Billy Bingo: When The Legman Comes

By Charles Peters

Chapters

Chapter 12

Billy felt nervous as Linda drove toward the caves.

Steve was in Hotville with Bobby when Linda called her son. Linda told Steve to meet Billy and her at the Holly Garage that was not too far from the entrance to the abandoned campground where the Caves were located. The closer Linda and Billy drove to Holly Garage the more crowded the roads became. Linda had thought the Holly Garage would not attract much traffic but apparently a lot of people had thought of it as a place where they could meet up.

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Linda called Steve back. “Holly Garage is out. Too many people. Let us go to the Darko Mansion and enter the caves there. It is a pretty good walk from there through the caves to the main cave but that is probably better than trying to work through the crowds.” Then Linda looked back at the car behind her as she absentmindedly hung up on Steve. “Hell. That Tess Favor is still following me. Shit. I think I may like that lady.”

Billy said, “If I wasn’t concerned for their safety I would not care but I have no idea what is going to happen.”

I am going to see if I can lose them. Linda turned on a dirt road that ran next to Holly Garage. She then turned into a pasture and sped through the field. Linda screamed, “Hold on. I am going to use a bit of magic as I jump the creek and I am not that good with this spell.” Linda rose her car into the air and accidentally spun it upside down. “Shit.” She then turned it right-side-up and landed both past the creek and past the pasture’s fence and was back on the road. “This is actually a short cut to the Darko place.”

Tess screamed, “Did you see that? That wasn’t natural. I knew that woman was a witch.”

Janet stared at her Aunt Tess. “It was just a car stunt. She is a good driver. How can you believe that Linda is a witch?”

Tess ignored the question. “I put a tracking device on her car as we walked past it going to my car. Get my cellphone out of my pocketbook and pull up my Tracking App.” Tess spun her car around and quickly sped back to the Holly Garage.

Janet said, “It looks like she has stopped at some place on the lake. Your App does not show the address. Wait. It does show Darko Street.”

Tess slammed on the brakes and looked at her phone. “If I am not mistaken she has driven to the Darko Place. I wonder why?”

Janet shrugged. “I have no idea. I have no idea what the hell is going on.”

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* * *

Linda and Billy entered the Darko Mansion. Linda turned a light on and told Billy. “I was going to have this as a surprise for you. Dirk had sold the Darko Mansion to Count Duso but he has vanished and hasn’t been paying on it. I bought it and this is ours together.

Billy said, “I don’t know what Steve will think about you and me as lovers.”

Linda giggled. “Don’t think it has not crossed my mind when I am lonely at night. I have looked for Amberline’s library here but I have not been able to locate it. So for right now all I have is my mother’s library for you to study spells and how to do stuff.” Then suddenly Linda screamed, “I hung up on Steve while he was telling me something. Shit, I need to call him back.”

Linda said, “Hey Steve, sorry about the disconnection. Billy and I are at the Darko place. How long before you get here?”

Steve said, “Yeah, I didn’t want to do all that walking from the Darko Place. Bobby and I are already in the Cave. I have no idea how to get to the main cave though.”

“You know about where Billy and I will enter from the Darko Cave Base. Watch for us in that area.”

“Okay, we will be waiting.”

Linda hung up. “He brought Bobby with him. Something else for me to worry about. You know Steve isn’t a powerful witch, not even as powerful as I am, so he can’t deal in this world very well and so now he is bringing Bobby into it. I am afraid for Steve. I should not even have told Steve about this but it is his part of heritage. I felt he should know that Alicia killed his grandmother and that Kane is his Uncle.”

Billy said, “You had to tell Steve what is going on but I wish you had talked him out of coming to the Caves. I understand it is his heritage but the witch Alicia has wanted him dead. She has been trying to kill Steve and you know we are entering a dangerous situation.”

Linda said, “I know that. God, I know that. I want to pump myself up for the thrill of Alicia Silver getting taken out of this world. Still, I know if Alicia’s army comes down to help her against Kane and the Legman doesn’t come out to help Kane, we could all be slaughtered. Amberline’s spell to protect Steve might not work at that point if all hell breaks lose. I know Alicia and her army are capable of much mayhem. She is one evil bitch. You are right. I am going to call Steve back and tell him to get the hell out of the Caves.”

Linda called Steve. “Steve I should have argued harder against you coming to the Caves. I know you want to be in the Caves for me and for the memory of your grandmother but you are not a powerful witch and if this goes badly you and Bobby could be in great danger.”

Steve said, “Mom, I love you. Bobby and I both care a great deal about Billy. I don’t know what we can do if things go badly but I can’t live a life time of regret if I turn away and leave these caves like a coward. You didn’t raise a coward. Besides, Amberline’s spell has protected me so far.”

“Okay, Okay but if things go badly and there is nothing you can do to help, please have the sense to get yourself and Bobby the hell out of there. I love you.”

“And I love you. We will be waiting for you and Billy.”

Billy said, “Yeah, I didn’t think he was going to leave the caves but it was worth a try.” Billy looked around the entry corridor. Trying to take his mind off the danger Billy commented, “It needs some work but this is a magnificent place.”

Linda said, “Amberline and I spent a good bit of time here. I had almost forgotten how much I love the Darko Mansion and grounds.”

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Linda opened a door that was a stairway to the basement. She flipped a light and she and Billy walked down to where there was an elevator. “The Elevator will take us down to the Darko Cave Base and from there we should be able to reach the main Cave that is at the abandoned Sloth Campground. I don’t know why I didn’t think about this sooner. I guess because I hate walking.”

As they exited the elevator into the Darko Cave Base Billy joked, “If I was a superhero this would be so cool. My very own cave.”

Linda touched Billy’s arm. ‘Well honey, if you actually have to join Kane to help him fight Alicia and her army, in my eyes you will be a Superhero.”

Billy said, “The Legman. Without my alter ego I will not be any help. Let us hope if he is needed he will make an appearance.”

Linda used a spell to speed up how she and Billy were walking. The closer they came to the main Cave where the fight was going to take place, the more people were stirring around in the caves. Most had no idea where they were going. It was a maze where those that didn’t know their way about would simply circle around and around and then end up back on the outside of the cave.

* * *

Tess realized going to the Darko Mansion would help her find where the sword fight was going to be but there wasn’t time. She realized that Billy and Linda would be long on their way into the caves from the Darko Place. Cussing, Tess parked at the Holly Garage. She and Janet followed the people down the paths into the Campground and then into the Caves. Tess and Janet had circled out of the caves twice before they managed to maneuver deeper. Even deeper, still, Tess didn’t feel like they were making progress.

Tess moaned, “We are going to miss the sword fight. Fucking hell.”

Janet stared at her aunt. “Why do you want to see it? I don’t understand. And of course you know this is illegal. Remember how embarrassing it was when you were doing research, or at least you said you were doing research, and you were arrested at a cockfight. Now just imagine if we are arrested where two people are engaged in a sword fight to the death.”

Tess said, “Fuck hell, girl, just imagine watching two witches fighting to the death. This does not happen every day and just think how wonderful it will be to watch the duel.”

Janet said, “I think that is Steve Webster standing over there with Bobby White.”

Tess said, “Oh yeah girl, you have an eye. And I bet you that they will meet up with Linda and Billy.”

