Nightmare

I had what some would call a nightmare last night. It wasn't a dream where I was the central character, so I guess it could be classified a horror movie, but not one that I would ever want to see. But now, in the wakening hours as I try and make sense of it, my brain is starting to make that dream into a kick ass story.

I don't know if I can even begin to make sense of it, but will try. At any other time I would be waking in a cold sweat. Instead this dream has left a bruise on my soul. It will fade and go away, but hurt and leave a stain until it does.

I can't describe what I saw; it was straight from a horror movie with the kind of film editing where something is far away and then it appears right in your face - like from The Ring. It was gruesome, gory,  bloody, unsettling, disturbing, unnecessary...

So let me write down what I dreamed and what my brain has started to fill in before its gone completely-like mist escaping before the dawn's light.



"Are you a Christian?"

I turn to the woman's voice and feel my eyes pop out, while trying to remain calm and find my voice. The woman was one of the most attractive women I have ever seen. Tall, with shoulder length auburn hair of reds cascade to frame a goddess face. Deep green eyes with full lips pierce my eyes, heart and every other part of me. I'm close enough to her that I inhale her scent; something light but provocative.

My eye-lids flutter as I take in her question and the sight of her. I swallow so I can find my voice and reply solidly, "Yes I am. Why?"

She smiled at me revealing white teeth, "Good! I am in need of some spiritual help and hoped you might be able to help me."

"Of course." I turned to look at the clock, I had about 10 minutes left on my shift. I was working part time at a dinner counter at a gas station while I found work. My job had 'gone away' and right now, eight bucks an hour was better than nothing.

"Ok James, you're good to go." My boss Mary said from the back office.

"Must be fate," I said to this lovely woman. Now that I had my libido in check I could be more realistic as I took off my apron.  Getting into my jacket gave me time to look at her. I would guess her age to be about 35, better dressed than most that would come in here; like she was heading out to a club or night on the town. This being four o'clock and the week between Christmas and New Year's it was highly possible.

Looking down so she wouldn't catch me checking her out, I did my own assessment. I'm almost 50 but look ten years younger. My haircut keeps the receding hair and the accumulating of silver to a minimum. Been going back to Gold's gym to loose weight and I feel better, but I am still a big guy. Zipping up my jacket I come to the conclusion that I looked 'safe' to her.

"Want to get some coffee?"

Now she looked at me the way I had been surreptitiously checking her out.

Cocking my head, "Do I still meet with your approval?" I gave her a slight smile.

Looking me straight in the eyes, "Yes, you'll do just fine."

We walked out to the parking lot. "Do you want to follow me or..."

"We can take my car."  She stopped at a 2013 Cadillac XTC. It was a dark burgundy color that complimented her hair and looked like it had driven off the show room floor.

I stopped. Remembering what my parents had always said about getting into a stranger's car, looked in the back seat; empty. I looked at the woman; she had on a stylish jacket but as far as I could tell didn't have a weapon. Finding my cell phone in my jacket I flipped a mental coin. "Ok," I said slowly.

Getting in I could still smell that new car smell.Turning over the engine she looked at me, "You're awful trusting of someone whose name you don't even know and just met."

A couple of comments went through my head.  I didn't think any would be appropriate or probably funny so I just went with a simple response as I held out my hand, "I'm James."

Blinking like a computer receiving new data she slowly extended her hand, "Eve." I think she was surprised at my introduction; obviously expecting almost anything but that.

Taking it I immediately felt a jolt of cold lighting shoot through me. Her hands were like ice. She must have noticed as she smiled and put the car in gear, "You know what they say; cold hands, warm heart."

Pulling into traffic I said, "So where would you like to go? I am still relatively new to the area, so I will have to rely on your judgement."

She seemed to find that funny and smiled, "I actually have a church I want to go to and was hoping you could go with me."

"Really?"

"Really. I am serious about needing spiritual help."  She kept her eyes on the road, but her face was serious.  The jazz coming out of the speakers was real jazz, not the smooth silky kind I like, but stuff that I recognize as the Memphis style. More hard is the only way I can describe.

My mind had been trying to categorize the music when I noticed we had left town and was heading along a two lane blacktop into the Kansas countryside. It was getting darker and I had no idea where we were going. I gripped my cell phone tighter and hoped I could get a signal out here. At the same time I noticed we were moving at a good speed.

"I don't have any money and if you're going to kill me, you could make it quicker with a gun that trying to scare me."

She rewarded me with a deep throaty laugh. "I'm not after money and you are relatively safe with me."

