Chapter 10 (Sic Incipt)
I have to admit the first month back at home was crazy, it was lawyers, and people, then more people, my parents knew many people. Once it calmed down, I learnt how the wine making business works. I really got into it. I called Michaelus, but he never came. After two months of freedom, I began to feel uneasy. I called to him again and he didn’t come. I looked for that dagger, it was gone. I know when I arrived I locked it in the safe under my bed, from what I do know, only my parents and I knew the combination. I eventually put my pride in my pocket, yes it is one of the deadly sins, and I called Ariel. She appeared. I greeted her, she instantly made me think of Sam.
“Ariel I am sorry to have called you, but I have not heard from Michaelus, do you know where he is?” well so much for small talk. “He is dead, Thomas. He died two months ago, the same dagger that killed Sam, killed Michaelus.” At first I looked at her as if she had lost her mind, two months ago, I locked it in the safe. She read my mind, and asked me, if I checked on it in the time I was back home. No. I was busy with my parents estate, and various charities, and obviously their funerals, I didn’t come home to live as Lord of the manor. “No need to be contemptuous Thomas, you called me.”
“I apologise, Ariel, I am sick and tired of death. Where is Michaelus, did he make it to heaven?”
“No, he is in Purgatory until Judgement-day.” I sat down. “No, oh no. He deserved better.”
“If that is all you needed, I would like to be on my way, Thomas, it is not safe for me anywhere, and you need to watch your back.” I nodded and Ariel disappeared. Well that went really terribly Thomas, shit. I accosted myself. I have literally no one, that can protect me, and I went and pissed off the only Angel I knew, the last of the good ones. I called Innocsus, home number. Nichole answered the phone. I told her who I was, and she burst into tears. “Nichole, I can’t hear what you are saying dear, what did you say about your husband?” I had no idea what she called him.
“He is dead, he was mugged and stabbed a few weeks ago.” I sat with my hands in my hair, so it has begun, the culling, I had no other way of describing these murders to myself. I told Nichole how terribly sorry I was, and for her to seek the protection of the church. She promised me she would.
My butler, asked me if I needed a drink. I nodded. Roland was more of a father figure to me than my so called dad. “Roland, I need to ask you something, then I will tell you a story that is too fantastic to believe.” Roland closed the door, and he sat down. “Did you know I was adopted?”
“Yes, sir, I did. I only found out a few years ago, when I overheard your parents talk, I did not let on that I heard.”
“Well at least you are honest. I came back home for two reasons, one because my parents died, however, the main reason is, I lost my best friend, he was stabbed to death in front of me, he was a Fallen Angel, his name was Sam. We fought demons together.” I waited for a reaction from Roland that never came. He stood up, and poured himself a drink.
“My deepest condolences, sir. What a tragic loss, please will you tell me more, and as for trust. You are all I have left in the world, I took care of this home, and your insufferable parents, so please, tell me, what is out there in the world.”
I told Roland everything, from my engineering days, my job at Tinker-bell. My friendship with Abigail and her death. I told him about Michaelus fate, about the five Keys, and were I fitted in, and he listened. I told him everything about Abrux, how he came to be, and how Sam and I sent him to hell. I expected Roland to laugh at me any second, yet he listened.
“This must be an exceptionally boring life, after the exciting life you lived, prior to coming back here?”
“Roland, I think my life is in danger, the Fallen are being taken out one by one. I am not a Fallen, but I am a Key and a half-breed. If they get my blood, the cycle can start, with Sam in heaven, I am the last one that can free Azazel. That dagger was forged in hell. It burnt me when I touched it. It looks like the blade of Alexandria, only much older.” Roland nodded. “I have seen pictures of that blade, so yes, now I have an idea what the unholy blade looks like. Sir you mentioned you have Sam’s feather, would you entrust it to me? I promise, I shall guard it with my life.”
I went and fetched the feather. Roland wiped his eyes. “It feels alive.”
