Chapter 1 (Hoc esta vita)
Deadwood, South Dakota, is a National Landmark, founded in 1876, some of its first settlers, were the American Indian tribe, called the Lakota. They signed a treaty with the white man that became null, during the Gold Rush which took place in the Black Hills. The Gold rush put Deadwood on the map that was during 1874, I am no historian, I think I read this in a brochure, when I was looking for a new town to call home. I moved from the home of my birth, Keystone, to Deadwood, less than five hours ago. It is freezing today, but that will not unsettle me. I have been up and down for weeks, renting my, gift-shop, I named “Tinker-bell”. And buying my small apartment on Lake Road. I have not seen Michaelus for days now, and this does unsettle me greatly.
The first time, he appeared to me I was only three years old, we had a dreadful snow storm that night. Keystone is about three miles north of Mt Rushmore. So this particular evening, I hid under my bed, not for the first time, I could see things since I can remember, so an Angel appearing to me, was no big deal, I had seen by far worse. I saw the sandals, and a great peace flowed over me, he asked me to come out from under the bed, he would not harm me. That is how I met Michaelus. He would or could disappear, especially when he heard my Mother approach, but I could touch him. The realization that he was real, flesh and blood really dawned on me when I turned ten, then it really sunk in, that my imaginary friend was real. My sister, Rosemary-Louise is ten years younger than I am, her arrival took up my entire Mother’s time, not that I needed it, I had Michaelus, he would not tell me his real name, and so I named him.
When my parents went out, or to the store, Michaelus, was the one whom taught me how to ride a bike, how to ice-skate, he taught me how to build my first snow-man. So now you see the conundrum, I could never have romantic feelings for Michaelus, I have never even dated, to afraid, I would be called a freak. I think Rosemary’s birth was a blessing, if my parents knew about my abilities, they would have had me committed to a Mental Asylum. Thank God, ignorance is bliss.
I love my parents, they are good people, I love Rosemary, but we never bonded, I had no friends at school or at college, I chose this. The second I got close to anyone, their lives would play out in my minds-eye like a movie, and believe me; the world wears masks, so I stayed away. On my eighteenth birthday my Mother insisted on throwing me a party, the thing is, it was her party, and her friends, so I took a walk down to the park, knowing Michaelus would watch over me. That when I met him. He knew my name. I have never seen Michaelus so angry, they came to blows, and feathers literally flew, yes, they both have wings. Michaelus, hides his, he says he is not worthy of them. I wish he wouldn’t, he made a mistake, and had since tried to rectify it, we all make mistakes, but Michaelus is positive he will end up in Hell, like in Hell with fire and the Devil, for the choice he made.
After they stopped punching each other’s lights out, the man stopped and looked at me, then said the words that changed my life forever. I asked Michaelus who the man was, and again I received vague answers, he first called him, the son of Cain, then changed it to the son of Samael, throughout the years, Sam stuck. I might add, as much as I fear Sam, and what he said, he is a handsome devil, no pun intended. I have never seen a man I could compare to Sam, not even Michaelus, and he is drop dead gorgeous, he has long blond hair, he is over 7ft tall, I cannot describe his eye colour, it’s a mixture of green and blue, and no, not colours one will find on this earth, ever. So you may ask, how does Michaelus feel about me?
Well he is willing to give up, his Heavenly home, and marry me, so I can bore his son, and be free of the curse of that prophesy, I will never do that to him, defile an Angel, never, he told me, there were about nine, that came together, whom decided to come to earth. However, once he saw their true intentions, he left them, and wandered the earth, trying to find his way home. He did not couple with the females. He couldn’t, it shamed him the things the Fallen did, he showed me a short paragraph in the Bible, were it states, that the Sons of God and the daughters of men, procreated, and the Giants were born.
They were the renowned warriors of that time, and enormous, it says in the Bible, that men felt like grasshoppers in comparison. They were called the Nephilim or Nepilim. They were corrupt, and things went from bad to seriously destructive when they mate with animals, and the earthly gods were born. Half-man and half-animal, it is written in so many Legends and Lore, that it has to have some truth to it. So God destroyed the earth with the Great Flood. Michaelus once told me, about six Nephilim, survived the flood, and that their blood-line lives on. Michaelus calls the Nephilim, abominations and the Fallen, evil, including himself. He won’t answer all my questions, I don’t know if I am ready to face the truth, yet I face it daily in the mirror. What am I? And what will become of me, when Sam collects on his promise? I am hoping I have fallen under the radar, that Sam would not find me, I have just turned twenty-five, a few weeks ago, that was September, now I am two weeks into October, and busy unpacking my clothes, the furniture has been in place for a week, “Tinker-bell’ will be opened tomorrow.
I miss Michaelus, he has not been around for days, he has no super-strength, or strange powers, we can communicate via telepathy, and he has changed a flat tire. And moved my furniture into place.
When he tucks his wings away, he looks like an ordinary man, a very sexy and desirable man, however, he is my friend, and what I feel for him is platonic, as I said, maybe I need to convince myself, I will never be the reason he can’t get back to Heaven, no matter how long it takes. I did see Sam, last month, he came to reassure me, that he is a being of his word, and that he prided himself on that fact, well I got super tipsy, and then cried my heart out on Michaelus’s shoulder. That’s when he made the counter offer, which I declined. I don’t know if I made a mistake. Yes I am confused, being terrified does that to a mortal mind.
