The Second Sight – Episode 8

THE SECOND SIGHT EPISODE 8

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The laughter starts way down in Samson’s belly like distant thunder, and erupts out of his mouth in his rich baritone voice, a vibrant and totally joyous explosion that brings a sheepish grin to Boat’s face.

He doesn’t laugh loudly, but tears come to his eyes, and Boat finds himself smiling. At last his laughter ripples off, and he wipes his eyes with the back of his hand.

He belches loudly, and farts, a booming ripping sound that shake the seat. Both of them burst out laughing this time. Boat is damn glad that he has come in to speak to Samson.

SAMSON

You were scared, huh?

BOAT

(sheepishly)

I must admit he gave me cold balls for a moment there. He sounded pretty convincing.

Uncle Samson settles more comfortably in his seat.

SAMSON

Well, there are some references of this Second Sight, as he called it, in the Bible though.

BOAT

(numbly)

There are? People were able to see into a spiritual realm? Actually see ghouls and demons?

SAMSON

(carefully)

Well, not exactly, and I must admit that this is the first time I’m hearing of it referred to as a Second Sight, and what did you call, Unblind? In the Biblical book of Numbers, a prophet of God called Balaam was travelling on donkey, and God sent an Angel of Death to stand in the way and ki*ll Balaam, because Balaam had been disobedient to God.

He pauses, gets up, and walks to the huge refrigerator to pour himself a glass of water. Boat waits impatiently, caught up in his story, wishing to know whether the crap-talk about Second Sights is true.

Uncle Samson returns to his seat, takes a long drink, and sets the glass down carefully.

SAMSON

Now, where was I?

BOAT

An angel was about to ki*ll a man named Balaam.

SAMSON

(clearing his throat)

Oh, yes! According to the Bible, the donkey Balaam is sitting on saw the Angel of Death holding a sword, but Balaam couldn’t see it. The donkey was freaked out and so it crouched and refused to move forward. Balaam began beating the donkey to move forward, but the donkey wouldn’t budge. The relevant issue here is that the donkey saw an angel in a spiritual realm, but Balaam couldn’t see it with his ordinary eyes. Are you following?

Boat can only nod.

His throat is so dry.

SAMSON

So Balaam is beating the donkey, and then something amazing happens. The Bible recounts that the donkey spoke to Balaam, and then God opened the eyes of Balaam, and he was able to see the angel of God blocking the way with a sword in his hand. So, can we safely conclude that when God opened his eyes, Balaam received the gift of discernment, which your friend calls the Second Sight, and began to see things in the spiritual realm which ordinary eyes could not see? The answer is yes.

Boat stares at him with sudden abject misery.

And then Samson’s next words send chills down his spine, numbing him all over, striking fear into his hear, driving the panic buttons high.

SAMSON

There’s another phenomenon in the Bible, in the second book of Kings, chapter six.

I shall be glad if you will read 2nd Kings 6: 14-17.

That is what Anderson had written in his damn letter, but Boat had been so confused and shook up that he had forgotten all about it.

Until now!

Uncle Samson is referring to the Biblical quotation, and it has sent terror directly to Boat’s heart.

SAMSON

In that story another prophet of God called Elisha and his servant were surrounded by the Syrian army. The servant, of course, was understandably terrified by the sight of so many soldiers sent after them, and could not understand why Elisha was so unperturbed. Elisha told his servant not to worry because the protection they had was more powerful than the Syrian army. Now when the servant still doubted him, Elisha prayed to God to open his servant’s eyes. According to the Bible God opened the young man’s eyes, and then he saw that the whole valley and hill was covered with horses and chariots of fire, maybe ridden by hundreds of warrior angels. Obviously the servant couldn’t see the spiritual army with his ordinary eyes, but when God opened his eyes, he saw into the spiritual realm. Is this the phenomenon your friend is referring to as the Second Sight, or being unblinded? I do think so.

Boat just stares at him, and he is not feeling comfortable at all. Heart is beating a little bit faster, and and he feels just a trifle colder.

BOAT

(sighing)

So does it mean it is possible to have a damn gift like that for real, Uncle Samson?

Samson takes another sip of water, and sits regarding the glass with elaborate interest, his lips pursed slightly.

SAMSON

I reckon it is possible, yes, but I’ve never come across any pastor, or Christian, who has openly professed having the gift of spiritual discernment. The Bible even recounts a little story about the Last Supper, which Jesus Christ had with his Disciples. According to one of the Gospels of Christ, Satan entered Judas. Jesus looked at Judas and spoke, telling him to do what he has to do. Now, the Disciples thought Jesus was speaking to Judas, instructing him to go and make some financial arrangements because Judas was the treasurer. What they didn’t know was that Jesus was speaking to Satan, who has entered Judas, and whom Jesus has discerned. The Disciples couldn’t notice this spiritual warfare between Jesus Christ and Satan because their eyes were not opened.

