{"id":7395,"date":"2020-02-01T23:26:30","date_gmt":"2020-02-01T23:26:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/leighgrissom.com\/?p=7395"},"modified":"2020-02-22T20:20:13","modified_gmt":"2020-02-22T20:20:13","slug":"worldwithoutend-amen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/leighgrissom.com\/2020\/02\/worldwithoutend-amen\/","title":{"rendered":"WORLDWITHOUTEND, AMEN"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

WORLDWITHOUTEND, AMEN<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a9 2020 by Leigh Grissom<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Featured in the March 2020 issue of The Scribe (Breaking Rules Publishing)<\/p>\n

\u200bThey come.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bThey always come.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bIt doesn\u2019t matter if they\u2019ve heard the stories.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bIt doesn\u2019t matter if they\u2019ve been warned.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bThey come.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bThey always come.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bAnd by the knocking of the door, there\u2019s one now.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bMight as well let them in<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bAlaina<\/span><\/span> closed her notebook and hooked the pen to the spiral.<\/span><\/span> Her watch said 7:00; not quite full-dark, but close. Whoever they were, they were brave to venture through the forest so late.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bShe called out, <\/span><\/span>\u201cComing!\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

She wanted to add, \u201cidiot,\u201d but didn\u2019t. It wouldn\u2019t matter. These curious, <\/span><\/span>self-centered<\/span><\/span>, asshole young people never learned. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

This time, it was a couple. She guessed he was in his mid-twenties; the young woman might have been twenty at best. Snappily dressed, well-coiffed, perfect eyebrows \u2013 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Crap<\/span><\/span>. Millennials. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat can I do for you?\u201d she asked, hoping her voice sounded more congenial than she felt. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUm, so, yeah\u2026\u201d The young woman brushed a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. \u201cWe\u2019re from the paper\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Alaina almost laughed. These little<\/span><\/span> nitwits<\/span><\/span> probably couldn\u2019t spell the word \u201cpaper,\u201d much less work for one.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhich one?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe, uh\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Alaina<\/span><\/span> held up a hand to stop the woman from lying again<\/span><\/span>. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter. Come on in.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The couple stepped over the threshold. After the usual \u201coohs\u201d and \u201caahs\u201d over her antique furniture and too many \u201cthank yous\u201d for either one of them to be actual journalists, <\/span><\/span>Alaina<\/span><\/span> asked them to have a seat at her table.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The young man ran his hand over the top of her table. \u201cThis isn\u2019t wood. What is this?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFormica. It\u2019s older than you both; make a note to ask Google later.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, sure.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Alaina pointed to the teapot on her stove<\/span><\/span>, and it whistled as if on cue<\/span><\/span>. <\/span><\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/span>May I offer you some tea<\/span><\/span>?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The young man smiled and nodded. \u201cSure. Thank you.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The woman declined politely. \u201cNone for me, thanks.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Alaina smiled at her. <\/span><\/span>\u201cYou want some.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow that you mention it, I am thirsty.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

She brought them each a cup and sat down. \u201cNow, what brings you here from the, uh, \u2018paper\u2019?\u201d <\/span><\/span>She tried to hide her smirk and failed miserably.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re investigating the old legends about the, um, demon<\/span><\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, that old story? Where did you hear it?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe stopped at the Kingston Caf\u00e9. The owner and some other guy told us about it. We, y\u2019know, investigate paranormal cases for the paper, so we thought this might be a good story.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s wild.\u201d The young man took a sip of his tea and smiled. \u201cI think the other guy was the mayor? You don\u2019t normally hear politicians telling ghost stories.<\/span><\/span> But he said the whole town talks about it.<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span> He chewed his lip. \u201cI don\u2019t mean to offend, but they say it lives here.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

She laughed. \u201cI\u2019m sure they do. Tell me your names.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m Colby.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m Courtney.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

And we\u2019re the onion twins<\/span><\/span>, she thought, and almost laughed. She knew she was the only one old enough to remember the commercial \u2026 what was it for? Salad dressing? <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

