The fog was so thick it was like driving through cotton. My headlights were reflecting back to me so brightly they were blinding me. Fog on a cold October night, with a light mist falling, was just what a person with night vision impairment needed. My daughter had talked me into going to a Halloween party, against my better judgment. I don't adhere to Halloween as a proper festival. So here we were, two lost zombies.
"Mom, I don't think we're on the road anymore." My daughter announced.
"Why do you say that?"
"Because I don't think they grow corn in the middle of the street."
With that announcement my car started to go flip flop, flip flop. I pulled over (not willing to admit to my offspring she might be right) and stopped the engine. Circling the car I found, not one, but two flats, and many stalks of corn. Great, one spare and two flats! We were going to have to hoof it. I opened the trunk and got out my emergency stash. I carried walking shoes, water bottles, flashlights, umbrellas and blankets for such and event, I lose my way frequently. I had read it was best to not stay near your car when it breaks down but to get a distance between you and it while waiting for help. The first people to stop could intend harm instead of help. A lone woman (or two) in a car, even if it's locked could be attacked by a window breaking malevolent.
"How could you get us lost? Where's your GPS devise?" my daughter, Cindy, complained as we trudged through the cornfield. Our flashlights were useless in the filmy air, but the umbrellas were handy.
"I can't find it. It won't tell me where it is."
Some thing was ordering me to go the other way, but I paid it no attention. Our dog, Scruffy, wasn't thrilled about my decision to hike forward, visually impaired by the impenetrable mist. He stopped frequently to sit and look up eagerly at something behind us. If I didn't know better it seemed like the hair on his head got ruffled by an unseen hand occasionally; there must be a breeze.
Up ahead I made out the beginning of an uneven fence. The closer we got I saw broken gaps in it. As we got even closer I realized it wasn't a fence but rows of rocks. Even closer, I discovered the rocks were tombstones. This is getting better, fog, mist, dark, zombie costumes, a complaining teenager, a peculiar acting dog and now a cemetery. Hopefully we'd come on a church or office building with a phone I could use, even if I had to break in. I saw breaking and entering as acceptable at this point.
Little orbs of light were rising from the graves and streaking about. They grouped together into larger orbs and zig zagged in the same direction we were headed, further into the burial ground. Something told me to go back and Scruffy barked in agreement. Once again, I ignored my gut.
The orbs were intriguing. They weren't fireflies as I first suspected. I'd heard of these things before. Supposedly they were the dead making themselves known. Cindy was trembling and holding on to my arm as I stupidly continued onward. Up ahead I saw a bright blaze. Yea, people, maybe they had cell phones. We proceeded on. Weird moaning assaulted our ears. Something in me insisted I retreat and Scruffy seconded the motion. I disregarded my gut instincts one more time, pushing back useful feelings of apprehension with womanly curiosity.
.
Tombstones to my left, tombstones to my right. Tombstones behind me, tombstones ahead of me. Large grotesque statues were placed arbitrarily throughout. No way would I want to spend eternity with one of those things hovering over me. We were deeply entrenched in the home of the dead. Lights flickered here and there amassing in size, and numbers. I swear they were luring us onward as they swirled around us.
In front of us a huge mausoleum blocked my complete view of a brilliant blaze entrapped in a circle with several uncanny looking characters dancing about. Cindy and I hugged the wall and peered around the stone structure, timidly. Several figures were nude, some, with pasty white complexions had on black Gothic costumes and ebony black hair that matched black painted lips and eyes. They were undulating and chanting to the enlarging blaze. The blaze was evoking the participation of ghouls and goblins who eagerly acquiesced.
I actually recognized a few of the women from work. Ordinary people during the day, followers of Satan in their spare time!
The orbs of light skipped about erratically, growing larger and coalescing into a menacing ball that spun around revealing a hideous, laughing face. Some of the orbs formed hazy figures that floated nearby talking to members of a séance who were asking for love, career and revenge advice. This was a witch's coven! They had summoned Satan, his minions, and the spirits of the dead. Actually, Satan was fooling even his followers. These dead souls were in reality more of his evil cohorts imitating those that had died, after all demon's are master liars and know about the lives of those that passed on to glory well enough to deceive susceptible individuals. Boy, I wished I'd listened to that inner voice that warned me to not advance further! Hindsight always gets me into trouble. This was the night the veil between two worlds’s opened and evil spirits met with evil flesh. It was Halloween, Samhain, the sacred holiday of all who tread behind the Wicked One. We were face to face with Mr. D. Evil himself. He was making cameo appearances world wide on this, his night. Like Santa Claus he had numerous proxies. There was a tremendous amount of blood splashed about, with body parts of dismembered animals protruding from a cauldron in the center of a hexagon (Witchcraft rituals aren't for the faint hearted) I felt dinner repeating itself on me. From here on out I'm becoming a vegetarian.
