come, waiting to shoot him before he got to her.
Miss Helen checked the doors and windows again. She made sure the OPEN sign in the window was turned to CLOSED. The front of her home, which would normally be a formal living room, had been converted into her meeting room. The clients came in and sat down at the table in the middle of the room which was covered with a large purple cloth. The archway that led into the dining room and kitchen was covered with another purple drape and strings of beads – Hippie beads, her brother used to call them.
God, she missed her brother right now. He would’ve stayed here with her and protected her. He would’ve known what to do. She kept his ashes in an urn on the window sill in her kitchen over the sink where she could see it every day.
The rest of the décor in the front room was what she liked to call New Wave/Spiritualist. She had a Buddha statue in one corner among a few plants in pots. She had a carving on one wall of a Hindu god (and honestly, she wasn’t sure which one it was). She had the Christian and Jewish religions covered with many icons and statuettes around the room. She didn’t want to offend anyone who came through her door. She wanted to express a Oneness with the universe and all religions when it came to her services.
And she believed in that Oneness. She believed in a Supreme Power, but not an angry god who sent people to hell if they didn’t believe a certain religious scripture word for word.
She knew there was a Supreme Power, a Great Spirit, a God. She could feel it. She knew there was goodness in the world; she could feel that, too. But she also knew there was a terrible evil in the world. It couldn’t be denied, one couldn’t pretend that it didn’t exist – it could be very dangerous to pretend that it wasn’t real. One couldn’t only believe in the good and ignore the evil.
And Evil was coming. Tonight, maybe. Or tomorrow. Or the next day. But definitely soon.
She shuddered as a sense of anticipation buzzed through her; it made her stomach feel light and it felt like every nerve-ending on her skin was sizzling.
The only noise in the house was some small water fountains she had running, creating a soothing sound of trickling water. She often had light and flowery spiritual music playing in the background, something that might help customers imagine being one-with-nature, but she didn’t play the music now – she didn’t want any distractions. Her hearing wasn’t the greatest anymore and she wanted to make sure she heard any sound that came from outside no matter how subtle it might be.
And she didn’t have to wait too long.
2.
It was early evening as the Shadow Man stood in a stand of trees watching Miss Helen’s house. To the west the sun was setting the horizon on fire with gory splashes of yellows, oranges, and reds. To the east the sky had become a deep blue that was quickly turning to black. A full and bloated moon was about to rise above the trees into the night sky. Insects chirped in the woods, a final symphony before they bedded down for the night and let the mosquitos take over.
The Shadow Man watched the house for another few minutes. He had seen the woman in the window staring out at the darkening world, but she wasn’t at the window anymore.
She’s inside waiting for me, he thought. She’s sitting at her table with the purple cloth draped over it, staring at the front door and waiting.
He knew she could sense him coming for her, but there was nothing she could do about it. He was always going to be one step ahead of her.
He stepped out of the trees, dressed in dark clothing. A few objects rattled together in his pockets as he walked towards the front door. He wanted to show these objects to Miss Helen – he had a big surprise for her.
3.
Miss Helen sat in her chair at the table which faced the front door. There was a window in the door and a sheer curtain covered that window, but she could see through it easily
Miss Helen checked the doors and windows again. She made sure the OPEN sign in the window was turned to CLOSED. The front of her home, which would normally be a formal living room, had been converted into her meeting room. The clients came in and sat down at the table in the middle of the room which was covered with a large purple cloth. The archway that led into the dining room and kitchen was covered with another purple drape and strings of beads – Hippie beads, her brother used to call them.
God, she missed her brother right now. He would’ve stayed here with her and protected her. He would’ve known what to do. She kept his ashes in an urn on the window sill in her kitchen over the sink where she could see it every day.
The rest of the décor in the front room was what she liked to call New Wave/Spiritualist. She had a Buddha statue in one corner among a few plants in pots. She had a carving on one wall of a Hindu god (and honestly, she wasn’t sure which one it was). She had the Christian and Jewish religions covered with many icons and statuettes around the room. She didn’t want to offend anyone who came through her door. She wanted to express a Oneness with the universe and all religions when it came to her services.
And she believed in that Oneness. She believed in a Supreme Power, but not an angry god who sent people to hell if they didn’t believe a certain religious scripture word for word.
She knew there was a Supreme Power, a Great Spirit, a God. She could feel it. She knew there was goodness in the world; she could feel that, too. But she also knew there was a terrible evil in the world. It couldn’t be denied, one couldn’t pretend that it didn’t exist – it could be very dangerous to pretend that it wasn’t real. One couldn’t only believe in the good and ignore the evil.
And Evil was coming. Tonight, maybe. Or tomorrow. Or the next day. But definitely soon.
She shuddered as a sense of anticipation buzzed through her; it made her stomach feel light and it felt like every nerve-ending on her skin was sizzling.
The only noise in the house was some small water fountains she had running, creating a soothing sound of trickling water. She often had light and flowery spiritual music playing in the background, something that might help customers imagine being one-with-nature, but she didn’t play the music now – she didn’t want any distractions. Her hearing wasn’t the greatest anymore and she wanted to make sure she heard any sound that came from outside no matter how subtle it might be.
And she didn’t have to wait too long.
2.
It was early evening as the Shadow Man stood in a stand of trees watching Miss Helen’s house. To the west the sun was setting the horizon on fire with gory splashes of yellows, oranges, and reds. To the east the sky had become a deep blue that was quickly turning to black. A full and bloated moon was about to rise above the trees into the night sky. Insects chirped in the woods, a final symphony before they bedded down for the night and let the mosquitos take over.
The Shadow Man watched the house for another few minutes. He had seen the woman in the window staring out at the darkening world, but she wasn’t at the window anymore.
She’s inside waiting for me, he thought. She’s sitting at her table with the purple cloth draped over it, staring at the front door and waiting.
He knew she could sense him coming for her, but there was nothing she could do about it. He was always going to be one step ahead of her.
He stepped out of the trees, dressed in dark clothing. A few objects rattled together in his pockets as he walked towards the front door. He wanted to show these objects to Miss Helen – he had a big surprise for her.
3.
Miss Helen sat in her chair at the table which faced the front door. There was a window in the door and a sheer curtain covered that window, but she could see through it easily
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