Slow but sure wins the race and writes a story.
Thanks for all your patience!
Restless We Wait
Chapter X
Hank paced the floor of his office, upset and a little disturbed by what had happened on the rescue. He had done some quick explaining to the Captain of Station 210 once they had returned to the city and what he hoped was enough light to keep them safe. Now he paced while waiting for the two paramedics to return.
The bay doors rattled their noisy song announcing the return of the squad. Hank stepped out of his office and waited until Roy and Johnny had finished writing in the log before motioning them to join him in the office. With a quiet snick, the door closed behind Johnny and Roy.
"Can you explain to me what just happened out there?" Hank asked with no preamble, looking at Johnny.
"I don't know, Cap." Roy said, perplexed himself. He turned to face his partner. "Johnny, you want to tell Cap your theory?"
"Before you do, let me tell you what happened after you left." Hank said, going to sit in his chair behind the desk. He motioned for Johnny and Roy to be seated. Then proceeded to fill them in on the what they had missed.
Johnny whistled long and low. He ran his hand through his dark hair then sat forward in the chair. "Cap, I've been thinking on this for the better part of a week, now. And what I've determined is this. Chet started reading that book of his three weeks ago. Less than two days after he started reading it, strange things started happening.
"Now," he held up his hand forestalling his captain's words, "The only time anything really happens is when you and Chet and Mike are together, and it's dark. Not just slightly dark, but way dark, like tonight. You three are the only ones to have actually read the book. Chet, I know, actually said part of one of the spells in the book, and he said you read one, too.
"Do you remember which one you read and did you read it out loud?"
Hank thought for a moment then slowly nodded his head. "I didn't think anything of it. I wasn't reading it to make anything happen, just trying to grasp the idea of some of the ingredients it called for. But it also called for motions and other things besides just reading the spell. I didn't do any of those, in fact, I didn't even finish reading the whole spell!"
"Do you remember which spell it was?" Johnny asked, intent on the answer.
"Um, yeah, something about riches and wealth for the asking. But those never interested me. I just thought it was a strange thing to put in a book. Do you mean to tell me that Chet and I may have brought this...this THING among us?"
Johnny nodded, "Yeah, Cap, I do. That's why I asked Patsy at the hospital if she would come by on our next shift. I want to show her the book and see if she knows what we can do to get rid of it."
"Don't you know? You said you've run into this type thing before." Hank watched the lanky paramedic as he dropped his eyes, then ran his hands down his face as if to wipe away all traces of the memory.
"I've come in contact with something similar, but my grandfather was the one to banish it. I left the lodge, so I have no idea how he got rid of it."
"How can this Patsy help?"
"Patsy is of Cherokee bloodlines. She is a 'pure blood' of her people and her grandmother was a shaman. Patsy trained with her for five years before going to nursing school. I asked her if she had ever come across something of this nature and she said yes. That's why I asked her to come by."
"Why is it you know all these women with such colorful pasts and lives?" Hank asked, bemused by his junior paramedic.
"Luck of the draw, Cap." Johnny grinned. "But at least they can help us when Chet pulls this kind of stunt."
"Not just Chet this time." Hank sighed, tired beyond measure. "Do you think we'll be safe apart? I sure don't want to put my family in danger, Maggy'd kill me."
Johnny nodded, "It seems this 'thing' only comes round when we're here at the station, so I think we're all safe at our homes."
"Okay, good. Let's call it a shift and hope for the best. Oh, and don't forget, Halloween is two days from now. We'll be handing out candy and coloring books again this year, so be ready."
Both men rose and bid their commander good bye. They would cross the next bridge in the saga of the THING when they returned to work in two days.
E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!
Chet slunk into the building with a hang dog expression on his otherwise handsome face. His mustache drooped in agreement with his feelings. He peeked onto the locker room before entering and quickly changed into his uniform. A few minutes later he strode back to the day room with a completely different expression and attitude.
"Morning, morning, morning!" He cried cheerfully to the assembled group.
"When did you get here?" Marco asked. surprise written on his face.
"Been here a while, Buddy, just hanging around out back. Got that coffee ready yet?" Chet sniffed the air.
"You had to of just snuck in. I was out back until a minute ago shooting some hoops." Marco's look of displeasure made the stocky Irishman droop.
"Awe, man, I came in the front door. I didn't want anyone jumping me about the book until I had my first cup of coffee."
Mike looked up from the paper and raised an eyebrow. "If you hadn't brought the book here in the first place we wouldn't be in the mess you put us in."
"Hey, you read it, too! And so did Cap, so don't go blaming me!" Chet growled back at the usually quiet engineer.