She jolted herself from her thoughts and sipped her tea. \u201cNice to meet you both. I\u2019m Alaina. But you know that, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUm, yes ma\u2019am.\u201d Colby said, and pretended to take notes on his phone. \u201cMs. Alaina, could you tell us why the town thinks this demon even exists, much less lives here?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf course I can.\u201d She leaned back and motioned for them to set their phones up to record. \u201cTake good notes, kids. I\u2019m only going to tell this once.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

**<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bI was young. Somewhere between four and seven. Oh, don\u2019t look at me like that; when you get to be my age, time blurs together. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bMy mother and the man she married took me to a little church just outside of town. Dripping Springs, it was called. Why, I have no idea. It wasn\u2019t like any church I\u2019d attended before; loud music, dancing, and very, very loud preaching. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The preacher \u2026 he was an o<\/span><\/span>dd man. Overly dramatic and intense<\/span><\/span>. As young as I was, I remember being creeped out by him. During one service, I remember <\/span><\/span>having<\/span><\/span> a nosebleed. I used to have bad ones that were hard to get stopped. Instead of taking me home, we stayed through the service so he and several others could pray for me. <\/span><\/span>Mom never did get all the blood off my dress<\/span><\/span>\u2026<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Some of the followers came to our house with trash bags one evening and threw away a lot of my mother\u2019s knick-knacks. They even pulled pictures down off the walls and threw them away. Claimed all of it was demonic and this needed to happen to cleanse the house and \u201csave our souls.\u201d <\/span><\/span>Then they and my mother sat in a circle on the living room floor and prayed for her salvation. I don\u2019t get it, not at all, but it\u2019s not for me to judge. I read that whole \u201cjudge not\u201d thing in a book somewhere\u2026<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

**<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bColby chuckled. \u201cThe Bible, right?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cYes, Captain Obvious, it was the Bible. May I continue?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bCourtney elbowed him. \u201cShut up, Colby!\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

**<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bWhere was I? Oh! The night this whole thing started. It was regular church \u2013 I mean, as regular as that wild bunch could be <\/span><\/span>\u2013<\/span><\/span> and the preacher was raining down fire and brimstone on all of us. That was all he ever concentrated on. Not how to survive day-to-day living, not how to love one another \u2013 just how shitty it would be for you if you didn\u2019t obey him. Yeah, I said him with a little \u201ch,\u201d not a capital one. <\/span><\/span>I think he only waved a Bible during services because people thought it was a necessary prop. <\/span><\/span>Hell, fire, and damnation filled our Sunday nights, and my mother ate it up. <\/span><\/span>We were there every time the doors were open. Sunday twice, Wednesday night, and every single night of a revival. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The only thing I really understood was she forced me to wear a dress and I hated it. She said it was in the Bible, but even after I read it cover-to-cover, I couldn\u2019t find it.<\/span><\/span> But you kids aren\u2019t in the mood to hear that little argument. I\u2019ll save it for later.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

**<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cYou said the whole demon story started that night?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cWhy, yes I did, Courtney. Thank you for bringing me back in line.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

**<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bOkay, so, hell, fire, damnation, blah, blah, worldwithoutend, amen. Anyway, that night, this woman <\/span><\/span>no one knew <\/span><\/span>jumped up and yelled at the preacher. I couldn\u2019t understand what she was saying, but a bunch of big guys grabbed her arms and kept her from running off. The preacher came down and started shouting, \u201cDemon!\u201d and, \u201cI cast you out in the name of Jesus!\u201d and a whole lot of other stuff I can\u2019t remember. <\/span><\/span>I know I was scared and wanted to go home, but my mother and that man she married were having none of it. They would stay and pray until they were told to go home.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

**<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cWhat did the woman do?\u201d Colby asked. \u201cI mean, she was just mad or something, right?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cWhy would you be here if she was just mad or something?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bCourtney rolled her eyes. \u201cJeez, Colby, shut up!\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bAlaina motioned for them to keep recording.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

**<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bThe woman fought like \u2013 well? \u2013 fought like a demon. She spat at <\/span><\/span>the preacher<\/span><\/span> and the other men. She growled, she snarled, she roared. She even tried to bite one of the men holding her. They kept praying. Finally, and this is gross \u2013 she puked. Everywhere. All over her. All over them. All over the pew in front of her. <\/span><\/span>You know, like the kid in the Exorcist movie? <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bNow, don\u2019t stop me, let me finish. After she quit yarking up her guts, she started to cry. That\u2019s when everyone cheered and praised the Lord and thanked Him for her deliverance. The ladies helped her clean up and everybody finally went home.<\/span><\/span> If it wasn\u2019t for the stain on the pew they couldn\u2019t completely clean, it was like it\u2019d never happened. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

