Part XL

Part XL

The truth was I felt a little guilty cashing in all the chits my Uncle had amassed. The only thing that kept me from feeling really bad was that I knew I was doing it all for him, but that just sent my mind reeling wondering if maybe he'd collected all the debts knowing I'd need them one day.

The pages were brittle and I winced a bit as one of the corners cracked off as I tried to flip the page. I took the piece and laid it aside. I'd have to cop to it once I was finished, but it taught me very quickly how to turn the pages.

I couldn't understand everything, it was an odd mix of Latin and Greek, with English, German, French, Italian and Russian marginalia. I think I even recognized a few notes in Farsi. Luckily I was looking for a diagram, not an instruction manual.

I found it fifteen minutes later. I turned the page and it hit me like a pissed off ex girlfriend. It was powerful, even on the page. I had to look away as it tried to pull me in. I took the cotton glove off my right hand, mumbled under my breath and waved my hand over the page slowly. Yeah, it was a Xerox spell. Sue me. I shut the book.

I sat there for about ten minutes, gloves off and book closed, waiting for Shin Lee to return. When I showed him the corner he frowned for a moment then called the Librarian. The Librarian scuttled over and gave me a “tisk” under his breath. He the licked his finger, opened the book, mumbled under his breath and reattached it.

Shin Lee laughed as the Librarian carried the tome away,

Happens all the time.

Yeah, but I felt like shit when I did it.

He'll be fine. It's a very rare volume. He becomes...possessive. Did you find what you needed.

Yes I did, and thank you.

We shook hands and Shin Lee led me back to the elevator.

My great grandfather likes candles to be burned in the windows at night.

I'll keep that in mind.

You should. He can be a handful.

The elevator doors opened and I stepped in. I didn't think about what Shin Lee had said until the doors shut again and I was traveling upward. The doors opened and there was the kid again. This time he took my hand and I gave him a look of confusion.

Don't let go of my hand, or they'll try and kill you.

As we walked back through the domino parlor, I almost shit my pants. Something had changed, and as the kid lead me through the room, I looked around. All of the guys playing Domino had changed. They weren’t human now, demons of some sort, and they all looked at me like I was a meal.

I leaned down to the kid as we hit the front door.

What was that all about?

You have grandfather Lee in you now. They want him very bad.

The kid led me all the way back to my van and waited outside until I climbed in. I rolled the window down and looked down at him. He smiled and then looked toward Shin Lee's. Pushing through the door were thirty or forty of the nasty bastards, all heading in my direction.

You go now.

The kid hit the side of the van twice, like I was a bazooka soldier and he was my loader, letting me know it was time to fire.

You going to be OK?

The kid smiled at me.

I'll be fine.

I turned the van over and pulled out, The Old Man freaking out in the back of the van. I mumbled under my breath and touched the rear view mirror. The hidden world opened within its gaze and I watched as the kid arched forward, leathery wings splitting his shirt in the back and pulling forward. He grew five times his previous size, now a small dragon who blocked the advance of the demons as I escaped.

Back on the road, heading to Portland, and the Old man finally calm enough to clean himself in the passenger seat,, I finally felt the adrenaline die and I almost fell asleep at the wheel. The Old Man stuck a claw in my leg and I crossed a lane screaming at him. It worked though. An hour later we had a hotel room and I was going on my third scotch trying to figure out what the best thing to do with the symbol I had stored just under my skin. I was afraid to look directly at my hand, even though it would be inverted, I wasn't taking the chance.

The spell I had used was like a tattoo for lack of a better term. It needed living skin to work, but I needed to get it off me. By the fourth scotch I was eying the Old Man's belly as he lifted his leg and licked his balls. He stopped mid lick, feeling my eyes on him. He looked at me and hissed. I poured another Scotch and turned on the TV. Suddenly I wished Carl was still here, the chuckled maniacally to myself.

I woke in the morning with the Old Man doing his best to clean my ear. I rolled over and he just crawled on top of me and kept going. It was truly disturbing. I got up out of necessity and took a shower then we found a diner and I let him sweat it out in the van while I cured my ills with a full breakfast of carbs, protein and grease. Don't know what it is about Oregon, but even the diners have good coffee.

