Restless We Wait
Chapter XI
RECAP
"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.
E!E!E!E!E!E!E!
As the sun began its slide to the horizon the first of the Trick - or - Treater's arrived. The station closed once for a call to a house fire that turned out to be nothing more than a flickering electric candle in a window.
"Man, that was dumb!" Chet said as he slipped from the engine.
"Better safe than sorry, Chet!" Mike Stoker told him as he disappeared into the locker room.
"Yeah, yeah," Chet muttered as he headed for the day room and their guests who had gone outside until the men had returned.
"Come on back in, Ladies!" Chet called to the two women waiting out by the back brick wall of the station. "What were you looking at?"
"The stars," Grandmother told him.
"You could see stars?" Chet craned his neck trying to see around the tree and the light post.
With a chuckle Patsy and the Grandmother walked by Chet and into the building.
"Come, child, let's get things ready."
The men of Station 51 continued with their duties for the rest of the evening. Roy and Johnny took turns handing out candy while Mike, Marco and Chet gave tours to the interested children and parents. Captain Stanley would poke his head out the door of his office now and then to greet the children and parents he knew.
By nine thirty the doors were lowered and the outside lights, except the safety light, was turned off for the night.
Several times during the evening Chet and Marco would pause in their tours to watch the two silent women going about their business and then answer the children's questions regarding why they were at the station. Simple replies and turning the attention elsewhere kept anyone from becoming uncomfortable with the questions.
Captain Stanley left his office and walked into the day room to see both women changed in appearance. He stopped and gaped for a minute then quickly recovered to ask, "Well, what do you want us to do now?"
"Go to sleep." Grandmother told him simply.
"What? That's it?" Hank stared in shock. "Don't we need to do something?"
"Like what?" answered Grandmother. "You read the instructions I sent?"
"Well, yes, Ma'am, we did, but I thought there would be more to it."
Grandmother smiled serenely and shook her head. "While you sleep we," she motioned to Patsy and herself, "will keep watch. IT will not try anything until much deeper into the night."
"IT probably won't appear until the witching hour," Patsy explained as if to a small child.
"But, that's just a couple of hours from now." Hank was worried about what would happen. Would the station be damaged? Would he or his men get hurt? How would he explain what happened to McConnike in the morning?
Grandmother was shaking her head as she watched the emotions cross the Captain's face. She smiled and gently took him by the arm as if to lead him away.
"Child, the Witching Hour is not midnight as many believe. It is three in the morning that you will find the action, if it is to take place. Now, go, rest, and keep your mind at ease as I have instructed."
Hank glanced around once more before nodding his acceptance. "You heard her, gentlemen. To bed we go."
"But I wanted to watch "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes"! Chet whined.
"Not tonight, Pal. Let's go. I want SOME rest before we have to face that THING!"
Hank herded the men from the room and nearly tripped over the cat as she dashed in. With what sounded like a pleased "Merrow!" she jumped into the arms of the old woman.
"Hello, Pewaukee." they heard her say as they left the room.
E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!
IT waited for darkness to come. Tonight was the last chance to meld with the Master. IT waited outside the building. IT felt the cat enter the building, and something else, too. IT swirled in confusion at the new feeling. A ripple of electricity crossed the darkness, making it flow and dance. Misty tendrils floated away from IT and returned. Something was not right. There was a different feeling in the building, but IT was not blocked from entering. Rather, IT felt called.
The building began to quiet down and become still. IT felt a great hunger overcoming ITS other baser reactions. Cautiously IT sent more tendrils to investigate the newness within.
The CALL! IT felt the strong pull and surged toward the building. Rolling darkness covered the parking lot, then the tree and blocked the stars from overhead. IT passed through the door and into the building. At long last IT and the master would be united!
IT passed the room where the Master had been and continued across the floor of the truck bay. A sudden wariness caused IT to slow, then pause in ITS wild flight. Something was waiting for IT. The something was not the Master.
Slowly IT sent a tendril into the sleeping room. Nothing stopped the tendril. IT rolled forward and into the room. Darkness greeted IT, and with a new found strength, IT found the Master sleeping quietly. The temperature of the room dropped. The Master sat up and looked around..
With a shiver he lay back and pulled the covers up around his ears, then suddenly threw them back as the sound of a hiss filled his ears. "Maaaassster!" The whispers filled his head and blotches of darkness filled his eyes. Bright colors flashed and danced behind his closed eyelids. Pain lanced through his head as the whispers grew more insistent.
"Maaasssster! We have waited so long!"
The Master rubbed his head then tugged on his ears. "What?" he asked the darkness.
