This is an exclusive sample of my novel The Divine, which will be released later this year. The book will be $2.99 on Amazon (price subject to change) this sample is pulled directly from the finished manuscript. The sample does not start off like the sample from Amazon will allow, this is an exclusive jump into the text. I took out the chapter numbers, but I assure you this is not the beginning of the book. Enjoy the sample, and make,sure to come back here to the Malacast Editorial for updates on the publication of this,,and other novels. Here are (at least) three chapters of the novel The Divine:
When I read the first page of the new book, I almost fell out of my chair. The book had a picture of the childish face from the wall. I continued to read out of sheer excitement, horror was not even a factor, I needed to know what this was all pointing to, and I wanted to know the end of the story, as any reader would:
“Welcome! This is a booklet on how to exercise the epicenter of a haunting. We begin with investigating the haunting, some materials should be considered important when investigating the supposed haunted area. One object would have to be a light tube in case you find yourself in a darkened room, or there is no electricity. We advise against using any form of flashlight, although lanterns could be used, not recommended though. You should not use flashlights because the haunting that lurks around the epicenter could feed off many electronic items that use batteries, and drain them till they are useless.
“Next you should most likely bring pen and paper to record any sort of suspicious activity, and the time that it happened. Speaking of time, a watch is also a sufficient item to bring along for the trip in case a clock cannot be trusted or is not present. Another item to bring with you would be a compass. Although this item is mainly used for direction, it can also pick up magnetic fields, and become off-balanced, and spin around like crazy if a haunting is near.
Another item to bring is a camera, preferably a digital camera to attempt taking a photograph of an entity, spirit, etc. The last main item you should bring is a digital recorder that can be used to attempt to capture E.V.P., or Electronic Voice Phenomenon. E.V.P. is a disembodied voice that may be imprinted onto objects through sound waves, or the voice of a spirit attempting to contact the living world. E.V.P. has been known to be an important part in finding a true haunting, but that is a subjective view.
The next part of this booklet is to help you establish what the epicenter of the haunting is, and to exercise it to be rid of the haunting. An epicenter is a person, place, object, or any living or inanimate object that the spirit, entity, apparition, etc. haunts. Some professional investigators have their own ways of attempting to determine an epicenter, or if there even an epicenter in the establishment. Sometimes the epicenter can be an item from childhood, or something that was lost, stolen, or given away many years before the death of the haunting. One way professional find the epicenter is when the majority of the supernatural activity happens around a certain area where there is a definite object that sits in that room. With teenagers, a poltergeist may feed off of their emotions and energy during the stages of puberty and maturity. This person can be a chosen epicenter, and at some times, the epicenter can be younger than five, so age may vary.
Another way investigators find the epicenter is through the use of technology. Infra red cameras when pointed at an object can find if ectoplasm was left behind, or if anything out of the ordinary is around that certain object. You can be quite creative in finding many new and interesting ways of discovering a haunting, or determining if an establishment is haunted.”
The book continued with information on epicenters and paranormal investigating. It seemed too new to be in the shape that the book was in, although it did seem weathered, and not taken care of, it should still not be as old-looking, but I read on further. I decided to skip to find out about the picture of the childish head, perhaps on the bibliography page, but I found nothing. I looked deeper into the book, skipping sections that were not too interesting, until I came upon the section about the head.
I did not think anything on the head would be in the book, but there was, and I was both happy and shocked. The section was brief, about a page and so, but it was informative, and read like this:
“One type of epicenter does not even have to be a separate item, but intertwined with the haunted spirit. These sightings are so rare, that they have no definite term, so many in the professional world call them ‘Hybrids’. These ‘Hybrids’ can take many different forms. The drawing in the front of this booklet shows the face of innocence and mischief, total opposites of a childish spirit. Professionals jokingly call this the ‘Baby-Face Hybrid’ and from recorded history, this type of haunting cannot be exercised in an easy manner, but rather almost impossible to be rid of in any way, shape, or form. Not much is known about this type, but as the records show, there are three ‘Hybrid’ haunting. They are: The ‘Baby Face’ as explained in the above sentences, the ‘Liquid Form Hybrid’ which consist of the spirit making the epicenter, whether it be human or not, make waves and unstable. The final form is the ‘Gas Form Hybrid’, which makes the epicenter foggy, and shimmers at times. When this is done to a human, or any living epicenter, it seems to make a shield, and is quite manipulative to and of the person. The same goes for the ‘Liquid Form Hybrid’. Although these two forms are easier to be ridden of, the ‘Baby-Face’ form, or the ‘Solid Form Hybrid’ to be more accurate, is much harder due to the epicenter having a solid haunting in them that will be hard to exercise.
The ‘Baby Face’ is also the only ‘Hybrid’ to change physical form, meaning the face can change to fit the personality of the individual, and it may not even first appear as a childish head either. The ‘Solid Form Hybrid’ all depends on the type of person, energy, or character that is haunting that area was like. If a person was prankish and nice, expect the ‘Baby Face’ but for a more warped soul, expect something else, possible a head with horns, determining what that person may have seen to depict evil. One final warning on this type, and any type of haunting you may encounter, these ‘Hybrids’ can be very dangerous due to lack of research on them, and lack of how they will react to you, their surroundings, and their tricks. Take precaution in a haunting like this one, and try to have fun investigating these and other types of haunting.”
When I finished the first section of the booklet, I was now very happy to know that I was not crazy, and such a strange phenomenon existed. I put the book down, and looked up to see that it was time to go. I worked up some energy to get out of the chair, and head out the door. May caught me before I could leave, and finally seemed to show an ability to speak. “Um, Hank, I was wondering if I could ask you a quick question before you go.” She seemed red in the face, and was standing with her hands behind her back. “Sure, May.” I was impatient because I wanted to get home and show Joey what I have found, and to show him that there were other recorded cases of strange things out there. “I was wondering, if not tonight, you would like to have dinner sometime with me?” I heard the last part, and replied. “Maybe May, but I really have to go, something just came up, and I need to meet with a friend about some things, talk to you soon I guess.” Before she could let out a syllable, I was gone and out the door, heading towards home.
