss Beacon, with a nod to Aaron and
Korie
, withheld the important detail of who she was.
Nevertheless, she was able to add much to the unfolding story, by relating
things she had learned about the coven during her time in Sutton.

“I am frightened,” said Kelley. “I told you what they did to
my friend. Their power is awesome. How can we stop them?”

“We can’t, remember I told you, only Aaron can,” said Miss
Beacon.

Kelley looked at Aaron and said, “Do you think you can?”

“I don’t know. All I do know is that I’m going to try.”

“Can’t your mother and your ancestors, you know those ghosts
or whatever help? They must be able to do something,” said Kelley.

“I don’t think so. I guess this struggle with Lucifer over
his plans for Armageddon has always been between him and just one human being.”

“It’s not fair. He’s got the coven, he’s got Moloch and he’s
got all his other devils. What have you got?” Kelley said with exasperation in
her voice.

“Now, now, Kelley. Aaron’s got more than you might think. You
must have faith,” said Miss Beacon.

Korie
sat quietly throughout this
exchange. She sipped at her coffee. Her eyes looked away, towards the kitchen
counter at the gun Miss Beacon had given her. She pushed herself away from the
table, and went to the counter, and poured what was left of her coffee into the
sink. She poured herself a fresh cup of coffee. While she was doing this she
looked again at the gun. It seemed to be fully loaded. At least she could see five
bullets in the cylinder.

She turned around and rejoined the others.

Early morning sunlight was beginning to fill the sky. Outside
birds were chirping. A slight breeze blew into the kitchen through the open
windows. The morning air felt cool and dry. The lace curtains swayed in the
breeze.

“We should have something to eat. Would you like some waffles
or eggs and bacon?” asked Miss Beacon.

Everyone opted for waffles.

Miss Beacon went over to the kitchen counter, and began to
busy herself making waffles.

A cicada bug buzzed somewhere off in the distance.

“Aaron, can I ask you something?” asked Kelley.

“Sure!”

“Do you know what you’re going to do, you know, do you have a
plan?”

“Not yet.”

Kelley looked down at the table for a moment then she looked
up at Aaron. Her eyes were all watery as if she was about to cry.

“I want to help. I want to be there with you,” she said.

“But it will be very dangerous,” answered Aaron.

“I know, but I just can’t run away from this, not now.”

“I understand,” said Aaron.

Korie
spoke up for the first time
in awhile “What do you think Miss Beacon?”

Miss Beacon turned towards them while still mixing the waffle
batter in a large blue bowl “I think God will be pleased. It is certainly her
choice to make. Choosing to fight evil is the righteous thing to do.”

“So how do we do this? You must have some ideas. Don’t you
have some knowledge of how the others defeated Lucifer in the past? Can’t you
share some of that information with us?” asked
Korie
.

“Each time was unique.”

“I can’t buy that.”

“
Korie
ease up a little. We both
know Miss Beacon can’t help me in this. Her role, if any, must be limited and
that’s just the way it is. Now look, I promised Samuel I would meet him today.
Any suggestions people?” said Aaron.

“Only one,” said Miss Beacon. I recommend you meet him at the
ceremony and not before. The less chance he has to size you up the better.”

“I agree,” said
Korie
.

“Me, too,” said Kelley.

“Then it’s settled. I’ll call him and tell him I’ll meet him
at the ceremony and not before.”

“But he’s going to want to know if you’re going to join the
coven and help bring Moloch to human form. What are you going to tell him?”
said Kelley.

“She’s right,” said
Korie
.

“I don’t know,” said Aaron.

“Come on, Aaron. Think, think! Of course you’re going to tell
him you will join the coven,” said Miss Beacon. “To defeat him you’re going to
have to get close to him. You can’t do that unless he believes that you’re with
him.”

“You’re right,” said Aaron.

***

Judge Fairchild had just picked up the Reverend. The two were
heading out for breakfast, before the meeting of the coven Samuel had called
for later in the morning.

The Judge pulled his car to a stop in the parking lot next to
the Green Mountain Diner. The restaurant was a throw back to the diners once
popular across the country. This diner had been in business since the Great
Depression. Its chrome trim counter top and chrome tube chairs had been
polished thousands of times over the years. It served the best breakfast in the
area. The lunch and dinner cuisine was basic, generous, and reliably excellent.
Everything was made from scratch. The owner and head cook, Nick
Karagiotas
, would tolerate nothing less.

The two men entered the diner and moved to a booth at the far
end. Sitting at the counter across from the booth was Ed Townsend. He was
reading a newspaper. The waitress refilled his cup of coffee.

“Thanks, Angela,” said Ed.

“Morning, Ed!” said the Judge. The Reverend said the same.

“Morning, Judge, Reverend,”

“So, what’s in the news?” asked the Judge.

“Not much, Judge, not much.”

“Why don’t you join us?” said the Judge.

“Thanks,” said Ed as he put the newspaper down and moved his
coffee cup and saucer to their table. He slid in next to the Reverend.

“Today is our day,” said the Reverend.

“Indeed it is,” said the Judge.

“Obviously, you guys haven’t heard the latest,” said Ed.

“What do mean?” asked the Reverend.

“As I told you last night, the
Fecteau
brothers are both dead. Shot last night over at the church.”

“Yes, we know, but you reported all this to Samuel. What did
he say, what did he do?” said the Reverend.