"We wait, Maaassster! Complete the calling so we may live!"
Light, bright, white and burning filled the darkness. IT shrieked in jubilation.
"You have lost! We have the Master!"
"Wrong!" came a voice strong and full of authority. "You have come too early and now you will pay the price!"
"Noooo!" IT wailed in anger. "He will complete the calling! You have lost!" A laugh full of madness filled the room. The darkness grew and tendrils of ink black mist flew from IT as the men slowly began to waken from the deep sleep the cold had caused.
"Yesss, waken! You will meet the Master! You will feed us! We live!"
"You have lost, Spawn of Darkness." The voice was calm. Collected. From another place came the sound of chanting with the occasional smell of spices and herbs. Tiny bells rang clear and loud in the darkness.
IT twisted away from the sound and surrounded the Master. IT would not give up now. Victory was in ITS grasp!
"What the...? Someone turn on the light!" Roy was standing as far from the darkness as he could get.
Johnny sat in the middle of his bed, lost in silence. His eyes were closed in concentration and his body swayed to a silent rhythm. Roy saw his partner's lips moving and understood that he was helping the two women out in the truck bay.
"Leave the light!" the Master said with a voice full of thunder. "There will be no more light!"
The chanting grew in volume and nearness. The bells changed from tiny and sweet to loud and commanding. The old woman entered the room, followed closely by her granddaughter who was ringing the bells hanging from a brightly colored stick. Two white feathers and three brown hung from the knot holding the bells in place.
Both women had changed into the clothes they had brought and painted their faces with garish colors. Closely following them was the cat, changed now and looking fierce in its new form.
Roy jumped when he felt someone touch his elbow.. He looked around and almost smiled in relief. Marco was standing beside him with a look of wonderment on his face.
"Is that Miss Kat?" he whispered.
"I think so, but, maybe not?" Roy was not sure. The scene before him was bizarre.
"Where's Chet and Cap?" Marco whispered, keeping his eyes on the scene before him.
"The other side of that black hole, I think," Roy whispered back.
The chanting and the bells stopped, leaving a deafening silence behind. A soft murmur came from Johnny's bed.
The Master turned and peered at the paramedic sitting rigid on his bed. With a wave of his hand the bed began to tilt, but surprisingly, Johnny did not fall. Instead, the bed righted itself and slowly turned toward the Master.
Surprise crossed the face of the Master. He waved again and the bed began to tilt, but again, it righted itself, leaving the paramedic sitting safely in the middle. The Master looked up and rested his eyes on the two firemen standing beside the bed. With a wave, Marco and Roy were flung against the wall where they landed and did not move again.
Another wave and the two unconscious men floated across the room and into the darkness. The cold grew more intense. Roy's hand flashed briefly, then faded from view.
On the other side of the darkness the two men watched in horror as their friends and shift mates were taken into the darkness. Their feet were frozen in place by the chanting going on behind them.
"Do not fear for your friends," came a calm voice. "They are protected against IT."
"But..."
"Do not speak!" Grandmother swept past the two men and stood with her back to them. She raised her arms and something fell from her hands. A bright flash followed and the sound of a shriek pierced the men's bodies.
Strange, un-English words came to them. Another flash and another shriek.
Both men heard the voices. A strong call pulled at them, but with the strength culled from those around them, they fought the call and the urge to join with the darkness.
A sing-song voiced cleared their minds. A beauty they had never seen before flooded their minds and brought a lightness to them. The song carried them away from the darkness and promised them light. At first they struggled, but the lure of the voice was that of the siren from Odysseus' journey.
Unbeknown to both men, they were returned to their beds and covered with white sheets embedded with the herbs and spices often used to preserve the deceased.
The smell caused the Master to go wild. He had to get away from the room and from those who would keep IT from living! His way was blocked. A large feline stood before him. Its teeth were bared and a low growl rolled from deep within its chest. The tail flicked around, the only sign of any emotion it felt.
The Master lashed out. A dark tendril covered the feline, but shattered a moment later leaving the cat unharmed. A swipe of its paw staggered the Master and briefly his eyes cleared and in that moment of confusion he heard clearly the chant being said.
"Fight, child! Fight for your very life and soul! We cannot fight for you, we only hold IT at bay!"
"What's going on?" he shook his head trying to clear it. Something was whispering in his ears. Voices were calling him. He turned his head and saw the darkness.
"Masster! Finish the call! Finish the call so we may live!"
"Who are you? WHAT are you?" he backed away, batting at his head as if swatting a fly away. "Get out of my head!"