When I came up into my apartment room, I hit the key to the lock, and swung the door open and closed, going into the living room. “Joey! Hey Joe! You home?!” I called out.
“Yeah, in the shower right this minute, be out in a second!” I waited with the patience of a rabbit on the couch, trying hard not to jump up, run into the bathroom, and show him right then and there the book. When he came out, I attacked him, almost knocking him down with the book in my hand. “Joey, look what I’ve found at the bookstore, it has an image and information on that face we saw in the bar.” He got up, brushed himself off, and looked inside the book. I marked the page with the information so I knew where to find it the next time. “Hmm…. is this a joke, Hank?” “No, it is no joke Joey, that is all true information on the kid face we saw.” “Funny, because I see no information on a ‘kid face’ as you put it.” “What do you mean, Joe? I marked the page that it starts on.” “Well, all I see here is blank pages in a drawing pad booklet.”
“What the hell do you mean? I just read this an hour or less ago, and it had information on…” I picked up the book in mid sentence, and to my utter shock, Joey was right. The page was blank, and I became as green as the wilting pages were. I felt scared about this, it was not normal, pages do not just disappear with whole words on them, and this did not make any sense to me. “Hank, buddy. I think you need to lay off whatever drugs you are doing, and get a grip.” Joey walked out of the room, and went to his bedroom. “Where are you going?” “To rest. I hope you are sane again when I wake up. Maybe you should get some sleep yourself, you seem to need it, Hank.” “Maybe in a little while.” I do not think he heard me, but I was too focused on the book at that moment. “Ok, I started reading it at around three or four, and I stopped at around five. I read it to the car till five fifteen, and put the book down until I showed it to Joey. Then at six fifteen, there was nothing left in the pages. How can this be? This defies all logic, but then again, this past year has been full of logic-defying events. I need to look into this, but how? I am not used to crazy shit like this. Hey! I could call professionals, and I have enough money to hire them for pay! They can get to the bottom of this much easier than I ever could. I’ll call them tomorrow, and have them come here.” I figured that they could not investigate the Port Wallows at the time, but we could discuss the happenings with the books, and the face that Joey and I saw.
I was quite exhausted, and had enough of an adventure for the day. I was ready to vent my frustration out, but decided it would do no use for that night. I got undressed, took a quick hot shower, and readied myself into my bed. I fell asleep like a rock off a pier into the deepest oceans.
6
As I dreamt, I was caught up in a scene of vertigo. I was on a landscaped platform, and everything seemed to be an allegory of vulgarity. Corpses, death, organs flew around like normal, everyday objects. Things that were grotesque to the average person gave off a tint of abstract to make it seem more like art rather than sick shit.
I remember this dream because of how it seemed to pull me in to what has foreshadowed up to the point I am now, which I am getting closer to in my story. I saw a headless body come up to me, and begin talking. The words it said, as pathetic as they may have sounded at the time; still ring in the head that created them, “Look towards the light for truth, look inside yourself and rid of that evil dark matter that infests your heart. Make a most beautiful sonnet out of art.”
I woke up in a sweat, and in confusion as to what the hell I just witnessed. I heard blood gushing from the voice that came from the headless, naked body. Scars or fire ran up and down that wretched thing, and they seemed to glow as it spoke to me. I wiped the sweat from my face with my shirt that was on the floor, calmed myself down, and swept back off to sleep. I had three hours before work started. Speaking of work, Joey had supposedly been given a very nice “raise” at the restaurant he was cooking for. I have grown suspicious of my dear friend in so many ways. He has grown so far apart from me that he almost seems to acknowledge me when I am just talking to him, besides that, he seems to never want to be bothered with me, and for that I have just grown far apart, and still do not trust the money he seems to bring in from the so-called “restaurant.” This was his third raise in a month, so I could only assume one of two things: One, he was one damn good cook, and that he was, but we are talking professional cook, and that he was not; or two: he was doing something else to pull in extra money on the side that has nothing to do with cooking. I knew him for a long time, and knew he would not go back to selling drugs, but I was really starting to wonder about him.
I let it go, as I completely fell back into my deep, comatose sleep that I would not wake from even if a bomb went off. As I was suddenly awaken three hours later from the alarm, I sat there for a minute, going over the dream, the books that I seemed to pick up, and all the things that have happened, including Lachem and the Keepers. I was honestly trying to make sense to everything, trying to see if there was a deeper meaning to anything, and if there was, what could I do about it, and why me?
These questions would be answered for me, but I knew only one person could answer them, and he promised to return in four more years from that day. Truth be told, I was not really looking forward to another confrontation with Lachem. Things were too weird for me, and all I could do was sit back and accept it, even if I still refused to believe it, it would happen.
I shuffled back into the repetitive formation that has become my life; that becomes all our lives to be honest. I continued to work still confused about the weird happenings of my dream. The weird thing was that I seemed to have a preconceived knowledge on what the day would bring. I know that this sounds weird, and being weird should not be such a fond memory, but believe me this was a strange occurrence.
I walked into my cubicle in the main office of the building, and sat down at my desk, booting up my word processor, I came upon another small note. I knew that it was from May. And it was in my dream that I knew the truth behind the small, pitiful writing that she seemed to pull off well. She was definitely not all there. Let the note explain:
Hi again, Hank. I had a fun time yesterday, and just wanted to wish you a very good morning. I apologize for the note being left on your desk but my dear friend Valerie told me to write a letter to you, and I always take her advice. Anyway, I would like to go out with you again, I hope it is not trouble, but lunch was great, I enjoy that restaurant to be honest. I need a friend bad, and I hope we can be good friends, Hank. I would be ever so saddened if we cannot be friends. Hope to see you at lunch again today, Bye.
