Part 20 (1/2)
Chapter Fifteen.
Roy had been concealed behind the junk pile in the garage for over an hour, waiting for the boys to enter the garage with Frank. As he waited, he attempted to communicate with Sam. It had been difficult.
Sam was distrustful of anyone Roy's age. Roy tried to explain the wooden matchbox and powder would work but only for a while, and that many others would be hurt later on when Frank broke free of the cage. He told Sam that he'd convinced David to play it another way instead of using the items, and that they'd be in the garage soon. He told Sam that David intended to kill Frank when they got to the garage, to protect Sean and Garth.
Sam had not been very communicative. Roy didn't know if he approved of the plan or if he was ignoring him all along since he didn't acknowledge much of what Roy was saying. Roy had begged him to help David if he could, once they arrived in the garage. Sam didn't say he would.
After a while the conversation stopped. Roy told Sam he'd wait for the boys to arrive by hiding behind the pile. Sam didn't say anything in return.
The garage was silent. The musty smell of cut gra.s.s mixed with the smell of burnt wood and creosote. It was a smell Roy remembered from similar buildings in his youth. He always a.s.sociated that smell with spiders.
David appeared in the doorway of the garage. He looked around, waiting for his eyes to adjust.
”Davy,” Roy called. ”Back here.”
David walked inside the garage and tentatively towards Roy's voice. Once he made his way around the junk pile, he saw Roy crouched down near the floor. He also sensed the presence that was with Roy, listening.
Roy saw David's reaction, his fear. David was more susceptible to the flow than he realized. The demon was scaring him off.
”I... I don't know if I should do this, mister,” David said, backing away a little.
”You're scaring the boy, it'll ruin the plan!” Roy told the demon.
”I've been waiting a long time, much longer than usual,” the demon said, his voice rumbling in the lowest registers they could hear. ”I want my payment.”
”Your payment comes after Davy shoots Frank,” Roy said. ”Not before. We talked about this.”
”It looks like your father is having a change of heart,” the demon said. ”If he fails, I'll take you so quickly you won't realize it happened.”
”What is he?” David asked, taking another step back. ”He's not human.”
”No,” Roy said. ”He isn't. He brought me here so I could help you solve this.”
”He called me your father,” David said. ”Those weren't visions, were they?”
”You're right, they weren't visions. That's what actually happens in the future.”
”And I am your father?”
”Yes,” Roy said, ”you are. You are my father. You named me Roy.”
David looked like he wanted to bolt from the room, but he didn't move.
”If I don't do this, what happens, in the future?”
”Frank comes back after several years, attacking me, my son, and his son.”
”I'm a grandfather, and a great-grandfather?”
”Yes, and they're all grateful to you for what you did, what you pa.s.s on from your father, all of it. But we won't be around if you don't do this.”
”And him?” David asked, pointing at the demon.
”He was the only way I could come back here and talk to you. He will take Frank's soul as payment for bringing me here, if you kill him. If you don't, he'll take me instead.”
Roy felt he'd put every compelling reason on the table that he could. It was a mixture of truth and lies, all designed to get David to pull the trigger. Any more and he'd be pus.h.i.+ng too hard, increasing the risk that David might back out. He stopped and looked at David with as desperate an expression as he could muster.
”Is that true?” David asked the demon.
”It is,” the demon answered. ”I will be paid, one way or the other. And I won't wait much longer.”
David looked at Roy. From inside the house they could hear screaming, a mixture of the boys yelping and Frank's loud, booming voice. They could hear things smas.h.i.+ng. Then they heard the sound of the kitchen door opening and slamming shut, and the rapid fall of approaching footsteps.
”They're here,” Roy said. ”Now it's your choice, Davy. Frank, or me.”
David removed the pistol from his back belt where he'd concealed it under his s.h.i.+rt.
”Do you know how to use it?” Roy asked.
”I think so,” he said.
”Come hide here with me in the shadows. Once Frank comes in you can use it on him. He'll be blind for the first few moments when he walks in as his eyes adjust to the darkness. That's the time.”
David joined Roy behind the junk pile, pistol in hand. It was large in his hand, and heavy. Roy saw the gun droop a bit as he held it.
”Use both hands,” he whispered to David as Garth came running into the garage. He was crying and breathing hard.
”Davy, you here?” Garth said, trying to catch his breath.
”Yeah, I'm here,” David said.
”Good. Sean is on his way. Frank is madder than a hornet's nest.”
Within a moment Sean came running into the garage. He had a black eye and blood was running from a cut on his cheek.
”Did he see you come out here?” Garth asked.
”Yes, he saw me,” Sean said. ”Is Davy here?”
”Yes, he's here,” Garth said. ”What do we do?”
”I don't know,” Sean said. ”Davy, what do we do?”