Disclaimers: This is a work of fiction. Any similarities to real people are coincidental. If you are under the legal age in your area to read erotic literature, please stop reading this and go somewhere age appropriate. If you are offended by homosexual material, please stop reading this and go somewhere your bigoted little mind can handle. If you're looking for pure sex, and plot/character development only get in your way, this story is definitely not for you. The rest of you, please enjoy chapter ten of this tale.
----------------------- Godsend Chapter 10: The Outing
Within moments, we could all move again, but it was too late Jacob and the creature were gone. I started looking around for some clue of where they went, but all I saw was a small metallic glint in the grass that would help no one but myself. I went and stood on it, pretending it wasn't there.
"What the hell was that thing?" Mike asked. "It almost killed me."
Kelly, still sitting stared at him. "I don't know what it was, but I'll give you three guesses at who sent it."
"Do you really think that was his?" I asked.
Kelly nodded. "And I don't think it would have killed any of us," she added. "It didn't go after Rona, you, or me, Stef. It just fought the ones who put up resistance." Kelly bent forward and pushed herself off of the ground. "I think Jacob passed whatever test it was giving out."
"So you think he's ok?" Rona asked. I had forgotten she was there. Her eyes were already red with tears. "That thing didn't kill him?"
"My guess would be no," Kelly replied. "Something about what it did reminded me of, well, something." She paused for a bit and then growled. "Damn it! I wish mom were here. She would have a better idea of what just happened."
"Lets call her," I said. I reached into my front pocket, where I kept my cell phone, and pulled it out, dropping it to the ground. I was hoping it looked like an accident. When I bent down into the tall grass, I picked up the phone and the object I had been hiding with my foot. Slipping it into my pocket, I stood up again, brushing off the phone. "I think it's ok," I said. Kelly came closer and I handed the phone to her.
"Come on, Mom, pick up," she muttered as she waited. "Mom, it's me," she said finally. "I need your brain for something." Pause. "We were attacked by some strange creature. I'm pretty sure O'onerut sent it." Pause. "No, most of use are fine. The creature took one of our friends, though." Pause. "No, vanished with him. Two of our friends were fighting it, and then it paralyzed us all and grabbed one of them. Then they both disappeared." Pause. "You can do that?" Pause. "Ok, let me give Stef back his phone and then you can bring me home." Pause. "No, please don't," Kelly said. It was said as a request, not a plea. "Mike is hiding Stef from the police right now." Pause. "You haven't been watching the news then, have you?" Pause. "Sorry." Pause. "Yeah, they're going to be watching their backs. It didn't go after the people who chose not to fight, so I think that, if they don't fight back, they'll only get knocked around a bit if another one shows up." Kelly looked at both Mike and myself as she said this, warning us to do exactly what she was telling he mother. "Ok, mom," she finished. "Give me a couple of minutes to give the phone back and say goodbye, then I'll be ready. Bye."
She pressed the end button and handed the phone back to me. "Mom's teleporting me home," she said. "She's going to go over the events in my head so she can have a clear understanding of what happened."
"She can do that?" I asked.
"That's what I said," Kelly replied with a smile. "I guess, since we're technically the same person, she has more power over me than with other people."
"What's going on?" Rona asked. I realized we had been talking as if she wasn't there.
"Uh..." I began, but Kelly fading out of the clearing stopped my sentence short. "Bye Kel," I called out, but she didn't respond before she was completely gone. I wondered if she had heard me.
"What are you guys?" Rona asked. The whites of her eyes were showing a bit more than usual.
"Mike is just a normal human like you," I told her. "He just knows what's going on."
"No I don't," Mike protested. I turned to face him.
"Ok, you know as much as Kelly and I," I amended. Turning back to Rona, I continued. "Kelly and I are, well, not the same as everyone else. Our people have an enemy, named O'onerut, and O'onerut wants to destroy our people and enslave yours."
"Are you and Kelly related?" Rona asked. All that bizarre info and the first question was if we were family? What was it with high school girls?
I thought about the question for a moment. "I guess she and I are cousins," I said. Aphrodite was fathered by Zeus, and Athena sprang from his head, so that made them sisters, sort of. My head was starting to hurt. "I hadn't really thought of it yet," I said truthfully. "I only found out I was different a few days ago, but Kelly and I have always had a connection. I guess now I know why."
"Good," she said. "It was getting hard to convince people the two of you weren't dating. Now I can tell them you're related, and you can be more popular."
