After-Life

Chapter 14. Indoctrinated

"Have you frozen time?"
"Yes Mab, no one else is going to hear us."
"He landed heavily. Kris, do you think he's okay?"
"He's a big boy, isn't he? I wouldn't say no to a bit of rough and tumble with..."
"Shut up! And yeah, Eric's taken worse falls before now."
"I'm just saying; give me half an hour, an hour max; maybe throw in a few bales of hay, I could play the innocent farmer's daughter, he the stable boy..."
"Do you have an off switch? Is there anyone that you don't feel the need to screw around with?"
"I'm the Demon of lust Mab, it's what I do. Anyone and anything are fair game in my world."
"Hey guys, I think he's coming round! No, scratch that, just a hypnic jerk."
"Bloody hell, what are we going to tell him?"
"Mab, babe, chill."
"Shut up! Seriously, Mab's made a good point, what are we going to tell him?"
"What do you mean, Krissy-poo?"
"What do you mean, what do I mean? He saw you in full demon form! He saw Thet in his reaper form! Can't you charm him like you did with the Viking situation?"
"No can do my sweet little baboon. Charms only work on those who have not perceived the full picture before. He's seen us both, there's no charming that image out of a simple mortal's head. Nope, there's nothing else for it, he's got to be indoctrinated into our little social circle."
"Oh for..."
"Although I think it's more of a social square..."
"Mo, just stop, PLEASE! Okay, Eric? Can you hear me? Are you alright?"

Eric kept his eyes shut tight. Desperately, he fought to keep his breathing steady; 'if they don't suspect I've come to, they'll all go away.'
"Aww, that's cute, he's practicing mind over matter with delusion!" The patting sound of a bare foot came closer to Eric's face, and he breathed in the scent of spiced wine and swallowed hard. He felt his body tense as the same foot poked a toe on his face, turning it from side to side; "trust me, Eric Payne, you are dealing with the master of delusion, you're only prolonging the inevitable. Sooner you open those puppy dog peepers, the sooner we can get introductions out the way;"
Eric struggled to find his voice as he croaked out, "I don't want to be a stable boy."

There was some muffled laughter and a soft and caring pair of hands rested on his shoulder as Mabel's soothing voice sounded close to his ear; "Eric, I'm so sorry about all of this. You weren't supposed to witness it. No one was ever supposed to witness us all together, like this."
Eric opened his eyes. Slowly, the room started to come into focus. Kristoph was stood by his feet, looking down at him with a mix of humiliation and concern. Mabel was beside him with nothing but sympathy and care in her eyes. Then there were the other two figures.
Eric refused to spend too long looking at them, as his brain wasn't quite ready to process their being present just yet. Slowly, he turned his head and looked at Mab, "So, it's my lucky day then? Kris, do me a solid? Help me up?"

Together, Kristoph and Mabel helped Eric up and guided him toward Mabel's bunk, where he sat down heavily. The springs creaked under the sudden weight of a body nearly twice the size of its usual guest. Kristoph cautiously peered around the doorway to double-check check time was definitely frozen before slipping out and returning with a bottle of chilled water from the mini-fridge. Perching on the bed next to his friend, he handed over the bottle, hardly daring to make eye contact.
Eric glugged down half its contents, before breathing out a steadying breath.
"Okay, I'm just about ready, "he sighed. "Kris, Mab – what the actual Hell is going on here?" She shouted in his thick Welsh accent.

As steadily, calmly, and clearly as they could, Mabel and Kristoph detailed every aspect of their adventures with Thet and Asmodeus. Eric remained silent throughout. Only his eyes betrayed any sense of reaction as they widened at various intervals. When Mabel shared the revelation of her being Eve and Kristoph being Adam reincarnated, Eric's brow contorted into a quizzical expression; however, his features relaxed when he noted Thet's shrug and nod of acknowledgment. As Kristoph detailed the truth behind Bo's final fight, however, Eric's extended rope of patience started to fray.
"Hold on. You mean to say – we abetted, encouraged, and even serenaded... a MASS murder... in the middle of the Moors. With the actual crucifix as a backdrop? And you both feel no remorse for any of it?" Eric gaped, incredulously.