| General Fiction posted November 29, 2021 | Chapters: |
2 3 -4- 5... 
|
  |
Lee finds something in his pockets'.
A chapter in the book Concertina
Stones, Rocks and Boulders.
by Yardier
Lee turned off the state highway onto Furlong Road and took a long last swig of another breakfast beer. He belched as he passed the Derby Acres Free Will Methodist welcome sign and wondered if he was doing the right thing; Brother Archer might not even be awake at this hour.
But he was.
As Lee slowed down and turned off Furlong Road onto the church's gravel parkway, the truck headlights swept across Brother Archer with a hose in hand standing amid an assorted nut and fruit tree orchard. Brother Archer waved and placed the hose down at the base of Sorenson's Peachtree and walked over to greet Lee.
Lee tossed the empty beer can to the floor, turned the ignition off, stepped from the truck, and quickly shut the squeaky door.
Despite Lee's awkward attempt, Brother Archer's keen senses saw and smelled the clutter of empty beer cans on the floor.
"How about that, the sun comes up and brings with it, Lee Morason." Brother Archer gave Lee a warm look and shook his hand eagerly.
Lee let his hand be wagged and gave a sheepish smile back at Brother Archer. He felt awkward and foolishly transparent because of all the times he had driven past the little church to and from work; he might have slowed down only once or twice to wave back at the perpetual smiling Amerasian.
"You remembered my name." Lee was surprised and wondered if the Pastor could smell beer on his breath.
He did.
"Of course, I remembered your truck then your name."
"My truck?"
"Yes, remember last year when I ran out of gas on the way to Bakersfield? You stopped and asked if I needed any help."
"Oh ya, I took you down to Raj's gas station."
And you had beer on your breath then too, Brother Archer thought to himself. "That's right, he gave me a five-gallon gas can and filled it with gas and never charged me," Brother Archer said with a grin of victory.
"You're right. Raj didn't charge you. How'd you manage that?"
"He attends church here."
"I thought he was Indian or Hindu or something."
"Well, now he's a Christian from India who loves the Lord," Brother Archer said with a smile.
"He wears a turban."
"Well, and you wear a ball cap, and… sometimes I wear a cowboy hat."
Lee tried to picture Brother Archer's Afro stuffed in a cowboy hat.
"You know…, in honor of the Duke."
Lee took his ball cap off and scratched his head with wonderment.
Brother Archer chided Lee, "You do know who the Duke is, right?"
"Of course, John Wayne, everyone knows who the Duke is." Lee put his cap on with a smug grin.
"Did you see the movie 'Green Berets'?" Brother Archer asked as he motioned for Lee to walk with him to the side of the church.
"Ya, it's a little hokey," Lee stepped over the garden hose.
"Hokey...? Interesting word… but the Duke loved the Vietnamese people, and we love him back. He did a lot to expose the Communist oppression against the Vietnamese people."
"And after seeing the film, a lot of young guys enlisted in the Army hoping to become Green Berets only to become 'Grunts' that died horrible deaths in forgotten valleys, mountain tops, and rice paddies," Lee said with an edge to his voice.
Brother Archer hesitated at the side door, leaned over, and adjusted the faucet to a trickle. He looked back at Sorenson's Peachtree to make sure water was still flowing.
Lee immediately felt awkward that his voice sounded angry and worried he might have offended the kind Pastor.
Brother Archer stood and opened the door for Lee and invited him in. "Yes, there were a lot of lives lost in that war, but many were saved too. Have you got time for a cup of coffee?"
"Sure, that would be great. I'd like to talk to you about something." Lee paused. "I know I didn't make an appointment or anything, and I can come back later if this is not a good time."
"Come on, come inside. Do you like bagels?" Brother Archer smiled and gently patted Lee on the back as they stepped into the kitchen.
~~~~
Brother Archer switched the light on and walked over to the coffee pot and gathered a couple of mugs from the cabinet. "Care for some milk and honey with your coffee?"
"No thanks… blacks fine," Lee said, blinking his eyes from the bright light. He looked around the room and saw a working kitchen; two stoves, two refrigerators, and one large deep freezer, all white and various brands. Where there wasn't an appliance, white cabinets lined the walls with butcher block countertops. A long worktable with a couple of chairs cozied to it stood in the middle of the room. The kitchen was not a place to eat but to prepare food; lots of it. He saw boxes of hot dog and hamburger buns, watermelons, fresh corn, soda cases, red, white, and blue patriotic streamers, and dozens of small American flags.