Popularity? I was already getting too popular. I didn't even care about my social standing in school any more. I was about to tell her where to stick her popularity, when Mike spoke up.
"If you two girls are done talking about whose party you're invited to, I think we should probably find a safer place to hang out." He took his keys from his pocket. "Unless you can hotwire Jacob's car, Rona, you're going to have to come with us. I can drop you off at your house."
I walked toward Jacob's car. "Rona, is there anything in the car we could use?" I asked.
"I don't know," Rona said. "The blankets in the trunk, maybe. There's a button under the steering wheel to pop it open." I opened the front door, which was unlocked, and found the button. Popping it, I walked to the trunk. Rona was with me.
I pulled out the two blankets, a pair of flashlights, and a couple bags of chips, handing the bundle to Rona. "Take these to Mike," I told her. "I'll look through the rest of the car." Closing the trunk, I walked back to the driver's door and got in, pretending to search, while I watched Rona carry the supplies back to Mike. When she was far enough away, I slipped my hand into my pocket and pulled out the item I had picked up: Jacob's keys. They had fallen out of his pocket while he was fighting. I close the door and quickly started the car. Mike came running, but I floored it and took off around him, back toward the entrance. I wasn't sure if the gate worked the same way going out as it did going in, but I had to risk it if I was going to get away. I gunned the engine and went high speed at the wall of shrubs blocking me from the road. From this side I could see the wooden gate hidden in the brush. It splintered as I blasted through it. Coming out, I turned quickly onto the road, seeing the gaping hole I had just left.
I drove off at top speed back to town. It was time to do what I should have done in the first place - cooperate with the law. I buckled my seat belt as I drove, and then pulled out my cell. I dialed 911.
"911 operator, please state your emergency."
"No emergency," I said. "I need to call the police to turn myself in." I heard some clicking.
"Mr. Kereanoi," the woman said, "there is, in fact a warrant out for your arrest."
"I figured as much," I told her. "Could you connect me with the police department or tell them I'm on my way there?"
"I am connecting you right now," she said.
"Thank you," I told her. It was nice to know the operator was so helpful.
"Police department," the male voice said. He sounded bored.
"This is Stefanos Kereanoi," I told him. "I'm on my way there." I slowed down for a stop sign and checked my mirror. There was no sign of Mike's car behind me.
"To the station?" the man asked. He was suddenly less bored.
"Yes," I told him. "I've been trying to turn myself in all day. Hopefully no one will kidnap me this time. Oh, I'd also like to report a disappearance."
"What kind of a disappearance?" the man asked skeptically.
"Some guy in yellow picked a fight with one of my friends and then took off with him," I said. No need to bring in the paranormal and make myself sound like a nut case. I turned onto another street, this one leading into the city. I could see a few buildings up ahead.
"Did they both vanish into thin air?" the man asked. He didn't sound the least bit sarcastic when he said it, either.
"How did you know?" I asked.
"We've had reports of this happening all over the city," he told me. "I'll write your name down on the witness list. What was the name of your friend?"
"Jacob McPhee."
"Alright, thank you. Would you mind telling me your current location, Mr. Kereanoi?" he asked me. I told him the streets and the direction. "Good, good. There will be a few cruisers coming your way to escort you and make sure you have no more trouble making it here." And to make sure I didn't get away again, no doubt.
"I appreciate that, thank you," I said. "Oh, and would you mind doing me a small favor?"
"What is that?" the man asked.
"I'd like it if you could spread the word that I'm not violent and I'm trying to come in peacefully, so force really isn't necessary." The buildings were appearing closer together as I started reaching the suburbs. I also noticed two squad cars with flashing lights going ahead of me. They waved me through and then followed me.
"I will let them know, Mr. Kereanoi," he said. "And I don't think it will be a problem. They like it when people come in peacefully." Two more squad cars pulled in front of me.
"Well," I told him, "I now have to cars in front of me and two behind me, and they have their lights and sirens going. I think I'm in good hands."
"Good to know," the man said, his voice sounding more and more cheerful. I noted that people's moods get better when things go their way. "I'll let you hang up now, and I'll see you when you arrive."
"Thank you," I said. "You've been very helpful. Goodbye." After he said goodbye as well, I ended the call and put the phone back in my pocket. I had a strange sense of security riding with my escort. With so many people trying to stop me lately, having these people surrounding me, who wanted me to get to get to my destination, was oddly comforting. The ride itself was incredibly peaceful, apart from the one siren that was going the whole time.