Summer
Perhaps I was being a bit irrational, but this girl just seemed to be a pure, utter psycho, and I was in a serious debate over whether Valerie existed or not. Besides, the entire letter seemed to make no real sense, and was written like a person with a scatterbrain. Perhaps to a first grader this would be a work of genius, but when an adult woman writes this type of letter, I become serious as to whether or not to get a restraining order on her, or to just find away out of the situation without losing the job I enjoyed so much. Then again, I am a most judgmental person, and perhaps should try to know her and understand her better. Summer and I should get to know each other better, and have a more broad understanding on who each of us are as a person.
It was rather early to be bothered with such information, and work had to be done, and done is what I was going to do. I have been attempting to teach the veterans on the paper what I was capable of doing this job well. I knew that I needed to earn the respect of others at this job just to get ahead, and I wanted to make the best of this place, I would do anything to get further at the job of my dream.
That day went like the others, not much was happening, no real good stories anyway, I would kill for a good story, one story that would move me up in the world. I knew that this job was just until the bar could be run again, but I always tried to do as I could at my job, because it was my job. This job was no exception, if not more important. I closed up for lunch, and as if on reaction, May followed me down to the restaurant. I paid her no attention until she sat next to me, and looked up at me smiled. I said hello to her, and continued looking down at the fancy menu, knowing that I would like to try some sort of fish, or some chicken. May continued to sit there, and stared at me, as I took little notice in her, as I searched for a delicacy on the menu.
May saw that I was not going to be easy to speak to and decided to say something first, “How was your day?” “Fine. “Good, ”
“Is something the matter?”
“No.”
“I was wondering what you were doing after work today.”
“Nothing, I am going home, and I am probably going to stay in with my friend.”
“Oh, I was going to ask if you would like to come have dinner at my place.”
I almost laughed out loud from that, but caught myself. I could only have imagined how her place looked. It would look like a dungeon of some sort. Perhaps skeletons, bats, and body parts in jars. I knew that the chances of going to May’s place would be none.
I turned back to the menu, and ran my eyes across something that appeared appetizing, baked salmon and shrimp with butter sauce. The waitress came over and took our order. May ordered something; I was too busy making a decision over my own meal.
When she left to place the order, May decided to talk first this time around. “Hank, do you have a girlfriend?”
“No.” I decided to be honest with her as best I could, and for some reason, I needed to get to know her, and her estranged ways.
“Oh, neither do I. I mean I do not have a boyfriend.” I giggled at her; it was quite cute.
“Oh my, I feel so embarrassed.”
She was red in the face and laughing.
“Would you like to come over tonight though, it would be a treat to have company. I do not get many guest anymore, the only person who really came to visit me was my mother. She died five years ago.”
“Doesn’t your father come to visit?”
“No, only in spirit, he died in the Vietnam War. I wish I could have met him, but I never was given the chance, guess God works in mysterious ways. How about you? Are your parents alive Hank?”
I sat back and adjusted in my seat.
“Yes, my mother stays at home now, she is retired. My father works construction. He still gets up everyday and goes off to work on building and repairs. May, do you have any other family to visit you?”
“No, I am an only child, and the rest of my family are back in Indiana. That is where I was born and raised until age twelve. My mom was sick of the rural life, and wanted to move to the city to get a better job, and she landed one at a firm. She was a very smart woman, very organized and clean. She knew that she was the only one that could provide for me now. Her sister, my aunt, spoke out against us leaving the family, but I guess all birds grow their wings, and have to fly away from the nest. I lived here in New York ever since.
“I still remember my mom while we were crossing state borders in her old, red, beaten-down station wagon. She was strong-headed, and determined to make the best for the two of us. She was later disabled in an accident”
“What type of accident did your mother have that disabled her? Sorry that is none of my business. I should not have asked.”
I did not want to bring up any bad memories for May at that point.
“Its ok, I can tell you.”
She started to tell me, but the waitress brought May her salad and informed us that our food should be ready in a few minutes. We both thanked the waitress, and turned our attentions back to each other.
“My mother worked at a firm, and she did one hell of a job, that she was given a very good raise, one that would give us more than a comfortable living. She would be happy and independent of anyone who has ever put her down.”
May gave a solemn smile, and she sparkled memories from her eyes. Then her smile ran cold and depressing as she cowered down into her seat.
“Then again, I guess things for her were never easy, and came hard. One night, a few months later, the firm threw a party after hours, and had made up a nice theme. There was sparkling champagne that could flow to you like rivers, and they gave some to my mother, who at the time was a recovering alcoholic, and who was tempted by it, and boy did she get acquainted with that bottle. The evil of that drink would go on to cost her job, and any chance of shaping her life.
“As my mother left the party, which was on a floor high above in the building, she sipped the last of the remnants of the champagne. She was quite drunk; you could see she could not even stand on her own. My mother made her way to the elevator, but it was out of order, so she decided to use the stairs. Well, she started to go down the stairs, making her way out the front where she would wave down a taxi, but she never made it, she-”
May stopped speaking, and I could guess what could have happened, but before I could say anything, she answered my thoughts.
“She tripped on a wet spot that was due to a leak from the pipes running above the stairwell. The custodians never put any effort into fixing the pipes; the bastards did not even put up a sign to warn anyone. She slipped, and fell down the stairs, cracking her spinal cord, breaking it in several places, and crumbling several discs. The stairs were so hard, and her back was always kind of weak, but it really was never an issue. She sat, screaming for an hour, until one of the other party members was beginning to leave, and found her laying there banged up, and broken in pieces.”
“Oh my God, that is terrible; was anyone found guilty for the letting the leak go, and brought up on charges?”
“No, my mother fought the case until her death day, and she only was given some compensation money from the corporation, and no justice was served. They claimed she was drunk, and it was her fault that she fell, but that is not true. She died, and she was never avenged. I still drive by there, and I just want to blow that place up for the pain.”
She put her head down, and began weep. Our food came, and she wiped her eyes.
“I want to say I am sorry for your loss, May. I wish that something could be done for you, I really do. Where did she work again? I will dig up as much dirt as I can on the place so they cannot get away with anything like this again.”
