Chapter 38

Hayden had just come to when the shaking began again. Tommy looked upward at Jeremiah, who had stumbled backward with his hand over his mouth.

“My God. It’s risen,” he said and disappeared.

Hayden sat bolt upright in bed, and the two men clung to each other until the rolling stopped.

“Tommy, I need you to get out of here,” Hayden said.

“What? No way. Hayden, I am not leaving without you.”

Hayden turned his eyes to him, and Tommy saw a green light flash deep inside. “Baby, you have to trust me…” Hayden was cut off as the wall next to Tommy was suddenly sheered away. Hayden grabbed for him and tried to pull him forward, but the demon reached in and snatched him up like a rag doll and yanked him out of his hands.

“NO!” Hayden screamed, but it was too late. The demon shrieked and flew off with Tommy struggling in its arms. Hayden saw its face, or lack thereof, and felt the fear it brought with it like any icy wind.

Hayden pitched forward and stopped at the hole in the wall. “TOMMY!” he screamed as the figure rose into the air and off into the storm clouds.

He immediately ran for the bedroom door and down the hallway. He just prayed that Veronica was ready for it.

“Hang on, baby, I’m coming,” Hayden said as he started running towards the lake.

* * * * * * * *

The demon had been terrorizing Michelle for hours until she finally broke. The girl cried out in desperation the name of her lover before the demon was able to seize control of her mind. It was distracted by its ability to notice that Veronica had been able to break the shackles she was in. In a victorious cry, it became material and flew upwards, pulling with it an incredible amount of energy and leaving Veronica and Michelle alone. The woman rolled off the altar and dropped to her knees, the feeling of flesh and bone so unfamiliar to her. She knew she had a tentative hold on her body, and it would only last a little while, but she felt the energy surge within her. The connection to the earth, feeding her body and soul, reached through the ground and through her fingertips, but she couldn’t wait too long. She had work to do.

She crawled over to the collapsed woman on the floor. She wasn’t dead, but she was hurt. Veronica pulled her close to her, felt her breathing, and relaxed a little.

In the darkness of the lake, she picked the woman up in her arms and carried her to the edge of the bubble to wait for him. Before long, she was able to see a light in the darkness approaching her. It moved painfully slowly, but before too long, she could see the figure as it made its way toward her.

She smiled to herself, seeing the face of her lover as he got closer. Her smile faltered a bit, unsure of what else she was seeing, and it wasn’t until he emerged inside the bubble, followed closely by the man that she could believe her eyes. She nearly dropped the poor woman in disbelief.

Right behind Riley was her father. She stepped backward as he emerged through the dome and looked upon her for the first time in over a century.

“Papa,” she said softy.

“Hello, my darling girl.” He came forward, his pale face breaking out into a wide grin.

Riley reached for Michelle and picked her up easily.

“Papa. Oh, Papa!” she cried as she fell into her father’s arms.

“Oh, my sweet girl. I thought I’d never see you again,” he cried into her hair, and she felt his familiar arms around her.

“I am so sorry, Papa,” she cried into his chest.

“No, my darling girl. It is I who should be sorry. I am sorry I hurt you.” They embraced again.

Michelle muttered in her unconscious state, and Riley snapped back into motion.

“We have to go,” he said. “Veronica, we have to work together to keep her alive, but we have to move now.”

The woman broke her embrace from her father and nodded, wiping her eyes. He handed Jeremiah Michelle’s sleeping form, and they joined hands. Very quickly, a green light pulsed around them as they pulled the earth’s powers to form a shield that would enable the woman to breathe. They opened their eyes, green light dancing from them to peer forward, and the three of them stepped out and beyond the shield and into the dark lake.

* * * * * * * *

The demon plunged into the lake with its newest catch. It protected the man on the way down into the lake and couldn’t wait to see Veronica’s face as she tortured another life in her name. As soon as it breached the shield wall that housed the others, it dropped the man and went to gloat over the bodies of Veronica and Michelle and bathe in their distress.