He had forgotten tomorrow was the Fourth of July.
Brother Archer pulled a chair out for Lee and handed him a cup of coffee. "I know it looks a little cluttered, but believe me, tomorrow is going to be a whirlwind of activity. We love to celebrate Independence Day and usually have a big barbeque and little fireworks show later in the evening."
Brother Archer sat across from Lee and glanced at Lee's wedding ring. "I know it's a long drive, but you and your wife are welcome to join us."
"Thanks, but I think my wife has plans for us to visit her sister," Lee lied. He did not know what or if his wife had any plans, and he didn't care. The 4th of July was not the same anymore, and if he didn't have to go to work to clean oil field pipe and there was a cold beer nearby, he'd be satisfied to sit on the back porch and stare at the fence.
"We're going to make homemade ice cream," Brother Archer teased.
Lee raised his eyebrows and smiled. "Another time, maybe."
Both men sat for a moment sipping coffee in silence, and before it became too awkward, Brother Archer said, "Lee, I know you stopped here for a reason, and I'm all ears if you want to talk about it."
Lee looked hard into his cup of coffee. "I'm not sure how to ask this, but…" Lee cleared his throat. "Is there such a thing as evil? I don't mean like a murderer on the loose or a tornado destroying a town but a thing, a dark, powerful entity that can kill you or drive you insane?"
Brother Archer put his cup down.
Lee looked up at Brother Archer. "I've had dreams… nightmares… and they're scaring me… and it's not like boogeyman scary but alternate reality or another dimension kind of scary. It's as if I am somewhere outside my sleeping body where this evil power torments me."
"My wife thinks I need help," Lee said sadly and looked back into his cup.
Suddenly, a chill passed through the kitchen, causing the hair on Brother Archer's arms to stand up. He cocked his head as if he heard something when the scripture he read earlier echoed in his mind; Therefore, you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
"Lee, may I see your hands?"
"What…?"
"Your hands Lee, may I see your hands palm up?" Brother Archer asked with urgency.
Lee slid his hands forward with concern. "Sure, but what has this to do with anything?"
Brother Archer grasped Lee's hands firmly and saw the palms of Lee's hands were thick with calluses and scars highlighted with dirt and grime embedded into the folds of skin.
Startled, Lee tried to pull his hands back, but Brother Archer's grip was solid. "What…what are you doing?" Lee stammered.
"Close your eyes." Brother Archer commanded as he closed his eyes and bowed his head.
Brother Archer began praying, "Our Father which art in heaven…."
Lee's hands felt as cold as ice.
"Hallowed be thy name…."
Comfortable energy slowly vibrated from Lee's palms up his arms into his chest.
"…Thy kingdom come…."
Brother Archer's words morphed into a heavenly harmony prodded by an exquisite power, bringing clarity and rest to Lee.
"…Thy will be done in earth."
Lee drifted into a sublime state where he found himself standing on the edge of a perfect sea.
"…as it is in heaven."
The body of water lying perfectly still before Lee glowed with soft blue luminescence as if it was an eternal mirror.
"Give us this day our daily bread."
Lee gazed across to where he thought the other side of the sea would be but could not see it. The sea was limitless with shores that went beyond eternity, and yet he stood on its edge where mud and perfection met.
"And forgive us our debts…."
A slight breeze from across the sea brushed Lee's face with a coolness that awakened a desire to step onto the surface of the sea and walk to the other side, wherever it may be.
"…as we forgive our debtors."
Lee started to take a step but became aware of stones in his pockets that weighed him down. Trying to remove those stones, he discovered heavier rocks deeper in those same pockets.
"And lead us not into temptation…."
Lee realized there was no way to walk across the sea with the rocks' weight, yet the more he tried to remove them, the more he found. He also realized the more he wanted to remove them, the deeper he sank into the muddy shore, and, just as he began to worry that he stood in quicksand, a sharp voice behind him barked, "Hey, what are you doing over there…? Lee, get over here. Do you want to drown?"
"…but deliver us from evil…."
Lee turned around and saw giant boulders and ancient lava walls that had cooled and stopped short of the edge of the perfect sea. He saw a man dressed in Vietnam Jungle fatigues peeking from around one of the boulders. "Come on, Lee, get away from there… how many times have I got to tell you not to wander away?"
