think this trip will be just what the doctor ordered. Two weeks in the great outdoors. Just think about all that fresh, clean air, bluer than blue skies… and the company of more good people than you’ve known in a while. Well maybe, I guess I really wouldn’t know about that.” He was more than stretching the truth but, for some reason, he really wanted her to go.
“I know she wasn’t here to hurt us, but…” Emily was twisting and untwisting a piece of her hair with her finger. “So you really don’t think there’s anything dangerous about going on this trip?”
“Statistics show, Em, that most paranormal experiences are devoid of danger. Ghosts, hauntings, cold spots, and things like that are usually quite benign. I’ve heard that dealing with shit like exorcisms and demons and dark matter can get a bit dicey, but I don’t expect there will be any of that where we’re going.”
“Really? You’re shittin’ me! You mess with demons?” Emily’s eyes went wide and she turned a bit pale.
“Well, I’ve never experienced the dark stuff, at least not lately. I’m not really looking for that kind of trouble.” He hoped that he wasn’t making her nervous again.
“The thing is, we stumble on things when we aren’t looking for them. The worst experience I ever had with this wasn’t something I was looking for at all, and I sure didn’t expect to find anything like it.” He hesitated trying to think of a way to say what he needed to say without revealing the whole story.
Finally he continued, “It did show me that bogeymen definitely exist out there, and it’s best to be prepared rather than get a surprise in a dark alley.” He watched her and awaited her response.
Emily was waiting for him to tell the rest of the story, but eventually she broke the silence. “I’d prefer to avoid that kind of… well, drama,” she said looking John in the eyes. “How can you protect yourself from that kind of thing? How do you prepare for it?”
“Well, you know those stories about witches and vampires and werewolves and such, and how they use things like silver bullets, crucifixes, garlic and all that? A lot of that stuff is just plain bullshit. Like holy water. From what I’ve read, a vampire can drink holy water if they’re thirsty, and the worst that could happen is they might get heartburn or a bad case of diarrhea.
On the other hand, some things do work: talismans and the like, ancient runes and a lot of various protections have been passed down through time, since man was created.”
Had he just mentioned vampires and werewolves as though they were real? Emily didn’t go there. Instead, she addressed another issue that had captured her attention. “Created? So you do believe in God then?” Emily wasn’t too sure about God. She never really had an inclination toward any religious beliefs.
“You don’t? All you have to do is look around. You think all of this was an accident? I mean, how could there be just some explosion, or some kind of ‘Big Bang’…” John made air apostrophes as he continued, “…that resulted in the world as we know it?”
“There had to be a design or some Creator, don’t you think?” John went on, “And if spirits, ghosts and demons are real, why not God? If the only supernatural, unseen things out there are evil, well, then where would we be?”
“I guess you have a point there, John. I mean, if there really are supernatural things… I mean, aside from the Sherri visitation… cuz that was really strange for sure. If they do exist, it only makes sense that God could be real too. I guess we’re going to have more than a few days to talk about this stuff. Let me try to digest everything you’ve told me so far.” She was holding her palm to her forehead as if holding back a headache.
“Sure, I get it. It’s a lot to take in. Talking about religion and the supernatural in the same context is one of those conversation killers, right? Kind of like if
“I know she wasn’t here to hurt us, but…” Emily was twisting and untwisting a piece of her hair with her finger. “So you really don’t think there’s anything dangerous about going on this trip?”
“Statistics show, Em, that most paranormal experiences are devoid of danger. Ghosts, hauntings, cold spots, and things like that are usually quite benign. I’ve heard that dealing with shit like exorcisms and demons and dark matter can get a bit dicey, but I don’t expect there will be any of that where we’re going.”
“Really? You’re shittin’ me! You mess with demons?” Emily’s eyes went wide and she turned a bit pale.
“Well, I’ve never experienced the dark stuff, at least not lately. I’m not really looking for that kind of trouble.” He hoped that he wasn’t making her nervous again.
“The thing is, we stumble on things when we aren’t looking for them. The worst experience I ever had with this wasn’t something I was looking for at all, and I sure didn’t expect to find anything like it.” He hesitated trying to think of a way to say what he needed to say without revealing the whole story.
Finally he continued, “It did show me that bogeymen definitely exist out there, and it’s best to be prepared rather than get a surprise in a dark alley.” He watched her and awaited her response.
Emily was waiting for him to tell the rest of the story, but eventually she broke the silence. “I’d prefer to avoid that kind of… well, drama,” she said looking John in the eyes. “How can you protect yourself from that kind of thing? How do you prepare for it?”
“Well, you know those stories about witches and vampires and werewolves and such, and how they use things like silver bullets, crucifixes, garlic and all that? A lot of that stuff is just plain bullshit. Like holy water. From what I’ve read, a vampire can drink holy water if they’re thirsty, and the worst that could happen is they might get heartburn or a bad case of diarrhea.
On the other hand, some things do work: talismans and the like, ancient runes and a lot of various protections have been passed down through time, since man was created.”
Had he just mentioned vampires and werewolves as though they were real? Emily didn’t go there. Instead, she addressed another issue that had captured her attention. “Created? So you do believe in God then?” Emily wasn’t too sure about God. She never really had an inclination toward any religious beliefs.
“You don’t? All you have to do is look around. You think all of this was an accident? I mean, how could there be just some explosion, or some kind of ‘Big Bang’…” John made air apostrophes as he continued, “…that resulted in the world as we know it?”
“There had to be a design or some Creator, don’t you think?” John went on, “And if spirits, ghosts and demons are real, why not God? If the only supernatural, unseen things out there are evil, well, then where would we be?”
“I guess you have a point there, John. I mean, if there really are supernatural things… I mean, aside from the Sherri visitation… cuz that was really strange for sure. If they do exist, it only makes sense that God could be real too. I guess we’re going to have more than a few days to talk about this stuff. Let me try to digest everything you’ve told me so far.” She was holding her palm to her forehead as if holding back a headache.
“Sure, I get it. It’s a lot to take in. Talking about religion and the supernatural in the same context is one of those conversation killers, right? Kind of like if
Similar Books
