Natalie36
mary mary
begonia9508
Chapter 15
Max, again, had a troubled sleep. The lady in white with her forked tongue was with him. “What is one woman, whom you have only been with a few of your months?” As she talked she bent close to Max. He could feel the caresses of her tongue. They were erotic now that the shock was over. The serpent construction of this appendage was long and it caused Max to feel arousal. “See what I can do when you leave the woman out of your mind?” she asked.
As Max looked at her, her dress became more gossamer. It was like a drama on Broadway. The translucence of the dress was the director, holding his attention to parts of her body, which, if she were completely naked, Max might not even have noticed or been too embarrassed to gaze on. The translucence of her clothes was changing so Max’s mind was quickly seeing without detail. His mind was filling in the blanks. Max felt his body stirring. “See, Max, you can appreciate me if you only try. We need Liz. For us, she is unique. You on the other hand, can have whom ever you want. I can be your lover, or I can bring anyone else to your bed. All you have to do is not interfere in something you cannot stop anyway.”
Max vigorously shook his head. “No, you would destroy my world and start by taking the woman I love. I will do anything I can to stop you.”
The Lady in white, smiled. “Max, I really do admire you. There are many in your world who would sell out the inheritance of their future for a lot less than I have offered.” She reach forward and with a velvety hand. She caressed his face. “I hope your love for the lady is not misplaced. She has already left you. She might not come back. You may be risking a battle for someone who no longer loves you. Max, we will soon meet in battle as enemies. Let us depart now as friends. Embrace me with a kiss. That is the way of your people. Enemies may fight each other, but they still can respect each other.”
With that statement, the lady in white moved to bend over Max and her arms were outstretched. Max looked at her ruby lips and he couldn’t help it, they became the most desirable thing in his mind. They slowly parted as tiny flicks of her forked tongue peaked forth in a tantalizing way.
Suddenly, Max threw himself out of bed. He rolled on the floor as he propelled himself away from the creature. Max screamed. “No, I will fight you and destroy you. You have no honor. You stand against every thing I believe in.” Max was beating the floor with his fists so angry was his passion.
The lady in white grew in size. Her face was now filling the room.
it changed to the warped image of the mask that Max had seen so many time. It was screaming, but though her voice was clearly heard before, now, the scream was a whisper. Just like the masks had done before. It flew at Max and he went through the open mouth. As she passed, there was silence. Max had passed the test. Would it be the final one? He didn’t know.
When Maria curled up against Michael, he felt the necklace, which held the crucifix. As his hand traveled down her front, across her soft breast and down to her waist, he felt the rosary. Maria was serious in her feeling that the end was near. Michael hadn’t had much religious training as a child, either. Where Max learned not to scorn anyone’s belief system Michael was fed the tyrannical and inconsistent, rantings of whomever was his foster parent.
Religion, paranormals, supernatural all fit, to Michael, into some category associated with punishment and recriminations. He knew that Maria was a strong believer. That was one of the things he loved about her. Maria had a strong faith and she knew of his doubts. Maria just expanded her beliefs to make up for his faults. The minute that Maria neither got angry nor paid much attention to his teasing about making love to Max, Michael knew that she was serious, that there was something very big coming. Maria was very tired and she never knew of the explorations he was making of her body. As Michael pulled her closer, he felt the cold of the silver crucifix. He, also, felt the beads against his groin of the rosary. Michael mentally shrugged. Lying in bed as he was, he couldn’t perform that actually. Maybe the faith of Maria would rub off on him. If Maria was to support Max on one side, Michael would be standing with Liz on the other. What would he do? Michael hadn’t the foggiest idea.
Michael opened his eyes. According to the illumination of the clock by their bed, there was only about an hour before they had to get up. For several minutes, Michael couldn’t figure what had awakened him. Maria’s breathing was a steady hiss, telling him that she was still fast asleep. In the distance, (how far could anything be in the small bedroom?) Michael saw a luminance cloud. Michael’s senses told him that the cloud was far away. As he watched, the cloud became bigger and more distinct. Both Max and Maria had told him about the masks. That is what the cloud was, thousands of masks all grinning or crying and coming closer all the time. Their voices were a moan that was only a whisper, but a whisper that was multiplied thousands of times.