“It is alive Roland, that feather is all I have left of Sam, please do what you must, and return it to me, if they could take the dagger without my knowledge, then they can take what is priceless to me.” Roland nodded and left the room. I did not see him until the following morning, he brought me my tea, and an envelope, and obviously the feather. “Morning sir.”
“Morning Roland.” He handed me the feather, and I placed it back in the safest place I could find, the family bible, which dated back a hundred years. I sipped my tea, while Roland opened the windows. Then I opened the envelope. I read it ten times, then I looked at Roland. “Is this the Gods honest truth?”
“I swear it on my Mother’s grave, she was a very strong, independent woman, but, she was a believer, and that is how I made the connection.
So we ran the DNA tests a few times, and there is the results, sir.”
“Sam is my Father.” Then I said it out loud. And I jumped for joy, “Sam is my Father.” Then I sobbed. This is why I am a Key, due to my Father’s blood. Oh my God. “Thank you Roland, you have no idea what you have given me.” He embraced me. “It was a shot worth taking sir.”
The day was different, I felt different, I knew who my Dad was, and my Dad is an Angel. I didn’t really care who my Mother was, she was the vessel that brought me to life, but in my veins ran the blood of an Angel. No longer a Fallen. I wondered if that would change who I was, if I am still a half-breed, and still a Key. Shit I wish Michaelus was alive, he would have been my uncle twenty-thousand times removed, however, still my uncle. I wondered if Sam knew. I wanted to call Ariel, but I was so rude towards her, I dare not. I had so many questions, am I free of the cures? Will I see my Dad in heaven? Will I go to heaven? I took a long walk, but the questions piled up. I had tea with Roland.
“Roland, you are not my slave, if you want to retire, and travel the world, please do so. I shall make sure you need for nothing.” He thought about it.
“Yes, one year, is all I ask for sir, then I shall be back.” I made all the arrangements, I even drove Roland to the airport. He wanted to see the world, and he would. The gift he had given me, I could not repay in a million life times. So I booked him into the best hotels all over the world. I was happy that I could bring joy to his life. I became increasingly agitated, this nice life, was too nice, I waited for the roof to come down, so I booked a flight to the Black Hills, if it’s unhappiness I wanted that was the place to go. It was good to see Sean and Matt. I went to the shop, and it felt strange. I can’t believe how happy I was here once upon a time, now it felt like alien territory. Sean dropped me off at my house, well his house now. I have not been here in over six months. Nothing looked the same, I was glad for the changes he made. I did go to that pub. It pulled me. I sat at the table I sat with Sam and Ariel. A stranger approached me, the glint in his eyes reassured me, he was not an enemy. “You are Thomas? If I remember correctly, Sam’s friend.”
“Yes, sir I am.” We shook hands. And I ordered us beers. “My name is Benjamin, I worked with Sam a few times, are you a trapper?”
“I used to be, but a novice, Sam was teaching me, and then, well….”
“I am truly sorry, and happy, that he made it home. Thomas, I have not come to find you, because Sam wanted you to have a human life, but I can see how unhappy you are, so I offer you my friendship, and something else, which I can’t discuss here, I am sure you understand why. So would you trust an old man and take a drive with me?” I did hesitate, so many have died, I didn’t want to be one of them, then he showed me a glimpse of a memory, and I knew I would follow Benjamin into hell if I had to. We finished our beers, and he handed me his car keys. I followed the directions he gave me, and we stopped outside a cabin, a cabin built by Kloud. “Do not fret, Thomas, come inside.” I locked the car, and I went inside the beautiful home. Benjamin poured me a drink. Then he sat across from me and opened his mind. Sam watched over me as a boy. He knew I was his son. When I went to university, he lost contact with me, and went his own way. Abigail brought us together, a woman we both loved.