We reached Portland by mid afternoon and I pulled into a mall parking lot and opened the laptop. The third dot was somewhere just outside the city limits, but for some reason I couldn't bring myself to care. Maybe it was Destiny and what had happened in Venice, or maybe it was the mark sitting under my skin, or maybe I was just tired. I got us a nice hotel room and I went into a three-day funk, where all I did was drink. Portland has a lot of nice bars and a lot of good micro brews. It was a shame I was going to have to leave.

By the end of the third day my colon was trying to worm its way out of my body and my kidneys hurt. Normally beer doesn't do that to me, but normally I drank swill and not nice hoppy artisan IPAs. It could have been the fifth of Jack I downed at night watching TV too, who knows. Either way the maid, who entered my room because I forgot to check out on time, called 911 when she saw me. I tried to explain to her I wasn't dead, but I was slurring pretty bad. She wasn't convinced.

Before the ambulance and the cops arrived, I grabbed my bags and the Old Man and checked out.

I drove the van very poorly to another strip mall down the street, mumbled a conceal spell under my breath and passed out in the back. When I finally woke up, the Old Man was growling over me, and he'd started to change. He was the size of a bull warthog and I think if he hadn't kind of known me he'd have already taken a bite.

I mumbled under my breath and was lucky I wasn't slurring anymore. The Old Man went to sleep and I went into the closest grocery store and bought him a London Broil and marinated it in potion. I left it for him and stepped outside. The sun was too bright and I mumbled under my breath waking the Old Man up. He hit the walls for a few minutes before he found the meat. I could hear him tearing up the inside of the van, and it rocked like it had been stolen by high school kids on Prom night. It finally settled, but I still had a headache.

Part XXXIX

Part XXXIX

San Francisco's China town is like no other. All major cities have one: London, New York, Los Angeles, et cetera. But, San Francisco has one of the oldest and richest. On the outskirts is a domino parlor called Shin Lee's. In the back is an office, and beyond that is one of the richest rare book libraries anywhere in the world, It's a collection maintained since the beginnings of the gold rush. The seed volumes brought over by Shin Lee's great grandfather, who arrived just before the gold rush. Since then it's been home to books that need protecting, old and new a like.

I pushed through the door and thought that maybe I'd made a mistake. In an instant, the chatter and clinking of dominoes came to a complete halt, as everyone turned at stared at me.

What's up?

The activity turned back to normal and I almost didn't hear the small kid, who'd pulled up beside me, over the chatter and clinking of clay tiles on metal tables.

You come with me.

I looked down. I swear to God the kid looked like Short Round from the second Indy movie, baseball cap and all. I nodded and he stepped in front and we weaved our way through the tables and smoke. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure the only person not smoking was the one coughing, and he lit up a fresh one as soon as he got whatever it was up and hocked it onto the floor.

The kid pushed open a door in the back and we continued down a long hall that ended in an elevator where a very old man, dressed in traditional peasant garb stood before the door.

The little kid looked at him and waited for the old man to give a small almost imperceptible bow of the head. The kid then looked up at me.

Good luck.

Thanks kid.

Then, the kid was gone and I was left standing looking down at the old man.

Why have you come?

I need to see Shin Lee.

Why?

He has a book I need to take a look at?

Why should he help you?

No good reason, other than it'll help me kill the Tall Man.

The Old Chinese Man pondered this for a second then rubbed his chin.

You are a very stupid man.

I can't disagree with you.

He nodded and turned to push the only button on the wall.

We waited in silence until the elevator arrived. It was probably just a few minutes, but it felt much longer. As the doors opened, he stepped aside and I stepped in.

Your Uncle was a good man.

The doors shut before I could respond. The elevator lurched and started its decent. I counted as it went, and stopped when I felt it hit bottom and the doors slid open. I suck at math. There was no way my rough estimate could be right. If I was, then I was about two hundred feet below sea level.

As I stepped out of the elevator, sensors detected me and illuminated the first twenty feet before me with lights set into the concrete ceiling. Shin Lee's little library looked more like a bunker.

I stepped out and headed down the hallway. As I passed each light, the one behind me went off and the one in front of me went on. It was odd. After about thirty yards, I came to a set of intricate hand carved wood doors that looked like they'd been ripped from a monastery. I stood waiting for them to open, nothing happened. I reached out to touch them, but pulled my hand back quick as I felt the energy burning off them. This place was locked down tight, and I didn't know if I was supposed to try and open them, or just wait for some one else.

