Time slows to a crawl when you are about to die. It did the last time someone held the palm of their hand towards me. You take in minute details you would otherwise never notice. She had long locks of ash colored hair that stretched into curved fingers over her forehead. A few locks covering her eyes in places. Eyes that now glowed a deep purple. If not for the cruelty that radiated from those eyes, she would seem grandmotherly and regal. The palm of her hand was slender with impossible long fingers. Each finger held a ring. A heat shimmer formed around them warping the tips of her perfectly curved nails. Impact was imminent.
I braced for it. My arms formed into a protective X covering my face. My symbol screamed in pain. I could feel steam and blood escaping the wound. “No!” Was the only word that I managed to say before I felt my back crack against something brittle and sharp. The faucet of the bathroom sink dug into the small of my back. The bathroom door hung off one hinge, with a diagonal crack marking the point when my body slammed through it. My forearms were burnt, the skin sizzling and crisp. I hurt in so many places, that I was not sure if I felt the pain in my arms yet. Part of my shirt was on fire, the smell of mine and Andy’s blood permeating.
I could barely keep my eyes open as the old lady stared at me blankly. She started to walk towards me slowly. Jeanine was frozen in place, an inhuman shriek of absolute terror rang from her so loudly that her entire body was shaking. The old lady, without slowing her pace, walked past Jeanine and with her index finger made a slashing motion into the air in front of her. Jeanine’s screams instantly stopped as I could blood spray violently against the window as her body dropped straight down without further noise.
She approached the sink I was now firmly planted in. I tried to move, glass dug further into my back. I moaned in pain. I once again tried to look a monster into their eyes. When our eyes met, the terror became too much and I closed them. I had to call Jesus’s name again! “Jesus!” I sobbed. Save me, Jesus! I opened my eyes. I had half expected her to react in pain or back up. She did neither. She smiled. I felt something cold and blunt force itself through my mind, causing me to freeze. I could not even call on Jesus’s name again. I couldn’t even think. I was frozen. She cocked her head to the side. “I’ve always like Philippians 4:7 for protection against evil, she said cheerfully. Hand me the little bible in your right pocket.”
I was still frozen in place. My arms locked in an uncomfortable angle. She nodded, and my body was released. Still the pain in my arms made them quite useless. She sighed and reached into my pocket. She took out the small New Testament bible I had taken from my parent’s cabin. She thumbed through the gold painted tabs of paper. I held my breath as if I expected her to catch on fire. She kissed the small bible before tossing it over her shoulder. “I go to Korean United Presbyterian Church every Sunday with my grandchildren.” She smiled again.
I was in shock. My body convulsing uncontrollable. She reached towards me and put a lone finger into the collar of my shirt. She pulled and I lifted off the broken mirror, my shirt ripped completely off and she let me slam painfully back into the sink. The tattered and blood soaked shirt was tossed into the bathtub. Her small almond shaped eyes grew large, still illuminated by violet pools of power. “Now this is interesting!” She laughed. She reached down and grabbed my wrist, pulling me up so quick that I heard something in my back snap and I howled. I dropped to my hand and knees as she walked back into the main room of the cabin. I was hyper ventilating, I didn’t know if it was my symbol or my heart, but the pain was so great that its origin was indeterminable.
She looked around the cabin, stepping over Andy and Jeanine’s body nonchantlely. I couldn’t stand so I managed to sit up. Every movement making my burnt forearm ooze blood and puss from the charred flesh. She began to pull pictures from the wall and lay it neatly on the small dining table. She began to hum as she worked. It was actually quite lovely. I followed her every move. She ignored me, as she dug through their backpacks. She stopped humming and turned towards me. “Get up, lazy child. Start making a pile of all their crap.” I was dumbfounded. Again. I tried to stand. My leg became too shaky and I fell back down landing on my forearms and palm of my hands. I screamed. She gave me a look of complete annoyance.
