DD stood on the side of the hill, clapping his hands in delight, a broad smile on his face watching the building burn. He couldn't have asked for more. Except for maybe xray vision so he could have watched the rest, still trapped inside, suffer. From a distance he could hear the wail of sirens coming, so he turned and walked away.
He did regret that he had lost his boyos in the fight, but they would be fairly easy to replace. One could always find a misguided or twisted mind if one knew where to look. True evil is hard to find, but bad seeds were abundant. He'd re-build his group and he'd be back.
If DD had been able to see through walls, he would have been disappointed. Michaela did not die of her stab wound, nor had any of her group perish in the blaze that ravaged the warehouse. After Jamie had stepped out of Michaela's body, exchanging his wings for her life, Myra, the witch, had transported them all outside, on the side of the building away from DD's veiw. She had never carried so many at once, and she sanked heavily to the ground, drained. Georgie, who had Michaela in his arms, laid her gently down on the ground. Dave had stripped off his jacket for a makeshift blanket and covered her. Elena knelt between the two women she loved, and held their hands. They made a small tight knot and waited for the ambulance to arrive.
*********
Indigo visited Michaela in the hospital. He did so every day she was there, and then continued to do so after her release. The town returned to a resemblance of normalacy over the next few weeks. Elena and Myra returned to school, but Dave and Georgie stayed on to help Michaela with the house. Jamie spent his time watching over the lot. He had all of eternity to do that now, he supposed. Michaela, herself didn't believe that it was over. After all, DD was out there - somewhere, raising another band of boyos. Evil was not gone, it was merely licking its wounds. It would be back, and she would be ready.
Weeks melted into months, Georgie and Dave prowled the streets at night looking for signs of DD, and trying to pick up any information on his where abouts. Sometimes Jamie accompanied them, but usually he would stay with Michaela. It was the groups unspoken belief that if DD did return, she would be on the top of his revenge list once he learned she wasn't dead, and they didn't want to risk her being alone if that happened. If Indigo happened to be around, which was often, Jamie would leave to give them some privacy.
No one was sure how much Indigo had pieced together about their group. As Michaela said, she couldn't very well say, "oh did you know Dave and Georgie are demon hunters, and my brother, a ghost, enters me to fight evil?" Indigo never said anything to lead them to believe he knew anything to the effect either. But, they reasoned there was no reason for him to know anything as long as DD didn't show his ugly face.
Indigo and Davis were happy just to have the regular pervs and drunks to arrest, which in a small town like Widowsdance was far and few between. Most of the time, they were just chasing kids out from Trespauze Manor, a large abandoned house up on the hill. Even the rumours of it being haunted didn't keep the highschool crowd from necking in its shadows, or having parties in the cemetary. It was odd that none of the kids ever seemed to actually enter the house though. The few that claimed to find the front door open, always had some scary story to tell. Davies put this down as teenage bull****.
Trespauze Manor had stood on the hill overlooking the town for as long as anyone living could remember. It was a large imposing structure, the windows staring down like large vacant eyes. Although no adult actually admitted to believing it was haunted, everyone admitted to the fact that there was something uneasy about the place. Now and then a group would go in to see if it was still structurely sound or should be condemened, and they were always struck by the ornatness of the insides. Great chandeliers hung, and the rooms were lavishly decorated. Nothing ever seemed to be removed from the premises, not even the ancient doilies laying about on various tables. But then, there were rumours about that too. It seems the items in the place were cursed, and those seeking to remove them met with either an untimely death, or became so beleagured that they were forced to return them. Some of these cases were documented. In the 50's an antique dealer thought he'd help himself to a few of the ancient furnishings. Since the house seemed to have no owner, and the town offered no sensible objection, he simply pulled his van up and began loading things into it with the help of his 19 year old son. While carrying a large chaise lounge out, a heavy urn mysteriously fell from the 2nd story window crushing the man's skull. The coroner put cause of death as accidental, although the boy insisted that all the windows had been closed, and no such urn had been seen on the second story.
For DD such a place seemed like Heaven. The rumours would work to his benefit, the house was far enough out that he's goings on would be unnoticed, and from it's advantage point he could see the town. It was perfect. He entered through a basement window, and felt at home. The musty rooms, with their thick coatings of dust and cobwebs seemed to welcome him. As he wandered from dim room to darkened room he asked permission of what ever entity might be. DD was no fool, if such things resided here, he wanted them on his side.
****
Myra and Elena showed up at Michaela's with no warning. Michaela hugged the girls in turn, glad to see them, but sensed they weren't just there on a weekend visit. "He's back , Mama," Elena stated.
"Who's back?" Michaela poured each a cup of coffee.
"DD," Myra said scooping a spoonful of sugar into her's and stirring.