Steve noticed Janet and Tess watching him. He was not sure how to react but he decided to ignore them and pretend that he had not observed them. When he saw his mom and Billy doing a fast walk toward them he grabbed Bobby by the hand and raced toward his mom hoping that the crowd would prevent Tess from seeing exactly which way they went. Tess took Janet’s hand and together they made a mad dash to keep up with Steve.

So in a rather obscure, narrow, dark corridor that appeared to the casual observer to be a dead end stood Linda, Billy, Steve, Bobby, Tess, and Janet. Linda looked at Tess and Janet. “What the two of you are doing here is dangerous. Steve, take Tess and Janet and get them hell out of here.”

Tess stated, “We are not going. I want to watch the sword fight.”

Billy said, “Look, if Alicia starts to lose and calls upon her army to join her fight they might start killing everyone in the caves. This is not a game.”

Tess felt odd as if something was calling from within her. With blurred vision, Tess swayed back and forth for a moment. In a soft voice Tess asked, “Alicia? Alicia Silver? She is not just a legend? The vampire witch is real? Who is she fighting?”

Linda moaned. “You do not need to know. Please get out of here. Don’t you understand that I am honestly worried for your safety.”

“Aunt Tess, listen to her. We need to leave. Look at all these bikers. This is a rough crowd.”

Tess shook her head no. Her words were loud and clear, “I want to see the sword fight.” Then in a more soft and subdued voice Tess stuttered in trying to saying something else but her words, “Help me,” would not form correctly. She held her head and tried to fight the strange impulse that had driven her to bring her niece into the deadly specter that might await them in caves.

Linda said, “We’ve got to get into the big cave before the fight starts. We don’t have time to argue this out so come on. If you want to see a sword fight then you are going to see a sword fight.”

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So together Linda led them through the narrow caves that eventually led to the Big Cave. At the top balcony surrounding the large Colosseum Linda and those with her looked down at the descending rows of stone benches. The benches, with different colors painted on each row of seats formed colored circles around the arena. Each descending row totally circled the large arena at the bottom of the rows.

As Bobby looked from the balcony down the rows and toward the arena he felt dizzy. “I have a bit of vertigo here.”

Tess looked pale and she trembled. “Tell me about it.”

Janet looked at her Aunt. “Are you alright?”

“No. I don’t want us to be here.”

Janet puzzled at her Aunt. “What? You have been saying… Well, you know what you have been saying.”

Linda stared at Tess. Linda now realized something was not right with Tess. “Why would a witch want the two of you here?”

Janet asked, “What?”

Linda said, “Nothing. You two stay close to me. Please stay close to me.”

On the large stone benches sat Alicia’s army while more scattered and fewer was the army of Kane Bishop. Most of his army sat spread out on the opposite side of the arena. Then above them sat the onlookers who knew the path through the caves to the Big Cave. Not all of them fully understood what was about to happen. Everyone kept their eyes toward the arena waiting for Kane Bishop and Alicia Silver to make their entrance.

As Tess stared at the supernatural biker army, she couldn’t believe she had brought her niece into such a crowd and to such a place to witness what was surely to be a bloody spectacle. Shaking, Tess finally began to sputter out words that made more sense. Tess asked Linda, “Is it too late for me to get Janet the hell out of here. I feel like I have just come out of a spell of sorts. Why on earth would I bring Janet here? Why didn’t I listen to you?”

Linda answered, “I didn’t realize it until just moments ago but I am certain you were under a spell. I am sorry I didn’t realize sooner and did not do more to prevent the two of you from being here.”

Alicia Silver walked down one side of the aisle of benches as Kane Bishop walked down the other side. They each stood on opposite sides of the round arena but it was Alicia who stood on the side where Janet sat with her Aunt Tess. Alicia put her hand on Janet’s shoulder as Kane watched helpless.

Kane screamed, “Linda, Janet is my daughter. She is our mother. Do not let Alicia kill her!”

Linda spelled her own sword forward from the ether and clashed it against Alicia’s sword just as Alicia tried to strike her sword to behead Janet. Linda cried to Billy, “I am no match to fight Alicia.” Then Linda realized Billy was not there. She wondered if he had vanished as a coward as she struck blow to blow to fight Alicia. She stumbled forward to lean Alicia back, causing Alicia to step backwards away from Janet. Janet moved forward with her Aunt Tess as they rushed down the stone bleachers and toward the arena. Meanwhile Kane tried to pierce through an invisible wall of magic that Alicia had created to keep him from his daughter, his mother. He feared his cause was lost.

Then a strange figure in a loin cloth appeared next to Linda who Linda did not recognize. It was a man of Herculean build and striking greek beauty. He had a sword in hand to fight Alicia. His voice was a bellow, an echo, a demand, as from the top of Olympus to the bowels of hell. “Alicia you shall go to that arena and fight the man you came to fight. And if your army even lifts a finger to defend your dishonorable and lying ways they shall be caged so long that they will fall into a sleep that will seem like a true death if there were such a thing.”

Alicia spit as she swung her sword at the Shape Shifted Legman. “Your realm will become my realm and I will become a goddess to your realms and to your minion. You do not know with whom you are fucking. You just think you are a god.”

The Legman had shape shifted so none but a few would know him as Billy Bingo. In his very muscular and godly form he clashed his sword against Alicia’s sword strike for strike and blow for blow. Linda quickly moved down in position to guard Steve and Bobby as they moved to join Janet and Tess near the arena.

The Legman bellowed, “The shield prevents Kane from joining you but you can move beyond the shield to be with Kane. Quickly maneuver so.”

Alicia screamed with laughter. “I will deal with them after I kill you.” The Legman’s loin cloth vanished. “You stand before me naked, just another man.”

The Legman grinned and arched his eyebrows. He then made the clothes of Alicia vanish and as he did so he made his cock larger than any cock a mortal man might have and he made his cock erect and he pointed his cock toward the ceiling above the arena. From his cock he shot fireworks into the space just beneath the very high ceiling and in the light from the fireworks a mural was lighted on the ceiling and the mural was of the man who the Legman now appeared as.

For a moment or more, even Alicia was in awe of the man she fought. Still she tried to use her sword to strike into his huge cock. Her sword bent. The Legman grabbed Alicia by the hair of her head as she dropped her sword. “You want to go to my realm because you think you can make it your realm. My kingdom shall never be your kingdom for I am not Adam and you are not Eve, and with your trickery I will not be deceived. I have a place in my Kingdom in the outlands for you. It is called a dungeon.”

“So take me to your dungeon. I will find my escape and I will make my way and I shall build my army for one battle lost is not a war won.”

“This battle is your war that you can not win. There shall be no other battles. Win or lose against Kane, still you are going to be put in a dungeon.”

“Then I will plot my escape now.” Alicia pulled her hair from the Legman’s grip and then naked she jumped on his naked body. She made her vagina large enough for his inhuman size cock and she swallowed his monster cock with her monster vagina. She began to fuck the Legman fast and furious and someone joked, “I thought we were coming to a sword fight. Not a porn production.”

Together the Legman and Alicia rose into the air as they fucked. As they fucked their genitals became larger and larger and so it was like just one giant cock fucking a giant vagina in mid air. Someone screamed, “This is the strangest sex show that I have ever seen and trust me I have seen some pretty weird ones.” There was laughter in the Colosseum.

