meticulously evolved into a whisper, then into a statement, and finally into a summons. The chant grew louder and more authoritative with each utterance, “Abaddon…, Abaddon…, Abaddon…”
An almost imperceptible chill began to filter through the apartment and it grew slightly more palatable with each chant. “Abaddon…, Abaddon…, Abaddon…”
The chill slowly enveloped David Stanton, reaching into every part of his naked body, touching every extremity like frost on grass, but he didn’t shiver. He continued to chant the name of Abaddon, his thoughts focused solely on that name. “Abaddon…, Abaddon…” His breath soon became visible through the cold with each word. The candles flickered ever so slightly, wavering back and forth as if in a gentle breeze. “Abaddon…, Abaddon…”
Suddenly, a flash of light, like lightning, and a powerful surge of energy filled the room. A violent icy wind rushed through the apartment, blowing the candles out as if in a rage and shaking the entire room like an earthquake. It descended furiously upon David Stanton from every direction. When it hit him, Stanton’s body started and convulsed uncontrollably, and then, fell back down again into silence and stillness on the floor. It was done.
_______________________
Listening outside, Megan and Declan each felt the chill and it sent shivers down their respective spines. Declan pulled the earpiece out and asked, “What the hell just happened?”
“I’m not sure, but whatever just happened was freaky,” Megan answered, her hands trembling. “It sounded like a hurricane blew through his apartment or something.”
“It literally looked like a lightning strike, but inside.”
“I saw that. What do you think he’s doing in there?”
“I have no idea, but whatever just happened, whatever we just heard and felt, I don’t think it’s good.”
“No,” Megan replied. “I’d even say evil.”
“I think it’s time to get going.”
“Declan, look.”
Declan looked up from the car to see the man he recognized as David Stanton standing, completely naked, on his balcony in the frigid December night air.
“Is that him?”
Despite the fact that there was something very different about him, almost like looking at a different man than he’d watched a few nights prior, Declan whispered, “That’s him.”
At that moment, despite the cold darkness, Declan caught Abaddon’s cold glare staring directly at him, eye to eye, through the black night. His lifeless gaze impaled Declan, as if he knew exactly who he was and why he was there. An instinctual chill shot up Declan’s spine and he shivered suddenly, unnerved and visibly shaken. Abaddon simply smiled wryly and looked back up to the glowing stars, as though Declan no longer existed.
Chapter 21
December 23 rd – December 24 th
The dim light from a blood moon hung amid the otherwise total blackness enveloping Declan. He raised his hands toward his face, trying desperately to see something, anything, in the darkness, but could only make them out when they were practically touching his eyes. Screams pierced the night, so many that it was impossible for Declan to determine whether they came from a particular direction.
He walked blindly, not knowing where or why, but looking up to the blood moon for perspective and to try and keep his bearings. The screams grew louder and more desperate, but no closer. There were so many voices, so many different pitches and moans that they overwhelmed Declan until he finally stopped in his tracks, unable to maintain any sense of place or direction. There must have been thousands of them, each crying out in the dark for help. They formed an air of hopelessness that filled Declan’s entire being, forcing him down, first onto his knees, then into a total collapse on the cold, hard, damp ground hidden in the blackness surrounding him.
Tears poured from his eyes and he finally called out into the night for help, for mercy from the
An almost imperceptible chill began to filter through the apartment and it grew slightly more palatable with each chant. “Abaddon…, Abaddon…, Abaddon…”
The chill slowly enveloped David Stanton, reaching into every part of his naked body, touching every extremity like frost on grass, but he didn’t shiver. He continued to chant the name of Abaddon, his thoughts focused solely on that name. “Abaddon…, Abaddon…” His breath soon became visible through the cold with each word. The candles flickered ever so slightly, wavering back and forth as if in a gentle breeze. “Abaddon…, Abaddon…”
Suddenly, a flash of light, like lightning, and a powerful surge of energy filled the room. A violent icy wind rushed through the apartment, blowing the candles out as if in a rage and shaking the entire room like an earthquake. It descended furiously upon David Stanton from every direction. When it hit him, Stanton’s body started and convulsed uncontrollably, and then, fell back down again into silence and stillness on the floor. It was done.
_______________________
Listening outside, Megan and Declan each felt the chill and it sent shivers down their respective spines. Declan pulled the earpiece out and asked, “What the hell just happened?”
“I’m not sure, but whatever just happened was freaky,” Megan answered, her hands trembling. “It sounded like a hurricane blew through his apartment or something.”
“It literally looked like a lightning strike, but inside.”
“I saw that. What do you think he’s doing in there?”
“I have no idea, but whatever just happened, whatever we just heard and felt, I don’t think it’s good.”
“No,” Megan replied. “I’d even say evil.”
“I think it’s time to get going.”
“Declan, look.”
Declan looked up from the car to see the man he recognized as David Stanton standing, completely naked, on his balcony in the frigid December night air.
“Is that him?”
Despite the fact that there was something very different about him, almost like looking at a different man than he’d watched a few nights prior, Declan whispered, “That’s him.”
At that moment, despite the cold darkness, Declan caught Abaddon’s cold glare staring directly at him, eye to eye, through the black night. His lifeless gaze impaled Declan, as if he knew exactly who he was and why he was there. An instinctual chill shot up Declan’s spine and he shivered suddenly, unnerved and visibly shaken. Abaddon simply smiled wryly and looked back up to the glowing stars, as though Declan no longer existed.
Chapter 21
December 23 rd – December 24 th
The dim light from a blood moon hung amid the otherwise total blackness enveloping Declan. He raised his hands toward his face, trying desperately to see something, anything, in the darkness, but could only make them out when they were practically touching his eyes. Screams pierced the night, so many that it was impossible for Declan to determine whether they came from a particular direction.
He walked blindly, not knowing where or why, but looking up to the blood moon for perspective and to try and keep his bearings. The screams grew louder and more desperate, but no closer. There were so many voices, so many different pitches and moans that they overwhelmed Declan until he finally stopped in his tracks, unable to maintain any sense of place or direction. There must have been thousands of them, each crying out in the dark for help. They formed an air of hopelessness that filled Declan’s entire being, forcing him down, first onto his knees, then into a total collapse on the cold, hard, damp ground hidden in the blackness surrounding him.
Tears poured from his eyes and he finally called out into the night for help, for mercy from the
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