Treasure or Threat.

                          Treasure or Threat

            Lorrie had seen the book during her lunch hour from school, with the smart leather cover so shiny with the gold scrawls and serpents entwined in its leather-bound cover. Why would anyone want to abandon such a beautiful treasure in a charity shop. Lorrie became so engrossed in the book that she forgot what time of day it was. There was just plain paper in the book. When she touched the page medieval figures came alive on the page. Lorie could hear chanting from a bygone era. Lorie closed her eyes this could not be real.

       Suddenly she felt a tap her shoulder,” Time to go lady.” it was the fellow who managed the shop,” Oh, my goodness what had happened, with the time?” Her job, she had gone back to supply teaching. To keep active now the kids had fled the nest. Not that she and Dave needed the cash, it was just a temp stop gap till Dave left his job in the city.” I am so sorry,” she had said. Handing the fellow ten pounds. As she left the shop, she noticed blood on the cuff of her coat.

 What had become of her? Was this a good example to set for the kids in her charge. Pre-teens. Only nipping out for ten minutes getting engrossed in the quaint display of books in the charity shop. What would old Saunders the head say? She had been there a month He was not a nice man rather set in his ways beaky looking small squat in structure. A smile came to Lorries lips witch craft, could she charm him like one of the serpents on the cover of her book. Possibly fake a migraine? No, he would start tut, tutting arrogant little man who just lived to preach and make himself known at the school. 

 Arriving home she parked her blue Honda upon the drive. Dave already home, had found salad in the fridge and prepared their evening meal. “Naughty girl he had scolded.” Ruffling her dyed honey blond tresses, at fifty- four he still called her his girl. How nice was that? They knew each other inside out, married at nineteen college had not kept them apart to their parents’ dismay. Now married for over thirty years. People looked up to them. When most of their friends over the years had drifted off in different directions. “Hey hon pass me the salt, do not look up? “Oh what” replied Lorrie thinking about her book. Touching Daves hand she felt ashamed,

“Anything wrong.”

“Yep” I walked out on old Saunders?

What?

“I will explain to him tomorrow.”

“Well hon I forgive you, Although I have to say

you come in dishevelled like a train wreck, blood on your coat sleeve carrying some old journal. “

“If you do not mind, I think I will go up and take a shower.”

Ok, Dave gave a sigh, what had happened to Lorrie? It was as if she had been hypnotised, not taking in what he had said. Was the poor dear going through a bad menopausal day? Mention that and she would empty his sock drawer or cut up his ties. Maybe once showered Lorrie would become more jovial. They usually ended up snuggled close watching telly or an early night.

Upstairs Lorrie had found it hard to even take a shower she kept thinking about the book. The characters she had seen, that came alive on its pages. Finally changing into her pyjamas feeling as if she had run a marathon and lost. She hunted in her handbag getting out the bonded leather book. Opening the book finding blood upon its pages. Had she really bled that much? Soon Lorrie felt her eyes misting over, getting into bed with her book.

   Downstairs Dave looked at the clock no Lorrie over three hours, maybe she needed an early night. Tidying up their kitchen diner he could not settle to watch telly. Going upstairs he had found Lorrie spread eagled on the bed with some old leather book, that had seen better days with empty pages. It was difficult to help Lorrie into bed. When Dave had tried to get close to her, she pushed him away. He had only wanted to reassure her with his arm. Maybe a good rest and they would make plans for the weekend.

 The next day Lorrie lay in bed she did not remember going to bed or hearing Dave go to work. Where was her book? The ringing of the phone disturbed her it was old Saunders, prattling on. He had no choice but to report her conduct. She would not be welcomed back? Lorrie put the phone down. Her anger rose, all the years she had taught others and reared a family. Then going back as a supply teacher, because of a shortage of teachers. Looking at Jolys photo on the dresser a tear came to her eye. She loved her kids now grown up, Jolie at college at twenty- three on her final year in nursing and Adam nearly thirty in America expecting a child with Petra.

 Well, so much to look forward to becoming a grandmother and seeing Jolie complete her training as a nurse. At first skimping and saving it had been hard, they had carried on helping their kids. Watching them grow into fine human beings. Well, she certainly was not going to let a smut like Saunders spoil her day. Lorrie would resign and take up flower arranging. Jolie had her own flat maybe they could meet up more often. Smiling she hummed making her bed.

