Suddenly, I wasn’t quite tired anymore, and I grabbed something to read. No big deal. Seth had pulled a “Reggie” and tossed himself out of his covers. I tucked him in, and just as I went to kiss him good night, I caught a glimpse of the moon.
It was strangely dull. No other way to describe it. A red hue, not atmospheric, had formed a thin red line around it. It looked as if the moon was bleeding.
Walking to the window was a revelation. I felt an internal warning system going off. A bone-chill raced from the base of my spine to the top of my head and I knew. I just knew.
Things were happening behind the scenes, and it wasn’t our side making changes. Then came the confirmation, in two parts.
First, Michael was restless. It wasn’t about Reggie. That wouldn’t cause him to pace. Not that he ever sleeps, anyway, but he was never quite this mobile. Typically, if he had the need to relieve his boredom while Reggie slumbered, he’d come into mine and Seth’s bedroom. Without realizing it was a disturbance, he’d sit on the floor, and turn on the video games. This newfound mind-training exercise intrigued him.
But not this night. He walked around heavily until I heard him on the roof with Kyle. They talked. Michael’s words were whispered, inaudible, but Kyle’s responses were not.
“Are you sure?” Kyle asked. “Son of a bitch. What does it mean? What can we do? This doesn’t sound good. What do you mean ‘summoned’?”
That’s all. Admittedly, I was playing a guessing game. For all I knew, they could have been talking about Reggie’s drunkenness, but that was unlikely. Kyle would have just laughed.
The feel of their rooftop conversation fit into the feel of the night. Then came the second confirmation. Michael knocked once on the bedroom door, poked his head in and said, “Marcus I have to go. Watch Reggie.”
He left before I could question him. But his mysterious and abrupt departure left behind a wave of energy that reeked with concern.
Left alone with my thoughts and worries, I went back to looking out the window. I knew within a few short hours the first leg of our army would arrive, and the sun would rise. I felt strongly it not only would mark a new day, but a new chapter in this war of damnation.
CHAPTER FIVE
Seville, Ohio
Kyle did his morning broadcast and followed it up with some old-school country music. He figured it would add a little upbeat noise as Buzz and his gang built the wall of protection around his property. He was amazed how quickly and easily it went up. It should have reinforced Kyle’s faith in Michael. But he was beginning to doubt him a bit because he had yet to return from the night before.
The rooftop talk was vague. Michael mentioned Devante pulling out all stops, which was hardly news to Kyle. But Michael said this would be different; the world was about to change, and the Earth would be transformed until the final battle was won or lost.
Kyle finished his broadcast at half past six, allowing the music to continue for a little longer. Coffee in hand, he left his broadcast room in search of Reggie. He thought for sure she’d be up and in a tizzy over Michael’s disappearance. But Reggie hadn’t noticed, because Reggie was still asleep. Buzz and the others had arrived hours earlier, and their only greeter was Marcus. The mighty warriors had gathered the army but somehow forgotten they were showing up.
Kyle took care of that. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to awaken Reggie with the news that Michael had flown the coop. Nonetheless, it sent Reggie scurrying in a search. Kyle kept a good “no need to worry” exterior, when the truth was, he did worry. Where was their angel?
<><><><>
Marcus’ old Aunt Rose was supposed to be helping Eliza with the canning. Instead she did what she liked to do best in her long years, sit at the kitchen table and spin yarns, each one better than the last.
Seth was the recipient of her morning tales, and
It was strangely dull. No other way to describe it. A red hue, not atmospheric, had formed a thin red line around it. It looked as if the moon was bleeding.
Walking to the window was a revelation. I felt an internal warning system going off. A bone-chill raced from the base of my spine to the top of my head and I knew. I just knew.
Things were happening behind the scenes, and it wasn’t our side making changes. Then came the confirmation, in two parts.
First, Michael was restless. It wasn’t about Reggie. That wouldn’t cause him to pace. Not that he ever sleeps, anyway, but he was never quite this mobile. Typically, if he had the need to relieve his boredom while Reggie slumbered, he’d come into mine and Seth’s bedroom. Without realizing it was a disturbance, he’d sit on the floor, and turn on the video games. This newfound mind-training exercise intrigued him.
But not this night. He walked around heavily until I heard him on the roof with Kyle. They talked. Michael’s words were whispered, inaudible, but Kyle’s responses were not.
“Are you sure?” Kyle asked. “Son of a bitch. What does it mean? What can we do? This doesn’t sound good. What do you mean ‘summoned’?”
That’s all. Admittedly, I was playing a guessing game. For all I knew, they could have been talking about Reggie’s drunkenness, but that was unlikely. Kyle would have just laughed.
The feel of their rooftop conversation fit into the feel of the night. Then came the second confirmation. Michael knocked once on the bedroom door, poked his head in and said, “Marcus I have to go. Watch Reggie.”
He left before I could question him. But his mysterious and abrupt departure left behind a wave of energy that reeked with concern.
Left alone with my thoughts and worries, I went back to looking out the window. I knew within a few short hours the first leg of our army would arrive, and the sun would rise. I felt strongly it not only would mark a new day, but a new chapter in this war of damnation.
CHAPTER FIVE
Seville, Ohio
Kyle did his morning broadcast and followed it up with some old-school country music. He figured it would add a little upbeat noise as Buzz and his gang built the wall of protection around his property. He was amazed how quickly and easily it went up. It should have reinforced Kyle’s faith in Michael. But he was beginning to doubt him a bit because he had yet to return from the night before.
The rooftop talk was vague. Michael mentioned Devante pulling out all stops, which was hardly news to Kyle. But Michael said this would be different; the world was about to change, and the Earth would be transformed until the final battle was won or lost.
Kyle finished his broadcast at half past six, allowing the music to continue for a little longer. Coffee in hand, he left his broadcast room in search of Reggie. He thought for sure she’d be up and in a tizzy over Michael’s disappearance. But Reggie hadn’t noticed, because Reggie was still asleep. Buzz and the others had arrived hours earlier, and their only greeter was Marcus. The mighty warriors had gathered the army but somehow forgotten they were showing up.
Kyle took care of that. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to awaken Reggie with the news that Michael had flown the coop. Nonetheless, it sent Reggie scurrying in a search. Kyle kept a good “no need to worry” exterior, when the truth was, he did worry. Where was their angel?
<><><><>
Marcus’ old Aunt Rose was supposed to be helping Eliza with the canning. Instead she did what she liked to do best in her long years, sit at the kitchen table and spin yarns, each one better than the last.
Seth was the recipient of her morning tales, and
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