Art woke up a little before eleven p.m. He groggily threw his legs over the side of the bed and rubbed sleep out of his eyes. Looking around he saw Louie still asleep snoring away. It seemed something was missing, he wasn't sure of what it was but...... The girl! Karen where the fuck was the girl?

He ran to the bathroom and found it vacant. "Shit!" He told himself running back to wake Louie.

"Louie get the fuck up!" He slapped Louie across the face. "Where the fuck is the girl? Get the fuck up!"

Louie jumped upright, startled from the slap. "Waa... Huh....?" He mouthed still half asleep.

"The girl! Where in the fuck is the girl?" Art was almost beside himself.

"The girl...?" It took Louie a few seconds to get the meaning of what Art was asking. "Oh. The girl. Ain't she here?"

"No she ain't here! Look the fuck around and you'll see she ain't here. Jesus Christ I can't count on you to do anything right!" Art was one of those people that always needed someone else to blame.

"Aaaa... I didn't know I was supposed to watch her Art. You never said nothing about watching her." Louie looked hurt.

"Yeah well...." Art wasn't exactly sure how Louie was at fault, but he was sure he was none-the-less. "You should have waken up when she got out of the fucking bed. Shit she was right in-between us."

Louie wasn't sure if Karen had ever gotten back into bed after he let her go to the bathroom, but he knew better than to mention anything about that to Art. "Gee... I don't know Art...."

"Shit! The car!" Art ran to the front window and looked out between the drapes. "It's Okay. It's still there. Christ for a moment I thought the little cunt took off with the car. Come on let's get dressed and find the bitch."

After both men had dressed Art said. "Grab the bag's and let's get after her. No telling how far she's fucking gotten. We've got to dump that body too. If that little whore goes to the police I don't want that body anywhere near us."

When Louie went to get the bag's he noticed the one containing the money was gone. He looked around but knew the girl must have taken it. "Aaa... Art." He said with fear in his voice. He didn't like having to tell Art about the bag. "The bag with the money ain't here."

"What!" Art spun around facing Louie.

"It's not here. It look's like she might have taken it with her." Louie said solemnly.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" Art yelled. "That little bitch whore. How in the fuck did she even know about the money. Shit! I knew I should of iced her God damn ass! Jesus Christ! Come on... I want my fucking money back!"

They got into the car and headed south toward the town of Silver Dollar City.

Karen entered the town of Silver Dollar City, Arkansas at around nine thirty p.m. She took four hundred dollars worth of twenty's out of the black bag and stuffed them into her jeans. She found a drug store open until ten and purchased a luggage bag, hair brush, lipstick, tooth brush, tooth paste, eye liner pencil, mascara, and purse.

In the alley next to the drug store she transferred the money from the black satchel into the luggage bag, before tossing the satchel into the trash bin. The other items she had just purchased along with what was left of the four hundred she put into her new purse.

She knew she had to get out of Silver Dollar City, it would be the first place Art and Louie would look for her, but she hadn't decided where she should go yet. Her dilemma was almost the same as when she left home, a young girl out on her own likely to be stopped by the police, only this time it was a girl with a lot of money at least. One thing she needed to do was to buy some clothes that made her look older, and maybe even get her hair styled in a older fashion, but first she needed to eat something.

She found a all night diner and ordered a cheeseburger, fries and Coke. When the waitress took her order she said. "How old are you honey? You know there's a curfew for kid's under eighteen after ten at night."

"Yeah I know." Karen answered. "I'm over eighteen. I just look young is all."

"I'll bet looking as young as you do feels like a curse now, but believe me it'll be a blessing when your my age." The waitress laughed.

"Yeah. I guess so." Karen smiled back.

When the waitress brought her order Karen asked. "Oh. Excuse me. Do you happen to know the name of the town just south of here. You know the one just down the highway."

"You must mean Blue Eye. It's about fifty miles down the road or so." The waitress answered.

"Yes, that's it. Now I remember Blue Eye. Thank you." Karen plunged into the cheeseburger like she hadn't eaten in day's, which she hadn't.

After she finished the burger Karen asked the waitress about a public phone.

"Sorry." The waitress told her. "We don't have one in here. The closest one is down by Mitchell's market. About three blocks from here."

"Oh. Darn." Karen replied disappointedly.

"Come on honey." The waitress said. "You can use the one back here. I'm not supposed to let anybody use it.. but, hell there ain't nobody here. Come on."

Karen got up and walked behind the counter to where a wall phone was mounted. "Do you happen to have a phone book?" Karen asked.

"Yeah sure. Here." The waitress reached under the counter and handed Karen a local phone book.

After locating the number for a local cab company Karen called and asked to be picked up in front of the diner.

Karen had just finished her fries and Coke when the cab pulled up at the curb. She reached into her purse and took out six twenty dollar bills and placed them on the counter.

"Hey! Honey!" The waitress called after her as she was leaving. "Wait! You left a lot of money on the counter here."

"I know.' Karen called over her shoulder. "Buy yourself something nice. You deserve it. Bye." and she hurried out to the waiting cab.

"I.... I.... Wow... Thanks!" Was all the waitress could think to say.

Karen jumped into the back seat of the cab and the driver asked in a heavy accent she couldn't recognize. "Vhere to?"

"Blue Eye." She answered.

"The town?" The cabby questioned looking over his shoulder at Karen. "That be over sixty gosh darn miles. You sure you vant to yake a cab?"

"Yeah. I'm sure. My daddy gave me the money for cab fair. He felt I would be safer going by cab." She answered matter-of-factly.

"Okey-dokey. You got um kit." And he pushed down on the timer flag then pulled away from the curb.

Art and Louie drove slowly looking carefully on both sides of the roadway for any sign of Karen and their money. Not finding her on the road, after arriving in Silver Dollar City they searched the bus depot, the one small airport, which was closed, the train station and several all night diners. Everything had come up empty.

"Well, we're fucked!" Art almost spat the word's out he was so angry.

"Yeah. I guess." Louie agreed.

"Christ! We've got to find a way to unload that dope. It'll bring a sizable sum if we can find the right guy to sell it to. Problem is who the fuck do we know in this area. And if we try to unload it back home Eddy will have our nuts. Shit!" Art said mindfully.

"Aaaa... Art. What about that preacher guy?" Louie asked.

"What the fuck preacher guy?" Art couldn't understand how Louie could jump from talking about selling drugs to a preacher.

"You know. That preacher the girl told us about. The healing guy." Louie looked thoughtful.

"Yeah. So what the fuck about the preacher guy! You don't think that little cunt still plans on going there do you? That's the last fucking place we'll ever find her little money stealing ass!" Art was frustrated.

"No.... No not for that Art. I just thought.. Well... Maybe... You know... that preacher could heal you. You know. Make you well and all. Then the money wouldn't be so important." Louie was much more concerned for his friend not having the money to pay for a cure than he was over the loss of the money itself.

"Holly fucking shit! You can't be serious! You don't really believe there's such a thing as divine healing do you? How fucking dumb are you anyway?" Art shook his head in bewilderment.

"Well... I don't know...." Louie was hurt by Art's words.

"But going down to that preacher guy may not be such a bad idea after all." Art rubbed his chin between his thumb and forefinger of his good hand. "Guy's like him usually draw a big out of town crowd and a lot of um are only looking for way's to cash in. We just might be able to make a connection for the drugs without having to worry about any local's. Hell it's worth a try."

"Yeah. It's worth a try." Louie agreed as always.

"Tomorrow we'll find out where in the fuck this preacher is at and pay him a visit." Art said starting up the car.

It was just past one in the morning that the cab Karen was in arrived at Blue Eye. "Okay. Ve're here." The cabby talked loud enough to wake Karen, who had fallen asleep ten minutes outside of Sliver Dollar City. "Vere to now?" He asked.

"Oh... Aaaa... The bus station. My dad is supposed to meet me there. Do you know where that is?' Karen was still groggy.

"Yau sure. Be there in a flash ah." He turned sharply to the left obviously heading into the main part of town.

"Here ya be kit." The cabby said pulling over in front of a small Gray Hound bus station.

"Thanks." Karen said reading the large amount displayed on the cab's meter. She took enough money out of her purse to cover the fair and included a sixty dollar tip. "Here." She handed the money over the seat to the driver.

"You bechum Kit. Thank you." He said looking over the money she had handed him.

Karen carried her bag into the well lighted bus station and sat down. She would have to wait until morning before making any real plans, but waiting in bus stations was something she had grown accustomed to.

Karen spent the rest of the night dozing off and on while seated on the unconfortable hardwood bench inside the Bus station. At around seven in the morning a few people began wandering in and she went in search of something to eat. Finding a small diner a few blocks down from the bus station she enjoyed a leisurely breakfast.

She spent the next two hours window shopping while she waited for the retail stores to open at nine, then the next couple of hour's she spent doing something she had never done before, clothes shopping in one of the more exclusive department stores in Blue Eye.

She found the new experience of trying on dresses, slacks, blouses, and skirts in the fitting room very enjoyable. After making her selections, clothes that should make her look older, she accessorized with nylons, panty hose, slips, and underwear, including some bra's, it just wouldn't do to have her nipples so plainly outlined under her clothing every time it got cold out.

After purchasing an expensive suitcase to store the new clothes, she made an appointment at a hair salon. She used the time waiting for her appointment by getting a manicure and nail polish. When the stylist was ready for her, Karen requested her hair be cut and styled like that of Gillian Anderson, the star of the television series "The X-Files", a particularly favorite program of hers and one apparently so popular the stylist indicated she'd had several similar requests in the past.

After the hair make over Karen used the salon bathroom to change clothes and apply some facial makeup. She almost bounded out of the bathroom with a youthful, athletic energy. Dressed in slim, black slacks, a colorful Versace blouse, and a well-tailored Richard Tyler blazer, she looked more like a runway model than the run-away kid, which she was. The complete package came across as sensuous and brooding, just the look she had attempted to achieve. As she moved, her new fashionably cut hair moved with her, as if she was always walking into the wind.

The entire company of women in the salon were stunned to silence when Karen emerged from the bathroom. The stylist that had cut Karen's hair stepped away from the patron she was currently servicing and walked up to Karen. "My God honey!" She said with admiration. "You look great! If I had known, I would have taken a before and after picture to hang on my mirror. If women even thought they could look half as good as you do after coming in here, I'd triple my business. You really look sharp!"

"Thank you." Karen blushed. "I owe it all to your great hair styling skills."

As Karen left the salon she heard two of the patron's request hair style changes to the one 'that girl' has, referring to Karen. She smiled to herself thinking having money was great.

She walked back to the bus station and rented a locker to store her suitcase and luggage bag then located a jewelry store and purchased an expensive wrist watch, diamond pendant mounted on a gold chain, and a six thousand dollar wedding-engagement band set.

After retrieving her luggage she called a taxi from the bus station and had the driver take her to the most expensive hotel in Blue Eye.

She turned the heads on most of the men in the hotel as she walked across the lobby toward the front desk. Her large, brown eyes sparkled in the reflection of the crystal chandelier above as she scanned the room. She felt better about herself than she ever had. It wasn't the raw sex these men that watched her walk by wanted from her, it was something more, it was allure, charm, mystery, the woman herself. She didn't kid herself, it was obvious they all wanted to bed her, but not like it had been in the past, just pussy. She felt like a woman, and she liked the feeling.

"Room please." She told the desk clerk, with Donald embossed on his name tag, in her most sophisticated voice.

"Name please." He asked unable to take his eyes off her, and fumbled with his hands under the counter bringing up a record book.

"Hmm... I'm afraid I don't have a reservation Donald. My stop in Blue Eye was.... How should I say.... Umm... unscheduled. I dearly hope that's not to terribly inconvenient for you." She smiled warmly at him tilting her head slightly to one side.

"Aaa... No. I'm sure we can arrange something." He smiled back feeling self important. "If you'll just sign the guest register Miss....."

"Mrs. Mrs. Veronica Valentine." She boldly signed the name in the register.

"Thank you." He said after she finished writing. "May I put the room on your credit card?"

Karen chuckled pleasantly. "I find credit cards can be so.... so revealing. There are times I prefer to deal in cash. I'm sure you understand." She smiled again, this time seductively. "The hotel really requires a credit card Mrs. Valentine. I'm sorry." He looked genuinely disappointed.

"Oh I fully understand." Karen pursed her lips captivatingly as she reached into her handbag. "Perhaps you'd be so kind to secure this in the hotel safe for me. Just to insure I don't walk away with any of the hotel's towels or linens or anything." She placed ten thousand dollars on the counter.

"Aaaa.... That isn't the reason Mrs. Valentine. It's... Well. Never mind. I'd be more than happy to put this in the safe for you." He said picking up the money. He filled out a receipt after counting the hundred dollar bills then handed it to Karen before ringing a small bell sitting on the counter.

After several seconds a bell-hop walked up and the desk clerk handed him a key. "Please show Mrs. Valentine to room six thirty three." Then to Karen he said. "If there's anything you require please don't hesitate to notify the front desk. Enjoy your stay at the Baltimore."

"Thank you Donald. I'm confident I will." She gave him a seductive wink. "Oh. I'll carry the small bag. Thank you." She said to the bell-hop. The bell-hop nodded and picked up her suitcase leaving the luggage bag for her.

"This way miss." The bell-hop said holding his open palm toward the elevators.

Karen lay reclined in a hot tub of water in the luxurious hotel room. The scented water felt luscious on her naked body, caressing every curve, melting away past stress and hardships. She was enjoying her new found maturity and wealth and only casually contemplated her next move. With the money had come freedom.... With the new hair style and makeup had come maturity. She could do anything or go anywhere she wanted. A feeling of mastery over her life had also come with the money. And that mastery insured the next time a man had her it would be on her terms. It would be because she wanted it, and not for any other reason. She would dominate. She would control. She would demand. She would require a minimum of an hour's foreplay, then and only then would she even consider allowing him any satisfaction.

