But not anymore. Only two people know why and one of them is currently laying next to me. I haven’t told anyone else because frankly, they’d probably think I was crazy.

Let me start at the beginning. My name is Jim Patterson. My wife and I come from a small town in rural Kentucky. It’s a very tight, close-knit community that revolves around two things — the coal mines and church.

My father worked in the mines until he died in a tunnel collapse. The community came together and helped my mother get on her feet. That’s just the way things were in those days. Our pastor, Bob, became something of a surrogate father to me and helped us out tremendously. His wife frequently came by the house with food or other offers of help, which my mother accepted graciously.

I decided I wanted to do something other than work in the mines and joined the service after I graduated from high school. Bob supported my decision, telling me that a man has to do what he thinks is right. Jenny, the girl I loved since childhood, felt the same way and went to college back east to become a nurse. We promised to stay in touch with each other and get back together in four years to see where our relationship would go, or if there was any relationship at all. In our community, a promise was as good as gold.

It was a tearful goodbye for both of us. The night before we went our separate ways, we gave our bodies to each other and promised to love each other for all time.

Two years later, I was given a medical discharge after being wounded in Iraq. After my discharge, I went to school in California and got a two-year degree in networking and computer science. I also spent a great deal of time in physical therapy and that’s where I met Marissa.

What happened with Jenny, you ask. Good question. It turned out Jenny had met a medical student and the two of them were talking marriage. He proposed to her after I returned from Iraq and she accepted. She informed me of this in a long letter that was full of apologies and platitudes of unending friendship. I was glad she found someone, but was heartbroken at the same time.

Marissa figured out the basics and began working on me. It took a while, but eventually, I fell for her. Yeah, I still thought about Jenny, and we wrote each other a few times but Marissa had managed to take Jenny’s place in my heart. Before I knew it, she had me moved into her condo, which saved me quite a bit on rent.

Having been raised in church, I tried to find a church I could call “home,” but was unsuccessful. None of them had the feel of the old country church I was used to. The pastors all seemed to be full of themselves, and the parishioners all acted like they were in some kind of competition to see who could act the holiest.

I guess you would have to experience my old church to understand. Bob was a great teacher who would read a passage from the Bible, then explain it in a way we could all understand. He never put on airs, treated everyone the same way and better yet, he could play a mean guitar. Every Sunday after service, he would pull that old thing out and entertain the congregation as we gathered around picnic tables outside, enjoying the food that everyone brought. Yeah, for me, church was a fun time with friends and family.

Marissa didn’t attend church, and she never understood my desire to find one. I never quite understood her feelings on the subject, but I respected them. Sometimes, though, I felt as though she never respected my opinion. All she would do is roll her eyes and admonish church-going people as prudes and hypocrites. Granted, some of them were, but I still thought her characterization was a bit unfair.

I asked her several times to come with me on Sunday, but she always refused. Finally, one day, she told me that she never felt comfortable in church, so I quit asking. I didn’t understand why at the time, but I figured, to each his or her own.

I did notice, though, that she would take off three times a year for two or three days at a time. She told me she would be with her mother, sisters and cousins for a “girl’s time out.” I figured there wasn’t any harm in that — after all, she would be with her mother, so what could possibly happen? Surely she wasn’t cheating on me with her mother there, right?

After the second year, I realized she was gone the same time — at the end of June, the end of October (including Halloween) and the end of February. When I asked her about it, she just shrugged her shoulders and gave a flippant answer. Then when I asked if I could come with her, she gave me a look that could melt the Arctic ice cap.

“No,” she said. “It’s not your time yet.” When I pressed her, she clammed up even more. “You’ll find out soon enough,” she said. “Besides, we’re not married yet.”

So I shut up about it. I did notice, though, that she would take some odd-looking jewelry with her — mostly bracelets and necklaces with strange pendants. I asked her about them, but she dismissed my questions, telling me they were heirlooms.

So she would leave for two or three days and come back ready to screw me into oblivion. I’ll never forget the time she came into the bedroom late at night, jumping on top of me. She had shaved her pussy bare and mashed it against my face, growling at me to eat her to orgasm. Naturally, I did, and it looked to me as though her eyes actually glowed when her orgasm hit.

“Just wait till we’re married,” she whispered. “I’m going to fuck your brains out in ways you can’t even imagine.” Part of me liked the idea, but another part of me was a bit worried.

I once made the mistake of asking her father about these time-outs. He looked at me with fire in his eyes as he spoke.

“I can’t talk about it,” he said.

“So you’ve been with them before?” I asked.

“I said, I can’t talk about it,” he hissed. “You’ll find out when it’s your turn — after you and Marissa are married.” Marissa’s mother caught up to me afterward.

