Authors: Richard Jackson
I can sense her nodding, waiting. “
Tell me about the Seven.
”
A sense of barely suppressed revulsion and horror jumps across the link. The images are raw and ugly, far from the beauty I’ve come to associate with Kara’s thoughts. When she regains her composure, her voice is strained. “
You’ve encountered demons in the past. You know what they are like.
”
My last encounter with a demon left me with an ardent desire to steer clear of them or anything remotely resembling demonic possession. I still have nightmares about that case. There are all sorts of spirits and I’ve dealt with more than my fair share of them. Demons are the most malevolent and powerful. They have no qualms about possessing people. Some of the more dangerous ones can inhabit places and even objects. Once they have a home, they make life extremely short, painful and miserable for anyone who has the bad luck to stumble across them. I leave them to the numerous bible thumpers, exorcists and spiritualists who specialize in dealing with them.
“
The Seven are far more powerful. They are like spirits but they aren’t from the spirit world, they originate from this one. That means they can’t be exorcised or banished. Long ago, they fought the Dragons and the First Magics were used to defeat them. The Seven were bound tight in a dreamless sleep but if someone were to awaken them….
”
There is no need for her to finish the thought. I have a vivid imagination. It comes in handy in this sort of lifestyle. Right now, I wish it wasn’t quite so vivid. The picture Kara has painted doesn’t leave any doubt in my mind about how bad things will get if the Seven are awakened. They are dangerous on a scale I’m not comfortable thinking about. Demons revel in spreading fear, madness and corruption. It would be hell on Earth if enough demons were let loose and these Seven sound far worse. There would be no ‘easy’ way to get rid of them. No matter what, someone is going to have to ‘discourage’ Meredith.
“
My little trick is related to the First Magics, right?
”
Another nod as she murmurs softly “
It’s not a trick but yes. Your connection to the First Magics makes it difficult for all lesser magics to affect you. This connection lets you understand the parchment. It is also how our link works.
”
I don’t have to think my next question for Kara to know what it is. She answers it. “
Some are born with the power, others can learn it and in some rare cases the ability is given as a gift. The Dragon you saw, she is the one who gave you your gift.
”
On some level, I had always known my little talent was a gift. People just don’t pick up magical abilities or weird talents. Kara is leaving something out, as if she is unsure or unable to say it. I let her off the hook. “
Can you tell me how to attune myself to the ring?
”
Her reply is sad as if she were a doctor telling me I have a terminal case of cancer “
Yes, but it obeys the laws of time and effort. Given time, you could do it but that would take weeks. You could learn to do so sooner but with great effort and risk.
”
In other words, I don’t have enough time to learn how to use the ring unless I want to try something suicidal.
“
So, how much time do I have, doc?
”
”
You have until the end of next week. Meredith shouldn’t be able to tamper with the Bloodstone again as long as you keep your guard up.
”
I realize how hard this must be for her, hard enough that I have to give her a little hope. Two weeks isn’t much time but it is better than nothing.
“So we have some time to figure something out. We have a chance,” I say, meaning it. Nothing is impossible. I just hope we come up with something before I take what will probably be a one way trip to the boondocks.
Chapter Eight
It’s the next day when I leave Solomon’s library. I think I’m the only person he has ever allowed to crash there besides Nerva. Instead of going home, I take the #5 train into the Bronx. My destination is only a few blocks away from where I grew up. A lot has changed for the better. Meredith’s property is the exception to the rule. It stands there as a monument to a past best forgotten. I look at the building and frown. Something is not right here. Kara can feel it too.
The South Bronx is in the midst of a minor renaissance. Real estate is at a premium. The abandoned buildings and junkyards of yesteryear are a thing of the past. New housing is rising from the ashes. The slums have given way to the promise of a better tomorrow, everywhere but here. What made 168th Street and Forest Avenue different? Why would Meredith let this building sit and rot? With only with a little work, he could make a killing here.