“I tried that, Hank. The incident with my mother was the first time anything of that magnitude was ever reported to have happened. Which means this was the first accident ever to happen with them, or they hide their dirty laundry well. I think it is my second guess, but I cannot hack into any info on anything they have.”
“I will find something for you May, I want to see that you receive what is yours, and that your mother will be avenged, and justice served.”
“Why would you want to help me anyway?”
“To be honest May, I feel sorry for you, and I feel sorrow for your mother who died. I also just want to help, in all seriousness, I want to help.”
I was in all honesty looking for a good story at the time, but through the trial, May and I seemed to grow closer, but that comes later in my story. I would like to cut off to my problems with sleeping again. I was having nightmares for the past two years, but it was not until the incident with Estelle did I start having the most morbid, twisted dreams ever. I would see blood-tinted scenarios with faces of those I love or have loved laughing, staring back at me. I would see scenes with Estelle being murdered by brutes, and I would wake up screaming; sometimes I would be in a panic and run out of the room screaming at the top of my lungs.
The reason I bring this up is because after I promised to help May out, the nightmares came to a sudden stop. All I would see was the smiling face of the “Baby Face” Hybrid, or so that was what the book called it, and it would hang on the blue wall. I at first was freaked-out by these dreams, but that seemed to pass as I went on with my days.
May and I finished our meals, and went back to work, and I decided to meet her that night for dinner. I guess all my past thoughts were wrong, and May Summers was just a hurt, misunderstood woman, and I was willing to help her out, no matter what the cost. Perhaps helping her could help me out with my own problems.
The dreams started up again, this time they were more tolerable than before.
Instead of horrible, vomit-inducing scenes of the dead walking the earth, there was a beautiful Goddess set up in the mush of the last winter snow. She wore a grey ribbon in her hair, and a flowing gown; which had a top with string cross-stitched across the breasts. The dress was woven in a medieval style, and fit the Goddess well. She seemed to float towards me with outstretched hands, as if she were here to forgive me and take away the sins this world had bestowed upon my being. She floated closer, so I could glorify myself in her illuminating presence, and taste her scents around the atmospheric setting. When she was above me, and it were as if I were in the presence of the Divine, the feeling of pure, utter spiritual abandonment. She came down upon me, and comforted me in her soft, perfect arms, and she whispered so timidly, but so immaculate into my ear:
“To search the light, you must first negotiate with the darkness. You have been bestowed with the gift of the Keepers, it was your birthright, and gave you the responsibility worthy of the Gods. Use it with care, and be the medium for both good and evil. Remember this last thing, those who paint themselves up to be the good guy can just be trying hard not to show they are the bad guy. Do not let this power corrupt you, many men and women greedy for power have fallen victim to the evil forces and the power they posses. Do not become one of the Bad Keepers or the heavens save your soul from worlds worst than damnation.” As the Goddess finished her words, her whisper rose to a loud bellow, almost incoherent to mortal ears. I awoke in a sweat, but not out of fear, but due to being in the company of pure majesty.
I learned the next day via my partner Joey that the Port Wallows would be open up again in a matter of days. The days flew by like they always did, and I was not surprised that it was four years earlier that we did our first construction on the Port Wallows. Knowing the expansion looked utterly beautiful, and I could not wait to see it now, bigger and better than ever before imagined. We were very well off now, and could afford some of the best employment for a bar/restaurant.
We put the ports on the map now, and have even poised the business in the area, allowing more groups of people to get to know the port, the area, and the local shops. We were even shown in various magazines and papers with the success of the bar. Joey and I were to go over the finishing details to the bar before the re-opening, and the grand opening of the new dance floor, which was like a whole other room. In one of the magazine interviews we were given for a hot spots magazine, we were asked why we did not re-locate to a more popular area of the city. We told the interviewer we liked the history of the spot, and the place itself held a sentimental value in our hearts, and felt the Port Wallows could not do without the ports.
We knew the truth was we feared the idea of moving because of the hellish secret we kept held up in the back storage room; a secret that started to giggle at us from time to time, or growl like a ferocious beast when angered. No matter what we did to the outer rooms, the storage room stayed the same size, color, tone, mood, and whatever else it needed to be to please the hybrid apparition. I accepted that to be what it was, and respect the hell out of it because I know now not to piss the spirit off from a bad experience. About a year before we thought of re-modeling again, I was in the storage room with Joey, suggesting we needed to make the room larger to accommodate for the new supplies we ordered prior to remodeling. I also suggested we needed more freezer space. By doing this, the bastard face felt I was challenging its territory, challenging its respect. The entire room shook with a fury of a hurricane trapped in a thunderstorm.
We both learned our lesson that day that the hybrid was in charge of the back, and we could never do anything to that room. So from that day to the present we had a truce with the spirit, and would not expand that room for anything, no matter what. To deal away with the obvious needed space, we added in another storage room in the attic upstairs.
When we arrived at the new and improved Port Wallows, we were ecstatic over how beautiful it has become from when we first purchased it half a decade earlier.
“Damn, Hank, the joint looks great. That crew we hired did a great job; I cannot wait to see the inside of this place. Oh, so we are clear Hank, did you make sure that it was the attic that was being turned into the new storage room? I know you were the one in charge of that, and I do not want some spooky poltergeist pissed off ready to light my ass up for fucking up its personal space.”
“Don’t worry Joe, I took care of everything with the guy, said it would be fine, he just needed to wire some electricity for the new freezers we ordered, the attic should be ready and everything. I talked to the guy yesterday, said his name was Roman, and if we have any trouble to call him up, and he’ll fix it till we’re satisfied. Don’t worry, and just bask in the glow of the fine job these guys did, we will be the best bar/club in the city. Does not seem like it has taken us that long, but hell, we made it, pal. We are in the money now, nothing else will matter anymore, for we have reached our Golden Age.”