Things were less than peaceful at the station. There were news vans everywhere. Were they all there for me, or were they covering the kidnappings? I parked the car and got my answer. Flashes began blinding me and news cameras all focused on me. There was a lot of yelling from reporters, but I couldn't make a single voice out from the crowd of them.
One of the officers came directly to me and I handed the keys to him. "This car belongs to Jacob McPhee, who was taken by those things in yellow today," I yelled to him, though he was standing a foot away. "Could you make sure it gets back to his family?" The officer nodded and handed the keys to another, giving him brief instructions.
Suddenly, the din softened.
"Stefan Kereanoi," said a voice I recognized from flipping through channels on Sunday mornings. "At last we meet."
I looked up to see the corpulent man standing at the top of the stairs, like the president about to give a speech. "Pastor Krake," I said. "A pleasure." It was a lie, but I was hoping the pleasant formality would keep things from getting less pleasant. At least he would see that I could be nice if he could.
"A word, if I may, officers," he said. The one next to me nodded and paused. The media was silent, awaiting whatever juicy confrontation they might be witness to. "Tell me, boy, what kind of hell spawn are you?"
Right to the point. At least the man didn't waste time. "Not that you'd believe me, but I'm not from Hell."
"And where are you from?" he asked, his voice forming drama where there was none. He was using all of his showmanship to bring about a negative response against me.
"I was born in this town, in the hospital," I told him. "But I assume you're asking my lineage. All I can say to that is that it's too complicated to get into right now. Once this is over, I'd be happy to sit down with you for a few hours and enlighten you."
That last part ruffled his feathers. I'd just told him I knew more about the world than he did. He scowled and glared at me with piercing eyes. "So you admit you aren't human?" he inferred.
"I never said that," I replied. "I'll admit it right now that I'm not a human, but I'd appreciate you not twisting my words. It isn't becoming of a man of God."
His face turned red. "And you, Stefanos? Who do you serve?"
I smirked. "I serve God's plan, just as all creation does. God is infallible, and my existence is due to His will, just as yours is. Just as you have a part to play, so do I."
He returned my smirk. "God has created evil to tempt us away from the true path of righteousness. Do you believe you bring righteousness, or are you a tempter?"
I looked at him and softened my gaze. "I bring neither," I told him. "I am not here to lead, as you are. I am here to follow. I do not fully understand what I can do, and I don't know if I can control it. I'd like you to look past your hatred for a moment and listen to me.
"I don't want to use my powers any more. I don't think it's right to change who a person is. I admit I made a mistake, which is why I'm turning myself in. I wish to make amends and seek forgiveness. I cannot undo what was done. I would like to, but it's not within my power to do so. I am sorry for any trouble I have caused. I want to end this."
The reverend looked at me, eyes straining to see if I was sincere. Then he stood up straight and tall. "I may have misjudged you," he said after a time, his voice carrying over the crowd in a practiced manner. He was using the solemn story voice. "If you truly do repent, and wish to follow the word of the Lord, then the hand of God will open to you. Will you give up your evil ways and walk the path of the just and good? Will you remove yourself from all that is unholy and bar sin and sinners from your life? Are you ready to help combat the homosexual menace instead of propagating it?"
He had me up until that last part. I thought of Cade and Mike, and all they had done for me. I couldn't give up one of my best friends and abandon another friend who I had turned gay in the first place. "The homosexual menace?" I asked. "Since when is love considered a menace? I'll agree to stop turning people into something they're not, but I don't believe that the gays are evil. They're just people trying to live in this world with what was given to them."
"Then I wasn't mistaken," he replied. "You shall be judged by the eyes of God, and sent to the pits of Hell, where you and your homosexual brethren will spend eternity. So be it." He turned on his heel with a dramatic flair and walked off to the side of the landing, taking the wheelchair ramp down toward the parking lot. I could see him get in his sports car and drive off.
The world flashed red for a moment and pain shot through my skull. Someone had thrown something solid at my head. Along with the pain, I felt a release in my stomach. I closed my eyes in pain and grabbed my head, but I could still see the flash of light that had just come from me. I sat down on the stairs with a thud. Colors swam through my vision as I tried to open my eyes, but the outside light made my head hurt more, so I closed them again.