Then suddenly the Legman shot a load of cum that blasted Alicia to swimming in cum on the floor of the arena. Screaming in horror she swam against the flow of cum that was streaming down a drain. Covered in cum she reached a dry area in the arena and spelled a new sword. Now with a normal size vagina she raced to again fight Linda who stood guard over Janet and friends.

The Legman, now with the same size cock as Billy, flew in Alicia’s way just as she was about to strike her sword against Linda’s sword. Instead it struck the Legman’s sword and they began to fight. The Legman screamed, “You came here to fight Kane and not to murder your daughter.”

“How do you know that she is my daughter?”

The shield that Alicia had created to block Kane broke and Kane joined the Legman. The Legman retreated as Kane took his place to fight Alicia. The Legman told Kane, “Do not try to cut her head off. Aim for her heart and with that blow I will transport her into the dungeon in my realm. If you cut her head off then her soul might be able to escape before I can bind her; cage her.”

Alicia screamed with laughter. “Yeah, aim for my heart. I will survive that blow. Still, this you shall know, I will aim for your head.”

Kane aimed his sword for her throat but missed. Their swords clanged with mighty swings that followed. The Legman backed further away.

The Legman said, “I said aim for her heart but it is your decision. I will try to bind her either way.”

Kane nodded. He screamed, “For my family honor she must die the way she killed my mother.”

“But there your mother stands as your daughter for she was neither treated nor trapped to a realm. If the ghost of this vampire witch dines with the devil, where then will be your family honor.”

Kane and Alicia fought and fought. Then suddenly they both lost their swords and they took to wrestle. Alicia breathed into Kane’s ear, “You once loved me. When your mother tried to break us up, it was not me with whom you were so angry. Remember when we had sex. It was good sex.”

Rolling on the floor Alicia kissed Kane and his clothes vanished. Together they lay naked on the floor. Kane looked up at the Legman watching. Suddenly Kane spelled a wooden dagger painted in silver into his hand. Alicia cried as Kane thrust wooden dagger into her Vampire’s heart. She breathed, “The witch in me shall still live.”

The Legman said, “But it was the vampire in you that was the more evil. Now to my dungeon you go. And there I will help you to remember when you were not so evil.”

Then Alicia vanished and her army rose. They readied to attack.

The Legman screamed, “You now are Kane’s army. You take his orders. Your queen’s orders are rescinded.”

Angry and confused vampire Tommy Harris emerged from the army. He felt a need and a desire to fight. He raised his sword.

The Legman screamed toward Tommy Harris, “Billy once considered you a friend. It was partly for you that Billy tried to kill Kane because Billy thought Kane had killed you.”

Tommy said, “And but for Alicia, Kane would have let me die. Alicia was good to me. God help me but it hurts me, it grieves me, that she is gone.”

The Legman raised his sword to touch Tommy’s sword. “Alicia was not always evil. That has not been forgotten. The pain you feel for her is respected. That you would fight for her is respected. Still, know that if you do not lower your sword then it will not end well for you.”

Tommy stated, “She was our Queen.” And an uproar of support and approval for Tommy’s stand came from Alicia’s army.

Many in the crowd screamed, “Our Queen.”

The Legman nodded. “Your queen is in my dungeon. She gives you no more orders except when I approve. And when I do not approve of what she does or you do, then she will suffer and you all will suffer as what may come.”

Tommy Harris looked around. He stared at Kane. He told Kane, “Alicia was most evil when she was with you.”

Kane moaned as if in pain, “I know.”

Tommy continued, “I kept thinking she would again become that woman I knew in a past life. I so loved her in that past life, but the woman that I loved never came back. That evil you planted in her was so deep. Now I stand without hope that she will ever come back to me. She is gone from me. Forever.”

The Legman said, “No. I will allow you to visit her for there is still hope you can reform her.”

“This you promise. I can visit her?”

“I promise.”

Tommy Harris hesitated but then spoke. “We shall follow this new Kane that has a truce with Billy. If that truce is ever broken, we will follow Billy Bingo.”

A member of Alicia’s army screamed. “We must get revenge for our Queen. We must fight as she would want us to fight.”

Kane spelled a wooden dagger and tossed it in a friendly manner to Tommy Harris. Tommy Harris quickly flung the wooden dagger into the heart of the dissenter. Kane then quickly spelled a second wooden dagger for Tommy Harris to hold.

Cheers went up from Alicia’s army. “We stand by Tommy.” Then another cheer screamed from the crowd, “To staying earthbound vampires. Here. Here.”

The Legman then vanished and Billy emerged from a corridor that ran beneath the benches. Janet asked, “Where were you?”

“I had the shits something awful. Seriously, you do not want to go to the cave from where I just came.”

Kane took Billy’s hand. “To our truce.”

Billy nodded, “To our truce.”

Janet stared at Kane. “You are my father.”

Kane said, “Yes. And you are a witch. I will begin training you as my sister trains Billy.”

Linda said, “Half sister.”

Kane said, “You know the half that is from our mother is the only half that counts.”

Linda nodded. “Indeed. Brother.”

Kane smiled and hugged Linda. “Sister.”

Janet looked around. “Where is my Aunt Tess? She was here and now where is she.”

Billy said, “The Legman told me on his way out that your Aunt has been transported to her bedroom where she is now sleeping soundly. She will not remember any of this.”

* * *

Janet and Billy stood with Bobby and Benjamin at the bed of Doug. Doug was sleeping now but the night before he had awaken from his coma. His awakening had happened the moment the Legman had sent Alicia Silver to a dungeon within his realm.

Bobby said, “I could not believe it. I received the text from Benjamin almost at the same time that Alicia vanished from the arena. It was like the moment she died or whatever happened to her, Doug came out of his coma.”

Bobby had told Benjamin about the night before. It was hard for Benjamin to believe but he knew it was like a miracle when Doug came out of the coma. Just an hour earlier they had been put on death watch and then there he was awake and wanting something to eat.

Benjamin said, “I can’t get over the realization that there is such a thing as witches and I am in the room with two of them right now.”

Billy shrugged. “It is a weird world. I can’t say I fully understand it.”

Janet said, “So the entire time that Doug was in the coma it was in part, at least at some point, because Alicia had put a spell on him. Why?”

“I was planning on trying to heal Doug. If I had not done it very carefully I might have left a mark on his soul. The mark may or may not could have been removed. If Doug had died and the Legman had been unable to remove the mark so that Doug could enter heaven then the Legman would have allowed Doug into his realm. Alicia was trying to force Kane to work with her. She wanted Kane to interrupt me trying to heal Doug while she put a spell in place to bind Doug. If his ghost was bound to her then she could have used Doug to find her way into the Legman’s Realm in a rather covert way. That was her plan but Kane would not go along with it. So then she threatened to kill Kane and to kill you Janet and you know the rest.”

Janet said, “I can’t believe that crazy monster is my mother. What if there is something in me that is that damaged.”

Billy said, “From what I understand Myrtle Claven was a very good woman. She had faults. We all do. But she was a good soul and you are a good soul. I have no doubt of that.”

