Chapter 26 - 22: Deal with the Devil (1/2)

James stood in the kitchen pouring himself a glass of southern bourbon. He didn't drink often especially since the birth of his first grandchild, but with everything going on he didn't need a shot glass or anything nearly as small. His original plan was to get completely shit faced until John came and showed himself, but before his lips and mustache could touch the glass he heard glass breaking in his livingroom.

With the speed of someone 30 years younger, he quickly ran towards the sound expecting Candice to have spotted another of John zombies or Alexia and her family to come and get payback for locking them up, but instead, he found an almost paralyzed Candice staring at the screen of their t.v. Before he could say or ask anything the new which was being reported on the screen. For a quick moment, he thought it was just a movie until he saw their local news anchor on screen talking and discussing with her partner the details of the broadcast.

James watched on as he watched them replay the recording couldn't help but notice the absolute similarities to which the creature said he was wronged. Deep down he wanted to believe this wasn't John, the big brother he'd sworn to help, now looking like a demon on national news.

”Hun...” James said still standing in the entrance to the living room.

Candice cautiously turned around with her mouth open and half a grin laid b.a.r.e upon half her face as she made eye contact with James.

Her eyes that had latched on to James had switched their target back to the t.v and back to James as she pointed at it. James had only seen his wife this shocked when she had once believed she had found evidence of The Rake only to be let down when it turned out to have been fabricated by her source.

James sat next to Candice and grabbed hold of her hand with care and worry as he knew this would probably become another troublesome affixation, but this time he too was affixed to what he had seen. The very words of the creature caught on the recording was an exact summary of John's life until his very death at the hands of the cold-hearted and misinformed bitch that murdered his brother as he thought on.

Thinking about how Alexia put the finishing touch to what James could guess was his brother on national news anger and hatred filled his mind all the while within his heart was like an anchor pulling him into an unwanted stream of tears that he held back.

Candice taking a break to check on James saw the watering eyes that kept back the tears he wouldn't let fall. She knew this part of James like the back of her hands as it would mean she was a horrible wife of more than 60 years if she couldn't see the clear distress he was going through. She gently placed her free hand over the hand he had put over hers and said, ”It's alright James. He might have been taken from us but now he's back and once he arrives I'm sure he'll answer our questions.”

”Indeed I will to a certain extent.” A ghastly voice says from behind them close to the entrance to the hallway with the stairs and front door.

It was John standing in the entrance to the hallway which led to the stairs and front door. His tall and hulking pitch black body along with his skeletal wings reflected the light from the lamp that sat by the window. John had ducked a little so he wouldn't hit his head or horns on the top of the entrance.

Both James and Candice stared at the massive figure that had snuck up on them while not making so much as a noise. They didn't a clue as to how he had gotten behind them but all they knew was they were afraid as despite their differing beliefs they both had a singular thought within their heads, that satan himself had appeared before them.

”Hello, there brother it's been a rowdy couple of days hasn't it,” John says in his ghastly voice while c.o.c.king his head to the left in hopes that this gesture would be seen lower tensions.

Hearing the word brother James snaps out of his perplexed and terror riddled mental state. At first, he didn't want to believe his brother was the creature on the news but seeing it appear out of nowhere in his livingroom calling him brother all doubt left his mind and cautiously walked around the couch. He himself didn't know why he was making his way toward his horrifying brother but he didn't want to lose him again the way he did.

Standing in front of the hulking figure that was his brother who was now a creature of hellish statue. Without saying anything they both hugged as if they were both separated again as if one of them had been lost at sea.

Candice who was still in a shocked state of mind looked at the two lost like a student reading a book without page numbers and without a bookmark. John sensing the confused and scared gaze of Candice lets go of his brother and looks directly at her and says, ”Enough of this sentimental moment I have things to explain, things to discuss with you two and something to offer you both.”

Feeling her bewilderment climaxing she asked, ”Wha- What offer?”

John looked at Candice then at James and said, ”Salvation.”

Before the both of them could process the meaning of Johns use of the word Salvation James' phone rings. He answers while still staring at John while trying to comprehend his offer. On the other end, garbled noise and screams were clear as day before the voice on the other side yells, ”Mr.Mattheson we have two major problems on our hands, one is less of a problem at the moment so I'm gonna get to the problem...”

Before the man on the other could finish his sentence gunfire could be heard in the background. The man without waiting for James to answers says, ”Sir the officer who was injured during the incident at your house has begun attacking people by eating, biting, and clawing people like a feral animal. After a while, we thought we had him pinned down but everyone who he injured became just like him like he passed on a disease or infection of some sort. Sir the entire Hornbrew City FBI Branch is in chaos. I've already reported this to every official I could sir and with you out of commission for tonight while you tend to your wife I found this to be the appropriate action.”