Hatasu

By CrossFire Falcone

Bored country girl Grace Felice decides to add some thrills to her life and dives into the world of black magic. Against the advice of her true love, Joe Criss, she all too quickly gets tangled up with some Wicca promising more thrills than she can handle. This initiation into a guaranteed wicked good time cemetery sance exposes her to an ancient Egyptian pharaoh named Hatchetsup Hatasu. Suddenly the dark arts get as real, and as dark, as it gets, as she witnesses the power of life and death. It shakes her up so badly that she decides she's done with black magic and tries to go back to her boring, small-town life. Unfortunately, Hatasu isn't done with her. He sees real potential in Grace and decides to violently show her just how serious he is about her and the consequences of saying no! Meet Grace, a new kind of heroine, battling her way back to "good" from the insidious fringe where she thought she always wanted to be, back to normal, where she never thought she would want so desperately to return. Along the way, she finds out who she really is, who her friends really are, and ultimately the only one who can really save her.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Nov 30, 2012
• ISBN: 9781449773472

CrossFire Falcone

CROSS+FIRE FALCONE is the Pastor of CROSS+FIRE DRAGON+SLAYERS, COGIC in Lansing, Michigan. He is also a Christian counselor, a father of two, and a lover of the magnificent seven: baseball, music, swimming, laughter, honesty, fighting the good fight, and of course, love.

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Copyright © 2012 Joseph Green

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ISBN: 978-1-4497-7346-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-7347-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012920672

WestBow Press rev. date: 11/29/2012

Contents

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

Chapter IX

Chapter X

Chapter XI

Chapter XII

Chapter XIII

Epilogue

Chapter I

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Thursday, 10-31-91, 7:21 P.M. Halloween

Breathtaking You

Exquisite Nose, Stunning Eyes

Her Valentine Mouth Smiles True

Sensitive, Warm, Sensual

Joyful, Sweet, Breathtaking You

Summer Starry Sky Breezes

Living Dreams Giving Laughter

Baseball, Sonnets, And Jesus

Love Happ’ly Ever After

Each Others Favorite Fan

Sharing Our Hearts Hand In Hand

United Family Plan

United Families Stand

A Light-House For Each Other

Fighting Battles Together

Faith, Hope And Loves Endless Bliss

Begun With One Tender Kiss

+ Joe Criss

A hunters moon danced serenely off the shores of Spinner Lake. The silent sway of the trees gave the sensation of lying suspended at the sandy white bottom, gazing up at the stars.

She watched him approach quickly, strides bold and confident. A rush of relief overwhelmed her and she rushed out to meet him. He brushed the hair from her face and gently kissed her eyes.

Beloved, why are you crying?

She put her finger over his lips and led him into the cave. She paused to light a crimson candle. In the flickering penumbra the boy noticed her stifled wince. He gently put his hand with hers and they held the light together.

In the murky illumination he could distinguish a roughly circular chamber. Stalactites stabbing down like fangs gave the entrance a dragon’s mouth appearance. A stack of books, a sleeping bag and a first aid kit sat neatly organized a few feet away. A framed picture of them at Prom lay on top of the sleeping bag.

He picked up the book on top of the stack: The Necronomicon.

What’s going on? No matter what, we’ll make it through together. Don’t go slippin’ from cave to cavern like a slizard cause you’re afraid of the cops. I am with you now. I dare the devil himself to trouble one hair on your beautiful head. Don’t sleep out here with the bats. I love you. I ain’t never gonna let nothin’ bad happen to you ever.

She put his arms around her. I like this cave best. This is our cave.

That’s nice. But it’s still a cave. How are you gonna manage school? Marry me, Grace. My folks love you. I love you.

But do you trust me?

Course I do.

Prove it.

Love ain’t no dare, Grace. But I got somethin’ for you anyways that’ll fix everything. It ain’t right to give it to you on Halloween though. I ain’t stuper-stitious but maybe it’ll keep till tomorrow. It’s up to you, my love. Your wish is my command.

