earth."
He looked at her. "Killing your mother and brother, probably. Have you thought about that, Nydia?"
"Yes. But I have no feelings of love or affection for either of them, Sam. I don't recall the last time I felt anything for them. I've always felt like a stranger around them … out of place … unwanted and really unloved. I don't believe they know love. I'll put it stronger than that: they worship Satan, so how can they know love?"
His smile was gentle, full of admiration for her. And love.
"Do you believe in baptizing or sprinkling, Sam?"
"I was baptized when I was just a kid. Too young, really. You don't really understand what it's all about at twelve or thirteen. It's exciting … the thing to do. Yeah, I guess either one would do. I'm not even sure it's necessary. How about the thief on the cross?"
"I know that story. I want to be a Christian, Sam."
He looked at her. "I really hope the thoughts I'm picking up from you aren't correct."
"They are."
"I'm not a minister, Nydia. I'm not even a very good Christian. How can I baptize you?"
"Do you remember the words, Sam?"
"No. I really don't." He searched his memory. "Well … I remember what Jesus said to the eleven disciples after the rock had rolled away … or something like that."
"Oh, Sam!" She laughed at him, her laughter tinkling bells in the forest. "All right, that will have to do. So say them. Do it."
"Do it? You mean … here? Nydia, I don't have the … uh, authority."
"What authority does it take?"
"Well, I don't know, exactly."
'Then how do you know you don't have it? I mean, you're a baptized Christian, aren't you? Can't a Christian baptize somebody?"
"I … guess so, Nydia. But I'm not about to stick you in that water," he said pointing to the creek. "You'd turn blue!"
"Then put your fingers in the creek and do that other thing."
He grinned at her, the grin fading when he saw she was serious. Feeling very much like a fool, Sam kneeled by the fast-rushing creek and wet his fingers. He touched his fingers to her forehead and said, "Jesus said this, Nydia, and I really hope someone is listening who knows what this is all about. 'All power is given unto me in Heaven and on earth.'
"'Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.'
"Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.'"
And Sam knew something all powerful had been guiding his voice, for he had not read that passage since he was a child.
He kissed her lips and said, "I feel kind of like an idiot, Nydia."
"I really hope Jesus didn't add that," she said dryly.
"What do they represent?" Susan asked, her eyes on the circle of stones.
Black moved closer to her, standing just behind the young woman. She could smell the musk of his cologne and it was rich and heady, arousing some heretofore hidden urge deep within her. Black breathed deeply of her perfume and placed his hands on her shoulders.
"It is said that here is where ancient ceremonies were held," he told her. He now stood with his groin pushing against her buttocks, knowing she could feel his slight erection. He pushed against her. She made no effort to move away.
"What kind of ceremonies?" she asked, her voice low.
"The people who worship here, Susan, worship a Master who allows them supreme pleasures in life. Their Master knows that mortals are susceptible beings, and to place too many restrictions upon them is not wise. Are you a Christian, Susan?"
"I was baptized as a child, but I don't attend church."
"Why not?"
"I just got away from it, that's all."
"The talk at school is you're untouchable. That Susan is super-cool. All ice."
"You're touching me, so the talk must be wrong."
"They say you don't smoke grass, don't drink … nothing!"
"Like I said, Black: the talk is wrong." She pushed her buttocks against his heating, swelling groin.
He moved his hands
He looked at her. "Killing your mother and brother, probably. Have you thought about that, Nydia?"
"Yes. But I have no feelings of love or affection for either of them, Sam. I don't recall the last time I felt anything for them. I've always felt like a stranger around them … out of place … unwanted and really unloved. I don't believe they know love. I'll put it stronger than that: they worship Satan, so how can they know love?"
His smile was gentle, full of admiration for her. And love.
"Do you believe in baptizing or sprinkling, Sam?"
"I was baptized when I was just a kid. Too young, really. You don't really understand what it's all about at twelve or thirteen. It's exciting … the thing to do. Yeah, I guess either one would do. I'm not even sure it's necessary. How about the thief on the cross?"
"I know that story. I want to be a Christian, Sam."
He looked at her. "I really hope the thoughts I'm picking up from you aren't correct."
"They are."
"I'm not a minister, Nydia. I'm not even a very good Christian. How can I baptize you?"
"Do you remember the words, Sam?"
"No. I really don't." He searched his memory. "Well … I remember what Jesus said to the eleven disciples after the rock had rolled away … or something like that."
"Oh, Sam!" She laughed at him, her laughter tinkling bells in the forest. "All right, that will have to do. So say them. Do it."
"Do it? You mean … here? Nydia, I don't have the … uh, authority."
"What authority does it take?"
"Well, I don't know, exactly."
'Then how do you know you don't have it? I mean, you're a baptized Christian, aren't you? Can't a Christian baptize somebody?"
"I … guess so, Nydia. But I'm not about to stick you in that water," he said pointing to the creek. "You'd turn blue!"
"Then put your fingers in the creek and do that other thing."
He grinned at her, the grin fading when he saw she was serious. Feeling very much like a fool, Sam kneeled by the fast-rushing creek and wet his fingers. He touched his fingers to her forehead and said, "Jesus said this, Nydia, and I really hope someone is listening who knows what this is all about. 'All power is given unto me in Heaven and on earth.'
"'Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.'
"Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.'"
And Sam knew something all powerful had been guiding his voice, for he had not read that passage since he was a child.
He kissed her lips and said, "I feel kind of like an idiot, Nydia."
"I really hope Jesus didn't add that," she said dryly.
"What do they represent?" Susan asked, her eyes on the circle of stones.
Black moved closer to her, standing just behind the young woman. She could smell the musk of his cologne and it was rich and heady, arousing some heretofore hidden urge deep within her. Black breathed deeply of her perfume and placed his hands on her shoulders.
"It is said that here is where ancient ceremonies were held," he told her. He now stood with his groin pushing against her buttocks, knowing she could feel his slight erection. He pushed against her. She made no effort to move away.
"What kind of ceremonies?" she asked, her voice low.
"The people who worship here, Susan, worship a Master who allows them supreme pleasures in life. Their Master knows that mortals are susceptible beings, and to place too many restrictions upon them is not wise. Are you a Christian, Susan?"
"I was baptized as a child, but I don't attend church."
"Why not?"
"I just got away from it, that's all."
"The talk at school is you're untouchable. That Susan is super-cool. All ice."
"You're touching me, so the talk must be wrong."
"They say you don't smoke grass, don't drink … nothing!"
"Like I said, Black: the talk is wrong." She pushed her buttocks against his heating, swelling groin.
He moved his hands
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