The Stone of Blood (10 page)

Christian altars were used as urinals. Sanctuaries were desecrated where pagan rituals and extreme sexual perversions were performed and statues of Saints were beheaded. The one true God had been replaced in the eyes of the people via the new French government u
nder the leade
rship of Maximilien Robespierre.

Over the course of a few months
France
had all but eradicated its Christian principles, teachings and houses of worship. Notre Dame Cathedral had itself been turned into a ‘Temple de la Raison’ (Temple of Reason), a temple of a new religion, created to replace Christianity where great liberal minds such as
Rousseau and Voltaire sat upon alters of worship.

Werewolves danced in the open then, in the carnage and fury amidst ritual fires that raged high against the night’s sky! Where whiskey and smoke met with a confused reason, and from where mortal man could no longer distinguish themselves from the animal that was the beast!

“Un emplacement doit être décidée prochainement….” Un homme déclaré. “…Si notre démarche est d’être un succès.”

“
A location must be decided upon soon…,” One man stated. “…if our move is to be a successful one.”

“Laissez-nous chercher le conseil de Dieu, et prier pour sa sagesse.” Dit l’autre, comme il ouvrit le livre qui se trouvait devant eux et lire les mots, en plaçant ses doigts sur chaque verset.

“Let us seek the council of God and pray for His wisdom.” said the other man as he opened the book that lie before them and read from the words, placing his fingers upon each verse.

“Mais pour la femme a donné deux ailes du grand aigle, afin qu’elle puisse s’envoler vers le désert, vers son lieu, où elle est nourrie un temps, des temps, et une demi-heure, de la présence du serpent.” (Apocalypse 12:14)

“But to the woman were given two wings of a great Eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.” (Revelation 12:14)

The eagle was adopted by the Congress of the
United States
on
June 20, 1782
as their national symbol.

“Il est à l’Amérique alors?" Dit un homme. "Mais qu’est-ce du dragon?”

“It is to be the
Americas
then?” The one man said. “But what of the Dragon?”

“Lisons encore, les paroles de l’Apocalypse.” Dit l’autre.

“Let us read further, the words of Revelation.” said the other.

“Et le dragon fut irrité contre la femme, et alla faire la guerre aux restes de sa postérité, qui gardent les commandements de Dieu, et qui ont le témoignage de Jésus-Christ.” (Apocalypse 12:17)

“
Then the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went and made war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” (Revelation 12:17)

They turned then and cast their light upon the great wall that stood before them that held a giant map of the
New World
. The map stretched as long and as high as the old wall itself.

Using a long slender pointer made of ash wood, they traced the outline of
Quebec
.

They envisioned it as it was revealed to them in spirit, as the head of the dragon with fire breathing from its mouth into the lands of
Nova Scotia
.

They further traced the outline of the eastern coast of the American breastplate as it manifested into a dragon’s claw by way of the Floridian state.

While still further south and around unto the gulf they could foresee the country of Mexico itself forming the great tail of the creature; with the western coast and undiscovered mountains of the continent to the north as the shadow of its outstretched wings.

By divine inspiration, the dragon stood before them upon the great wall just as it may have been envisioned and stood before John on the Greek
island
of
Patmos
; who received the revelations from God as written in the New Testament.

The eldest of the men drew a jeweled encrusted dagger from its sheath that glistened by the light of their candle’s flame, and thrust it into the dragon’s heart on the map; finding its blade to fall deep within the lands of Kentucky; lands named for the French House of Bourbon.

“
Qui est le cartographe américain?
”

“Who is the American cartographer?”

“
Voulez-vous dire celui que nous avons discuté plus tôt, celui qui est de créer des cartes de l’épidémie de choléra?
”

“Do you mean the one we discussed earlier, the one who is creating the maps of the cholera epidemic?”

“
Oui, il est le seul
.”

“Yes, he is the one.”

“Henry Schenck Tanner”

“
Commission lui de dresser les plans de la nouvelle ville.
”

“Commission him to draw up the plans for the
new city
.”

“Il est décidé alors?”

“It is decided then?”

“
Oui
.
Il est décidé
.
”

“
Yes. It is decided.”

Seven

Of Higher Purpose

Like a single drop of rain that falls upon the water, we are all of us a part of somethin’ much bigger than ourselves. We are more than just a character developed and related in a storybook or a tale told around a campfire in the lingerin’ hours of the twilight.

I have heard it said that we are placed here upon this earth for a much greater purpose.

Although hidden from the naked eye that purpose often times goes unnoticed.

Perhaps it is as my mama said, “
Our purpose may be that we are here to meet one person, for one moment and be the witness and light in that one person’s life.”

The outcome of our actions has ripplin’ effects and whole generations can be effected by a single drop of rain upon the water.

My great aunt Leathie was much akin to that single drop of rain. She was my grandpa’s sister, my mama’s aunt and she lived by herself in a little white house on the southern side of town.

She called me ‘
Sunshine’; a
simple term of endearment that became a part of me, a part of who I was and a part of who I would become. It may have held no meanin’ whatsoever, to anyone other than this same small five year old boy who sat upon her soft lap as she would hug me and tell me that I was loved.

I could only hope that one day I too could grow to such heights as to have a special and long life as that of my aunt Leathie.

I wish that I could convey more about her upon these pages before you. But I can’t say that I have many more memories of her to relate.

I know that her eyesight had been less and less as she began to age. I know that her lap was soft; her face shown of wrinkles and her heart was filled with love!

I am sure that my aunt Leathie affected change in the lives of a great many people throughout her lifetime. And I know that she must have been a light in many people’s lives other than mine alone.

But in the still small moments that have made up my life, she made an everlasting difference in me.

Would anyone have need of words greater than these to be written upon their stone?

***

October 1833

Nathanael and his officers sat on horseback at the eastern most edge of town, laughing and drinking whiskey in celebration amidst the carnage.

The flames from the fires burned high into the night’s sky as by his direct order, his soldiers ran rampant through the city’s streets, pillaging and murdering its people!

Store windows shattered as torches were thrown; buildings catching fire, burning quickly!

Men, women and children ensnared by ropes and dragged like animals behind their horses; children crying, as they sat helplessly beside their parents who lay dying in the shadows.

“Go get em’ boys! Bring me the stone!” Nathanael shouted. Hatred had consumed him for most of his life. He embraced it, nurtured it. It kept him warm.

“How could such abominations be permitted to live?” he asked his men loudly as he held up his whiskey bottle as if to make a toast.

“They can’t!” he answered abruptly and in slurred tongue before his men could speak. “I won’t permit it!”

The alcohol coursed through Nathanael’s veins as he broke away from his posse and rode straight upwards through the fields to higher grounds; the highest point of the surrounding hills.