After bathing she sat with nothing other than a bath towel wrapped around her body. She hadn't thought to purchase a bathrobe, something she would most certainly do later on. She lit a cigarette and drew in heavily on the tobacco filling her lungs, then exhaled sending a plume of smoke into the air. Out of curiosity more than anything else Karen picked up the phone and rang the front desk.

"Good afternoon Mrs. Valentine, front desk, how may I help you?" The phone voice she recognized as Donald asked.

"Yes, Good afternoon. Would you kindly have a bottle of your best Chardonnay and a bowl of fresh fruit sent up to my room please." She told the voice.

"Certainly Mrs. Valentine. I'll send it straight away."

"Thank you Donald." She hung up.

About twenty minutes later there was a faint knock on the door. "Restaurant room service." A voice called through the closed door.

Karen checked the towel covering her as she went to open the door.

"Good afternoon ma'am," the waiter said, as he rolled in a cart. "It looks like it's going to be a beautiful evening." He smiled as he opened the lid of a silver tray revealing fresh cut cantaloupe, strawberries, grapes, apples and orange slices. If he had taken notice of Karen, dressed only in a towel he gave no indication of it and mechanically transferred the silver tray, and ice filled bucket with the wine bottle onto the top of the chiffonier. Turning slightly to his left so he could look at Karen he asked. "May I open the wine ma'am?"

"Yes. Please." Karen smiled up at him pleasantly.

He pulled the bottle from the ice then withdrawing a folded corkscrew from his pocked he expertly cut around the seal before withdrawing the cork. He carefully filled about a third of a wine glass and handed it to Karen before replacing the bottle in ice.

He waited expectantly for Karen to take a sip of the wine.

Karen realizing what he was waiting for, took a small sip then nodded her head. "Is there anything better than a fine wine?" She asked the waiter not expecting a response. "It always reminds me of romantic dinners."

"It always reminds me of my poor head the day after." The waiter joked, as he moved toward the door. If that will be all ma'am...... " He left the sentence trailing.

"Yes. Thank you." Karen said.

He was turning the knob on the door when Karen suddenly remembered she should tip him. "Oh! Wait!" Karen called out as she jumped to her feet moving toward her purse in the bedroom. The bath towel unraveled at the top of her breasts momentarily exposing her before she managed to catch it. This time the waiter took notice. His eyes widened and he stood all but frozen following Karen with his eyes as she quickly disappeared into the bedroom.

When Karen returned she had re-established the bath towel and was clutching a twenty dollar bill in her hand. "Here." She smiled holding the bill out to the waiter. "Thank you."

The waiter took the bill then said. "It should be I thanking you." He nodded then left the room.

"Au what the hell.... Cheap thrill." Karen said to herself picking up the wine glass and taking another sip.

She relaxed eating grapes and sipping wine considering where she should go. She had rejected the places that first came to mind, southern California, New York, Boston... they all seemed so... so pedestrian. She wasn't sure if some form of identification was required or not to take a plane to Hawaii, but it made the top of her list. Then a thought struck her, of all the places she could go, she felt an adrenaline rush thinking about carrying through with her original plan of finding the preacher. The excitement about that plan was the fact that she had told Art about going there. Would he remember? If he did she didn't think he or Louie could recognize her, not with her new look, and what a melodrama thrill it would be to see those two pitiful loser's, but this time with her in full control. Yes. That was exactly what she would do before going to Hawaii. Just the thought titillated her.

The sextet of gospel singers had just finished singing a stirring rendition of "Are you walking with Jesus?"..... then for exactly two seconds all lighting was extinguished, plunging the entire area into total darkness. After the two seconds of pitch blackness, colored floodlights came on one at a time, illuminating three foot diameter circles in radiant red's, blues and greens. The reverend Earnest Bishop bound from behind floor to ceiling dark purple velvet drapes onto the makeshift dais, his entrance had been precisely arranged and rehearsed to insure maximum impact on the large crowd seated inside the huge tent. He was impressive with his tall slender frame of six foot six inches, draped in a long flowing black silk robe as he took drawn-out, accentuated strides across the wooden platform toward the pulpit.

"I WALK WITH JESUS!" He bellowed out in his deep resounding voice now made even more imposing than normal as it boomed out from the several six foot tall strategically arranged speakers through out the tent.

"YES! I WALK WITH JESUS!" The speakers rang out once again, then just as his last stride carried him to the pulpit he cried out. "AND I ABRADE WITH JESUS!" then he performed a well rehearsed movement and dropped down behind the lectern, seeming to vanish just before all lighting was extinguished once again. It remained dark for only a second, but in that second of blackness Earnest Bishop stood up and stretched his arms out wide. A single white spotlight blazed upward and focused across his still body flooding him from behind at a forty five degree angle thereby casting a sixty foot high shadow across the tent's far wall and ceiling in the form of a cross. Inspirational music roared from the speakers for several seconds then slowly faded into the background. "AND, I STAND IN THE LIGHT OF OUR LORD!" Bishop's voice boomed while his body remained frozen in time. "COME! COME STAND WITH ME IN THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE LORD!" His arm's moved with a gestured conveying he wished the entire parish to rise up onto their feet, and they stood, and cheered out in joy as white light after white light turned on flooding the tent with illumination and the inspirational music blasted out once again, yet even its volume was unable to drown out the roar and clamor of good will and gladness vocalize by the throng of parishioners.

"Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ....." Bishop yelled over the crowd and music. "The joy of our being together in the presence of our loving savior brings us peace and blessedness. Sit.... Sit... stand not in the light of the lord lest ye be he who is cleansed of all forsakeness. Sit please." His hand gestures bided them to be seated, and they did, and the crowd noise dwindled down to nothingness as did the music.

"I urge you." Bishop waved his arm across the gathering. "Do not take this matter of salvation lightly, there is too much at stake for your soul. I invite you to pause and reflect on the wrath of our Lord God's sword of light upon the wicked!"

"For thus saith the Lord God," Bishop yelled out. "The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth."

"Come now, and let us reason together... saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land, but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." He paused momentarily looking out over the flock's faces.

He took on a much more subdued tone of voice when he continued. "Only through unselfish giving and loving are we able to tether the sword of light. Material things are but the blink of an eye upon the calendar of eternity. Competition is ingrained into our society and has taught us winners are the ones with the most material things..... I say to you NO! Tis not so. This competition has only drawn us apart. Think how little we cooperate with each other and how competitiveness is creating more losers than winners. Only through the unselfish sharing of your soul.... your goods.... your body.... can there be room for God!"

"Amen!" A voice rang out. "Amen!" Called another, and another, until cries of "Amen!" could be heard throughout the crowd.

Bishop waited until the company quieted down before continuing. "Allow me, if you will to recount a story of brother Michael Hyde. Brother Michael's work of preaching the gospel had inspired him to travel to France and render the Lord's work at a L'Arche community in Paris. One of his tasks at the L'Arche was to train a developmentally disabled young man named Claude for the 100 meter sprint in a upcoming Special Olympics. Claude was a strong runner, but never ran in a straight line. One day, brother Michael became exasperated with Claude and told him clearly that if he did not run in a straight line his friend John would win the gold medal. In response, Claude replied with great delight 'Wouldn't it be wonderful if John won the gold metal?'" He paused. "Now doesn't Claude's words take us by surprise? They are so non-competitive, so naive, and so unrealistic and yet so beautiful. In fact, they are in tune with Jesus' words in today's gospel about God hiding things from the wise and revealing them to little ones. Claude's ingenuous and generous response sets us up to listen more carefully to all that Jesus says to us today."

Another chorus of "Amen!" filled the tent.

Bishop held up his hands for silence. "Most of us would rather not be thought of as naive and unrealistic. But being a follower of Jesus exposes us to that very criticism. To stand in the Lords light is to experience being dismissed and written off as unreal or naive. You will be reminded of the real world not functioning this way anytime time you discuss topics such as Jesus' sayings about the poor, or his words to the rich young man or Jesus' advice about giving away one's cloak. Anyone who follows Jesus and takes his words seriously has the same experience. It takes faith and courage to hold the line, especially when it means being written off, or laughed at. Following Jesus can often seem 'difficult' and 'heavy'...... ....but now let's go back to our story of Claude.... On the day of the Special Olympics, Claude, as expected ran off the track and failed to cross the 100 meter finish line. Needless to say he did not metal. But later in the day, quite unscheduled Claude wandered over to the shot put area. He took a throw and unexpectedly ended up winning the gold metal for shot put. Immediately, with delight, Claude rushed to give the metal to his friend John. Claude was in no way pretentious about being first or best. He showed only a marvelous delight in being able to give a gift to a friend. His behavior was a heart warming mix of spontaneity, humility and joy."

After several seconds of silence Bishop sprang to the edge of the stage and pointed at several individuals throughout the crowd. "YOU! and YOU! and YOU! Divest yourself of Satan's robes. Like Claude you to can offer a gift to a friend. This ministry is unable to extend the Lords gospel to our friends throughout the world without your help. Remember Jesus' words that it is not a kingdom of triumph and gold, but one where the King rides a donkey. It's not a kingdom of winners and losers, but a kingdom of peace and giving. Where the joy is meant for all. When the basket arrives give of your heart..... without giving we are lost. The word of this ministry must reach the forlorn.... must reach the lost..... You... only you have the power of love and faith to make a difference."

Ushers moved among the gathering distributing wicker offering baskets at the end of each aisle. The baskets were passed from person to person, each in turn placed some money into it, then were collected by an usher at the opposite end of the pew.

As the baskets moved through the crowd Bishop said. "If we know and believe in God's love, it's not because we are wiser or more intelligent than others. It's because of God's pure gift, the faith we've received and by our giving. Jesus makes clear that he, the Son, has been entrusted by the Father with revealing to us the mysteries of God's love. And when we find God's words burdensome, then he, Jesus, can make our burden light. We need to treasure the Lord's invitation. 'Come to me, all you who are weary'. If we are burdened down, he promises to give us rest."

Dramatically Bishop said. "Let's renew our response to Jesus' invitation to learn for him in prayer." The conjugation's head's bowed in silent prayer, then after several seconds Bishop said. "Lord, lead me to those you would have me mentor. In Jesus' name. Amen.", and the singers took up the hymn. "Lead me to Jesus."

During the hymn Bishop looked out on the assemblage. Among Bishop's numerous uniquely notable abilities was the ability to instantly identify anyone new to one of his sermons, even though the tent legally accommodated three hundred people at a time, and his ability to detect if a man or woman already belonged to his dark master.

Without delay he located three people that had never attended before, two men and one woman. The two men, one short and thin the other larger and heavier than the first stood in the back next to the ever present representation of the local sheriff and fire departments. Local law enforcement had viewed his ministry with suspicion and to this day remained ever vigilant for any excuse to run him out of town. So far they had been unsuccessful in finding any impropriety with the religious order, including any fraud on his part associated with faith healing's and Bishop knew even they, the most skeptical, were beginning to believe. The woman was young, attractive, and very smartly dressed. She sat at the end of pew twenty row's back from the stage, and he had taken notice that when she was presented an offering basket she had given a great deal of money. His un-consecrated power told him the two men standing in the back had already given their soul's to the master. The young woman on the other hand was currently indefinite, and was certainly suitable for collection in the future, especially being as attractive as she was, but that same power told him she could be dangerous. She was a sensitive, and they could be trouble.

His attention turned toward more current collection matters, a smaller assemblage of families seated together in the first two rows of pews and he smiled to himself. This particular group of people Bishop considered his 'special' following. He had been holding private worship sessions over the past four months and had gathered together this 'special' collection of men, women and children that now numbered fifteen separate households. The extra time and energy he had taken with these members had been well spent. They were completely obedient and compliant to his religious cause, but even more importantly, they believed in the Reverend Earnest Bishop absolutely. He was considered by them to be the absolute word of God. He was their only salvation, and only through his leadership could they find true peace. It was this group that had dedicated themselves to his cause. They worked tirelessly to bring new sheep to the ministry. They organized fund raisers. They ushered the Sunday night sermon's, and they would do anything he asked of them. Bishop reveled in his power over them. That power and control was his life's blood, secondary only to the true enterprise of the ministry itself, that of soul acquisition. His ministry had only been in this town a little over six months, but after the first two or three months he had become very influential within the community. All the local newspapers, radio and television stations covered his ministry's work, especially the faith healing for which they could offer no answers or explanations for its success. His gaze shifted farther across the sanguine face's of his special followers, then came to repose on the exquisite features of Elizabeth Campbell. Elizabeth was tall and perfectly proportioned, with endlessly long legs and flawless ivory skin. She had long, silky black hair that framed a gorgeous face with a narrow, aristocratic nose, sharp, piercing brown eyes, and full seductive lips. Her breasts were large, but not overly so, not enough to make her seem busty. She had a narrow waist, flaring hips, and a nice, tight ass. At twenty six she moved with a flowing grace that other women twice her age envied. She had a perfect smile which, with the slightest movement of her eyes could change from conveying amusement to scorn, and Bishop wanted her. He had wanted her from the very first time he had seen her six months ago when she and her husband Robert had come to attend one of his sermons. Elizabeth and Robert had turned to Christ for help in their time of need. Robert had lost his well paying job as foreman at the Tri- City steel mill after it closed the doors and shut down. The closing of the mill had a devastating effect on the entire community, having been the employer of more than fifty percent of the towns population, but was particularly difficult for Richard and Elizabeth because they had recently purchased an expensive new home after his last promotion and then shortly afterward learned Richard's mother had been diagnosed with a debilitating ailment requiring twenty four hour nursing care. Robert was unable to find employment at even half his previous salary, he couldn't afford nursing care for his mother any longer and that difficult task fell to him and Elisabeth, the township real estate market dropped to an all time low with the mill's closure making their home un-sellable and they fell behind on the mortgage. They both became obsessively depressed and their marriage began to fall apart then by chance they found the Reverend Earnest Bishop in their search for God. Bishop had immediately recognized a selfish opportunity for himself after talking to the couple and had used his influence in the community to get their home refinanced, find employment for Richard, and even supply a church member retired nurse to help with the care of Richard's ailing mother.

