The Tree

Chrissy

Two days felt like an eternity. I had waited to read the note until I was back home after the ball. It read:

Meet me in two days at noon 216 Rockshire Ave. Come alone, I know things you need to know. ~Chrissy

I wasn't sure who was watching me or where they were located so I had to be careful to not be followed. I wasn't even sure if Chrissy was trustable. I knew why noon was the safest time to meet, the underworld was asleep during the day, at least a majority of them. I walked out of my apartment and down the stairs onto the street. It seemed like such a normal day. The sun was shining and people were hustling around doing regular human things. I was so jealous of them, they didn't even know the dangers they were avoiding. I stopped and watched as this fragile old lady slowly crossed the street with her walker and it dawned on me, I couldn't be a human, that much Harvey was right about, but I could be their hero. I could save them from destruction. I smiled at the idea and found a little bit of peace with the idea of cutting down the tree to save the human race. Did I really have to understand it all at once? Maybe Harvey was right that timing was important and I didn't need to know anything yet. Looking around to make sure I wasn't being watched I flagged down a cab to take me to the witch.

Arriving at the house, it didn't look at all like what I pictured a witches house to look like. I paid the cabbie and got out. Standing on the sidewalk I stared at a white victorian style house with a wrap around porch, and a perfectly manicured lawn and brightly colored flower beds. The chimes on the archway made a racket that was not altogether appalling, and the house was somewhat alluring. I walked up the stairs taking one last look over my shoulder and rang the doorbell.

Footsteps approached the door as a small face, not Chrissy's, looked through the window. "Hello child." An elderly African-American women answered. A little taken back by Chrissy not answering I looked around behind her for Chrissy.

"Yes ma'am, I am looking for Chrissy." Smiling the lady handed me an envelop.

"She told me you'd be stopping by and to give you this envelop." She placed it in my hand and shut the door. Standing with the door almost touching my face I could hear her feet shuffling away. I looked down at what she had handed me and walked to the railing and leaned on it while I opened it.

You came! I had to make sure you would. Now the real meeting place, no outsiders can know where you are going so you'll have to walk. No worries, it isn't far. Meet me at the warehouse at 118 Isaac St.at One. See you soon. ~Chrissy

She was right it didn't take long to get to Isaac St. It was only 4 blocks away. The warehouse was run down and looked like it could have been condemned. Obviously it was abandoned a long time ago. She was going to great lengths to keep this meeting from the public view. I looked at my watch, it was almost One. I began to walk toward the building to find the door.

The only visible door was a rusted sheet of metal on two hinges. I walked up to it and pushed it open, loud screeching noises echoing from the resistance of movement. "So much for the element of surprise." I said aloud as I stepped through the walkway. "Hello? Chrissy?" I said loudly. I took about five steps in when I saw something in the distance that looked out of place. I walked toward it and it was another letter. I grabbed it, "She better not make me go on a wild goose chase." It read:

I had a visitor last night, they have been watching you. They know you are coming to meet me so I can't come. But this is what you need to know, the man they are talking about, Jesus, He's not who they say He is. You need to go to Pastor Dewey, he will explain everything. ~Chrissy

Baffled by this I looked around. Is this a joke? Who is Pastor Dewey and how do I find him? All of a sudden I heard a clanging noise in the distance. "Hello? Chrissy?" I said, "Listen, I played your little game now come on and tell me what is really going on!" I walked toward the noise entering the next room I saw a woman suspended from the ceiling arms stretched as far as they could be in chains as if she was on a cross and was screaming from pain through a mouth gag. Running over to her, "Chrissy! Chrissy! Are you ok?" I said tears and blood streaming down her cheeks she was shaking her head no to me. I grabbed the gag out of her mouth.