“Lyrna!” said Jeremy. Her voice was the first bit of real happiness he had experienced in some time.
“Jeremy!” A branch snapped. “Lyrna sorry. Lyrna chased. Back now.” Lyrna quieted for a moment and then added, “Lyrna hungry!”
Jeremy pushed himself back up so that he slumped against the wall. “Sorry Lyrna, I don't have any more food. But can you help me out of here?”
Lyrna mewed and scratched at the door.
“It’s locked. I think it’s a bolt lock. My hands and feet are locked in chains but you’ll need a key for that. Go see around the back.”
Lyrna walked around to the back of the shed and then rapped on the wall. “Here?”
“Yes, what do you see?”
Lyrna growled and then ran off into the bushes. Jeremy heard the porch door swing open.
“Lyrna see Henrietta,” whispered Lyrna. “Laundry.”
A moment of silence passed and then the porch door screeched closed.
“Okay.”
“So what do you see back there?” said Jeremy.
“Big lock. Need key.”
“Either Henrietta or Bill has it. You'll have to sneak into the house and find it.”
Lyrna mewed. “But gun!”
“Tonight Henrietta will come here to read me some Bible passages. I'll ask her if she can loosen the chain on my left leg or something. You stay outside but follow her around the back to see what the key looks like.”
“Attack? Get it!”
“No! Not yet, wait. I want you to follow her back inside until you know where she keeps that key. Then go in when everyone's asleep and retrieve it. Can you do this?”
“Why wait?”
“Because if you attack her, we risk Bill and Jason coming outside and...” Jeremy's voice trailed off. He knew they’d beat him. Lyrna would be dead for sure. He thought of his mother. A tear fell down his cheek and he sniffled.
“Jeremy all right?”
“Yes Lyrna, some terrible things have happened since you left. We can talk about it later. Just please be careful.”
Later that night, Henrietta approached the shed. She tapped on the doors. “You okay in there, sweetheart?”
“Could you come in?”
“'Course, what'd you think I was gonna do?” Henrietta opened the door and sat across from Jeremy in a green plastic lawn chair that had been brought in for Bible devotions. “I brought you some milk, sweetie.”
“Thank you,” said Jeremy. Goat's milk had initially revolted him, but lately it tasted like ambrosia. He leaned forward to catch the liquid in his mouth. After his first gulp, he spit some onto the floor, pulling his head back. “Why does it taste like that?”
Henrietta laughed, “Relax, only put some whiskey in it to help you sleep better is all. Now drink up. There's a lot and I don't want you to miss another drop.”
Jeremy allowed the hot, bitter drink to flow into his mouth. It burned his throat and made his eyes water, but he knew he had to act appreciative in order to win her trust.
“Mother?” said Jeremy, as sweetly as he knew how.
“Yes, baby?”
“My left foot hurts really bad. I can't pull it out as far as my right and I've been putting all this extra weight on it. It feels numb and tingly.” Jeremy's eyes teared. “Please, Mother, could you please loosen it?” Jeremy batted his eyelashes.
“Oh, come now Jeffrey.” Henrietta folded her arms across her chest and gave him a quick look over. She admired his electric blue eyes. “Baby, that's how the whiskey's gonna help.”
“Please?”
“'Patience is a virtue,' says the Lord. And we must endure trials and tribulations.”
“My foot!” Jeremy sobbed softly and looked down at his left foot.
Henrietta bumbled up from her chair. “Oh, all right then. But no funny business! If I catch you fraternizin' with the devil, even just once, I will personally beat those demons out of you, you hear me Jeffrey William Truitt?” She struck him across the face, and then again, leaving splotches of red on both of Jeremy's cheeks.
“Yes ma'am,” said Jeremy, eyes downcast.
Henrietta leaned forward and kissed the top of his head. “That's my baby.” She exited the shed and went around the back. Jeremy could hear the jingling of a key chain. Within seconds, the chain slackened and Jeremy found that he could pull his left foot forward. He wanted to leap, to bend and flex, but restrained himself. He allowed for five additional inches of foot space, just enough to treat himself to a decent stretch, but not enough to arouse any suspicions.