The answer came a few minutes later. I felt the hairs on my arm drop back down as the protection spells were removed. There was a loud click, and the doors swung in. Just beyond the doors was another Chinese man, also dressed in very traditional garb. His head was slightly bowed and his arms were intertwined and covered by the sleeves of his gown. Once the doors finished opening, he turned and walked away from me. I followed.

I heard my own breath catch as I looked at what surrounded me. It was possibly the single most beautiful library I'd ever seen. My obviously loud intake of breath got me a small scolding as the man turned and held a finger to his lips. Librarians.

He led me across the main apex and to a large desk sitting at the back. Behind the desk sat Shin Lee III, dressed in an Armani suit.

Mr. B...

I wouldn't say it out loud if I were you. The Tall Man has very many ears.

Yes he does, but not within these walls. What can I do for you?

I need to take a look at the book of Shadows and Dust.

Good choice.

Shin Lee snapped his fingers and the Librarian scurried away, I assumed to retrieve the tome.

You got a nice set-up here.

It's definitely different that used to be. Please, have a seat.

I took a chair across from Shin Lee and we let the silence settle.

My father owed a debt to your Uncle. This gesture shall put that debt to rest.

Of course, and if I get what I need, I may then owe the Lee family.

No. If you complete this journey that you are on, we will all owe you.

I shook my head.

I do this for my Uncle, not for anyone else. There will be no debts owed to me when I am finished.

Shin Lee nodded his head in understanding, and I think a little respect. This business that we were in was all about debts owed and paid. I think he was a little relieved I wasn't going to ask for anything once I was done. Then again, I was sure I'd probably die in my effort, so why make deals now.

The book was smaller than I thought. The Librarian placed it on the table and gave me a pair of still wrapped white cotton cloves with which I could handle it. After the librarian had left, Shin Lee stood and buttoned his jacket.

Take all the time you need.

I stood.

Thank you.

No, thank you. If you are successful, we will all be able to rest more easily.

I laughed a bit out my nose.

I guess it's all on me then.

Shin Lee smiled and moved from behind his desk. As he passed me he placed a hand on my shoulder and smiled.

It is.

I heard Shin Lee mumble under his breath and felt a rush pass through me, not unlike grabbing an electric fence, just after you've stepped out of a swimming pool.

What was that?

It was the blessing of my great grandfather.

Thank you.

As Shin Lee's footsteps faded across the marble floor, I sat back down and put on the cotton gloves. I took a deep breath and opened the book of Shadows and Dust.

Part XXXVIII

Part XXXVIII

We sat outside until she had to get dressed for her appointment.
Once her appointment had come and gone, we watched the sun set until the breeze off the ocean picked up and brought in a nice thick marine layer that made the boardwalk look like a set from The Fog.

When that happened we went downstairs to have dinner. I asked her if would be OK if I checked on the Old Man. She said that would be fine so we walked to the van. I made her stay back while I opened the door and folded what was left of the Old Man's surf and turf into the newspaper I'd laid down. I told her to keep an eye on him while I took that and the scooped present he'd left me in the litter box to the closest trash can.

By the time I got back, the Old Man was curled in her lap purring up a storm while she gave him a shoulder massage. He hissed when I told him it was time for her to leave. He stumbled off to the back of the van and as I closed the door I thought of all the shoes I'd left out for him to piss in.

We had dinner at The Candle and watched as the drunken zombies as they shuffled along the boardwalk lost in their purpose. She talked and I listened. It was the least I could do if I was somehow going to be responsible for her death. I felt bad that she was spending this time with me, but then I thought she'd evidently seen it coming, so she must have been good with it.

The conversation was mostly small talk that occasionally got a little too deep for me. The five dollar pitchers of Bud were starting to make me a little happy. Once we were done with dinner she got serious and invited me back up to talk about whet I had come here for.

We sat on the couch with fresh drinks in our hands as a curtain of silence fell between us. She eventually cut through it.

So, you want me to tell you where the second reliquary is?

Yeah.

She took a sip from her drink and looked down at her hands, and fiddled with her glass like she was trying to divine the ice in the glass. She shifted her legs up and curled them beneath her.