“When Sam saw you at the funeral, he knew you were his son, but damn you hated him, so he backed off, and then you rescued him, and he got to be with you, that was all he wanted, was to get to know you, he confided in me. There are four of us, or may I say, there were four of us, that wanted back to heaven. Sam only slept with two women, because he loved them, your birth mother, she passed away, I am sorry, and Abigail. He really loved her, and he regretted the terrible outcome of that situation. He doted on you, you are his pride, Thomas. He watches over you like a hawk. He says you have a list of questions, so I am here to answer them for you, I will start with the one, Sam said I need to answer first, so stand up Thomas. You asked if you are free of your curse, and the answer is yes, but, you need to follow in your Father’s footsteps, and father a key, to be really free. Now open your wings, that is a gift from the most High, open up. Sam wants to see them.”
“I don’t know how to.”
“Concentrate, think of Sam holding you, close your eyes.” I did, and I could feel my Father embrace me, and my wings opened, damn it hurt, but I turned every which way, and nearly knocked the ornaments off the shelves. Benjamin laughed at me. “Can I fly?”
“Yes Thomas, you can do everything your Father can.” I tried to tuck my wings back in easier said than done. “This is your cabin now, this was Sam’s home, he wanted you to have it, and he wants you to fight the good fight Thomas, become the trapper that you are meant to be, I will teach you, and I will protect you, or Sam will skin me alive.”
“Benjamin, can you please tell my Father that I love him.”
“Tell him yourself, you have five minutes.” The light shone so bright, I had to shield my eyes, when I could see, I looked at Sam. I jumped into his arm and I sobbed, as old and ugly as I am, I felt like a boy, in my Father’s arms. “Dad.”
“Yes my beloved son?”
I looked at him, I would never want to forget his face. “I love you Dad.” The tears streamed off Sam’s face, I tried to wipe it away. “As I love you, my Thomas.” I held on, I knew I had to let him go. It hurt so effing much. I looked at Sam one more time memorising his face. “Now you can go, beloved Father.” Sam embraced me, he held me tight, the love, that is God’s love that emanated from my Dad, into me. I watched him go. Then I sobbed. Hey rather to have loved…. No matter what the true meaning behind that saying is, I can go through life, knowing a Father’s love, and that makes me the luckiest man-angel alive. “Thank you, Benjamin.”
Benjamin and I became trappers, and I became a natural at it, I think because I knew my Father was watching over me. I found my peace, that is what made me good at my new day job. I had self-confidence, and no fear. I worked hard, and Benjamin was an excellent teacher. We cleaned up towns. Watched over the five keys. They have grown, I see they are attending school now. I can’t believe years have passed since Abigail’s death. I have not dated, but I do have one eye on a friend of Benjamin’s, she works at a diner, it makes the best chilli on the continent. She is human, and she knows what we are, I won’t say she is as beautiful as Abigail was, but she has spunk and character.
I decided to ask her on a date. And she accepted. Lou and I went to the movies, my soul I can’t remember when last I sat in a cinema. My trapper life style, has taken over, and I like it. I do go to Tuscany, just to show face, but since I my talk with Sam, my Dad, yeah, I will never get over that, I have been trapping. We remove ghosts, poltergeist, and let me tell you, they are gruesome, and stubborn, and evil personified, it takes an entire day to remove one, and if it’s not successful, it will bring seven of its buddies and move right in, they torment the humans, I have watched a lady levitate, plates flying, people being scratched.
These things no longer scare me. I go on faith, and I have Benjamin. So right, back to the movie, well I have been in the paranormal world now for six years, I do watch my back, I know I am not in the clear, until I father a son. I bought popcorn and sodas, that is normal, right, and no, I didn’t try and kiss Lou. I am unsure around humans now, especially that I know she knows what I am, but we have not broached the subject, and I will not volunteer any information about what I am or what I call my day job. I could hide behind the winery, and that was good enough. Every time I purge, someone gets hurt, and I like Lou.
I took her for a meal after the movie, and the conversation was as mundane as it could get. I spoke about Tuscany, and she about her life at the diner, the strange people she meets, and I thought, hell, spend one day in my life, and you will know the etymology behind the word, strange. I took her home, she lived in a small cramped apartment, and I really felt sorry for her. I declined coffee, this was our first date, and that was as far as I was willing to take it. The second date went much better, I asked her to come to the cabin for supper, I cooked, wine, flowers and I bought her a box of chocolates, and no, ladies, that is not a man’s MO, for getting laid. I do respect women.