The Campbell's were only one of several member families he had helped out since he had arrived, and he had worked tirelessly preparing his 'special' flock for the shearing, and the lovely Mrs. Elisabeth Campbell was well over due in the offering of her soul. Yes, he had taken his time, but finally he could harvest this latest grain of human crop. He had been patient long enough with this woman. He hadn't taken nearly as much time with some of the others, but she would be worth it.

The hymn came to a close and he tore his lustful eyes and mind away from the attractive young woman and approached the edge of the stage.

His voice was relaxed and reserved when he said. "I recite from Luke chapter eighteen, thirty five through forty three, As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, Jesus of Nazareth is passing by. He called out, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, Son of David, have mercy on me! Jesus stopped and ordered the man brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, What do you want me to do for you?.... Lord, I want to see, he replied. Jesus said to him, receive your sight; your faith has healed you. Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God."

He paused momentarily before continuing. "The blind man forgot all about pride and desperately cried out to the Lord. Are you like the blind man? Do you display you need fixing? You need to ask Jesus, without being pridefull or shamed."

Then his voice took on a commanding deep loud resonate tone. "I.... the tool of the Master Mechanic Jesus, will be the wrench that can repair your body and soul.... Come.... COME TO ME!"

Several people made their way to the forefront of the stage forming a line, some requiring the aid of a family member, crutches or wheelchair. The Reverend Earnest Bishop stepped off the stage and placed his hands on or around each afflicted individual one at a time, taking several minutes with each, to gain an understanding of their misfortune, then calling forth the help of Jesus and the Holly spirit they seemingly became sound, free from physical pain and original affliction. Each 'healing' was received with cries of joy and emotional tears of faith by both recipient and the entire on looking crowd, driving the noise level inside the tent to a almost ear shattering pitch. Little did they know the healing came from a place much darker and sinister than the heavenly brightness of the Lord's domain.

After ten or twelve such divine 'healings' Bishop, now covered head to foot with perspiration held his palms upward and indicated that the strain was becoming much to difficult to continue, and that the healing had come to an end for that evening.

After the healing ceremony the sheriff's deputy was amazed again for the hundredth time. At first he had assumed Bishop was a fraud and he had planned to discredit him, but now, four months later, he just wasn't all that sure. He was personally familiar with several of the people Bishop had 'healed' and they appeared to indeed be genuinely healed. He didn't have any explanation for the cure's other than faith, so he just waited and watched and made sure that only the legal number of followers were allowed access inside the tent at any given time, for fire and safety purposes. As news of Bishop's healing abilities got around, more and more people, from hundreds of miles around wanted in. His job had now become one of crowd control more than anything else.

The congregation slowly dispersed through the large tent opening with most of the attendance feeling more content than when they had entered. The last group to leave were the 'special' band of followers and Bishop addressed them individually thanking each for their continued help and support. When he got around to the Campbell's he asked Elizabeth if she could stop by the following evening at around seven to discuss a special need of the church that she might be able to fill. Elizabeth was overcome with self-importance that he had thought of her and she agreed at once.

After everyone had left Bishop counted and stacked that night's liberal donations, including five thousand dollars bundled together and given by the attractive young woman, while he contemplated how well everything was going and how unimportant the money really was.

Art and Louie had arrived in the small town of McNeil Arkansas on Friday, two day's prior to the reverend Earnest Bishop weekly Sunday sermon. They discovered the reverend held service inside a large tent set up a few miles outside of town at a place called Magnesia Springs. As it turned out they also found it was impossible to get any lodging in McNeil at any price. Bishop had become such a big deal all bed's had been previously rented well in advance by people hopeful of gaining access to one of Bishop's sermons.

On Sunday Art and Louie drove to Magnesia Springs about an hour before services were to begin. The place was more of a mad house than even McNeil had been, finding a parking space was near to impossible, masses of people were congregated outside the tent, pushing and shoving one other in order to gain a spot in line that would guarantee them a place inside. Only a limited number of people were allowed inside due to fire and safety regulation, and that number was carefully monitored by local fire and police personnel, all others were forced remain outside or go home.

Having arrived only an hour early there was not a prayer in hell that Art or Louie could gain entrance in any normal civilized fashion, so Art directed Louie to push two men into each other causing a mild ruckus to break out, then when the Sheriff went to investigate both he and Louie slipped into the tent followed by some loud yelling of protest by the few people that noticed them sneaking in. Once inside it was easy to blend into the crowd when the place started filling up. They stood at the back of the tent during the entire sermon, Art noticed occasional curious sideways glances from the sheriff standing a few people away from them, but the officer didn't question them.

At one point during the sermon Art almost split a gut when Bishop related a stupid story about some retard frog kid with the name of Claude. Jesus Christ. What these fucking people wouldn't fall for he thought to himself, but the rest was impressive. Bishop had some kind of spell he seemed to cast over the crowed. It was almost as if they were mesmerized by his voice and stature alone, regardless of the content of his words. Bishop's ability to spellbind a crowd even effected Art for most of the religious discourse.

When the revival ended Art and Louie pushed their way through the uplifted crowd finally making it out of the tent. Art commented to Louie as they skirted through the throng of people in the parking lot. "That sucker really puts on a show, don't he?" Art had been impressed by the reverend Bishop, but he didn't want Louie to know, that could be interpreted as a sign of weakness.

"Yeah." Louie answered. "I ain't never seen nothing like that before. Man he was really something. At first I couldn't understand all those people trying to get in, but after hearing him I can sure see why they wanted to."

"Well I guess we had to see it once anyway, but our business is with unloading the shit not with finding religion." Art looked around at the people they passed. "I may have been mistaken though, none of these hicks look like perspective dealers."

"Ya know Art....." Louie paused as if he had to force himself to continue. "Ah... That healing shit looked real to me man, maybe you should......"

"Should what Louie!" Art cut him off. "Have him heal my junkie ass. I ain't buying none of that religious crap. It's all bull shit man, for losers."

"How could it hurt Art? Ya ain't got nothing to lose. Why not just try? Huh?" Louie commented trying to sound tough.

"I'm not going to have any fucking peace around here until I see it your way. Am I? I'll think about it. Okay! Now drop it!" Art's voice took on a more serious tone when he continued. "I've been thinking, maybe we should head over to Little Rock, I heard both the Crypt's and Blood's have taken root there, we should be able to deal with one or the other of um."

"Yeah. Okay, but you ain't forgetting about... You know... what your thinking about." Louie didn't want Art to forget, it was important to him.

"Fuck! I told you I'd think about it. What the fuck else do you want me to do! Shit!" Art threw up his hands in frustration.

"I want you to think about it Art. That's all. Just think about it." Louie ignored Art's angry tone.

******************************************************

Karen had arrive in the town of McNeil several day's before Art and Louie. Like them she couldn't find any lodging either and was forced to stay at a hotel several mile's away in a larger town called Fayetteville. She made one attempt at renting a car through the hotel she was staying at, but when they insisted on seeing a drivers license she declined, knowing once they saw her real age they wouldn't rent to her anyway.

She had heard how difficult it was to gain entrance to one of reverend Bishop's sermons so she took a cab to Magnesia Springs early Sunday afternoon. Even at that early hour the area outside the tent was bustling with people, but she didn't see any sign of her old friends and lovers, Art and Louie. As the afternoon wore on Karen made light conversation with several women chatting about nothing in particular, but finding all conversations eventually turned to religion and how wonderful the reverend Bishop was. Karen did make sure somewhere in each conversation she brought up how she planned on giving a sizable donation to the church, hoping that might somehow help get her inside easier.

The mention of a donation did have its effect. Late in the afternoon Karen was approached by a nice looking woman in her early to mid twenties. "Hi." The woman greeted Karen. "I'm Elizabeth. Elizabeth Campbell. I don't mean to bother you but Linda...." She turned and pointed out a woman Karen had talked to earlier in the day. "...That's her over there, the one wearing the green dress. Well anyway, Linda said you had mentioned something about making a donation to the church, believe me we could use it. Sam Peters.... He's one of the original members... Well, Sam has been talking to Pastor Bishop about putting up a real church, you can see how we've already outgrown this tent, so anything you share will be put to the best of use I can assure you."

Karen immediately got the sense that this Elizabeth was a virtuous true to the heart believer. She had a genuine smile that radiated warmth and made Karen feel good. Karen had heard of people like Elisabeth before, people other people liked being around, and Karen found that she instantly liked this Elisabeth Campbell. Karen returned the smile. "Hi Elisabeth. I'm Karen. And your right. I do intend on making a donation, but I must be perfectly honest with you. I made sure everyone around here knew about the donation. I was hoping it could help get me inside. Was that being overly devious?"

Elisabeth laughed affectionately. "No not at all. You must have heard how popular and worshipped the reverend is." Then her voice took on a more serious tone. "That popularity doesn't come without its problems, but let me tell you the peace and salvation you get is more than worth it. You only have to listen to him once to understand the true meaning of love."

"You sound hooked." Karen teasingly replied.

"I know your joking, but its more than just hooked. It's a way of life..... and a way of living. Before reverend Bishop I wasn't really living. I was just surviving." She took Karen's hand then continued. "You've just got to hear him Karen. You'll feel so...... so.... It's difficult to describe. But It's like all your life you were missing something but you didn't even know it was missing, then suddenly you've found it and you wonder how you could have possibly lived without it. I guess the best way to describe it is that, salvation is total and complete self freedom. I don't know, its an inter peace and love thing like nothing else in this world." She paused momentarily feeling a little embarrassed. "Heavens, listen to me ramble on. Believe me I'm not some religious fanatic that goes around trying to convert everyone. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it. I didn't take it that way." Karen squeezed Elisabeth's hand. "Your just happy. I'm delighted for you Elisabeth. Everyone should feel like you do."

"Everyone can." Elisabeth answered. "Just give yourself to the Lord and reverend Bishop. I'll tell you Karen, if the reverend told me the lord wanted me to jump off a cliff, I'd do it. That's how much I believe." Then she added. "You will too. After you hear him. Just wait."

"Speaking of that. What do you think my chances of getting in are?" Karen asked.

"Well," Elisabeth answered. "I don't want to sound overly arrogant, I sure don't mean it that way, but there are a few of us, my husband Richard and I included, that the reverend has honored to help out with the ministry. We get in through a side entrance. I'll see to it you get in with us. Okay?"

"Okay, but you won't get into any trouble will you? I certainly don't want that." Karen was honestly concerned, knowing how important this church was to Elisabeth.

"Oh no." Elisabeth answered. "It'll be fine. Several of the members have done the same thing in the past for other special friends."

"Why thank you for considering me a friend." Karen said with all sincerity. She somehow knew Elisabeth had not considered the promised donation when making the offer. "You know, it's been a long time since I've had another woman to talk with. I didn't realize it, but I've missed that."

"I know. We're all so busy with our daily lives, we don't take the time to talk to one other anymore. It's a shame really." Elisabeth commented.

"Yeah I guess." Karen replied thinking about her past screwed up life.

"Hey. You know Richard and I are going out to dinner after the service. If your not busy why not join us. Richard wouldn't mind and I sure would like the company." Elisabeth asked.

"I don't know....." Karen answered while thinking she might really enjoy having dinner with someone for a change, but she didn't want to intrude. "...I wouldn't want to impose, besides I'm staying all the way out in Fayetteville, and I'd have to catch a cab to the hotel to change clothes and......"

"Believe me you wouldn't be imposing." Elisabeth insisted cutting Karen's words off. "And we'd be more than happy to drive you to your hotel. We could have dinner in Fayetteville. I haven't eaten there in a long time. Come on. It'll be fun. I know I'd enjoy it."

"Well.... Okay. If your sure I won't be in the way." Karen agreed.

"I'm sure. Richard's normal dinner conversation could bore a bookkeeper. Some intelligent conversation at the dinner table will be very refreshing." Elisabeth said smiling. "You just wait in the tent after the service. I'll come find you. Okay?"

"Okay." Karen said agreeably.

Karen was as impressed with reverend Bishop as Elisabeth had promised. The man had a captivating tranquil effect on her she had never experienced before. She could have listened to him for hours without becoming bored or impatient, and when the collection basket was handed to her she willingly deposited the bundled up five thousand dollars into it without a second thought. It wasn't until Bishop looked directly at her that she felt or sensed something laying underneath his captivatingly pleasant demeanor. That feeling only lasted a second but in that second Karen perceived the most darkest evil imaginable. She almost got up and ran from the tent screaming, the feeling of vulgar corruption was so strong, then as quickly as it had come it passed, and Karen managed to remain seated, although it took a while to compose herself.

After the sermon Karen was still visibly upset when Elisabeth came excitably running up to her. "Karen! The most wonderful thing......." She stopped in mid sentence after noticing Karen's disposition. "Karen! What's wrong? You look white as a ghost."

"I don't know." Karen answered honestly. "I got this feeling earlier..... I don't know. It was horrible. I've never felt anything like it before. I just can't seem to get it out of my mind. It was like...... like looking into the soul of Satan himself. Does that make any sense?"

"Oh. You poor thing." Elisabeth comforted Karen putting her arm around her shoulder. "I can't imagine. Is it gone now?"

"Yeah." Karen answered. "It's gone now, but I'll never forget it." She felt a little better having talked to Elisabeth and the feeling was much less memorable than a few seconds before. "I'm sorry. I'm just being silly I guess. So what were you all excited about anyway?"

"Are you sure your all right?" Elisabeth's face reflected concern.

"I'm fine now, honest." Karen assured her smiling. "So tell me. What's the excitement?"

"I almost can't believe it!" Excitement had reclaimed her voice. "After the service, reverend Bishop himself came up to me personally and requested my help. I was almost speechless. He want's to see me tomorrow night at around seven. Isn't it wonderful!" The last was a statement rather than a question.