Michaela's fair eyebrows shot up in surprise. "And we know this how?"
"I saw it in a vision, and Elena's been having dreams."
Alarmed Michaela stared at her daughter, who shook her head, "Not like those dreams, Mom. I don't have dragons visiting. But I do see him."
Georgie and Dave sauntered in, and were greeted in turn. Immediately Georgie frowned, "Did I hear DD's name mentioned as we were coming in?"
"The girls think he's back," Michaela explained.
Dave helped himself and Georgie to a beer while remarking, "Just like the proverbial bad penny, we all knew he'd show back up."
"Just not when exactly," Georgie added, "but do we know where?"
"He's holed up in that big house up on the hill... and he isn't alone. He's been recruting."
"Hadn't heard anything about that," Dave leaned forward, "He's importing support then?"
The girls nodded, and exchanged glances.
It wasn't that they didn't think they'd be believed, or that it would be a shock to the group. It was just fairly hard to wrap one's head around someone who collected badness from the motral and other world. They wouldn't be dealing with just minor demons and corrupt humans this time. But add into the mix, manevolant spirits, and a command of the black arts, and you've got unbelievable odds. And that's what DD had been up to in his abscence. It wasn't just a small band of boyos but an army of strength and powers, making Widowsdance ground zero, and Michaela their prime target.
Michaela peered at her face in the bathroom mirror. She was a soft looking woman, she supposed and more than a bit overweight. But at 54 she didn't expect to look 20 anymore. She leaned forwards to look closer at herself, crows feet appeared at the corners of her eyes, as did lines at either side of her mouth. She stared at the roots of her hair, no gray -yet. She supposed that was a bonus, many of the other women she knew her age colored their hair to hide the gray.She lifted her arm and saw the undrarm skin sway a tiny bit. "Well ya got arm jiggle." Jaimie's voice made her jump.
"Jaimie!" she admonished him, "what if I was on the toilet?"
"Then I'd have to say, "Excuse me, Sis." You really aren't all that old you know. "
"I know but..."
"That Robert Indigo thinks you're still pretty hot," Jamie smiled as his sister blushed a bit.
"That isn't what I was thinking about, Jamie." He looked at her puzzeled."What if," she went on,"...what if I just don't have the strength to do battle any more? What if my heart gives out or something?"
"What if you can't protect Elena is what you really mean."
"Exactly! What if everyone gets so hung up on protecting the 'old lady' that they don't protect themselves enough?"
"So you're worried about becoming a liability instead of an asset?"
"Jamie, when I died last year, you all stayed inside that burning building instead of getting out -"
"But they all got out, and you didn't stay dead."
She attempted to pat him on the shoulder but her hand slid through. "Your wings..." she choked a bit, "I cost you your wings."
"No biggie. You're worth it. And we all still need you. Besides the big guy upstairs won't even hear of you stepping down."
"Well, I just hope he knows what he's doing..."
"Questioning God's abilities, Mickey? He knows."
"Not at all, just questioning his faith in me."
********
Darkness crept across the town like a cat on padded feet, bringing with it not rest for the weary town but all matters of torment. Children screamed in their sleep, and husbands turned against wives. Lovers fought. Logic was stood on its head, and unholy creatures roamed, spreading the foul stench of fear and corruption. Those he deemed worthy, were brought into DD's fold. Some were feeble minded, some just cruel by nature. Some had learned cruelty as a way to survive.
Humans were generally weak creatures and easy to control, DD thought. Take that old man, Danny something. Making him believe his dead wife came back was easy. Lonliness was a useful tool. Causing him to see the noose as a neck tie, and having him place it over his own head and tighten it around his throat, while standing on a chair was a bit trickier. But the old man did it, because in his lonliness he wanted to believe. He was just committing the normal act of getting dressed to go to dinner with his wife. But he had been old and fairly used up, there wasn't any real sport in that. Now the girl in the diner. She had been some fun. It had taken him weeks t drive her to the point of her wanting to blind herself. That too had been somewhat easy, he simply allowed her to see what the others could not. His creatures roaming the streets, and people as they really were. A sort of wearing their souls on the outside. She saw all the ugliness that made up life, and none of the good. No puppies, unicorns or rainbows for her. No sir.
Davies tossed a folder on top of a large pile that threatened to overtake the desk he shared with Indigo. "It's happening again, isn't it?" He growled at his partner. "The whole town is going mad." He plopped into his chair, while Indigo ran a hand over his eyes before looking at him.
"Yeah, I think it is. Things seem to be esculating... Attacks that make no sense," he gestured towards the pile."No rhyme, no reason. No pattern," he sighed heavily. "People claiming to see things. Ghosts being least on the list. Here's one claiming a dragon carried off her kid. Here's another claiming to be a vampire, for Chris' sakes!" His normally handsome features twisted into a scowl."They aren't going mad, they ARE mad."