Maria moved, then sat up. Michael pulled her closer to himself. Was he doing this to offer her protection or to obtain protection for himself? Maria was holding her crucifix. The faces began darting about the couple, but they did not get near Maria’s faith. Her faith was also protecting Michael. He did feel calls for him to give up his vigil with Liz and to pay attention to Maria, who was after all, his declared love. “The other woman is ours. Tend to what you have and do not risk it meddling into affairs that do not concern you,” the cry was heard.
Michael wondered if the call was for him alone, but Maria spoke up. “Michael, do not listen to them. If we fail, all is lost to everyone.” Maria pushed herself back into a tighter hold given by Michael. The mask darted and flapped at both of them. But when Maria raised her crucifix the masks fell back. The creatures had been harmed the first time, by Maria and her faith. They did not want to repeat that same mistake.
Michael did see visions of the charred bodies of Max and Maria lying on the library floor. Both Max and Maria had repeatedly stated that the only bodies on the ninth floor in the aftermath were those of Liz at her carrel and the students with their book of magic against the far wall. Michael wasn’t an expert, but he imagined that Armageddon would come the way Max and Maria had described it or it wouldn’t come at all. The insistence of the creatures that they had to have Liz gave belief in that.
It was the reality of the buzzing of the alarm that dispersed the apparition. Michael took his shower without incident, as did Maria. As they were eating breakfast, Michael turned to Maria, “Babe, as soon as your last class is finished come home. I will be waiting for you. If this is to be our last day, then let’s make it worthwhile.
Chapter 16
Max was still on leave. Maria hurried to work as did Liz. Michael was left to his own devices. For a long time, he just sat and thought of what he now knew or at least, what he thought he knew. What Michael was sure of, was that he needed quality time with Maria before he faced tonight. What about Max? Because Max couldn’t, or in her eyes wouldn’t, explain what was going on, Liz was refusing to talk to Max. Max would need all the strength that he could muster tonight. It was a little after noon when Michael went to the university. He went to the English department and waited out side Liz’s door until she had dismissed her class.
When Liz’s afternoon class was over, she found Michael waiting outside her door. “What’s up Michael?” she asked in surprise.
“Liz, I need you to do something. Max is home this afternoon. Go to him and ask him to make love with you. Don’t ask him any questions. Don’t let him even answer any questions. Just tell him that you trust him and want to make love, there and now.” Michael stated.
“Michael,” Liz exclaimed. “What is this, a charade that Max has thought up to make me come back to him?”
“This is me talking, Liz. I don’t play games and neither does Max; you might someday learn to believe this. I implore you to go to Max. Do not ask any questions and do not answer any. Just tell him that you want to make love right now. Then, show him all the intensity you can. He needs this badly.” Michael looked at Liz. He was sure he was scaring her a little, but he had decided that his request was so important that he didn’t care.
“But, Michael I am not sure I do trust him. He has been so mysterious this last few weeks. If I am to trust him, he needs to tell me what is bothering him,” Liz explained.
“Liz, you are what’s bothering him. Your welfare, your future and your protection are weighing heavily on all of us. Liz, Max must face a strong challenge. I can’t say any more about that. Don’t ask me, because if I tell you too much, we will all be in trouble. I ask you to trust me and I ask you, even more, to trust Max. Liz, Max is not a man of faith. Now, my Maria is. She has a lot of faith in Max, in me and, also, in you. She has faith that there are good things in the world. She believes that the good will win over the evil. Liz, this sounds corny coming from me. You can ask, ‘What do I believe in?’ I believe in Max. Right now, he needs to understand that you believe in him, also. Please go to him and I will pick you up at the Whitman’s, when you are ready to go to the library tonight.” After all that speech Michael quickly left to make it home to see Maria.
Maria had just dismissed her class. She was picking up her notes and books. If she hurried, she would soon be at the apartment where Michael waited for her. She felt a presence and, looking up, she saw Emma and another girl. “Ms. DeLuca, can we talk to you?” the shy girl said.
“What is it Emma? I don’t have much time this afternoon,” Maria replied.
Emma sat down in one of the front row chairs. “I, or rather we, just want to tell you what is going on in the library,” Emma stated rather hesitantly.
Maria frowned. If Emma really had something to say, then it might be worth the time to listen to her. Maria, her things all collected also sat looking at the two girls. “Well, what is it you want to tell me?” she asked.