You're looking at it.

I emptied my glass and cursed the Tall Man under my breath. I'd never imagined that he do this, cram a piece of my Uncle's soul inside a living breathing person.

I'm sorry.

It's going to get dirty and ugly from this point on.

I tried to hide my anger.

I don't know what to do' oddly enough.

Destiny moved off the couch like mercury and stood up. She held out her hand to me. I hesitated then reached out and took it. She tugged lightly, letting me know that I should stand up.

What's this?

A trickster's smile crept across her face.

This is the dirty part.

I woke up the next morning with Destiny by my side. I did my best to get out of the bed without waking her, grabbed my pants and shirt and went to the kitchen. There wasn't much there I could do anything with so I stepped out to the grocery store. By the time I heard her padding down the hall, breakfast was almost ready. She rounded the corner and I almost dropped the skillet. She was wearing her men's as button up painting shirt and a smile.

I poured her a cup of coffee and handed it to her. She looked at the feast I was preparing.

I'm a vegetarian.

That's explains why I had to go to the grocery store.

She sat at the table and I fixed her a plate none the less. She surprised me when she picked up a piece of bacon. She looked at me, waiting for permission.

You only live once.

She took a bite, and her face instantly changed.

Wow, that's really good.

Yeah. All of it is.

I passed her the basket to biscuits and then slid over the sawmill gravy I'd made from the sausage drippings.

You should try this too, it might just kill you before I do.

She smiled a sad smile.

It's not your fault.

You're right, it isn't.

I hadn't planned to do what I did next. I stood up and walked toward the door.

Aubrey, it won't change anything.

Maybe not, but if I can figure something out, by leaving you until last it's worth the risk for me.

I shut the door behind myself and stumbled down the stairs before I changed my mind.

Outside the sun was coming up and burning off the fog. I was probably being a fool, but right now there was no way I could just kill her to get what I needed. Maybe she knew that and maybe she didn't. I doubted I had changed anything,

Back at the van, I got in and sat behind the wheel for a minute contemplating whether what I was doing was worth it. The Old Man jumped into the passenger seat, curled up and started to purr. That was all I needed. I grabbed the laptop and opened it to look at the next point. It was just outside Portland, Oregon. I turned the engine over and pulled out of Venice. I took the PCH North and just let the sea roll past me.

I'd figure something out, I knew I would. I wasn't going to kill Destiny unless I absolutely had to. She'd grown on me more than I could have imagined.

Just past Malibu my phone rang.

Aubrey?

Destiny?

Silence hung on the other end of the phone.

You're a good man Aubrey.

Don't be so sure. The next time I see you I'll do what I have to.

I know.

It won't change how I feel about you.

We just met Aubrey. Last night was just...last night.

I know, but everything that led up to it felt right, right in a way I'm not used to.

Be safe Aubrey, and don't believe the dwarf.

What dwar...never mind.

Be good Destiny.

You too Aubrey. I'll be waiting for you.

Sorry about that.

I hung up the phone.

I took the PCH all the way to Cambria and turned up the 46, letting the gumdrop green hills and grape vines calm my nerves. In Paso Robles, I got on the 101. First chance I got I crossed to the 5 and headed for San Francisco. Before I got to Portland I needed to see a man about a book. I just hoped he had access to a copy. Something my Uncle had told me about.

It was known as the Book of Shadows and Dust, and somewhere in its pages, assuming I could find it and my Uncle's story had been true, I could find a trick that might just give me what I needed to come out of this without killing anyone else. If not, I was going to have to push down what I felt about Destiny so that the next time I saw her I'd be able to pretend her screams were laughter.

I mumbled under my breath and hit the gas as the outside of the van appeared to everyone like a fleeting dream.

Part XXXVII

PART XXXVII

A day and a half later, I pulled off the 10 where it dead ended into Lincoln Ave in Santa Monica. I headed south. One right turn later I was on Rose Ave, and it took me all the way to the beach. I parked the van and got a few accepting nods from a couple cholos who had their t-shirts tied around their heads to collect the sweat from doing nothing all day. Venice was riddled with gangs. A kind of beach front sanctuary, at least until the sun went down. I opened the side door and let the Old Man crawl under the van and knock out a hairball while I poured him a fresh bowl of water and dropped some potion in.