 Almost forgetting about the book until halfway down stairs, she must find it? Dave would not throw it away without telling her. So, there it was in her dresser drawer, Hugging the journal to her again she became enhanced in the book, People chanting dancing around a cauldron in the nude. A serpent loving a human, throwing itself into a pot of doom as the cauldron boiled. A young woman had appeared Her soul set free.

Dave at work in his account’s office could not stop thinking about Lorrie. He had tried to phone Lorrie on the house phone and her mobile without any success. He had board meetings to attend with the M.D about a big expansion programme linking the two companies. He just hoped Lorrie had visited friends. All that weird mumbling in her sleep it was not normal. Gripping that dirty old book like a doll. He had eased it from her fingers putting it in her dresser draw. Should he have thrown it away? They had a pact never to do anything underhanded.

Catching the train home, he had stopped off at the florist for pink roses, cheery roses for a fine lady. On his arrival home. Curtains drawn shut what was Lorrie up to his smart elegant wife.? He had drawn back the downstairs drapes before leaving for work. There was an acid aura when opening the front door. Going upstairs Dave felt the perspiration under his shirt collar. He was scared for himself and his family. He felt as if he was being led towards doom and disaster.

Predications of disaster fire, ships, ice bergs, as he opened the bedroom door, briefly he had seen Lorrie as a serpent curled around the book. His fate like voodoo except that it was real.  he had run down stairs picking up the poker from their living room. He had gone back upstairs, Hitting the journal with it. Curdling blood, Lorrie lying lifeless on the bed he had pushed the book away from her with the poker. Pushing the book along the floor and out of the window. Gradually Lorrie had come round from her long sleep. He had really thought of her as dead. So frightening.

 That evening he and Lorrie enjoyed supper as if the events had not taken place. It was so hard to imagine, Dave would not worry the kids over this, in fact he would arrange for the curator of the museum to pick up the book. Next day Lorrie was in the kitchen back to her old self. Thank God. Singing cooking pancakes. Neither had bought up the journal. Dave hoped that Lorrie had forgotten all about it. That weekend John the curator had called while Lorrie had been at the hairdressers. To view the journal. Dave could not bring himself to tell John the full story. He was wary going into the garden with John. Glad that no atrocities lay in wait in the garden. John had picked up the book putting it in a case. Nothing out of the ordinary had happened, no monsters or blood had appeared on John. Dave has been so glad to donate the horrible book to the museum he did not wish to know its history. John on the other hand had said he wished to find out more from other curators and sources.

   Weeks had gone by then months Dave heard nothing from John and hoped things stayed that way. Dave and Lorrie had a new meaning to life. Dave had sold his shares of the company. With investments they would get by fine. He certainly did not miss the journeys into the city. Like sardines even in first class compartments. Lewd jokes the world was changing not always for the better? Lorrie on the other hand had taken up oil painting from her teaching days.

 They planned to go to America to see Adam, Petra Adams partner still hoped for a child another one still born, no one knew why this kept happening. Weeks before the flight to America the brown envelope from the museum had come through the door. Dave did not want to know about the history of the wretched book. Ripping up the contents of envelope. When Lorrie had asked, he had “More rubbish for the bin.”

   The journey to America to see Adam and Petra, had not gone at all to plan it had been a long stormy flight. With a stop over till the weather broke. At least he and Lorrie were fine While others grumbled. They had thought about spending time in the pool with Adam and cheering Petra up who happened to be expecting again. Adam had picked them up from JFK airport, driving them along the free way to his condo. Huge like a bungalow with a pool out the back.

 Petra was huge and greeted her in-laws insisting on doing the cooking. Lorrie worried over this. They chatted fine, while the men fished. Then Dave saw the journal hidden amongst. Petra's washing. Impossible? Same design of bonded leather serpents entwined on the cover no text in the book. The next day he had spoken to Adam about disposing of the book. Adam had insisted that Petra had received the book from her grandmother before she died. Keeping the book for comfort to feel close to her grandmother in fact she felt the old lady talking to her telling her to hold the book on her stomach. So that the blood would run free once the child was born.

  Dave furious with the couple caused a rift between the four of them. Petra would not part with the journal. Lorrie had agreed with Adam and Petra. Blaming Dave, so it was that he and Lorrie had spent their time in America in motels. For days Lorrie would not look at him. Stating that he should not have been snooping around the condo late at night. How could he explain that the book had found him? Standing upright in the washing for him to see. He was sure that those serpents were talking to him with blood curling tongues.

