strategically planning a battle that he was not about to lose.
“So, on to my proposal. I can give you everything you desire with a simple drink.” The man dramatically stopped.
“Or...You can die here at my table. But you must know after that death you will be added to the book of life. You will go to the heaven that would only be your hell. It would be bliss and happiness for all eternity, not even fake but willingly forced.” Gabriel was slumped over looking around the room closing in around him. In his state it was hard to think about the proposal or how this strange man knew such information.
“The time is now, you choose. Drink from the grail on the table or die and go to heaven.” The man said with a urgency in his voice.
Gabriel's family was mostly atheist and he never had much exposure to religion. Except from the kids in school telling him he would go to hell because he was unwillingly born in a family that was not religious. Even what he did know was limited and heaven was such a vague term for such a important phase in the life cycle. He knew he was about to die, and like always if there was a chance to live he would take it though it was against everything he believed in. The man got up from his chair pushing the cup closer to Gabriel.
“Drink and this dilemma will all be over.” The man said in a pressing way. Gabriel hated not having control of his fate and what use to be unknown was now the vaguely known unknown. This is what most people must feel when they die, except now he was taking a strangers word for where he would go after he died.
Now the strange man looked like he was growing angry, as if he was going to dump the cup down Gabriel's throat and breathe life back into him. The choice was clear, he had no choice. So he grabbed the skinny portion of the grail and guided it to his lips. It glowed brighter the closer it came to his mouth.
Inside the grail was a thick almost black liquid. As he tilted it to drain the contents in his mouth he could see the dark red halo it left as it slanted to the side of the cup. The liquid hit his tongue and it was repulsive yet refreshing. The more he chugged the better he felt but now there was whispering and cries coming from the grail.
The more he drank the louder the cries got but he could not stop. It was like an addiction he had, and it had not been fulfilled in too long. As if morphine or a heavy painkiller was flowing through his veins. It was almost gone and he felt more alive than ever before. He tilted his head back as the last drop rolled down the grail. As it entered his mouth the glow of the grail faded. The once magnificent grail now looked like a cheap dollar store cup from china. Gabriel placed it back down on the table. His once burned flesh was now more vibrant like it was a few days before his electrocution. The thirst and hunger was gone with the pain. The man sat back down in his chair with more of an arrogant slouch and less grace than before.
“So who are you and what the fuck just happened?” Gabriel said.
“Yes, now that we have nothing but time allow me to....introduce myself.” The man said in a violent tone.
“I came from roaming the earth and going back and forth on it. I was there at Sodom and Gomorrah, I witnessed the destruction of many great kings and queens of my legion. Khan, Caesar, Alexander, Elizabeth, Charlemagne, Washington, and Hitler to name just a few.” The man paused for a moment. Gabriel was speechless, he knew who he was without the man even having to say it. The thought horrified Gabriel but he was now in the web of the greatest trickster of all time.
“I bare witness to man kinds greatest feats. The massacre of the Mongolian tribes folk. I basked in the rumbling of their horseman’s hoofs as their madness trampled through innocent women and children. The glorious legion of the golden eagle as it spilled blood all throughout Europe. The great but small British isle, how such a small space could be such a death machine of plague starvation and war. From the sea to shinning sea of your homeland. Oh your forefathers spilled the blood of the native tribes and smashed their newborn baby's into the soil. Right over to the ashes of flesh from the death camps of the Nazi's and so.....so many places that I even cannot keep track of!” The man said with a carefree smile. Gabriel was bewildered with the information.
“So...uh, what do I call you because if I have to say all that to get your attention then I might need to write it down..” Gabriel said with a scared smile across his face.
“Hahaha........ha, you can call me Apollyon. Now I am sure you have many questions for me, but they all will be answered in due time and it's best that I show you.” Apollyon got up from his chair as though he had urgent business to attend and Gabriel's pathetic problems and questions meant nothing.
“Now I must beg my leave, you had a choice and you choose your desires. For that I am very grateful, all you have to do is call my name and I will be there.” Apollyon said as he walked past Gabriel and out the door.
Gabriel's mind was racing, was he stood up by the devil? He felt as though he had just poured his heart and soul out to a women that simply walked away. Now he wished it had been Dracula in the room. At least Dracula would mentor the soul he took. He looked around seeing if it was really empty and just him. The fire was burning out, the beast of kings fur now looked tattered and torn. Nothing in the room seemed appealing anymore.
As he got up from his chair he took one last look at the room. Again he had to go through the door but this time what waited was the same thing he hoped to leave behind. Now Gabriel had to force the door open as the now bent hinges squeaked. He walked through and could see the daylight from the mine entrance shining in. He walked out of the mine and looked back to see nothing but a black hole.
Was his truck still gone, he thought. Did this really happen or was it just a dream. He walked back up the jeep trail and to no surprise his truck was waiting right where he left it. He fired the truck up and headed down the trail. Now it seemed wider and much smoother than before. There was no risk of his truck sliding off unless he had a suicidal laps in judgment and turned the wheel as hard as he could. Though that would not be out of the realms of normality for Gabriel.
Once back on the highway Gabriel headed for home. Everything seemed normal, nothing stood out. He had no special powers, or anything that he was aware of. He was completely clueless, should he chain himself up on a full moon. Drink only blood, stay away from kryptonite, would setting foot in a church turn him to ash?
What was he now, was he still that same delusional social recluse he was before he drank whatever that shit was? His mind kept searching for answers. Was he now a member of Satan's legion, did it include a golf membership or what the fuck..
Just then a station wagon came into view. There was a old man and woman who looked to be on their Sunday drive except for some reason they had red shit all over them. They jolted past him without even looking at Gabriel, as if nothing strange was happening. What was that on them he thought? Great my super power is seeing blood on people.
Then another vehicle came by, this time some college kids with blood on them. Every car he passed had the same thing, blood. It was almost horrific, some had more blood on them, others less. He looked into his review mirror to see if maybe he had blood on himself, but there was none.
The road to his house came as a relief, Apollyon's gift of seeing blood on people was disgusting. He parked in his usual spot and went inside. The old house and the smell of chloroform never felt so great to be a part of again. He looked at the mess all around him and started cleaning up the dirty dishes and trash. It was something he had not done since he bought the place and now he had some sick reason to live. If only to figure out the tricks of the trickster.
How did Gabriel stand any chance against him. Should he run to the church, read the bible, pray, what was it and would it even help. As he cleaned he struggled for answers. There really was no way around it he needed answers and there was only one way to get them.
He finished cleaning the old house and put the trash in his truck. It was now evening and he had not ate or drank anything since Apollyon's screaming grail juice, or at least that's what Ga
briel now called it. He sat on his couch and stared at the blank TV screen.
“Fuck it!” He said as he got out of his chair and headed out to the now night sky.
“APOLLYON!” He shouted off his porch. Followed by the silence of the night. He sat down on the steps and waited. The time went by and he thought, so much for calling me and I will be there. It was as if he sent a text to a girl who showed that she liked him and she didn't respond back.
It was getting late and it was becoming apparent that his super powers were not that of an insomniac. He was getting tired and Apollyon was not going to show. Gabriel went back inside the house, up to his room and collapsed in exhaustion.
Awaking in the night due to many incoherent dreams, now Gabriel laid in bed looking into the haunting black space. Outside he could hear rustling in the woods, at first he just assumed it was one of the many creatures of the night. Then he realized maybe it was thee creature of the night and looked out his window.
At first he scanned the area around his house, then his eyes caught a chilling figure and he jolted and looked away. Was it really what he thought it was, he looked back again. At the edge of the woods was a young woman. She was youthful and on a normal occasion she would be easy on