The Amulet- part IX

Dear Reader,

Thank you for your continued interest in this story. It is certainly most appreciated.

But, I must give you a warning.

Now, you can take it to heart or not, but, I would strongly advise that you do. It is an intense and deeply disturbing tale, spun from actual events, and put together with love for humanity, concern for the future of the inhabitants of earth and caution as to content.

But, the truth is the truth.

So, maybe you should just stop reading now, and save yourself.

Or, you could read on. But, if you do- if you must- then take these precautions.

Drink plenty of water, make sure your insurance is paid up, and, if reading at night, make sure all the lights are on and the door is locked; not that it matters.

My best to you, and thanks again.

The Author

The Amulet- part IX

The man stood deep in the forest as if he were waiting for a bus that might not come. All he knew was that he was to feed the pet of the expected VIP, coming in for an executive meeting of some sort. His cheek was sore from the unexpected slap he received when he questioned the accuracy of trying to pick up such a dignitary at such a place instead of the private airstrip just outside of town, a slap strong enough to send him flying to the floor in a heap.

He had walked here. He was alone. He was 17 miles past the spot where his car had run out of gas, somewhere in East Texas.

But, that was what he was told to do. The moon gave him just enough light to read the instructions once again.

There is a black Chevy coupe in your garage. The key is in the ignition.

Start the engine.

Precise directions will be displayed on the dash monitor.

Do not deviate.

He had not.

There had been no doubt in his mind that he would be sent back to prison if he failed, that the evidence of his perverse and murderous lifestyle would come to light, and that his days of freedom from both prison life and mafia scorn would come to an end. But who was this man he was to see, and why would someone go through so much trouble to provide a meal for a pet?

And what was this animal? There was never any mention of what kind of food to buy, dog food or cat, or hamster or ferret or snail- chicken, weasel or turtle.

There would have been no time anyway. His instructions were simply to go home and read the note pinned to his TV Guide and follow them to the letter. This he had done.

But, when the car had began to sputter and finally quit when the fuel was gone, he felt as if he had failed, and could almost smell the lubricating oil that dripped from the heavy steel doors of the state pen.

It was then that the monitor that had so precisely brought him to this point began to speak, and told him to ...

Open the compartment located under the center arm rest. You will find a collar. Put it around your neck. Make sure the buckle is directly over your throat.

He knew better than to disobey. When he had completed this rather strange task the voice continued.

You will now walk. You will know the direction you are proceeding in is incorrect when a shock is delivered to your neck via the collar. Simply take an extra step with the foot on the same side as the shock occurred and you will correct your trajectory. Should you run you will receive a debilitating jolt and the FBI will be alerted of your whereabouts.

So will Big Jim. Your best course is to comply.

Big Jim was his mafia connection, the guy who helped him out of some very serious scrapes, and had kept him out of the legal system. He was also the guy who would be most interested in the details of his "other life," especially the disappearance of the mobsters only daughter.

With the collar in place he began his walk, taking over 120 steps before receiving his first shock, on the right. Taking the extra step meant crawling under a fallen tree, through cold, wet, slimy things indeterminable in the faint light of the moon.

On he went, each step anticipating either a shock, or the indication that he was to stop and wait, as per the monitors final words.

When the collar falls from your neck, stop and wait.

And this had happened over twenty minutes ago.

His exhausted mind began to entertain thoughts of fleeing, especially now that he was so deep in the woods, sans collar. Then he heard it.

From the woods directly in front of him a rumbling began, first low and nearly inaudible, but growing, both in sound and how badly the ground shook. Then silence, still and deafening.

He ventured a look around to see if maybe his feet would follow his mind and run, but they stood their ground, even as the beast stood before him.

It was built like a stone lion that guarded the entrance to an ancient Chinese temple, one sculpted to give the impression of impending and inevitable doom. It might have been mistaken for such if not for the smacking sound coming from the wide and glistening mouth. Then he saw the master.

It was a being as tall as a street light. His skin was a light green,slick and oozing and his arms extended to his bulbous knees where his over sized hands ended in sharp, scaly fingers, complete with sharpened nails as filthy as a sewer. His determined face belied his goal.

He was here to defend his position. Some one had thought himself worthy of command, worthy to overtake his place as Supreme Commander of the Underworld. Some one had even awakened the amulet, the stone, the source of power that would be the only way to dethrone him.

The man felt as if his heart would fail him, that he would not be able to fulfill his instruction. With the snapping of his bones inside the mouth of the beast, he had indeed ... fed the pet.

With his pet now digesting its snack, the visitor began to prepare the area for the battle to come.