“You know, sometimes you speak like a poet man, well, let’s go in, and take a look at the future. Oh, by the way, how are you still doing with the paper?” Joe and I walked towards the Port Wallows side-by-side, heading towards the fixed green doors. “Not bad, May just settled her first of many claims in court a few months back, it was a long, rocky trail up the court, but I think that she will be able to compensate for her mother’s death, but you know that money does not bring back the dead.” “Man, I hear you, so you two are doing good then?” we stopped in front of the doors, and turned to face each other “Yeah, you know I thought at first she was an estranged woman, but later on found out she just has some small issues that many of us deal with. Truth is, she is more together than most people, and that is why she is considered so weird, you know. She is just so on the ball with everything she does, that must be what scares people, no, intimidates them.”
“So, you two do any freaky stuff yet?”
Joe gave me one of his little child-like smirks; I brushed it off, and gave a joking shove, telling him to quit the antics.
We walked through the doors of our future; and what we saw made us put on faces of joy. The first thing noticed was the improvement of the bar itself, with the addition of extra room for extra spirits to wet themselves a little bit. The now famous with the regulars painting still hung atop the bar, untouched, and as perfect with the rage of hell as when we first found it in the bar.
The floor near the bar has been fixed for the dancing pleasure of the customers, with new disco a ball, flashing lights, and a brand new fog machine. We were eating up the whole new look, and could not believe just how large this place has become; it seemed to triple in size. There were more booths for those who just wanted to eat the fine cuisine we now have due to good chefs. The back has also extended for couples that wanted to eat overseeing the docks and water. We had shade added, and put out more tables and chairs to accommodate the people.
The next part of the self-guided tour I needed to see was the new storage room upstairs. I went to the door, and saw a key hanging on a chain on a nail. Next to the key was a note that read:
“Here is the key that locks/unlocks the door to the storage room. The lights may flicker a little at first you turn on the switch; but they will stop after a while, and should come on normal. If you have any problems whatsoever; I will be there to fix whatever you need.”
I opened the door with the key, and turned on the lights. They flickered for a second or two as the letter predicted, but it was no cause of excitement, and everything else looked perfect. This was the most extensive, and expensive part of the remodeling, but it was well needed. The walls were painted a dark, insipid red. I liked that it gave off dark shadowing, and looked very bland, not attracting any attention. I hoped that the hybrid did not dare want to explore any further regions than it has, and hoped for it to stay in its covenant space that we promised to no longer invade or change.
I went back down the stairs to meet up with Joey, who, for some reason went into the room where the hybrid haunted. I did not know why I followed right in, but it is human curiosity that makes us do the dumbest things, even when we do not want to do them. I went in, and just like it knew we were back, the face, that curly-haired, demon-eyed, cursed thing look right at us. The head followed us with its eyes, and smirked, revealing its rows of teeth. This was the display known as the “Anger formation” which I had read about in the books Lachem has indirectly made me purchase. The child’s face was the “Standard formation” which meant the spirit shows no expressions of feelings. The last one, and one we get the least is the “Happy formation” which means that the face expresses happiness or gratitude to its host or people around the host.
The anger the spirit was expressing to us was due to our intrusion to its space, but it seemed to understand we were fine with not changing anything, respected its space, and we were just going on with business. The Hybrid went back to being the solemn-faced statue it has always been, and we started the process of moving supplies from there to the new room upstairs.
After we finished moving things, getting ready for the biggest re-opening we have ever been part of, and just trying to look professional, we rested at the bar. Just then, we heard the door open and shut. We both shot a look near the door to find someone has just came in, even though we were closed.
“Sorry sir, we do not open up again for another two or three days, you should check back then.”
“So sorry to barge in, sir. I was just looking for a Mr. Hank Lang, and thought I could find him here.” the stranger alleged. As the man came into light, I noticed it was Lachem, and he seemed to be older, and sicker than last time we have seen each other.
“Oh Lachem, sorry about that, come in, we are sitting at the bar.” “Hank, what are you doing?”
“Don’t worry, Joey, I know the guy, he’s a harmless old man, he use to come here back when the bar was called the Divine”. Joey shook his head, and went back to preparing the bar for re-open night. He then headed towards the new bathrooms to see just how good they turned out. This was good because I needed to talk to Lachem on my own.
“Son, I am getting too old for these day frolics out here, heh, heh.” Lachem looked very tired that even his words dragged behind him. “You fixed the place up so much, the only thing that resembles it is the picture hanging up there. The spirit will become even more restless if you do not watch your step, Hank.”
“Well, we have made a truce, an agreement if you will, with the Hybrid. We just leave the back room alone, and it pretty much leaves us alone.” “You seem to have a good idea on how to keep the spirit at bay, and with that, Hank, it is time. It is time for me to lay myself to rest, and have my place among those with the gods. I leave you with my abilities as a Keeper, use them to your advantage, but do not abuse such granted powers. They are a gift, not a toy to be played with, but I know you will do the best you can. I want you to know that there may be much sorrow, and much struggle in the future, but you will be rewarded for your efforts. You must be the medium of good and evil, as the dreams have prepared you for, and I know you have been getting certain abilities over the past four years. Am I right?”
“Yes, I have been getting certain strengths and psychic abilities I did not know I would receive, but it has been helpful to me in many ways.”
“Well, this is where I give up to you all I have left. I will tell you what you may not yet know of what you will be receiving through me. First, the longevity of life, which you must preserve for as long as you can, because you are not immortal to anything on this earth, or anything not on this earth. Although this is a downer, you will have immense strength, magic abilities that can help you fend off evil, and will help keep you alive. My knowledge of these abilities should transfer over with me, so you will not need to learn anything, or learn how to do any of these things.
Another ability you will gain from this is the ability to see the other dimensions and plains spirits reside on, and you will see the spirit haunting these very walls. I see her right now, playing with her toys right in the center of this room.”
Lachem pointed to the dance floor, and gave a glazed over gaze of an old man to me again.