“Don’t ask about things that don’t concern you,” she said. “You will come to know all soon enough.” She smiled as she said it, but her eyes scared the hell out of me.

It was late June, a few days before their next “time out,” when Greg, Marissa’s oldest brother-in-law, came by the house. He looked scared as I ushered him into the house. I wondered why he seemed scared. From what I knew, he had served in combat in the Gulf War and nothing scared him.

“Is Marissa here?” he asked.

“No, she’s doing some shopping for their trip out,” I said.

“Good,” he said. “Listen, you didn’t hear this from me, but if you’re smart, you’d dump Marissa as fast as you can.”

“Why?” I asked. “She’s always been good to me and we love each other.”

“It’s these time outs,” he said. “There’s nothing innocent or good about them. At all. Do yourself a favor and get far away from this entire family as fast as you can.”

“Why?” I asked. “Have you gone with Adeleine?” Adeleine, or “Addy,” as she preferred to be called, was Marissa’s oldest sister.

“Yes,” Greg said. “I can’t tell you what I witnessed, because I was sworn to secrecy and frankly, you wouldn’t believe me.”

“Is it really that bad?” I asked. “What, do they all go wild and get naked or something?”

“It’s worse than anything you can imagine,” he said. “Spouses aren’t allowed unless they’re invited or it’s their turn.”

“Their turn?” I asked. “What the hell does that mean?”

“If you marry Marissa, you’ll find out soon enough. I just want you to know, because I’m next,” he said. “And there’s a real possibility I may not come back. At least, not as me.”

“What do you mean?” I asked. “Are you in danger?”

“I’ve already said too much,” he told me. “I’m just warning you. It’s already too late for me. Cut and run now, while you can.” He looked out the door before speaking. “I have to go, but I just had to let you know. Don’t say anything to anyone, not even Marissa. Got it?” I nodded my head, confused.

“Yeah, sure,” I said. “Is there anything I can do?” He shook his head.

“I hear you’re a church-going man,” he said. “So please, pray for me. Other than that, there’s nothing you can do. My time is up. But you still have a chance. I have to go now, before they get back. Bye, my friend,” he added, shaking my hand. “It’s been good knowing you.” With that, he left and headed back home.

As promised, I said nothing to Marissa, but I noticed that she was eyeing me closely.

“Are you alright?” she asked me the morning she was set to leave.

“Yeah,” I said. “I just have a lot on my mind.” She smiled and stroked my cheek.

“Well, you just enjoy your time off,” she said. “When I get back, we’ll go to bed and have a grand old time. Okay?” I nodded my head.

“Sounds good,” I said, giving her a kiss. Her eyes flashed for a moment and soon, she was out the door. I knew I had a few days to myself and since my class was getting ready to graduate in a couple weeks, there was no need for me to study.

So I did something else. I searched the Internet, looking for some information about those odd necklaces and pendants Marissa wore. I spent hours looking, but found nothing. The closest thing I could find was something that archaeologists thought was a symbol for a Babylonian fertility goddess. Other than that, there was nothing. Maybe I was making too much out of this, I thought. Maybe my imagination was just running wild.

But Greg was clearly frightened of something. That wasn’t in my imagination. I decided to put it all out of my mind and focus on other things — like graduation. I had planned on proposing to Marissa after I graduated and taking her with me back to Kentucky for a visit, so I focused on that.

Two days later, Marissa pulled into the garage. Greg and Addy pulled up behind her and parked in the small driveway. I met them all at the door. Marissa and Addy looked giddy and Greg looked — different. He had the same facial features, but there was something different in his attitude. He gripped my hand firmly and smiled.

“Good to see you back,” I said. “How are you feeling?”

“Better than I have in my entire life,” he said with a wink and a smirk. “Honestly, I feel like a new man, with a whole new lease on life.” He pounded his chest with both hands and inhaled deeply. “Nothing like fresh air to get you going.”

“What happened to him?” I asked Addy. She smiled before she spoke.

“It was his turn, and he’s now a new man,” she said, wrapping her arms around him. “Just think, if you marry Marissa, it’ll be your turn someday.”

“So I’ve been told,” I said. After they brought Marissa’s things inside, Addy grabbed Greg’s hand and pulled him to the door.

“We’d better get going,” she said. “I can tell Greg’s horny as the devil right now.” Marissa shot her an icy look. “You know what I mean,” Addy said. Marissa’s face softened, but I noticed the change and wondered if this was really the same man I saw just a few days ago.

Marissa grabbed my hand and pulled me into the master bedroom, where she fucked me senseless for what seemed like hours. She even seemed to emit an inhuman growl as her body shook from her orgasm.

