SATAN'S SISTER

THE RISING OF LUCINDA

LUCINDA DESSAINT ROSE UP FROM HELL
AT NIGHT WHEN THE STARS WERE BLACK
AND THE MOON A PALE CRESCENT.
UP, UP FROM THE SOD SHE ROSE
AS THE FIRST GASP OF AIR FILLED
HER LUNGS. SHE WORE A FLAMING
SCARLET CAPE AS BLOOD-RED AS HER
FINGERNAILS AND BENEATH THOSE
LONG FINGERNAILS WERE FILTHY
STREAKS OF BROWN SOIL WHICH
CLUNG TO THEM AS SHE CLAWED
HER WAY UP TO THE SURFACE.

NOW SHE WAS PART OF THE BREATHING
AIR OF THE EARTH. SHE TOSSED HER
BLACK HAIR IN THE NIGHT WIND
RELEASING THE CLINGING DEBRIS
EMBEDDED IN HER HAIR AND AROUND
HER FACE.

NO STARS TONIGHT SHE THOUGHT,
AND, HOW ODDLY TRUE, THE MOON
REALLY IS, AFTER ALL, YELLOW.
HER FEET WERE BARE, HER PINK
LIPS QUIVERED IN THE DARKNESS
AND HER MILKY-WHITE SKIN GLEAMED
IN THE LIGHT OF THE MOON.
AN AUTUMN FROST WAS DEVELOPING
IN THE ATMOSPHERE AND WOULD SOON
CHILL THE CITY AIR.

666

THE KEY

LUCINDA HAD TO FIND SHELTER,
SHE WAS MUCH MORE PREPARED
THAN ONE WOULD IMAGINE OF A
STRANGER WHO JUST ARRIVED ON
FOREIGN SOIL. SHE REACHED
INTO THE POCKET OF HER CAPE
AND PULLED OUT THE KEY THAT
HAD BEEN HANDED TO HER LONG
AGO BY HER FATHER. SHE WALKED
DOWN THE ROAD UNTIL SHE RECOGNIZED
HEADLIGHTS UP AHEAD, BUT SHE
DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO FLAG-DOWN
A CAR. SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO
KNOW, THE DRIVER TOOK ONE LOOK
AT LUCINDA AND WITH A WIDE GRIN
OFFERED HER A RIDE.
"HI, PRETTY LADY, I'M MIKE,
GET IN HONEY, ARE YOU GOING
FAR?"
"I'M GOING TO LANSING STREET,
THANK YOU."
"wELL, DOLL FACE, YOU'RE IN LUCK
TONIGHT BECAUSE IT'S ON MY WAY."
LUCINDA THANKED THE STRANGER
AND SETTLED BACK ON THE SEAT.
AFTER A FEW MINUTES THE MAN
NOTICED HER BARE FEET.
"WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR SHOES?"
"OH, I DON'T HAVE ANY RIGHT NOW."
"WHO ARE YOU, THE LITTLE BAREFOOT
CONTESSA?"
"NO, I'M LUCINDA."
HE SMILED AND KEPT ON DRIVING.

666

THE HOUSE

AT LANSING STREET, SHE SAW THE
HOUSE AS IT HAD BEEN DESCRIBED
TO HER AND SHE TOLD THE DRIVER TO STOP.

"MAY I SEE YOU AGAIN?" HE ASKED.
"NO, I'M FROM A PLACE VERY FAR
AWAY."
"WELL, I KINDA FIGURED THAT, BUT...
"I HAVE TO GO NOW, THANK YOU, SIR."
MY NAME IS MIKE, REMEMBER?"
BUT BEFORE HE HAD A CHANCE TO
SAY ANOTHER WORD, LUCINDA WAS
OUT OF THE CAR AND ACROSS THE
STREET AT THE OLD HOUSE.

A BEAUTIFUL GIRL IN THE NIGHT,
NO SHOES, NO PURSE, WANDERING
ON THE ROADSIDE. HE TRIED TO
FIGURE OUT THE SCENARIO, BUT
IT DIDN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE
TO HIM BECAUSE HE INTENDED TO
SEE HER AGAIN, IN FACT, HE
PLANNED TO KNOCK ON HER DOOR
THE NEXT NIGHT. . . .UNINVITED!

666

THE MEMORY

JIGGLE IT, DADDY SAID, JIGGLE THE
KEY IF IT GETS STUCK, BUT SHE HAD
NO TROUBLE; LUCINDA WAS RESOURCEFUL
EVEN WITH ALL THE STRANGENESS AROUND
HER. HER MAIN OBJECTIVE WAS TO GET
AWAY FROM HER BROTHER, THE ONE THEY
CALLED LUCIFER, THE DEVIL, THE WICKED
FALLEN ANGEL, THE PRINCE OF DARKNESS,
SATAN; SHE HAD HEARD ALL THE NAMES.
BUT HER DEAR FATHER--A PURE WHITE
ANGEL--WAS HER KEEPER, HER ROCK.
HE RUINED HIS LIFE TRYING TO LIVE
DOWN THE REPUTATION OF HIS SON.