Lee stepped toward the man and realized the rocks in his pockets seemed lighter as the muddy shore became firm beneath his feet. Then, relieved, he began to stride toward the man in uniform.
"That's right… get over here. Lee, you can be such trouble at times. What were you thinking?" The man behind the lava boulder looked nervously to the right and left and avoided looking directly across the perfect sea.
As Lee got closer to the man, he saw something peculiar about his face.
The man turned his face away from Lee and said, "Come on, let's go, we've got work to do."
Lee approached the lava wall cautiously. "Wait a minute, who are you?"
"We don't have time for that; S1 has an important mission for you. Hurry up, we’ve got to go." The man turned his back to Lee and tried to dart into a gap of the lava wall, but Lee reached out quickly and grabbed the man by his uniform and spun him around. He was shocked to see his own distorted face mirrored in anguish as if virulent cancer had eaten his flesh! Panicked, he turned away to block the terror and found himself standing in total darkness. Silence surrounded him as if all creation had been removed, leaving a vacuum. Unable to speak, he trembled at the enormity of the void wherein he stood when Brother Archer's voice whispered, "For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen."
Brother Archer lifted his head and released Lee's hands gently.
As if waking from a dream, Lee too lifted his head and opened his eyes as he gradually became aware of the aroma of coffee and bagels.
Brother Archer smiled at Lee, took a sip of coffee, and said, "Yes, there is such a thing as evil but not as you have described it."
~~~~
Lee turned off the state highway onto Furlong Road and took a long last swig of another breakfast beer. He belched as he passed the Derby Acres Free Will Methodist welcome sign and wondered if he was doing the right thing; Brother Archer might not even be awake at this hour.
But he was.
As Lee slowed down and turned off Furlong Road onto the church's gravel parkway, the truck headlights swept across Brother Archer with a hose in hand standing amid an assorted nut and fruit tree orchard. Brother Archer waved and placed the hose down at the base of Sorenson's Peachtree and walked over to greet Lee.
Lee tossed the empty beer can to the floor, turned the ignition off, stepped from the truck, and quickly shut the squeaky door.
Despite Lee's awkward attempt, Brother Archer's keen senses saw and smelled the clutter of empty beer cans on the floor.
"How about that, the sun comes up and brings with it, Lee Morason." Brother Archer gave Lee a warm look and shook his hand eagerly.
Lee let his hand be wagged and gave a sheepish smile back at Brother Archer. He felt awkward and foolishly transparent because of all the times he had driven past the little church to and from work; he might have slowed down only once or twice to wave back at the perpetual smiling Amerasian.
"You remembered my name." Lee was surprised and wondered if the Pastor could smell beer on his breath.
He did.
"Of course, I remembered your truck then your name."
"My truck?"
"Yes, remember last year when I ran out of gas on the way to Bakersfield? You stopped and asked if I needed any help."
"Oh ya, I took you down to Raj's gas station."
And you had beer on your breath then too, Brother Archer thought to himself. "That's right, he gave me a five-gallon gas can and filled it with gas and never charged me," Brother Archer said with a grin of victory.
"You're right. Raj didn't charge you. How'd you manage that?"
"He attends church here."
"I thought he was Indian or Hindu or something."
"Well, now he's a Christian from India who loves the Lord," Brother Archer said with a smile.
"He wears a turban."
"Well, and you wear a ball cap, and… sometimes I wear a cowboy hat."
Lee tried to picture Brother Archer's Afro stuffed in a cowboy hat.
"You know…, in honor of the Duke."
Lee took his ball cap off and scratched his head with wonderment.
Brother Archer chided Lee, "You do know who the Duke is, right?"
"Of course, John Wayne, everyone knows who the Duke is." Lee put his cap on with a smug grin.
"Did you see the movie 'Green Berets'?" Brother Archer asked as he motioned for Lee to walk with him to the side of the church.
"Ya, it's a little hokey," Lee stepped over the garden hose.
"Hokey...? Interesting word… but the Duke loved the Vietnamese people, and we love him back. He did a lot to expose the Communist oppression against the Vietnamese people."
"And after seeing the film, a lot of young guys enlisted in the Army hoping to become Green Berets only to become 'Grunts' that died horrible deaths in forgotten valleys, mountain tops, and rice paddies," Lee said with an edge to his voice.