Emma was playing with her hands in the desk. She almost had an infantile manner about her. Maria wondered who the other girl was and what really, did Emma want. “Ms. DeLuca, didn’t you ever want to be part of something? Something much bigger than you had ever participated in before in your life?” the girls asked.
“Yes, but what do you want to talk to me about?” Maria again asked of the girl.
“Ms. DeLuca, don’t try to stop us. They told me that if you will not go to the library tonight, you would be safe.” Emma stated.
Maria frowned. This was a direct confrontation with something. “What is going to happen tonight Emma?” Maria inquired.
“He is so beautiful. He promised us that we all would receive love. He promised that he would correct what is wrong with the world. We would no longer be plain, dowdy girls, but rather we would all be seen as beauties, that everyone would love,” the girl replied.
“Emma, I have been there. You are all just a large pile of bones. If this ‘he’ you talk about promised anything, then remember that he is a liar. Why did you come to me this afternoon, Emma?” Maria asked.
“Because I like you, Ms. DeLuca. He said I could try to save you. If I succeed, I would be given a place in his kingdom,” she stated with almost reverence.
Maria scowled. “Emma, I have an appointment. I am late now. This ‘he’ you speak of is not what you think. Emma, in the next world you will die. Don’t listen to him.” Maria got up to usher the girls out of the room.
Emma was pleading with her. “No, Ms. DeLuca. Please stay and talk to me more. Tell me more about what you know.” She was holding onto Maria’s arm.
Maria was very sharp when she said, “Emma, if you don’t want to hear what I say, then there is nothing I can do for you. I have my own appointment so both of you are going to have to go.” Maria reached for the other girl. She was going to have use force to get the girls to leave. To Maria’s surprise, the other girl could not be touched. As Emma started crying, the girl with her seemed to get larger. Her face now filled the room. She came at Maria who reached in her blouse for the crucifix. Maria tightly held the crucifix and the other woman just vanished. Emma took one look at Maria standing there with the necklace in her hand. With a scream, Emma fled the room. Maria quickly grabbed her things and hurried to the apartment she shared with Michael. As she ran, she wondered at Emma’s crying. Was she crying genuinely because of her relationship with Maria, her teacher, or because she had failed at her task of discouraging Maria from interfering.
Michael found Maria already at their apartment. She was in tears as she described the incident with Emma and her friend. “Michael, that girl was trying to get me to step aside and let Max and Liz both die. Then, when I refused and even more than refused, I explained what was going to happen to all of them, the girl with Emma turned into one of those things that fly at you. When I drew out my crucifix, she just disappeared. That is when Emma ran off crying.”
Michael held Maria tightly. Then without another word, he led her into their bedroom. They had several hours before they either faced the battle of their lives or certain oblivion if they lost the battle. Michael wanted to make the most of it either way.
For Liz, things were not quit that easy. She was in a quandary. Part of her mind said that Max was acting strangely and he clearly didn’t trust her. Michael and Maria were just as bad. They were all up to something and she was left out. The other logical part of her mind said that Maria had been her friend forever. Maria wouldn’t do anything to hurt her friend, Liz. Michael was always loyal to both Max and Maria. Hadn’t he stepped up when she left Max to make sure she was safe? That bothered Liz. It was always Max who insisted that she needed an escort returning from the library late at night. Somehow, Michael had so smoothly stepped into Max’s place. He escorted her and sometimes, he spent time taking pictures in the library. None of that made much sense.
Michael had been so serious when he told Liz to return to Max and act like nothing had happened. He even told her to be more passionate than she had ever been before. That crack that Liz had made about this being some charade of Max’s. She had never known of Max being devious in his relationship before. She did know that Max didn’t play games either. Max was a relatively straight forward person.
Before returning to the apartment she had shared with Max, Liz wanted to talk to Alex. She would go his apartment after class and then, if she made up her mind, she would return to Max. Liz called Alex and asked if he could take time off work and talk to her.
Alex was sure something was about to happen. He called Isabel and she also, would hurry home to be with him when he talked to Liz. Alex and Isabel both knew that Max and Liz had suffered from issues of trust. Liz had said little when she asked to stay with them for awhile. Both of them knew that Max had experienced some strange experiences. They also knew that Maria was standing beside Max. When confronted by Liz, now, Alex and Izzy were very careful to not say what they had learned from the meeting with Doctor Fitzpatrick.
