3

His hands were neatly folded together, his back was in the perfect posture. Except for his thumb toe twitching, Stephen was perfectly still… As if in a trance. They had to figure that no one could wake him from this depth. Eyes closed, after a few minutes, his toe finally stopped moving. He was a statue. Looking slowly from Kailie to James, and back and forth, it looked as though he wasn’t even awake. His eyes were completely glazed as if he was trapped somewhere in the past. Kailie read about similar incidents happening when people suffered from posttraumatic stress disorder. Slowly reaching for his hands, she was lightly smacked away as quickly as she attempted to move.

Slowly inhaling, he finally spoke. “All who step in the blood of He, will writhe for eternity,” he chanted. Quickly shaking his head, Stephen looked as though he was just slapped across the face.

Eye wide, James looked him right in the eyes. “What did you just say?!”

Kailie tried to hold him back, in case he was going to do something he’d regret later. With the exception of his hands shaking, though, James didn’t budge. It looked as though he had stopped breathing, as well.

Slowly inhaling, Stephen spoke as calmly as he could. “That’s the last thing my father said to me before I knew that he wasn’t my father anymore.” He scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Not that he ever was a father to begin with… Corrupt, abusive b*****d… And Mommy dearest was always too drunk to care.” He shook his head, looking down.

Kailie felt a slight, acidic feeling in the back of her throat. She knew she didn’t have much, knowing the fact that her parents died in a car crash when she was eight. Her grandfather took her in without a moment’s hesitation when he found out. He was never abusive in any way and would always tell her that he loved her more than life itself. Because of his guidance, Kailie did her best to show the same idea and respect to her friends.

She exhaled, trying to fight back possible tears. “I’m so sorry.” Then, she felt as if someone should have slapped her. “Wait a minute! Your father?” She put her hand to her mouth, inhaling slowly. She found it impossible to breathe at the moment. “It was you under the house, wasn’t it?”

Stephen nodded. “B******s tried to keep me prisoner.” He wrinkled his nose. “He was somehow sharing my parents’ bodies.”

“Sharing?” James asked.

Stephen raised his eyebrows. “I thought you two knew. You were victims of his wrath back on the street… The trees smashing your car… The blinding cold… My parents’ behavior… The deserted houses.”

Kailie nervously shook her head. Fingers twitching, eyes searching for something… She wasn’t sure what it was, but she felt like something was missing from this little campfire. Quietly, she found herself panting, still looking around. Where is it? What is it? Staring at Stephen’s pendent, it continued to shine even though the lighting was very dim inside his hut. It was brighter than any candle someone could put near her. As he slowly rocked back and forth, the glow became slight brighter than the previous one.

James shook his head. “You can’t be serious. Sir, I hardly believe in ghost tales anymore and Kailie’s the same way.”

Kailie didn’t respond, still staring at Stephen’s pendent. It looked like a deep ocean, and it seemed to pull her in. There was a tiny, dark space right in the middle of the circle that she never noticed when they first met. As she continued looking, it seemed to grow. She glanced at Stephen and James, but they didn’t seem to notice. It was beginning to look like a snake’s eye.

Stephen scoffed. “Ordinarily, I wouldn’t blame you. But if I were to tell you two a ghost story, we wouldn’t be in this shelter.” He rubbed the wall he was leaning against, as if he was trying to comfort something. Kailie looked around as though she was expecting a pet in the corner.

James’s look, then, became suspicious. “What do you mean? Besides the cold, there’s nothing out there.”

Stephen’s smile became wider as he rubbed his eyes. He looked as though he hadn’t slept in a week. Dark circles formed around his eyes, and from time to time, he swirled his head around like he was dizzy. Sighing, irritated, he slammed his hand down on his knee. It was so intense, it snapped Kailie away from his pendant. She looked at him delicately, hoping he wouldn’t do anything foolish.

“Nothing out there,” Stephen repeated. “So, I guess whirlwinds and stray trees are normal where you come from.” His fingers were twitching as he fiddled with the pendent. “Demon-overshadowed people, too? People like you always try to rationalize their ‘outside experiences’, if you will… Saying there’s a scientific explanation for everything. But then, if they really sit down and think, there is no scientific excuse for what they witness. And they never would guess that a situation like this would get worse over time.”

James rolled his eyes and folded his hands. He knew he couldn’t argue with what happened to them not two hours ago. Outside, the winds were getting stronger and dogs were coming out of their dens. They all knew there was no turning back now, at least for the rest of the night. My god, it can’t already be night time, James thought. It was only one o’clock in the afternoon when we left. The sound of the dogs outside made him jump.

Stephen nodded. “Don’t worry. We’re safe here.”

James shook his head. “Well, forgive me if I’m not completely convinced at the moment.”

Kailie lightly punched his shoulder, glaring at him. He knew that look very well from his teachers. It was when his tongue had the best of him. James couldn’t help but scoff. My mother’s done worse. All the while, Stephen just stared at him. Eyes never moving, just staring.

“Do you even know who Kana is?”