Brother Archer hesitated at the side door, leaned over, and adjusted the faucet to a trickle. He looked back at Sorenson's Peachtree to make sure water was still flowing.
Lee immediately felt awkward that his voice sounded angry and worried he might have offended the kind Pastor.
Brother Archer stood and opened the door for Lee and invited him in. "Yes, there were a lot of lives lost in that war, but many were saved too. Have you got time for a cup of coffee?"
"Sure, that would be great. I'd like to talk to you about something." Lee paused. "I know I didn't make an appointment or anything, and I can come back later if this is not a good time."
"Come on, come inside. Do you like bagels?" Brother Archer smiled and gently patted Lee on the back as they stepped into the kitchen.
But he was.
As Lee slowed down and turned off Furlong Road onto the church's gravel parkway, the truck headlights swept across Brother Archer with a hose in hand standing amid an assorted nut and fruit tree orchard. Brother Archer waved and placed the hose down at the base of Sorenson's Peachtree and walked over to greet Lee.
Lee tossed the empty beer can to the floor, turned the ignition off, stepped from the truck, and quickly shut the squeaky door.
Despite Lee's awkward attempt, Brother Archer's keen senses saw and smelled the clutter of empty beer cans on the floor.
"How about that, the sun comes up and brings with it, Lee Morason." Brother Archer gave Lee a warm look and shook his hand eagerly.
Lee let his hand be wagged and gave a sheepish smile back at Brother Archer. He felt awkward and foolishly transparent because of all the times he had driven past the little church to and from work; he might have slowed down only once or twice to wave back at the perpetual smiling Amerasian.
"You remembered my name." Lee was surprised and wondered if the Pastor could smell beer on his breath.
He did.
"Of course, I remembered your truck then your name."
"My truck?"
"Yes, remember last year when I ran out of gas on the way to Bakersfield? You stopped and asked if I needed any help."
"Oh ya, I took you down to Raj's gas station."
And you had beer on your breath then too, Brother Archer thought to himself. "That's right, he gave me a five-gallon gas can and filled it with gas and never charged me," Brother Archer said with a grin of victory.
"You're right. Raj didn't charge you. How'd you manage that?"
"He attends church here."
"I thought he was Indian or Hindu or something."
"Well, now he's a Christian from India who loves the Lord," Brother Archer said with a smile.
"He wears a turban."
"Well, and you wear a ball cap, and… sometimes I wear a cowboy hat."
Lee tried to picture Brother Archer's Afro stuffed in a cowboy hat.
"You know…, in honor of the Duke."
Lee took his ball cap off and scratched his head with wonderment.
Brother Archer chided Lee, "You do know who the Duke is, right?"
"Of course, John Wayne, everyone knows who the Duke is." Lee put his cap on with a smug grin.
"Did you see the movie 'Green Berets'?" Brother Archer asked as he motioned for Lee to walk with him to the side of the church.
"Ya, it's a little hokey," Lee stepped over the garden hose.
"Hokey...? Interesting word… but the Duke loved the Vietnamese people, and we love him back. He did a lot to expose the Communist oppression against the Vietnamese people."
"And after seeing the film, a lot of young guys enlisted in the Army hoping to become Green Berets only to become 'Grunts' that died horrible deaths in forgotten valleys, mountain tops, and rice paddies," Lee said with an edge to his voice.
Brother Archer hesitated at the side door, leaned over, and adjusted the faucet to a trickle. He looked back at Sorenson's Peachtree to make sure water was still flowing.
Lee immediately felt awkward that his voice sounded angry and worried he might have offended the kind Pastor.
Brother Archer stood and opened the door for Lee and invited him in. "Yes, there were a lot of lives lost in that war, but many were saved too. Have you got time for a cup of coffee?"
"Sure, that would be great. I'd like to talk to you about something." Lee paused. "I know I didn't make an appointment or anything, and I can come back later if this is not a good time."
"Come on, come inside. Do you like bagels?" Brother Archer smiled and gently patted Lee on the back as they stepped into the kitchen.
~~~~
Brother Archer switched the light on and walked over to the coffee pot and gathered a couple of mugs from the cabinet. "Care for some milk and honey with your coffee?"
