The Devil's Touch

'I'll go along with that,' Joe said. 'Me and Mille talked about that a few hours. After Sam told us what happened up in Canada. Now—' He sighed. 'I ain't sayin' I believe all that Sam said—'bout all them creatures and monsters bein' called out and such—but in my present state of mind, I'm just 'bout ready to believe anything. I do have one question, though. Sam, how come we can't just pack it up and clear out of here?'

'Oh, I think you people can,' Sam told the group. 'I don't think anyone would stop you. Not now. Satan has changed the rules of the game. But I don't think any of you would remember a thing once you got past the city limits sign. But Nydia and I wouldn't be allowed to leave. We play too important a role in the scheme of Satan's plans.' He looked at Father Le Moyne. 'Do you agree with that, Father?'

The priest nodded his head in agreement. 'For most of us it comes down to a matter of choice. Yes. For now, I think for a very short time, most would be allowed to leave. But that time is, I believe, growing short.'

'I got to get to my little sister, Jeanne,' Mille said. 'I'm afraid of what might be happening to her at home.'

'What do you mean?' Monty asked. 'At home?'

'Jeanne was at the Giddon place the other night— My God! Was it just last night?' She shook her head. 'Anyway, ever since Momma died, Dad had—well, he's been looking at Jeanne in—that way, you know? I'm almost certain he's gotten to her, sexually. This was probably his plan all along. But maybe it isn't too late - for her. If I can reach her and talk to her, maybe I can save her. If I have to, I'll use my fists and beat the hell out of her.'

Viv looked horrified. 'You mean your father has been having sexual relations with his own daughter? That's disgusting!'

'Goes on a lot more than you might think, honey,' Monty told her. 'And not just between father and daughter. Mother and son, as well. Sometimes mother with daughter, father with son. One report given us at the NYPD stated that only a very small percentage of incest cases are ever reported to the authorities.'

'People who do that ought to be horse-whipped,' Joe said. He sighed heavily, as if suddenly plunged deep into thought. 'I guess I got to do it, and it ain't gonna get done 'less I do her, so I might as well get rollin' on it.' He stood up.

'Where are you going, Joe?' Mille asked.

'I got to go see if Nellie is really one of—them other people. Maybe it ain't too late for her.'

'I think,' Monty said, 'we should decide something right now. And it's a whale of a big decision. Are we staying or leaving?'

'I'm stayin',' Joe said flatly. 'There ain't no son-of-a-bitch runnin' this ol' Kentucky boy out of his home. I'm stayin' and I'm fightin'.' He glanced at Mille.

'I'm staying,' the young woman announced. 'This is my home town and I've got family here to look after. I can shoot a pistol as good as any man and I'll use a gun if I have to. Count me in.'

'I wonder about Ginny?' Monty asked.

'Ginny is in no shape to make any kind of decision,' Mille replied. 'But she told me just a few minutes ago, she was no coward. That she wanted to help in any way she could. So I guess that means she's staying.'

'Well, you can certainly count on my standing firm,' Noah told the group. 'I learned the hard way about attempting to kill Old Nick, but his followers—most of them—are mortal, and can therefore be killed. And that is something that should have been done around here several years ago. I am staying.'

'I don't like all this talk about killing,' Monty said, the lawman rising up in him. He looked at Noah. 'Even though I can understand your feelings on the matter. And it might come to that.'

'It will,' Sam said, a coldness to his voice. 'And you can bet on that.'

'Maybe,' Monty said. He glanced at his wife.

She met his gaze. 'I believe the man said, 'For better or for worse,' did he not?'

'I can assure all of you,' Father Le Moyne spoke quietly. 'Conditions will become a lot worse.'

'Figured one of you would have to say that,' Joe announced glumly.

SEVEN

Father Le Moyne accompanied Joe and Mille. They would first visit Joe's wife, and then check on Mille's sister. Monty issued all the people Logandale P.D. handy-talkies, enabling them to keep in constant communication. The walkie-talkies had a range of about five miles; strong enough for the limited area they were confined within.

Viv went in to check on Ginny. She was sleeping deeply, the sleep very much like a coma. Mille had said the young woman spooked easily, and the events of that afternoon had taxed her to the limits.

Late afternoon shadows were dotting the land, creating an aura that under different circumstances would have been labeled a lovely late fall afternoon. Now it only served to heighten the dread of coming night for the small band of men and women who still believed in God Almighty and His words concerning right and wrong.

'Just for kicks,' Monty said, 'I'd like to see just how far 1 could drive outside of town.'

'Don't,' Noah warned him. 'You might not be allowed to reenter. And we need all the Christians we can muster for this battle.'

His wife settled the short debate. 'You stay here with me, Monty. We agreed to stay together and that's the way it's going to be.'

'Yes, honey,' Monty said.

Dusk began to subtly but swiftly place her dark arms around the town. The murky embrace was welcomed by those who looked to Satan for leadership. It was received with much less joy by those outside the circles of the coven.

'What can we expect?' Viv asked Nydia. The women were sitting in the kitchen, drinking coffee and chatting. And waiting.