He could hear chanting and smell the spices and herbs, his stomach rolled. Death! It smelled like death! He stumbled toward the sound of the chanting. He reached out and felt a hand take his. It was a small, wrinkled hand. He looked up and saw the face of an old woman.
Here eyes burned like coal and her voice was rushing water. The bells called him to the woman. He heard another voice join hers. It was younger, full of hope and promise. His eyes locked with the old woman and the darkness faded from his sight.
IT shrieked and engulfed the Master. The old woman was also covered in darkness, but the chanting call continued.
"Masster! Do not listen to them! They lie! They lie!"
"No," he said softly, then again in a stronger voice, "NO! You lie! Get away! You lie!"
He could hear the encouragement coming from the woman. He felt the dry wrinkled skin of her hand clasped in his, holding him to this plain of existence. He struggled, whether against her hold, or against the darkness, he did not know.
Then he saw it, the cat. She was huge in his sight. She stood before him, mouth open, breath gently fanning his face. A long purr issued from her and a soft paw stroked his cheek.
"Listen to her," the cat said. "Listen to her and follow her. She will keep you safe."
He looked toward the old woman, but she was no longer there. In her place was another being, painted face and arms; skirt of grass and top made of leather. A garishly painted smile covered her face and her hands were small, delicate and warm.
"Denounce the darkness. Send it out and away. Only you can do this, I can only lead the way."
He grasped the hand and held on as if to a life line. He felt torn in two, but then he heard the whispers again. They spoke of riches and wealth beyond his wildest dreams. The whispers spoke of life as he had never known it could be. He turned his head toward the sound and froze at the site.
In the darkness he could see IT. There, plainly, dressed in a fine suit and handsome shoes. IT smiled and preened before him. "You will have all this and more, Master!" IT promised, luring him away from the chanting women.
He felt his heart constrict and he looked away from the handsome stranger and back into the eyes of the woman who still held his hand.
Which did he want? Riches, fame and wealth? All he had to do was finish the call. IT crowed in triumph.
He heard the sound and a chill went up his spine. He looked once more at IT and then wrenched himself away. Fame and fortune, never work again! Yes, this was what he wanted! But at what cost?
"No! I won't!" he cried and leaped toward the cat and the those who would help him.
IT shrieked and reached for the Master. No! So close, too close! IT would not be defeated! IT grabbed and flashed scenes of great wealth and happiness to the Master, but he had turned away.
"Send it back!" the chant came to him. "Only you can send it back."
Slowly, he turned and faced the darkness. In that darkness he saw his greatest fears, his greatest wishes, hopes and dreams. He saw all he wished for, fulfilled, then dashed. With a heart wrenching sigh he pulled a torn and wrinkled piece of parchment from the air and slowly unfolded it.
IT saw what he held and desperation made it swell and leap toward the Master, but the feline was in ITS way. A barrier was up that IT could not cross. The decision had been made. The feline growled a warning that IT could not ignore.
A new voice began to grow and fill the void that was left behind once the woman stopped speaking, but the sound of the bells continued. The voice grew and swelled with strength as each word was uttered.
IT writhed and boiled and began to shrink. NO! So close! So close! A thousand, thousand years IT had waited, and now it had come so close, only to lose out because of a human trait.
IT shrieked in defiance then flew back to the void from whence it had come. Down to the darkness where IT belonged.
The Master slumped to the floor, his color gray and skin cold. Roy and Marco stood up, none the worse for their ordeal, and saw him falling. With a lung Roy caught his fallen comrade and then looked up at his crew mates.
"How could it have been him? He said he didn't read it aloud."
Grandmother knelt beside both men. "The mind is strong and the heart yearns for much. One need not speak aloud to call the darkness up from within. If the spirit yearns hard enough and the mind shapes the thought, much can be done, either for good or ill."
Chet and Hank sat up in their bunks. They looked around and saw the group gathered around someone on the floor. Both rose and went to join them. Questions formed and remained unasked for the time being.
"Mike?" Cap said, confused. "Is that why you didn't give him those instructions?"
"Yes, of the three, only he did not read aloud. When a spell is spoken, even brokenly as you two have done, no great harm can come about. But if it is spoken with the mind, with the heart also engaged, then damage will be done and harm will befall the one who has the yearning."
"Then, it really wasn't our fault this THING came about?" Chet asked, relieved. The others glared at him when they heard the relief in his voice. Chet shrugged then turned back to listen to the Grandmother.
"Yes and no, child. You started the rift in the void. Your Captain enlarged it, but he," she pointed to the unconscious Engineer, "threw open the door. He did not realize what he had done. So often we wish for things best left alone.