“Michael says I should return to max. He says I should return without any questions. That seems that I am making my needs to be opened with Max, trivialized. Michael kept saying that I should just blindly trust for a while. He seems to think that Max needs me badly. I am not sure I want to give in that easily. I want to be equal with Max. I want the trust to run two ways. How can I return without saying that my needs are no longer important?” Liz asked.
“Liz, I know my brother. He tends to become obsessive about things. You are one of the things that he obsesses about. His reasoning, now, is that he has to face something along with Maria. He would never bring another person, like Maria, into danger unless he thought it was necessary. For his own reasons, Michael also agrees with what she is doing. Michael feels that since Max is distracted, he needs to offer you protection. If Michael feels that you should go to Max, unconditionally, then you should go. Liz, this might be one of those times when you cast equality to the wind and embrace one who, at least thinks he is protecting you.” Isabel appreciated equality in a relationship. She also knew that Max was in serious trouble. If he failed, the whole world was on his shoulders. She had began to think that she and Alex would go to the library later tonight. If Max succeeded, then they would be there to support him. If he failed, well, what did it matter where they were.
It was Alex who taking Liz’s hands and saying, “Liz, Max needs you. If he is wrong, don’t give up on him. After this is all over, kick his butt. Make him grovel for a specified time. But, be there for him, now, if he needs you.”
Liz left the apartment. She was still not sure what she was to do. It was almost without thinking that she found herself in front of her old apartment, the one she had shared with Max. Liz still had her key. She entered. The shades were all pulled and no lights were on. Max was sitting in the semi darkness. He had hardly noticed when he heard the door rattling as Liz unlocked it. He looked up as Liz spoke. “Max, make love to me.” The command was short and simple.
Max stood and opened his arms. He was so weary from his confrontations with the woman in white. The woman in white had poisoned his mind that he would never see Liz alive, again. This was not a time to make apologies, promises or to even speak. What Max was called on to do was to protect his love, if he could. The saving of the rest of the world was incidental. When Liz felt his arms around her, she could feel him quiver. She looked up and he was crying. Liz just wished whatever it had been between them had never happened. Liz was thinking back. All this started the night when Max met her on the eighth floor in the elevator. She, then, had thought he looked like he had seen a ghost. That business of exclaiming, “Liz, you are alive!” had stayed with Liz. The returning back to the ninth floor, the fondling of the locket at her neck and his unhealthy pallor had all started what, now, was between them. Correction, what had been, between them. Michael had said that she should ask nothing and simply tell Max, in a physical way, how she felt about him. Michael had been so sure that this was important.
Chapter 17
Liz had returned to the Whitman’s apartment. Max just lay there thinking. Soon, he would meet Maria and whatever was to happen, would. There is something about a couple lying together naked. It is something that is never achieved by the teenagers in the back seat of a car, in the woods or in the back row of a drive in. Max wondered. What had happened to all the drive-in movies anyway? They were disappearing as Max attended high school, maybe, to be replaced by the eraser room. The eraser room again, only to the very bold who would completely disrobe, would only offer the physical part of sex and never establish the trust that two people would find in the privacy of a locked home, with no chance of disturbance. That was what Liz offered as she dropped her jeans, removed her blouse and climbed onto their bed waiting for him to remove first his clothes and then, assist her in the final freedom from her underwear.
The act of love was part, but not all, of the love she shared with him. The closeness of their bodies spoke volumes of what they both wanted to say. In Max’s mind, the lady in white tried and tried to intrude. Her incorporeal form could not compare to the real, non-changing warmth, that Liz gave him.
The lady in white had made promises and she had offered her charms, but now, with Liz there were no promises to be evaluated or any doubts as to what Liz was. She was a solid, warm loving person with a soul and she was telling Max that she was his, unconditionally. She was also intimating that Max must consider that he also belonged, unconditionally, to Liz. Right now, Liz wasn’t making any demands, but it was clear that soon Max would have to be forthcoming, if he was to retain the trust, she was making, now.
Finally, Liz stood up and retrieved her clothes. She, unabashedly, stood in front of Max dressing. Liz knew that Max thrilled at watching her dress. Sometimes, she had turned this into a sort of erotic dance. This time, Liz just accomplished her task, being careful to not hide any part of her body from Max’s gaze as she did. Finally, kissing him, Liz left to return to the Whitman’s, as said.
