were closed tightly, but he was still able to sense the trees, the bushes, and the rise and fall of the ground beneath him. It was a powerful feeling, a talent he never knew he had. Then again, it was probably something everyone had, if only they knew how to use it. Dovecrest had opened his eyes to this, figuratively speaking, and now it had become a part of him.
He felt the sun dropping lower on the horizon, but he knew there was plenty of time until darkness set in, so he took his time, moving slowly and carefully. Some part of him wondered if the thing had orchestrated all of this, and that he was part of some master plan. He couldn’t worry about that now, though. He had to do something, and this was the only thing he knew of right now.
He thought of Vickie and Todd and hoped they would be all right. Pastor Mark had agreed to stay with them until this was over, and that made Erik feel more secure.
He felt the field open up before him, and only then did he open his eyes. Sure enough, the altar stone was positioned exactly in the middle of a field of neatly cut grass.
“There’s your stone,” Erik said.
Thralls rubbed his hand across his brow, rubbing away beads of sweat.
“Why can’t we see this from the air?” he asked no one in particular. “We’ve had helicopters out this way and no one’s seen anything like this.”
“Like I told you,” Erik said. “It moves.”
Thralls shook his head, then looked back at the dozen officers who had come up behind them.
“Ok, you men. Take positions equidistant around the stone. Stay back in the woods and remain concealed. We don’t want to tip them off.”
Erik watched as the officers literally disappeared into the woods. He watched as the one closest to him scaled up the trunk of a tree and disappeared into the foliage. Within minutes, they were completely invisible in the forest.
“Ok,” Thralls said. “Now you and I need to disappear. Unless you’d rather go back home.”
“Not on your life,” Erik replied. “I need to see this through. I don’t care how long it takes or how many nights I’m out here.”
But something inside him told him that tonight he’d see some real fireworks.
4
The growth on his neck was becoming so obvious that it was becoming difficult for Seti to go out in public. At the same time, the monster was becoming more demanding. Killing the cop had only wet its appetite and made it furious that the other one had escaped.
“The time has come!” it demanded. “I’ve waited long enough. Tonight is the night I become whole!”
Seti knew that meant he had to find a new sacrifice. The younger and the more innocent, the better. It also meant that a turning point had come for him. After tonight, he would either be free of the monster and receive the reward he had been promised, or else it would destroy him completely. His life had become so unbearable now that he didn’t particularly care which outcome happened. Anything was better than what he was already enduring.
He decided to take Crissy with him tonight. She, at least, could be seen in public without people throwing up. The thing on his neck had become so grotesque that he could no longer even look in the mirror, and efforts to cover it up just weren’t working. So he tucked his Glock under his shirt and into his belt, grabbed Crissy by the hand, and tossed her into the van.
“Where are we going?” she whined.
It was obvious that even his own followers didn’t want to be around him now. The girls, especially, were repulsed and avoided him. Hell, he repulsed himself-what did he expect?
“Never mind,” he said. “We’re going to get some fresh meat. Unless you’d rather be on the menu tonight.”
The blonde wrinkled her nose, but got into the van.
“We don’t have much time,” he said. “I want to get back before dark. The thing’s hungry tonight. Real hungry.”
“
Seti started the van and slowly backed up, then turned around. They’d made camp in the forest at the end of a narrow dirt trail that exited to a dirt road that, eventually, led to Route 102. Seti never would have found the place if the voice hadn’t led him to it. He wasn’t even sure anyone else could find it, which was probably the only reason the cops hadn’t caught them by now.
He drove for awhile, then turned down Farmington Road. If only he could get that pregnant woman. That would be a two for one. He drove slowly by the house, but noticed several vehicles parked in front and in the driveway. Cops, he thought. He could smell them a mile away.
“
“When are you going to do something about that thing on your neck?” Crissy said. “You should have it looked at. It’s gross.”
“I’m taking care of it tonight,” Seti replied. “Now shut the fuck up.”
“Hey, I’m just trying to help.”
Seti turned around and headed back to the plaza on Route 102. He had avoided the area in the past. You don’t shit where you eat, he’d always been told. But after tonight none of that would matter. The thing would be too powerful to stop. He pulled in at the Dairy Mart and parked the van.
“You want to help? Then shut up and do what I tell you.”
Seti hunched down in the seat a little and waited. It was just 6:30, a busy time for the convenience store. He watched as a middle-aged man came out. Then a fat lady. A car pulled up and a younger man in a business suit got out and hurried into the store. Probably one of those investment assholes, Seti thought, picking up a frozen dinner or something. A few minutes later, he came back out with a small bag and drove away. Then finally, he saw what he was looking for.
He could tell by the car, a luxury SUV, that its occupant was a young mother-one of those soccer Moms who’s husband probably worked three jobs in order to be able to buy expensive shit they had and left her to cart the kids around to baseball practice, dance recitals, and whatever it was that spoiled yuppie kids did these days. Yeah, this one would be perfect.
His suspicions were confirmed when the slightly overweight and dowdy Mom got out of the car with a spoiled teenage girl in tow-probably about 16 years old or so. Actually, the woman wouldn’t be so bad looking if she cleaned herself up a bit and didn’t try so hard to look like supermom with the me-ma long dress and sensible shoes. Hey, lady, how about some makeup and a trip to the hair stylist, he thought. The daughter was much better looking though, dressed like a slut in a short denim skirt that rode up the back of her soft, white ass.
“She’s the one,” he said to Crissy.
“What do you want me to do?”
“When she comes out of the store you go up to her and ask for help. You’re a college student and you’re having car trouble. Get her over to the van. I’ll take care of the rest.”
He patted the gun in his belt for emphasis.
“Now get out and look pathetic until she comes back out of the store.”
Crissy was, if nothing else, good at looking stupid and helpless, and her act worked like a charm. Seti hunched down in the back of the van and watched the woman and her slutty daughter come over.
“Maybe you could help me,” Crissy was saying. “I’ve got some jumper cables inside….”
Seti waited until Crissy opened the door, and then he timed his move, grabbing the kid first, covering her mouth with one hand and putting the gun to her head.
“Lady, get inside or I blow the kid’s brains out.”
The woman’s mouth dropped open. She looked like she wanted to scream, but she couldn’t find her voice, and by then Crissy was pushing her inside. Seti motioned her to sit on the floor.