MANY YEARS AGO, HER FATHER, THIS
MAGNIFICENT WHITE ANGEL, FELL IN
LOVE AND MARRIED AN EVIL WOMAN WHO
BORE HIM TWINS: LUCIFER AND LUCINDA.
THEY WERE IDENTICAL IN ALMOST EVERY
WAY BUT ONE, LUCINDA WAS A PEACEFUL
SOUL, FULL OF GOODNESS AND RIGHT
WHILE HER BROTHER WAS IMMORAL AND
CORRUPT. HE ENJOYED TORTURING
THE UNLUCKY DEAD WHO ARRIVED AT
THE GATES OF HELL.

ONCE, IN A PRIVATE MOMENT, HER
FATHER HAD TOLD HER TO TAKE REFUGE
IN THE HOME WHICH ONCE BELONGED TO
HER GRANDMOTHER. "IF YOU CAN NO LONGER
BEAR THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS, LUCINDA,
RISE UP, RISE UP HIGH, NO MATTER HOW
LONG IT TAKES YOU, DIG AND DIG UNTIL
YOU FEEL YOUR HANDS BLEEDING, KEEP
DIGGING UPWARDS AND FIND THE HOUSE!"

AND TONIGHT LUCINDA HAD DRAWN HER
FIRST BREATH OF LIFE ON EARTH.

666

HELL

BEFORE SHE FELL INTO A FITFUL SLEEP
SHE REMEMBERED THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS
OF HELL. IT WAS A NIGHTMARE, IT WAS
SOMETHING THAT SHE WANTED TO FORGET.
HELL IS A FILTHY, STINKING, DECAYING,
PUTRID SEWER-SMELLING PLACE RESERVED
FOR THE AGONY, PAIN AND TORMENT OF THE
LIVING DEAD. HELL IS A PLACE OF CRYING,
A PLACE OF SMOKE, FIRE AND BRIMSTONE,
A PLACE OF UNREST, A PLACE OF WAILING,
A PLACE OF SCREAMING, A PLACE OF A
THOUSAND SORROWS, A PLACE WITHOUT WATER,
A PLACE WITHOUT MERCY, A PLACE OF
ETERNAL PUNISHMENT, A PLACE OF THE
BOTTOMLESS PIT, A PLACE WHERE WORMS
NEVER DIE, A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE PRAY
TO GOD, A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CURSE GOD,
A PLACE WWHERE PEOPLE CHEW THEIR TONGUES,
A PLACE WHERE BLACKNESS AND DARKNESS ARE
FOREVER, A PLACE WHERE YOU DO NOT WANT
YOUR LOVED ONES TO GO.

THE SECOND ONE DROPS INTO HELL THEY WILL
HEAR MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS OF PEOPLE
SCREAMING AND CRYING OUT IN UNBEARABLE
PAIN FROM THE LAKE OF FIRE AND FROM THE
BURNING BRIMSTONE FIRES OF HELL.

SOME WILL BE BEGGING AND SCREAMING FOR
MERCY, SOME WILL BE BEGGING FOR WATER
TO COOL THEM OFF, SOME WILL BE BEGGING
GOD TO RELIEVE THEIR PAIN, SOME WILL BE
BEGGING GOD TO TAKE THEM TO HEAVEN, SOME
WILL BE BEGGING GOD TO TAKE THEM OUT OF
HELL.

LUCINDA SLEPT THE SLEEP OF A TROUBLED SOUL.

666

THE VISITOR

SHE WAS ON EARTH ONE WHOLE DAY BY THE TIME
SHE HEARD THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR. SHE WAS
ALONE IN THE HOUSE WHICH WAS DARK AND
DREARY BY SOME MEASURE, BUT IT WAS HOME,
IT WAS HER SWEET SHELTER, HER PROTECTION.

"HI, PRETTY LADY, IT'S MIKE, MAY I COME IN?"
LUCINDA WAS UNPREPARED FOR VISITORS OF ANY
KIND, AT LEAST NOT RIGHT NOW.
SHE OPENED THE DOOR. MIKE GASPED: "YOU'RE
NAKED!"
"oH, I WAS JUST GETTING READY TO BATHE. . . .
I DON'T WANT TO BE DISTURBED NOW." SHE CLOSED
THE DOOR AND MIKE STOOD ON THE PORCH SPEECHLESS.
THEN HE TURNED AND WALKED AWAY. THE MAN WAS
CONFUSED AND MORE THAN A LITTLE SHOOK UP.

NAKED AND POLITE, AND NOT FRIGHTENED, THIS IS
A VERY WEIRD WOMAN.

666

THE CHURCH

THE NEXT DAY WAS SUNDAY, BUT LUCINDA
DIDN'T KNOW THAT. SHE HEARD THE DULCET
CHIMES OF CHURCH BELLS FROM THE CHURCH
AROUND THE CORNER; SHE HAD NEVER HEARD
CHURCH BELLS BEFORE AND SHE WAS ATTRACTED
TO THE SOUND.