“When you see her, she will seem cute, innocent, and in need of help, but you should know better than to be fooled by her antics. She is a prankster and will try her damnedest to get you to fall into her little traps. Oh, and you will also be able to communicate on command with spirits, perhaps some may even come to be helpful.”
I was speechless, but prepared, for like any other human being; I accepted my fate to be a Keeper of lost souls.
“You will not be able to be in any intimate relationships anymore with anyone, because your seed will pass off genetic code that is more than human, and could be dangerous. I apologize for that rule, but it is forbidden, even with protection, because it is just a risk we are not willing to take, and no exceptions. One more thing, you can transfer your soul out of your body for no more than an hour, after that, your soul will be lost just like the ones you watch over. Again this information will transfer over with me when I submit myself to you. Any other questions you have will be answered through the transfer, but I am required to tell you the basics. Well, are you ready to transfer? It will be painless, and quick. Ready?”
I stared into Lachem’s glossy eyes, and went off on journey after journey that reeled out of his eye lenses. Joey came out of the bathrooms, and smiled to himself. “Damn, they have everything we’ve asked for in there. Automatic sinks, toilets, and hand dryers! The stalls are all brand new, and it has a whole neon retro overview to it, so it looks a little overdone. Hell, if you can do your duty in there; that is all that matters I guess.” I looked up once again at Lachem, stared him again into those glossy eyes, those eyes that begged for rest from the torment of living so long, and I knew then, I knew I was ready to take away his suffering. “I’m….” before I could let it out, I thought about May, and that I could never be with her intimately, even though we have not reached that point in out relationship yet. I knew that it was more inevitable than just take it or leave it, and Lachem was being respectful in giving me time to accept my fate. I knew I had to be fair back, and accept what was not really my choice. Sure, it is unfair towards me, and it is also unfair towards him, but I knew it had to be done, and there were more important things out there then my pitiful existence as a human running a haunted bar, “Okay, I’m ready.”
Lachem smiled, and disappeared like air. ZAP!!!
When I came through from blacking out, I saw Joey standing over me.
“Hey, man, you ok?” he had a look of confusion on his face.
“Real slick, Hank, you toppled over on the barstool, and hit your head. You were out for a minute, you feeling all right? Need to go to the hospital?” I shook my head, and waved Joey off, ensuring that I was just fine. “Where did Lachem go?” “Guess he left just before you fell of the stool. It was like he just vanished.” I stood up, wobbling, but I caught myself, and I started to walk off back to the kitchen. I started having some questions run through my head, but just as I asked them, my brain replied with the answer. I was omniscient to anything and everything I ever needed to know. I almost stumbled at the vast knowledge and intelligence that surged through me. It was incomprehensible to fathom the idea of becoming wiser with a simple exchange of energy in which Lachem has bestowed upon me, but it appeared that it was true. I waltzed up to the refrigerator in hopes to find all the supplies and condiments ordered, ready for the night we re-opened.
The bar was open earlier now, but the real fun did not start till after eight. That was when the dancing started up, and the new vicinities will be put to the test of the money spent. The remodeling cost us fifty thousand dollars, but we knew it was worth the heavy price, and we had enough now to splurge out the cash. We both divided up the money equal to the cost and the tax, and knew we could make twice that much in a matter of months. We were one of the largest bars in the city now, ranked number five, but we should move up a notch after the new service kicks into gear. We knew now that we could do what we want to do, and just have fun managing the joint; we knew things would be great.
I smiled over the fact that I could recall history as it happened, and had visions and memories no one else could have dreamt of having. I felt an immense power course into my pulmonary arties, filling my heart with the power of a thousand gods, and forcing tears of chivalry to rise down my cheeks. The tears were golden, and lay heavy drops on the floor. The supplies and everything were all set, and things were perfect. With a sudden thud, low in pitch so I was the one to hear it, and not Joe, the door closed behind me.
Standing in front of the door, illuminating from ectoplasm, stood our little haunt with a huge grin across her transparent face. I stared at her with a stern face like that of a father whose child has done something wrong, showing no fear, or no weakness.
“Come play with me.” she giggled and ran through the door, disappearing into the walls once more. Although she was a Hybrid with the bar, she somehow manages to appear as an apparition outside of the wall, and travel abroad. I later started to keep a notice of her actions in a diary. My job was not to help her cross over to the other side so-to-say, but rather keep her content, and make sure her soul was not lost or turned to evil.
A few minutes later, Joey and I decided to pack everything up for the day, and decided we were ready for business. I went back home to my apartment, and listened to my answering machine. I had several messages. One message was from my mom, who wanted to know just how well I was doing, and all that mushy stuff mothers like to say to their children, even if you feel you are too old for it anymore. Another message was from May, and it sound optimistic and hopeful, not like how she would sound during a regular conversation. The message said:
“Hank, its me, May. I just found out that everything has been settled, and I won the lawsuit! I am so happy, and I want to celebrate tonight with you, so I thought if you would like, we could go eat dinner, and have a good time out on the town. Call me when you get in, and thank you for all the support these past years, they have been rough, but you guided me through it, thanks.” The final message started off with a few seconds of ambience, and I figured it was just a hang-up, and went to erase the messages, but then a voice came on the recording. The voice of someone that could not have been alive at that moment; the voice was that of Lachem.
“Hank, something is not right here, this does not make any sense at all, I should have passed on to the next realm of the afterlife, but I am somehow in limbo on the earth, which means one of two things. It is either I have done something wrong, and awaiting conformation, or the spirit of the little girl is not in order, and you have not found out what is wrong yet. I think she is ready to pass over, but she needs you to help her soul be put to rest. If you cannot do this, Hank, events worst than damnation itself may occur, so please try and help her out in any way you can. If she calls to you, says anything to you, or asks you to follow her; do it, or else there could be dire consequences for you, and everyone else involved. Hank, find out what she wants, and good luck.”