"Well," Davies murmered, "mad or not, we gotta find a solution, and I need some coffee. What you say we go grab a cup?"
**********
Inside Mother's they selected a booth, and ordered coffee with apple pie. "Weird," Davies remarked looking about.
"What's weird?" Indigo countered lifting his cup to his mouth.
"Nearly noon and the place is nearly deserted." Both looked about and found it to be true. Being a small town Widowsdance didn't offer much in the way of eateries, so Mother's did a decent business, especially at lunch time, when there was always a dozen or so grabbing a bite. But today if they counted themselves, the waitresses and 'Mother', there was one couple, and a teenage girl who sat twisting her napkin into knots and looking fertivitaliy out the window.
Indigo got up and suantered over to the ordering window, "hey, Hobbs, you got a minute?"
"Sure do," Hobbs wiped his hands on his apron, and came forwards. He was a large man, and even after all his years out of the Marines still had a muscular build. "Is there a problem, Bob?"
"No don't think so. Just wondered why the place seemed so quiet. Any ideas?"
"Not a clue. I just figured with all the weirdness going on, folks are distancing themselves from each other. Not that that seems to be doing much good... Heard that Danny Stevens hung himself. Poor old guy. He didn't seem the type you know? Not many seniors pick hanging as a way to go. A fistful of pills, a shot to the head...but hanging?" He shook his head sadly. "He'd been in here saying his wife wanted him to take a trip...I should've known he was loosing it then. She's been dead 10 years or so."
"Don't blame yourself, Hobbs. I never would have picked Danny as a suicide either. We all thought he was just getting a bit senile or something."
Hobbs stared Indigo full in the face for a moment before makeing his next statement, "Bob,alot of weird **** has been happening. Even the kids, and I mean the little ones, like nine or ten, are acting strange too. I've never seen so much meaness in one place before. What's going on? Some government experiment? Something in our water? Everyone seems to be loosing it. And some folks are moving out because of it."
"I don't know, Hobbs. I wish to God I did though."
The girl at the table suddenly let out a blood curdling scream as she drove her fork into her eye. "No,' she yelled, "NO! I don't want to see any more." It took both Davies and Indigo to hold her down to prevent her from stabbing herself in the other eye as well.
DD rubbed his hands together. It bothered him that something was blocking his entrance into the minds of Michaela and her friends. Probably a shield of some sort casted by the witch, Myra. Since he couldn't torture them by manipulation, he'd just have to wait and do it the old fashioned way - in person. He smiled a thin cruel smile at the thought. There was something very satisfying in the hands on approach. Meanwhile, he'd just step things up a bit to bring them more into the open.
Sunday, the day of the week most church-goers thought of as the Lord's day. Hobbs was in the diner preparing brunch for the after church crowd. This was done buffet style, with great platters and warming pans of food set out on long tables. He was inbetween the counter and serving window when the first plate came crashing out. Hurling past him with great force and smashing into the wall. "What the hell?!" Hobbs ducked down and made his way to the door. The noise increased as pot banged pan, dishes shattered, and a full grown riot ensued. Hobbs was certain some hoodlums had snuck in, but when he swung the door open, no one was there. Everything in the kitchen seemed to be moving on its own. He jumped back allowing the door to swing closed as a cleaver sliced through the air embedding itself in the wood. Now the diner itself errupted. Chairs whirled, the carefully made food was flung on the floor and threw the air. Hobbs dove for cover in the aisle behind the counter. Glasses were exploding on the shelves, and there was a insain laughter. Hobbs glanced in the direction only there was no one there. He cried out and covered his head with his arms as an avalanche of knives rained down on him.
Across town, Sister Mary Margret taught her Sunday School class. She believed in strict discipline and anyone acting out met with her ruler brought down on their hands. She walked about the room tapping this ruler into the palm of her hand as she taught. A student slouching got smacked, whispering brought down the sting too. Unkempt hair or clothes might bring not only the stinging swat of the ruler, but time in the corner of shame. At the same time anyone caught 'primping' after class began, felt the rulers sharp crack for the sin of vanity. The children feared her. Some even hated her. But in her class they all tried hard to behave and do as she said. Tom Tyrone had just turned 9, and fidgeted in his seat anxious for class to be over so he could go ride his new bike. Sister Mary Margret demanded that he stand and hold out his hands. He stood but then placed his hands behind his back, "No."
"No what? Give me your hands!" She held one hand out, expecting him to comply.