"I didn't read aloud or day any of the incantation, Chet, you did." Mike snapped the paper straight and disappeared behind it once more. About that time Captain Stanley walked into the room.
"Well, I'm just as guilty. I also read bits of it allowed, so let's not start the blame game, okay?" Hank glared around the room.
Roy walked through the back door in time to hear the last part of Captain Stanley's speech. His eyes widened at the tension in the room. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, he headed for the locker rooms to change.
Johnny entered a few minutes later. In his hands was a sheef of papers he silently gave to Hank and Chet.
"What's this?" Chet asked before his superior could speak.
"Both of you need to read it and follow the instructions. Patsy's grandmother and her will be here tonight after all the trick-or-treaters leave. She said both of you need to do everything on the lists to prepare for cleansing."
"What kind of cleansing?" Hank asked, skepticism tinged his voice.
Johnny shook his head, "I'm not sure, but it's nothing like Chet is imagining. No hocus pocus stuff and no sitting naked in a teepee."
"Whew, that's a relief," Chet said on a breath.
Hank took his copies and headed to his office. He called over his shoulder, "Roll call in five, men!"
E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!
The day was busy for the men of Station 51. The squad rolled out twice about the time the engine returned. A structure fire had the whole station out for over an hour and the men returned tired, dirty and hungry.
"I call first dibs on the shower!" Johnny said and dashed to the locker room for a fresh change of clothing. A loud 'sproing' was followed by a cry of disgust, then laughter. Johnny poked his head out the locker room door and called, "Tell the Phantom I said thanks for the shower!"
Chet sighed and shook his head. Another prank bites the dust, he thought.
By five o'clock that afternoon the station was ready for the yearly visits from very human ghosts and goblins, along with the occasional fire fighter or policeman. At six o'clock the station was called out for a motor vehicle accident. One woman was transported to the hospital and one was a fatality. The men were quiet and in a somber mood by the time they returned to the station.
A gray car was parked in the visitor's spot when they returned and two women watched as the trucks were backed into the bay. They waited until they were certain the men had vacated the vehicles and then headed for the door on the side of the building.
One of the women was a young, chubby girl with short brown hair and glasses. The other was an older version of the young one, only stooped and moving with more hesitant steps. The younger walked beside the older, offering her an arm to lean on.
Mike saw them first and headed out to them to offer any assistance he could, but the older woman waved him away saying in a surprisingly strong voice, "No, my granddaughter will help me." She peered at him with eyes that sparkled with mischief and mirth.
"Grandmother, he only wants to help," she said quietly.
"He is rather cute, isn't he?" she asked and winked at Stoker, whose ears turned bright red.
"Grandmother!"
"No offense meant!" the old woman said with a chuckle.
"None taken, ma'am." Mike replied.
"Patsy. let this nice young man help me in and you get our supplies."
"Yes, Grandmother. Do you want all of it, or just the small bag this time?"
"Better bring all of it, child. If what you have told me is true, we'll need all the help we can get."
The younger woman nodded and left her grandmother in Mike Stoker's capable hands.
"Now then, young man, what are you called?" Mike's reply was lost as they entered the door to the fire house.
A second later Johnny trotted out to help bring in the supplies and grinned at the young woman.
"Glad you could make it, Patsy. Your grandmother has all the guys in her spell," Johnny laughed delightedly. "Even Cap is jumping through hoops for her."
"Oh, dear. I hope he doesn't take offense. Grandmother automatically expects respect for her age and instant response when she gives an order." Patsy said to the grinning paramedic.
Johnny looked at all the things Patsy had taken from the car and whistled slowly. A medium sized box held jars of powder and an assortment of liquid. Another box was sealed tightly with duct tape and a third held some brightly colored material he assumed was a costume they wore during special ceremonies.
"You think you'll need all this?" he asked in surprise and awe.
Patsy shrugged and said, "Grandmother thinks you are dealing with a really nasty demon. The only reason it hasn't done anything really bad is because it's still in its shadow stage and not the corporeal stage yet."
"Great. I was afraid of that. Can we get rid of it before the kids start coming for trick-or-treat?"
"I doubt it." Patsy shook her head and grabbed one of the boxes. "Will you bring those two? Be careful, one had Grandmother's ceremonial robe in it and she's very protective of it."
"Not a problem. I really appreciate you two coming."
"Just as long as you introduce me to Chet afterwards!" Patsy said on a laugh. "He really likes those hokey horror movies?"
"Yeah, right up your ally." Johnny rolled his eyes.
"Cool." Patsy walked ahead of Johnny and the conversation was brought to an end.