   A three-month vacation and in America cut short, to six weeks how nice the sights, people, and visit to L.A Dave and Lorrie could not relax together. Dave dreamt of some poor child with a serpent’s body. The child did not survive the birth. Dave would look for John at the museum on his return. Lorrie had insisted it was not the same journal, just a copy that got sold everywhere. Well, Dave never got to see John from the museum. He had died a mystery death found hearing voices, then a mysterious death with a spear through his heart. Lorri now talked of divorce. It really was some mess of doom and hate.

 Dave has no choice other than turn his thoughts to religion hoping that a clear pathway could be found. Going to church thinking of becoming a lay preacher. He could not get to the bottom of how events had turned out. Not surprised to find that Lorrie had walked out one day on his return home. After all those fun years, they now only spoke when they had to. She had moved into a flat bought by Dave who felt he had to support Lorrie.

 Occasionally Jolie would visit Dave and keep him updated with family news. She hoped the rift would heal between her father and Adam. Who now had a new girlfriend who he was planning to marry. Jolie hated the fact her parents lived separate lives. When they both needed each other so much, both being too proud to admit it.  

   One day Dave had a phone call, it was Adam they had talked none stop catching up on the missed years, Adam now had a son Jeff, so he had decided to make up with Dave. Photos, zoom chats, had followed. Petra had someone new in her life and a daughter. So maybe it had been nature playing tricks. Dave had noticed that Adam had a serpent tattoo on his arm. He was not going to speak out of turn. Live life for what it was glad that Adam now had a nice wife Suzy and a son Jeff. He still hoped that one day he would meet up with Lorrie.

  The lord or fate had a strange way of doing things, his Lorrie had come back only for a short time to say that she had Cancer of the blood. They had hugged each other; she had moved back into his life and for three months it was like when they had first married. Then he had held her and she had gone. Pleading with him to watch over those she loved. Jeff, she had worried over. Dave tried to think of Jeff as a loveable boy. The years passed. Jeff dropped out of college, drinking, smoking dope anything he could lay his hands on. Joining a motor cycling gang called The Serpents who had no respect for the law. Spending time in the penitentiary for breaking into churches, Celebrating the birth of Satan.

       It had all become to bazaar these wild youths had a following of woman they spat at and treated badly. Dave still thought of Jeff as happy three-year-old and a keen scholar at thirteen not the ugly creature he had become. Tears came to his eyes he felt like putting a steak through those young men’s hearts himself. Why did the blood keep flowing badly? Had he not suffered enough. That monster of a grandson would not inherit from him. The money would go towards the church and some of the women he had used and left for dead.

    How could all this trouble happen to him due to an ugly book laden with trouble that had e chosen to stay in the family. Why had Lorrie decided to buy the book in the beginning. Even now Dave felt stupid blaming it all on the book. His eyes closed next thing he knew there was a rasping noise in his ear. Half asleep he rose from his favourite fire side chair. He felt like he was being shadowed by a large object. Looking around he saw Jeff. He must be imaging things a trick of the light, from a photo on the wall.

 “Well do you not speak in this house?”

 “What are you doing here you devil;

 I told your papa no contract.”

   The lord works in many ways you preach, your daft old crock, how do you think the book got to America? It has been in possession through the family for years your dear wife had it all along. From the museum we guided her to take it. John the curator had to go. Same as you? Your prayers will not help you are a goner. Said Jeff pushing Dave roughly to the floor.”

“No”

“A robbery gone wrong, or in my case right said Jeff. Placing the dilatated leather book upon Dave's chest. Who really is the stronger god or the devil?

“Son you still have time to turn to the lord, remove this effigy from my chest?” “The serpents glared with tongues of flames. From the brown abyss come forth,” Jeff was chanting. Dave knew he stood no chance as his strength gave way. The book felt heavy like a slab although small and the pages run with blood of the dead mumbling and groaning. While trees cast an eerie shadow against the window pane. The curtains flew back and Dave's life had ebbed away.

 Six months on Dave's estate had been settled Jolie and her nephew now lived in Dave's house. Jeff had wormed his way into his aunt’s affections. In his room stood the book of serpents. Joly thought her nephew strange and his chanting never asking any questions. She would rather be in her father’s house than some care home. Jeff just kept Aunt Jolie sweet, soon she to would meet her maker. The house and ground would become the sects head quarters in London. Already plans were being made for an open sacrifice, like they had disposed of his father and Dave. If the sect carried on through the generations sacrifices in blood had to be made from people who could not carry on the tradition.