Soul Mates (39 page)

Ray remained silent a moment longer on the other end of the line and then finally spoke up in a meek and choked up voice, “How do you know that?”

“The same supernatural experience that told me that he was in trouble also allowed me to feel what Tyler was thinking. That’s really the best way I can describe it, but I know it to be true as sure as I know what I am thinking in my own mind.”

“Well um…” Ray began, using untapped sources of willpower to keep from becoming unraveled with his son’s former educator, “that’s…that’s very comforting to hear, thank you. I don’t know how or why, but I believe everything you are telling me. Call it foolish optimism if you want, but I think it’s more than that. Thank you, Jim.”

“No need to thank me. You and Cindy take care of each other.”

Jim has not spoken to the remaining Swanson family since. His nocturnal torments from Lilith ceased,
one and done
, as they say. There was no longer a need for him to meddle. This, however, did not prevent Jim from wondering if the next night of sleep would be interrupted yet again by the cold and threatening essence that he could not see, but he presumed continued to watch him sleep in the darkest corner of his bedroom, waiting for him to interfere for the last time.

Chapter 26

Our story is done. It was better that you heard it from me, rather from the other. I suppose you are still curious as to who was telling the same story, but in an unforgiving manner with his captive audience. Well, I understand human nature and the (sometimes) poisonous byproduc
t–
curiosit
y–
that it frequently brings. So, by all means, have a look for yourself, but please don’t say I didn’t warn you, and I will be back here if you need me.

*   *   *

“So there you have it, folks! A ripping good yarn if I do say so myself! A round of applause if you’d please? Well, fuck me runnin’, thank you! You really
are
too kind. That sort of applause could really urge a man to do more than one show a night! Now, I
did
say that Tyler was a bit indisposed at the moment, did I not? Well, no longer!”

*   *   *

Back already? I don’t blame you. You hear stories about him all of your life, but nothing quite prepares you for actually being in his presence. We have come this far together, allow me to take you the rest of the way.

Tyler’s time to reveal himself to the audience who had heard so much about him had finally come. They
should
have been familiar with him, after all every single one of the captive audience fought in his arena. A pale human body, with a distant stare conquering his countenance, emerged from behind a large red satin curtain that seemed to reach into an endless charcoal sky and opened onto a large dark stage. Tyler stared emptily at the stage and the audience, who were all seated in rows and rows of red theater seats.

“Tyler Swanson! Come on down once again! Boy, this never gets old! You are one of my favorites, my friend, you truly are!”

Not under control of his body, Tyler made his way towards the edge of the stage and stopped right before the edge where, below, the captor waited in the orchestra pit for this moment. It was his favorite part and as busy as he was, he was sure to make time for this re-occurring moment frequently, or ad nauseam, to use a language the captor would be much more comfortable with.

The blankness left Tyler’s face as he peered down at the captor. “Please…no more. Please.”

“Now Tyler, we’ve been through this.” Tyler only whimpered in response, as he looked out at the familiar audience. “Let’s get on with it then, shall we?” These words were more or less for the captor’s own amusement, because the truth was, although Tyler had already been through this thousands of times, in his mind, this was the very first time. It had to be so that the horror would be fresh.

“Wh-wh-who are you?” Tyler asked sheepishly.

“Ohhhh. Come now. You insult me. How could you ask me such a thing after all of the time we’ve spent together, not only down here, but up there! Come closer and take a look.”

Tyler knelt down at the edge of the stage and the captor came closer. Tyler looked straight into the captor’s eyes, which shined a bleeding ruby red. Tyler gasped as the audience of a few hundred captives, made up of fallen combatants of the Super Chasm, disintegrated into a rising lake of fire and magma as their shrill screams and cries filled the theater at a pitch that would drive a sane man to lunacy. Tyler didn’t know what was worse to look at, but as he always did, his eyes met the captor’s all too familiar eyes once again. There was no mistaking whose eyes they were the first time he saw them and there was no mistaking whose eyes they were now. 
           “Who am I, you ask, Ty-my-guy? Well, I think Mick and the boys said it the best when they said: ‘Pleased to meet you, hope you guess my name.’”

The roar of the rising fire and molten earth was drowned out by the devil’s maniacal laughter, as well as Tyler’s high pitched scream, as he broke the plain of his sanity once more.

Humans for centuries have lived with the phenomenon that nothing that you go through is as bad as you make it out to be in your mind. Tyler can attest to the fact that Hell is not as bad as you may think it is in your mind…it is worse beyond man’s ability to comprehend.

Epilogue

Our time together is drawing to a close for now. Perhaps we will meet again, depending on how you live your life.

You have seen movies, read books, even heard songs about the devil. Some of these artistic portrayals go as far as romanticizing him, not unlike how modern cinema has turned vampires into love-struck, misunderstood romantics. The devil has been portrayed in a similar fashion at times. I am here to tell you not to be fooled. Since man first began roaming the Earth, we have watched man become a target of the devil. It is his joy and his hobby to visit every human on Earth at some point in their lives and test them. Based on their encounter, the devil will either have little more to do with the person or will mark them as a person of great interest, a person that he would like to get to know perhaps a little better.

Chances are fair that you have already had an encounter with him at one point in your life, if you are old enough to read this. He typically visits the young, primarily, for they are the most easily influenced. He could say “hello,” ask for a piece of gum, he could ask you for a match to light a cigarette, or ask for a seemingly benign favor after getting to know you long enough so that the request of a favor would not seem to be out of the ordinary. I say “he” but he could be whatever he wants to be. If you have not had your encounter yet, the day is coming and no one gets away without making his acquaintance at least once. He has nothing but time to make his introductions.

His omnipresence and ability to visit everyone on Earth has earned him a foolishly playful moniker up here amongst the rest of the angelic guides. They call him the Evil St. Nick. I prefer to stay away from such monikers, as I fear the devil’s indignation is naturally lost when coupling him with a loveable figure such as Santa Claus.

Please keep this story in mind, and be aware. As a guardian angel, I am here to tell you that we are all assigned to every one of you on Earth, to guide you, and to keep you heading down the correct path. But even
we
cannot prevent all of your follies, and some mistakes can send you down the wrong path with no hope of returning to the correct one. You have free will, which is a gift, but a gift that requires great responsibility.

Although there were chances for redemption, if you harken back to when Tyler was a child, he started down the wrong path when he killed that squirrel in his backyard with his friends.

I implore you: look for and recognize your squirrel…if you haven’t already missed it.