Tomorrow, my precious love. Or any day but this day.

I gave you my word, Grace, and I never go back on my word. What’s wrong with this day?

Nothing baby. Please, I don’t want nothin’ else on our day but our day.

OK. I’ll keep everything under wraps till tomorrow. Tomorrow is just for us. He kissed her tear stained eyes.

Please don’t listen to anything Saint Tony says or I’ll give him a real Valentine’s day massacre! Swear to me. Your true blue rock of information and misguided morality compass needs to keep his stigmata mouth to his Justin Martyr self sometimes.

I don’t love Tony Valentine. I love you. Anyways, I got back late so I went to your house but there was cops all over the place. I figured you’d be here. I’ll see Tony at work.

I didn’t do it! You gotta believe me!

Do what? I didn’t feel like askin’ fuzzy Johnny Law. The girl started sobbing.

Come on Grace, you’re the tough chick, bemember?

Joey, somethin’ iniquitous got loose and it’s my fault. But I found this book. It ain’t nothin’ like I ever read before. Ifn’ it’s right, then what that Santero told me is gonna get me kilt.

If that Santero touches you even by accident, I’ll splatter his Wicca-worlock face all over LeLear County!

She kissed her finger and put it over his lips. Joey, I done everything wrong. God my O, I know that book is right!

What book?

Patience, my love. There’s no time right now. I’ll tell you everything I know later, I promise you. It puts a big gap right in the middle of everything I done. That book changes everything!

Tell me this little secret. You workin’ for the government or what? And what does a ten-dollar word like iniquitous mean?

Evil. Sweet baby it means evil. And as soon as I figure it out I’ll tell my beloved all about it. Just let me get out of the bat-cave and on to a computer so I kin do what I gotta do. She bit her lip. Touched his cheek with the back of her trembling hand. There’s somethin’ I need you to do for me. Please my love, I never needed you more than right now. She led him to her sleeping bag. They both knelt.

Swear to me that you’ll never leave me alone again. Ever.

Never ever.

She kissed his hands and he felt her tears. No matter what happens, no matter what any one says, I love you more desperately than any girl ever loved any boy. I would come back from the grave for you, Joey. I would never hurt you. You are my life. I love you and don’t let anyone ever tell you different.

He was speechless. Grace lay back on the cot and painfully drew him to her.

I love you Joey. Forever and a day.

Forever and a day. He blew out the light.

Halloween Night

Thursday October 31, 1991 11:34 P.M.

Take A Long Look In The Mirror, Child What Do You See?

The Seer Puts Her Quivering Hands Through To Peer Clearly

Fingertips Embrace The Face Of Who Can’t Be Embraced

His Callous Carnage Chalice Spreads Ubiquitously

Tempus Devours Tempest As The Asp Swallows The Wasp

Shreiking, Quaking In A Watery Crystal Bubble

Dragon Battles Butterfly: Colliding, Subsiding

All Fall In The Sphere Squall, Wounds Drowned In Miry Muddle

Wading, Waiting Unlock The Loch Of Putrified Bones

Vapors Of Vipers, Throat Garrote, Choke, Rasp, Burning Gasps

Swirled Slush, Crushed Rush, You Know You Can’t Go Home: Hush Child Hush

You Knew Not To Follow Through, You Knew Never To Ask

+ Grace

Don’t give me that Jesus freak, Bible thumpin’, Christian Biblay scunge and flubby nonsense! You don’t know what you’re talkin’ about! Joe Criss sat on Tony’s chest, on the floor of the Jinxton Warehouse.

Grace would never do that to me! She loves me! He pounded the boy’s head on the floor in rhythm with his words: She loves me! I know she does. I know it!

Maybe if Grace had a little more Bible thumpin’ Christian goodness she woulda stayed faithful!

Shut up! Joe Criss stood up and took a long pull off a bottle of whiskey. He dusted his knees off. Easy, Eustace. I would trust Grace with my life.