Ah, Michelle, she had been a fighter, but she eventually gave in and told the demon everything it needed to know. It learned about Tommy and Hayden; it knew about the priest, and now it knew everyone who was involved in the scheme to stop it. It fed from her, providing it with enough sustenance for it to pierce the veil and come completely into the physical world where it quickly gathered strength. It illuminated the shield with light and was furious to find it empty. It roared in anger and stalked over to the altar where the chains had withered and fallen apart.

Somehow she had reconnected with her soul. How? It seethed with rage and spun around to the man trying to crawl away.

It reached one long hand down on top of the man’s head, and instantly he screamed, writhing in pain. The demon felt a cold joy as he made this man’s pain intolerable and pushed to get him to let him know what he needed to know.

Tommy fought back. He reached up with his hands and, much to the demon’s surprise, pulled them off him. He stumbled backwards, eyes wide, breathing hard, but the demon didn’t let him have a moment’s rest before it charged him again. Tommy ducked and rolled and dodged the creatures grasp. He was now in a fight for survival.

* * * * * * * *

They approached the shoreline and immediately jumped out of the vehicle. They could hardly believe what they were seeing. All of Lake Veronica was in turmoil, and it writhed and shimmied, white caps breaking on the sand. But that was the extent of it. Dead center of the lake, a water spout had formed and reached upward to the heavens pouring rain down on the immediate area. Clouds rolled out of the top of the spout and spread their way through the sky. Lightning and thunder rumbled, and the earth shook and lit up when the lightning streaked across the sky.

The two priests headed down the embankment of the lake and walked to the edge. Paul, David, Amanda, and Tony spread out and flanked both men as they immediately set to work.

On the way there, the exorcist informed them that the demon would try to attack them and instructed them to fight off anything that tried to interrupt them. Each person had armed themselves with something heavy just in case. They fanned out behind the priests as they began to chant and pray, both crossing themselves and the lake and speaking in unison, the Latin they said rolling off their tongues as the water sprayed them and lightning danced.

“Here they come!” cried Tony when he saw Chad and Elizabeth emerge from the water. He fired into both and they distorted, melted, and broke away.

“Look! There’s more of them!” Amanda cried as Rose and Jessica emerged, and she and David rushed them with their weapons high over their heads. She beat David by half a step and, with a war cry, raised her two-by-four, the weapon of her choice, behind her back like a baseball player. They swung, made contact, and the figures exploded in a rain of lake water.

Other figures emerged, faces and people no one recognized but what Paul figured were the souls lost in the initial cave-in of the mine. They fought hard, dodging swipes by the creatures and keeping the horde at bay. At one point, they thought they were going to get overrun but cheered when both Judy and Suzie appeared out of nowhere brandishing weapons of their own. Suzie had a tire iron and Judy was armed with an actual baseball bat.

“Hey, guys! Need a hand?” Judy said as she took her place next to David and Amanda.

“Hell yeah. Welcome to the party!” Amanda said.

On the other side, Suzie reinforced Paul and Tony, who greeted her just as warmly.

Suddenly, in front of them, the clouds broke loose, and a ray of sunlight pierced the darkness, pouring its golden light over them. The two priests kept on, and as the light drifted down and away from them, it made its way to the center of the lake.

* * * * * * * *

Hayden reached the lake shore on the other side, up the driveway where his house once stood. As he ran past the ruins, he turned his head to look upon it one final time, letting the anger spill out over him as he charged down the bank and to the edge of the lake. He saw the shaft of golden light pierce the blanketed sky, moving down toward the waterspout, and was encouraged by the sight. But as he looked at the lake, he remembered that Tommy was down there, somewhere, with that demon, and the fire in his belly erupted and spilled out into his body. He could feel the earth as it fed him, and he reached out with both hands and clasped them together.

The cavernous place within him finally erupted, and he let it all come pouring out over him. Hayden’s body was suddenly aglow with a powerful green light that emanated from every fiber of his being. He turned his palms outward, and with a great push of energy, he reached for the water and tore it asunder. The effect was instantaneous.