Kane walked into the room. “So Doug is going to be okay.”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

Kane said, “I was just outside the door when I heard you talking about Alicia. Janet, Billy is right, my mom was a good woman. We disagreed on things and we fought but she was good. I was the one who screwed up. And Janet I know you are concerned that the genetics of me and Alicia may somehow screw you up and so I am going to tell you this. Alicia was not always a monster. In her wars against the government and its supporters her cause was noble. Her first kills were against men who were evil. But as she fought, the line between good and evil became more blurred. Each cause became less justified. Then there was no cause except that Alicia wanted what Alicia wanted. I guess I became the same. Anyway, my point is that the evil did not come from the genetics. Any good person can become evil and any evil person can become good. Once we give up any sense of honor, our code of honor, then evil waits at our door. That is something that Sylvia Trundle reminded me when my conflict with Billy began. She made clear to me that we had to restore some sense of honor to our lives and she told me that if I could make things right with Billy then there was hope for me.”

Billy nodded. “And I was on that slippery slope to lose my sense of self and honor as well.”

Kane reached over and hugged Billy. “Course, you know honor has nothing to do with having fun with sex.”

Billy laughed. “Yeah, we are sluts forever.”

Doug opened his eyes and saw Janet. He took her hand. He kissed her hand. He stated, “I only want one woman.”

Chapters

Chapters

Chapter 11

Kane Bishop sat lonely at the RedOak Bar. His lover Sylvia Trundle had traveled to France to vacation and also to see what she could find out about the Legman, Billy Bingo. A friend that she knew who lived in Paris had a rather extensive library on the gods and she thought she might be able to figure out who Billy Bingo is.

 

 

Seated as he nursed his drink, Kane watched men and women come and go from the bar. He considered that he would like to fuck around with someone but none of the people seemed very interesting and given no one seemed to be much taking notice of him the feeling of indifference appeared mutual. He was just about to go home when Alicia Silver came into the bar. She was an old “friend,” an old lover, and a very dangerous vampire witch. As she sat down across from Kane, Kane wasn’t certain what he ever saw in her and he equally considered how much he missed Sylvia.

Kane said, “What on earth are you doing here?”

“I was looking for you and here you are. So my old lover, do you want to go somewhere and fuck.”

“We had some good times but I really do not want to start up with you again. We hurt too many people.”

“Oh my, are you still acting all remorseful on how I beheaded your mother. Please. Get the hell over it. We have our daughter to think about.”

“You gave her up for adoption.”

“Only because you made me think she is mortal. You knew I would never raise a mortal daughter. So being the brilliant you, you took it on yourself to fool me and for a while you succeeded.”

 

“What are you talking about? She is mortal.”

“Please. Kane. If she were truly mortal how would she have ended up with your good friend Billy Bingo. You know in a sea of a million people we witches always manage to end up together.”

“My good friend? Are you insane? Billy Bingo tried to kill me and by the way I now go by the name of Shane Bishop. Call me Shane.”

“Shane. My. How original and different from your birth name. How ever do you remember it?” Alicia Silver laughed and teasingly touched Kane on his nose. “I have missed you. And you can’t deny we were something of a power couple.”

“Power couple. You would use a Hollywood term to describe couples who are total tools, power tools to be used by the elite and the masses alike and then to be thrown away with yesterday’s trash.”

“So you now have an aversion to making money?”

“Now, I just want to live a simple life. I don’t want complications. I don’t want to kill people and I don’t want people wishing me dead.”

“But you know death is just an illusion. No one really got hurt. Not even your mother, though I might wish I did have the power to destroy her so that she might never walk this earth or any realm again.”

Kane shrugged. He sipped his drink. He looked into the eyes of Alicia, her cold eyes. He wondered if she knew. And she looked into his eyes and gleefully realized his puzzlement.

Alicia asked, “Don’t you want to know about our daughter? Or maybe I should say your mother? I know that Janet is the reincarnation of your mother and that is why you convinced me to give her up for adoption by tricking me into thinking that she is a mortal.”

“You are insane. My mother would not be reborn in mortal form. No way. And to all the people she might choose to be her mother, she would never have chosen you. I don’t think she would chosen you in a million years.”

“You know she isn’t mortal. Stop attempting to make me believe that lie. See. I got drunk one night and I got a hankering to see our daughter. Mortal or not I was curious. So I astral projected to her Apartment and she was in the shower. She has the dagger shaped birthmark that you have and Billy has and I have and your mother had. You may have been able to hide the birthmark from me when she was an infant but now I’ve seen the birthmark.”

“So maybe she is a witch but why would you think she is the reincarnation of my mother.”

“Her eyes. She has the eyes, that inner glint, that tell tale that told me so well. Yes, indeed she is your mother. You know it and I know it.”

“Genetics. I am her father. What you saw in her eyes was nothing more than genetics.”

“Do you think I wouldn’t use a spell to prove or disprove my suspicion?”

“So what are you going to do? Kill her again?”

“I have thought about it. You know it is just a matter of time before Janet’s past life personality of your mother, dear Myrtle, emerges and she comes after me.”

“So why are you telling me all of this?”

The Elders are going to have Billy Bingo cure Doug White and risk the gates of heaven forever being closed to the dear mortal boy.”

“So?”

“If you interrupt his spell and cause Doug to die where he can’t go to heaven I will wait at least two years, maybe longer, before I even think about killing Janet.”

“Why? Who is Doug to you?”

“No one. See. Here is the thing. Billy Bingo is a god who controls a realm that is locked. I am not sure how or why it is locked. To me, it is a mystery.”

“So you know who Billy is?”

“I do and I don’t. The ancient times are a mystery. Regardless. Besides his main realm he has another realm in the outlands. He will not let me into the main part of his outland realm. I’ve tried to enter his realm in the past but he refused to allow me even into the outer area. I want to see if what I have been told about its wonders is true.”

“What does any of that have to do with Doug?”

“If Doug can’t go to heaven then the Legman, Billy Bingo, will show him the way into his outer realm and through Doug, if I bind him, I might learn enough to be able to access what I have been told is a most wondrous place.”

“So who is, which god is, Billy Bingo? What is the name of his realm?”

“You do not know who he is?”

“No. What is the name of his realm?”

“If you play my game, that is conspire with me, then I might someday tell you. Hell, we may someday visit his main realm together. Wouldn’t that be fun? Shoot. You and I together, we might even be able to gain control of the place. Imagine us as gods with our very own realm.”

“I am not going to conspire with you against Billy Bingo. Use your own magical powers.”

“I can’t both stop Billy’s spell and bind Doug at the same time. I need an accomplice to accomplish that, which I desire.”

“Find another accomplice. Billy and I have a truce and that truce is going to stay in place, especially now that I know for sure that he is one of the gods and with two realms.”

“What about your daughter that is your mother? Don’t you want to keep Janet safe?”

“I think if you try to hurt her then either she will kill you, Billy will kill you, or I will kill you.”

Alicia stood up. “You are as bad as your mom. These humans have made you soft.”

“In your darkest and most vile dream you wish that I were soft. Cross me, threaten the people I love, and see how soft I will be.”

“Fuck hell, I thought surely you would want this as much as me. We could become gods.”

“We can not even manage a sub-coven without causing damn blood baths and you want us to control a realm. No!”

“If you do not go along with this, I will have to kill you this night. I will not let you warn Billy.”

Kane Bishop stood up and slammed what was left of his drink hard against the table, shattering the glass. “Then to the caves. Get your damn sword and let us fight it out. You do not scare me.”

“I was able to kill your mother. I am that good.”