A cold chill ran through Karen's body. "Listen Elisabeth. Don't take this the wrong way..... but I don't have a good feeling about you seeing the reverend tomorrow. I don't know what it is.... but something tells me it's not a good idea."

"Oh. Don't be silly Karen." Elisabeth laughed. "Be happy for me. This is the most exciting thing to happen to me in a long time. I feel so honored that he selected me. Come on. Can't you tell how thrilled I am?"

"Yeah. It's just that..... Oh never mind." Karen took Elisabeth's hands into hers and squeezed them. "Yes. I'm happy for you. If this is what gets you all tingly, then it must be good." Karen smiled warmly.

Elisabeth smiled back then took on a more serious look. "I hope you don't mind, but I'm just to nervous about tomorrow to sit still. Would you to terribly upset if we took a rain check on dinner?"

"No. That's fine. I understand." Karen answered, but she really didn't understand. Elisabeth canceling dinner didn't upset her, but Elisabeth's overwhelming enthusiasm and ecstasy over the reverend just talking to her was something Karen would never understand.

"Well I insist you let me and Richard drive you back to the hotel."

Karen started to protest but Elisabeth held up her hand stopping Karen before she could say anything. "I insist!" Elisabeth wouldn't take no for an answer. Then another thought came to her. "Hey, what do you say just you and me going to dinner tomorrow after my meeting with the reverend. I could pick you up at the hotel, and....." She took on a mysterious tone. ".... I could tell you all about the meeting."

"Sure." Karen replied. "But how about meeting in McNeil? I've got a few thing's to do there tomorrow." Mostly she wanted to look for Art and Louie. The thrill and excitement of why she had come here in the first place was still with her.

"Yeah. McNeil's fine. Town square between eight and eight thirty?' Elisabeth asked.

"Sounds good." Karen replied.

The two women spent the next few hours talking, laughing and simply enjoying each other's company, something Karen had never encountering before. She had never experienced the joy of female companionship or the freedom it granted to speak frankly and openly to someone of the same sex. Karen never remembered feeling more alive than the few hours she had spent with Elisabeth.

Elisabeth Campbell was both excited and nervous over having been asked to help the Reverend. Excited because of all the people he could have chosen he had asked her, and nervous because she wasn't at all certain she was worthy of the honor.

At just before seven she parked her car in the large dirt lot in front of the massive tent and walked toward the entrance. She was just about to enter when one of the large flaps was drawn aside by Earnest Bishop. He greeted her then pleasantly thanked her for being prompt and ushered her inside. He lead the way through the congregation area, then beyond the dark purple velvet drapes to the back rooms.

Elisabeth's nervousness was expressed by the wringing of her hands as stood quietly waiting to be addressed by his holiness. She had never been alone with him before and felt very self consciences but still very honored.

"Elisabeth," He said calmly. "you have been favored as the vessel for the resurrection of good that will stay an impending evil. Satan's army is once again on the march and without intervention eternal darkness shall blanket the heavens and earth."

She heard his words, and he looked to be serious, and of course she would never have doubted his sincerity, and she absolutely believed he spoke with God..... After all had she not seen him perform miracle after miracle time and time again, surely only someone that was divine could perform such wonders..... yet, what he had just told her sounded more like something out of a nineteen fifties biblical movie staring Charlton Heston, it seemed so bizarre that if anyone other than he had spoken to her about Satan's army she would have pushed it aside as a joke or insanity. But it hadn't been anyone else.... it was the Reverend Earnest Bishop himself, a man that was more than just a man. He spoke with God! He performed miracle's. He was angelic. She remained motionless unable to sort out her thoughts or true feelings.

Bishop took her shoulders into his hands and looked deep into her eyes. His eyes penetrated beyond a normal stare, they immersed themselves into the deepest recess of her mind. She felt as if he were capable of reading her every thought regardless of how deep or personal. She seemed to lose some control over her mind and thoughts, but the feeling was not alarming and was even somewhat restful. She became relaxed and comfortable.

"Yes...." His soothing voice commanded her . "...just relax, you feel wonderful. That's fine. Now how do you feel?"

"Wonderful. Yes. I feel wonderful." She answered him honestly because she did feel wonderful.

"Good." He said, knowing all to well she would feel anyway he wanted her to feel. That was but another of his unique abilities. "That's good Elisabeth. I want you to feel wonderful. Now.... Do you remember what I told you about your having been chosen and about Satan?"

"Yes." She answered him.

"Good. Tell me what you think about that." He asked.

She wasn't in a trance and she could still think for herself, in addition to the current state of relaxation, she felt completely comfortable speaking her mind even in the presents of someone she held in such high reverence. "I didn't really understand..... but what little I did understand... it sounded.... you know... far fetched. Honestly, if it had been anyone else I would have assumed they were a little crazy."

"Yes. I can well understand that, but let me assure you this is not a trivial matter. You are the blessed weapon that shall break the impending darkness." He paused then asked. "Do you believe that Elisabeth?"

"Yes. Yes I do." She answered and she knew everything he had told her was true and therefore, having been chosen she must be capable.

"And are you willing to challenge the inferno for the sake of mankind?"

"Yes I am!" She answered confidently and thought she was.

"Good." He released his grip from her shoulders but maintained eye contact. "You must first divest yourself of vainglorious trappings."

"I'm... I'm sorry. I don't understand." She hadn't comprehend the last request at all, but she felt compelled to do whatever it was and felt a little nervous not being able to do it.

"Undress and stand un-imcombered by vain coverings." His words entered her ears and the tone seemed to convey that removing her clothing was the proper thing to do.

"Oh! Okay. Now I understand. Undress. I need to get undressed." She answered, feeling better now that she understood and she started unbuttoning her blouse.

She removed her blouse, then stepped out of her shoes and slacks, but as she reached behind her back to unfasten her bra, the realization struck her that she was undressing in front of Reverend Bishop, a man other than her husband, and a momentary flash of self- consciousness stopped her from proceeding as her sub-consciousness mind tried to tell her a true man of God would not expect her to undress.

"Its all right." His calm voice assured her. "Continue. Stand before me naked and unashamed, also understand I wish you to do this..... No, I demand you do this."

Just the fact that he demanded her to undressed was enough to remove the momentary hesitation and she un-clasp the bra then removed it. Reaching down she slip her panties along her thighs and stepped out of them. Now completely nude another moment of discomfort enveloped her. No man other than her husband had ever seen her like this before and she felt pangs of guilt and shame. She knew what she was doing was not proper conduct for a married woman..... yet she had been chosen... therefore it must be acceptable and appropriate. Was it not?

"Relax." He told her and she did seem to relax. In fact, She became completely relaxed. It was even a little curious to her, that whenever he spoke, his voice had such a tranquilizing effect on her mind and body, but somehow it didn't seem reasonable questioning why that was.

He walked around behind her softly speaking as he did. "Your beautiful. There's nothing to fear. Your are completely relaxed." She felt one of his hands slide along her rear end and she involuntary flinched. "Just relax." His calming voice told her. "Nothing to fear." Then he circled around to face her once again.

She noticed him focus his attention on her breasts for several minutes then his eyes drifted downward to her pubic mound. He reached out and she felt him cup her pussy in his hand, while with the other hand he kneaded the soft flesh of her left breast between his fingers. "Your doing just fine Elisabeth." He told her. "Your enjoying this. You want me to excite you. It feels good to you. You don't ever want me to stop." She felt one of his fingers slip between her legs and expertly massage along her clit and another momentary flash of abashment surged through her at such intimacy but was soon dispelled by the feeling of arousal as his hands caressed her breast and between her legs. She felt her nipples hardening with excitement and moistness permeated between her legs from heated stimulation and she felt just as he had told her she would feel. Without and conscience thought or shame she spread her thigh's farther apart allowing him freer access to her womanhood and erotic zone. He drew her left nipple into his mouth running his tongue around its rough surface sending renewed flashes of sexual pleasure through out her body, then she felt one of his fingers slip between the folds of flesh surrounding her vaginal opening and push inside her.

Her back arched, and her legs twitched then jerked on the carpeted floor. She felt another of his fingers pushing deeper, sliding upwards, digging into her labia, finding her clit. He probed at it, holding her open as he worked his fingers expertly, driving her shivering and shaking just at the verge of a tremendous, mind shattering orgasm, then abruptly he slid his fingers out of her leaving her unsatisfied.

"Ahaaa.... Noooo.." She moaned with displeasure and discomfort. Her head twisted back and forth as her body craved for sexual stimuli, setting her nerve endings tingling, demanding fulfillment.

"You want to cum don't you Elisabeth? You have to cum don't you? You'd do anything to have an orgasm won't you? Anything. But you can't do it by yourself." His voice still held the same soothing effect on her but was incapable of dispelling any of the agony brought on by the heated sexually aroused state she was in. "Tell me Elisabeth. Tell me what you want."

"I..... I want.... I must cum. Please!" She managed to say.

"Tell me Elisabeth. Tell me what you would have me to do." He pinched both of her nipples between her fingers.

"Please... Make me.... Let me cum.... Please." She pleaded with him.

"And how shall I do that Elisabeth? You can't do it by yourself. If you want me to fuck you, you'll have to ask. Perhaps even beg."

Yes! Please. Fuck me! Please fuck me now!" She was almost yelling.

"All right Elisabeth. Have patience I'll fuck you. But first you must taste the sword of flesh." He opened his robe and Elisabeth saw he was naked underneath it. She could see his stiff manhood standing hard and erect out from his body. Her first impression of his members was of how much larger it was than her husbands, at least one or two inches longer and much thicker in diameter. Both its size and the mere fact that she was staring at another man's sex organ paralyzed her momentarily. "Down Elisabeth. Get down on your knees and worship the flesh." His words snapped her out of the initial shock and rekindled the desire in her loins. She knew he wanted her to do something, but she wasn't clear on what it was.

"Huh? What.... I...?"

"Onto your knees and take the flesh into your mouth. You will find it extremely pleasurable and sexually arousing." He answered her unfinished question.

Now she understood. He wanted her to perform oral sex on him. She had never taken a man into her mouth, not even her husband... not that he hadn't wanted her too on several occasions, but she had always considered the idea discussing and refused. Now however, with the burning appeal of her body demanding sexual satisfaction she dropped to her knees and without a moments hesitation took his stiff tool in her hand and guided it into her open mouth. She felt the swollen head slide past her lips and across her tongue. She began bobbing her head forward and back jacking him off with her mouth almost enjoying the vained texture of the shaft filling her mouth. She felt pressure on the back of her head when he used his hands to force her mouth toward his groin. She felt The head of his cock push at the back of her throat and she began to gag but he pulled his cock back dispelling the reflex. She knew what he wanted now and thrust her mouth forward taking as much of him into her mouth as she could, even allowing the head to slip down her throat and feeling utter sexual excitement whenever it did, just as he had said.

"Oh yes!" He told her. "You are a little cock sucking whore aren't you! Yes, go ahead and enjoy sucking the rod but don't cum... Ohooo... Noo... Don't you cum!"

She sucked deeper and harder on the cock in her mouth feeling it's texture and taking pleasure in it's taste. She shuddered as a wave of sexual rapture blistered along her spine but was not satisfied by an orgasm. His meat slipping back and forth in her mouth brought on a pleasant tingling up from her crotch and then a sudden sharp twinge from deep inside, and her body felt like an inferno, with a rush of sizzling energy rippling up and down. Her body screamed but her mind could not bring on the orgasm she so badly needed, then she felt the cock in her mouth pulse and she knew he was going to climax. All her previous beliefs about how disgusting the act of a man ejaculating in a woman's mouth was, vanished and she wanted him to spew his sperm. She wanted to taste it.... she wanted to eat it, and he did not disappoint her. Glob after glob gushed out of his cock onto her tongue and the back of her throat. Her feeling of arousal was even stronger and more sensual while she hungrily sucked up his emission swallowing as much of his discharged seed as she could. She took him deep until his balls and pubic hairs were pressed tightly against her lips not wanting any of the sex fluids to escape. She allowed his semen to slide down her throat allured with its salty, forbidden taste. She moaned in response to her body's overwhelming sexual plea as he came in her mouth, but she was still denied any true sexual gratification.

She reluctantly allowed him to pull his cock from her mouth after he finished coming believing if only she could suck him a little longer she might be able to have an orgasm.

"Aw... You enjoy the rod of flesh." He told her stroking his softening cock with one hand and patting her on the head with his other.

"Yes.... Yes... But, please... Please fuck me. You must ..... Please fuck me now!" She remained on her knees her lips glinting with saliva and sperm.

"Show me. Show me where you would have me pleasure you slut!" He taunted her.

She knew he was trying to make her feel cheap but that didn't matter, the only thing that mattered was relieve for her thirsty body. She laid down on the carpet and spread her legs wide apart completely exposing her wet dripping vulva to his view. Shamelessly she used two fingers to spread her vagina lips apart and opened her sex hole. "Here! Fuck me here... please!"

He smiled down at her and it seemed his member was beginning to stiffen again. Pulling his robe aside he lay down on top of her and whispered into her ear. "Yes. I will satisfy your lust. But first... ask me to penetrate your rear hole. Tell me you are my slut and you want me to fuck you in the ass. Tell me!"

Never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined allowing anyone to do that to her but, was it not her voice that whispered back. "Yes.... anything.... anything.... I'm your slut. Fuck me... Fuck my ass......"

She felt him rise up to his knees between her spread thighs. "Draw your knees up to your chest and use your hands to spread your cheeks so I can fuck you in the ass." His words cut deep into her mind making her feel like the slut she was, but she couldn't fight the heat of her body and did as he told her. Her fingers found the delicate skin surrounding her anus opening and she parted its surface sending renewed erotic pulses throughout her body in spite of her minds revolution of knowing she was about to take a cock into her forbidden hole.