When the Old Man climbed back out from under the van, he had a limp seagull in his mouth. I could see he wasn't going to be able to jump up with it in his mouth, but I had to let him figure that out before I reached down and he let go. I spread a copy of the LA Times down as a dinner mat and laid the bird on it.

On the paper. I find any feathers in my bed and we'll be done.

The old man purred as I laid the gull on the paper, then hissed and bit its neck. I shut the door so the two of the could have some privacy.

Destiny's address was down the boardwalk, so I mumbled under my breath and set the van alarm. The sun wasn't too bad with the light cloud cover and a nice breeze was coming in from the ocean. I hated heat, I hated the beach and I hated sun even more. I already didn't like California, or anything I'd seen since I'd crossed the Mississippi. But, when in Rome.

The boardwalk was like an outdoor freaks how where the audience meandered through the middle of the exhibits. Since I was walking south, the stores were on my left and the people hawking wears on tables, mats and some just on the concrete were on my right. Everything from incense to handmade jewelery, and a whole lot of bad art. Really bad art. The kind of stuff that you couldn't possibly believe anyone would buy.

I have nothing to say about the large man wearing nothing but a gold leme banana hammock and enough gold chains around his neck to make Mr. T jealous. Even though it was all outside, exposed to fresh air and sea breeze, it smelled of patchouli oil, sage and desperation. The bottom tones were body odor and urine. The high tone was pot.

Even with all of that I still found it fascinating. So like the rest of the tourists, I walked slowly taking it all in, knowing I could leave at any time. Well, I could leave once I talked to Destiny.,

Her place was right on the boardwalk, on the second floor, above a small bar called The Candle. I climbed the stairs indicated by a sandwich board sign with a large arrow under which was written, “The steps of Destiny await you. $20.00 full reading. $5.00 mild assessment.”

I didn't even have to knock at the top of the stairs, the door was propped open with a wrought iron door stop in the shape of one half of a parrot, the relief side, peeling a once colorful paint job. I stepped over the threshold and looked around. Just inside was a shill parlor, replete with round table, covered in multiple layers of fabric and lace, each of differing lengths. Right in the middle of the table was a crystal ball, but hers didn't have a skull in the middle of it. Separating it from the rest of the apartment was a bead curtain hung in a natural doorway.

You can skip the circus Aubrey, I'm in here.

I pushed through the bead curtain, laid eyes on Destiny for the first time. To say that Destiny was pretty would be a waste of adjectives. To say that she was gorgeous would too. She was an ideal representation of everything that made men kill each other, and a few women too, one had to surmise. She belonged in Paris where they kept the perfect gram. It struck me as odd that I was having these thoughts, because Destiny was looking at me from behind a canvas she was painting. I could only see her face. When she finally stepped out from behind the painting, her body didn't disappoint, and it was covered with baggy jeans and an over-sized mens button-up dress shirt that was spattered with dried paint.

Shouldn't you at least look the part?

Oh, the first client won't wander in for another two hours. Perks of my gift. I hope you don't mind. I didn't think you'd care.

It's fine.

I walked toward her and the canvas.

Can I take a look?

Destiny stepped back and shrugged.

Sure, it's not finished though.

I walked around and took a peak. It was awful. I don't know much about art, but it was bad.

I know, I know, I should just give up, but I find it calming.

I didn't say anything.

I'm actually psychic Aubrey.

Oh yeah, sorry. I'm sure you'll get better.

We decided the art discussion was not going to go anywhere, so she made some tea that tasted like grass and we sat out on her small two chair balcony overlooking the boardwalk.

Why do you live here? Seems an odd choice.

Not really, I guess the French Quarter in New Orleans would have the same effect, but I hate humidity.

What do you mean?

Just look out there Aubrey, what do you see?

A lot of lonely desperate people.

Exactly, it's like white noise. Anybody that tries to find me through this soup is going to have a hard time. Too many emotions, running 24 hours a day. Keeps people like me safe. Sort of buries the transponder as it were.

Fair enough.

So Aubrey, before we go any further. I have to tell you that It's not your fault.

What isn't?

My death.

Destiny took a sip of tea and looked out toward the ocean, perfectly content with hers.