“In your story you were that good but your story was a lie. See, I now know it was not an honest fight. You drugged her and you fought her as she was struggling to fight the herbs that you had used to poison her. It was not an honest sword fight. You could not beat her in an honest sword fight and you sure as hell can not beat me in an honest sword fight.”

Alicia Silver screamed, “To the damn fucking caves. We will see who is the better sword fighter. I don’t know why in the hell I thought I could trust you with my plan.”

“Because you knew that there is no other witch with the power to do what you were asking. The only chance your plan stood was with me at your side and that is not going to happen.”

Kane rushed out of the bar as Alicia followed soon after. They both rode their motorcycles hard and fast toward Hotville and the caves to have their fight. The other witches in the bar had heard enough of the argument to know there was about to be a sword fight and where the action would be. As they crawled on their bikes to rush toward the caves in Hotville, they called on their phones to let others know of the impending duel to the death. Witch friendly mortals who rode with the witch bikers joined in the frenzy, joined in the mad dash, toward Hotville as word spread. Police watching the roads were puzzled as they saw the sudden flurry of traffic on I-20, bikers in all their glory, going to witness what many if not most had never witnessed before: two witches fighting to their death. Hotels in Hotville were shocked by the sudden over loaded reservation phone lines and how quickly they had been booked to beyond capacity. Word spread to the press that something major was happening in Hotville but no journalist could figure out exactly what. Some decided that there must be some event connected to the college in Hotville causing the huge flow of traffic, but most sources on the campus could not offer an explanation.

Then a snitch came into the office of Detective Joseph Face. The snitch was a mortal and had not really fully understood the ramifications of what he had heard but just from the clamor he knew it was important. What had happened in the bar was not an ordinary argument and what was going to happen in the caves was not going to be an ordinary fight. Bug Carlisle understood that much. Bug Carlisle had been kicked out of Detective Face’s office more than once trying to help out his friend Olivia Destone but this time he just wanted a little spending money for his down low on the info. When Bug mentioned Shane Bishop, Detective Face was all ears. When Bug mentioned that Shane had an argument with Kane Bishop’s old girlfriend Alicia Silver, Detective Face pulled out a couple of twenties to give Bug. When Bug told Detective Face that people were rushing to Hotville to witness a sword fight in the Caves between Shane and Alicia, Detective Face felt a sinking feeling in his gut. He screamed, “Holy fuck.”

Detective Face quickly got on the phone with Billy Bingo. “Yo, Billy. I need you to get to the caves in Hotville. Kane Bishop and Alicia Silver are about to have a sword fight. I know Kane is not your friend but trust me, you and the Legman do not want Kane Bishop to lose this fight.”

Linda walked over to where Billy was talking to Detective Face. Billy said, “I do not understand. Why is Kane Bishop and Alicia Silver going to fight?”

Linda asked, “What is going on? Who are you talking with about Alicia Silver?”

Billy said, “Kane Bishop and Alicia Silver are about to have a sword fight in some caves here in Hotville. Detective Face wants me there to make sure that Kane does not lose.”

Linda said, “Alicia Silver was Kane’s girlfriend. They were a bloody pair back in the day. Then she murdered Kane’s mother; my mother.”

Billy asked, “She murdered your mother and she also murdered Kane’s mother?”

Detective Face remained on the phone listening to both Linda and Billy.

Linda wasn’t sure how Billy was going to take what she was about to explain to him. Still she knew she had to tell him. “See Kane is my half brother. Myrtle Claven was our mother. She saw the bad influence that Alicia was having on Kane and was trying to get Kane to see the light. Mom never liked Alicia cause well, Alicia is a damn fucking monster; a vampire witch as you know. Mom could have beaten Alicia in a fair fight but Alica used herbs to drug mom and mom lost her sword fight with Alicia.”

“You and Steve have always helped me and I trust that. Do not mistake my shock that you and Kane are half brother and sister for doubting your friendship. I’d never doubt that but still, shoot. Kane is your half-brother. God.”

“I know. I should have told you.”

“No. I needed to get to know you and Steve first. You were right to wait until we were better acquainted.”

Linda said, “I am glad you understand. We have to get to the caves. Detective Face is right. If Kane needs our help we have to help him. We can’t let Alicia win.”

“How can I help him? I don’t…”

Detective Face said, “Let us hope that if necessary the Legman will come out and help Kane.”

“Yeah, let us hope. Bye.” Billy hung up with Detective Face. He walked over to Janet. “I have somewhere that I have to go.”

Linda stared at Janet. This was the first time she had seen her up close. Linda realized there was something familiar about her but she could not figure out what.

Suddenly Tess Favor walked up. “I just heard something amazing. Janet, we have to get to the Hotville Caves.”

Billy said, “No. You do not want to go there.”

Tess grinned. “So you know about the sword fight.”

“No. It is just the caves are dangerous.”

Tess looked at Linda and Billy. “You know where the witches are going to meet, don’t you?”

Linda said, “No.”

Tess said, “I am so torn. Should I tell Sheriff Baskerville what I have heard and get him to send police to the caves?”

Janet stared at her aunt. “What on earth are you talking about? Witches? Caves? You tell Sheriff Baskerville about witches and he is going to think you are insane.”

Linda said, “Whatever. Billy, we’ve got to get out of here.”

Billy and Linda began walking just as fast as they could walk. Tess grabbed Janet’s arm and pulled her as they followed after Billy and Linda. They followed so far and then Tess and Janet disappeared down a corridor that was a short cut to the parking lot.

As Billy got in Linda’s car he pointed to the headlights of Tess’ car coming up behind their parking space. “They beat us to the parking lot and now they are set to follow us.”

Linda shrugged. “We can’t worry about that now.”

“I am not ready for Janet to figure out that I am witch.”

“So get the Legman to erase her memory but we can’t waste time dealing with them right now.”

“Okay. Hit the road Jack.”

Linda sped out toward the Hotville Caves just as fast as she could drive.

Chapters

 

Chapter 10

Chapters

Doug White remained in a coma at the Hotville Memorial hospital. Thoughts of a recovery were now seldom mentioned and the horrific thought of a funeral crept into the conscious thoughts of his grieving family.

Steve Webster had joined Bobby White at the hospital and if there had been any doubts they were a couple; those doubts were now gone. Neither Steve nor Bobby were quite certain when their relationship had gone from dicking around to actually loving one another but at some point it had happened just the same. Bobby was thrilled that Steve was going to be a father; a parent with Jane Wilifar and Jane was thrilled that Bobby was thrilled. They felt that they all had issues in their own lives that they needed to work on to be better people but still they felt certain the three of them would be good parents to the baby that the Legman had given a second chance at life.

Billy Bingo came to the hospital to let the family know that Samantha Wilder was in jail and would be there for 3 to 6 months and that when she should be released he would make sure that she would not be a threat to Doug or anyone. As Billy talked to Doug’s parents he noticed Steve and Bobby in an embrace. Then he noticed the worn, beaten, looks on the faces of Doug’s parents. Billy suddenly realized that he had taken Doug’s recovery for granted; but Doug’s family was now doubtful of such a recovery.

---

 

———

Billy left from talking with Doug’s parents and walked over to talk with Benjamin. “Stan Wakes is dead and Samantha Wilder is doing time.”

Benjamin nodded. “Now if Doug would just come out of his coma.”

“What are the doctors saying?”