Tony rubbed his neck as he sat on the concrete. Joe Criss offered the bottle to him. Then I’m talkin’ to a dead man. And that’s Mr. Eastace to stiff-necked heathens like you! Quaken’ and achin’ over a girl who’s tweakin’ and fakin’ you out! You ain’t even married, lover-boy! You don’t owe her anything but the love of Christ! So lose her! If you get desperate, call her in Lid-Ville long distance!

Leave my Grace alone.

Nay! He slapped his hand and the bottle shattered. You blind ungrateful jippity flibbit!

Joe Criss held up the broken neck. You are a reject. That was a very expensive Texas fifth. Worth far more than your obscure-reference life and your Holier-than-Hay-soos words. My Grace would never lie to me.

Right! I got better things to do then baby sit your pop-tart for you! I did it as a favor for you, remember? Anyway, I saw her! Darla saw her! Fifty drunk back woods country pan-heads at the party saw her! It was Dis-Grace, Psycho-witch to the stars. You asked me to tell you what I saw so I told you what I saw!

Nonsense.

She’s putting the hammer helix to your noggin! LONG PAUSE …Look, Joe Criss, you’re my friend."

LONG PAUSE.

My best friend.

No reply. Just the sound of bats, bugs and bullfrogs.

Drop it, Valentine, and back off! Said Joe Criss as he ran fingers through goldish brown hair. Pushed it back in tired irritation as both regained self-control. And what she does with my dome ain’t none of your business, Mr. Holy Joe Messiah freak.

If it ain’t, why’d you beg me to watch her in the first place! Is your brain stuck on pause?

I don’t beg. This little dialogue is over. Said Joe Criss, calmly spitting on the ground.

Did I stutter, sleeping beauty? Said Tony, waving his hands in front of Joe Criss to make sure he was awake. This ain’t a second hand maybe, you selectively blind basset-boy! Listen, Me and Darla snuck up to Gallagher’s room all ninja like. Everybody at the party was down stairs wasted. We figured we could count on Gallagher to give us a good laugh. But when we got there, his door was locked. We heard some trick chic inside squeelin’ like a stuck hog. Darla asked what kinda loser would love Gallagher this week and we heard some whisperin’, some drunk Ooh baby twaddle. Tony used his Grace Felice voice for effect. And then she babbles some weird Iron Maiden Off-neena newf junk like she’s all possessed or just really intoxi-briated."

Enough! Joe Criss grabbed him by the collar but Tony pushed him away, bruised but undaunted.

So Gallagher keeps tryin’ to get this chick to settle down cause they didn’t wanna get caught! Me and Darla figured we’d bust in and scare the Wodka right out of them!

Shut up! Smack. Tumble. Fall. Tony palmed a bloody lip. Red saw red. He tackled Joe Criss and they fell on the floor punching. This time it was Tony on top.

You’re gonna hear it, you little derelict! You whined about that stinkin’ party all week! You hadda know so I hadda go! Darla didn’t want nothin’ to do with it! We coulda went to the rodeo! Grace’s playin’ you and you’re too stupid to figure it! Tell her to go away! Find a good girl next time, instead of a witch! It’s Halloween, just say boo! That way you don’t keep wakin’ up on front street!

Joe Criss climbed to his feet. Nice. You’re quite a poet, Tony Poe-Speare.

It gets better. We busted in all laughin’ just to see your pal Gallagher with graceless Grace! Trick or treat! Real funny! It didn’t look like date rape to me, bud! Grace don’t give a flip about you! If I woulda knowed it was Grace, we woulda stayed home and watched Jeopardy!

Joe Criss hooked him hard in the face and he fell. They rolled around; arms and legs flailing like leaves in the windy city, Joe Criss screaming liar and Tony screaming that Grace was worth zero in the real world. Joe Criss swore he’d kill him if he didn’t shut his mouth but it didn’t scare Tony one bit. He grabbed Joe Criss around the neck and pulled him down, face to knees in a wrestler’s cradle. He held him there by the forklift, secure. Joe Criss grit his teeth: Grace warned me about you. When I get up, you are one dead hick-meister.

