Simplicity... not so much...

Okay, well I guess you never really get used to seeing a dead body... or being shot at... or shooting back.

My original task was simple, ask around to see if I could find some dude in the area, then confirm his presence with a picture. Why do I even keep up the hope that things could be simple.

I found the guy. Ask around enough and you can find almost anyone. Well, I found his apartment, door was ajar, so being the idiot that I am I went in. Dude was on his couch with the TV on. There was a hole in the back of his head and what was left of his face was splattered in front of him, he never saw it coming.

I took the picture, several for good measure, and got the hell outta that place. I get down to the front of the building and two guys approach me. I could smell weed on the one and the other one was kinda tweeking out, paranoid like. They ask me what I'm doing and say they've never seen me around before, the one puts his hand in his coat and that's all the motivation I needed. I ran.

They follow, I turn down an ally, next thing I know I'm hearing gunshots. I ducked out behind a dumpster and drew mine, fired two shots around the corner and then took off again. I'm guessing they didn't follow me but I kept the lights off and my gun near me for the rest of the night.

If I had to guess, I'd say that guy was either a drug dealer or a drug user and he pissed off the wrong people and it got him killed. What the Organization wanted with him is anyone's guess. I sent the picture to the number specified and received a simple "Thank you" in reply.

"Thank you?"

I nearly get shot to death by some druggies and all I get is a simple fucking "Thank you?"

If it wasn't for my agreement I'd have told them where they could shove their "Thank you."

Something's better than nothing

Things felt different this morning waking up, add in the fact that I was actually sleeping well the past few days and I’d say it was actually a good morning for once.

Picked up Jessie from the church. Pastor Scott walker her over to my truck and handed me a medium sized box wrapped in black felt. He then put his hand on my shoulder and said.

“Just because you don’t believe in God, doesn’t mean he won’t have your back you need him. Be safe kid.”

I seriously felt my throat tighten when he said this to me and for the life of me I don’t know why.

Jessie was really excited about telling me all the things she did while at the lock-in. Seeing her this happy made me almost forget what was going on. It also made me wish our parents were still around to see her grow up, the thought made me teary eyed so I stopped thinking about it.

When we got home, Jessie went to her room and started unpacking and began her normal routine. (Which equated to her just playing video games.) I immediately went to work on the box the pastor gave me, there was defiantly more than just my ammo inside by the feel.

Well, talk about a gift box for the exorcist. Inside was my ammo, a small vial of what I assumed was holy water, a sealed vial labeled: red wine, three communion wafers, and two medallions (“The Soldier’s Prayer” and “Prayer of Confession”). There was also a short letter from the pastor.

Zane,

I can only guess what you are going through that you would come to me with this request. I believe that this was not about your own well being, but about Jessica’s. Whatever you plan to do, I won’t stop you. Just remember, actions have consequences. You’re all she’s got left too. I’m sure your parents would be proud to see how well you’ve cared for her.

With the love of the lord,

Pastor Scott

PS. Know that no matter the struggle, you need not face it alone.

As odd as it sounds, the letter made me feel somewhat more at ease with things. Just knowing that I’d have someone to vent to who wouldn’t judge me, that alone could keep a person awake.

I carved crosses into the tips of the blessed ammo. I did a little research and found that both holy water and crosses have had some kind of effect on this thing. So putting them together on a lethal piece of lead should do something. Right?

Anyway, Jessie starts school tomorrow, I have some work to get done, and altogether this coming week looks somewhat normal.

Ok, now I'm a believer

Ok this isn't some kids pulling a prank, this isn't my imagination, this is the real deal. This is not how things were suppose to go down. This is not what I expected at all. But I can't change what happened, I'll go with what I got now.

Let me rewind for a second. THAT SON OF A BITCH WENT AFTER MY LITTLE SISTER!

Two nights ago I was in bed sleeping and I heard Jessie scream like I've never heard before, sounded of pure fear. My body moved, no time to think, shotgun loaded and in hand, I slammed that door open and there he/it was, tapping on her window. She was curled up in her corner on my far left, I raised the gun and fired two rounds out the window. He seem to twitch with each shot, after the second shot he turned and looked at me. All I could feel was just pure hated directed at me and then, like the first time I saw him, he just vanished.

I had her stay in my bed for the rest of the night. I stayed up and watched over her, gun in hand. I wasn't scared, I was angry. How dare this thing, this coward go after my little sister. She'd done nothing to deserve it.

Thankfully the next morning she woke up fine and asked me in a more calm manner what happened. (I smiled inwardly that some of me and my mom's resilience rubbed off on her.) I just told her it was someone trying to break into the house but I scared him off. (A lie I know but I was not about to tell her what it really was, not yet anyway. She would not understand anyway.) She seemed to accept the explanation and visibly relaxed her body.

Around noon I decided to check outside the window I shot out of and also to pick up the glass shards. This is where I made an odd discovery. Some pieces of the glass as well as a small portion of the wall had this strange black stuff splattered on it, kinda like blood. I thought this thing couldn't be hurt? When I went to touch it to look at it closer it burned my skin and then kinda like vaporized. So far in my studies, I have not come across this thing ever bleeding or being injured in any way, what the hell is this stuff? Blood? What it leaves behind when it touches shit? I don't know, but I want some answers.

I told the neighbors who asked about the gunshots that night that a prowler had tried to break in. The local police stopped by to take a statement. Couldn't really tell them much that would make sense so I just said he had a mask on. They seemed satisfied and said they'd be on the watch.

Last night I moved her bed into my room and put heavy blankets over all the windows in the room. I slept with my shotgun near the bed as usual. She seemed to sleep well, but I had one hell of a time falling asleep. (I think the gravity of the situation was starting to hit me.)

Jessie's at a friend's house today. I went out to the store and bought some supplies as well as some more ammo for my weapons. She is my sister and I will defend her in any way I can. I have to, she's all I got left.

So WHAT DO I DO? Load up and run, check into a high up hotel, a place in the mountains? Seriously, I'm looking in circles for options here. I mean what the fuck!? What did we do to piss off fate. With losing our dad in Iraq and mom dying of cancer, hasn't life kicked the shit outta us enough alfuckinready!?