"No thanks… blacks fine," Lee said, blinking his eyes from the bright light. He looked around the room and saw a working kitchen; two stoves, two refrigerators, and one large deep freezer, all white and various brands. Where there wasn't an appliance, white cabinets lined the walls with butcher block countertops. A long worktable with a couple of chairs cozied to it stood in the middle of the room. The kitchen was not a place to eat but to prepare food; lots of it. He saw boxes of hot dog and hamburger buns, watermelons, fresh corn, soda cases, red, white, and blue patriotic streamers, and dozens of small American flags.
He had forgotten tomorrow was the Fourth of July.
Brother Archer pulled a chair out for Lee and handed him a cup of coffee. "I know it looks a little cluttered, but believe me, tomorrow is going to be a whirlwind of activity. We love to celebrate Independence Day and usually have a big barbeque and little fireworks show later in the evening."
Brother Archer sat across from Lee and glanced at Lee's wedding ring. "I know it's a long drive, but you and your wife are welcome to join us."
"Thanks, but I think my wife has plans for us to visit her sister," Lee lied. He did not know what or if his wife had any plans, and he didn't care. The 4th of July was not the same anymore, and if he didn't have to go to work to clean oil field pipe and there was a cold beer nearby, he'd be satisfied to sit on the back porch and stare at the fence.
"We're going to make homemade ice cream," Brother Archer teased.
Lee raised his eyebrows and smiled. "Another time, maybe."
Both men sat for a moment sipping coffee in silence, and before it became too awkward, Brother Archer said, "Lee, I know you stopped here for a reason, and I'm all ears if you want to talk about it."
Lee looked hard into his cup of coffee. "I'm not sure how to ask this, but…" Lee cleared his throat. "Is there such a thing as evil? I don't mean like a murderer on the loose or a tornado destroying a town but a thing, a dark, powerful entity that can kill you or drive you insane?"
Brother Archer put his cup down.
Lee looked up at Brother Archer. "I've had dreams… nightmares… and they're scaring me… and it's not like boogeyman scary but alternate reality or another dimension kind of scary. It's as if I am somewhere outside my sleeping body where this evil power torments me."
"My wife thinks I need help," Lee said sadly and looked back into his cup.
Suddenly, a chill passed through the kitchen, causing the hair on Brother Archer's arms to stand up. He cocked his head as if he heard something when the scripture he read earlier echoed in his mind; Therefore, you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
"Lee, may I see your hands?"
"What…?"
"Your hands Lee, may I see your hands palm up?" Brother Archer asked with urgency.
Lee slid his hands forward with concern. "Sure, but what has this to do with anything?"
Brother Archer grasped Lee's hands firmly and saw the palms of Lee's hands were thick with calluses and scars highlighted with dirt and grime embedded into the folds of skin.
Startled, Lee tried to pull his hands back, but Brother Archer's grip was solid. "What…what are you doing?" Lee stammered.
"Close your eyes." Brother Archer commanded as he closed his eyes and bowed his head.
Brother Archer began praying, "Our Father which art in heaven…."
Lee's hands felt as cold as ice.
"Hallowed be thy name…."
Comfortable energy slowly vibrated from Lee's palms up his arms into his chest.
"…Thy kingdom come…."
Brother Archer's words morphed into a heavenly harmony prodded by an exquisite power, bringing clarity and rest to Lee.
"…Thy will be done in earth."
Lee drifted into a sublime state where he found himself standing on the edge of a perfect sea.
"…as it is in heaven."
The body of water lying perfectly still before Lee glowed with soft blue luminescence as if it was an eternal mirror.
"Give us this day our daily bread."
Lee gazed across to where he thought the other side of the sea would be but could not see it. The sea was limitless with shores that went beyond eternity, and yet he stood on its edge where mud and perfection met.
"And forgive us our debts…."
A slight breeze from across the sea brushed Lee's face with a coolness that awakened a desire to step onto the surface of the sea and walk to the other side, wherever it may be.
"…as we forgive our debtors."
Lee started to take a step but became aware of stones in his pockets that weighed him down. Trying to remove those stones, he discovered heavier rocks deeper in those same pockets.
"And lead us not into temptation…."
Lee realized there was no way to walk across the sea with the rocks' weight, yet the more he tried to remove them, the more he found. He also realized the more he wanted to remove them, the deeper he sank into the muddy shore, and, just as he began to worry that he stood in quicksand, a sharp voice behind him barked, "Hey, what are you doing over there…? Lee, get over here. Do you want to drown?"