Waves of pleasure filled her when he rubbed his hand over her wet burning vagina covering it with her juices and used the wet hand to lubricate her rear opening. She felt the head of his cock pressing at the entrance of her ass, then the head of his cock was forced into her tight hole. Sexual pleasure was replace by pain from the invasion of his thick member into her virgin hole. Elisabeth could not swallowed the cry that escaped her lips caused by both pain and shameful regret for what she was allowing him to do to her. She felt him push deeper and it felt like a red hot poker ripping her bottom apart, then his shaft was buried to its hilt and his balls slapped against her ass flesh. He took on a slow rhythm of sliding back and forth several times then said. "Tight... Aaaa... So tight. Only whore's take cock up the ass Elisabeth. Don't you know that?"

She was disgusted with herself. Her sore rear hole was a constant reminder of what appalling things she had allowed to happen. She had held herself open to be sodomized. Any and all sexual desire's she had previously felt were completely gone. She didn't care what happened to her now. She would let him do anything. She knew after this, she couldn't live with herself, but most of her self pity was lost on Richard, her dear husband Richard. How could she had done this to him? A dark cloud covered her brain. She didn't know how long it had been there, but she knew it was there. The cloud was like the cloak of Satan. She knew it was evil and un-clean, but it didn't matter. Didn't matter.

She felt him withdraw from her bottom and plunge into her vagina in a single motion. "Your cunt is sloppy wet but its still tight. You may cum now. Take pleasure in the flesh and in being fucked. Enjoy the feeling of a cock buried in your slit." His soft voice told her, and he took on the task of driving rhythmic fucking. Her body shivered as she fought to stay completely detached from the powerful fucking her body was undergoing. She could actually see where his hard, veined cock shaft was sliding back and forth against her clit, sending rippling bursts of pleasure surging through her cramped, squashed body in spite of her feelings of shame, hate and loathing. Without warning Elisabeth found herself exploding with lustful pleasure, her entire lower body seemed to radiate heat and sexual spark. God, could she use that name? She had never had an orgasm as strong as this. Her thighs jerked against his ribcage, as her orgasm coursed through her body. She screamed out hotly and hunched her hips back up at the flesh sword stabbing her, and she was only vaguely aware when he started spurting into her, his cock jerked as he released his load of hot cum into her trembling pussy. She clenched her vaginal lips, milking his withering cock until he finally emptied his balls, then suddenly she felt his cock growing and stretching. It became no thicker than her little finger and seemed to take on a life of it's own, winding it's way up her vaginal canal up into her stomach. Momentary nausea overtook her as her mind's eye recalled drawings she had seen of fifteenth century women fornicating with the devil. The drawings had depicted a cloven hoofed being with a long snake like organ penetrating deep inside a woman's vaginal opening. She almost panicked with the thought that such a vile thing was happening to her. Then as suddenly as the nausea had overtaken her a new even more intense orgasm blasted through her body, and she was only vaguely aware as the thing lodged well up inside her stomach spewed forth a dark brown liquid offering Bishop the only true sexual satisfaction he could achieve. "Ahaaaaa......" He moaned in bliss and total conquest. After the unholy orgasm his organ shrank back to its normal size and he slowly slid it out of her. He wiped the head against her thigh leaving a wet brown stain then he stood up. She lay back on the carpet, panting and resting, unaware of any thoughts other than complete and extraordinary sexual gratification.

"You are my whore now, to do with as I please. I own you body and soul slut. You will give yourself to me or anyone else of my choosing on demanded. Is that perfectly clear?"

All she had the strength to do was nod.

Karen sat on one of several wooden benches next to a large gazebo in McNeil town square. She was becoming a little concerned because it was well after nine PM and there still was no sign of Elisabeth. She thought about their new friendship. They had only just meet but somehow Karen felt close to Elisabeth. There was no explainable reason for the way she felt about someone she had only spent a few hours with other than Elisabeth's open joy and passion for life, something Karen had never felt, but wished she could. She reflected fondly on the short period of time they had spent sharing conversation and laughs in the parking lot before the sermon, and even those moments seemed far away now. Karen knew that she would always have a place in her heart for Elisabeth no matter what happened to their relationship.

Earlier in the day Karen had questioned several of the local boarding house's and motel's in McNeil about Art and Louie. She found out that they had indeed attempted to find lodging but probably ended up as Karen had in Fayetteville. After returning to Fayetteville Karen located Art and Louie at a hotel not half a mile from where she was staying. She had hung around their hotel lobby for a couple of hours and was eventually rewarded by seeing Art and Louie enter the hotel. She purposely walked passed them not more than a foot or so away, and even though both men appraised her as men will do with any good looking woman, not the slightest hint of recognition crossed their faces. Karen enjoyed the masquerade, achieving a kind of rousing and almost sexual pleasure in the shrouded encounter. She waited, and again felt the thrill of adrenaline rush when they passed her for a second time as the left the hotel for lunch but it wasn't nearly as stimulating as it had been the first time. Now that she had accomplished the thing she had set out to do it felt almost anti-climatic and even perhaps a little childish, but she had seen it to closure, something she rarely attained in the past.

Concern for Elisabeth over came her again and she found a public phone and called for a cab to take her out to Magnesia Springs.

The taxi cab's headlights illuminated the empty parking lot in front of reverend Bishop's tent and spilled over the metal surface of a lone car that Karen recognized as Elisabeth's vehicle.

After discerning Elisabeth seated in the drivers seat Karen paid the driver and dismissed him.

She approached the driver's door and lightly rapped her knuckles on the rolled up window. "Elisabeth it's me Karen. Are you all right?" Elisabeth sat motionless, both of her hands tightly gripping the top of the steering wheel while stared blankly out the front windshield.

Karen tried the car door but it was locked. She banged harder on the window and called out. "Elisabeth! What's wrong! It's me Karen! Are you all right? Come on, unlock the door!"

Karen continued pounding on the window and eventually Elisabeth turned toward her. Karen saw Elisabeth's face was streaked with tears and she looked to be in shock and didn't seem to recognize Karen at all. "Elisabeth! It's me Karen. Open the door!" Karen frantically yelled through the window.

A spark of recollection crossed Elisabeth's face and her lips mouthed the word "Karen" and she mechanically pushed the switch unlocking the car. Karen wrenched the car door open flooding the car interior with light affording Karen an even clearer view of how disheveled Elisabeth was. Gripping her friend by the shoulders she turned her so she could look directly into her eyes, then calmly as possible asked. "What is it Elisabeth? What's wrong?"

"I.... Oh God! I..... " A fresh supply of tears flowed down Elisabeth's cheeks and body wrenching sobs made it impossible for her to speak."

"Slide over honey. It'll be all right." Karen told her friend gently pushing her toward the passenger seat.

With Karen's help Elisabeth slid across the bench seat the side of her face coming to rest on the window. Karen got into the car then closed and locked the doors behind her.

Reaching across the seat she gently patted Elisabeth on the thigh. "It'll be okay. But you've got to tell me what's wrong. I can't help if I don't know what it is."

"I.... He.... I'm filth....." A new round of crying silenced Elisabeth,

"That's okay Honey. Just take your time. I'm here." Karen soothed her.

After several minutes Elisabeth bit down on her lower lip then turned toward Karen. "Oh... Karen it's you isn't it. Oh God! Karen......" Elisabeth began nervously wringing her hands together.

Karen took both of Elisabeth's hand into hers and squeezed them gently. "Yes. It's me. Take all the time you need. I'll be here."

Elisabeth clamped her eyes shut as if trying not to see the pain she felt. "I..... He did... I did.... sinful, vulgar, detestable things. I... I didn't want to... As God is my witness... I didn't want to... But... But then ....." She broke down in tears and began quickly rocking her body forward and back as a child might do. "Oh dear God. Then I.. I.. enjoyed it! How could I have.... How? How? How?"

"Take it easy Elisabeth. Try and relax." Karen slipped her arm around Elisabeth's shoulder and drew her head into her breast comforting her. "No matter how horrible it seems right now, we can work it out. I promise."

"You don't know.... You just don't know....." Elisabeth sobbed.

"Your right. I don't know. But I promise you... I'm no stranger to hurt and pain. We will work this thing out." Karen whispered.

"He sodomized me Karen! He sodomized me.......!" She was close to screaming.

"It's all right. It's not the end of the world. I know you don't believe that now, but it's not the end of the world, honest. I know.... I've been there." Karen was attempting to keep Elisabeth from getting hysterical.

Karen couldn't be sure if Elisabeth had understood her or not as Elisabeth continued. "....and other things. Cruel. Disgusting. Degrading things." She buried her face in her hands crying uncontrollably once again.

Karen now felt that she had a pretty fair idea of what had happened to Elisabeth. She didn't feel qualified or even necessarily comfortable taking on the roll of psychologist, but she remembered how confused she had felt after her father had raped her the first time. If someone, anyone had been there to help snap her out of self guilt it could have been easier.

Karen pulled Elisabeth's hand's away from her face, then turned her head so she could look straight into her eye's. "You listen to me Elisabeth!" She said harshly. "I mean it! You listen to me. Your not the first woman to be raped, and you won't be the last. And no matter what you felt during the act, it was still rape. There are certain uncontrollable physical things that can happen, but it doesn't change the fact of rape." She paused momentarily letting her words soak in before continuing. " Now you listen. This is the most important thing for you to understand. I mean it! You listen to me! A man can only rape your body... but only you can allow him to rape your mind. Do you understand me? Don't let that bastard fuck your mind. Your a wonderful person Elisabeth. I love you, but more importantly you must love yourself. Do you hear me Elisabeth? Do you understand?"

Elisabeth took in several sharp breaths then nodded. "Yes. I think so." She whispered uncertainly.

"Good." Karen answered. "Where are your keys Honey. Let's get out of this depressing lot. We'll go get some coffee or something."

Elisabeth fumbled inside her handbag and handed Karen a ring of keys. As Karen was pulling out of the dirt lot she looked over at Elisabeth and said. "Now you use the vanity mirror and fix up your face and hair. You'll feel better about yourself then." Karen needed to keep Elisabeth busy and not dwelling on what had happened to her.

Elisabeth was looking in the mirror applying lipstick to her lips when she suddenly stopped and looked over at Karen. "Oh God! Richard. How can I tell Richard. Oh how can I Karen. How can I?"

Karen turned toward Elisabeth. "Don't you worry about him right now. We'll take care of that in good time. Right now your what's important. You just worry about getting your makeup on straight. Richard is doing just fine. Okay?"

Elisabeth didn't answer, but she did return to the task of applying her lipstick.

The two woman sat across form each other in an isolated booth inside the Del Monaco restaurant in McNeil. Steam whiffed upward from the coffee cup's placed in front of them.

"Elisabeth," Karen asserted softly, taking hold of Elisabeth's hands. "Please know that you can tell me anything. I'm here for you."

Physically Elisabeth looked much better, but Karen could tell mentally she was still in shock. Karen instinctively felt getting Elisabeth to talk about what had happened would be the best therapy . What she didn't know was how Elisabeth would react once some of the initial shock wore off. She had assumed, which had later been confirmed by Elisabeth that the rapist had indeed been the reverend Bishop himself. Karen knew what he had done to her was only that much more vial and devastating because it had been him. Elisabeth had worshipped Bishop. She felt he talked with God. And Karen also knew Elisabeth blamed herself somehow for what had taken place. The one curious aspect that Karen couldn't put a finger on, was throughout Elisabeth's sketchy and disjointed recounting of the rape, the sense of something more than just physical assault was involved. Something unnatural, something unholy, something almost supernatural.

"He's not human Karen." Elisabeth asserted. "You believe me don't you? He's not human. I know he isn't. He could be Satan himself." Elisabeth wondered if she were loosing her mind after hearing her own words.

"Sometimes going through what you did can make us see or feel things that aren't really there. It's a normal reaction to highly traumatic situations. Maybe that's what you felt honey." Karen offered taking a sip of coffee.

"No!" Elisabeth insisted a little too loudly for the quite atmosphere of the restaurant, causing a few patrons to glance in their direction. "No. It's wasn't like that. I know what's real and what isn't." she said more softly and self-consciously.

Karen looked into Elisabeth's large, kind brown eyes and furrowed her brow. "I'm glad you're able to talk about it anyway. Just seeing you open up a little makes me feel better. I was so worried for you." Elisabeth's eyes watered and Karen leaned closer.

"What is it Elisabeth. Tell me what hurts." Karen said softly.

"I'm.... I'm not a whore. I'm not." Elisabeth cried.

"Of course your not. Why in God's name would you even think such a thing. What you are is one thing I'm absolutely certain about. Your a beautiful, loving, kind woman." Karen talked softly but sternly.

"He... He told me I was a whore... and a slut.... and... and...." Fresh tears formed at the corners of Elisabeth's eyes.

"Fuck him honey. He's filth and anything he say's is filth!" Karen was all to familiar with the feelings of being degraded by a man.

"Maybe I am." Elisabeth drove a clinched fist savagely into her thigh. "Maybe I am.... a whore."

"Now stop that!" Karen said angrily reaching across the table to stop Elisabeth from hitting herself again.

"Well, you don't know everything I did..... Oh God! I had orgasm's Karen. I had orgasm's....." Elisabeth face turned pale and tortured.

"Like hell I don't know! If there's anybody in this world that knows it's me. Besides, we've already gone over all that. Stop blaming yourself. It wasn't you. He's the guilty one. Not you. Remember telling me about Bishop not being human. Maybe that's why your body deceived you. Maybe.... " Karen suddenly lost her voice unexpectedly evoking the dark sinister memory of the vial feeling's she herself had experienced when Bishop first looked down on her in the tent. She became chilled and frightened recounting the devastating fear he had roused in her. At that moment if Karen had been any less of a realist then she was she could have easily accepted Elisabeth's explanation of Bishop being Satan.