He drains the cup and puts it down carefully. He leans forward, his left hand slowly twirling the long hairs in the indent of his lower lip.

The silence stretches for a while.

Boat fights it, but there is a gnawing feeling in his guts that things are slowly but certainly sliding out of control, heading for an inevitable conclusion that will suck him into a cauldron of fiery retribution.

He realizes with mild wonder that he feels really chilled, and that his hands are nervously clasped together, and that they are trembling slightly.

BOAT

(hoarsely)

So, in conclusion, you’re telling me that whatever Paul Anderson told me is possible?

SAMSON

Of course it is possible, I keep telling you that. The Bible says that with God all things are possible, and that God gives diverse to His servants. So yes, this Second Sight or this state of being Unblinded can exist.

BOAT

Now you’re scaring me, Uncle Samson.

He bursts out laughing again, and although Boat smiles, his anxieties are not completely dissipated.

SAMSON

(chuckling)

Don’t be scared, Yaw. In truth I do think that pastor indeed might be crazy. That era of discernment is over, I believe. I haven’t personally heard of anything like that since I became a Christian. We’re now in an era where God reveals things to His true servants in dreams and visions, and through miracles. That power of discernment in the Bible was exhibited by men of faith who were as close to God as any humans could be. So if anyone can have a gift like that, it would be someone who is close to God. This talk about you having been prepared for occupation by a demon is, excuse my language, total bullshit. Demons don’t prepare human hosts! Anybody who doesn’t have God’s protection can be possessed by a demon. Such a gift wouldn’t be bestowed on someone like you who even finds it hard to believe that God actually exists.

BOAT

(relieved)

So it is crap, right?

SAMSON

(stifling a yawn)

Total crap, Yaw. Just get it out of your mind. Go get some sleep, my boy. You can spend the night here if you want. Get all that silliness out of your mind.

Yaw Boat smiles sheepishly, relieved suddenly. It feels good hearing Paul Anderson dismissed with such utter contempt. He knows he should have done that in the first place.

BOAT

Yeah, you’re right, Uncle Samson. I think I’m being silly about the whole thing.

SAMSON

(soberly)

Maybe, in a way, this shows that it is time for you to give your life totally to God and save your soul. Stop messing around with all that drugs and sex thing, boy. It’ll only end in catastrophe.

BOAT

Once again I think you’re right, Uncle Samson. I’ll give it serious thought.

But Boat knows he is lying.

He doesn’t believe there is a God upstairs in all those clouds, and he doesn’t believe in final days when angels will sound trumpets and people would sail through the air to meet Jesus Christ.

He gets to his feet and stretches luxuriously.

BOAT

I’ll move along then, Uncle Samson. I’ll see you on Monday when Dad comes back.

They embrace, Uncle Samson pounds him on the back, and they walk out. Yaw Boat gets into his car, starts up, waves to him

________________

STEBBINS

Location: APARTMENT BALCONIES

A terrible scream is locked way back in his throat as he sees the face of the figure inside the light taking a frightening shape!

Boat can barely breathe. He shakes his head numbly, trying to claw his way back to reality.

The thing lands on Stebbins’ balcony and then floats towards the snoring form of the man, simmering over him, illuminating the sleeping face with a ghastly, translucent shimmering haze that is both terrible and sickening.

Boat’s anguished eyes are fixed on it, although he tries hard to look away from that torture.

Now he can see the body that had been taking shape inside that green light.

It is a huge head … a gigantic bulging head that twists and turns with violent ferocity, contorting quite sickeningly, a sight not meant for human eyes!

BOAT

(horrified)

Oh, sweet, dear Jesus!

Boat begins to move backwards, shaking his head with the horror he is seeing.

The moment he speaks the head begins to turn, and once again the scream rise in his throat, but it is locked tight into his throat so that all that comes out are hoarse groans and screeches.

That evil head turns fully, and now it has a complete shape and form.

Boat finds himself staring into a terrible, frightening, ugly, hate-filled face which the most horrible nightmare would have rejected.

From its forehead up there is nothing, only a denser green light, but its eyes are a terrible green, its gaping mouth filled with snake-like tentacles that beat savagely against its cheeks.

Its nose is a gaping hollow, within which other slithering reptilian entities seem to be moving.

Its eyes looks at Boat with such potent evil and sheer malice that Boat can no longer stand upright; his legs collapse beneath him and he sits on the floor, whimpering with the depths of his horror.

Still sitting on the floor, Boat begins to pedal backwards on his buttocks, the blood rushing through his pounding heart and brain as his whole system fights against the unimaginable horror his eyes are seeing.

Yaw Boat, a boy who has never been scared of anything in the world, suddenly wishes for death.

Death, in its mysterious finality, will be much more preferable to the unadulterated horror his eyes are beholding.

He knows somewhere deep down that that if the horror doesn’t stop his heart will just stop working, and his brain will explode, and he will die.