Henrietta ambled in and plopped back down onto her lawn chair. She studied Jeremy's extra leg room and smiled. “There, that good for you?”
“Yes! Yes, thank you Mother. Thank you Lord,” Jeremy quickly added.
Henrietta proceeded with devotions, choosing as her topic the story of Cain and Abel:
1Adam knew his wife Eve intimately, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, "I have had a male child with the LORD's help." 2Then she also gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel became a shepherd of a flock, but Cain cultivated the land. 3In the course of time Cain presented some of the land's produce as an offering to the LORD. 4And Abel also presented an offering ― some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5but He did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, and he was downcast. 6Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you furious? And why are you downcast? 7If you do right, won't you be accepted? But if you do not do right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must master it." 8Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. 9Then the Lord said to Cain,"Where is your brother Abel?" "I know not," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?" 10Then He said, "What have you done? Your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground! 11So now you are cursed from the ground that opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood you have shed. 12If you work the land, it will never again give you its yield. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth." 13But Cain answered the Lord, "My punishment is too great to bear! 14 Since You are banishing me today from the soil, and I must hide myself from Your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, whoever finds me will kill me." 15Then the Lord replied to him, "Therefore, whosoever slayeth Cain vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold." And the Lord set a Mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him. 16Then Cain went out from the Lord's presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
– Genesis 4:1-16
Henrietta closed her Bible and stared at Jeremy. “Do right and you'll be accepted,” was all she said. She rose from her seat and returned to the house. Jeremy, meanwhile, was beginning to feel nauseous.
Chapter 25
Pirate
The fleet of IIU spaceships sped towards Earth with Watican forces at its heels. Ms. Fritz adjusted her weight in her seat as she examined the black orb. Bentley sat across from her, admiring the mysterious communications device with his snake-like eyes.
“So Mantel knows we're coming?” asked Bentley.
Ms. Fritz brought the orb close to her chest. “Yes. Mantel's servants know exactly where the Cajjez is located.” Ms. Fritz smiled and caressed the orb. “Wait until you see Mantel's powers.”
“How does it work, exactly?” asked Bentley, pointing to the orb.
“Oh, now you know I can't rightly explain it.”
Bentley crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. “Indulge me.”
Ms. Fritz sighed. “Well, I've been told that it operates through subtle vibrations – frequencies beyond what are detectable by instruments; that is, except by the instrument of a living being. The soul exists on these levels and continues there after bodily death. The substance inside this orb,” Ms. Fritz shook the orb for emphasis, “is from the Haze, also known as the place where the souls of the dead go before they're sorted. The substance work
s as some type of conductor. A demon had acquired this orb before entering Mantel's Maze. I really can't tell you much more than that, other than Jeremy has access to this other place. All I know is that if I concentrate on the orb, I can hear Mantel whisper to me.”
Bentley eyed the orb and licked his lips. “Tell me again about Mantel's promise.” He leaned forward across the table, propping his head up with his hands.
Ms. Fritz continued, “Mantel's domain is a beautiful maze, where souls walk about in human form. They think, they drink, eat, love! Just as life is a myriad of choices, so is death. Mantel promises an everlasting, eternal life of choice. I've seen it, I've seen the harvested souls! What a fate, to remain individuated, to have free will forever! God, Lucifer, we have no proof of what happens to the souls of the dead. Mantel warns that if our soul joins God after we die, that our individuality will be extinguished and we'll be doomed to live a life of selflessness. If we join Lucifer, we might have the illusion of free will, but we'll be forced into servitude and will suffer eternal pain. What we really want is to preserve life as we know it. If Mantel controls Jeremy, Mantel will gain unlimited access to the place where souls are sorted and he'll be able to bring more souls into his domain.” Ms. Fritz frowned. “Mantel's current method of acquiring souls is disorganized at best. But rest assured, Mantel will save us all.” Ms. Fritz held the orb up for Bentley to admire. A swirl of purple emerged briefly on its black surface and then disappeared into its center.
An IIU scout emerged from the front compartment of the Mothership. Ms. Fritz and Bentley turned to the scout, whose face was locked in a stone cold expression.