Max showered and dressed. He didn’t want to be seen by either Liz or Michael, but Maria had insisted that they not leave them too long in the library without backup in the future. Maria had been sure that this was the night.
Maria would soon be ready herself. She would give a Michael head start. Then, she would hook up with Max. When Maria had arrived at the apartment she had a wait until Michael returned. Maria had no idea of Michael’s talk to Liz. Her own experience with Emma and the strange other creature occupied Maria’s entire thoughts.
As Maria had finished her tearful story and they found themselves in their bedroom, Maria had felt Michael start to undo her blouse. With every movement, Michael was kissing Maria. She made no attempt to help him. One of the most erotic things that Michael could feel was not a submission from Maria, but rather, a compliance that allowed him to disrobe her. Michael was aiding Maria in preparing for love. When he had her down to just her panties, Michael stood up and removed all of his clothes. Maria lay down and Michael crawled in with her. As she lay there, Maria couldn’t help but to touch Michael. His arousal then was not only apparent, but also, was pulsating. She raised her hips so he could remove the last vestments she wore. Soon, they were in each other’s arms enthralled in the physical acts of love. Afterward as they had lain in bed, the stickiness and the cold spot between them, both ignored as they pulled the other closer. Michael would stand in front of Liz if this was the night, but his heart would always be with Maria. His faith was always in Maria. Her belief in the essential goodness of the world, something with which, he had trouble, would cover both of them. Maybe with luck, it would cover all four of them.
Maria finally rolled over and Michael had sat up. He had to leave firs,t so he showered and got dressed. As Maria returned from her turn at the shower she said, “Remember, Michael, call me if Liz isn’t wearing her denim skirt and the Nike shoes. If she doesn’t wear them tonight, our timing might be completely off.” Michael nodded and prepared to leave. With a final enduring kiss, he was out the door.
Now, Maria finished dressing. Jeans, blouse with her hiking boots made up her wardrobe tonight. Just like it had the first time she had faced the future. Almost reverently,` she placed her necklace around her neck, the crucifix resting between her breasts. Maria, also, carefully wrapped the borrowed rosary about her waist. Max would soon be by to pick her up.
“Hey, Maria,” the voice in the cell phone whispered, “we may have a false alarm tonight. Liz is wearing jeans.” Michael had called her and now, she had to face the fact that she might be wrong. Maybe, tonight wasn’t the night for the demon to come through.
When Max arrived, Maria was sitting on the coach. “Relax Max, it looks like this will just be like every other night. Liz isn’t wearing the denim skirt that she is supposed to die in. We should go there, but I guess there isn’t any hurry.” Maria had just been so sure. She wasn’t taking her mistake very well.
Max was tired. It had been so long since he had had a full night’s sleep. He sat on the couch and closed his eyes. As he dosed, the white lady was in the background. She was trying to come forth, but the naked body of Liz lying on top of Max, in his dreams, prevented her approach. It seemed that the importance of Liz was such that no one would be allowed to touch her even if she was in someone else’s dream.
Maria’s cell phone sounded. “Maria, change of plans. Liz just dropped a carton of milk and it spilled all over her jeans. Just before she slammed the door to her room, I saw her take that skirt from the closet.” Michael’s message changed everything. Maria could sense a hurried intenseness in his voice. This last bit of knowledge assured Michael that all their fears were eminent. Maria shook Max. “Max wake up, we have to hurry. Michael and Liz just left for the library and she had to change to the denim skirt.”
Max shook the cobwebs out of his mind. He had to be alert. Things were all falling into place. They proceeded to the library and waited back in the trees a ways until they saw Michael and Liz enter. Max looked around. The students all seemed to be dressed up in some strange way. Some of them were wearing masks.
Maria touched Max’s shoulder, “Do you know what to night is?” she asked.
Max looked at her. He was so wound up that he was annoyed that she wanted to play games. Max shook his head.
“Max, it is October 31st. Max, this is Halloween,” she stated.