The horrible green face snarls, the tentacles in the mouth-like cavity beating angrily around the old, gnarled ancient face!

Finally Boat’s stomach heaves, and warm vomit spews out of his mouth. His bladder lets go, and warm urine runs down his thighs.

The vomit stuffs his throat, and the urine permeates his nostrils, violating his pride as a man, a cruel reminder that this is no nightmare, but good old stark reality.

And yet he still can’t shut his eyes from the sight of the horrible demon glowing over Ralph Stebbins.

For a moment the face of the evil thing braces for a forward dash, and then it whirls around and with a final blinding green flash the whole evil thing slams against Stebbins’ sleeping form, and disappears into him.

Boat dry-retches violently. Saliva pours down his chin as he grovels like an idiot. The evil sight is etched deep into his mind and he moans like an abandoned baby, trembling violently.

He draws his knees up and wraps his arms around them, rocking back and forth, moaning and whimpering, his mind tilting towards insanity.

… On the stroke of midnight this very day your eyes will open …

Anderson!

BOAT

(thickly)

bas***d bas***d bas***d bas***d

bastardbastardbastardbastard!!

And then he hears Stebbins’ voice through the madness that is threatening to rip his head aside.

STEBBINS

(tentatively)

Yaw? Hey, Yaw! Are you alright, buddy?

Boat looks up slowly.

Ralph Stebbins is standing against the railings that divides their balconies, looking through the bars at Boat.

His kind face is concerned, but when he sees the state of Boat’s face he gives a little start and shudders.

STEBBINS

(alarmed)

Hey! What’s the matter with you, buddy? You getting a heart attack or something? Should I call an ambulance?

Boat sits up with an animal grunt of fear and starts pedalling back on his buttocks again, needing to get away from Stebbins as far as possible.

His back suddenly comes up against the opposite railing, and there is nowhere else to go.

STEBBINS

(anxiously)

Yaw! What…

Yaw Boat, looking at the man, doesn’t hear the rest of what the man is saying because he is now looking with another blast of horror at Stebbins.

Stebbins’ eyes have changed! They have become a terrible green with no shade of black! These are not human eyes.

And then, as Boat continues to watch, something appears suddenly on Stebbins’ forehead.

It is a number!

It is a number written with red blood!

It is the number 666!

… at this time the human vessel has sold his soul to the Devil, and he receives the mark of the beast: Six Hundred threescore and Six … 666!

Anderson has said that in Boat’s car!

Oh, dear, dear, Lord … it is happening! Everything that Anderson had said has now come true.

Yaw Boat is now seeing things in the damned spiritual realm!

He has been unblinded!

STEBBINS

(concerned)

Hey, Yaw, buddy, are you-

Yaw Boat cuts in stridently.

BOAT

(shrilly)

Keep the f**k away from me!!

He is still trying to move backwards but the railings stops him, so his legs move helplessly on the floor, up and down, up and down, pedalling but going nowhere, wishing to flee, but being held up by that restricting railing against his back.

He just can’t stop his legs from scissoring that way; up and down, up and down, up and down, like they had batteries of their own.

So terrified is his heart that it never even occurs to him that the best way to flee is to get up from the floor and flee into his room.

His words make Stebbins flinch as if he has physically slapped his face, and that is when the mark disappears from his forehead.

After a while the greenish glow in his eyes fades out too, leaving him as the normal Ralph Stebbins that Boat knows.

He is holding the railing bars, his face pressed into a space, his expression one of concern.

STEBBINS

Good gracious, Yaw, buddy! What’s going on? I’m gonna call an ambulance right now!

BOAT

(hysterical)

Get the f**k away from me, mother******! I saw it, damn you to hell, I bloody well saw it, mother******!

Dimly Boat is aware that he is slipping into hysterics, and he knows that it can be really dangerous to go on mouthing off to Stebbins, but there seems to be nothing he can do about it.

Stebbins looks baffled for a moment.

He raises his eyebrows in a query. The look in his eyes suggests that he thinks Boat is going crazy.

STEBBINS

(patronizingly)

You saw what, Yaw?

BOAT

(slobbering)

No, no, no, you bas***d! Don’t you dare pretend to me, as***ole! I saw that damn green demon, you as***ole! I saw that f****ng mark on your forehead too … yeah, yeah, I did, mother******!

Boat is sounding incoherent, hysterical and mad, somewhat, but Stebbins knows what Boat is talking about alright.

His thin face crumbles with sudden and complete shock, and he takes a dazed step back from the railings, his eyes filled with the dangerous fear of a trapped venomous viper.

STEBBINS

(dazedly)

How? How could? No, not you … it is not possible. You? With the gift of discernment? No, no! Can’t be possible!

His right hand sweeps across his face, and when he looks at Boat again his face is as cold as ice, with a terrible, fixed stare.

STEBBINS

(whispering)

You must die!

To be continued…

©Aaron Ansah – Agyeman

All Rights Reserved.

 

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