I suddenly had her eyes staring into mines. She had lifted me up by my chin, my feet barely touching the floor. She had done this in such a fast and fluid motion that I couldn’t even perceive it! I could actually feet heat coming off her purple lit eyes. I was mesmerized. Her eyes where violet molten lava, slowly rotating around her iris. She spoked the familiar gibberish and my symbol started to disperse heat. I gritted my teeth in pain. She let me and I sank to my knees. Blood misted steam was shooting from my symbol. I looked at my forearms, the pain was replaced by an intense itching. The black flesh turned pink. The open wounds slowly closed. I felt something pop in my back. Well, actual what I felt was something popping back in.
I stood up and turned towards the memory. I twisted my body so I could see my back. Small filaments of broken mirror was shooting out of my back as the cuts closed themselves up. Even my bruised and swollen face returned to its normal shape. I rubbed my forearms, soot, dead skin, and dried blood collected into the sink. Only my symbol slowly bled. The pain was now manageable. “Hey! Hurry up and do what I told you.” Her voice returning me to reality. I immediately started pulling all the pictures of the wall. I looked shyly over towards the bodies of Andy and Jeanine. I was trying my best to hold my sobs in. They were massacred for only trying to help me.
The old lady was holding Andy’s laptop. She placed it on the stacks of paper and pictures. I was a little impressed at this old lady’s ability to open up files and dig into the directory of Andy’s laptop with the speed of an I.T. professional. “Good.” She said with satisfaction. She tossed a few more items on the laptop. One of them was a red plastic wallet with a popular cartoon character on the billfold. Andy’s student I.D. card was visible. I look towards him sadly.
The old lady took a deep breath. Her lips moved silently as she traced something into the palm of her hand with two fingers of her opposite one. She then slapped the palm of her hand the sound making me jump. I smelled sulfur as the small table ignited into a white flame. The hot was so intense I backed up into the bathroom. The table warped and disintegrated. The flames died down leaving a large hill of ash. It took barely ten seconds for the computer, files, and table to be reduced to nothing.. I noticed something sticking out the pile of ash. It was the small bible she tossed. It must have landed on the table. And yet, it was intact. The fire seemed to have no effect on it. I dared not try to pick it up. I simply wondered what was going to happen next.
“You want to know what’s next?” She had her back to me, I was not surprised in the least that my thoughts were known to her. “I’m not going to kill you. For now.” She faced me and looked in my eyes. I tried to hold her gaze but could not. She continued. “I won’t lie to you, my Djinn wants to kill you so bad that my body is shaking.” She looked at my symbol. “Someone else has claimed you. Someone far more powerful than me.” “M-M-Moloch.” I stuttered. “The Leviathan.” She corrected me. My symbol seemed to burn in agreement. “Where are my parent?” I asked meekly. She shrugged. “How should I know? The other night was the first time I met them. Your mother is quite the moody bitch, I must say.”
She pointed at me. “I advise you to find a shirt to put on. This entire cabin is about to go up in flames.” I ran to Andy’s backpack. I dug around the dirty clothes until I grabbed one that seemed the cleanest. I put it on quickly. I would not defy this woman. “Grab the boy and drag him here.” I looked at her with confusion until I realized she meant Andy’s body. I ran over and grabbed his legs. He was much lighter than Makere had been. Still my stomach knotted up at the grisly sound of his half melted face, separating while I dragged him. He was now lying face down on the pile of ash. She would do what I did to Makere’s body. As sad and sickened as I was, I still wanted to watch her and learn the technique.
I looked at sweet Jeanine’s body. She was sitting up, her body propped up against the wall. She had a look of complete horror on her face. A deep cut over her throat that no longer bled. I couldn’t control my sobs this time. She was so little. Footsteps approached me. “Boy, when I last saw you, you had a smoking hole in your chest. How is it that you’re here?” I couldn’t take my eyes off of Jeanine. “I was recalled.” I answered. She roughly turned me around. “What? How do you know what that is? Who recalled you?” She angrily shook me. “Who?” “Makere! I gasped out. She stopped shaking me. “That fool! We were out there a few hours. You never recall someone who has been dead more than a few minutes!”
My eyes lit up. “Can you recall someone?” I asked hopefully. “I told you boy, only if a person has been gone for a few minutes. It is too late for your brother.” “No, I said. I mean can you recall her?” We both looked at Jeanine. “And why should I recall that screaming harpy?” I blinked. I didn’t have anything I can offer. “You truly do not!” She responded. She walked around Jeanine’s body. She than looked at me and smiled. “Boy, swear your soul to me. On your knees.” I paused. My soul. A few days ago I would have signed my soul away for a sandwich. It didn’t have meaning or value to me. Now I knew there was something after death. It had become my most valuable commodity. “No.” I shook my head as tears streamed down. She chuckled. “Smart boy. Fine, get on your knees and pledge your life to me then.”