"No. You aren't going to hit me. Let's see how you like it," with that every child rose. All 12 of them with rulers in their hands, approached the nun. She backed up into the desk behind her. Almost more than their approach, the eerie calmness with which they did it unnerved her. "Children! Stop! Sit back down now!" Her commands fell on deaf ears, as they came closer and closer. She fell as the desk behind her was pulled away and they swarmed. The rulers weilded as small bludgeons, smacking into her flesh. The metal edge of one catching the corner of her temple just right and bringing forth blood. Again and again in a fury they came crashing down. She tried to crawl away, to regain her ground but it was useless. Some of the bigger kids began pummeling her with chairs.
In the church itself, Father Diedre gasped as the wine meant to symbolize Christ's blood turned to blood, and the wafers appeared to be slices of flesh. He dropped the chalis to the floor and over turned the silver platter that held the wafers. The congregation murmered, a few called out, "Father, are you alright?" He stared out at them and saw not his flock but demons. One hand flew to his mouth as he stifled a scream, as he turned and fled to the vestibule knocking over candles in his wake.The small flames greedily licked at the alter cloths and the heavy curtains that hung. Some ran forwards to pull them down and try to stomp out the flames, as others surged to the exits. But they found the heavy doors would not budge. Panic rose its head as people were knocked down in the stampede looking for a way out as the flames rose higher. Inside the vestibule the Father prayed, as his parishoners burned, and then the flames were upon him too.
Inside a tiny apartment, a woman kissed her newborn baby before placing him on a bed of sliced carrots and potatoes. She noted how neatly he fit into the roasting pan before placing on the lid and setting the oven to 375.
Chaos reigned and tumbled out into the streets of Widows dance. The police department was out in full force as was the fire department. Neither force was very large, each having less than a dozen men each, so volunteers were called in, but it still wasn't enough to cover everything that seemed to be happening all at once. Even those on the side of right were not impervious to the effects of this demonic war that had been declared. One volunter dropped the house while fighting a blaze screaming one word, 'snake'. To him the hose was a giant python. Riots were breaking out as quickly or even quicker then they could be quenched. Brothers in arms turned against each other and shots were fired.
The sleepy town of Widowsdance now found itself a war zone where anyone and everyone could be the enemy.
In the kitchen at Michaela's the group bickered about the best tactic to take. Obviously DD was throwing down a gauntlet, which was in most likelyhood a trap. On that they agreed. One would have to be stone deaf and blind not to notice the catastrophic goings on outside the house. They knew they couldn't just sit there and pretend nothing was happening. None of them wanted to do that. They wanted to do something to stop the insanity - but what? They were six against a horde. Suggestions were made and tossed aside.
Suddenly a voice from the doorway jolted them. "What ever you plan to do it better be soon, and I'm in on it." All eyes turned towards Indigo. He smiled a lopsided smile, "Can't hide things from a good cop for long."
"Well...ummm..." Michaela began, faltering for words.
"Let me help you, " Indigo pointed at Myra, "Witch, Dave and Georgie - some kind of hunters, right?"
"Demons," Dave answered.
"Demons? Well today that makes total sense. And you," he looked at Elena, "Sensitive, maybe psycic."
Elena opened her mouth to protest but Myra cut her off, "Sensitive with witch qualities. Get out of denial, Elena, it's true."
"And you, " He turned towards Michaela. "You are the woman I love and what ever gift you have is part of you. I'll fight by your side."
Michaela blushed and swallowed back tears. This was the first time Bob had ever said he loved her, and it touched her deeply that he wanted to join them without constraint. "So now we're seven."
"Seven?" Indigo looked at her.
"Better make that eight," Georgie said, "Davies just pulled up."
DD and his boyos strolled down mainstreet as if they owned the town. A catastrophic symphony filled the air; screams, crashes, cries, along with an undertone of unearthly wails, and hisses. "Oh, this is too good to be missed," DD remarked to no one particular, as he shoved a man into the path of an oncoming car. He laughed as his group tossed various objects threw plate glass windows,and assaulted anyone in their path. He stopped and looked at the smouldering church, and the acrid smell of burning flesh caused more then a few to wretch. "Look at that. And me with no marshmellows to roast." To which his followers chortled in agrrement.
A horribly burnt man clawed his way across the lawn and clutched at DD's pants leg. "Help me," the words were barely audible but music to DD's ears.
"Help you? Certainly, I'll help you," he brought his boot down heavily on the man's throat, smashing his esophagus and larnyx."There," he crooned, "no more pain now, is there?" He then proceeded to wipe his boot off on the dead man's shirt.
*******
"That is the most insain plan I've ever heard,"Davies stated flatly, "I rather like it."
Davies wasn't exactly certain he understood the who was what, demons slant that was supposedly going on. All he knew with any certainty was something very bad had taken over his town, and that it made no sense to him. Heck, the Bible often made no sense to him, but that didn't stop him from believing in God. And if you believed in God, it was a given that there must also be Satan. If you sliced away all the supernatural stuff, they still had a human orchestrating, and that was something he could wrap his mind around. There were ways of taking a bad guy down. Some were more preferrable to others, and in this case a bullet between the eyes seemed right. Besides if his partner was willing to go along so was he.