On the surface, everything looked normal. The front of the building was old and run down, a shadow of its former glory. Wooden boards were nailed over the windows and doors. Granted, the neighborhood could be better. It could be closer to the subway but that wasn't a reason to let good real estate go to waste.
”
It’s one of those buildings,”
Kara says and she’s right.
If you’re not looking for them, you can miss the little clues and details that act as a warning. The building was free of the graffiti and posters that decorate most other abandoned buildings and construction sites. In this day and age, people jump at the chance for free advertising or to show off their art but not here. Everyone and thing avoided this place. Not even a pigeon could be seen roosting on the building. People took the extra effort to cross the street instead of walking past the place.
The more and more I see, the less and less I like this set up. Kara is right. This is one of those buildings. What do I mean by that? It's simple. You ever wonder why some buildings, no matter how many housing violations they have are never condemned. Meanwhile other buildings are closed for seemingly trivial matters. I used to chalk it up to bribery, corruption, incompetence, or the warped thinking of bureaucrats but there was a much simpler reason I learned when I started working as a paranormal investigator.
This may sound old and tired. That doesn't stop it from being another one of those universal truths that pop up in my line of work. There are things that shouldn't be disturbed. There are people who shouldn't be bothered. There are places that shouldn't be entered. That's the way things are. That's the way they have always been. Everyone knows it even if it's only on a subconscious level. Some choose to ignore their gut feelings especially those who have more greed than they do common sense. Real estate agents and developers are notorious for this.
This building was one of those places. I know it, Kara knows it and so does Meredith. It was abandoned but not for any mundane reason. That's why he brought the place. That is why he is content not to have any work done on it. Okay, so what am I dealing with here? I could check it out now in the light of day but too much can go wrong. Rushing headlong into the unknown is a good way to end a career especially with someone like Meredith in the mix. I opt for the safer course of action. I’ll come back later after I make a few preparations. It might be more dangerous to explore the place at night but it will still be safer than going in blind. Also, there will be fewer potential witnesses.
***
I like to travel light. It’s a good habit I picked up in my youth. I find it easier to move around when I’m not loaded down with a lot of excess baggage especially if I need to move fast. Ordinarily, I would bring a few more items with me but I’m trespassing and have a strong aversion to jail. The canvas messenger bag is just big enough to hold everything I need and small enough to stay out of my way. If I was actually on a case and doing this legally, I would have a floor plan of the building. I wouldn’t have to worry about breaking in. Instead, I look for the best way to do this.
As I hoped, I don’t have to worry about witnesses. The criminal element is smarter than me. They steer clear of this block. At eleven pm, the street is deserted. Someone even took the liberty to shatter all of the street lights casting the block into shadows. I am alone here and the vibe coming from the building reinforces my belief.
I make a quick circuit of the building. Despite the lack of work done on the place, it looks quite secure. The wooden boards covering the ground floor windows have been replaced recently. The front, back and basement doors sport brand new padlocks on them. I won’t be going in through one of the doors, picking locks is not one of the skills I have mastered. Kara can’t sense any magic or spirits from outside the building, just the same sense of uneasiness I feel. I still don’t know what I might be facing in there. Is it worth going in there? Anything could happen.
“
You shouldn’t be doing this by yourself
,” Kara says. She is probably right. I don’t bother answering her with words. I just try to reassure her with my confidence. This is important, I just know it. I would lose time if I tried to get Hagan or one of my other friends to help me. Time is something I don’t have.
The left side of the building looks promising. There are no doors but a fire escape ladder is within easy reach. I reach into my bag and pull on my black gloves. They are made for climbing and handling sharp objects. No need to risk cutting myself on a rusty piece of metal or getting a splinter. I have enough problems with my knee. A quick climb and I am through a second floor window. My knee only murmurs in discontent once I am inside.
