Evil Agreement (20 page)

“Stop this now, Sammy,” she demanded.

“Why?” he demanded.

“Because he’s not to blame. Running away was my idea.”

“I’m sorry Kelley it’s out of my hands.”

“
Kell
...
ey
,”
screamed Paul one last time.

She turned just in time to see his body completely pulled
beneath the surface. His arms flapped wildly, then his hands grabbed at the
darken clumps of soil. His fingers stiffened and relaxed, as his hands
disappeared into the ground. The flashlight on the ground highlighted the
entire gruesome event.

The crickets had stopped their usual chirping. The night was
absolutely silent.

Kelley turned towards her brother and tried to fly at him
with her fists, in a blind hateful rage. She was restrained by the two people
who accompanied her brother, Bruce and Scott Morton. They were in their early
twenties, and owned their own business, Green Mountain Video’s and Games.

“You bastard,” she screamed at the top of her lungs.

“Now, Kelley, that’s not nice. Mom and Dad would be hurt by
your vulgarity. Kelley, I’m afraid you’re going to have to pay a heavy price
for breaking our covenant of silence with an outsider. Even I, can’t save you,
now.”

She spit at Samuel and tried to kick him.

He held his right hand up, as if to hold her off, yet not
touching her, when suddenly she went limp. She was conscious but was no longer
in command of her body. She was dragged from the cemetery, her two sneakers
digging twin trails in the moist earth. The two Morton brothers placed her in
the back seat of a police car. Samuel climbed into the back seat of the
Reverend’s car. Bruce Morton got into the front seat of the police car while
Scott got in the Reverend’s car. The two cars moved away slowly.

In the cemetery, bats now flew in frantic but purposeful
directions. The cemetery was always a good place for hunting.

21

“It was fortuitous that Mrs. Lawless spotted her this
afternoon. Her hearing acuity is exceptional,” said the Reverend.

Samuel did not acknowledge the Reverend’s small talk. He had
a great deal on his mind.

“Is there a way we can reach Ed Townsend?” asked Samuel.

“We’ve already called his house, and left a message on his
answering machine,” said Scott Morton.

“Does he carry a pager, a cell phone?” asked Samuel.

“I don’t know!” answered the Reverend.

He was trying to hold back his anger. It seemed that Samuel
was deliberately trying to ignore him.

“You should have inquired into it, long before now,” scolded
Samuel.

The Reverend’s ears stung with the bite of the criticism just
leveled at him. He couldn’t afford to react—he had to remain in control.

“You’re right!” answered the Reverend with as much control as
he could command.

His hands gripped the steering wheel of the car with such
force that his knuckles were turned white.

Meanwhile, sitting in the back seat of the Police car, Kelley
was fully conscious, but still could not move a single muscle in her entire
body. She could hear the two men in the front seat talking in hushed tones, so
low she was unable to discern a word that was spoken. Her heart ached for her
friend, Paul. She got him into this mess, and it had cost him his life. Tears
ran down her cheeks. Her nose ran. She wanted to sob but couldn’t move. She
grieved in tortured frozen silence.

The two cars moved along the streets of Sutton in tandem.
After several minutes, the cars pulled slowly into the driveway adjacent to the
Church of Everlasting Faith. The white siding of the church seemed almost luminescent
in the moonlight. Its stained windows were flat-black. They seemed to absorb
the pale night light without giving back any reflection. The cars proceeded
deep into the driveway alongside of the church. The Reverend got out of his car
as did Samuel and Scott Morton. Police officer and Bruce Morton got out of the
police car. Kelley was momentarily left in the back seat by herself.

The Reverend fumbled with his keys. After a moment he
selected one and walked over to the bulkhead doors, which led to the church’s
furnace room. This was the only way into that part of the church basement. He
unlocked the padlock and slipped it off of the latch panel. With a strain he
pulled back the two heavy wooden doors. They creaked and cracked with sounds
doors often make that aren’t opened very often.

The Police officer shone his flashlight down the steps that
led to the furnace room. Another door stood closed at the bottom of the wooden
stairs. The Reverend was careful as he climbed down these stairs. He unbolted
the cellar door and pushed it open. He reached along the door jam and flipped
on a light switch. The light reached up the stairs and lit up the faces of the
four people standing at the top.

“Go get her and bring her down here,” said Samuel to the two
Morton brothers. They turned and headed towards the Police car. Samuel and the
Police officer descended the stairs into the furnace room.

“Over here,” called the Reverend.