Indigo narrowed his almost black eyes at Michaela and studied her. "Are you sure about this? No one is going to think anything if you don't want to do it. It is 'insain' to quote Davies."
Michaela sighed and knitted her brows together, tilting her head as if listening to someone unseen to Indigo. He was surprised when the others murmered agreement , as if they too heard something lost on him and Davies. "It may be crazy - but I think it's our best shot," she said to Indigo, then added, "By the way, I love you too." She smiled up at him, and he couldn't help but to smile back.
"Ok, " Dave spoke up, "Let's do this, then we can all help you plan a wedding, or whatever."
"It'll just take me a minute to get the things," Myra left to go to the room she was sharing with Elena, who trailed behind her. Georgie, too left the group to retrieve his and Dave's own special arsonal. They gathered back in the kitchen.
Myra spoke, "Elena and I think it's best if we go ahead and start the preperations. It'll be faster than traveling with you, and the quicker we can set things up the better."
No sooner had Michaela said, "Good idea, be careful," the girls had joined hands and were gone along with the knapsack Myra had carried, leaving only a faint echo of 'Love you," in their wake.
Davies and Indigo looked at each other, then at the remaining three, who seemed unplussed by the vanishing act.
"We better get going," Georgie said and they all piled into Davies' squad.
Davies finally spoke, "Anyone mind telling me just where I'm driving too?"
"Trespauze Manor," came the unison reply.
"Somehow that just figures," Davies flipped on the sirens and floored it.
********
The first thing Myra and Elena did when they teleported into the house, was unlock the front door, so that the others could quickly enter. They began at the west end of the house and spoke allowed to the spirits inviting them to leave if they wished, of the evil ones they demanded that they go. Elena sprinkled Holy water in each room as they recited a blessing that directed any unclean or evil spirit to leave. While Myra used a smudge stick of burning sage to help chase the spirits out and purify the room. She was very careful to get into every corner. They repeated this in every room on every floor, being careful to start at the west end. Every so often they opened a window so that the ghosts could leave. Of course they both knew that all the true badies were off with DD terrorising the town, so they also poured a line of salt on every window sill and doorway as they finished. This rather effectively sealed off that room from becoming rehaunted. They were already on the second floor when Michaela and the rest arrived. Dave and Georgie began clearing the third story and attic as the girls finished the second.
Then they all took seats in the parlor, as it looked the most used and waited.
Heavy footsteps and loud almost drunken voices were heard in the hall, and the group knew that DD had returned. With the exception of Michaela, they quickly withdrew to the shadows. This was the part of the plan that Indigo and Elena intensly disliked; Michaela dangling out there alone like bait. But of course that's what she was - bait.
From the doorway he saw her and stopped dead in his tracks. This was the last place he had expected to see her. "Well , hello. What do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" Unconciously he rubbed his wrists, recalling she had almost snapped them once, but continued into the room. "You may as well tell your little playmates to come out, I can smell that they're here. Goodness carries such a stench with it."
No one moved from the shadows, but remained as quiet as they could. "You have something of mine, and I want it back," Michaela forced her voice to remain even.
"Something of yours?" DD wondered why her group hadn't come forward. Could he have been wrong? Was she stupid enough to come her alone? He doubted that.
"My town. I want it back."
"Well you took something from me. That night you nearly broke my wrists, you took my pride - and you can't very well give that back can you? You can have your sorry ass town back when I grow weary of it."
"I don't think so. I want it back now. So call off your boyos and whatever else you have out there, or else." Michaela tried to look imposing.
DD chuckled. "Or else? Why would I be afraid of a bit of a thing like you?"
She took a step forwards and reached out her hand as if to grab him. Unseen Myra made a motion with her hand and the parlor door blew shut. DD jumped at the sound. His brow knitted. "I want my town back," Michaela repeated. "Or do you need a repeat of that night, when I took your pride, as you put it?" Inside Michaela's heart jack-hammered and she hoped the fear didn't show on the outside as well. Where was Jamie? She didn't sense his being there.
"You're...different," DD stated. "Different then on that night. Something is missing." He smiled. "You aren't the same warrior, you're just an old lady."
"Am I?"
DD waved his hand through the air reciting words that to Michaela sounded like Latin, "Nemoobstrepat.Qui huicnostraesigna."
