Visions (Hell Portals, Book One)

Chapter Fourteen: Mommy, Are There Demons in Chinatown?

JACK WENT STRAIGHT FROM THE MOTEL PARKING LOT WHERE HE WAS THOROUGHLY IMPRESSED WITH THE KNIGHTS' NEW WHEELS AND HIGH-TECH CAPABILITIES, to the motel lobby. He worked out a deal with Josh, the front desk attendant, to get two attached rooms with four beds. The new rooms were supposed to be nicer, newly remodeled versions with more comfortable beds, which would be a welcomed change.

While Jack was filling out the new form and providing the supernaturally never-depleting debit card to the attendant, a family entered the lobby. Jack turned and looked at the family: a clean-cut father in his thirties, a beautiful brunette wife who seemed sweet, a young son looking to be about ten, and a daughter, perhaps twelve years old. They all seemed excited and happy. Jack felt mixed emotions. He was happy for the nice little family, but sad that he'd never had the chance to start one of his own. As Josh was processing the upgrade, Jack was listening to the family's conversation.

"Daddy," the boy said, "I want a big room with a big TV and games we can play. Can we have that?"

"I think we can arrange that Teddy," the father said with enthusiasm.

"Oh and a big bathroom with a big bathtub!" the daughter added. "This is so fun!" she could hardly contain herself.

"Steve," the wife said, "thanks for taking this vacation. I've wanted to go to San Francisco for so long. I'm really glad we're here."

From her voice, Jack could tell she was smiling and in love with her husband. Jack smiled.

"Honey," the husband said, "I'm so glad too. We are going to have a great time. Let's get some of those brochures and figure out some of the things we want to do while we're here. Fisherman's Wharf, wax museums, Alcatraz, Chinatown—there's just so much to do compared to our small little town. We needed this vacation didn't we?"

"Oh sweetheart, we sure did. And the kids are so excited," she said.

Josh handed Jack the four room keys he'd requested. "OK, you're all set. Enjoy your new rooms. Let me know if there's anything you need."

"OK, will do. Thanks a bunch." He turned and walked toward the door, past the family. "Excuse me," he said as he made his way around the dad.

As Jack walked past the father, his shoulder brushed the man's and a powerful shock was delivered to Jack's system. It was that taser-like shock he'd felt at the diner when he'd had his first vision. The room blacked out and Jack was now looking out through this father's eyes.

The family was in a dingy-yellow and brown basement-like room decorated with oriental odds and ends. The four of them were standing in the center of the room, huddled together, the kids holding tightly to the parents with their heads down, whimpering.

Surrounding the family were five Asian men, all of them holding kitchen knives. They were sweaty and excited, speaking Chinese, laughing and making grandiose gestures with their hands and thrusting their knives in the family's direction. Within the father's mind Jack could feel utter fear mixed with a panicked concern for his family.

The wife pleaded in her husband's ear, crying "do something Steve!"

Steve stepped forward and yelled "Stop!" holding up his right hand. The closest scumbag immediately thrust his knife through Steve's palm and Jack could feel the searing pain as the knife sliced through, nicking bone and severing tendon. "Fuck! Why are you doing this?!" Steve yelled as he snatched back his hand and shielded it under his left armpit. The crazed men laughed and filled with greater bloodlust.

The oldest of the men, a squat man with gray hair, a large blackhead-dotted nose, and a greasy pock-scarred face said something pressured and unintelligible, and the other men ascended upon Steve and dragged him to a chair, forced him down and looped a red ratchet-strap around his chest, arms, and the chair-back. They ratcheted tighter and tighter until Jack could feel that Steve's ribcage was about to be crushed. The pain was unbearable and he couldn't catch a breath. Tears formed in Steve's eyes from the pain and from the anguish of being unable to help his family. He hollered "No!" and tried to get free with every bit of strength he had. It was futile.