28 A Short Long War As she lay there with contractions she told herself: it wasn't over, they have not won, not yet. It was a long hall, she had tried to do everything right; she should have listened to the priest, how often we say these things afterwards, but she didn't"rather, she followed her heart, thinking it was pure logic, not her sense, not logic, not thinking, rather emotions she followed. But again, it was not over. The child contractions now were developing, timelier. She shifted from nine to seven, and then started to get harder cramps. This was, she mumbled, '...deception at it's finest,' but what she didn't mumble was that a short war was about to begin"even though they had won the first battle. She made her pack, her plan for better or worse; she knew how it must be, how it had to be, she had to let it run its course. She knew the therapy if anything, and she had saved herself by reversing the course of the curse and she was not about to give up her freedom. At 11:59 PM, on the 7th of March the child was born, it was as unsightly, revolting, deformed as any monster Hollywood could create; but it had committed no sin, like her, they were both a gift, a free gift to life; and one way or the other, that is how the story would end, must end she told herself. She was not coming back to her normal state, Dick was standing there, put a knife and gun in her hands, as he laid the child against her shoulder, "Kill it," he demanded. She looked at Dick, then at the boy baby, the one with no name and said with a commanding voice, "The child has a name, it is Dick Earnest Jr." Dick Earnest looked horrified at that remark (as did his follower), then again demanded she kill it. But she laid no hand on the child; for to kill the child would assure the Abyss Worm would have a secure home again. And the curse would go on to the next generation, and the black ring would circle her forehead, it would appear similar to magic, like his was doing that very moment. Dick would then impregnate her again and somehow she knew it would be a girl. And this long cycle would reach out to the future. This was no way to live she told herself, convinced herself. "Death rides a slow horse sometimes," she whispered to Dick, "would you live my life?" He didn't answer, but she read his mind, he would not, Master of the Cult or not, he would not. "You can go home, once you get better," Dick told her. And she answered, "I'd like to, if I could..." somehow she knew she was not going home though. 29 Restoration As Anna lay helpless in bed, the child tucked against her right shoulder, a beastly looking thing, the gun and knife leaning against her right arm, she simply laid still, dying"no one wanted to help the child, or her. In a way no one wanted to be too involved, they wanted Anna to do it on her own. The curse was strong, as was the Abyss Worm, as was Vii, the demonic force standing by, as was God's grace, and power. Everyone hoping someone else would do something and no one doing anything. It was as if there was a cock-fight ready to start but no one starting it or making the first move. They all pulled up chairs, sat and waited, several hours had gone by, still everyone waiting as two souls lay dying; watching their hearts go in and out, pumping breath into their chests, it moved up and down, up and down. They put water by the table next to Anna to drink but she drank nothing, she told them they'd have to force her, and if they did, they would be responsible for whatever happened, whatever took place, whatever would be triggered, either by the Abyss Worm, Vii, or his secret friend the Tiamat, or God Himself. She would be guilt free if, and when she died, and if any lay a hand on either of them, they would then also take on the current dilemma, the deadly forces that lay ahead. Then all of a sudden Dick got thinking: the child had no food for several hours and should the child die in the mansion, in the Cult Club House, whom would be responsible, none other than he, for who was killing the child, it would be the Master of the Cult. He knew also if she left the child in the house, they would be responsible for it, and she'd walk away free...his deception was somehow backfiring on him. "Kill the goddamn child Anna...!" he screamed, but Anna said nothing, not even swears at the group, she held her temper, her mouth, she was guilt free, and wanted to remain that way. And so again they all sat for two more hours. The child and Anna were becoming dehydrated. It had become a no win situation for the cult group, and as they looked at one another, these thoughts were becoming stronger and stronger by the minute, as the group kept looking at the child, themselves, then Anna; constantly the group was going in that circle of faces"and always stopping to pause at Dick's face. End of the War Somehow, Anna was forcing herself into a coma"the child sucking on her breast, no one stopping it. And the Abyss Virus Worm, with all its poisonous, venomous atoms, chose to leave and find a new home, would not return, even though it was present for the delivery, it was gone before Anna could recognize it; hiding in a corner of the window in back of Vii. And then fear gripped the two dozen people standing in, out, and around the room where Anna laid. It was now, 48-hours since the child was born. (Three additional days passed, it was now the 5th day she remained in the bed; there was always someone, something at the end of the bed silently watching, or guarding her, an angel she thought, it comforted her to know someone was there, not sure what or who in a white robe like a doctor). Said she, "I am all alone I see (hesitantly looking at the end of the bed, the angel had gone now); I am the only one left, laying here in the darkness all about me; in fact, I am the only person living who admits, I think, not to understand all of this. But that will do, just a little is enough for me I suppose. There will be no one to take my place, what a shame. [With her last breath]...I leave behind, a house full of dark shadows." 30 [Epitaph]: It was March 9th when everyone in the mansion left, never to return, not taking anything, not one thing out of the mansion was taken. Anna was found three months later in bed (with two notes lying by her side)"dead, and the child was dead. As the police had noticed for that period of time, no activity in and around the house, they become suspicious, as did the neighbors, and together provoked an investigation, hence finding as we now know, the two bodies; thus, emancipation took place that day, and from it the cult was dismantled, and never heard of again. Anna End of Story |