I sank to my knees. She can take my life anytime at her leisure. To bring Jeanine back, I would gladly give it to her. “I pledge my life.” I said slowly. She nodded and closed her eyes. Her lips where moving again. She placed her hands on the side of Jeanine’s head. The movement made her wound smile wider and dark blood oozed out. She continued mumbling. I backed against the door as I did not know what happens when the dead is recalled. She suddenly shouted a word I could not understand and returned to mumbling. It made me almost jump out of my shoes. She repeated this word over the next ten minutes. Each time she did, Jeanine’s feet would kick as if electricity was running through her. She released her head and clapped her hands in front of Jeanine’s face. I held my breath.
Jeanine did not stir. I waited in anticipation. The old lady walked away, she went into the bathroom. I followed her. She stopped and looked over her shoulder. “You intend to assist me while I piss, boy?” “But, it didn’t work.” I protested. “I did the motions, not every person can be recalled. She most likely has found peace. Take comfort in that.” She closed the bathroom door. I walked back and sat on the small couch. I was so disappointed. Of course, I thought. No one has absolute control over death. Even these Nephilim were not immune to death. The toilet flushed and I rose as she washed her hands. I was consumed in dread with what the future held. This lady was what now? My master? I was nothing more than a pet.
“Time to go.” She announced. She whispered into the palm of her hand and spit. I watched fascinated. She smeared her hand on three of the cabins walls. She picked up one of Andy’s dirty shirts and wiped her hand. She then held her hand high in the air. “Qamu!” She screamed. The three walls she touched instantly combusted. I ran out of the cabin as fire already engulfed the bathroom and kitchen area. She walked out of the inferno calmly. “Follow me boy.” She walked down the dirt path that lead to the highway. I followed her. I turned back and looked at the small cabin that was fully engulfed in flames. Something tugged at my mind. Jeanine! I ran back to the cabin. The old lady stopped and frowned at me. The door handle was already too hot to touch so I kicked the door in. It swung in and smoke punched me in the face. I coughed and closed my eyes.
I look around as I heard more coughing. I blindly ran towards the source of the sound. I felt her small wrist. I pulled her up. We both ran out of the cabin. I was spitting up soot and coughing uncontrollable. She instantly fell to her knees, vomiting. “Jeanine!” I cried out. I hugged her, she embraced me back, still spitting and coughing. “Well, well, it worked after all.” The old lady walked slowly towards us, her hands clasped behind her. Jeanine slowly looked up. She focused on the old lady’s face. She then started screaming at the top of her smoke filled lungs. I placed my hands over my ears as I was right next to her. The old lady’s face grimaced. “I can’t take it, back into the deep you go!” She held the palm of her hand out towards Jeanine’s face.
“No!” I screamed. I grabbed Jeanine and buried her face into my chest. I shushed her, “Jeanine, you have to calm down.” “Andy! She sobbed. She killed Andy!” I held her while her cries subsided and she wept hot tears onto my symbol. She kept repeating Andy’s name, each time her voice grew fainter. She looked up, her swollen eyes open wide in a realization. “She killed me.” She said flatly as she ran her thumb over the deep laceration on her neck. The old lady sighed as she checked an elegant pearl colored watch. “Let’s go, got places I need to be.” She was already walking towards the highway when I stood Jeanine up. She slowly followed me. Her hand locked tightly into mines.
As we came to the highway, the sky was already pitch black. The orange glow of the cabin lighted the trees. It was rather beautiful. The old lady held keys in her hand. She must have pressed a button on the key as headlights flashed across the street. Jeanine was looking around quickly. I knew she was planning on making a run for it. “No.” I whispered to her. I had to keep her alive. I led her to the car. She hesitated when I opened the door. I resisted my normal urge of always jumping in the front seat, before one of my siblings would. I slide into the back and pulled Jeanine in. The old lady pushed a button on the side of the steering wheel and the car silently came to life. It was a quite expensive model judging by the in dash computer and leather upholstery. We silently watched her from the back as she applied makeup to her face using the mirror on the sun visor.