"…but deliver us from evil…."
Lee turned around and saw giant boulders and ancient lava walls that had cooled and stopped short of the edge of the perfect sea. He saw a man dressed in Vietnam Jungle fatigues peeking from around one of the boulders. "Come on, Lee, get away from there… how many times have I got to tell you not to wander away?"
Lee stepped toward the man and realized the rocks in his pockets seemed lighter as the muddy shore became firm beneath his feet. Then, relieved, he began to stride toward the man in uniform.
"That's right… get over here. Lee, you can be such trouble at times. What were you thinking?" The man behind the lava boulder looked nervously to the right and left and avoided looking directly across the perfect sea.
As Lee got closer to the man, he saw something peculiar about his face.
The man turned his face away from Lee and said, "Come on, let's go, we've got work to do."
Lee approached the lava wall cautiously. "Wait a minute, who are you?"
"We don't have time for that; S1 has an important mission for you. Hurry up, we’ve got to go." The man turned his back to Lee and tried to dart into a gap of the lava wall, but Lee reached out quickly and grabbed the man by his uniform and spun him around. He was shocked to see his own distorted face mirrored in anguish as if virulent cancer had eaten his flesh! Panicked, he turned away to block the terror and found himself standing in total darkness. Silence surrounded him as if all creation had been removed, leaving a vacuum. Unable to speak, he trembled at the enormity of the void wherein he stood when Brother Archer's voice whispered, "For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen."
Brother Archer lifted his head and released Lee's hands gently.
As if waking from a dream, Lee too lifted his head and opened his eyes as he gradually became aware of the aroma of coffee and bagels.
Brother Archer smiled at Lee, took a sip of coffee, and said, "Yes, there is such a thing as evil but not as you have described it."
"No thanks… blacks fine," Lee said, blinking his eyes from the bright light. He looked around the room and saw a working kitchen; two stoves, two refrigerators, and one large deep freezer, all white and various brands. Where there wasn't an appliance, white cabinets lined the walls with butcher block countertops. A long worktable with a couple of chairs cozied to it stood in the middle of the room. The kitchen was not a place to eat but to prepare food; lots of it. He saw boxes of hot dog and hamburger buns, watermelons, fresh corn, soda cases, red, white, and blue patriotic streamers, and dozens of small American flags.
He had forgotten tomorrow was the Fourth of July.
Brother Archer pulled a chair out for Lee and handed him a cup of coffee. "I know it looks a little cluttered, but believe me, tomorrow is going to be a whirlwind of activity. We love to celebrate Independence Day and usually have a big barbeque and little fireworks show later in the evening."
Brother Archer sat across from Lee and glanced at Lee's wedding ring. "I know it's a long drive, but you and your wife are welcome to join us."
"Thanks, but I think my wife has plans for us to visit her sister," Lee lied. He did not know what or if his wife had any plans, and he didn't care. The 4th of July was not the same anymore, and if he didn't have to go to work to clean oil field pipe and there was a cold beer nearby, he'd be satisfied to sit on the back porch and stare at the fence.
"We're going to make homemade ice cream," Brother Archer teased.
Lee raised his eyebrows and smiled. "Another time, maybe."
Both men sat for a moment sipping coffee in silence, and before it became too awkward, Brother Archer said, "Lee, I know you stopped here for a reason, and I'm all ears if you want to talk about it."
Lee looked hard into his cup of coffee. "I'm not sure how to ask this, but…" Lee cleared his throat. "Is there such a thing as evil? I don't mean like a murderer on the loose or a tornado destroying a town but a thing, a dark, powerful entity that can kill you or drive you insane?"
Brother Archer put his cup down.
Lee looked up at Brother Archer. "I've had dreams… nightmares… and they're scaring me… and it's not like boogeyman scary but alternate reality or another dimension kind of scary. It's as if I am somewhere outside my sleeping body where this evil power torments me."
"My wife thinks I need help," Lee said sadly and looked back into his cup.
Suddenly, a chill passed through the kitchen, causing the hair on Brother Archer's arms to stand up. He cocked his head as if he heard something when the scripture he read earlier echoed in his mind; Therefore, you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
"Lee, may I see your hands?"
"What…?"
"Your hands Lee, may I see your hands palm up?" Brother Archer asked with urgency.
Lee slid his hands forward with concern. "Sure, but what has this to do with anything?"
