A Eternal Tale: Howling Winds

Chapter 7

Blur images, people in the distance, fade faces, & sounds muffled. A dark path with a light at the end, a tunnel that forces you to focus on what's ahead. No room to look back, no time to feel sorry for yourself. While on the earth, you're always going to fight battles. Your past is the foundation; your choices were lessons, your losses build strength, and your victories teach you to help others. It's good to let go once you learn from it.... stop holding on to everything that makes you comfortable; all comfort is not good.... learn to listen so you can hear that voice of peace. No more excuses....no more excuses; the time is now....so what are you waiting for.... get up...GET YOUR ASS UP!

James opened his eyes as he shot up, looking around confused. He was in a room on a table; from the looks of the room, it was some kind of office or a place for storage well kept up & clean. To James's left was a small table with a few surgical instruments, a bowl with two silver bullets covered in blood, & old bandages in blood. He observes the room once more, "Ajax?" As he turned to place his feet on the ground, "Relax, James." Said a voice as James turned, "Pastor Smith?" James said as he got up from a chair in the corner, "You need to rest some more, James; you're not at your full strength. You didn't know I was asleep in the corner to your right." He said, walking up to James and checking on him, "...What happened? I'm sure I was dead.

You were close, but your will want to live, and your belief in God. James, tell me why you deny Him.

...I don't deny Him; you saw me walking out of the church yourself.

What that means is maybe in church and still deny Him.

That's true, but I won't deny it... I just wish I could understand Him more.

Understand Him more like what?

Pastor, I didn't ask to be what I am....a werewolf. I was born with this curse and wanted to understand why He allowed it.

So that's one insight into why God may allow bad things to happen. He knows that somehow, someday, we'll benefit from the experience." Pastor Smith answered, "Ajax?" James asked as Smith looked at him by the look on his face; James already knew the answer, "He's in the next room. You can go see him if you want." He said as James got up slowly. Smith helped him to the room, where he saw Ajax's body lying on a table, fully dressed.

James took his time walking over to the table, as he was lost for words, ".... James, give yourself time to reach full strength." Pastor Smith said as James stared at Ajax's body, "I cleaned the wound from the back of his head.

.... Yeah, thanks again...I wish I could have known who did this." Angry began growing in James, "......Look, Pastor..." before James could finish, Pastor Smith cut him off, "James... trust me, I already know what you're about to say. This is not my first or second time helping out others who isn't human." He responded as James gave him a look, "...My father was a hunter, and my mother died at the hands of a vampire. That's what drove my father mad and became a hunter. So, my childhood was something else, no wife nor kids...just a man of God." He said as Ajax's phone went off. James heard it & found the cell phone in his pocket. He looked & saw Genesis flashing across the screen; he got ready to answer the phone.

"Genesis.

What the hell? James, I, and Riley are calling both you and Ajax. What the hell, man? Wait, why the hell is your ass answering Ajax's phone?" James didn't respond, ".... James?

..... I'm sorry, Genesis." He finally answered as he could hear Riley release a scream of pain in the background. At the same time, Genesis didn't say another word. By this time, Pastor Smith stepped in as James handed him the phone, eyes glued on Ajax, "Hey, this is Pastor Smith; I was who saw them and brought them here to my church. Head over, and we can all talk things over; James still needs rest. He barely held on when I found them as he held on to your friend's body.