When she was satisfied, she pulled off and headed towards the city. Jeanine sat silently. Her body was shivering, her hand remained locked into mines. The old lady’s eyes remained focused on the road. I desperately wanted to ask where we were going. But fear kept me in check, it was an hour into the ride when Jeanine shocked me by speaking up. “Why did you kill him? Why did you kill us?” The old lady eyes which I now noticed had returned to a human like dark brown appraised us amusingly. “It seemed you and your…Andy saw something you were not supposed to see. Normally nothing would have been done. But you took a video. Had you put it somewhere where it couldn’t have been easily removed, we would not have acted.”
Jeanine processed this. “By ‘we’ you mean aliens?” The old lady smiled. “Sure.” Jeanine stiffened. It was several minutes before I pipped in. “They’re not aliens. They’re demons. Well, I think.” She turned to me. “Demons?” “But we saw a UFO.” “Did you, now? The old lady half asked. I squeezed Jeanine’s hand tighter. “Did you go somewhere when you…when you died? I asked. She looked out of the window. She shook her head. “The last thing I remembered was she shot Andy in the face, and stabbed me in the neck. I tried to stop my blood from coming out but it was too much.” She frowned and looked at the floor. “But, she didn’t have any weapons in her hand. I was dead. I am sure of it.” She faced me. “How is it I am still alive?” She demanded. “She brought you back to life. She recalled you. The same thing happen to me by the man I told you about.”
“The man you killed?” “Yes.” I nodded. The car came to an abrupt stop, the tires screeching against the road. We both hit our heads on the back of the front seats. “You what!” The old lady screamed. She jumped out of the car, the on board computer started to beep. My door flew open and I was sailing through the air. I hit the grass and rolled to a painful stop. She was upon me. She had mounted me and pinned me to the ground without staining. I could feel the heat of her soft crotch on mines as I tried to wiggle free. “You killed Makere!” “I’m sorry!” I screamed back. She huffed. She looked up towards the sky and gave a small laugh. “Unbelievable, that fool.” She let me stand. I waited, scared to even breath too hard. She was staring at me as if seeing me for the first time.
“As foolish as he was, he was very powerful, and yet a mere boy felled him. I can’t believe it.” She shook her head. She walked back to the car which still beeped. I climbed into the backseat. I was surprised that Jeanine had not took off already. The speed she saw the old lady move plus the ease in which she tossed me into the air must have convinced her that escape was futile. I shook grass and loose pebbles from my hair. We continued to drive in awkward silence. Every few minutes she would look into the rearview mirror and lock eyes into mines. “On the surface there is nothing remarkable about you, boy. Even inside your head. Yet…” She frowned as she paused. You managed to block my shimmer. I know you had no idea how you did it. But, impressive none the less.” Jeanine looked at me with a worried expression on her face.
“Shimmer? Is that what came out of your palm? My sister did the same when she killed me.” Jeanine eyes grew wide. “Yes, boy. It is one of the most basic palm arts, you yourself did it as well when you blocked my Shimmer. Yours was just way too weak to effectively counter mines.” I digested this. I knew she could read my mind if she pleased but I said the words anyway. “Can you teach me how to do palm arts?” I almost added a master in there for good measure. She laughed at this. Jeanine looked at my face and said no with her eyes. “You would like that, wouldn’t you boy. The power. It is magnificent. I already know, you intend to learn everything so you can kill me. Kill your parents and kill Demonica” Her eyes narrowed as she slowed the car to a complete stop. I noticed she had pulled over to the side of the road.
Her voice had changed, she sounded very solemn. Listen to me well, boy. Power doesn’t came from within. Energy cannot be created or destroyed. Not on this plane of existence. We all receive our power from a source. Good or bad, black or white.” She turned completely in her seat to face us. I was born with a gift. From God. I could feel pain, happiness, anger, hate. From people, from animals, even from inanimate objects. My father worked for the East Indian Trading Company. I would travel all over the world. He would bring me because I was useful in telling him which businessman was lying. Which route was more dangerous. His business flourished because of it and I got to see many wonders.” “East Indian Trading Company?” Jeanine said astoundly. “Just how old are you?” “Don’t interrupt!” She snapped back. She closed her eyes and continued.