They both were silent. Kailie’s seat was glue by now. No point in adjusting any time soon, assuming that was the idea. In this hut, there was barely room to stand up without hunching over. I would say so, but I fear that I don’t know completely. From what Grampy told me, it always sounded like a tall tale. All the while, Stephen’s stare never left her. Looking around confused, Kailie shrugged in response.

He pointed at her. “You know of him… I’m sure of it. Granddaughter of Joseph Hartman, the spiritual leader of Joshua, Texas?”

Kailie nodded, astonished. How did he know this? He doesn’t even have a television or a phone for other contact!

Once more, Stephen started twiddling with the pendent. It was turning into more of a mid-night blue now. It was like the “eye” was taking over the whole jewel. He didn’t seem to notice, so, Kailie quickly turned away. He did, however, notice that. Grinning, he stroked it gently with one hand, and took her hand with the other.

“Do you know what this is?” he asked.

When Kailie shook her head, Stephen motioned for James to come sit down a little closer to the fire. Wiping a little sweat from his forehead, he cleared his throat. Kailie knew he wanted to say something, but she thought he couldn’t find the perfect words. So, she started with something simple. Taking a deep breath, she took her time, based on what she noticed with his hands.

“How do you know my grandfather?”

Stephen grinned even wider at that. “He saved my life when I was your age.”

Kailie’s eyes felt like they were going to pop out of her head. Where did this happen?! Why?! When she asked, he relaxed his back against the wall. As he told the story, Kailie’s stomach was doing cartwheels. Grabbing James’s hand, she mentally prepared for what she figure was a horror story in the real world.

“My father had just finished his fifth drink, so as you can guess, by mid-afternoon, he wasn’t in the greatest mood. In his rage, he kept spouting off about how their house had a ‘f*****g hole in the ceiling’. He screamed at me, ordering me to fix it. If I didn’t, he was going to ‘tan my hide’. I told him ‘no’… That I was a grown-up now.”

He exhaled deeply, closing his eyes. Kailie could tell he was literally reliving this. Smiling something fierce and angry, he continued.

“He doesn’t like that… Not… one… bit. So, after he finishes the bottle, he intentionally breaks it. Glass flies everywhere near his feet. Picking up the jagged edge of the bottle…”

His throat was getting tight. Swallowing didn’t help much, so Kailie lightly stroked his shoulder. Giving her a polite smile, stroking her hand back, he continued.

“He comes at me… Screaming, ‘All who step in the blood of He, will writhe for eternity!’… That’s when I knew, officially, that this wasn’t just another drunken fit… Carl Williams, my so-called father, had been overshadowed.”

James sighed, knuckles white, trying to steady his breath. “What did your mother do?”

Stephen closed his eyes. “Not a damn thing until I kicked that b*****d to the wall. He fell unconscious when he hit a glass frame. Rushing to him, crying, she started screaming at me. I didn’t hear much, because by then, I was running, packing necessities. At first, I didn’t care where I was going, as long as it was far away from those b******s… Then, I remembered Joseph Hartman’s line of work. He was a reverend before you were born, Kailie. Did you know that?”

Kailie shook her head, lost in thought. That explains a lot.

“He took care of me for two more years. Then, there was a tragedy in his family. He didn’t share many details, but he told me he had a grandchild to take care of. He quit being a reverend by then and started working for an elementary school. We wrote to each other from time to time. He said he still went to the church he used to preach at in Joshua. Someone new took his place, but he didn’t say who it was, not to me. He wished me well, and told me to come see him as often as possible. The last thing he would say in each letter was begging me to keep my promise.”

Rubbing tears from her eyes, Kailie shook her head. “And what promise was that?”

Stephen took both of her hands, staring at her with those blue diamonds. They looked like the diamonds she saw when she was in New Mexico last year. Somehow, they were lighter toward the fire. Kailie could swear she was seeing his soul.

“That if you do come across Bethesda, I would do everything in my power to protect you, and whoever’s with you… He sent me annual photos of you so I would know who to look for. That’s why I have a hut out here, Kailie. If you were ever in need of help, I would be there, ASAP. I miss your grandfather every day. I pray he’s all right, and I figure, why wouldn’t he be? He has you.” He smiled, looking into her eyes. She turned away as if he was Medusa.

Kailie shook her head faster, closing her eyes. James tried to comfort her, but she turned him away so he wouldn’t see her cry. Why didn’t he tell me? Biting her lip, she blinked a few tears away. Since she was eight, her grandfather was all she had, as far as family. He never spoke a word about Stephen or his situation.

“From that promise, I made a hut with my bare hands only a mile away from the cemetery. My only regret is that it’s not too far from the b******s who claimed to raise me. I did my best to live my life. That didn’t stop those freaks from trying to find me.”

James looked baffled for a minute. “Why would they want to find you?”

Stephen smirked. “Because they believe that I’m their property… And because Kana wants a fresh body when the time comes… Therefore, they stuffed me in the basement. By the time you two showed up, I was down there for three days. I tried breaking out from the beginning, but Daddy kept threatening me with the rifle.”

James’s thumb toes wouldn’t stop fidgeting. Prickly sensations kept moving up and down his neck as Stephen spoke. “What do you mean, ‘fresh body’?”