A great fissure made its way through the center of the lake and as it did, like Moses parting the Red Sea, the water coiled back upon itself and suddenly stood on edge. Thousands and thousands of metric tons of water was now suspended in midair. Without a moment’s hesitation, with the face of his lover in his mind, Hayden stepped down into the valley he had made to save the man he loved.

* * * * * * * *

Tommy screamed in pain and anger. It had him pinned again and its fingers were on his temples. It was panicking now and desperate to gouge out what Tommy knew. Yet something was happening.

The shield around them was suddenly disrupted as the water pulled backwards. The demon cried out, and Tommy was able to pull away and kicked back as hard as he could. The movement sent him stumbling through the barrier, where he figured as soon as he reached the outside, he would be crushed by the weight of the water, and was surprised to find it bone dry when he hit the floor and sprawled.

He quickly got his bearings and had his feet underneath him in seconds. He took one look at the demon who, like him, was stunned and trying to get its bearings, then he turned tail and ran as fast as he could. The walls of the lake were standing up vertically, and as he ran, he caught glimpses of the old church and the steeple that had been sacrificed during the initial cave-in. He didn’t know long this was going to last, but he damn sure wasn’t waiting around for that thing to come out of its shocked state.

He bolted headfirst into the unknown—towards dry land, he hoped—and with every foot fall, prayed that Hayden was safe.

* * * * * * * *

“Oh my god! LOOK!” Suzie cried out as she watched the waters part and stand up on end. Everyone rushed forward besides the two priests, who still prayed and chanted together. They could see the floor of the lake from where they stood. And if that wasn’t enough, Paul could see three figures running as fast as they could toward them on the lake floor.

In the arms of one man lay a figure that he immediately recognized. Without thinking, he found himself racing down the side of the newly exposed ravine to greet them. He leapt down on rock after rock, slid on his butt, and finally jumped down onto the floor of the lake, bolting towards the figures who were running towards him.

His side hitched, and his legs burned, but he ignored it. It took him several minutes at a full-out run to meet up with them. As he approached, he slowed down and stared at the three figures in wonder. He knew who they were.

Jeremiah, Veronica, and Riley all were there before him with his Michelle tucked safely and alive, in Jeremiah’s arms. He reached out for her and pulled her into his. He cried and drew her to him as his tears fell hot and wet upon her face.

“There will be time for reunions later, Paul. But hurry. You must go. We have to get back,” Jeremiah said.

“Why?” Paul asked dumbly.

“The demon has Tommy, and Hayden is going after him. Quickly, we don’t know how long he can hold out against the creature. Take her and go and be blessed,” Riley said.

Paul nodded and turned only to turn once more.

“Thank you,” he said, humbled.

“Today is indeed a day for reconciliation.” Veronica smiled kindly, but her eyes flashed with resolve and her smile fell. “Go, hurry, we don’t have much time.”

The trio turned and fled back down the ravine tucked between the canyon walls of water. Paul turned his back to them and, as best he could, ran with Michelle in his arms.

Suzie and David both had descended to help him back up. They grabbed for Michelle, who was starting to come around, and lifted her up. Paul grabbed the wall with his hands, found purchase for his feet, and lifted himself up with the help of David, who had grabbed him under his arms. His relief only lasted a minute more as he crested the top of the beach and found the others engaged in battle. Suzie retreated with Michelle in tow and sought out a shady spot while Paul returned to the fight, encouraged, heartened, and indeed, feeling mighty blessed.

* * * * * * * *

The demon soared high above the lake, its gaze on the fleeing Tommy. With a shriek that reverberated through the open air, it dove downward. Headfirst, it almost reached the floor when it pulled up and shot toward the fleeing man as fast as it could. Behind it, the golden shaft of sunlight scorched the earth in its wake. The priests were working hard to ensnare it, but the demon was too fast for them.

The three druids were running to intercept. However, they, too were moving too slow. The demon reached a taloned hand forward and, with one swipe, sent Tommy careening into the wall of water his lover had created. The wall, kept rolling backward to keep its height, and when the man hit it, he shot upward head over heels until he was tossed high up in the air.