“Watican forces are closer than expected. We're picking up some small spy crafts on our radar. We've spotted two so far, only tiny blips on our screen, but we're certain there are more.”
Ms. Fritz pushed up from the table, hiding the orb in the pocket of her robe. “So it's begun.” She paced the room. “We'll have to attack. If we don't attack now they're likely to follow. We can't have Watican forces on Earth. They'd ruin everything!”
Bentley looked up from under his bushy brow. “You don't think they'd actually follow us for three years, do you?”
“I do.” Ms. Fritz recalled an image of Wantoro in her mind's eye. His face was strong, his expression resolute. “Some of our forces won't make it to Earth if we fight, that's very true. But those who fight and die will be honored as martyrs and Mantel will know of their deeds. We must have faith. If, no, when Mantel has Jeremy under his control, our forces, deceased or otherwise, will find their way to Mantel's Maze.”
“So then we'll all die, is that what you're suggesting?” Bentley frowned.
“No, our ship and a few others will continue forward. The rest will hold them off. I'll leave it up to you to determine which ships join us.”
Bentley massaged his chin. “First, I propose we send one of our spy crafts to intercept and pirate a craft.”
“We haven't the time for those types of games, Bentley!”
“Ms. Fritz, please. If we pirate one of their spy crafts, we can bring it back to Watico's Mothership and attempt to kidnap Wantoro.”
“Now wait,” Ms. Fritz's voice trailed off, puzzled by the proposal. “And you're aware that this mission is likely to be a suicide mission?”
“What else is turning around and fighting Watico's army? Besides, you forget our units are highly trained in subterfuge. An enemy infiltration mission is not out of the ordinary. And if we succeed, Wantoro could prove to be excellent leverage in securing Jeremy's allegiance.”
Ms. Fritz smoothed her hair back and straightened her posture. “Very well, let's begin.”
Chapter 26
Severance
The cool night air drifted in from a crack in the base of the shed, tickling Jeremy's feet. Outside, the steady drone of crickets continued. Jeremy focused on this, waiting for the temporary halt of chirp song that would signify Lyrna's approach.
“Chirp, chirp, chirp,” Jeremy babbled. His head felt like it weighed a ton. “Chirp,” he sang, followed by “chirp!” an octave higher. The crickets quieted. Oops, thought Jeremy, judging his song to be too loud. A single cricket started up again but soon stopped. Jeremy tensed. Someone was approaching.
“Lyrna, key!” whispered Lyrna from behind the shed. Jeremy heard the lock jostle. His chains slackened.
“Lyrna, pass the chains through the hole, I'll bring them through to my side. We have to try to do this quietly.” Jeremy pulled the chains through as Lyrna fed them through the hole in the back of the shed.
“Chains all knotted,” said Lyrna.
“It's okay, take your time,” said Jeremy, his speech slurring from the whiskey Henrietta had put in his milk. The chain connecting his arm slackened and he pulled it through. Within minutes, Jeremy had collected all of the chains in his arms. He was now free to walk, though the chains remained cuffed around his wrists and ankles. Jeremy shuffled to the door. “Lyrna, you have to figure out how to open this door. I think it's a simple slide lock.” Jeremy leaned against the door, his head throbbing. “But be quiet.”
Jeremy's pulse quickened as he heard Lyrna dragging a trashcan across the lawn to the shed door. The door rattled, and Jeremy fell back, landing with a great thud onto the shed floor. The crickets, who had adjusted to the noise of the dragging trash can, now became silent again. Jeremy struggled to lift himself off the floor, the mess of chains hindering his balance. The door opened.
Lyrna leapt into the air upon seeing Jeremy. A steady purr rumbled in her throat.
Jeremy collected all of the chains into his arms again and smiled. “Thanks, Lyrna.” He looked up at the house. The lights were still off. “Quick, back here.” Jeremy shuffled to the back of the shed and used the key to unlock his cuffs. Jeremy gestured towards the woods. Lyrna nodded.
Jeremy and Lyrna moved slowly through the woods because Jeremy's head was reeling. His stomach gurgled and he knelt down in a patch of grass and vomited.
“Stinky!” mewed Lyrna.