"I'm sorry." Karen said shaking off her own fears knowing she still needed to deal with Elisabeth's. "But damn it Elisabeth you've got to stop feeling responsible for your body's natural reactions. That doesn't mean you wanted it to happen. Can you understand that?"

Elisabeth's face relaxed a little taking special comfort in Karen's words. "I hear you, and I tell myself everything your saying is right..... it's just so difficult.... so painful." She took a sip of coffee with a shaky hand.

Karen took Elisabeth's drinking coffee as a good sign. "I know. It'll hurt for a long time. But right now you have some tough decisions to make. If you decide to go to the police with this it'll have to be tonight so they can collect semen samples before there all gone."

The mention of semen brought a buried memory to Elisabeth's conscious mind rekindling the disgust and horror. She bit down on her thumb and said to Karen through clinched teeth. "I'd almost forgotten." She looked at Karen and shook her head. "How can this be?" Her voice turned to a whisper. "Karen, after he entered me something grew inside and entered my stomach. All the up into my stomach."

"You mean like a mechanical device of some kind or something." Karen asked.

"No. It was his thing..... his penis. It stretched while it was inside me and worked it way up into my stomach. Oh...! Oh...!" Elisabeth nervously yanked forward and back on the thumb in her mouth. "I remember associating what was happening to me to those mid-evil pictures of woman fornicating with the devil. How can that be Karen? How can that be?"

"Stress. I'm sure it was only the stress. Have some more coffee." Karen responded, holding out her slender hand.

Elisabeth lifted her hand to take Karen's. "Of course your right.' She finally squeaked out. Not fully believing her words. "Karen," She asked after taking another sip of coffee. "how do you know so much? I'm older than you are, yet you seem so much more mature. Don't get me wrong. I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate you being here. In spite of my strong religious convictions I was trying to work up the nerve to kill myself before you found me... and I think I would have gone through with it had it not been for your friendship, it's just that you seem so insightful for someone so young."

"Some girls are forced to grow up long before their time I guess. It's either grow up, or grow angry and insane. I was one of the lucky one's, I didn't allow the hurt to destroy me..... Just like your doing now." She squeezed Elisabeth's hand and smiled.

"I love you Karen. Thank you for being here." Elisabeth's eyes filled with a different kind of tears.

"I love you too. And your welcome." Karen answered softly feeling a tear of her own find its way down her cheek.

"So." Karen asked after both woman composed themselves. "What about reporting this?"

"I can't." Elisabeth answered honestly. "I still don't even understand all of what happened. I guess I don't even understand myself."

"What are you going to do then?" Karen questioned.

"For now," Elisabeth still felt guilty, but listening to Karen at least helped reinforce her sanity and with a new-found confidence she answered. "I need to do some real soul searching. I'm completely convinced now that I was under some sort of spell, but nothing like being hypnotized or anything. I don't know..... but through out the.... the.... you know act, it was like some immoral cloud was covering my mind, blanking out all goodness, and restraint, making me weak. Thinking back on that cloud scares me a lot more now than it did at the time, but it was very powerful and it was completely evil and I got the perception that Bishop controlled it, and through it, he controlled me. I need to do a lot of thinking. I just pray, after I get home Richard doesn't want any... any sex. I'm not sure I could deal with that right now."

A light mist of rain enticed Karen to use the wiper blades as she drove back to Elisabeth's house in one of the more expensive neighborhood's of McNeil. Their mutual silence during the short trip from the restaurant was occasionally interrupted by the shifting of gears and revving of the engine as Karen stopped and started at traffic lights. She pulled up to the house and quickly got out to open the car door for Elisabeth.

The rain had stopped only minutes before and the first smell of autumn was in the air. "Are you okay, Elisabeth? Karen asked as she closed the door and walked with Elisabeth to the front steps of her house.

"Better now, thanks to you. I just hope I have the courage to face Richard." Elisabeth answered nervously.

Karen sensed Elisabeth's deep concern. As she studied her face, the light from a nearby street lamp reflected in her black eyes making them sparkle with an almost childlike delight that Karen understood was an uncontrollable prevalent part of Elisabeth's charm no matter how concerned or upset she became.

"You can handle it." Karen assured her.

Elisabeth's face tensed and her heartbeat began to race as she turned the door knob and entered the house.

Karen stood at the open doorway as Elisabeth tentatively called out. "Richard! I'm home!" There wasn't any response and Elisabeth beckoned Karen to enter. "I wonder where he is?" She rhetorically questioned.

Elisabeth quickly walked through the living room into the spacious open kitchen area. She returned after a few seconds holding a note in her hand. "Gee, that's strange." She commented to Karen re- reading the note. "He left me a note saying he had an appointment. I guess he thought I'd be home earlier and couldn't wait for me." She shook her head questionably. "I can't even begin to imagine what kind of appointment he'd have at this late hour."

Karen felt a strong premonition of something being terribly wrong. She couldn't put a name to it but it was strong. She summarize this alarming impression must have the reverend Bishop at it's root, and although the factors of the vile feelings she'd had when he looked at her, Elisabeth's rape, as well as Elisabeth's contention of him not being human certainly added fuel to that fire, they were not the predominate factors for feeling the way she did now. No, it was much more than that. It was something much deeper inside her gut, something much less tangible that told her Bishop was total and ultimate corruption, and must be stopped.

Her interest with stopping Bishop was as foreign to her as was her feeling's about him. Throughout her young life she had been surrounded by selfish, self-serving, disgustingly evil men and had either accepted them as fact or just run away. "Why then," She asked herself. "did she this time feel absolutely compelled to do something about it?" No answer came to her, only the reinforcement that she somehow must do something. "God damn!" She thought. "One new wardrobe of clothing and suddenly your the queen of sensitivity, fighting for truth, justice and the American way? What the fuck!" But it didn't change the errant conviction that now commanded her.

She tore her mind away from the unfamiliar thoughts and looked at Elisabeth thinking the worst seemed to be over for her. She looked and talked a lot better than even a half hour before. "Want me to hang around until your husband gets home to keep you company?"

"Only if you want." Was Elisabeth's reply as she turned away from Karen and sat down on the sofa so she could kick her shoes off. "Right now I'm going to take a long hot bath. The water won't wash the filth from my mind but it'll go a long way to get it off my body."

Karen hoped her earlier assessment of Elisabeth's mental state were correct and she wasn't just pretending not to be as disturbed as she had been. "You sure your okay?" Karen asked now re- concerned for Elisabeth's well being.

"I'm okay." Elisabeth answered offering Karen a weak smile. "Not as good as I use to be... but a lot better than if you hadn't been there for me. I owe you a lot Karen, I'll never forget it. But for right now, yes... I'm okay." Then in a slightly lighter tone she continued. "And... after a hot bath I'll be even a little more okay." She pause momentarily then said with conviction in her voice. "You know what... I've even made up my mind about Richard.... for now I'm not going to say anything about this. At best it would cause him a lot of pain, and at worst, he just might want to do something about it, and honestly Karen... I'm still convinced reverend Bishop is something other than mortal, and Richard could get hurt. There's no way I could have Richard's pain or even worse on my conscience compounded with what's already there. Does that make any sense?"

"The best of sense." Karen replied returning the smile. Elisabeth's rational thinking put her at ease again. "Okay. I'm outa here. You go and jump into that hot tub and try to relax. Call me at the hotel if you need anything. I mean it, no matter how small, call me. Okay."

"You bet I will." Elisabeth joked. "The Chinese believe if you save the life of another, you belong to that person for eternity. Guess I own you Karen... like it or not." "You could find it's like owning Pandora's box." Karen joked back.

"With out a doubt, there's more to you than the eye can see, but I know I'd like all of it." Elisabeth replied then changed the subject. "Oh yeah. Yo can go ahead and take my car, I won't be needing it tonight anyway."

"Okay, I'll bring it back sometime tomorrow if that's okay."

"When ever, don't worry about it." Elisabeth said casually. Almost a little too casually for Karen.

"Hey." Karen wrinkled her nose and forehead. "This isn't one of those movie things where the heroin talks and acts like everything is cool then goes and does something really stupid as soon as she's alone, is it?"

"No this isn't one of those move things." Elisabeth answered somberly. "This is a reality thing. With your help I've found I'm a lot mentally stronger than I thought I was. After you leave I'm not going to do anything stupid. After you leave I'm going to rest my mind and body until I have the strength to stop that bastard whether he's the Devil incarnate or not. Revenge shall be mine saith the Lord. Well in this case I'm going with an eye for an eye."

"I can't stop you.... Hell, I'm not even sure I'd want to. Just promise me one thing, that you won't do anything before talking to me. Okay." Karen could easily understand revenge and felt the feeling was the best thing for Elisabeth. "Shit yes." she thought to herself. "Dey was really gonna' foake up de mudder foarker."

"I promise." Elisabeth nodded. "Not one move without you."

It was close to eleven thirty when Karen backed the car out of the driveway onto the street.

Karen drove slowly trying to sort things out inside her mind. She was having a difficult time understanding they way she felt and at having seemingly matured overnight. Her previous self centered child self was gone, replaced by a sympathetic thoughtful adult person concerned for other's even more than herself. "This is just way to weird." She told herself and could only guess that something powerful had changed her either during or after the reverend Bishop's sermon.

Karen felt a little dizzy as she turned left heading out of town toward her hotel. She still could not believe all the strange and evil feelings that haunted her mind. "It just doesn't seem like real life," she thought to herself as she momentarily looked at her reflection in the rear view mirror and sighed. Karen saw a very timid young woman looking back at her. Her eyes lacked luster, and her face seemed gray and overburdened by the very act of living. "What the hell is happening to me?" She wondered with concern.

Almost without thinking, as if by behest she spun the car around making a ill-legal U-turn in the middle of the street and headed toward Magnesia Springs.

After parking the car by the side of the road where it couldn't be easily seen by anyone from the tent, Karen wondered what she was doing. "This is stupid. Bishop is a dangerous man. What the hell are you doing here girl? Go home." She told herself as she made her way through the parking lot toward the tent entrance. Her mouth was full of saliva. and her heart was pounding with both terror and dread as the same vial feeling's she had felt when Bishop had looked at her surged through her body sending renewed cold fingers of ice along her spine. She pushed her frightened limbs forward feeling the rough texture of the canvas flap scrape along her skin as she entered the tent.

She stood momentarily giving her eyes time to adjust to the darker interior, then she heard what sounded like muffled cry's or voices coming from behind tall drawn purple velvet drapes at the back of the tent, and she tentatively made her way toward the noise.

With extreme caution she parted the drapes just enough to look through. What she saw filled her with shock and sudden rage, her innards boiled with vehemence, and her eyes welled up with a mixture of horror and pain, but she was unable to move or intervene any more than a cinema spectator is able to change the outcome of a movie. What see saw took her back to the disgusting times of her father raping her night after night in a drunken stupor, and was a grim reminder of her father forcing her to do things no child should ever be coerced to experience, and after.... oh yes after the ordeal....of feeling the guilt for having done something to bring it all on herself.

She strained to turn away and bound for the exit, but found she was unable, paralyzed with memories, pain and fear, she stood immobile and docile.

Bishop stood dressed in his robes with hands on hips staring down at a young girl of thirteen or fourteen years old. Behind the girl, forming a partial circle were three other men, one of which Karen immediately recognized as Elisabeth's husband Richard.

The girl looked frightened almost to death and had obviously done a lot of crying. She had been striped of all clothing other than her brassiere and panties. The bra was thin and only partially covered the girl's surprisingly large breasts to just above the nipple line exposing round breast meat above the thin material. Her panties were little more than a thong, cut extremely high at the hips leaving her buttocks almost entirely exposed, with a little triangle of cloth over her crotch that did just manage to cover her mound.

Bishop reached down and grabbed the girl by the hair and yanked her back. The girl screamed, and Bishop lashed out with his fist and caught her in the face which drove the girl backwards into one of the three men. She slumped down to the floor dazed, while the men laughed sickly at her pain. "This is yours," Bishop told the men pointing toward the girl. "I give you this virgin offering. She is yours to soil at your will." One of the men, tall and thin, went over and grabbed the girl by the hair, dragging her to her feet. She screamed in pain, but he only laughed harder. The thin man pinned her arms behind her back and pulled her head up as the others grinned and snickered. Richard reached for the top of her bra and pulled the cups downward to bare her firm round young breasts. She sobbed in terror, blood trickling from her lip as the men fought each other to get a feel of the now exposed orbs. Hands frantically pinched, groped, squeezed and slapped at her rounded breasts and nipples. Then the bra was ripped entirely away from her body by Richard while at the same time the thin man was grabbing the crouch of her panties and tore them off leaving the girl completely nude. The men fought like dogs over a bone, shoving at each other as they flung the young teenager to the carpet. The girl screamed and a fist caught her on the side of the face, stunning her once again. The third man, heavier set that the other two, forced her legs apart and groped at her soft pussy mound, then he yanked his cock out and pressed it against her opening. The girl whimpered fearfully, then cried out in pain as he tore her pussy lips apart and thrust into her with crude lust. She cried out again, and again as he slammed his hips downward and stabbed his cock into her tight little slit. The other men only laughed and joked as the girl was being raped. The girl couldn't comprehend what the men were laughing or joking about, because her mind was only filled with pain, terror, and humiliation as a fat, hairy man grunted above her and forced his hard cock meat deep into her pussy tunnel taking her virginity with it. Her insides burned with agony as his cock twisted around in her soft belly, churning up her guts. He laughed down at her, drooling on her face as he thrust into her again and again. Pain flared inside the young woman as his cock drove back and forth in her tender flesh. The man lunged against her time and time again, his thick prong ripping through the tight meat of her insides and punching against her cervix. Then he lifted his head and mooned, "Aaaaa... Yeah.... ohoooo..." and he pumped his seed inside the young girl. The others knelt around her, giggling, watching, and groping at her flesh as they waited their turn to spew their fluids into her.