“Each day he is closer to death and his recovery is less likely. If he does not come out of the coma soon the talk will change from his recovery to bringing his suffering to an end; my parent’s suffering to an end, though it will never be such phrased.”

A woman walked up next to Billy from no where. “There was a day in my mind when my parents decided to buy lots in a cemetery. It was a strange day.”

Benjamin walked away from Billy to go to the restroom. Billy guessed Benjamin had retreated to hide himself in the restroom so Billy would not see his tears. Billy had seen the tears forming and the strain in his face.

The woman continued speaking. “It made me so angry. I thought my parents, especially my mother, was planning for her death. In my mind the buying of those funeral plots were like inviting death. I thought if I could just stop the buying of those plots that I could change the future. Wasn’t that silly?”

Billy nodded. “Is your mom sick?”

“She has had various health problems most of her life and I feared she was giving up. Besides buying the lots, she had also started giving things away. Then it was like she had lost her mind. And my mom was always so smart. It was so strange.”

Billy asked, “Alzheimer’s?”

“No. It was grief. Dad and I were killed in an automobile wreck. The plots were for our funeral but in our mind it was us who had to bury her. We went to her grave. We put flowers on her grave religiously. We grieved for her. And at some point we realized that we were ghost haunting the people we love. We realized that it was he and I who were dead.”

Billy pulled out a cellphone to pretend that he was talking on it, so it would not appear he was talking to himself, when he said, “I am so sorry.”

The woman said, “The line between life and death, reality and imagination, is a very thin line. But there are powers that intervene. Someone made us think mom had died from our imaginary world so that our imaginary world would stop bending her reality.”

“Who?”

“I don’t know. As I have gone from my imaginary world of the living to face the reality that I am dead, I now walk with the dead and I hear voices from the shadows. Those voices now tell me that you are a god. Can you help me go to heaven? I want to leave the shadows of death and go to heaven.”

The Legman emerged from within Billy and he vanished from the physical world and into the metaphysical world. He took the woman into his arms. “I am not the God to whom you pray. I am not allowed in his heaven or even into my own mighty realm, my own heaven. But I do have a place in the out lands, a lesser realm, where the space alien witches are not allowed and where your mind might become better in understanding.”

“Space alien witches? I do not understand.”

“There is no reason that you should until you remember, but still, just know. You are welcome to my lesser realm where you will be protected while there.”

“Will I be able to see the people I love when I am there?”

“Your loved ones are not there. But it is not a prison. You might find it a nice refuge from the shadows of death; but you may return to the shadows as you wish to search for those you love.”

“What if I should find my family? Will they be welcome to your lesser realm?”

“If while traveling from my House of Light back into the shadows and you find your family you are welcome to show them to the half area where everyone is welcome. It is not forbidden so long as the House Rules are followed; but understand, without permission they can’t enter the main House.”

“I am hearing voices. Some are saying to trust you as they have guided me to you but now I hear other voices and they are telling me to beware your mark. They say you might curse me where I might never enter heaven.”

The Legman looked at his old friend who was confused and remembered nothing of their past. Jessica Atajay was already marked where she could never enter heaven but he thought it was best to not tell her until he thought she was ready to know.

The Legman said, “Powerful witches and gods do sometimes leave marks when they help people. It is not intentional. I can sometimes remove the lesser marks but there is one mark in particular that I can not yet remove. It would not be I who might curse you with that mark as the voices might be suggesting, but the higher space alien witches that even other space alien witches know nothing about. Those H-SPAWS have been known to mark those who I help. And it is true, the mark of Iapetus, the mark that seals my realm, that keeps people from both entering and leaving its bounds, also can seal even the true God’s Heaven from the deserving. But there again it is not God or his angels or his gate keepers or even his Complex itself that respects the mark but simply it is a trick, a bit of reprogramming, that creates a gate that even St. Peter can’t see. The mark prevents people from reaching the real gate as instead they go to the fake gate. I’d like to forget about the mark and I should have warned you. I pray that someday I can find the spell to do a bit of reprogramming myself to lift the mark and cast the mark out of this computer program. But that is just a dream and I should be better mindful to remember that cursed mark and warn people before I help them.”

“Computer Program?”

“The world is, was, and has always been digital; computer like. When the ancient ones emerged from chaos, the intellectual energy that was and is them, created an intellectual world from the images in their minds. The foundations of those images that creates our seeming realities is a type of computer code which we all alter with our thoughts and our activities. The lesser gods and witches have other abilities to alter the code in a different and often a more amazing way.”

“So we aren’t real? We are just characters in a video game?”

“Of course we are real. It is the idea that this is a clay based world that is intentionally misleading. The ancient ones emerged from the chaos first and are the oldest, but we all emerged from the chaos. Our souls are real. Our souls are not figments of this computer program where we are trapped; where we are prisoners. That is not to say that there are not figments in the computer program, but be mindful that you are real. If somehow you were to escape this computer program beyond the halls of the heavens, you would still exist. But that is not true of everyone. There are figments in this computer program.”

“Why do you tell me so much? You do not even know me.”

“Because I do know you and you know me. I want you remember. Remember!”

“I can’t.”

“You will. You came to me because on some level you do remember.” The Legman screamed but it was more than just a scream. “Remember!” His voice was an attempt at magic in the ether; a scream followed by a whisper. “Please remember.”

Jessica Atajay held her head. She swooned. She lifted into the air and turned in a full circle around. “I have been marked by the H-SPAWS?”

“Right. You already have that mark and lesser marks that closes the gates of heaven to you. I am going to put a map in your mind where you will know how to return to my lesser realm.” The Legman put his hand to Jessica’s head. “Do you see the map?”

“I do see the map and the flags on the map of where I need to take care to avoid the SPAWS. Thank you Legman.” Jessica Atajay vanished.

The Legman then vanished from the metaphysical world and back into the physical world and into Billy. To Billy it was just as though the woman had vanished. Billy had no idea of what the Legman had told her. Red eyed Benjamin emerged from the bathroom. Billy thought there must be a way to save Doug from dying but he had no idea how.

Linda Webster stepped out of an elevator. She looked at her son with Bobby and then looked at Billy. She walked over to Billy. She said, “They are saying that Doug might die. I’ve tried the healing spells that I know but I am not strong and they will not work for me.”

“Can I try the spells?”

“Yes, but they are not Amberline Darko quality. Do not be disappointed if they do not work for you either.”

Billy said, “Sylvia Trundle suggested that I might be a lesser god after she met the Legman when I—that is the Legman was doing the memory spell. Then I just now talked to a ghost who suggested that I am a god. Is that possible?”

“It is possible but you must understand that very powerful witches are sometimes mistaken for gods.”

Suddenly the Legman took over Billy and looked upon Linda with a smile and a look that caused Linda to know the difference. She knew it was no longer Billy standing in front of her. The Legman said, “If Billy or I were to bring Doug back to life, the gate to heaven might be closed to Doug. Even if the spell itself might not mark him there is a force that might intentionally mark him so that he might not get into heaven.”

Linda asked, “He might not get into heaven anyway. Isn’t it better to risk marking him than to let him die?”