The living room is empty of furniture, cleaned out long ago. It is dark and empty except for that cold and humid abandoned building smell. The glow stick I pull out and drop next to the door marks the apartment in case I need to get out of here in a hurry. I check my bag, eyeing the rest of my equipment: a filtered mask, a small crowbar and eleven more glow sticks are all that remain after I pull out the flashlight. Its illumination does little to pierce the gloom as I move deeper into the building.
It’s slow going. I have to be careful of my footing since I didn’t bring a rope or safety harness. I also left my hard hat behind. Most of the metal has been stripped from the building for scrap. Gaping holes can be seen where radiators and pipes are missing. A misstep might result in a sprained ankle or broken leg, neither of which would be good. Even though I have my cell phone with me, I would rather not have to use it. There would be a lot of questions, questions that aren’t easily answered.
There are no scavengers, human or rodent. Another oddity is the lack of trash and debris in the hallway. It makes the surroundings even more destitute than they should be. The stairs are an accident waiting to happen. Some of the steps are missing making the descent treacherous in the darkness. The first floor apartments and lobby are just as barren as the ones upstairs. There are no clues as to why this place makes me and Kara feel so uncomfortable.
The stairs leading down to the basement are particularly dark and uninviting. Even though these stairs have been repaired recently, I descend carefully. This is the kind of place where bad things happen to people. Sometime in the past, part of the basement was walled off. Boxes are stacked up haphazardly against the walls, making the large central room seem cluttered. The smell and humidity aren’t as bad down here. From somewhere in the darkness, I can hear the sound of something humming, a machine of some sort. Maybe it is a heater or a dehumidifier on its last legs. That means the power is still working.
What used to be the laundry room is exceptionally disturbing. The washers and dryers are long gone but strong ropes have been stung out across the room presumably for hanging laundry. I can see more rope coiled neatly in one gloomy corner of the room before Kara directs my attention to the hooks set in the ceiling at odd intervals. What the hell is this place being used for?
The crowbar finds its way into my hand. It does little to ease my mind as I continue my exploration. I follow the sound of machinery and find a door through to other side of the walled off area.
Unlike the rest of the basement, the floor is gone. The foundation and natural stone are exposed. There is a sense of age and something else.
Kara whispers “
People have died here. Some recently…..
”
That was it. Death has a smell all its own. It comes in more flavors than ice cream but it is always unpleasant and never welcome. There is no altar or the usual occult trappings, just a feeling to the place. This is a place of pain and suffering. It is probably Meredith’s work but that isn’t enough to make this building stand out. There is something else, something I can’t place a finger on. Why would Meredith rip up the floor and dig down to the bare stone foundation?
I kneel down to touch the stone feeling the coldness through my gloves. Kara screams a warning as something makes contact with me through the stone. It takes all of my willpower to jerk my hand away and fight against the mind numbing sensation that grip me. I stumble out of the room, desperate to get away from the stone and whatever is in it.
This is an experience I could have done without. I fall to my hands and knees in the super’s apartment and decorate the warped wooden floor with the contents of my stomach. “What the hell?”
Kara answers with an unending stream of emotional babble. She is thinking and speaking too fast for me to keep up with her. It takes a lot to rattle her this badly. The only word I catch is “Servitor” and a sense that it shouldn’t be here. I wait for her to calm down. It gives me time to get my guts under control. My head is still reeling from the brief moment of contact with whatever that thing was. I spit, trying in vain to clear the sour taste from my mouth when I realize I am not alone.
I move quietly to the door of the apartment and use the peephole to see what is going. Someone has turned on the lights in the main room. Even so, I can’t see much. I can tell there are at least three people moving around. For a brief moment, I catch a glimpse of two men. They drag a third figure into the room I recently vacated.
There is the sound of talking, more like orders being given. Like an idiot, I slip out of the apartment and into the light. This is beyond stupid but I have to see, I have to know. I hold my breath not daring to make a sound as I peak into the room.