Hearing the cries of the pain and torment was more than Karen could bare, and even knowing full well there was little she could do to stop what was happening, raw blinding rage compelled her to do something, to do anything, even if it meant being raped or killed herself. She made a move to enter the room, when suddenly she was yanked backwards and fell tumbling onto the floor.

"No!" A voice whispered to her as hands pressed down on her shoulders holding her down. "They'll only kill us. There's nothing we can do to help."

Karen's eyes re-focused and she recognized Elisabeth leaning over her. "Elisabeth?" She whispered back.

"Yes it's me."

"How...? Why are you here?" Karen asked quietly.

"That's not important now. Come on let's get out of here before we're discovered." Elisabeth whispered taking Karen's hand and helping to pull her up onto her feet.

"We've got to do something! I can't just walk away. That poor girl. I can't stand it." Karen yanked attempting to free her hand from Elisabeth's grip.

"And just what are you going to do?" Elisabeth whispered back angrily. "You can't help her. You'll only get us both killed and then we'll never be able to stop him. Is that what you want? If we go in there now he'll just keep on doing the same things to girl after girl. We can't help this one but by God we can come up with a plan to insure he doesn't get his hands on another one."

"But...." Karen began to argue then stopped when she heard renewed yelling from behind the curtain.

"Fucking little whore! You like this don't you?" "Filthy slut!" She heard another one yell. "Now you see what you're worth, bitch!" "You like a man's cock inside you, don't you bitch?" "Stinking young whores!"

Karen didn't understand what or why, but something compelled her to look through the curtain once again. It was as if she had lost all self control and some powerful command willed her to do its bidding.

The girl was laying spread-eagled on the carpet, the heavy set man was pulling her hair as he crushed his lips against hers and thrust his tongue into her mouth. She was whimpering and moaning, but she no longer resisted. The heavy set man got off and Richard gripped her legs and shoved them back against her slender young chest. Karen could see the girl's exposed crotch, with traces of blood around it. Karen knew the girl had been a virgin before this violation. Richard leaned over the girl plunging his cock deep into her and began pounded his hips down against her upturned buttocks. The girl's knees were grinding down onto her chest as Richard let all his weight press downward behind his thrusting cock. He fucked for long minutes skewering the gasping, moaning girl as his hips crushed her buttocks, then he moved aside allowing the thin man to move into position over the girl. The thin man rolled the girl onto her belly, then gripping her hair he put one arm under her waist while jerking her up onto her hands and knees. The girl sobbed in pain as her head was yanked back, but she only received several hard slaps on the head as compensation. The thin man thrust into her womanhood cruelly, and soon she was shaking and jerking violently under the hard impact of his pounding hips driving into her. Her breasts were wobbling back and forth below her, when Richard or the heavy set man weren't groping or slapping or pinching them as the thin man fucked her from behind. Richard pulled up a chair and sat down then leaned far forward, and took a hold of the girl's hair. He pulled her towards him forcing the thin man to follow if he expected to continue his hard fucking. Once Richard had the girl's head in his lap he pulled the teenager's lips down against his hard erection. She moaned and tried to turn her head away but he reached under chest and crushed one of her soft breasts in his hand until she screamed. "You suck some cock, whore! Suck my cock you little slut or I'll rip off this tit!" He yanked her hair hard and shoved his cock into her open screaming mouth, then fucked hard and fast as the other man continued pounding his meat into her crack. Richard pulled her head back hard by the hair until her chin was almost pointing up, then he leaned forward and thrust his cock down into the girl's throat. Karen could actually see the girl's slim throat bulge outward as Richard's cock entered it and slid down. It silenced the girl's whining and moaning, for which Karen was momentarily thankful. Richard pushed his cock deep down her throat until her face was crushed up against his groin. The girl was writhing and thrashing about, but Richard only laughed and held her easily, the thin man behind her was still rutting like a maddened dog, pounding his thick prick inside her fuck hole like he hadn't had a woman in years.

Richard continued fucking his cock in and out of the girl's small mouth. Her eyes were bulging and she was still straining to escape, but as Karen watched, the girl's face became flushed and turned white and her eyes started to glaze over. Richard must have noticed the girl was about to expire and quickly pulled his cock out of her mouth. It emerged, glistening wet, and the girl coughed and gulped in air, gasping and moaning as the man behind her never lost a beat rutting into her pussy hole. The heavy set man laughed as Richard held the girl tightly by the hair and rubbed his spit-wet cock all over her face and lips. Then Richard made her scream by pulling hard on her hair, and forcing his cock into her open mouth once again. His cock plunged down her throat and he began to fuck in and out cutting of the girl's air supply as before. What was being done to the girl was far beyond abhorrent, or even detestable, and much more than Karen could with stand yet she was still unable tear her eyes away like when passing a gory wreck on the highway, the powerfully purposeful force that demanded she remain watching was relentless.

The man rutting into the girl from behind halted, his cock buried deep in her young belly. He groaned and his eyes fluttered as he hugged her close to him. He ground his pelvis against her buttocks slowly, then halted again, before gradually easing back, and Karen knew he had just experienced an orgasm. Richard was still fucking her face but pulled out too, just before she would have passed out for the second time, and got up. He dragged the girl over the side of the chair then moved up behind her. He spread her legs as she trembled and coughed and moaned, then he positioned his spit coated cock against the entrance to the girl's rectum and press forward slowly forcing her rear hole to open wider and wider as it accepted this harsh invader into her anus.

Karen caught her breath in horror and a kind of sick nausea filled her, making her head spin, and she knew she was about to pass out, when without warning the force that had demanded she remain witness to the vial, corrupt, disgusting crime before her, vanished, and she fell limply to the ground with a complete understanding of why she had been forced to be a spectator.

Elisabeth had watched Karen with concerned consideration during the time she was under some form of hypnotic state inside the tent. She sensed it best not to wake her but remained vigilantly alert in the event she were needed. After Karen slumped to the floor Elisabeth helped her friend to the car and drove them to Karen's hotel.

"I understand now." Karen told Elisabeth gravely as both women sat tentatively in Karen's hotel room.

"I know." Elisabeth responded with sincerity. She too had experienced some of the understanding. Not as much as Karen but enough to know Karen understood.

Karen stood up and walked toward the large window on the other side of the room to view the city skyline. It was a rare night in beautiful downtown McNeil Arkansas. The usually overcast night sky seemed an almost royal black-blue illuminated by a full moon that also drenched the surrounding glass and steel buildings with a pale gold. Unlike her past self this Karen could almost feel the warmth of the moon's rays through the plate glass window. She turned and looked into Elisabeth's dark eyes as she spoke philosophically. "If knowing is truth. I've lived a lie all my life."

"We all have." Elisabeth gestured with sympathy. "Want to fill me in?"

Karen snapped her mind back to reality and answered. "Sure. But first, can you tell me why you went to the tent. You were supposed to be taking a hot bath. Remember?" She already knew the answer to her question but she wanted Elisabeth to reflect on the answer herself.

"Don't know." Was Elisabeth's simple response as she shrugged her shoulders.

"Hmmm... you don't know? Come now. Surely there must be some explanation." Karen prompted.

"No. I can't think of one." Elisabeth shook her head holding her arms out in frustration. "I honestly don't know. One minute I'm getting ready to take a bath, the next I'm sitting in a cab heading toward Magnesia Springs."

"Well, knowing what I do now," Karen said thoughtfully. "it's a good thing you were there. If not, I would have gone in to help that girl, and we both know how that would have turned out."

"Yeah... I know." Elisabeth offered a weak smile. "There are forces at work here I don't fully understand. I guess it was one of those that put me in that cab."

"You know," Karen commiserated. "isn't it funny how easily you can come to except all this super natural mumbo jumbo stuff after its touched you." The remarkable encounters both women had recently experienced had forged an even stronger bond of friendship between the two of them and Karen felt completely comfortable airing out even her most personal thoughts or dilemmas.

"I've always held a spiritual conviction about there being a God, but I've never really considered Satan as a solid entity on earth to be contended with." Elisabeth remarked casually, then continued in a more deliberate tone. "That's what he is you know, the anti-Christ..... or at the very least one of his disciples, here on earth to gather soul's." She paused and shook her head. "Just listening to myself I sound crazy, but I know what I know. Just as you know Karen.... Just as you know."

Karen walked over to Elisabeth and stroked the length of her hair gently. "Yeah. I know." She said quietly. "I know."

"So what now Karen?" Elisabeth ask looking up into Karen face.

"Now we gather the four." Karen smiled down at her friend.

"The four?" Elisabeth questioned, as if the answer didn't make any sense, which it didn't.

"You and I my dear Elisabeth or two of the four it will take to destroy the thing that calls itself reverend Bishop." Karen paused momentarily and closed her eyes reflecting back on the moment of enlightenment inside the tent before she continued. "Inside that tent, after being forced to watch the blasphemous defilation of that poor child, I understood clearly that I had not come to McNeil Arkansas on a mere whim. I was destined to be here at precisely this moment, just as my whole life was pre-determined for this moment. All the pain I endured as a young girl was intended to give me the strength and understanding of your, and that child in the tent's sufferings." She opened her eyes and smiled down at Elisabeth. "Just as you and I were predestined to become friends Elisabeth. You see, together Elisabeth we have become a force to be reckoned with. Together you and I are God's sword of light which shall devour the serpent."

Elisabeth didn't fully understand but she believed. Yes, she believed. "But you said four. Who are the other two?" She questioned.

"Aw... the other two." Karen chuckled a little as she spoke. "The other two are the most unlikely pair of heaven's instrument's you could possibly think of. They followed me here to McNeil in search of something I took away from them. And like us they have a destiny to follow."

Something had been bothering Karen for some time and she needed to get it out in the open. "Elisabeth, in the tent, the three men that were violating that child..... you saw... didn't you?"

"You mean Richard." The words caught in her throat making them sound gargled. "Yes, I saw." Her dark eyes glistened as moisture collected behind them.

"He had no more choice than you or I." Karen comforted Elisabeth as she drew her face against her chest holding her. "Just because he's a man makes him no stronger nor more able to withstand the evil strength of hell than we could."

"I know..." Elisabeth sobbed. "I know.... that's how I controlled myself up to now." Elisabeth threw her arm's around Karen's waist and dug her nails into Karen's flesh. "This has got to end Karen. It just has to end. I'll go mad if it doesn't end soon..... I'll go mad, I know I will."

"The final chapter is about to be written." Karen drew Elisabeth even closer to her body. "You must keep faith Elisabeth, without you the sword has no edge. Your courage and strength is needed now, be strong my dear friend and I promise you.... it will end."

Elisabeth released Karen and leaned back on the couch rubbing her eyes with the heel's of her hands. "I'm okay now." She said smiling up at Karen. "I'll be fine. Sorry."

"I know." Karen said softly as she used her thumb to wipe away a mascara filled tear from Elisabeth's cheek. "Hey listen," She said in a lighter tone. "in the top bureau drawer over there is a key to one of the lockers at the bus station. If anything happens go get what's inside. Okay?"

"What do you mean if anything happens?" Elisabeth cocked her head to the side looking nervously at Karen.

"I don't mean anything." Karen answered casually. "It's just good that you know about it, that's all." Then she quickly added. "It's the stuff I took from the other two. Somebody else should know where it is."

Elisabeth wasn't completely comfortable with Karen's explanation but she let it pass. "I don't know if I should go home or not. I'm not sure I could see Richard right now." She said turning her thoughts to the current situation.

"It's better if you stay here tonight." Karen offered. "You need to get some rest for tomorrow."

"Maybe I should call?" Elisabeth thought out loud.

"You could. But I assure you he isn't home. He won't be released until we free him." Karen said deliberately. "Come on, let's get some rest. Tomorrow we gather the four and forge the sword."

Art had fallen asleep on the overstuffed Pottery Barn sofa while watching the late show on television when he was awakened by a knock on the door of his room. He felt groggy and disoriented as he fumbled for the remote control to turn off the TV set. The window was open, and he could smell the rain as he lazily pulled himself up off the sofa and dragged himself to the chair where he had draped his pants.

"If that's Louie I'll kill the fucker!" He told himself slipping on his slacks.

The morning light of the sun streamed into the hotel room and he could feel the warmth of the sun's rays wash over his face as he ran his fingers through his short, thinning hair. "I'll kill the fucker!" he told himself again. Louie knew how difficult it was for him to sleep when his stomach acted up, and last night it had been killing him.

He had been in a totally pissy mood long before his stomach started bothering him, what with coming to Arkansas having been a utter bust, Louie constantly nagging him to go get healed, and he was running out of money. If he couldn't unload that dope real soon he'd be holding a fucking "Will work for food sign." on the God damn freeway entrance. Yeah, he was in a pissy mood all right and getting woken up early didn't make it any better.

Another knock on the door prompted him to yell. "Yeah! Keep your nuts on! I'm coming!"

He opened the door and was surprised to find a well dressed attractive woman in her early twenty's standing there.

"Hello Art." The woman said smiling warmly.

"Huh?" Art looked confused. "Do I know you?"

"Come on Art, look in the eyes. We're old bedfellows." Karen said coyly as if she were hurt that he didn't recognize her.

Art strained his eyes looking at the woman then a slight glimmer of recognition crossed his face. "Jesus Christ!" He almost shouted. "Your the little whore that took off with my money. Where's my money!" He did shout this time while grabbing her wrist so she couldn't get away.

"All in good time." She said calmly then added. "Aren't you even going to invite an old friend in?"

"Yeah!" He answered quickly, "Get the fuck in here." as he yanked her into the room and kicked the door shut with his foot.

He pulled her farther into the room and roughly dumped her down on the edge of the bed. "Now where's my fucking money!" He demanded.

"I told you. All in good time." Karen answered coolly while rubbing the soreness out of her wrist where he had grasped her.

"In good time my ass bitch. I want my fucking money now!" The blood vessels on his neck and face strained with his anger and he held out his palm as if to strike her.