“You have a stunning home, Thomas.” She really did admire it. “Thank you, Lou. It belonged to my Dad, oh there goes that pride again. “Belonged? Has he passed on?”
“Yeah, do you mind if we change the topic? Death is too depressing, and I have lost too many people I loved.” Lou poured us wine. I found a recipe book with Sam’s hand writing in it, so I now know my Dad liked to cook. I wish I knew everything about him, however this cabin has been a treasure trove of discoveries, the books he liked to read, he is, yes is an amazing artist, I found a collection of drawings, a few is of me as a boy. Damn it was water-works all over again. These are the things I kept to myself, I didn’t want to tell Lou. It was my Pandora’s-box.
We had dinner, I followed Sam’s recipe, and the chicken ala-king was delicious. Lou helped me stack the washer, and we sat by the fire sipping our wine. The wine made my tipsy, something I have not felt in my years as a half-breed. Maybe it’s because I didn’t eat lunch. Well I put my glass down, that was enough wine for one night. Lou kissed me, and I think I am a little drunk, because I kissed her back. This was not my intention. I am not ready for a steady relationship, that will mean I would have to share too much of what I am and what I do. Shit I was drunk. Lou told me to finish my wine, and I did, she led me to my bedroom. In the back of my subconscious, I knew I didn’t want to make love to her, not yet, maybe once I really got to know her. But she was all over me, and did some funky stuff to me, that no has ever done before, so yeah the body took over, and I made love to her.
I was so aroused, there was no way I could turn back, we made love for an hour, damn the girl has stamina. I kissed her, and apologised for my slight intoxicated state. She turned and her breast pushed against my chest, I was hard all over again, she caressed me. “I don’t mind that you are intoxicated, Thomas, you are great in the sack.” Then she did her funky stuff and we made love again. Shit, I didn’t ask about protection. Well too late now, buddy.
Lou got up and went to the bathroom, I tried to get up, but the room spun out of control, I sat down on the side of the bed, I felt weak, hell I was weak. Oh fuck, she spiked my wine. I looked at the glass, I picked it up, but it fell from my fingers. When she came out of the bathroom, I asked her why?
“Lou, why, I honestly don’t know why you did that?”
“Oh Thomas, my dear foolish Thomas. You see, I have been watching all of the Fallen and their kids, live a life of luxury, my fuck you own this cabin and a mansion in Tuscany. I stand on my feet the whole day, then I need to go back to that rat-hole I call my home, while the true sinners live in splendour. So, I made a deal with Abrux. I fall pregnant with your kid, that will be the sixth key, my math is not good, and the six-keys will release him, in return, I get it all, he promised me fortune beyond my imagination, you see, then I no longer have to serve the likes of you. I can take my son, and go live in a palace, that is what Abrux promised me, all I had to do was fuck you, get pregnant, and the world is mine.”
“He lied to you Lou. Abrux needs an army, not humans, he will kill you, after you have given birth, he killed Abigail.”
“No!” Lou shouted at me. “He said you would lie to me, that once he has the six, they will together release Azazel, I don’t know who that is, but Abrux said Azazel will protect the mother’s, we are his provision, whatever that meant, I don’t care. I have done what he said, and I will be rich.”
I saw the dagger in her hand. Shit, no not like this. “Where did you get that?” My speech was slurred, and I lay against the headboard, paralysed. “Oh, I think his name was Ronald, no-no, Roland, yes, he gave it to me, he said he works for you.” I was so shocked. And this is why, I never trusted anyone.
“Well, Thomas, it was fun.” She drove the dagger into my heart. I felt myself die, I didn’t want to die. I felt how my soul pulled out of my body, then the snap. Sam stood next to me, his wings embraced me. “Dad?”