There was a definite commotion as people talked to their neighbors about the light that had just gone through them. I felt several presences around me, and the light was blocked out. I feared the worst, but when no punches came, I ventured a look. The police, and not the crowd, were surrounding me. They were facing outward in a circle around me, guns drawn. They were only pointed at people who were holding solid objects as weapons, but I knew they wouldn't hesitate to shoot if those makeshift weapons were used. I understood that they weren't so much protecting me as preventing a mob riot.
"Everyone back away from the stairs," an officer called out over a bullhorn.
"These displays of violence will only get you arrested. Please disperse and go to the hospital, where they can check you out."
"We know what he did!" came a man's voice from the crowd. "He's gonna pay for it, too!"
"I can't control that," I yelled. "Anyone who watched the tapes saw that my body releases the power automatically when I get hit! If you're gonna blame anyone, blame the moron who couldn't put two and two together and threw the brick!"
There was a muttering in the crowd. They had watched the tapes. They were starting to realize that I didn't do that to them on purpose.
"I didn't throw a brick, I threw a rock," a man called out.
"Cuff him," I heard one of the cops say. Two of them moved off and arrested the assailant. They may have been pissed at me for changing them, but they knew where the blame really sat.
"I wouldn't if I were you," the man said. His voice was slightly changed.
The officers kept advancing and I heard something that chilled me to the core. The voice wasn't human, and it spoke through the crowd, hushing them completely. It said only one word, softly, calmly.
"Obliterate."
The two officers began screaming, but only for a split second. O'onerut's power ripped them apart much faster than it had done to the gods. It was as if the officers were strips of flash paper, while the gods had been books. Both burned completely, but the officers were there one moment and gone the next.
O'onerut snapped his fingers and six yellow-clad figures appeared around him. The he and his creatures walked quickly and purposefully to the top of the stairs, where the pastor had been a few minutes before. The cameras followed him as he slipped out of his human disguise and slowly let his divinity through. I noticed he kept it toned down, even when he reached the top. I wondered if seeing our full godhood would harm humans at all.
None of the reporters asked any questions. In fact, they were all "safely" behind their cameras, hoping not to be noticed. I wished I could do the same, but I knew that was impossible. If O'onerut was there, it was because of me, so he was fully aware of my presence.
"Yes, humans, these Vaneel are my soldiers. They will kill you if I wish it, and you will not be able to stop them. However, they are only here right now to make sure you behave yourselves. I am not here for any of you.
I am here for the godling."
Murmurs began as my stomach sank. "Yes, you wondered what young Stefanos was, and now you know. He is a godling, a young god, destined to come into power and become a full god. I, however, am a fully powered god, and stronger than those trying to protect your world from me."
I stood tall and faced him. "What do you want, O'onerut?" I asked. "Are you here to murder me, like you did to Thor, Artemis and Apollo?" There was a new murmur in the crowd. The police and media were getting more than they could handle.
"I told you that I wanted you by my side, beautiful one. I still wish it. Will you join me?"
The thought turned my stomach. I projected all of the hate I felt right at him. If he was such a great mind reader, he would know my answer. "I see," he said, softly. "In that case, you ill come with me willingly, or I will command my Vaneel to destroy everyone here."
My heart raced. I looked to the officer next to me, who was waiting to see my response. The fear he was feeling was crystal clear. Something threatened him that he had no power over. He glanced up to the god and then back down to me. Then he nodded. They were releasing me to the beast to save their own necks. I understood. I would do the same thing in their place. The choice wasn't a real one, it was a threat. I walked up the stairs.
"I'm not doing this for you, I'm doing it for them," I said.
"I can read your mind, Stef," he said. I bristled that he called me that. He hadn't earned it. "If you will only be mine by force, then I will force you."
"So you don`t want me as a lover," I said. "You want me as a possession."
"I will have you as both," he said, "eventually. For now, a possession will suffice." He placed his arms around me. A wave of sickness washed over me from the touch of him. Another one followed the first when I realized that he was sending pulses of pleasure through my body, centering on my groin.
He laughed as we started to vanish, but he managed to give one last command.
"Vaneel, attack."
Author's note: Yes, this did take forever for me to finish. Summer's like that for me. Apparently I'm not allowed to be a hermit during these warm months and still keep my friends and family. Is this some unspoken rule among you humans that you must socialize when the sun is out? Bah. Mortals and their traditions.
Questions? Comments? Ready to throw a brick at me for taking so long? Contact me (Joe) at academygm@hotmail.com