Scared of that! said Tony, But kill Grace first. Friend. That girl is bad news! No Grace under pressure.

If there’s one thing that Grace has, it’s grace under pressure.

It’s more like Grace under anybody! Anybody but you, Romeo! That girl needs the Holy Ghost! He held Joe Criss’ head down so no one caught a stray arm in the face by ‘accident’.

Joe Criss grunted through clenched teeth: You just don’t know when to shut your mouth, do you?

Sure I do. But plainly, blatanty, flaggrantly, Grace does not!

You’re compassion astounds me, Antonius.

Now ain’t the time, Julius. Beware the Ides of March! And chicks dressed like Johnny Cash! Listen, many moons ago at sixth grade camp we vowed to watch each other’s back. You musta forgot. Remember fifth grade when we stayed up all night tryin’ ta figure out how we could avoid the spelling test in Mr. Simmons class? We planned our great escape down to the smallest detail, even extra clothes and a flashlight because there was gonna be a total eclipse of the sun and we thought it was gonna get really dark and glacier cold! Man, we were crazy! We jumped off the school bus and sprinted for the highway, big Jedadiah Van Camp hot on our trail to drag us back to school! But he never caught us. We hitchhiked eighty-five miles to the big city with this crothety old man in a pick-up just to avoid a stupid spelling test! You and me, pal! And when our parents whipped our tails we ran away and found that old cave behind your house and started our Bat Club. Remember? You and me, Macthornson, Pendleton, Black and Stevens. Honesty and loyalty and no yucky girls allowed. ‘Cept for Macthornson! Well after all this time, it still means somethin’ to me! Remember freshman year? My girl sneakin’ around with Bobby Butt-head from Burgers R Us? You said I’d get over her. Time rocked on and you were right. You’ll get over it too. Forget Grace Lantus. She already forgot you. Joe Criss grit his teeth but wouldn’t answer. Tony tightened his grip. Focus on what I’m sayin’! Grace is a Mary Mega-Magdalene! Everybody in Jinxton is with that little Jezebel but you! Listen carefully: She’s makin’ you look like a poodle! Get a grip!

What about all your Christian forgiveness? Said Joe Criss.

What about all her Christian repentance! Countered Tony.

Where’s the grace, Saint Petros, Paulus and Mary-Ann?

With Gallagher! Yelled Tony.

Boy, I’m about to break out the Bruce.

Break out of coma-land first, brother.

Joe Criss made no reply. All Tony heard was slow, methodical breathing. He shifted his arm to get a better grip but Joe Criss wrapped his legs around Tony’s neck at once, flipped him over and palm-punched him in the solar-plexus.

Maybe you like my Grace a little too much! Said Joe Criss Take this Bible belt and shut yer mouth! I done told you boy, There ain’t no hope without faith, ain’t no mercy with out love, and ain’t no love without Grace!

You are quoting Cringer, I believe. Tony staggered, sideswiped him but as Joe Criss fell backward he caught balance on his fingter-tips, lept back to his feet, grabbed Tony by the hair with one hand and with his free hand in full ardent arc, stopped his fatal chop one-point-three millimeters from Tony’s exposed jugular and instant Eradication.

Yer right, rigatoni, you and me always been best friends… He pulled his flat hand away from Tony’s neck. I love her. Why don’t you understand?

I get it… Coughed Tony, Sounds like now you finally get it too… He took the clenched fist out of his hair. Stood up as straight as he could. Rubbed his sternum with both hands, figuring he needed to inhale all the oxygen he could into his intake valve fast or pass out.