“The protection of God and the angels is important to mortals and the mortals are important to God. Sometimes I do forget. I have forgotten. But if we stand any chance of defeating…” The Legman hesitated and changed what he had been about to say. As far as he knew Linda was only aware of the lesser human witches. He believed she knew nothing about the space alien witches. He thought for her own protection perhaps her not knowing about the SPAWS and H-SPAWS was probably best. The Legman said, “If we stand any chance of defeating the forces of evil then we must be mindful of God. We should not betray the importance of God and man to each other.”

“But I ask again, how do you know that Doug’s own mortal sins have not already closed the gates of heaven to Doug?”

The Legman considered that most beings, people, be they witches or mortals, in this digital computer like prison had no idea how the system worked. He felt Linda would be a good ally but she wasn’t ready to learn the truths of God and heaven any more than she was ready to face the space alien witches.

The Legman said, “Of course I don’t know whether the gates will be opened for him. All I can do is remove any minor marks from him that might prevent his entry and make sure that I do not accidentally cause a mark that I can’t remove.” The Legman took care not to mention the Iapetus Mark although that was the mark that most concerned him.

“So just on the chance that Doug might go to heaven you will let him die?”

“There is no true death. We are all on a journey and the journey takes us where the journey does. Of course I wish that his journey should continue with the people that he loves and who very much loves him. Their grief will sadden Billy and I will also be saddened; but we must all find happiness in our journey and where that journey takes us. Sadness is fleeting.”

Linda asked, “And what is your journey?”

“I want to defeat the forces of evil.”

“And what if that is not possible? Isn’t evil always with us? Are the lines between good and evil always so clear. I love Billy but he is not a saint and I doubt that you are either. God knows that I am not so good as to be worthy of God’s blessings and I will never pretend that I am.”

“It is the worst evil of which I speak and not the joyful frolicking of witch, man, or beast. To defeating the worst evil, all things are possible though never easy.”

Linda stared at the Legman and considered that he was also Billy. Linda thought about her friend Amberline Darko and how she had become Jackie. She wished she could talk to Amberline through Jackie the same as she was now talking to the Legman through Billy. Amberline Darko and Frank Bingo had brought the reincarnation of a god into this world. But which god? Linda had read that the lesser gods tended to be more in line with Lucifer than the greater God but then there the Legman was worried that Doug might be separated from God and denied the salvation of heaven.

The Legman said, “Even if you are figuring out who I am–I can see the wheels in your head turning– it is important for Billy to not know who I am and who he is for once Billy knows then we become one.”

“And why would that be a bad thing?”

“I am powerful right now. I can come out when I need to come out to protect Billy. But if Billy were to totally take over then I might not have the power to protect myself.”

“Why? Why would you think that is a danger?”

“I’ve lived lives where I never learned to use my power. There is a chance Billy can’t focus to learn what he needs to know to make the magic work.”

“What if Billy becomes powerful without having to summon forward his knowledge, your knowledge, of when he was you?”

“Well, that will change everything. If he learns to use the power then we will merge in that way and then he will know what I know. That is a different process from me becoming one with Billy and my forgetting everything.” The Legman didn’t tell Linda how the space alien witches play with people’s memories and where the true danger to Billy and himself might come if they drop their guard.

The Legman then vanished back into Billy and Billy stared at Linda. “What just happened?”

Linda said, “The Legman was here in your body. He is afraid that if we heal Doug then we might mark him in a way that will close the gates of heaven to Doug. It is a danger. The more powerful the witch is then the greater the danger is that a spell the witch uses on someone will mark them; the subject of the spell. I suspect there was quite a bit that the Legman was not telling me. I sense there is lurking a danger beyond what he me. He only spoke in terms of good and evil without telling me what that true danger is but I feel that there is a more concrete danger than just the abstract concepts of good verses evil.”

“So the Legman could heal Doug but he will not. I don’t understand. God is a loving God. I can’t believe that he would reject Doug just because the Legman healed Doug. I can’t believe that is a real danger.”

Linda realized the naivety of Billy and guessed the Legman might have thought the same of herself. Linda said, “I understand what you are saying but we would be foolish to ignore what the Legman told me.”

“So we should do nothing? It does not feel right that we should not do everything possible to help Doug.”

“I know. If a mortal cured him or a lesser witch such as me cured him, I am sure it would mean nothing. It would hardly mark him. I would not think it would close the gates of heaven to him. But I don’t have the knowledge or the power.”

Billy asked, “What if Kane Bishop saved him?”

“No. Kane is too powerful and evil.”

Billy nodded. “Yeah, I don’t even know why I mentioned Kane other than I am grasping at straws.”

Linda said, “As bad as I hate to do it I am going to have to contact the elders. I need their advice and maybe the name of someone who I can contact. I’ve got to get my nerve up to talk to the elders.”

•                                                                    ****
• Back at her home, with great trepidation, Linda Webster crawled into her attic. She walked around stacks of boxes and to a bookcase. She pulled a silver lever that was designed in the shape of a shoe and the red bookcase opened to a secret room in her attic. The room had been designed by her for her mother.

Linda’s mother had been a powerful witch and from that Linda had been brought into her mother’s Coven: The SteelOwl Coven. Linda, herself, wasn’t a shapeshifter. Her own powers were very limited and she could die the same way as any other mortal. Her mother had been killed in a sword fight with the witch vampire Alicia Silver. Alicia had cut off the head of Linda’s mother, Myrtle Claven, in a fight as Myrtle had tried to save her son from the corrupting influences of Alicia.

Linda stared at her mother’s room. The room was designed by Linda but the magical part of the room had to be done by her half-brother since it was to be a surprise for their mother. At that time she and her brother were more close than they are now. Linda’s brother was able to use his magic to make a room that in actual space was just 12 foot by 12 foot to be 120 foot by 120 foot. Linda remembered he was very proud that he had been able to make the spell work and that the spell stuck.

The magical room contained a white canopy bed, a white dresser and mirror, a red chest of drawers, a black couch, and her mother’s favorite magical rocking chair made of fossilized black wood from another world and a simply sewn, human made, red cushion for the seat and the back. Her mother would never explain to her which world. Linda touched the rocking chair with her finger to cause it to rock. She imagined her mother sitting in the chair as it rocked. Linda smiled as she considered how much she missed her mother.

This was the first time that Linda had managed to enter the room since her mother’s death. The Crystal Ball which was used to contact the elders was in the Center of a white table in the room just as her mother had left it the last time she had consulted with the elders through the Crystal Ball. Linda looked at her mother’s Library that lined shelves in the room. It was not nearly the library that Amberline Darko owned but Linda considered that if the Elders would allow it then the library might be of benefit to Billy. Amberline’s Library would better serve Billy but she did not know where that Library was hidden.

Linda felt butterflies in her stomach as she walked over to the table and sat down at the Crystal Ball. She whispered to herself, “I am so scared that I will accidentally anger them. If they turn me into some creature like a rabbit or a frog or a turtle I am going to be so pissed.”

The person addressing the Elders would never see or know who were the Elders—unless they had figured out an identity. The power of the Elders’ rulings was established by a concurrence within the Crystal Ball. The person addressing the elders might receive 15 different messages on how they might handle a situation if that is what the Crystal Ball computes. On the other hand the Elders might be forced into debate and reach a majority ruling on a matter and then the person would be left no choice but to do what they are told by the Crystal Ball to do. How the concurrence of whether the person would receive advice or an order depended on how the Elders were first addressed and how the Elders first responded to the address. Any order issued might go beyond the person addressing the Elders to all those who might be able to help execute the order.