SHE LEFT THE HOUSE AND WALKED TOWARD
THE DIRECTION OF THE SINGING VOICES.
SHE QUIETLY LET HERSELF IN THE DOOR
AND SAT DOWN. IT WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL
ROOM SHE HAD EVER SEEN. EVERYTHING GLOWED
IN WHITE CRYSTAL AND GOLD. SHE WAS IN AWE
OF THE STAINED GLASS WINDOWS DEPICTING
SCENES OF THE HOLY SAINTS AND THE STORY OF
CREATION.

MUSIC FROM THE ORGAN ROSE UP THROUGH THE
ROOM AND BLENDED WITH A HUNDRED VOICES.
LUCINDA STARTED TO HUMM AND A PARISHONER
HANDED HER A BOOK. SHE HAD SEEN BOOKS
BEFORE AND SHE KNEW HOW TO READ SO WITHIN
A FEW MINUTES SHE WAS SINGING SOFTLY ALONG
WITH THE CROWD.

"MY DEAR, THAT'S SUCH A LOVELY CAPE,"
ONE OF THE WOMEN COMPLIMENTED HER.
"THANK YOU." AND FOR THE FIRST TIME
IN HER LIFE LUCINDA WAS TRULY HAPPY.

666

LUCIFER

THE SERVICE WAS OVER AND LUCINDA LEFT THE
CHURCH WITHOUT GETTING INTO ANY CONVERSATIONS.
SHE SPOTTED A TODDLER ON THE CHURCH STEPS AND
SMILED. I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE A CHILD
SHE THOUGHT, BUT IT WAS A WISTFUL THOUGHT AND
SHE MOVED ON.

SHE WAS SURPRISED WHEN SHE REACHED HER FRONT
DOOR. SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO USE HER KEY, THE
DOOR WAS OPEN! SHE ENTERED THE HOUSE NOT
KNOWING WHAT TO EXPECT. AND THERE HE WAS!
ABLAZE IN RED! HIS HAIR WAS FIRE-ORANGE,
HIS MOUTH WAS TWISTED INTO AN UGLY SNEER.

"DID YOU FIND WHAT YOU CAME HERE FOR?"
"I LEFT TO GET AWAY FROM YOU!"
"YOU CAN'T GET AWAY FROM ME AND YOU
KNOW THAT."
"HOW DID YOU KNOW WHERE TO FIND ME?"
"I KNOW ALL THINGS AND I WILL NOT LET
YOU STAY HERE."
"I LIVE HERE NOW, I WANT YOU TO LEAVE
THIS HOUSE!"
"YOU LIVE WITH ME, WITH US, DOWN BELOW.
THIS IS NOT YOUR HOME! WHO WOULD ACCEPT
YOU? THESE ARE NOT YOUR PEOPLE, LUCINDA.
TAKE MY HAND AND JOIN ME ON THE JOURNEY
BACK HOME. . . .NOW!"

HIS FIREY-RED MANE AND RED CLOAK MERGED
INTO ONE AND HE SHROUDED HIS SISTER WITH
HIS CAPE BEFORE SHE COULD RESIST. HE
CARRIED HER OUT OF THE HOUSE AND INTO
THE FIELD. SHE STRUGGLED BUT DIDN'T
SCREAM AS SHE LOOKED DOWN AND SAW THE
DEEP GAPING HOLE.

THE TWO SCARLET CAPES BLEW ACROSS EACH
OTHER IN THE WIND AND BECAME ONE RIBBON
OF MOTION. . . .THEN IN A SPLIT-SECOND,
BOTH OF THEM WERE GONE.

666

MIKE

THE NEXT DAY MIKE WALKED UP TO THE HOUSE
AND INSTEAD OF KNOCKING, HE SIMPLY WALKED IN.
THE DOOR WAS WIDE OPEN. "LUCINDA, IF YOU'RE
BUSY WOULD YOU AT LEAST GIVE ME YOUR PHONE
NUMBER? LUCINDA? LUCINDA, ARE YOU HOME?
THE FRONT DOOR WAS OPEN AND. . . .LUCINDA?"

MIKE TIPTOED FROM ROOM TO ROOM UNTIL HE
HAD CIRCLED THE HOUSE TWICE. GONE. . . .
GONE. . . .SHE'S NOT HERE, NOT EVEN A HINT
OF CLOTHING, NOTHING, NOT EVEN A HAIRBRUSH.
YOU STRANGE, ELUSIVE LADY, WHERE DID YOU
COME FROM? AND. . . .WHERE DID YOU GO?

666

BUTTERFLY

IN THE YEARS TO FOLLOW, MIKE WOULD OFTEN
WONDER WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO HIS SWEET
LITTLE BUTTERFLY? WAS SHE EVEN REAL?
HE HAD WALKED THROUGH THE OLD HOUSE THREE
MORE TIMES SINCE THAT NIGHT HOPING TO SEE
HER AGAIN, BUT SHE NEVER RETURNED.

NO ONE ON EARTH EVER SAW LUCINDA DESSAINT
AGAIN.

666

EILEEN MASSI



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