The Crisis, Joe Criss is, that Grace is gettin’ it more than all of us…

Joe Criss stiff-armed him in the plexus again so fiercely that Tony soared across the cement floor into the cement wall. He strolled over to where Tony lay rattling in cement breath. Held up a finger for each lesson:

Manners. Understanding the line. Practice. So fraidy cat don’t get pounded by HE-MAN again. Joe Criss eased out of the warehouse before an asphyxiated Tony could move. After the vertigo-ing flat tire hiss Tony pulled himself up as fast as paralyzed lungs would allow. Teetered to the door as Joe Criss John Wayned into the moseying moonlight.

Tony held up three fingers in sarcastic salute: Denial! Adulteress! Prosti-tart! Every body sees it but you! He moved painfully, breathing in slow measures. Bruce-blasted. He knows I ain’t lyin. Why else would he send me?

As I watch her sleeping late at night

Dreaming the dreams the dreamer dreams

Warm folded arms reaching for my face

I kiss her smile kissed by moon-beams

My Grace, my hope, my love, faith and peace

My world, my friend, my confidant

She is everything that love should be

She is all that a man could want

No one can enter our secret realm

Our rainbow arc from sea to sea

Hold her hope, guard her heart, touch her truth

Intrepid Grace Felice and me!

+ Joe Criss

Friday November 1, 1991 12:13 AM

Joe Criss kept running. So what if he left his truck at the Warehouse. He’d get it tomorrow. He only lived a couple of miles down the road any-ways. So what if he just beat his best friend into pulp form for telling the truth. So he wanted him to go to a stupid party! Big deal! He’d fix that tomorrow too. Who needs Tony Valentine anyway!

Criss knew about Grace already. Tony just confirmed it. He couldn’t ask her face to face. Not his sweet Grace. So he sent his best friend. He needed to know for sure that she was cheating. He could trust Tony, always could. Criss had a road trip out of town. But a head trip in town. Spy versus spy for the truth!

Joey believed what Grace told him in the cave. What happened? He believed in her! Until locker room voyeur-visions sailed into the wrong ears. His. So why so hard on Tony? Precious time right down the drain-O, that’s why! His love for Grace was overwhelming and beyond reason. She was his passion. But love stalled on Veritas highway. He would apologize to Tony tomorrow.

Why was all this happening now? Why! The word echoed perpetually. He noticed for the first time that he was crying. He never cried over any girl before. Tears and curses fell behind as he ran away. He kicked a stray can on the side of the road but didn’t feel any better. An innocent old can gettin’ kicked. He could relate.

Forget Tony, the loud mouth punk! He heard thunder. I hate everybody and everything! He wanted to disappear, but instead quickened his pace.

He wandered aimlessly. Running, walking, thinking. A lonely boy wrestling the thoughts of an angry man. She said forever and a day! What happened to Grace? His Grace, once upon a time. He made it home hours later. Working third shift made him accustomed to late nights and long walks. He could hear his mammy whining already.

Peachy.

When he reached his front door, his scarlet soliloquy had ended. But his mind was made up: Forget Grace.

The sky above growled, angry with his choice. Inside was quiet and dark. The door squeaked like a Bella Lagosi flick. But this was no movie. If it was, he woulda rewound the day and played it later, when he was ready.

Mom and Dad musta went bowling or something. Nobody was around. He sorted everything in his mind. Again. But visions of Gracie-plumbs danced in his head like the moonlit gargoyles of summer’s end. There to remind you that seasons change swiftly. And winter is waiting. Depression made him hungry so he headed for the kitchen. He looked around, adjusting eyes to the darkness.

Anybody home? Not even an echo. Just a chirpy crick-orchestra silhouetted against a starry canvas. Night of a million stars. Sort of. The only thing interrupting this Crick-overture was the static droning of the TV somebody forgot to turn off. Mom and Dad had actually left something on? Incredible!

He knew he should study, but Grace still blocked all his think circuits. The crickets stopped chirping. He thought this odd until he remembered something vaguely important:

I left my homework in my truck! He was seething again. And where’s my truck? He slid