For some reason that didn't really fill me with security.

'I just want to light you up, light you up, like a fire. I just want to, turn you on, turn you on and take you higher....'  Those lyrics came on the radio and for some reason I thought it was very prophetic.

She was slowing down and turning into a parking lot when I came out of my worry. I noticed it was a church and from the sign I saw it said Eastview Methodist.

As we got out I tried to alleviate my fears, I jokingly asked, "You're not part of some devil-worshiping cult that is gonna sacrifice me."

Smiling she said, "You're not going to be sacrificed."

As I held open the door for her I felt the earth tremble and then a dump truck roared by. I shook my head, this is going to be interesting.


Looking around the vestibule, I could see through open doors the sanctuary. Eve was looking around a little apprehensive.

Seeing no one, smelling no burning incense or hearing any weird chanting I felt better. Maybe she was serious, or maybe she was the daughter or relative of someone here at church and needed someone to...

"What are you doing here?"

Coming from a side door near the pulpit was a slight man, about my age I guessed, dressed casually in jeans and sweater. He was striding forward with a such a look of disgust I was surprised.

Stepping forward, "I'm sorry Padre, the lights were on and the door was open. But look, there's no reason to..."

He moved right in front of me, but was obviously looking beyond me at Eve, "You know you are not welcome here."

Eve moved in front of James, "Look, we've got a problem. You know I wouldn't be here if there wasn't. I don't like it any more than you do."

The man looked at them and that's when James noticed his eyes. They seemed to be simmering silver and gold. He shook his head and thought it just must be the light or..no. They shimmered.

"A Balance. Of course. Thats why you brought him."

Smiling, Eve said, "He was hard to find around here."

Sighing, the man said, "Alright. What is going on that was so important you would risk this?"

Taking a tentative step forward she said, "The Two are out."

Huffing a laugh the man replied throwing up his arms, "Don't you think I know that!"

Eve continued, "Then why haven't you done anything?"

Hands on his hips he stated,"You're new."

Drawing up to her full height Eve exclaimed, "Well yes, but I don't see..."

"Excuse me," I said speaking up. "But could someone tell me whats going on and why I have to be here for this?"

They both looked as if noticing me for the first time. "You brought him, you tell him." The man said turning his back and starting to pace.

Eve turned and looked at me almost shyly before she motioned that I should sit down in one of the pews.  As I scooted over she sat down next to me and, taking breath started to tell me.

"Ok, look," she said. "I know this may be hard to believe but there is a balance in the universe. Between Good and Evil..."

"Oh yeah I am getting that from you two. Good," gesturing to the Padre who was still up front, "and Evil." Looking at her.

She smiled bashfully, "A balance between Good and Evil, except I;m not the one thats bad..."

"I'm the bad one here." The Padre yelled.

"But why..."

Cutting the question off, "Later. There is also a balance between Law and Chaos."

"Like the alignments in Dungeons and Dragons."

"Ok, if you say so," she said pushing on. "Haven't you noticed the rash of shooting? The laws getting stricter? Those are in response to those two. Good and Evil is one thing. Its either good or bad. But with those tow; stronger laws tend to be the result of chaos; whether good or bad. While humans have the choice between Good or Evil, those two..."

"Don't play by the rules! Ironic I know." The Padre said coming over to join us.

"Well why don't you do something?"

Looking exasperated  the Padre continued, "Because we really aren't suppose to. Back to the whole 'freedom of choice'," he did air quotes with his fingers.

"Then what are you two...?"

Eve took my hand and I could feel...everything in my body. Like electricity was going through my veins instead of blood. "You could say there were 'covert op' teams on each side also. We don't play well with each other as usually we are going against the other. And also it seems usually Evil has done something to try and get the upper hand..."

"Hey!" From the Padre but then he shrugged. He knew she was right.

"You see Chaos and Law can manifest themselves as Good and Evil also. Like Hitler in World War 2. Yes, he was Evil, but he was inflicted with Chaos making him more deadly and unstable. He was finally stopped."

Clearing his throat the Padre added, "And lets not forget the Salem Witch Trials. Ostensibly they were for 'Good' but Law took them beyond."

"Ok, I get while you two are talking but what am I doing here?"

The Padre looked at Eve and she continued, "You are a balance; not just between Good and Evil but also between Law and Chaos. You are all and nothing."

"So?"

Sighing, "So, you are going to help the world regain it's balance."


That's basically the dream. I did take some creative license as doing the whole Priest is good, beautiful woman bad... but wanted to get the point across about Chaos and Law.