I knew something was up that day when she wanted me to listen to her, but I did not know what she meant, I only guessed she was trying to play some sort of prank. I called up May, telling her I would need to cancel her plans for another night. Then I felt wrong about it, because she has been in heartache all this time, and I did not want to bring any back up to the surface. I decided I would investigate the haunting tomorrow and be the medium for Godiva Rose. Although she was older when she died, her spirit is like that of a child due to her wild antics and prankster ways. The first time I said to Lachem I would be her Keeper, I felt the first wave of power come into me, but with all the power Lachem once possessed, it was like everything played out in my mind, and I knew what to do for her if she needed help.
I called May, and told her I would pick her up in two hours, I wanted to be well dressed and debonair for her tonight. I then remembered what Lachem said about being intimate, and that I could not lay a hand on her. Besides the “Baby face” Hybrid, the re-opening of the bar I called home at one time, and the newspaper that was the dream job I so desired as a youth, my thoughts were too coagulated in a cesspool of damned memories.
I arrived at May’s place at seven fifty-five, dressed in my finest suit, which I have not worn since my early college years. I found it a miracle that the getup still fit after so long. I ran the bell to May’s apartment, standing in a musky, dirty stoop. I think there was a bum lying down wrapped up in some newspapers. He seemed content in his corner; it was the world he knew since he himself was a young man. He lay there content, in a puddle of his urine, or someone else’s, I was not willing to analyze any further. I walked over to him, and left a fifty-dollar bill, hoping he would use it to buy something useful like a pair of shoes, pants, or even a meal.
The intercom came on, and May spoke to me, telling me to come up.
“Good luck on your life journey, old man.”
I gave a sympathetic smile, and walked up the stairs. May lived in apartment forty, which was close to the top of the stairwell. The halls were a browned, crackling shade. They seemed as if to pulsate with arteries made of pipes, and veins of copper wiring. I made my way to her front door, checking myself before knocking. I checked over all the materials I had on me: flowers, sweets, and a necklace I bought a few days before for May. I figured that since she made tonight a good night for going out, and since I am always quite a busy man, I would give her the present tonight.
I knocked the door, adjusting my hair and tie with one simultaneous movement, and straightened myself just as the door opened.
“Hi May, I bought these flowers for you, and I also bought you some sweets.”
“Oh, tulips; my favorite! I never told you I loved these flowers, how did you know?”
“You always have them in a vase at your desk, so I figured you have to like them, cause they are the only ones I see you with. Oh, and I also bought you this. I hope you like it.” I have failed to mention that May looked beautiful, decked out in an evening dress that was green with a white shoulder coat. Her hair was done up that it shined of beauty and extravagance. She had a dark red lipstick on, which just the faintest eye shadowing to exemplify her natural beauty she never shows inside the office.
“Oh wow, Hank, it is beautiful, is this sterling silver? I love it, and it has a locket.”
Ah yes,! The locket. The inside had a picture of May and myself, and said “best friends” but I was hoping to make our relationship more than that, until today.
We went out to one of the finest restaurants in the entire city. The main course was a favorite of ours both. Succulent lobster broiled with butter sauce. Before that we both shared Fri Calamari, and some of the freshest baked Italian bread, you would be sure it just arrived in the harbor, There was a few different instrumentalists playing that night.
One person was on the squeezebox, composing a true, authentic Italian sound, while a violinist, and his friend on the viola, gave use sweet classical tunes that were composed hundreds of years ago. I could name each one, and even had the memories of when they were written. I knew the names of the composers, their age when they composed the piece, their birth and death dates, and even knew their children’s names, all their information, and so on and so forth. I did not bore May with any of this, only certain things she found interesting. When it came to desert; May chose one of the richest cheesecakes in the world, where one bite could fill you up with a delightful sickness that only cheesecake possessed. I chose the tiramisu, and a side cup of espresso to finish off the Italian setting.
We walked back to my car, and showing courtesy, opened the door for May, and closed it shut, making sure her dress did not get trapped at the bottom. On the way back we had a subtle conversation, but I did not mention any of earlier today’s activities, for I knew she would think me mad. Hell, even I thought I was mad, but I am too accepting of fate, because I put so much into it that I cannot breathe without. Without fate, you cut me, I bleed nothing, but am hallow. May started in about how amazing the food was; I gestured that I agreed. She then gave me a puzzled look, and knew I was hiding something. Aside from winning over a quarter million dollar in court, her happiness gave her insight to my troublesome state, for I did not seem to be sharing in the celebration. “Hank, dear, what’s wrong? Did I do anything to upset you?”
There she went; being offensive and assuming it was her that turned me off tonight. She was a woman unlike any other, and was sweeter than any other I knew. “No May, it is not you at all, tonight was very nice, I just have some things on my mind.”
“Hmm… that is what all men say when they are trying to avoid talking about their problems. What is wrong, Hank? We are friends, you can tell me whatever you want.” I knew better than to fall for that, and knew that the truths about my feelings were much better off building up in me, than let loose on my dear friend. “Again, nothing wrong, just have a lot of things on my plate right now.”
“Mm… yes, but that plate is silver, so remember at the bottom of all that shit, is a reward greater than any ever given. Nothing is better than accomplishing all that is on your plate. Hell, I wish I could get half the things done that I need to, but with the settlement, I can move out of that hellhole of an apartment. I mean; I know it is putrid, but it does hold some mystic spell over me. I guess the creepy setting has always been appealing to me. Funny thing is, a lot of people feel that a restless spirit haunts the apartment complex. I always joke about it, saying what kind of ghost would haunt a shit bowl like that?”
She laughed at her rhetoric question. I smiled at her, thinking that she had no idea about the supernatural.
“I don’t know about that, I mean a pretty woman like you living there, I would not mind sticking around either.” I smirked at her, and she just hit my shoulder, turning her head in embarrassment and from laughing.
I pulled the car up to May’s apartment, and opened her door again, like a gentleman. I walked her to the front; the bum was awake now, and happy to have the fifty dollars that I left him. “Enjoy the money, sir. I hope it will help you out.” He looked at me, and smiled. “You gave that man some money, Hank? That was very thoughtful, I feel sorry for him every time I pass him in the morning, and he just sleeps on that stoop.”
