9:5
God, please help me.
Jack�s energy sucked into a tight yellow ball. It snapped with anger and guilt swam through in violent surges. His astral body glowed with florescent, popping fear.
I can�t let this happen. I can hardly believe that it is happening. If anyone would�ve suggested that this was even possible a week ago, I would�ve laughed in their face. But now that it�s happening to me and the people I love, I can do nothing but believe. It�s all my fault.
As Christopher�s soul was dragged closer to hell, Jack wondered if he could bargain for his son. Maybe they would take him instead.
Maybe�
He knew it wouldn�t work. Hell wouldn�t listen to him. It didn�t care about its captives. It only knew that it had a quota to uphold.
Oh God, Chris.
If only he hadn�t gone there, met her. He knew that she has been using him from the beginning.
She set me up and I went along happily, smiling all the way. I�m such a fool. Nothing I�ve learned is worth this. I�d gladly give up the secrets I�ve been shown to take back the things that have happened. There has to be a way to stop it. I know now that God won�t help us. It�s up to me.
Killien had cheated his way out and Chris was left to take his place. It was just as Lisa said it would be.
You�d switch with him.
It seemed that there was nothing he could do now.
Please, hold on Christopher�Please.
9:6
Jack swooped down into the Volkswagen. He lowered into his body. The mundane eyes opened wide as he gasped. It was cold. His frantic breathing created big puffs in front of his face. The book was on the seat beside him. Grabbing it, he opened the door.
The hard frozen grass crunched under his feet as he ran across the yard. When he got to the porch he heard it.
It was Sally.
She was screaming.
9:7
The silver blade was right in front of her. It danced gently back and forth in a kind of swish that might conduct an orchestra. Sally was the only instrument being played and her vocal chords were becoming raw. She jumped backwards and hit the wall hard, �Bastard!�
He glanced back at Linda.
�Bring me a chair from the kitchen and find me something to tie her up with.�
He would have to restrain her. She was a strong, young woman with a lot of adrenaline on her side and he�well he was only six years old.
Linda lowered the pistol and walked toward to kitchen. She did not see the shadow outside the window. She didn�t see him, watching her. The front door flew open with the weight of Jack�s body behind it. It struck her in the shoulder, knocking her down. She hit the floor and the gun went off. It made a small hole in the white textured ceiling.
Killien turned away from Sally. He let out a growl of anger. The small body slumped to the carpet when he jumped out. The popping dark energy sizzled behind him in whipping snakes. The center of the stirring cloud was blood red.
Sally got to her feet and pounced on top of Linda. The old woman wailed, straining her arm�s length for the gun. Sally picked it up. She pushed it into the back of Linda�s head.
�Don�t move grandma�� she could barely believe the words coming out of her own mouth, ��or I�ll kill you.�
Linda turned and lunged at her granddaughter, growling with rage. Sally jumped back screaming. She squeezed the trigger. The pistol kicked backwards in her hand. When Sally caught her balance, she looked up with a jerk.
Linda was on her back with a dark red stain covering her stomach. Sally lowered the gun and slowly stepped forward. Linda was still. The room was dark but she was pretty sure her grandma wasn�t breathing. Sally cried. Her whole body was an uncontrollable, shaking spasm.
Killien blasted at Jack, sending his spirit backwards, out of his body. Killien settled in once again taking over. He looked at Sally with mortal eyes. Jack watched his body approach.
God, no.
He looked down at his son�s body lying on the floor. It had to same astral signature as he did. If Killien could do it, so could he. He flew down into it and his ethereal mass compressed into the flesh. The pressure of his large spirit in the small body felt strange. It made the skin tingle. He felt like he couldn�t breathe for a moment.
He opened Chris� eyes, �Look out Sally!� he yelled, as he got to his feet.
She looked up.
�It�s me Sally,� Killien said, trying to sound like Jack.
�Don�t listen to him. I�m Jack,� Jack said with his son�s mouth.
She stood up and backed away from them.
�Jesus.�
She didn�t know which one was which. There was no way to tell.
He knew just what to say to make her believe him.
�I know now what has to be done,� he said.
�Don�t listen Sally, he�s lying� the other said.
He looked at her calmly, �There�s only one way to beat him,� he paused, �Kill both of us.�
�No! It�s a trick!�
�You know it�s true, Sally. I�ve already lost Christopher. He�s gone. Don�t let that asshole win.�
�No!�
�Do it now. You can�t save me, but you can save the world from him.�
Sally�s eyes were wide. The gun was shaking in her hand. She was so afraid she could barely hold onto it. She looked at him. Her swollen eyes were brimming with cold tears.
�I can�t do it Jack. I�m sorry, but�I can�t.�
�Sally, no!�
�I understand. I started this mess. It should be me who ends it,� he said reaching out his hand.
The six-year-old cried, �Stop!�
Jack�s skin felt cold as she set the pistol into it. Killien accepted the weapon with a smile.
�The plan! Stick to the plan we talked about in the car!�
She turned, �Huh?�
She didn�t realize the truth until the hard fist struck her jaw.
�I knew you couldn�t do it, you stupid bitch.�
Blood filled her mouth, �Bastard!�
He laughed,
�It appears that I�m back in business, wouldn�t you say, Jack?�
She pulled herself up.
�God, I�m sorry. I�m so sorry.�
�You are powerless against me. You might as well give up.�
Of course, it was true. Jack had tried to fight him before. It was like hitting a brick wall. His eyes got wide.
The wall.
He looked up.
The ceiling.
He found the hole made by the bullet only a few minutes before. He got an idea. Jack knew that he was much smaller and weaker than Killien was. That was obvious, but the bullet that had punched through the ceiling was small too. It hadn�t been its size that caused the damage, it had been its velocity.
He looked at Sally, �I�ll be right back.�
He soared up through the roof. The small body slumped down on the floor.
Sally cried, �Jack! Don�t leave me!�
Above the house he hovered, peering into the storm. God was much closer than before. The exploding cloud hung in the sky, waiting. He headed straight for it. Jack remembered that first time he ever saw it and how it had pushed him away. And the second time, how it had sent him reeling back to earth like a comet.
The first had been like a warning saying that he didn�t belong there. The next was more like a punishment, with more force.
What would the third be like? Jack was about to find out. With any luck he�d shoot straight at his body, just as before.
God, I hope this works.
The huge cloud of exploding light was about to become the most powerful gun in the universe, and Jack was going to be the bullet.
copyright �2002 Brian Holtz
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