“Even with my gifts, my father saw fit to squander away his fortune. He ended up selling his shares of the company. But not before selling me. He sold me on the promise that my abilities would bring success to any business. The only business my new owners cared about was prostitution.” I gasped. “Yes, boy I was already a woman well into my years before I knew what it was like to willing lay with a man. I was raped and beaten for the next ten years of my life. I was sold, and sold again. I went through so many masters, so many different languages. I eventually found myself in the village of Mosa. It doesn’t exist anymore but it was near Persia. I had ran away and hid in a cave. I knew I would be killed this time. I prayed to the Buddha, I prayed to Allah, I prayed to Jehovah. None of them answered me. But someone else did.” She placed her hand over her heart.
“His name is Iblis, he was the most famous Djinn. I gave him the only thing I had to offer. My soul. He in turn gave me what I wanted the most. Vengeance. Not against my keepers. Men will find ways to be evil. No there was only one person I wanted to kill.” “Your father”. I said. She nodded. “It took me ten years of learning. Iblis lived inside me. Sustaining himself. Enjoying all that the physical world offered. A Djinn is the god for Magicians. I would make my way performing for crowds, I could feel their intentions and Iblis would provide the spectacle. Eventually I performed for emperors, kings, and queens. I became rich and desired by men and woman alike. But the only thing I wanted was my father to scream in agony.” She smiled as she thought back.
“And scream he did. I would walk into his dreams, taunting him as I ripped him to shreds over and over again. By the time I flew into his window his hair had gone completely white by madness. He begged me to kill him. I did of course. But not before I murdered his new wife. Strangled his new children. Burnt down his beautiful castle and made him watch as all his servants were incinerated one by one. Only then did I give him sweet release.” She paused with her eyes still closed as if she was reliving the moment. She smiled and opened her eyes. “So you see, boy I was born with a great gift. However my power comes from Iblis, he is still inside me, listening to us. He wants me to kill the girl again.” Her gazed turned towards Jeanine. Jeanine drew her knees up to her chest and starting sobbing. “Relax girl. I am Iblis’s conduit but I am not his slave. I choose to let you all live.” “For now.” I stated. She nodded. She pulled off the side of the road. I tried to hold Jeanine’s hand again but she pulled away. We spent the next two hours of the drive in complete silence.
Jeanine tapped my leg. I had dozed off. Once again relieved I didn’t go to the Other Side again. We were at a black gate set into a high stone wall. The old lady pressed a button on her sun visor and the gate automatically slid to the left. She continued up a hill. A beautiful brick mansion with tall windows greeted us. She parked next to another luxury car. Jeanine and I left our seats. We both took the impressive house in. The old lady smirked. “What, did you think I lived in a witch’s hut?” She beckoned us to follow. “Oh you can stop calling me old lady. My name is Vivian. Vivian Cho.” Jeanine gave me a puzzled look. “She can read minds.” I whispered. Jeanine clicked her tongue and hit my side. I nodded realizing that info would have been greatly appreciated if told hours ago. We entered the house, which had a huge double door. The foyer was lavishly decorated with antiques and pictures I knew better to never touch.
I wasn’t surprised to see the stern faced man from the other night. Still my heart skipped a beat when he came around the corner holding a folded newspaper. “Viv. He began, kissing her cheek. That took longer than I thought. Oh you brought company, cool.” He turned away without further questions and left the foyer. “This way.” She beckoned. We followed her upstairs, as big as the house looked from the outside, the amount of space and rooms were overwhelming. She opened a door. A beautiful room with red painted walls and pictures of flowers with floral printed curtains presented itself to us. The king sized bed was on a raised platform. “Bathroom is adjoined there and I will have some clean clothes brought up. Please draw a bath and get the mountain stink off of you.” She turned to leave. “Wait, I have to share?” Jeanine asked. Vivian looked at her quizzically and smiled. “The reason you’re even alive now is because of him. He can do what he pleases with you, it’s of no concern to me.” She closed the door quietly.