"Tonight this evil one was returned to the place where such things belong. Give me the book." Grandmother held out her hand to Chet.
"I'll get it right now!" Chet scurried to the locker room and returned with the book wrapped in brown paper and tied with a cotton string. "This is how I bought it. It's even the same paper and string."
Grandmother nodded. "This is good, come, let us destroy it now." She turned and lead the men and her granddaughter outside where a circle in red had been formed with sand. Several designs were around the outside of the circle and only one small break appeared in the image.
Roy and Mike joined the small group. Mike leaned heavily against the paramedic but waved away his concern.
Grandmother handed the book to Chet and motioned him into the circle. "Since you bought the book, you must destroy it."
"How?"
"Place the book in the center of the circle and walk three times counter clockwise, turn and walk four times clockwise. As you walk you must repeat the words I gave you earlier. Once you have completed this, you will step from the circle and close the gap."
"What good will that do?" Chet asked, suspicious. He felt ridiculous standing inside a sand circle.
"You will see," Grandmother told the assembled men. "Now, child, begin."
Chet sighed and began to walk slowly one way, speaking softly as he walked, then turned and began going the other direction. He spoke softly, as he had been instructed, head down, concentrating on the destruction of the book. He pictured the book burning, then turning to ash and blowing away in the wind.
As the others watched Chet the old woman pulled a knife from the long billowing sleeves. Carefully she slid the knife across her palms. A bright spurt of blood ran down her arm and on to the ground. Before anyone knew what she was doing, she tossed her arm towards the book and let her blood splatter the worn cover.
Immediately the ground began to tremble and the book burst into flame. All the assembled fell or staggered around trying to stay upright. Chet fell from the circle, away from the brightly burning book as if pushed.
"Grandmother!" Patsy cried when she saw the blood running from the old woman.
"No! Stand back! Blood called this from the depths and blood will send it back!"
"What's she talking about?" Hank asked as he tried not to fall.
"Someone must have spilled blood in ITS presence at one point. It didn't have to be the one who called it. Blood is blood and that THING didn't care."
Mike stumbled from the Roy's side, "No! Don't let her destroy the book! It'll kill her!"
All eyes turned to the shapes coming from the book. Smokey, ghostly shapes of darkness. Shrieks of pain and anger filled the still night air as each hazy figure dissolved and vanished.
Patsy realized what the engineer meant and leaped to her grandmother's side, "Grandmother, no!" But it was too late. The old woman slumped in her granddaughter's arms. A smile creased her old face.
Patsy could feel the life leaving her grandmother and tears fell from her eyes. "Why, Grandmother? Why didn't you tell me this was what you were planning?"
Her Grandmother weakly opened her eyes and smiled at her granddaughter. "Shed no tears for me, Granddaughter. I go to the next plain. Remember what you were taught."
Roy and Johnny ran for their gear from the squad.
Johnny had the biophone open and was calling the hospital even as he saw the old woman's hand fall. Roy began CPR, but Patsy stopped him.
"Grandmother's wish was not to be revived."
"We have to try, Patsy. Until we get to the hospital and the doctor orders it otherwise." Roy told her gently. He turned back to her grandmother and began to follow the treatment ordered by the night shift doctor.
E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!
Two hours later a defeated set of Paramedics sat in the lounge at Rampart hospital. Neither spoke as they fell onto the couch by the window.
Doctor Brackett entered the room and strode to the coffee pot. "Coffee?"
"No thanks, Doc." Roy said and Johnny shook his head.
"I know how hard this hit both of you. Patsy's not in any better shape. Her grandmother made the request, as witnessed by the granddaughter and the rest of the family. We have to abide by that decision."
"Yeah, I know, but that doesn't make it any easier."
"The good news is, Mike will be okay. There was no injury I could find so he'll be released and cleared for work. How's your head, Roy? Still hurt?"
"No. How about Marco?"
"That head of his is almost as hard as Johnny's." Brackett grinned at the lanky paramedic. "What happened tonight? How did you get hurt?"
Both paramedics shook their heads, but did not answer. From somewhere in the hospital a clock struck the hour. Three o'clock, it rang. Johnny and Roy shared a look then rose and left the lounge without a backward glance.
Brackett stared after them and wondered what had happened to these men this night. And where had a chiming clock come from? With a grunt he rose from the chair and left to finish his interrupted rounds.
E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!
Epilogue
IT raced down, down, back to the darkness where it belonged. Anger and hate boiled along its darkness. Deep into the darkness it joined others of ITS kind to wait.
The whispers greeted IT.
"We wait. Restless, we wait."