Chapter 13 The Tremors of Night

Once again I'm sorry for the delay, been having writer's block in this story recently. Just watched the movie "The Visitation," a film version of a book by Frank Peretti, who is my inspiration for writing supernatural thrillers.

Sleep did not bring any safety from the outside world. Evil spirits penetrated through the warm confines of unconsciousness and struck at the very soul. Cliff was not safe from the voices of the past, speaking to him through closed lips, voices radiating from out of the very darkness. He could feel a dark presence surrounding him as he kept his eyes shut against the darkness that waited outside. But a cold hand was wrapped around his neck, and an evil voice whispered in his ear, telling him tales of nightmares, ancient shadows stretching over a dying land.

The next morning Vesta was gone again. Marlin still sat by Celia's door when she finally awoke. He was overjoyed to see that she was okay.

"Where is Vesta?" Celia asked.

Marlin lowered his eyes and looked at the ground.

"In town..." he said.

"The cult?" Celia looked up at him.

Marlin just nodded.

"I think we should pray for her," Celia suggested.

Marlin shook his head and turned his back.

"We're not of the same religion..."

"What?" Celia looked up at him in surprise. "You're Catholic, that means that you are Christian too."

"There is only one true Church of God," Marlin said. "That is the Pope's Church."

Celia looked at him before turning for the door.

"Where are you going?" Marlin asked, rising to his feet.

"I need to find Josh," Celia said. "I have to warn him about..."

"Josh isn't here," Marlin said. "He left for Mineral Island."

Celia looked back at Marlin.

"Have you spoken to anyone else in town about the killer?" she asked.

Marlin shook his head.

"Then we need to get moving," Celia continued. "The townspeople need to be warned."

That following morning I packed my few belongings and made my way to the beach to take the ferry back to Forget Me Not Valley. Zach followed me to the pier to say goodbye.

"Be careful," he said. "Don't doubt the power of Thandrana. But never trust her."

I nodded, before stepping on board.

"Why don't you just come with me and defeat the spirit the same way you defeated her before?" I asked.

"Its not my job," Zach explained. "I've thought about this, but every time I do God tells me not to. The battle is for you and the other islanders, Mineral Island has already chosen its side. Now its your turn."

The boat pulled away from shore and I waved back at my cousin as he disappeared into the distance.

"Flora! Come look at this!" Carter shouted from inside the dig site.

His assistant immediately ran down the steps to the archaeological dig. Carter stood over the fossil of a dead man.

"Can you believe this?" he exclaimed. "This is a very rare find. A fossilized stone age man."

"Perhaps the Spirit was right when she said she'd bless those who kept her flower," Flora smiled at the Scientist.

Carter leaned forward and kissed her on the lips.

"Apparently yes," he said, pulling her to him.

They continued kissing before taking it back inside their tent. Daryl watched them walk into the tent, silently fuming inside.

"Carter," he fumed, "you are too lucky to live with a girl like Flora."

The angry scientist stood up slowly and marched back in the direction of the town. He walked into the Blue Bar and ordered a beer. Muffy walked into the back to carry out his order. In the corner Wally and Griffin were playing a game of pool. He could only hear snatches of their conversation, but he knew they were talking about the Spirit.

Muffy returned with his drink, and Daryl began to drink quietly. Off in his own little world he didn't notice when a young man sat down next to him and ordered a bottle of whiskey. Daryl fumed silently within himself. He fumed for the unsuccessful experiments, for the nights spent alone wondering where his life was going. But most of all he fumed that such a pompous man as Professor Carter had more success than he did. It just wasn't fair. From across the table he caught Galen's eye, but looked away. Galen, as if guided by a mysterious force, walked over and sat down on the other side of Daryl, and continued staring at him.

"What do you want," Daryl finally spoke, meeting Galen's gaze.

"Why do you spend your nights alone?" Galen asked. "Why do you spend your time under a false guise of eccentricity?"

Daryl looked away. Weird questions for a cult leader.

"Do you always ask questions like that?" Daryl asked unpleasantly.

"Thandrana has a way of looking out for those who follow her," Galen continued. "You wonder why Carter is successful and you aren't. Because he has been blessed by Thandrana. You were never at the ceremony to accept a flower."

Galen drew his hand out of his pocket, and revealed a flower he had hidden there. Daryl just stared at it.

"You're saying a flower will solve all my problems? I think you've been spending too much time here at the bar."

"Don't you want to spend your nights lying beside someone?" Galen baited him quietly. "Don't you want you're experiments to succeed? Thandrana can help with all this."

"So you're trying to bribe me," Daryl refused to take the bait. "Then what's your Goddess going to do? Force Flora to ditch Carter? Make my experiments work? I don't think so."

The boy beside him looked up, nervously, and stood to leave. Galen's eyes were on him in an instant.

"Stop," Galen said.

The boy quickened his pace.

"Stop!" Galen rose to his feet.

The boy stopped, and turned to face him, his eyes filled with fear. Galen focused on him, his eyes squinting suspiciously.