I have placed all my Angel-figurines all over the apartment, it now looks like a mini-Tinker-bell. I hung all my paintings, it makes me feel safe. I need the visual reassurance, I hung my crucifix above my bed. Unpacked the boxes in the kitchen, but the fear is making me anxious, I think I shall take a drive. I want to see the 1892, Historic Adams house, a Victorian Mansion, and take a walk through the Mount Moriah Cemetery, where Wild Bill Hickok is buried, yes not very romantic, apparently he died on August the 2nd, 1876. Well there is one way to find out before it starts to snow, and I promised to have tea with Miss Lucille Brooks, from whom I am renting my shop. She is a middle-aged, stout lady, homely, she has an easy smile, and no skeletons in her closet, not even over Halloween. I truly am fond of her. I do hope Deadwood will be my Hail Mary, that somehow, Sam does not find me, I can hope all right, it all starts with a dream.
Miss Brooks and I were on first name basis, when she dropped a bomb. “So, Abigail, was that your husband I saw, helping with the furniture? He sure is tall, and a dashing young man.’
Michaelus, how did she see him, he never went out doors, only when he knew he would not be seen, I know the population of Deadwood is approximately, 1270, residents, give or take, but this really unsettled me. “No, Lucille, we are old friends, Mike is not my husband, I believe I stated in my application, that I was single and unmarried.’ This conversation, when right off a cliff, and me with it. I excused myself, under the pretence that I had a few boxes to unpack, before opening tomorrow, and I left. I do not like being unhinged as I call it, play it straight with me, do not cut corners and do not pry. I unlocked “Tinker-bell, with her stunning red awning, a light sleet was falling.
I had no boxes to unpack, yet when I entered the store, a box stood on my counter. I opened it, and words fell to the ground, words carved from wood, I picked it up, then I read it, my Latin is not great, but for some reason I understood the words I held in my hands. “Luxuria, Gola, Avaritia, Acedia, Ira, Invidia and Superbia, the seven deadly-sins.’ I said out loud, only one person could have placed this box in my shop, Sam. Oh my dear God, in less than a few hours he has found me. I took the box home, and I burnt the words in the fireplace.
Now I am not unhinged, I have fallen from the little grip I had. I felt a hand on my shoulder, no, I did not scream, this hand I knew, I sobbed. “Why have you stayed away, where have you been, Michaelus, Sam was in my shop!’ I looked up at him, he knew. I was angry and yes unhinged. “Michaelus, why?’
“Abi, you know I watch over you, and yes he did go into your shop while you had tea with Miss nosy-pants, so she saw me? How is that even possible? The movers, did not see me, the first thing you did, was to hang the drapes”.
“I am mad at you, Michaelus, don’t leave me, not now, I can’t fight Sam on my own, and how the hell did he find me?’ Michaelus shook his head, then I knew the silent treatment would follow, so I made tea, and pasta and cheese.
He ate with me. I was still in shock, and angry. “Does Sam think it is funny to play games with humans? Has he no sensor button?’ I knew Michaelus would not answer me, these were my rhetorical questions. “Dishes are your punishment for leaving me, I am going to bath.’ I stomped out of the kitchen, switched on my bedroom light, and then I screamed. Michaelus was right behind me. “Pride, Greed, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Wrath, Sloth, he read them all, they were hanging on my bedroom wall. “Abi, go bath, I will get rid of those, go.’ I did as he said, and I cried, where is my Hail Mary, I have not even been in town for twenty-four hours, yes I cussed, the seven did not include, don’t say shit! It was snowing heavily when I entered the lounge. Michaelus was sitting on a couch.
“Mich, it is time we talk. You are all I have, and you are the only one besides, Sam, that knows what that prophesy entails, I am twenty-five, it will happen whether we like it or not, so I think, it is time you tell me, what my future has in store, and to hell with free will, I need to know.’
“The prophesy entails, that you bear the son of a demon, and this son will lead to others like him to be born, much like in the days of the Nephilim, only these will blend in, their corruption will be on a mental level, Sam I believe is one of the Fallen, I think, his Father was Samael, the Guardian Angel of Esau, Jacob’s twin, the sons of Isaac and Rebekah. I always believed Samael resided in the Seventh Heaven, how he became one of the Fallen, is not known to me. I left, I knew I had made a deadly mistake, so I left them, and I wandered the earth, I tried to do good, and to repent my wrongs, even when I found you under the bed, that night, I felt your fear, but, I also knew who you were, you were the chosen one, Sam’s bride, I hoped that my presence would deter him, but it only encouraged him.’
“Is that why you offered to marry me, so I would be freed from the prophesy?’
“Even if you married me, a son will be born, Abi. I am one of the Fallen, only I would treat you with love, you know I love you.’ I held up my hands, and went to bed, I left the night-light on.
He walked around the apartment switching off lights and checking the doors. Then Michaelus came and lay on the bed as he had more times than I could count. Always with one arm behind his head. This night was different, this is the first time we have really been alone. Don’t ask me why I felt unsettled, I have known this being since I was three, and I have always accepted him as my friend, a brother even. I have bought his clothes a dozen times over the years, cooked for him, went ice fishing, yet, tonight, I could feel his warmth. Yes I will have to go to confession. I turned my back on him, trying to forget he was there. “Really Abigail, have you lost your mind.’ I chastised myself in my head. “Abi?’ “Oh shit, I forgot he can read my mind.”
ns 15.158.61.42da2