"Hitting me isn't going to get your money back." Karen said holding her hands palms up submissively in front of her. "All I want is a little favor and you'll get your money."

"Fuck that! It's my money and you'll give it to me now or else!"

"Or else what Art? You'll beat the shit out of me... Kill me.... Rape me? What? Why not make it easy on yourself. One little favor is all I'm asking and we can part as friends. Think about it, I could have been a thousand miles away if I'd wanted to." She said confidently.

His face softened a little and his voice dropped an octave or two as he said. "Jesus Christ. I don't believe this. You steal my fucking money then you have the balls to ask me for a favor." He squinted his eyes looking down at her intensely before continuing. "Don't fuck with me or I swear to God, money or not, I'll see to it you don't take another thieving breath!"

"Get real Art. Like you worked forty hours a week for that money." Karen knew she had him at least thinking, and that gave her some added confidence in gaining his assistance. "Besides, I told you, if I didn't intend on giving it back I would have been in South America by now. So lighten up and hear me out. Okay?"

Art's face still retained it's scowl but he rolled his eyes upward and nodded.

Karen stood up and walked to the window to look out at the city. Modern steel and older stone office buildings stood majestically toward the blue autumn sky. A few cars wove their way down the streets taking people to their laborious jobs. Without turning she said. "What do you think of when you look at a view like this?"

"Fuck. I don't know." Art responded. "Sucker's and weakness, I guess."

"I see," She continued as if she hadn't heard his responds. "pain, suffering and misery out there."

"Yeah. Well there's going to be some fucking misery in here if you don't get to the point." He said obviously annoyed.

"There are other things out there too Art." She said turning away from the window to look at him. "Good things like love, hope, sincerity and kindness.... and evil things Art. Things that try to destroy everything that's precious in the world." She paused to take in her breath. "It's one of these destructive evil things I need your help with."

"Yeah. So who do I need ta bump off?" He asked sarcastically.

"Reverend Bishop." She answered matter-of-factually.

"Your serious aren't you?" You really want me to ice the fucker, huh." Art never expected her favor to be a hit.

"Yes I'm serious... but I don't necessarily expect you to indiscriminately... ice him... as you call it. I just need your protection when I confront him, that's all." Karen assured him.

"You expect trouble from him? The fuckers a priest for Christ sake. What's he done, anyway? Art didn't see any connection between Karen and Bishop.

"He's not a priest, but that's unimportant. All I'm asking is you and Louie come with me when I talk to him.... After that you get your money. A walk in the park." Karen knew the confrontation would not be a walk in the park , and that it would take both Art and Louie to make up the four if there was any hope at all, so she made it sound easy.

"This whole thing sounds screwy." Art said suspiciously. "What's your connection Bishop anyway?"

"Come on Art. Since when was the reason for doing a job important. What's important is you and Louie only have to go with me to see Bishop. A half hour later you got your money and everybody's happy. This is cake." She tried to sound casual and succeeded.

"Aw.. What the fuck. Louie wanted me to see Bishop anyway, guess this is as good an excuse as any. When?" Art figured a half hour was worth saving him the trouble of beating the information out of her.

"Three o'clock this afternoon. I'll come by and you and Louie can follow me out to Magnesia Springs." Karen answered.

"If you think I'm going to let you outa my sight now, you go another thought coming." Art said with conviction.

"If I planed on skipping out on you, I wouldn't be her now. I found you. Remember?" Karen reminded him.

"Yeah, I guess so. Okay three o'clock then, and no funny stuff, you ain't seen my bad side." He threatened.

A light mist began to fall and Karen switched on the wiper blades. She glanced into the rear view mirror and saw the big white Cadillac following several car lengths behind. She became aware of her breathing and was surprised at how nervous she was. When dealing with normal situations and even with men, she had experience and was usually confident and in control but as the car got closer to their destination, she felt each accelerated beat of her heart, and her palms became damp. This was new, this was for more than anything she had ever fought for. This was not for herself, this was for all the good things in the world, something she had never participated in before. "God give us the strength." She prayed for the first time in her life.

Karen entered the tent first, with Elisabeth just behind her and Art and Louie, both looking bored following the women. What little was left of the afternoon afforded them only a dim view of the interior but they could see a flickering through a narrow opening coming from behind the velvet drapes as if originating by candle light.

Karen led the way toward the back of the tent and the flickering light. She stood silently before the drapes for several seconds considering what to do, when suddenly the deep booming voice of reverend Bishop, coming from the room beyond, filled the massive tent, "Do come in," the voice commanded. "It would be a shame to do otherwise, you've come such a long way."

At the sound of Bishop's voice Art said. "What the fuck is all this bullshit? Come on let's get this over with." He pushed past the women and pulled the drapes aside.

Karen knew she had to react quickly and sent a mind probe out to the second of the gathering of four, Elisabeth.

Elisabeth felt the probe drive into her brain and didn't understand it. It was like a finger probing and searching into the deepest recess of her mind. For a brief moment it frightened her, then she understood.... it was Karen and the probe was a gift from her enlightenment.

The first two of the four were now one, with but one single purpose, and one single thought. Karen turned and walked toward Elisabeth, not so much as in a trance, but more of an understanding of intention.

Elisabeth began to feel secure in the blanket of mind melding. The two as one seemed to possess a will strong enough to tumble down walls, or even move mountains. Yes, they could wield the sword. Yes, they could send him back to the hell he had come from.

Art, not knowing anything of what was taking place in the minds of the two women, took on a plan of action reserved for mortal humans. He took two steps into the room then stopped in his tracks. The room was large, much larger that it should have been, maybe two hundred or three feet in length as if the back wall of the tent had been pushed out into empty space. The room was entirely devoid of any furniture except for two tables set on apposite sides of the room against the left and right canvas walls. Each table held three lighted black candles, giving an eerie ghost like quality to the room.

Written on the wall he was facing were the words "SUSEJ", in large blood scrawled letters just above an upside down crucifix. Just below the cross he could see the faint outline of a door sized opening pulsing with an iridescent green color. Standing on either side of the door were two men, both dressed in white robes and seemingly in a trance. But what had stopped him in mid stride was not so much the room itself as much as the reverend Bishop the man. He stood tall and impressive in the center of the room dressed in black robes, with his arms folded across his chest. Bishop's eyes glowed the color of red, and his face, once human, now displayed not even the slightest quality of being mortal.

Art sensed more than heard Louie and the two women enter the room behind him. They, too, stopped short at the sight of Bishop.

The frequency of pulsing by the door seemed to diminish just a little, then the voice of Bishop boomed out once again, the words spoken were not the sounds made by man, but rather the sounds of demon's. "It has been some time," the deep voice boomed, "since last I stood on the battlefield."

The body that at one time belonged to Bishop suddenly burst into flames of orange and white that completely encircled him. Neither Bishop nor his black robes were disturbed by the flames. The voice boomed at them again. "You have unwittingly both helped and hindered me in my quest of soul reclaim. My time has come to regain what once was mine." The flames turned into a glow of red that remained around his body.

Karen could feel the probe binding her to Elisabeth weaken and she concentrated on pushing Bishop into the pulsing door with it's power. Bishop remained where he was but he had wavered backward ever so slightly.

Art didn't know or even care for that matter that a struggle was taking place between this thing Bishop and Karen on some higher plane, but he could feel his legs had become sluggish and would not respond to his demands. Somewhat over the shock of seeing Bishop, he moved his hand toward his .45 automatic, but like his leg's his arm's only moved in slow motion.

The thing that was Bishop was surprised by the strong force imposed by the probe, but spoke again and taunted them. "You feel secure wielding the sword of light. Perhaps you would care for a playmate." He leaned back on his heels and the pulsating of the door intensified and a naked creature that looked like a small deformed human came through the door. The thing was three feet tall with a massive lump on its back and arms that hung to the floor. Its body was covered with a thick slime that dripped down its short skinny legs then onto the floor. It's discussing testicle's hung like a pair of hairy bee's hives between it's legs. It moved very slowly toward Elisabeth calling her name. "Elisabeth. Elisabeth. I am for you, Elisabeth. Come Elisabeth let me fuck you as my master did. You enjoyed taking a cock up your ass. didn't you?"

Elisabeth became so frightened she lost the probe. All she could think of was running away, but her legs failed her.

Bishop could feel the force of the sword falter and he laughed, a hideous sound of exhilaration.

Karen's probe drove into Elisabeth's mind but it found nothing. She drove deeper and only black. Karen plunged farther and thought, "For that child Elisabeth... That dear child he violated . . .Elisabeth, for the child..." . . . .light. . . .brighter now, and then . . .the probe.

What little control Art had over his body was diminishing by the second. His hand now resting on grips of the .45 but refused to yank the gun out of his holster. Sweat broke out on his forehead as he forced his mind to concentrate and regain control. This was the weirdest shit he had ever seen and he wanted out.

Another creature emerged from the door. This one even more grotesque than the first. It, too, was only three feet tall but only because it lacked any lower appendages. It crawled along the ground, propelling itself forward with its arms. One of its eyes hung loose from the socket and dangled uselessly on its cheek. Its head was twisted at an odd angle as if the neck had been broken. It sported a massive erection at least sixteen inches in length and four inches around extended and pointing upward between it's leg less groin. It's deformed mouth opened and it spoke in a slow gurgled voice. "Karen. I want to make love to you. Please, Karen . . .Please . . .I . . .we . . .must . . . I must fuck you. Your father fucked you. Your uncle fucked. You fuck everyone Karen, Fuck me.... Please, fuck me...."

Karen's mind recoiled with horror, the acids in her stomach threatening to push up its contents, then she heard Art's voice yelling in frustration. "Damn it! Move, damn it! I've got to move!"

The sound of his voice snapped her back and she locked onto the probe. Taking in a deep breath, and with every ounce of strength that remained, she plunged the probe forward, directed at Bishop. Bishop wavered backward again, this time a little more than before, and the aura surrounding him changed from red to orange.

The hunched back creature was less than two feet away from Elisabeth and Karen knew regardless of the consequences she would have to re-direct the probe from Bishop to help Elisabeth. That act would undoubtedly have the consequence of losing what little hold she had gained on Bishop, but she couldn't let that creature get to Elisabeth. Suddenly three rapid shots rang out from behind her. The noise from the reports was deafening in the closed room and Karen saw the hunched backed creature spin left then right then left again as the three slugs hit it's deformed body, sending it flying backwards.

With renewed strength both Karen and Elisabeth pushed the probe forward. They became unaware of the additional gun shots as their minds again forged the sword of light. The aura surrounding Bishop turned from orange to yellow.

Art knew Louie had fired three times and killed the hunched backed creature. "Hell if Louie could do it, so could he." He told himself and yanked his automatic out of the shoulder holster. Now with the gun in his hand, he fired at the leg less creature moving toward Karen. His first shot went wide and plunged into the canvas of the tent leaving a small hole. The next three hit their mark. One ripping into the open eye less socket cutting the trailing cords and freeing the useless eye to fall onto the floor. The second and third slammed into the chest of the creature opening two small spots on the chest while ripping massive chunks of flesh and bone from its back. It fell sideways then lay motionless.

From behind Art, Louie fired two more shots, tearing into the body of Bishop. The slugs seemed to have little effect on Bishop, other than a slight flinch as each round hit.

Art turned his .45 automatic and emptied its clip into Bishop. They had the same effect as the Louie's, nothing.

The one mind drove forward . . .Remember the child . . .The child . . . all children....

Bishop seemed to gain some control over the probe, pushing it back toward the one mind that was two forming the sword of light. A flash blasted outward from his eyes, the sword shattered sending shards of splintered blade light into all directions with a thunderous roar.

One light fragment drove through Louie's forehead exploding the entire back of his skull as it exited. Another fragment plunged into Art's chest throwing him to the carpet with the force of a sledgehammer. As Art lay dyeing the only thought that came to his mind was he didn't feel any pain in his stomach for the first time in years.

Karen struggled to re- gain control of the sword, but she could feel pain coming from Elisabeth as her mind labored with the strain of it's splintering.

The fragments of the probe faltered . . . . It began to fail . . . . Then Karen gave her flesh away to the earth and soul of mankind and...... re-forged the sword. The shard's came together. Stronger than before. It was now stamped with human love and sacrifice.

The far wall began to pull in on itself, the sword of God and man called it forward. Still farther it came until the door touched the body of Bishop. A shriek filled the room as the wall became solid and the red eyes of Bishop turned white and opaque. The two figures clad in white robes, one of which was Richard, and the body that once was Bishop fell to the floor and lay motionless in death.

Karen dropped to her knees then fell backwards, her eyes still open.

The probe dissipated and Elisabeth re-focused her sight. She felt more tired than she had ever felt before. The strain of controlling the sword had sapped all of her strength..... then as if a flood gate had opened she relived the re-forging of the sword and she knew Karen had given more than just her strength, she had given her life.

"Karen!" She yelled frantically looking around the room. Finally her eyes fell upon Karen, laying on the floor several feet away. She pushed her tired muscles toward her friend, then dropping down she took Karen's limp head into her lap. Karen's face was chalk white and her eyes were blank and seemed to be staring into nothingness. "Karen! Oh dear God Karen, talk to me." Tears of grief flowed down Elisabeth's cheeks as she held her friend to her.

Karen stirred and looked up at her friend. She offered a weak smile then through dry parched lips she whispered. "Elisabeth... My dear Elisabeth.... Don't sadden yourself. This is the only end their could have been. Let the light fill your soul as it did before.... You are with child my dear friend....." She paused gathering her strength before continuing. "When you were raped..... you became pregnant.... but... we... we fooled him Elisabeth... it is not the Devil's child as he had planned.... It is me, Elisabeth... The child you carry is me.... Give me the childhood I never knew Elisabeth... Give me a childhood filled with love and joy and hope.... I love you Elisabeth, I always have and I always will......" then Karen's life expired as Elisabeth held her close.

"And I love you." Elisabeth whispered.

The End