"There's something different about you," Galen said, his eyes probing into Cliff's soul. "Ah. I see that you are not alone."

"Leave me alone!" Cliff protested, drawing back.

Galen kept his gaze riveted, smiling with a faint cruelty behind his lips.

"But you don't want them," he said, "do you?"

Cliff shivered, as if he was unable to move.

"Just leave him alone Galen," Daryl said, rising to his feet.

Suddenly the door opened and Carter and Flora walked in hand in hand. They laughed and chuckled like a couple of teenagers.

"Well look who it is?" Carter said, smirking.

Daryl slumped back into his chair, and focused his attention on his drink. Carter walked over and sat down next to him, but Daryl ignored him.

"Did you know I just dug up a fossil of a stone age man?" Daryl didn't look at the Professor, but he could feel him grinning.

"Why don't you go eat the sediment deposits in the mine?" Daryl said.

Carter chuckled.

"Did you get struck by lightning again Mr. Scientist?"

Daryl looked up at Flora, who stood behind Carter, looking a little disturbed by what he was saying.

"Are you really going out with this son of a..."

"Hey!" Carter said, shoving a finger in Daryl's face. "Watch it man, or you're going to be eating your words."

"At least I study more than just my assistant."

That did it. Carter punched Daryl in the shoulder, sending him sprawling out of his chair. Daryl leaped back to his feet, and faced his opponent. He grabbed a pool rod from the table and twirled it once before catching it and holding it out defensively.

"Do that again and I'll send you're face into the table," Daryl growled.

"Carter..." Flora put a hand on the Professor's shoulder, but he shook it off before grabbing a stool.

"Hey," Griffin stepped forward. "Don't be starting a fight in my bar."

Griffin stepped between them. Big mistake, Carter's eyes lit up and he swung his stool. The blow sent the bartender crashing into the wall where he fell to the floor unconscious. Carter then swung the stool at Daryl, who caught the blow against his pool rod. Carter drew the stool back, and struck again. Daryl leaped backward, behind a table, and shoved it forward where it crashed into Carter's chest. The Professor tumbled backwards, knocking over several chairs. Daryl leaped forward and swung the rod down upon the Professor's stomach, winding him.

"I thought..." Carter struggled to breath as he rose to his feet.. "That you... were going to... send my... face into the... the table..."

"Oh yeah," Daryl said. "I did say that, didn't I?"

Daryl was on him like a fox, twisting his arm behind his back and slamming his face down onto the bar. Carter groaned, as Daryl tightened the police hold.

"Stop it!" Flora demanded. "You are acting like animals!"

Daryl looked up at her, before releasing Carter. Then he turned, and walked out of the bar. Carter looked up at Flora, only to see her eyes filled with confusion, and even a little anger.

"What were you doing?" she demanded. "I've never seen you so... what came over you?"

"I don't..." Carter stuttered. "I don't know... I just had to... had to hit him..."

Flora knelt beside Griffin and checked his pulse and his breathing. He was okay, just unconscious.

It was nighttime when I arrived back in Forget Me Not Valley. Mr. Hancock and the Harvest Sprite had had a wonderful time in Mineral Town, chasing chickens at the chicken farm. Apparently a pink haired woman had chased them away. Anyways, they scampered off quickly, leaving me standing on the beach by the swamp. Captain Bates had decided to drop me off right on shore instead of at the Port, for it was late at night and I wouldn't find lodgings there. I ventured a fearful gaze over at the Swamp, before making my way away from it. Celia stood over by the edge of the swamp, as if she'd been waiting for me.

"Celia?" My smile faded when I saw her fearful look.

"Josh," she said. "There's a killer on the loose. It isn't safe outside at night."

"Then why are you out?" I asked, walking up to her.

"To warn you," she explained.

"Well I already knew that a killer was on the loose," I said. "But its great to see that you're okay."

Celia smiled slightly, a faint blush rising on her cheeks.

"Celia..." I tried to put what I was thinking into words. "Have you... made a decision about..."

Celia looked away.

"I... I don't know Josh," she explained. "My parents want me to meet the boy they've picked out, so could you at least wait until then for an answer?"

I smiled slightly, and nodded. At least now we had a time in mind.

"Come on," I said. "We'd better go home."

I offered her my hand, and she took it, her cheeks burning. I looked behind us at the swamp as we walked up back towards the town. I couldn't shake the ominous feeling, the thought that forces beyond our control were stalking us through the darkness. I couldn't shake the feeling of impending dread.

'The Darkness has you...'

Celia gasped suddenly, and turned to me.

"What?" I asked. "What is it?"

"Did you hear it?" she asked.

"Hear what?" I looked around uncertainly.

'The Darkness wants you...'

Celia grabbed my arm with her other hand.

"We've got to get out of here. We've go-"

Suddenly her eyes widened and her mouth shot open, as if she was trying to scream, but couldn't.

"Celia?" I put both hands on her shoulders and shook her. "Celia!"

Then she screamed, her scream rising above the swamp as if the very power of hell was rising. Then I felt it too. A cold, decayed hand grabbed ahold of my neck, and began choking me. I gasped, and tried to tear the hand from my neck, but I felt nothing there.