"It's just you and me, old woman." As soon as he swung, the group tried to spring from the shadows, but found themselves blocked. With their fists they hammered on an invisible wall trying to break through. Georgie hurled himself against it, but to no avail. They were sealed off from Michaela, and could not go to her aid. As the boyos heard the commotion they tried to enter through the door but found that sealed as well. Now both fractions had people banging to get in. Michaela dodged the first blow and responded with a punch of her own. Where was Jamie? But soon she was too busy ducking and doging to think any further of that. DD grabbed her by the hair and flung her face first into the bookcase. Her head made contact, but she looked back over her shoulder and hissed, "You fight like a girl," and flung herself back at him. His next punch connected with her mouth and she tasted blood. He threw her to the floor and was on her in a second, pinning her. "How would you like to die, Michaela? I can arrange any way you'd like-" he was cut short as he saw her changing before his eyes. She shimmered, seem to grow younger, stronger.
"Like a warrior - if at all," she spat the words and flung him off, springing to her feet. For a moment DD sat on the floor just staring at her. "How is this possible?" he belowed in shock. "You can't do that. Just change. You're a mortal!"
Outside the door the sounds had changed as if a battle were raging. Michaela snatched DD to his feet by the front of his shirt , and though he struggled he could not break her grasp. She made a wiping motion with her other hand towards the door. This turned part of the door window like and on the otherside they could see that a fight was indeed in progress. "Look, DD. Look see your boyos and minions falling? Right changes everything. Right makes might."
"But who? What are they fighting?" DD was beside himself with fear now. and he felt a warm path flowing down his leg.
"Don't recognize angels when you see them, DD? Now release my friends." DD saw no other recourse but to comply, and the group tumbled forth from the shadows, to stare wide eyed at Michaela. "By the way, DD, Michaela is feminin for Michael as in Arc Angel," with that she head butted him in the face and released his inert figure to the floor. "I owed you that." Looking at the stunned group she said, "C'mon we aren't finished yet," and led the way into the fray.
-- Edited by valkricry on Thursday 20th of September 2012 04:32:32 AM
The battle was one of confusion. Swords clanged against each other, while fists flew. Spectral beings wearing armour plates struggled with inhumane creatures that hissed and slithered, some were clawed, had wings or hooves. Add into this mix mortals of opposing sides. Instinctively Indigo and Davies drew their guns, and fired into the air - and were promptly ignored. Myra kept Elena close and the two stood in a corner of the room on the fringe. Elena had picked up a fireplace shovel and brought it down on anyone coming too close, while Myra tossed energy balls into the fray, praying for accurate aim, as she tried to protect Michaela's back. Several times Michaela disappeared in the melee and both Elena and Myra scanned the crowd nervously for her. Now Michaela reappeared with Dave and Georgie weilding their knives at either side of her, Davies and Indigo with their backs to her, forming a knot. Davies punched one half-decayed being in the stomach and was horrified to have is fist sink into it up to his wrist. Snatching it back he eyed the goo coating it and remarked, "Man, that's gross," before throwing another punch. Indigo recieved a blow to the head and was temporarily stunned. With the exception of Michaela they were all bleeding from various places. Dave had a visciuos claw mark down his arm, and Georgie's eye was nearly swollen shut. But on they fought. It may have been either minutes or hours that the battle waged. Time had no meaning.
The boyos were the first to flee the scene, as spirits angrily darted about the room reigning objects down on demonic forces. Books, candlesticks, and all manner of objects flew across the room, bedlam had been turned loose and one by one the demons vanished. Either destroyed or escaping to lick their wounds and fight perhaps another day. Then the spectral beings shimmered out, carrying with them their wounded, until only Michaela's group remained. "Is that it?" Elena called out, running towards her mother. "Did we win?" Dazed, they all looked about.
"I...I think so," Michaela hugged her daughter close and reached for Myra's hand, "You two alright?"
"We're fine," Myra stated,"but , you all could use some first aid."
"I could use a drink," Davies said and sat down on the stairs.
Georgie focused his one good eye on Michaela, "Where's Jamie?"
"What?" Elena was perplexed, "You mean he isn't in...you know, Mom?"
From the stairs where Indigo was seated he spoke, "Jamie IN Mom? What does that mean? Man I just can't wrap my head around any of this."
Davies laid a hand on his friend's shoulder, "Sometimes it's best not to question and just accept things as they are."
Dave too eyed Michaela, "No he isn't," it was a flat statement.
"Then how could she?" Elena puzzled. "Mom? You ARE you , aren't you?"
"Yes...more or less." Michaela frowned, "I don't think I can explain it."
"I can try, "Jamie shimmered in.
"Where have you been?" several cried at once.
"There they go. Talking to air again," Davies murmered.
"Well when someone salts all the entrances closed, someone else has to find a way in in order for the calvary to arrive," Jamie arched his eyebrows a bit.
"Oh," Myra breathed, "My bad. I forgot that would seal you out too."
"But then how did Mom?" Elena felt confused.