**<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bAlaina paused. She did it primarily for dramatic effect, but also to let the<\/span><\/span>m<\/span><\/span> catch on to what she hadn\u2019t told them.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bCourtney hugged herself and shivered. \u201cSo, was it \u2026 I mean, what happened after that? You still haven\u2019t said why the town says the demon lives here.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bAlaina poured them both some more tea, glad they hadn\u2019t noticed their phones had died. \u201c<\/span><\/span>Let\u2019s see how I can best explain this. The preacher? The congregation?<\/span><\/span> They didn\u2019t think it through. Ask anyone \u2013 when you cast something out, it\u2019s got to have somewhere to go, right? Well, when they did their little prayer thingy, no one thought to open the door. No one even cracked a window. So the demon flies out in a river of barf with nowhere to run \u2026 and it had a whole church full of bodies to take over.<\/span><\/span> Any red-blooded demon isn\u2019t going to choose an addled old blue-haired Bible thumper, no matter how funny it would be.<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bColby rubbed his eyes and yawned. \u201cOh man, sorry. So they think the demon chose you?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bShe <\/span><\/span>laughed. \u201cColby, you\u2019re smarter than I thought.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bHe kept talking as if he didn\u2019t catch the insult. \u201cBut you were so young. Why did they think that?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cBecause people die<\/span><\/span>d<\/span><\/span> around me. A lot.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cReally?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bAlaina smiled as warmly as her growing irritation would allow. \u201cYes, really. People would walk past me on the street and right out in front of a bus. Schoolyard bullies would be found hanging from a rung on the slide ladder. <\/span><\/span>At first, people thought it was an accident, but when Lady Barfsalot<\/span><\/span> \u2013 you know, the one from the church \u2013 <\/span><\/span>turned up dead<\/span><\/span> after I said hello to her<\/span><\/span>, they centered on me.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cWhy?\u201d Courtney nudged her companion. \u201cQuit yawning!\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bColby shook his head. \u201cI don\u2019t know why I\u2019m so tired.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bAlaina smiled. \u201cI was the youngest in the church. The most innocent, according to them. The easiest one for the demon to take over.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cHow old were you when they started that shit, um, I mean stuff?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cSixteen. Budding womanhood, noticing boys, and boom, <\/span><\/span>now I\u2019m a <\/span><\/span>demon spawn. Puberty isn\u2019t such a bitch when you see what I went through.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cWhat did you do? How many people died?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cLet me answer you backward. Sixty-six people died, all tied to me in one way or another. They wanted to burn me at the stake, but the town council wouldn\u2019t go for it. So I moved out here.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cDid they try to pray over you?\u201d Courtney asked.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cOh yes. Several times. But they finally gave up after the third try. I guess when you\u2019ve got a demon inside you for almost a decade, he\u2019s pretty much homesteaded.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201c<\/span><\/span>That\u2019s so awful! <\/span><\/span>Do you ever go back into town?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cOh, absolutely not. Thanks to modern technology, I don\u2019t have to go.<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cWhat year did you move out here? You know, for our article.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201c1962.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bCourtney stared at her. \u201cBut \u2026 it\u2019s 2020.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bAlaina set her cup down on the table. This was her favorite part. <\/span><\/span>\u201cYes, I know.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cHow \u2026 how old are you?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cTwenty-seven.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bAlaina could see the wheels turning in Courtney\u2019s mind. She looked to her companion, but Colby\u2019s eyes were closed, his head resting on his chest. He was sound asleep.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cThat\u2019s not possible. Colby? Colby, wake up!\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bColby didn\u2019t move. Alaina laughed when Courtney tried to stand and couldn\u2019t make her legs move. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cWhat did you do to me?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bAlaina ignored her. She went to the kitchen counter and picked up her favorite knife. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cTwenty-seven seemed like a good time to stop aging. Still young enough to have fun, <\/span><\/span>but<\/span><\/span> old enough <\/span><\/span>not to get caught<\/span><\/span>. The town knew me, though. Knew me for what I was.\u201d She wiped the knife clean. \u201cKnew us for what we were.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cPlease let me go!\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cLet <\/span><\/span>you<\/span><\/span> go? No thought for the boyfriend?\u201d Alaina snorted. \u201cSo self-absorbed! And <\/span><\/span>by the way? Y<\/span><\/span>ou\u2019re not from the paper.<\/span><\/span> How much money did they offer you to come out here?<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cOkay, enough, we\u2019re sorry, you\u2019<\/span><\/span>re right, W<\/span><\/span>e\u2019re not from the paper. <\/span><\/span>A thousand bucks. We were going to split it<\/span><\/span>. We thought it was bullshit so we said okay!\u201d<\/span><\/span> Courtney tried to reach for Colby and couldn\u2019t. \u201cPlease, just let us go!\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bAlaina\u00a0rolled her eyes. \u201c<\/span><\/span>A thousand bucks, and you didn\u2019t think there might be something wrong? <\/span><\/span>No, I\u2019m afraid we can<\/span><\/span>\u2019t let you go<\/span><\/span>.\u201d She tilted Colby\u2019s head back, exposing his throat. \u201cYou\u2019re part of the deal.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bTears spilled from Courtney\u2019s <\/span><\/span>unblinking <\/span><\/span>eyes. \u201cD\u2026deal?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cUh-huh. The town sends inquiring minds like yours, and we don\u2019t hunt them.<\/span><\/span> I would usually hunt the both of you, just for fun, but it\u2019s late, and I smell rain coming.<\/span><\/span> I\u2019ll just dine inside tonight.<\/span><\/span>\u201d She used the knife to nick the artery in Colby\u2019s neck just enough to not make a mess of her floor. She ran her finger along the blood and licked it clean.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been awhile, so I\u2019m glad they sent two.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Alain<\/span><\/span>a smiled at the terrified woman, and spoke in two voices<\/span><\/span>. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re s<\/span><\/span>ooooo<\/span><\/span>o hun<\/span><\/span>nnnn<\/span><\/span>gry<\/span><\/span>\u2026<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Courtney screamed. Colby bled. Night fell.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b<\/p>\n