With his momentum, regardless of whether he hit the ground or the water behind the wall, every bone in his body would break. His organs would be absolutely destroyed.

“Tommy!” Hayden bellowed from in front of him.

The demon grinned evilly as it roared its pleasure and dove away to avoid the shaft of light moving in to capture it. It doubled back behind the great light and turned to make for the priests on the shoreline when it heard a great cracking sound.

A giant vine shot out from the ground at Veronica’s command and ensnared the great beast by the foot. It pulled off and away only to be recaptured by the other foot, and then the arm, and soon around the neck.

The demon shrieked and yanked, beating its massive wings against the assault, but despite all its best efforts, it was slowly being yanked forward.

It raised its head and saw a column of water dash up toward the sky, envelop the quickly falling man, and gently lower him to the ground at the feet of the three who had dared stand in defiance of it.

* * * * * * * *

Hayden slowly, gently lowered Tommy to the ground, and was there in case he collapsed. Instead, he was greeted with a solid embrace. He was okay.

“Hayden!”

He closed his eyes as he inhaled the man’s scent. To feel his warmth against him…he knew what was coming and it was breaking his heart into a thousand pieces.

“Hayden,” Veronica and Riley shouted again.

Hayden pushed Tommy until he was arm’s length.

“Baby…” he said, grinning.

“Tommy, you have to run. You have to go.”

“Hayden, we’re out of time!”

“What? Run?”

“Babe, you have to go,” Hayden said sadly.

“I’m not leaving you.” Tommy shook his head emphatically.

“It was wonderful…” Hayden started but a roar from the demon stopped him. It was snapping out of its binds.

“Tommy, you have to go. You must go. If you stay here, you’ll die!” Hayden screamed in his face.

Tommy’s face became grim and set with determination, “Then I die with you. Hayden, I love you.”

Hayden emphatically shook his head, “No. Tommy you have—”

The demon snapped out of its binds, and before anyone could react, dove downward toward them.

They all charged as the beast bore down on them.

Riley was the first to react. They all went rolling when the ground underneath them bucked and shot upward. Riley rode the growing mountain like a surfer rode a wave, his hands extended toward the ground, gathering the earth up to him.

Hayden snatched Tommy and Veronica in each arm, and as the three of them staggered to their feet, they saw the creature slam into the wall Riley had created.

It slumped to the ground before the land mass rolled over it, forming a cage of twisted earthen pillars.

The shaft of sunlight moved above the beast, and the scream that emanated from the great winged creature wasn’t one of rage or joy—the shriek was one of terrible, excruciating pain.

The great wall of water stood up on both sides of the cage, and Hayden had to back it off further. He raised his hands, and with a roar like thunder, it moved back and higher into the air.

“Surround it! This has to happen now,” Veronica shouted in Hayden’s ear.

Hayden grabbed Tommy’s hand and walked him to the west.

Riley took the east.

Veronica moved over to the north.

All three of them raised their hands, reached toward the beast struggling and writhing in agony in the direct sunlight from above. Another great light suddenly burned in each of their chests, not yellow like the sun, but bright white.

Hayden felt like he was being consumed, yet he could feel the energy coming up from the earth itself, through his feet, up his legs, and into his chest. There was no pain.

However, this new light wasn’t entirely in his control. He was just a conduit. It was like the earth wanted this creature, this abomination, gone.

Hayden reached for Tommy’s hand and grasped it. It was too late for him to run, and despite the triumph of the moment, Hayden was overcome with a fundamental sadness as he locked eyes with the man.

Magic, the presence of these spirits, had thrown them together, or rather, had broken down barriers between them quicker than what would have normally taken place, and while it broke his heart that this would end it all, he was grateful that he’d found someone to be here with him when it was all over.

* * * * * * * *

The demon couldn’t move. It was pinned to the lake floor, its power quickly diminishing, its ambitions dying along with its body. As the sun mercilessly seared away and burned its flesh, it shrieked in agony, when suddenly, it was enveloped with another light. A purer light. Then it no longer knew pain. It no longer knew rage. It no longer knew anything. It was simply gone.