The Man In Black

Introduction

He's coming for me. It's that time. I'm the only one left to fight him. Everyone else is gone. Either dead, or joined with him. Joined him for the lies he promised them. sad. Lost their souls for the empty promises. I was the only one who turned him down. Don't know if that was a good idea on my part. Maybe it was just the right thing to do. Either way, I'm the only one left to stop him. Praying that I'll be more than enough.

Listen to me talking on, and on. I haven't even introduced myself. My name is...well it's better if I didn't use my real name, or anyone else's name involved. No one would believe that those people disappeared the way they did. They'll just call me crazy...sometimes I pray that I am crazy, and everything I'm going through is all in my head.

From this point on my name is Steve...Steve Garcia.

Let me begin the first time I saw him. It was the first time I ever felt what fear really was. It was Sunday July 17, 1983. I was eight years old. My sister brought me to church. Sunday school. The good thing about going there, was that my best friends were there too. Brian and Sam Lopez. Their family and mine have been friends for years. Before any of us were born. Brian is the oldest, than comes me, then Sam. Their aunt Nancy Ortiz was , is best friends with my sister Carmen. They did everything together. Every time there was church service, they were there. Come to think about it, we were there too. Carmen and Nancy would bring us with them to church. This Sunday, we didn't want to come, but Carmen made us come anyway. It started out like anyother Sunday school. We were in class having fun, practicing what we were going to recite in front of the church, when Jason Velez comes running into the class. He begins whispering in the teacher's ear. Whatever he told her, got the teacher very nervous.                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

"Okay kids. Class is over. I want you to sit by your parents when we go downstairs. Do not sit together. Remember, sit with your parents." Says the teacher.

"But Miss Sanchez? Why do we have to go? We've been practicing all morning." Says Thomas, as the rest of us pack up our stuff.

"Thomas, something important has come up, and we all need to be downstairs with the rest of the church." Answers Miss Sanchez, as she motions for everyone to hurry.

As we come down the stairs, Isaw my sister waiting for me by the stairs. "Steve, I want you to sit with the boys over here." Says Carmen, as she points to the bench near the office.

"Brian, Sam sit with Steve over there, and do not move from there. No matter what happens, do not leave your seat!" Says Nancy, as we walked toward the bench.

"Steve remember the prayer mom taught you? Keep saying it, and don't stop until I tell you." Says Carmen, as Nancy and her go into the office.

The three of us sat there not knowing what was going on. We were little kids. We didn't know any better. They told us to pray, for what? We didn't know why? No one else was praying, why should we? That's not fair to us. That's what was going on in our heads. That it wasn't fair.

The pastor walks out of the office, and down to the front. "Brothers and sisters. I need your help today." He says, as he opens his bible. "An old friend of mine has come here, in need of the church's help. His daughter needs our help. He's taken her to every doctor there is, and none of them can find out what's wrong with her. I just saw her, and she desperately needs our help." He says. The whole church was in agreement. The pastor was pleased with the church's response. "Tell them to come forward." Says the pastor.