“I am sorry my son, but now you are free, I could not interfere with free will and all that shit. Wait for her to pull the dagger out, then pick up your body.” Lou pulled out the knife, it is eerie to look at your dead self. I picked up my body, and it absorbed my soul. I felt kind of whole, but not like the old me. “Come son, spread your wings, there is a place for you in Abraham’s bosom. Then you will be part of the heavenly army.” I spread my wings. Sam took my hand and we flew into the light, a pleasant, peaceful light.
Damn I have never killed anyone, so I washed the knife, and I ran out of the cabin. I will have my pregnancy test in a forth night. But I am sure I am pregnant, Abrux promised me that the herbs I gave Thomas would ensure my pregnancy. I went home. Ronald or whatever his name is asked for his knife back. He gave me a bag full of money, he said he inherited everything, that Thomas owned. Well more money for me. When I know I am pregnant, I need to call Abrux, then he will go talk to the keys, I don’t know who talks to keys, well as long as I get rich and out of this horrible little town.
I am shocked Lou did so well. I am even more shocked, at the late Thomas, the great trapper walked right into his own trap, I need to set fire to the cabin, get rid of the body, so I poured gasoline all over the place, and it went up in smoke. No one will really notice, it is in a very remote area. I made my plans, when Thomas sent me all over the world, the maids told me, he had a new will, and that his trusty butler, will inherit everything. So Lou was welcomed, an air head, but she pulled it off. I will not live in a world with these abominations, that call themselves, Fallen Angels. Never. I killed Sam and Michaelus, next is Benjamin. Even if I do not wield the sword, per se’, I get the job done, and I have so many ideas for my new winery. Oh life is good, I can live in splendour, while, Lou plays with her keys, whatever, that might mean has no bearing on my perfect life. When Thomas told me what he was I cringed. Well that is now in the past, I shall hand the dagger over to a friend, and Benjamin will go bye-bye. This time the butler did do it. Oh that is so funny.
The five-keys were old enough to be manipulated, so Abrux brought them together, and they conjured him, he possesses Benjamin’s body. The real Benjamin died in a mugging, but the body was kept ready for Abrux. Once Abrux had a body, he moved around freely, no one really knew him, and those that did were either dead, or Fallen. He checked up on Lou. Oh she was pregnant, he made new promises to her, and she fell for it. Azazel would need blood, to take on his human form. So yes, after Lou gives birth to the sixth key she will get what she deserves, that was not a lie. So Abrux waited. He obviously did not go trapping, on the contrary, he was opening portals, all over the globe, he had nine months to spare, so he got to work. The five-keys were back under his control, when Thomas died, so did their protection. He paved the way for Azazel. The world would be in for a huge surprise. Humans were expendable, so were the Fallen that tried so hard to get back to heaven, there was a special place picked out for them, and no, it was not all sunshine and roses. Roland, well he did well, but, he knew a little too much, so the poor fellow died in a horrible car accident, those Tuscan roads can be treacherous in bad weather.
So much for wealth, it sure can’t buy longevity. That is one thing the humans have not figured out yet. I waited for Lou to give birth. I was a doting friend all the way, and I made one hundred percent sure, that she was carrying a boy. The day she gave birth, I bought her flowers, she will not raise this boy, I will. I need a strong key, one that will follow my every command. So I stole the baby, and we left the country, I had to wait for him to turn six, before I could use him to summon Azazel. As for Lou. She will live, and she is still working at the diner. Her day will come. For now, I am watching the sunset. Roland was kind enough to leave me the estate in Tuscany, a DNA test proved that Tyler was Thomas son, so the estate has a new owner, oh I no longer make wine. Oh hell no, the staff were all fired, I have my own people living here, and a nanny for Tyler. A distillery, for my whiskey, who drinks wine? No we will do things right. And Tyler will grow up to be, well a chip off this old block.
For six years, things where quiet, then all hell broke loose. The Poltergeist were the first to be released. Tyler had blood red eyes, he was not raised on “Mother’s” milk no, he was raised on evil. He would never be a goody two-shoes as Thomas and Samuel. Oh no, we are going on a trip. It is time to fetch Lou, I made her a promise, after all.
This is not the End, no this is the beginning of 6.
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