Chapter 27: Not Every Victory is a Battle

A day later and they still have not felt the need to call for help or even check the condition of the motor home for that matter. They adventure out into the heat as far as they dare, but when they get back they relax for a moment and then Gabriel walks back outside and inspects the vehicle. Nothing is obviously visually wrong with it; other than the metal being searing hot. Gabriel opens the engine compartment lid and has Molly start the motor. It fires right up and seems to run fine. They let the batteries charge for a bit and turn on the air conditioner to get some relief.

Molly and Gabriel look at each other and shrug their shoulders. Perhaps this was just an enjoyable side trip. Molly stripes down and stands in front of the air conditioner vent. One thing about it being really hot is it cuts down on the cuddling time. They fall asleep content and with the plans to move on bright and early.

Later that night they are awoken by chanting. Gabriel doesn’t know what time it is, but he can tell the full moon is almost at its apex. He puts his finger to his lips for Molly to be silent. She nods and they quickly get dressed ... and armed.

They tip toe to the rock outcropping and belly crawl their way up it with assault rifles at the ready. Before they get to a spot where they can see they stop and listen. With the moon at its height and its radiance it is not hard to see.

Gabriel leans over and whispers into Molly’s ear, “It sounds like they are speaking in tongues.”

Molly nods. “Can you sense anything?” Gabriel shakes his head no. “That’s strange isn’t it?”

“Don’t forget the four demons I’ve...”

“I thought it was three.”

“Actually, I just remembered something. Anyway, the four demons I have seen I didn’t sense, I just either turned and they were there or I just knew they were there and turned to them.”

They slowly and quietly breech the top so they can see the entire scene. There are thirteen ‘people’ in a perfect circle dressed in black robes. They continuously keep chanting and then as it is building to a crescendo they start bowing in tempo with their chanting. And then it stops. The silence is so deafening it appears even the animals are holding their breaths.

The biggest one of them all, and they are all big, steps forward to a distorted mutilated blackened Joshua tree and addresses it, “My Lord, he is not lost to us yet.” This is no burning bush.

Molly tries to straighten her rifle and she sends a pebble rolling down the other side of the hill. The nearest cloaked figure quickly turns. Molly and Gabriel don’t have time to hide, not to mention if they did move even the slightest they would probably be seen. The figure looks around and at one angle Gabriel sees that it has glowing red eyes.

“My Lord,...” ‘It’ does a final look and then turns back to the ceremony. “ ... if we kill the whelp, he will be vulnerable.” Gabriel knows who they are talking about and he starts to go off. Molly puts her calming hand on him and he stops.

“Even if it is only in his mind, yes, I see what you plan. Kill her!”

“EXCUSE ME!!!” Molly looks up at him and groans.

All the figures turn their way; several disappear immediately. The apparent leader steps forward with the first battle of their victory. They believe their victory can be won without an all out battle. “Ah, Gabriel, do you have any idea what you have at your side?”

“As matter of fact I do.” That answer surprises Molly as much as it does the demons. In his left hand Gabriel is holding his assault rifle and in his right hand he is holding his cross. Gabriel already knows the assault rifle will be near useless and next to his faith the cross is his only chance at victory: which of course is a symbol of his faith.

Just to prove him wrong Molly steps in front of him and crosses her arms in defiance. “No!”

“Do you have any idea the sin on that little ... girl?”

“In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to shut up, stupid” The demon’s mouth snaps shut with an audible drum-like sound.

It tries to talk again without success. It gives up and with hand gestures orders his minions to attack. Gabriel starts walking forward with cross held as his shield and sword. “Saint Michael, the archangel, commander of the heavenly host, come to our aid.”

The cloaked figure they saw the red eyes from rushes into Gabriel and knocks him down the rest of the outcropping right through several cactus plants. As of yet he feels nothing but rage at these ‘things’ for threatening Molly. As Gabriel is getting back up he looks over at Molly and the remaining nine figures swarm Molly, pushing her to the ground under the weight of evil.

Gabriel rushes to her side, but he is again immediately knocked flying. His cross goes flying out of his hand and into the desert. Gabriel gets up with a limp.

Under the pile of demons, Molly is hearing the attack plan in full force. “If he knew what you were he wouldn’t love you.”

Then another demon says, “If he truly knew about you, he would help us.”

Then another, “He doesn’t love you! How could anybody love someone like you?”

Before she met Gabriel that tactic might have worked against her, but not anymore. Gabriel’s love is absolute and has set her free. “Enough!”