"It's a kind of energy transferance. Part of it came from each of you as you tried to get to her through that seal. Part of it came from other angels. Most of it came from within Michaela, herself. The change in her appearance with wear off in a bit."
"So... I sort of 'borrowed' it?" Michaela wondered.
"Kinda sorta. Mostly it was just given. Love does that."
**********
-- Edited by valkricry on Thursday 20th of September 2012 04:33:16 AM
"I guess it's time to pick up DD and take him in," Indigo said, standing up from the stairs. It was like Davies said, sometimes it was better just to accept things and not question.
"You won't find him," Georgie said. "They took him."
Indigo opened his mouth , thought better of it and said, "I don't even want to know who 'they' are. Just good riddance to bad rubbish. Let's get out of here." The group echoed his sentiment.
Davies brought up the rear, looking about and thinking all that and not even a body left, just some broken and misplaced items were all the battle had left. He saw a chair right itself and hastened to join the others.
The next few weeks seemed one long funeral. Bodies were buried, prayers said. Windows were repaired and things were cleaned and put right. But the memory of what had happened weighted heavily on the town. Any outsider passing through who happened to ask what happened to cause so much distruction was told that it had been a tornado. Not that many passed through Widowsdance to start with. It was a quiet, sleepy town with not much to offer to attract tourists.
Slowly the town returned to being somewhat 'normal'. Hobb's nephew took over the diner and left it named Mother's, just like Hobbs had done when he had bought it from the Widow Parks. He bore a striking resemblence to Hobb's even sharing the surname, and if one didn't know better, one wouldn't have known the difference , except that this Hobb's was twenty years younger. Yet even as the tiny town tried to move forwards, the memory of the horror was almost tangible. People were slow to warm back up to each other. The seeds of suspicion are not easily weeded.
"I wish there was a way to just make them all forget, " Michaela remarked one night when Davies and Indigo had joined them for dinner. Elena and Myra were prepping to go back to school, and this was meant to be a farewell party, but of course the topic had come up. She looked about the table, and noted the haunted look Davies wore on his usually jovial face. Even Indigo was brused by a disturbed sadness. Each and everyone of them had been changed by the events to one degree or another. Georgie, Dave, Myra, and Elena had taken it all in fairly well. Perhaps that was because they had talked to each other at great length about the events, or because they had been forewarned and better able to accept, what had happened. However you looked at it, it had forged a bond between them that would last a lifetime.
"Someone should remember...the how and why part at least," Davies said. "It's like the Holocost, remember so that it doesn't happen again."
"That was man's inhumanity to man," Dave began, but then stopped himself, "I guess ultimately that's what started this too."
"We'll remember. We'll keep the memory for everyone else," Michaela heard herself, then added, " of course , that's silly. How could an entire town forget?"
Elena and Myra looked at each other. Elena nodding slightly as if prodding Myra. "Well," Myra said, "there is a way... but it would take some doing."
"If it means getting my town back , I'm for it," Indigo leaned forwards.
"Me too," Davies put in.
********
The group collected a bright, colorful flower called Statice or Lethe's Bramble,by the hundreds to augment the forgetting spell they planned to cast over the town to ease the pain. Under the guise of a "Make our town beautiful" campaign, the flowers were handed out in parking lots, and given away at local merchants, including the diner. The group trodded over every inch of the town leaving the flower on porches, doors, under welcome mats, and anywhere else they could think of until they were sure that each and every building and every person was near the flower whether they knew it or not. Davies even took a bushel of them up to Trespauze manor and placed them around the entire outside of the building. Good cause or not, he just was not going to go back in, but the way he saw it, if any spirits still dwelled there, they deserved to forget too. By the end of the week, Myra thought they were ready. She instructed the group to sit in a circle on the floor Indian style, with their legs crossed. The room was darkened with only a few white candles lit. Sage burned in a small bowl.
She then said, " Everyone concentrate on the memory we wish the town to forget. Keep it in the front of your mind and repeat these words;
After this cruel memory is seen and said erase these thoughts from their hearts and heads."
This was repeated three times. Then Myra added, "Goddess and God, hear us. As we command so mote it be."
They sat in silence for a bit. "Did it work?" Davies asked.
It was late when Indigo and Davies left Michaela's. In a few hours dawn would break, Indigo doubted sleep would come for any of them until after they knew if the spell had worked.
*****
Michaela and the others sipped coffee and decided to have breakfast over at Mother's, before the girl's headed back to school. As they stepped outside, they saw old man Walters, in his bathrobe, bent over picking up the morning paper. As he straightened he waved a cheery hello, and said 'Morning!"