The Master Crystal Ball was created by Amberline Darko’s ancestor, Merlyn Darko, and it spawned the Crytal Balls that were given to members accepted into the Coven. There was a question among some on how the Crystal Ball deciphered the concurrence but non went too far with their questioning as the Crystal Ball seemed to know when there were doubts.

So Linda stared at the Crystal Ball. For the first time in her life, Linda prepared to consult with the Elders. Her mother had consulted for her on occasion but she had never had the nerve to consult directly. She ran her hands over the Crystal Ball to turn it on.

Linda said, “I come for advice on two matters. I am afraid that a mortal by the name of Doug White might die and I want him to be saved.”

The Crystal Ball responded, “And the second matter.”

“As you might know Billy Bingo is a powerful witch, and perhaps even a lesser god. As Billy Bingo he does not know magic. However when his personality from a past life emerges, the Legman emerges, then that personality is a very powerful witch or god. I want to know if it is acceptable on whether I should allow Billy Bingo access to my mother’s books to begin to learn magic and if I might help him to the degree I am capable.”

The Crystal Ball answered. “We see that the Legman warned you that if he saves Doug then that might close the gates of heaven so that Doug might never be able to pass beyond those gates. We see that whether witch or god, the Legman is capable of good. We must warn you though that at times the Legman is very fickle and can be both brilliant and clumsy in thought. He has the power to remove any minor marks that a witch might put on Doug that would prevent Doug from entering heaven.”

A conflicting voice came from the Crystal Ball. “But the Legman is doubtful he can remove his own mark. His concern is real. And there is something I can’t see but a dark space; a hidden thought, a secret truth. Can any of you see beyond the dark space?”

There was no answer to the question.

A different voice came from the Crystal Ball. “I submit that the Legman might not be able to remove any marks that originate from the Legman curing Doug, but he would be able to remove any marks left by Billy.”

A different conflicting voice came from the Crystal Ball. “We do not want to test this theory for fear of failure. It is true that we might want to watch the Legman remove any marks left by Billy, but then what if he can’t. We are talking about not just the life of Doug White but the soul of Doug White. I say that we should have a lesser witch do what she can. A lesser witch would not cause the kind of marks of a more powerful witch and even one of us might be able to remove any marks that might be left.”

A voice came from the Crystal Ball. “But a lesser witch might not be able to save the life of Doug. If we are to try to save Doug should we not be sure that the witch is powerful enough so that there is no doubt that his life will be saved.”

A voice came from the Crystal Ball. “I doubt that Doug White stands much of a chance of going to heaven anyway.”

“Everything I see tells me that he is a good man.”

“He was having sex in an alleyway. Good man? I don’t think so.”

“God does not judge a person on their sex life. Look how pure the aura of Doug is. He is a good man.”

“We see a lot of good men walking in the Shadows of Death, living in their own imaginations, trapped in the purgatories they created for themselves. I say let Billy cast the spell to save Doug. All say Yea or Nay.”

“Yea say all so it is decided. Linda, allow Billy access to your mom’s library and teach Billy the spell to save Doug.”

Linda asked, “And what if the Legman prevents Billy from doing it?”

“Then what will be will be. We will grant no other witches permission to save Doug except Billy and perhaps you if you help him which is acceptable.”

 

* * *

Janet Silverton and her Aunt Tess Favor entered the waiting room area on the floor where Doug White struggled more and more to hold on to his life force. He was not ready to surrender his body to death. Still, he did not know how he could win his battle to live again. At times, moments, he dreamed in the world of imagination. At other times he astral projected to walk in the shadows of death and even beyond the shadows into the light to spy upon the living. Then there were times he could smell the hospital room and taste the aroma of bad hospital food and he could hear the voices in the room and even hear the footsteps on the floor tile. It was those times he most struggled to gasp for air on his own and to open his eyes and be back among the living so that all else seemed but a dream. He struggled. He ventured in thought that he was about to feel the thrill of victory and wake to again be with his family.

Tess walked over to talk with her friend Dr. Hassle while Janet walked over to talk to Benjamin White who was seated and working a crossword puzzle. Benjamin looked up to see Janet and put the puzzle down.

Janet asked, “How is Doug doing?”

“Not good. Dr. Hassle has told us the next few days may be critical.” Benjamin struggled to control his emotion.

“Can I see him?”

“Why? You do not know him.” Benjamin wasn’t sure why he wanted his words to sound so cold toward Janet.

“Doug came to the club because of me.”

“But it was not you who took him out into the alley.” Benjamin stood up.

Janet took Benjamin’s hand. “Are you angry with me because I disagreed with you on revenge?”

Benjamin turned what she said around. He asked, “Are you angry with me?”

Benjamin knew he had felt angry but he also knew that he needed to get over it. Benjamin considered that his anger did not even make much sense. “

Janet saw how tired Benjamin looked as she rubbed and patted his hand. For a moment Benjamin thought the hand gesture was about to turn into a hug. He pulled his hand away from Janet. He felt himself wanting to be comforted by her, but he didn’t like that feeling or at least that is what he told himself.

Janet said, “No. Sometimes I argue against shit that I, myself am feeling. I don’t know why. I sometimes sound like I am more confident or set on an issue than I really am.”

Benjamin took Janet’s hand and he led Janet to his brother’s hospital room. Together they entered the room and stepping apart they each stared at Doug. Janet saw at once how much Doug’s body had deteriorated. To Janet there seemed something odd about it. Janet walked over to Doug and touched his forehead. She took his hand. It felt lifeless but still he was alive. “He is fighting so hard to get back to you all.”

Billy Bingo walked into the hospital room. Billy walked over and touched Janet’s hand touching Doug’s hand. Billy said, “I think you and Doug will make a good couple. When he wakes up the two of you will fall deeply in love. Do you hear that Doug? Your neighbor Janet is here. She cares. She wants you to get better. Do you hear that Doug? You have a chance with Janet. You just have to find the strength to fight off what ever is stopping you from waking up.”

Doug thought, “Billy, if I could wake up then I sure as hell would.”

Billy wished that Doug might recover without his using magic. Billy wished there was a way that Doug could find the strength all on his own to find his way back to the land of the living. Linda had brought Billy her mother’s book on healing people. She had told him what the Elder’s had said but she had also told him what the Legman had said. What if he did something that prevented Doug from ever entering heaven? That was a horrible thought. Billy remembered his own church going days when he was small and he heard the bible stories written for children about heaven. There was a time that Billy thought even he might go to heaven some day but now Billy knew that his kind didn’t go to heaven. Still, that did not mean that he did not want Doug to be able to go to that peaceful, joyful, utopia in the sky which was how Billy thought of heaven.

Billy considered lesser spells that would give Doug a boost so that he could help himself. They were less likely to leave a mark that would prevent Doug from going to heaven. They would not bring Doug out of the coma but if the spell worked it would give Billy time to study up and work a more powerful spell with more care.

Janet removed her hand from Doug and Billy moved his hand to begin to massage Doug. He rubbed his earlobes.

Janet stared at Billy. “What on earth are you doing?”

Billy laughed. “I am trying to wake him up.”

Doug thought. “I would rather Janet be the one playing with my earlobes. Actually I would rather Janet be playing with something else of mine.”

Billy guessed he would need to try to work the spell in private.

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