Stephen shook his head. “That’s story for her grandfather to tell… Another day, perhaps.” He stroked the pendent around his neck, never leaving Kailie’s gaze.

James’s eyes widened and Kailie was looking pale by then. An acidic feeling was rising in her throat, but she didn’t want to vomit in front of them. Stephen apparently noticed it immediately. He gently rubbed her back, as slowly as his hands would move. Sighing helplessly, he checked to make sure her face still had color.

Her head was spinning. The weird trees… Being stranded in the road… The terrifying people… An innocent man locked up under a house… Kana… Why didn’t he tell me about this man? Why didn’t he tell me? Why… The house went dark and cold.

#

When Kailie opened her eyes, James’s face surrounded her. Looking around, she forgot, for a second, where she was. Candlelight was in each corner of the shelter. A scratchy sensation came on the back of her neck. She realized she was laying on a pile of soft leaves for a pillow. A soft, warm pile of fur covered her body for a blanket as she tried to lift herself up. When James saw, he shook his head lightly, giving her a small smile.

“It’s okay,” he whispered. “You just fainted. It’s only been about an hour.” He handed her a warm cup of something that smelled like mint tea. “You’re going to be fine.” Stroking her hands, he wouldn’t take his eyes off of her.

“Where’s St..?” she coughed.

“He went to the closest grocery store to get food. He’ll be back soon. I admit, I really let him have it when you fainted. I told him, he gave you too much information at once. He shamefully agreed and couldn’t even look at you as he left… Just told me to watch you until he returned.”

The memories came back like the worst nightmare. The trees, the wicked people, the strange weather, and her grandfather’s little secret he failed to talk about. There was something more… The pendent. The first thing that pulled her into the conversation had something to do with that pendent. The jewel, whatever it was. He never said what it was exactly, or if it meant anything. As she continued thinking about it, Stephen burst through the door, groceries in his hands. When he saw she was awake, a giant smile spread across his face.

“How’s our spirit fighter?” he greeted, setting the bags on the kitchen table. He slowly walked over and touched her forehead. Smiling, he stroked her cheek. Kailie couldn’t help but return the grin. “I think your grandfather will be happy to know you’re in good health.”

Kailie wondered how he could have possibly had so many groceries when the shack he was living in was slowly, but surely, deteriorating. Grampy. Only real explanation. Stable job, undercover home.

Stephen nodded, content. As he rose to put the groceries away, he carefully tucked the pendent under his shirt. Kailie was so disorientated at the moment, it looked as if there were three Stephens. Holding her head, she slammed back on the thin blanket keeping her from the ground. When they saw, James and Stephen rushed to her sides.

“Try not to move too much, darlin’,” Stephen whispered. “You took a hell of a fall. I should’ve seen that comin’.”

A sarcastic smile came across James’s face. “No s**t.” He lightly rubbed Kailie’s temples as she relaxed her eyes. She playfully punched his knee as she relaxed her body. Too tired to laugh, she dazed in and out of their conversation.

“…a lot of explaining to do,” James said.

“I know,” Stephen agreed. “….everything tomorrow… her rest. It’s going to be a long night.”

Hell was circling around the Williams hut. Such a tiny place for a good shelter. Fifteen years it’s lasted him, and he wasn’t about to leave it behind just yet. He knew what he had to do with his life. Hell was never what he read about in the Bible or anywhere else. It wasn’t hot and quick. Real hell comes on a person slowly. So slow that one wouldn’t see it coming at first. And it’s cold. The winters never left Stephen Williams. Yes, other seasons came around the world.

But in the harshness of Bethesda, it’s cold even when it’s not. Stephen knew that for a fact ever since he saw the look in his father’s eyes. Such a waste, he thought. With his talents, he could have been useful to the world. In a million years, he never thought he would be complimenting his father.

Hell and its demons didn’t know what they were getting into when Kana found Stephen’s father. A strong person would have shrugged off the stench that was Kana. Stephen’s parents were different. They were weak, and they were foolish. Lazy and careless. I guess that’s what made the devil hungry.

Stepping outside of his hut, Stephen felt the cold like ice knives against his cheeks. It wasn’t anything new to him. This is what her grandfather sent him to do. Fight the demons that come near his granddaughter, and then, settle at home. Stephen knew from the beginning, though, he would never settle. Even if Kana is defeated, Stephen would never rest. There wouldn’t be a point in trying. The stench of Kana would remain on his clothing forever. He chose Stephen’s life for a reason, and had yet to make his mark.

“This is what I’ve been doing since my daughter was born,” Joseph told him. “I won’t be around much longer, so I need your help.”

A debt. That’s the word Stephen was looking for. He owed a debt to this man who saved his life so many years ago. As part of the debt, he owed Kailie the whole truth and nothing but the truth. He wasn’t the only one, though. Joseph, as well, had a lot of explaining to do.

With the wind howling in his face and piercing his skin, Stephen scanned the area they were in. Looking for ghosts was never easy when you’re prepared. The element of surprise was key to them for thousands of years. Why would they stumble around when they know hunters are searching for them?

Jump out at me, you b*****d! I dare ya!

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he realized he was rising above the ground.