Brother Archer grasped Lee's hands firmly and saw the palms of Lee's hands were thick with calluses and scars highlighted with dirt and grime embedded into the folds of skin.
Startled, Lee tried to pull his hands back, but Brother Archer's grip was solid. "What…what are you doing?" Lee stammered.
"Close your eyes." Brother Archer commanded as he closed his eyes and bowed his head.
Brother Archer began praying, "Our Father which art in heaven…."
Lee's hands felt as cold as ice.
"Hallowed be thy name…."
Comfortable energy slowly vibrated from Lee's palms up his arms into his chest.
"…Thy kingdom come…."
Brother Archer's words morphed into a heavenly harmony prodded by an exquisite power, bringing clarity and rest to Lee.
"…Thy will be done in earth."
Lee drifted into a sublime state where he found himself standing on the edge of a perfect sea.
"…as it is in heaven."
The body of water lying perfectly still before Lee glowed with soft blue luminescence as if it was an eternal mirror.
"Give us this day our daily bread."
Lee gazed across to where he thought the other side of the sea would be but could not see it. The sea was limitless with shores that went beyond eternity, and yet he stood on its edge where mud and perfection met.
"And forgive us our debts…."
A slight breeze from across the sea brushed Lee's face with a coolness that awakened a desire to step onto the surface of the sea and walk to the other side, wherever it may be.
"…as we forgive our debtors."
Lee started to take a step but became aware of stones in his pockets that weighed him down. Trying to remove those stones, he discovered heavier rocks deeper in those same pockets.
"And lead us not into temptation…."
Lee realized there was no way to walk across the sea with the rocks' weight, yet the more he tried to remove them, the more he found. He also realized the more he wanted to remove them, the deeper he sank into the muddy shore, and, just as he began to worry that he stood in quicksand, a sharp voice behind him barked, "Hey, what are you doing over there…? Lee, get over here. Do you want to drown?"
"…but deliver us from evil…."
Lee turned around and saw giant boulders and ancient lava walls that had cooled and stopped short of the edge of the perfect sea. He saw a man dressed in Vietnam Jungle fatigues peeking from around one of the boulders. "Come on, Lee, get away from there… how many times have I got to tell you not to wander away?"
Lee stepped toward the man and realized the rocks in his pockets seemed lighter as the muddy shore became firm beneath his feet. Then, relieved, he began to stride toward the man in uniform.
"That's right… get over here. Lee, you can be such trouble at times. What were you thinking?" The man behind the lava boulder looked nervously to the right and left and avoided looking directly across the perfect sea.
As Lee got closer to the man, he saw something peculiar about his face.
The man turned his face away from Lee and said, "Come on, let's go, we've got work to do."
Lee approached the lava wall cautiously. "Wait a minute, who are you?"
"We don't have time for that; S1 has an important mission for you. Hurry up, we’ve got to go." The man turned his back to Lee and tried to dart into a gap of the lava wall, but Lee reached out quickly and grabbed the man by his uniform and spun him around. He was shocked to see his own distorted face mirrored in anguish as if virulent cancer had eaten his flesh! Panicked, he turned away to block the terror and found himself standing in total darkness. Silence surrounded him as if all creation had been removed, leaving a vacuum. Unable to speak, he trembled at the enormity of the void wherein he stood when Brother Archer's voice whispered, "For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen."
Brother Archer lifted his head and released Lee's hands gently.
As if waking from a dream, Lee too lifted his head and opened his eyes as he gradually became aware of the aroma of coffee and bagels.
Brother Archer smiled at Lee, took a sip of coffee, and said, "Yes, there is such a thing as evil but not as you have described it."
~~~~
The title Concertina refers to razor wire used to secure a combat perimeter. It is also used on prison walls. It is designed with barbs and razor type hooks intended to snag a person from entering or attempting to escape a secure area.
Concertina, in the context of this novella refers to psychological and spiritual entanglement. Specifically, it refers to a Vietnam combat veteran who is ensnared by the deepest and darkest fetters of torment and denial. Those fetters consist of alcohol abuse, guilt, and resentment.
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and 2 member cents. Concertina, in the context of this novella refers to psychological and spiritual entanglement. Specifically, it refers to a Vietnam combat veteran who is ensnared by the deepest and darkest fetters of torment and denial. Those fetters consist of alcohol abuse, guilt, and resentment.
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