“It’s simple. Our ‘know it all’ leader continues to screw up.
First, he sends a couple of fuck-ups to guard his sister. Did he warn them to
be alert for intruders? No, of course not. Has he made a move on this Powell
character, you know, pick him up, and see what’s ticking? No way! Samuel keeps
saying everything is under control. It’s not, thanks to this boneheaded,
stubborn asshole. This whole thing just pisses me off. The little wise ass is
going to screw it up for all of us. Mark my words gentlemen, he’s totally
incompetent.”

The look on his face spoke to his seriousness.

“Well, Ed, it seems you have laid out a strong case that
Samuel must be removed, wouldn’t you agree, Reverend?” said the Judge.

“Why, yes, of course. Ed is a man of great loyalty to our
cause. He’s proven it beyond reproach. I think he’s made an excellent point,”
said the Reverend in a hushed tone as his eyes darted back and forth.

“Would you gentlemen care to order?” asked the waitress. She
had just arrived at their table and stood ready with a small note pad and
pencil in hand.

“Reverend, why don’t you order first,” said the Judge.

“Thanks. Well, let’s see, I’ll have a large cup of coffee,
and a small glass of orange juice, two eggs scrambled, wheat toast and hash
browns.

“And you, Judge?”

“I’ll have a small cup of coffee and a three egg vegetarian
omelet. Ed, will you have breakfast with us? It’ll be my treat.”

“No thanks, Judge. I’m not in the mood for food right now.”

The waitress left to take care of their orders. In a moment
she returned with the two coffees and the orange juice.

“Have you formed any ideas about how one goes about removing
Samuel?” asked the Judge.

“No, not really.”

“Well perhaps we can be of some assistance in that matter.”

“Go on.”

“Well, first of all, I don’t think any other members of our
coven could be relied upon to join in, or support a coup. On the other hand, I
likewise don’t expect they would interfere either.”

“Okay, then if that’s so, it should make it easier.”

“Perhaps. But Ed, timing is going to be very important in
this affair.”

“Timing and the element of surprise.”

“Yes.”

“How about at the coven meeting this morning?” asked the
Reverend.

“Too soon,” answered Ed. “We need more time to plan this. I
think we should look to taking him out just before or during the calling
ceremony. His entire focus will be on the ceremony.”

“I agree with Ed,” said the Judge.

“How about we get together after the coven meeting this
morning and think this through?” asked Ed.

“Sounds good to me. Let’s meet then,” said the Judge.

“Wait,” said the Reverend. What about the saboteurs that
killed the
Fecteau
brothers and now have Kelley?”

“Yeah, you’re right,” said Ed.

“I am sure that when the coven meets this morning, we will
decide what to do about those matters. If there is to be an assignment to
either of us to address this, then we shall postpone our business meeting until
after. I feel confident we shall have enough time to set our plans in order,”
said the Judge.

“I agree. Look, I’ve got to get going. I need a shower and
shave. I’ll see you over at the meeting,” said Ed as he slipped out of this
seat.

Just as he left their waitress arrived with their breakfast
orders.

They both enjoyed their breakfast.

***

Kelley decided she was tired and needed to take a mid-morning
nap. She went up to Miss Beacon’s room to lie down. Aaron decided he needed to
shower and shave. He left the kitchen, and headed up to the bathroom.

Korie
and Miss Beacon were now
alone in the kitchen. Miss Beacon started to wash the breakfast dishes, and
Korie
picked up a dishtowel and began to dry.

“Can I ask you a question?” asked
Korie
.

“Now dear, with everything we’ve been through you should know
you can ask me anything you like.”

“The pistol you gave me to use last night.”

“Yes.”

“You said that it once belonged to Aaron’s mother.”

“Did I say that?”

“Yes, you did.”

“Yes, it did belong to her.”

“How did you get it?”

“She gave it to me.”

“Why?”

“Why is this so important to you?”

“Just answer my question, why did she give it to you?”

“She knew I was Aaron’s guardian angel. I was known at that
time as old Mr. George
Garrity
, Aaron’s neighbor.
Aaron used to mow my lawn for me, do small chores and sometimes run to the
store for me.”

“So, how did she spot you as Aaron’s guardian angel?”

“Because her own guardian angel told her about me, in fact,
she introduced us to each other.”

“She?”

“Yes, her guardian angel back then was a pretty young thing.
She was an aerobics instructor at the gym where Aaron’s mother was a member.
Aaron’s mom was a big believer in fitness. Worked out almost every day. Her
guardian angel’s name was Bethany Hunter.”

“So why did she give you the gun?”

“She had a premonition about Aaron. She said she believed
Aaron was going to receive help from the woman he loved and without that help
he might not succeed. She said she had been given this gun by her own mother
and she somehow knew it had to be given to the woman that Aaron loved.

“That’s it?”

“I believe so. What is it dear?” said Miss Beacon as she
started to drain the water from the sink.

“Last night, at the church, I shot the gun five times. I’m
certain of that. Later when I was in the bathroom, I shot the gun three times,
yet, I hadn’t reloaded it. I am sure of that. Now the gun is fully loaded. Look
for yourself. Now how could that be?

“And your point is?” asked Miss Beacon unsure of what
Korie
was getting to.

“Look,” said
Korie
as she picked up
the gun. “I told you its fully loaded. It only holds six bullets. How did it
get reloaded? Did you do that?”

“No, I didn’t.’

“Then explain to me how it keeps reloading?”