May smiled at me with pride. “Well I figured he could use it to benefit from, I hope he does put it to good use.” May kissed me on the cheek out of impulse, but pulled herself back, cheeks blushing red. “Sorry, I did not mean to do that like that, I mean, I…”
Before she could answer, I kissed her on the lips. I pulled back, knowing that I could not let this lead to anything more than a friendship. The situation was so unfair, all because of my random pick like a lottery drawing of life to be the Keeper of the lost soul in the Port Wallows. I was no longer even human, because humans can express their feelings with intimacy.
“Sorry, I should not have kissed you like that without your acknowledgment. ”Man did I feel like an idiot saying what I did in that manner.
“It’s ok Hank. We should take it slow, I mean we are just friends, right?”
May shrugged her shoulders.
“Right” I nodded my head with authority.
We were mauling each other as we climbed the steps to May’s apartment. When we reached the top, May opened the door, flinging it, so it almost broke off the hinges. I wanted her so bad that I could taste her on the buds of my tongue. Before I lost all control to my animal instincts, the only thing human left of me; I backed off, and turned my head down to the ground, getting my bearings.
“What’s wrong, Hank?” May looked at me with puppy-like eyes, showing concern.
“Oh, you know what, um, I better go, because I think we really should take it slow, I mean we would not want to rush into things right?” She gave me a disappointed look, but agreed with me.
I rushed out of there, knowing that I could not get that close again, or it could be worse, and I trusted Lachem’s words. I did not want to make a mess over my hormones raging for May, and decided I had not choice but to avoid doing anything intimate again. Pretty much, I should meet her in crowded areas with no dark alleys. I rushed down to my car, to be stopped by the happy, nice bum that I gave the money to earlier.
“Thanks buddy for the money. I can buy a nice pair of comfortable boots with these, so I don’t scratch my feet up to bloody stumps no more.”
“Think nothing of it.” I smiled at him, and started on my way again.
“Oh, buddy, be careful around these parts if you ever come by again, these complexes are haunted.”
“Sorry sir, I do not believe in ghost stories.”
I lied to him, not really showing interest, but wanted to hear about this supposed ghost. “Well, some say there is a real evil spirit haunting the building. Some say it is the supposed spirit of the first owner, Harold Drover. He was murdered right in this very vicinity, some say they have heard his voice, and you can feel his cold anger when you pass through his office. The current super hired a team of lousy investigators to check it out, because he had complaints from people on the first and third floors. They ran out of here screaming in sheer terror. They felt Drover’s spirit’s vengeance.”
“How do you know all this? What is your name if you don’t mind my asking?”
“The name’s Earl, and I used to be a janitor here, but let’s just say I made some bad ‘financial choices’ in my time, and so I sleep out here. The place seems to have this grasp on me for some reason. Can never get too far away from it.”
I told him the story was interesting and all, but I had to be leaving, and got into my car, and road the quiet road home.
Upon arriving home, I stopped to get some gas, and a small coffee home. I paid the clerk, and shuffled myself back to my car. I looked up into the stratosphere, and saw a celestial figure coming down closer and closer to the Earth. My eyes seemed to deceive me, as this white light became brighter as it approached. I could not believe no one else saw this phenomenon, but then it hit me, I am a Keeper. I, and I alone am the only person that could see such things. I looked up again, and saw many sprites flowing around the sky, just like the stars that presided above them. They sparkled bright, exploding into smaller specks, and crashing into each other like a catastrophic freeway where chaos reigned. They were some of the most beautiful things I have ever gazed upon. Some glowed different colors, and flickered while traveling about. I stared for a while in amazement, and then went back to the car.
I arrived home to find a package in front of my door. It had a small note on it, signed to me. I took it inside, and read the small letter before opening the box. “Dear Hank Lang, I hope that this package will help you understand more about yourself, and your history. I hope to me you soon, and know we will hit it off well.” I opened the box to find a book. It was very old, falling apart, that I had to handle it with delicacy that only I was use to, due to my collection of old books. A smaller note had only page numbers written on it that seemed of interest. The book title explained it all, and I was happy to have it in my possession. The History of the Keepers, I was too excited to wait till the next day to start reading, so I plunged right into reading the introduction:
This book is handed down from the Divine Council to the Keepers of souls on Earth. If you are not a Keeper this book must be burned immediately, its ashes buried sixteen feet into the earth, and the site unmarked. This book holds the text of the ancient order of the Keepers, those who have looked after the most tortured souls of history. They are the ones that watch out for all spirits unrest, and still in turmoil. They hold the powers no other can posses, not even a god. This book is not only a history lesson, but also a guide for the Keeper. This text in the following chapters is the first true book ever written on this Earth. Created by a sect of ancient humans, handed down by the gods. It is the most sacred text beheld ever, and holds more mysticism than any spell book. This is the newest addition, and the last.
The text is un-tampered with, and shown in its original, unabridged, format. Use this book with responsibility, and let the gods guide you through the hellish task laid before thee, and do not falter under the pressure, for you shall be trampled by the hordes of hell. If you do not use caution, intelligence and efficacy, if not, there will be no mercy. Enjoy this guide, and allow it to become your new partner in life. Many past Keepers have re-named their books after women as a joke, but it serious. This book is your significant other. Since 1345 has it been officially outlawed for Keepers to have spouses. Good luck, and always remember that you are the past, present, and future of the mighty Earth.”
I read the whole book, and nowhere is it mentioned why relationship were outlawed by the Keepers in 1345, but I knew I would find out one way or another. I put the book down for now, and undressed, readying myself for bed. I was tired, and needed to be up in the morning for work at the office. I realized I would run into May, but I would figure out a way to deal with her. I would find a way to explain the situation, and make it sound believable, but for now, I lay my head down to rest. Turning off the lights, rolling over in the covers, I drifted off to sleep. The dreams would haunt me the whole night through, the story of my life.
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