MALEDICTION (7)
Thunder Boomed in the distance, with it traces of purple static followed. The static turned into lightning shocking the creature into submission. Its body fell with a thud on the cobblestone path, landing besides it was Gil.
"That's 14 down."
He then turned to the crowd of people gathering.
"Can you people move, please."
One of the men turned to look at him.
"What?"
He moved closer to the group.
LOOK DOWN!
He did. "Njeri!" He pushed the others away to behold a gruesome sight. Mother and daughter together, blood, a lot of blood spilling from her back.
"What happened?" His voice was fierce, thunderous, dangerous.
"Hatukuweza kumsmamisha (We couldn't get her to stop.)" One of them with a look of sorrow on his face.
"Yeah, she just ran off, and when we got here we saw the thing scratching her back."
"Alikuwa anajaribu kuprotect Njeri (She was just trying to protect Njeri.)"
Like a mother should.
After she left the cabin she stumbled upon Juma and his men who were at the frontlines trying to fight off the hordes of demons.
"We tried telling her it was dangerous." Juma explained, "But I knew she wasn't listening, I can tell when a woman is worried about her child, when I turned to speak to the boys about it she just made a run for it."
Gil's eyes focused on the mother, her eyes now lifeless. She then turned to Njeri, she breathed heavily, even though she had an injury on her right shoulder, she was still fine and alive.
"Gil!" Everybody turned their attention to the man in a white labcoat and cigar in mouth, "Took you long enough."
"Daktari?(Doctor?)" One of the men exclaimed.
"Can you believe it? I come outside for a smoke brake and suddenly the world's gone to shit."
"Doctor Blake, you were in the cathedral?" Gil knew this was a dumb question to ask, the man never left his morgue not to mention the cathedral as a whole.
"Yes, that's what I just said." He turned, "Bring them both, I'll look at the girl."
Gil nodded and was planning to carry Njeri but Juma stopped him, "Let me do it."
"Why should I, you didn't do a good job the first time?"
"Yes, well I'd like to make up for that."
Gil wasn't strong enough to lift her, even with the new power he had gained. He sighed.
"Sorry for being dumb."
Juma gave him a pat on the head, "Its nobodie's fault, right now we would've been staring at two dead bodies if you hadn't shown up."
That warmed his heart a little, he gave a slight smile.
"Alright boys, please carry Miss Anne."
The boys went over to Njeri's mother gently carrying her on one of their backs.
GRRR!
More were coming, Blake turned back. "I suggest you hurry a bit."
Gil did his best at holding back the creatures as he shot bullets of lightning from his fingers. When everyone was inside he followed quickly, leaving streaks of purple in his wake.
The demons remained outside, they couldn't get in, so they waited for the residents to come out.
To Gil's surprise the place was packed with injured and scared village folk. Some hurting, some a sleep, some contemplating their existence, but all of them present.
"When did this happen?" Gil walked side by side with Blake.
"I told you, I came out for a smoke break when all hell broke loose and I witnessed a crying blood moon with my own eyes."
"Crying blood moon, that's it?"
Gil could feel some uncomfortable eyes staring at him as he walked by.
"We should probably get you some clothes."
"Oh, right."
They headed towards a wooden door with an engraving of mother Mary on it, Blake opened and stood a side.
"Take her to the morgue."
"Which one?"
"The alive one obviously." He said rolling his eyes.
"Gotcha, we'll take both of them."
Gil tried to pass with them but Blake stopped him by stretching his arm out.
"Let's get some clothes."
"But what about…"
"She'll be fine, they managed to stop the bleeding on her shoulder, the only thing she needs is a proper stitch and a Tetanus injection."
"Oh, ok."
"Gil, we have much more important things to discuss. But first, clothes."
"Right."
He followed Blake in the opposite direction, heading up the steps that took them to what was the Bishop's room. Gil squinted at it, a sense of helplessness creeped back. Just like back the, he would walk up these steps all the time, morning and evening. And each time the only thing he heard was moaning.
"PTSD, huh?"
"What?"
"It's gotta be weird coming back here in so long." Blake seemed calm, he was always calm.
"I… I guess." He couldn't shake it, a ghost lingered, a bad taste in his mouth, dry lips, watery eyes. What could it be? Regret perhaps, no, he didn't regret his actions. If anything he regretted not being conscious when it happened, whatever this feeling was it probably had more to do with an external demons rather than his internal one.
"Well, are you listening Gil?"
"Huh?" He shook his head.
"Oh, well, at least your honest." They stopped in front of his room, "Get changed before we begin discussing our current future."
Gil walked in and left the door open, hoping to have this discussion as he wore his pants.
"Our current future?"
"Yes, indeed." Blake looked the other way, "Our current predicament."
"Those weird things out there?"
"Well, yes and no."
"Meaning?"
"You Gil, you are our current predicament."
"Me?"
"Yes, you."
Gil turned sharply and looked at Blake, he had his back turned but could tell Gil was looking, "I'm serious, you're different, aren't you?"
Gil took a moment to answer, "Yeah, I am."
"Then what else could we talk about other than you being different Gil." Blake explained, "When you first arrived here everybody saw a charming young man trying to rid the world of its evils in the right way. However, that's not what I saw."
"?"
"I saw a boy stricken with grief, anger, resentment, and was looking to end it all when he had the chance. But you didn't have that ability, you didn't have a means to reach that realm."
Gil's eyes widened, 'Just like the girl with black hair said.' He thought to himself.
"What's different now,Gil?" Blake turned and looked at him, "Why the sudden excitement? Have you found a way to reach it?"
Excitement? Was that what that feeling was? He was excited to pass by the bishop's room, but why?
'Its because now no other little girls will suffer at his hands.' Catherine's voice echoed.
"I think I have." Gil looked up. A means by which to protect everyone without having to rely on 'it's a matter of time before they are punished .' or 'God will fight for us.'
"Would you rather have a God that fights for you or a God that gives you the means to fight for yourself?"
"Myself."
"What if yourself isn't enough?"
Gil clenched his fists, "Then I'll make it, I'll do whatever I can. I have to be strong enough."
Blake smiled, "Good, because no messiah is coming from heaven to save them, so its up to you to be their savior now."
"I will."
A MAN WHO FIGHTS THE WILL OF HIS OWN DESIRES AND NO ONE ELSE'S!