As an anthropologist, Max knew that Halloween was one of the most manufactured holidays ever. The exact date, October 31 was set by convention. It had been a pagan holiday in Europe. The Popes, Gregory third and fourth had assigned November first as all saints day. That left the ‘een’ or evening before as a day to counter the saints goodness. Through time, the evening became a time of spooks and spirits and evil creatures. From the south in Mexico, they had “Dia do los Muertos.” That became November first when they honored the fallen children, “Dia do los inocentes,” and November second which they officially call the “Dia do los Muertos,” to honor all the dead.
All of these people held this time as time to remember the dead, sometimes it was to remember the good things and sometimes the bad. Was it a coincidence that the night before was the time that the demon had chosen to come forth?
Max gave a shudder as they entered and the girl at the desk who always waved was dressed as a witch. He also wondered if this night had any influence on the students crowded around the book of spells. This night, Max and Maria stood out because their dress was the ordinary dress of a day, or night. Yes, Max was in costume. He was a hero going forth to save the world. He didn’t look like a hero. Enough said. He was disguised.
Max and Maria entered the elevator. They again as usual, experienced the chill as they passed the eighth floor. When they opened the ninth floor door, they were presented with a strong smell of death. Maria grabbed Max’s arm and led him to the stairwell. They hurried so quickly that whatever creatures, which were already there, did not notice their entrance or exit. When inside the stairwell, the smell disappeared. Maria fairly flew down the stairs. “Max, we have to hurry, Liz has been dead only a few days now,” she told him. It was obvious that now the two times lines were fixing to collide. The natural progression of time toward the end of the world would soon be the same as whatever had allowed Max and now, Maria to travel first ahead in time by entering the ninth floor by way of the elevator, then, progressively backwards closer to the disaster. Every time they enter this floor time moved backwards.
Again on the eighth floor entered the elevator. Again as they passed the top of the floor, the chill was felt. Both Max and Maria felt an oppression, It was as if, a tremendous weight was pushing down upon them. When they entered the floor the death smell was less, but they were met by the creatures. This time, the creatures had substance. Max and Maria had to fight their way to the stair. Max saw past the creatures and through the window, flames rising from the outside world. No matter how much they were buffeted, Maria did not loose her grip on his hand. The creatures were pilled against the stairwell door. Maria refused to let go of Max, but they each grabbed the handle of the door and yanked with all their might. The creatures followed them into the stairwell, but as soon as Maria pulled the door closed, the creatures all disappeared. Now, the sense of doom was with them. Soon, they would enter not some time in the distant future, but the real time of their own lives.
Again, they repeated their travels. This time when they opened the elevator door they were met with screams. There were flames at the far side of the library where the girls had gathered. Their bodies were writhing in flames. Max started to pull away from Maria and head to the place where Liz would be found. “Max, no,” Maria shouted over the screams. “She is already dead. We have to make one more trip.”
The creatures were many more and their substance was stronger. For a minute, Max felt a panic as he felt Maria’s grasp slip away from him. Max, now, could only fight his way toward the door. When he reached the door, he grasped it. There were too many creatures holding it back. He and Maria, together, could barely open it last time. Max could only fight. The creatures now had substance, so they also could be destroyed. Max cast one creature after another to the floor, stamping each when it fell. The creatures also were screaming, some in anger and others in pain, as Max destroyed them.
Suddenly, Max saw a flame moving toward him. The flame was surrounded by screams of pain. Maria appeared out of the myriad of creatures. Maria, with both of her hands badly burned, was holding high her crucifix. The flames were the creatures dying before the symbol of her faith. Max grabbed her wrist and she screamed in pain. He then, caught her arm and led her to the door and this time, he was able to open it. Once inside, Maria’s whimpers were all the sounds he heard. Max felt terrible. How could he protect Liz who was still in another time, when he couldn’t protect Maria right beside him? Max knew that if he took the crucifix, it would have no effect. The effect was not in the item, but rather in the soul of the person holding it. Max was wearing a pull-over shirt. He took it off and wrapped the cross in the shirt so Maria could hold it in her burned hands without being further harmed. Once again, they ran to the eighth floor and took the elevator back to the ninth. The barrier of freezing cold was absent. They were in the present.
-----------------------------------------------
genes of the King is a story about discovering the power and danger of their heritage.
Summer to Remember an action adventure story
Ninth Floor It is almost Halloween!!!
Coming soon, "Divorce." Who was at fault? Is the single dating life what they both really want?