My daughter, shaking tremendously, asked, "They burn virgins at these things, don't they?"
"That's what I hear."
"Good, I'm safe," she sighed.
I cast her sharp glance.
"I mean, you'll protect me, won't you?" She added hastily, covering her mouth.
"I will but only till we get home." I threatened.
How old was she now? Where did she and James go after school? I'd better do some research on this! There was a convent down the street from us. I started making plans; I wonder if they accept Baptists? If not, we'll convert.
One of the transparent bodies looked in our direction, scanning, searching, and sniffing. How he missed us, I don't know, but he appeared to look me right in the eye, but more through me, I should say. Some shadow had appeared that screened us from his vision. I had the strangest sensation of being enveloped in feathers. Scruffy was straining to run but something pulled on his collar preventing him from revealing our presence. The face in the giant ball zoomed in on us. I uttered the name of Jesus in defense and the face shrank back, recoiling in fear. (Anyway, I hoped it was the name of Jesus that threatened the evil one and not my lovely countenance.) The great destroyer trembled. My gut told me to make a mad dash for it, and this time I hearkened to the promptings. Like Peter's stroll on water I doubted my strength would prevail.
Grabbing Cindy's wrist I whirled us both in the direction of the car. Unfortunately both our flashlight batteries died at once. Dying in a cemetery, coincidental? It was hard to follow our footsteps in the murkiness but we held our own. I could hear people in pursuit, hurling profane curses at us. They may not have seen us but they knew we were present; at least our flashlights weren't giving us away. I tripped over what felt like a foot and fell into a hole. Cindy landed on top of me, followed by Scruffy who seemed to be tossed in.
"Why'd you shove me?" she wailed, wiping mud out of her mouth.
"I didn't shove you, why did you trip me?" I questioned.
"I didn't trip you!" Cindy responded
"Who threw Scruffy in!" We added in unison.
Footsteps pounded past us overhead. What was this hole doing in the middle of nowhere. Eek, its a grave! There we lay, a dog and two zombies in a empty grave, a perfect prop for our attire. Am I the only one who finds this amusing.
When we deemed it safe, we crawled out rapidly and raced each other to the car, my old body keeping pace with Cindy's athletic one. Upon arrival I noticed the tires had been fixed! No one was around and I felt no need to question our luck. Yanking the door open we barreled in. Scruffy leaped eagerly into the back seat. Observing him through the rear view mirror he seemed to be licking the air on either side of him. What a odd little animal!
The two invisible beings Scruffy was sandwiched between looked at each other and smiled. One of them was scratching Scruffy's belly.
"The dog seems to be the only one that knows we helped." One being commented.
Before I started the ignition I grabbed Cindy's hand and bowed my head," Thank you most gracious God for saving us despite my stubbornness."
The other being nodded satisfied. "They know who really helped."
The two heavenly creations fanned their wings, the confines of the car not the least bit hindering their wide wingspan, and took flight.
"What's that?" I quizzed, as two shadows past over the hood in front of us.
"Two doves! Two large doves! Just drive!" Cindy ordered, looking out the back window for signs of our pursuers.
The fog opened up in front of us like the parting of the Red Sea . We drove between the opaque wall with the car lights illuminating the aisle that formed in the center. We stayed on the tail of the "seeing-eye" doves till we found the main highway and sped home with a story no one would ever believe. How could they? We didn't believe it. As the unholy crowd caught up with us the fog closed back up on them, causing them to grope about sightlessly. Two zombies, carrying Betty Boop umbrellas, chased by witches and demons! Halloween would never be celebrated in my home again.
At home I showered thoroughly and discarded my zombie outfit in trash bin, had a long conversation with God and went to sleep, at peace and forgiven.
The next morning Cindy came down to the kitchen, poured a bowl of raisin bran, sat down and starting eating. She had grown up overnight, I thought as I observed her budding curves and lankly form. I pulled out the chair next to her, nonchalantly, sat down with my coffee, opened the newspaper and casually asked, "Now, what's this about virgins?"
Cereal spewed forth across the table, a raisin hit me in the ear, and flakes landed in my java. As I patted her back we began one seriously overdue discussion.
Deut. 18:9-14
Psalm 34:7
Gal 5:10
James 2:19
James 4:7-10
Rev 21:8
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