I waited a few minutes before I tried the doorknob. No big surprise there, it was locked. I turned to Jeanine. “You go first, take your time.” She walked to the bathroom without a word. The door closed and I heard the soft click of the lock. Soon the sound of the tub being drawn and Jeanine moving around permeated. I fingered my symbol as I walked around the room. There was a cabinet with all manner of alcohol and glasses. I opened the twin doors at the bottom of the cabinet, a small silver refrigerator held all kinds of water and soft drinks. I grabbed a can of cola. I greedily drank the entire can with one gulp. The burn of the carbonation felt so good. I grabbed another can and sat on the bed. Jeanine had filled the tub and I heard her settle in.
I reached into my pocket. I pulled out the zip lock bag that held my notes. I looked for a pen. Inside the night stand were packs of pens and blank notepads. I excitingly grabbed them. I began writing into the notepad at once. I had so much new information to put down. I started drawing my symbol. Andy had called it a unicursal star. I definitely had to research that. Before I realized it, I had sketched a crude dark shadow with eyes. I wrote Moloch underneath it. And underneath that I wrote out; The Leviathan. I looked up and listened. The sounds of Jeanine’s sobs leaked out. I walked to the door and knocked. I instantly heard her shift around. “I’ll be out in a minute.” She called out. A knock came from behind me. The door opened and the stern faced man who I assumed was Vivian’s husband stood in the doorway. “Hey guy, got some pajamas for you and a night gown for the girl. I will have someone go out to buy you clothes in the morning.” He handed me a stack of neatly pressed and folded clothes. “Someone will come by in the morning to bring you breakfast and clean the room.”
He turned before leaving. “My name is Wayne.” He nodded towards the bathroom. “You two be good tonight.” He chuckled as he left. I placed the clothes on the bed as Jeanine poked her head out of the bathroom door. “He’s gone.” I told her. I picked up the gown which was silver and sheen. I handed it to her through the door and turned around. “There are drinks in this cabinet.” I said. Jeanine stepped out from the bathroom. One hand holding the top of the towel that was wrapped around her body, the other holding the gown. I looked at her. “You going to change right here?” She placed the gown on the bed. She started sobbing as tears left her eyes. I frowned. She sat on the bed, she laid back letting the towel open. I looked away flushed, She covered her face and cried loudly. “Jeanine!” I said. I reached over and closed the towel, feeling embarrassed as I spied a tuff of red hair over her groin. “Jeanine. I would never hurt you. In anyway.” She looked up at me. She sat up. The lady she said you would do whatever you want to me. I’m your slave. Just like she was.”
“No!” I got on my knees and hugged her legs. “I was raped. I would never, ever force anyone to go what I went though. I gave her my life to bring you back. I would die for you!” She let out a loud sob and hugged me tightly. We cried into each other’s face. She for Andy. I for my brother. After we finished and wiped our faces, we both avoided each other eyes. She went into the bathroom and put the gown on. We passed each other silently. I opted to take a shower rather than a bath. I looked at my naked body in the full length mirror which comprised of one entire wall. I was fully healed, minus my symbol which still had slow drops of blood forming. This symbol it seems would not heal. I turned the water on and stepped into the shower. I had expected the symbol to hurt as soon as it made contact with the running water. However there was no pain. As I washed my body I contemplated what I would do next.
Vivian had told me, that even though she had natural abilities should had been born with. It paled in comparison to what her Djinn gives her. All of the Nephilim seemed infinitely powerful. And I was so insignificant. My vow to destroy them seemed like a distant pipe dream. Still, I had been able to do things I thought impossible already. I could feel things from a distance if I focused on it. If I could hone this, it would become a very powerful weapon. I thought to wallet I had touched and giving me some kind of vision. That ability was one I didn’t want to experience again. However I could see how useful it could be. Finally I had somehow used the Shimmer. Once when I ignited Makere’s corpse and again when I blocked Vivian’s attack. But my mind went back to one thing. Vivian’s words. She said power comes from a source and hers was Iblis. I fingered my symbol. That means my power also comes from a source. Moloch. The Leviathan.
Submitted July 12, 2016 at 01:49AM by Xerede http://ift.tt/29KvTIA nosleep
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