He was standing near the furnace. He reached overhead and
pulled on a small chain. They heard a low rumble as the stone-faced cellar wall
began to swing away giving way to another room. The Reverend reached for
another light switch, and soon the secret room was dimly lit with a small
overhead light bulb. Cobwebs were everywhere. Against the back wall were two
pairs of metal clamps, set into the stone, at a height of five feet. Another
similar set of clamps were set much lower, at a height of less than a foot off
of the ground. In the middle of the wall were several protruding rings. The
floor was nothing but trampled dirt. The ceiling was made of the same blocks of
stone as the foundation and walls. What little air had managed to enter this
room through the cracks in the stone foundation, was dank and stale. Several
sets of chains hung from the ceiling, on hooks set near the left wall.

“No one will find her in here,” said the Reverend.

“Fine,” said Samuel as his eyes took in the starkness of this
hidden chamber.

Kelley was dragged into the chamber. Her sneakers had worn
away at the toes from her feet having been dragged. The Reverend took a key
ring that hung on the backside of the stone door, and unlocked a pair of the
highest clamps. The two strangers held Kelley up and placed her wrists in each
of the clamps. The clamps were locked by the Reverend. The same was repeated
with the clamps nearest to the floor, which soon held her ankles tight to the
wall.

The Reverend took down a chain from its hanger and chained
her waist, to the wall. Her body was held firmly against the cold stone wall.
Her weight bore down against the manacles. The edges of the manacles cut into
her wrists and ankles.

Kelley could see everything that was going on but couldn’t
move a muscle to resist. She looked at her brother, but could not detect any
sign of compassion. He seemed cold, almost inhuman. Tears ran down her cheeks.

Her brother turned his back on her and left the chamber. The
Morton Brothers and the Police officer also turned and left. The last to leave
was the Reverend. He looked at Kelley and almost seemed concerned.
Nevertheless, he reached for the light switch, and turned the light off. He
then left the chamber. Soon, a low rumble signaled the closing of the heavy
stone door. It was absolutely dark inside the chamber. Kelley’s heart thundered
inside of her chest.

How could my fucking brother do this to me?
she
thought.

Her lungs strained to catch a breath and took in the heavy
air of the foul smelling chamber. She felt the need to wretch, but her stomach
muscles wouldn’t cooperate.

Did they leave me to die?
thought Kelley. At least she
still had control of her mind, but how long would that last in this chamber and
the tortuous situation that she found herself in?

The four men and Samuel climbed up the cellar steps and into
the night air. Everyone, except Samuel, drew in a deep breath. Without as much
as another word, each returned to their respective vehicles. The Reverend,
having already turned off the furnace room light, now padlocked the bulkhead
doors once again. He, too, headed to his car, and after a moment the two cars
pulled away slowly.

Across the street from the Church stood a silent figure. The
person was standing in the deep dark shadows of an old maple tree, trying to
not reflect any street or moonlight. The figure was an old woman. She had watched
the arrival and departure of the two cars. She knew what was going on but also
knew she could not interfere. The time wasn’t right.

Poor child,
thought the woman. She bowed her head in
silent prayer.

The old woman carefully looked in several directions, before
she dared to venture from out of the shadows of the old tree. She slowly turned
and walked down the street back to her own place. She had much to do.

***

Aaron and
Korie
were thoroughly
enjoying themselves. Aaron had even taken up the owner’s offer and joined the
assembled group of so-called amateurs on stage for a couple of numbers. He
rejoined
Korie
. Sweat was pouring down his forehead.
He was really into the music. The other informal band members had given him
some polite applause when he elected to return to
Korie
.

A young man was now singing up on the stage. He was in his
early
twentys
, but his voice possessed a gravely,
timber quality that seemed born to sing the blues. The horn players, two
saxophones, a trumpet and a trombone provided a solid foundation of brass. The
assembled band played so tight it seemed they had been playing together for
years.

Aaron signaled to their waitress to bring another pitcher of
draft beer. He picked up his napkin and wiped his brow.

“Damn, that was fun!”

“Why did you quit then?” asked
Korie
.

“Because I didn’t want to leave you alone.”

“I’m okay.”

“Well, there’s another reason.”

“What’s that?”

“I’m really not up to their level.”

“Is that right?” she said as she took the napkin and wiped
his neck.

He smiled at
Korie
and then took
her hand that held the napkin. She dropped the napkin on the table. Aaron
opened her hand and pulled her hand to him. He slowly kissed her palm, not once
but a couple of times. She smiled at him, with a smile that had love written
all over it.

The waitress arrived with the pitcher of beer.