'All your worst nightmares...'

This time I heard the dark voice.

'...are about to come true...'

Something took ahold of Celia, and began dragging her away.

"Celia..." I moaned, as blackness took ahold of me and I lapsed into unconsciousness.

Celia screamed as she felt decayed hands grabbing her everywhere, grabbing ahold of her neck and strangling her. She screamed loudly and fought against them, tearing herself away from them. But each time more and more hands grabbed ahold of her.

"Stop it!" she shouted. "Stop it!"

The hands drew back suddenly, allowing Celia to pull herself away from them. When she looked back the hands were gone, as if they had not been there at all. But suddenly the dirt on the ground in front of the swamp began rising up from it and merging together. Celia's eyes widened as the figure of a man appeared, its dirt skin packed and sculpted as if a master had made it. Its large hands suddenly began flexing open and closed, with fingers looking strong enough to wring her neck.

Then its eyes flashed open, and Celia found herself staring into empty pools of neon green light. They were so demonic, so lifeless, and then the creature's mouth opened slowly, revealing hard stones which served as its teeth. Then with a bloodthirsty cry, it charged towards her. Celia turned and ran back in the direction of Vesta's farm, but the mighty beast charged after her.

'Lock the doors...'

Vesta's eyes shot open as she heard the voices speaking to her once again.

'Lock the doors...'

"Vesta?" she looked up to see Marlin standing at the top of the stairs.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Did I tell you that there is... there's a killer on the loose?"

"No," Vesta's eyes widened.

No wonder the voices told her to lock the doors.

"Thank you Marlin," she said, before standing up to do as she was commanded.

"Vesta! Marlin!"

Celia ran to the door, and yanked on the knob, expecting the door to swing open, but it was locked fast.

"No!" she shouted, and began pounding her fists against it.

'No? I say yes.'

Celia whirled around as the dirt demon charged after her, its neon green eyes glowing in the darkness as it wailed an unearthly call. Celia looked around for a weapon, all the while praying desperately.

'Oh God help me... help me... help me God... help me God...'

Celia then glanced to her right, and saw an axe lying on the ground by the tool shed. Marlin must have carelessly left it lying around. Without a word she dove for it. The clay manikin increased its pace. Celia, now wielding the axe, turned to face the possessed creature. The beast leaped. Celia swung the axe. The blow connected with the creature's left arm, hacking it off of its body. The manikin did not react, and immediately swung its right arm, scratching Celia across the left side of her face. Her hand flew up to it, surprised that such a creature could damage her with clay hands.

Celia swung the axe again, this time plunging it into the creature's stomach. The axe tore through the clay, but when Celia looked up at the clay figure's face to find it grinning wickedly at her. In one motion, it tore the axe out of its stomach, and then swung it at Celia's neck. The farm girl leapt backward, and the axe plunged into the side of the tool shed. Celia immediately ran for the hill, hoping to escape to the port. But she knew that it was unlikely that anyone would be there, for the port was rather small, and only three or four sea captains visited it during the day.

The clay figure chased after her, swinging the axe around violently before launching it at her head. Celia threw herself to the ground and the weapon plunged into the side of the hill. Then she heard a gunshot, and a bullet pierced the manikin's shoulder. The creature turned, and shrieked as it was struck by a bullet in the stomach, the chest, the neck, the head. Marlin stood below, firing off a rifle at the beast. Bullets riddled the creature, but seemed to have no effect. The clay demon launched itself towards him, wailing like a banshee as more bullets pierced its dirt flesh. The rifle clicked twice as Marlin pulled the trigger. Empty.

Celia seized the opportunity, and grabbed the fallen axe. Running up behind the beast, she swung the axe, and decapitated the manikin in a single motion. The body then stumbled forward, unable to see where it was going. This gave Marlin enough time to insert another round into his weapon and fire a blast straight through the creature's heart. Suddenly the head began to wail, and the body fell backwards and went into convulsions. Then the light left its eyes and both pieces of the clay figure lay still.

'Tomorrow night I will take you.'

Nami rolled back and forth in her bed, breathing heavily as she suffered through the dark images that flashed through her mind as she struggled. A dark presence set upon her slowly, causing her to shout in her sleep. In the room across from hers Cliff awoke.

'Let me in! Let me in!'

Nami shrieked and arched her head back as a dark power launched itself upon her, shoving her way back to the dark corners of her mine. Nami struggled to maintain control of her body, but the demon pushed her further back, trapping her with dark and frightening images. Suddenly she lost all control. Then, slowly the demon forced her body to rise up from her bed and walk towards the door.

When she opened it she was surprised to find Cliff standing there. He opened his mouth to speak, but the demon didn't give him time. It immediately shoved him away, sending him backwards into the wall. Cliff banged his head painfully and tumbled to the ground. When he looked back up into Nami's eyes he found himself staring into empty pools of darkness.

"Oh... my... gosh..." he gasped as Nami smiled cruelly.

Then her eyes flashed demonically and she turned for the stairs.