"Morning, Mr. Walters," they called back in unison. Michaela took that as a positive sign. As they entered the small diner, they saw groups of families and friends enjoying an early breakfast before going about Saturday errands. People were smiling and laughing. Neighboring tables borrowed catsup from each other. The five of them sat at a booth and ordered from a dimpled waitress. From behind the serving window they could hear Hobb's singing along with the radio as he flipped pancakes and eggs.
Georgie smiled, from behind his coffee mug, "I dare say it's worked."
"So far so good," Myra smiled back.
Afterwards, they took a stroll down Main Street , then over Elm, then back up Oak, stopping at the police station to see if Indigo and Davies were on duty yet. "May I help you, folks?" there was no recognition in the twinkling eyes of Davies.
"We were just wondering if Officer Indigo was around?" Dave asked.
"Yeah, he is" turning towards the back he barked,"Bob! Folks here to see you." As Indigo surface, Davies wandered off out of veiw.
"Hi guys," Indigo leaned over and pecked Michaela on the cheek, "Get any sleep?"
Michaela nodded, "What's up with Davies?"
Indigo shrugged, "Guess the spell worked on him too."
"He didn't seem to remember us," Michaela's brow knitted, "maybe we're too associated with what happened."
"It's ok," Indigo said, "I'll just have to introduce you all over again. I mean he still seems like himself and all."
"What do you remember?" Michaela locked her blue-grey eyes on his.
"Everything," he said with a heavy sigh."Every last grim detail."
Michaela touched his cheek with her hand, "I'm sorry, Sweetie." With that she whispered 'Forget' as a lone tear trickled down her cheek and she kissed him. Pulling back, it appeared Indigo was sleeping while on his feet. He blinked slowly. "Yes, Ma'am, can I help you?"
She forced a bright smile, " Can you tell me if there'll be a concert at the gazebo tonight?"
"I'm sorry, Ma'am, not that I know of." Indigo peered at the woman thinking she looked somewhat familiar.
"I see. Thank you." Michaela turned and walked out with the kids trailing her. Elena and Myra walked on either side, holding her hands, and the boys, equally somber followed. No one spoke the rest of the way home.
They saw Elena and Myra off , and watched the powder blue Nova pull down the driveway and down the street, both girls waving good-bye as they waved back, until the car couldn't be seen anymore, then went inside. Michaela went silently to her room, and gave into the tears as she laid on her stomache.
Dave turned on the TV and upped the volume, so that they all could pretend not to know Michaela was crying.
"I can't imagine loving someone so much, that you wre willing to let them forget you in order to stop their pain," Georgie said.
*****
Snow was gently falling, and Michaela was out doing a bit of Christmas shopping, even though she didn't feel Christmasy. Six months later, and she was still nursing a broken heart, but she knew, she had done the right thing. If she had to let go of Robert in order for him to heal, then that's the way things were. She shivered and decided to treat herself to coffee and pie at Mother's. She nearly jumped out of her skin, when she heard Dave and Georgie call her name from a booth, and waved to her to join them.
She looked at the bags they had with them. Dave quickly laid his hands over them, "Hey, no peeking - unless we get to peek to."
"No way. These are top secret until Christmas," she patted her bags and placed them on the seat, then scooted in beside Georgie. "I'm watching you, Dave - no feeling the bags either."
Dave pulled a face, and in an exagerated hurt voice said, "Me? How you've cut me to the quick."
Michaela's laugh was cut short as she stared at the two officers entering the diner. The boys followed her gaze. No doubt it was Indigo and Davies, who walked right past barely looking at them. The boys looked at Michaela and Georgie put his arm around her. "I'm ok," she said, and took a big gulp of too hot coffee. "Dang! Burnt my mouth!" They guess she was just trying to cover up the reason for the unshed tears in her eyes.
At that moment, a young man walking past grabbed Michaela's purse off the table. Dave barely had time to yell "hey!" as she gasped, "My purse!" The fool ran smack into Indigo, who quickly handcuffed him. Facing Michaela the young man said, "Geeze the things I do for my sister," and winked at her. "Jaimie?" Michaela whispered, as Davis hustled the guy out into the squad.
"As soon as we run-" Indigo began.
"I won't be pressing charges , Officer."
"Pardon?" he looked at her quzzically, and for a second there was a slight glint of recognition.
"Well, it's Christmas. And I'm sure he had a good reason."
Indigo smiled. "Well that's up to you. - Do I know you? You seem familiar."
"I - I don't know. Maybe." This was hard for Michaela, when she wanted to say, Yes, yes you do!
"I've an idea," Georgie intervened, "Why don't Dave and I take all this stuff home - we promise not to peek, Mickey, and you two can sit here and see if you can figure it out over coffee." Dave and he both slid from the booth.
"I wouldn't mind - if you don't," Indigo said. "Would you guys tell my partner I'll meet him at the station?"