“Sorry.” Jeremy struggled to rise. “How far are we?”
“Okay?”
The last thing Jeremy remembered was slumping forward onto the cool grass.
“Come! Come!” said Lyrna.
Jeremy awoke to find Lyrna pulling on his sleeve. It was lighter outside but still only early morning. “What?” Jeremy felt his head, still throbbing from the night before. The knot in his stomach had loosened. “What happened?”
“Jeremy sleep.”
Jeremy stood up and looked around him. “Where are we?”
“Still close to house. Need move!”
“Right.”
Jeremy looked behind him. The roof of the house was still in sight, poking through the trees. Jeremy stumbled towards Lyrna. The two briefly continued on the path before opting for a more hidden route through the underbrush. The trees and rocks were difficult to negotiate and slowed their pace. Jeremy thought it best to take their time so as to minimize noise. Also, he was certain he'd fall if he tried to run.
The woods remained quiet in the early morning hours, save the melodious chirping of morning birds. Jeremy and Lyrna at last reached the final stretch of the trail. Just beyond the bend was the main road. Hope seemed tangible once more.
A rock struck Jeremy across the cheek. Baffled, Jeremy spun around.
“Stay right there.” Jason emerged from behind a tree, a pistol in his hand. He motioned with his other hand and Adam came into view. Adam laughed sheepishly.
“Jason,” said Jeremy cooly, “put the gun down.”
“Nope! And I'll tell you what's goin' down. See, I woke up to go to school and seen you asleep on the path. I think to myself, I gotta tell Ma and Pa, but then I think – why not take care of it myself? Always thinkin' you're so special. I know the devil ain't come out of you. Ma's blind, Pa's blind if they think different.” Jason snickered and took a step forward. Adam followed his example and moved closer. “So where's that get us?”
Jeremy stoo
d as tall as he could. “I'm leaving and you're not going to stop me.”
“Really?” Jason laughed again and brought himself face to face with Jeremy. “'Cause the way I see it is I got a gun. And I know how to use it. Got a pretty decent shot, too.” Jason brought the gun up to Jeremy's face. “You're comin' with me.”
Jeremy knew he couldn't go back to that house. The Truitt's would tie him down, beat him and recite prayers. And Lyrna–
“Watch out for that cat!” yelled Adam.
Lyrna growled and puffed to her full height, ready to pounce. She flashed her fangs at Jason.
“What, that thing? That's the first thing I'm gonna take care of.” Jason aimed the gun at Lyrna and squeezed the trigger.
Jeremy leapt forward, knocking Jason's arm as he released the trigger. The gun fired and the bullet hit a tree. Jason toppled to the ground and Jeremy fell on top of him, attempting to wrestle the gun from his grasp. Adam dropped to the ground and hid behind a tree.
“You're comin' home!” yelled Jason.
Jeremy pried Jason's fingers off the grip as his other hand slid down along the barrel. The gun was now under his control. But Jason kept grabbing at it, so he drew it closer to his chest. The muzzle pointed up under Jason's chin. Jason narrowed his eyes and at that moment Jeremy saw in Jason a sad envy. Jason kicked Jeremy in the gut and Jeremy could feel the gun slipping. He pulled. A loud bang rang out. Their eye contact continued for a moment, and Jason's lips curled into a faint smile of relief. Jason slumped to the ground. Blood gushed everywhere.
Adam sprang up screaming from behind the tree and ran away.
Jeremy's head spun. He had never seen so much blood. Blood on his arms, his shirt, his face. Everything felt warm and sticky. Jeremy fell forward and wept on the ground. Jason was dead. He wouldn’t have a birthday party next week. He wouldn’t grow up to be a man. Jason was blood, all blood. He had killed Jason. The grass was covered in Jason. Large black birds began to circle overhead, cawing for Jason. Even the ants and beetles seemed to rise up from the Earth for Jason.
Rising slowly from the ground, the world seemed altered. Jeremy cried and beat his fists on the ground. Life felt heavy. Answers no longer flitted before him. He was alone and lost. Where was the angel? Where was God? Jeremy sobbed as he stumbled towards the open road just around the bend. Maybe there was a demon inside him after all.