**<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cJeb? How long\u2019s it been?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bThe old man, <\/span><\/span>the town\u2019s mayor for the last fifty years<\/span><\/span>, shrugged his withered shoulders. \u201c<\/span><\/span>Since the last one? <\/span><\/span>I dunno, Tom. About a month, maybe less?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cYeah? Well, what do you think about that one there?\u201d Tom pointed to<\/span><\/span> a young man<\/span><\/span> sitting alone in the corner booth. <\/span><\/span>His attention was completely taken by his phone. <\/span><\/span>\u201cHe looks like he\u2019s going all sorts of nowhere.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bJeb eyed the newcomer thoughtfully, wondering where he was headed, and if anyone was waiting on him. \u201cHmmm. Find out if anyone knows he\u2019s here. If not, tell him the story. Looks like he might need money \u2013 thousand bucks if he\u2019ll go out there.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cSure thing, Jeb.\u201d Tom cut a piece of Mabelle\u2019s cherry pie and walked over to make a new acquaintance.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bJeb sighed. It had to be done, that was the deal. <\/span><\/span>One day, he knew he\u2019d get up the nerve to go out there to her cabin and offer himself to the demon. He was eighty-five now, and even though he still felt pretty spry, he knew his time was drawing short.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bJeb watched Tom draw the young man into conversation and wondered about the two they\u2019d chosen to send into the forest last month. <\/span><\/span>It hurt his heart to do it, but a deal was a deal, after all. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cSend them to me and I won\u2019t hunt all of you.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200bSomeday, he\u2019d go out to the cabin. Someday, he\u2019d be the one she would feed on. Maybe it would make up for ignoring the preacher who\u2019d asked him to open the window that night. Maybe it would make up for the hundreds who\u2019d been sent to die. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cI wish your momma would have let me kill you, child.\u201d Jeb muttered under his breath. <\/span><\/span>But she wouldn\u2019t, and now all he could wonder was \u2013 who would feed his step-daughter after he was gone?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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