“Thanks,” said
Korie
.

“Yeah, thanks,” said Aaron. “Say, can I ask you a question?”

“Sure,” said the young waitress as she leaned over the table
to better hear the question.

“Are those all really amateurs? I mean, they’re really good.”

“They call themselves amateurs. But they’ve been coming here
and playing together a couple of times a week, since before I started here, two
years ago. Ron’s got a lot of friends who play, and they like the laid back
feel of the place.”

“Thanks again.”

“No problem.”

The waitress turned and left.

“See, I told you they were good, too good.”

“You’re quite the sleuth,” she said playfully. “I’m going to
the ladies room. Don’t drink all the beer while I’m gone and don’t pick up any
blues mommas either.”

Korie
stood up and meandered around
the tightly packed tables to reach the ladies room.

Aaron poured himself half a glass of beer and took a sip.

Ed Townsend walked into
Mojo’s
. The
place was crowded, but as with most crowds, there was movement and gaps. Ed
maneuvered himself to the bar where he located an empty stool a young woman had
just vacated. He sat down.

“Jeez this seat is warm,” he said almost without thinking.

“Just imagine,” said the bartender who removed the half-empty
glass from the bar in front of Ed, which the woman had left behind.

Ed smiled at the subtle humor.

“Give me a scotch and make it neat,” said Ed.

“Sure,” said the bartender.

In a moment the amber colored drink was placed in front of
him.

“Tab?”

“No thanks. How much?”

“Four fifty.”

Ed placed ten dollar bill on the bar and pushed the bill
towards the bartender.

The bartender picked it up and left to retrieve some change.
He returned with the change but Ed waved him off. The bartender nodded his
thanks at Ed and turned to serve other customers.

Ed turned on his stool and began to search the crowd. In a
couple of moments he spotted Aaron sitting all alone, at a small table. He knew
it was Aaron because Ed’s own inner evil spirit sensed the presence of Aaron’s
spirit, the proverbial Powell spirit.

At that very moment, Aaron felt a sudden and deep chill seize
him. It felt as if he had been suddenly doused with a bucket of ice water. He
shivered and his teeth began to chatter.

Aaron didn’t understand what was happening. For just a
moment, he thought he might be coming down with something.

Now the sounds in the room were getting quieter. It was as if
someone was turning down the sound of the entire room, much like one does with
a television remote control. He could see the band was still playing, the
singer was still singing and people seated at tables were still talking. But
now, there was absolutely no sound, whatsoever. Aaron’s hands griped the edges
of the table. He could feel the table. He reached for the glass of beer, and
could feel the coolness of the lower half, of the partially filled glass.

 
What’s happening?
he thought not daring to speak out loud.

He needed
Korie
right now. She was
always calm and levelheaded. Aaron was beginning to feel a rush of panic
seizing him.

What’s taking her so long?
he thought.

A soothing voice spoke to him. Its sound seemed to be coming
to him from where
Korie
had been sitting just moments
before. His eyes noticed that the air across the table from him was now
shivering, much like the air around a mirage.

“Aaron, you are in danger. One of Moloch’s coven is near. He
seeks you, yet he is not ready to take you, and you are not yet ready, for what
is to come,” said the female voice.

Aaron watched the agitated air waves. Soon, a shape began to
form inside this effect. It was a woman. The woman was wearing clothes Aaron
couldn’t recognize. She had on a hat, with a large feather on one side, a neck
broach, over a high-necked French lace blouse, with full lace cuffs that
extended from beneath the deep blue, almost black, velvet jacket. She was
stunningly beautiful. Her hair was black and shiny and tied up under her hat.
Her hands were delicate, she wore no rings.

“Who are you?” whispered Aaron.

“I am Constance Morgan Powell, daughter of Irene Powell and
mother to Colleen Day Powell.”

Aaron sat there in stunned silence.

She looked over his shoulder and focused her green eyes in
the direction of the bar.

“Don’t turn around, Aaron. The evil one is seated on a stool,
near the wall, next to a tall table. He is drinking from a small glass and is
watching you.”

“What, I mean how did, I mean...?”

She held her hand to his lips to silence him. He didn’t feel
her touch, but the gesture was clear.

“You must leave here tonight. The man who is after you has
already searched through your possessions before he came here. Take
Korie
with you and leave quickly. The two of you must go to
Sutton, tonight. The time is coming soon—there is no time to waste. When you
arrive in Sutton look for a place called Mother Nature’s You will be safe
there. You must finish reading our diaries. Once you have finished reading
them, call for us and we shall come.”