The next day, she asked me about my plans for the future.

“Well, I’d like to go visit the old homestead after I graduate,” I said. “I haven’t been home for quite a while and I’d like to catch up with old friends.” She nodded her head.

“And I suppose you’d like me to join you?” she asked.

“Of course,” I said. “It would only be for a week or two and then we can come back and get on with our lives.”

“I can put in for vacation time,” she said. “I’d love to meet the people who raised you.”

“One of them is a pastor,” I said. “That means you’d need to come to church with me, just once.” Her face darkened for a moment. “Trust me, church back there is nothing like it is here,” I said. “Just one time, that’s all I ask. I’ll never ask again.” She looked nervous.

“Just once?” she asked.

“Just once,” I said. “The music and the feast after the service is well worth it, trust me.”

“As long as it’s just the one time, I guess it’ll be okay,” she said. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her.

“Thank you,” I said. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” she said, kissing me back.

That weekend, we had dinner at her parents’ house and that’s when I proposed to Marissa. After we ate, I got down on one knee and proposed to her, ring in hand. Her eyes lit up as she hugged me tight.

“Yes,” she said. “I’ll marry you.” Her family applauded and we celebrated with a glass of wine. Her mother looked at me like a scientist might look at a bug under a microscope.

“I suppose you’ll be wanting to get married in a church?” she asked. I looked around and saw several somewhat hostile faces looking back at me. I knew Marissa didn’t like churches, so I thought carefully before saying anything.

“Whatever Marissa wants is fine by me,” I said, hoping to keep the peace. Her mother smiled briefly before nodding her head.

“Good,” she said. “Then it’s settled. The ceremony will take place here, in the garden.” The “garden” was actually what she called the entire back yard, which was huge and filled with immaculately-trimmed hedges and bushes. “And when did you want to get married?” I thought a bit longer.

“Maybe after we get back from Kentucky, two or three weeks after graduation,” I said. Her mother looked at Marissa.

“You’re going with Jim to Kentucky?” she asked. Marissa nodded her head.

“I already promised him I would,” she said. “He wants to introduce me to his friends and family. It’s only right that I meet the people who helped raise him.”

“Very well,” her mother said. “I’ll make the preparations and we’ll have the ceremony here when you return from Kentucky,” she added, putting emphasis on “Kentucky.” Marissa smiled.

“Thank you, mother,” she said. The older woman nodded her head and left for the kitchen. The women followed, almost as if on cue. As they left the room, Marissa’s father turned to me and extended his hand. I accepted it.

“Welcome to the family,” he said. His mouth formed a smile, but his eyes seemed to have no emotion whatsoever. Greg also extended his hand. I shook it as well. His eyes also displayed no emotion.

“Congratulations,” he said. “You won’t regret it.” I had a very hard time reconciling this to the frightened man who warned me to leave Marissa just a few short days ago.

The next few days were a blur as I was not only preparing for graduation, but for our trip home. Perhaps it was a case of nerves, but I began to notice a few odd things around the place. For example, more than once, I thought I saw a shadow figure in my peripheral vision. As I turned to look, however, it was gone.

Once, I saw a knick-knack sway on its shelf, where it had sat undisturbed for the last year, and fall. I picked it up and put it back, wondering what just happened.

“Probably a micro-quake,” Marissa said when I told her about it. “This is southern California, after all.” She was right about California and earthquakes. I had felt several in my short time there, but I felt nothing when that knick-knack fell. I tried to shrug it off, but couldn’t.

I also heard quiet voices when I was the only one in the room. I couldn’t make out what was being said, but it was enough to give me the willies. I didn’t say anything to Marissa, fearing she would think I was going nuts.

Finally, graduation day was upon us. I wanted to leave as soon as possible afterward and had the truck packed and ready to go. We went to graduation and I spotted Marissa sitting with her family in the auditorium. She smiled, waved and gave a big thumbs-up. I smiled and gave her a thumbs-up back. When my name was called, her and her family stood and applauded.

I caught up with Marissa and her family after the ceremony. She gave me a big hug and a kiss and said she was proud of me. Her family followed suit, and I felt no deception. It seemed they were truly proud of what I had accomplished. We said our goodbyes and headed east.

I had planned to take I-40 east, and determined it would take 35 hours of actual driving time to get home. Marissa never felt comfortable driving my Ford F-150 four wheel drive, so I did all the driving myself. That was just fine with me. Once we cleared the city, I turned on the cruise control and let the truck do all the work.

Marissa knew that once I started a road trip, I would drive until I nearly dropped from exhaustion. We stopped a few times for gas and food and to stretch our legs. She seemed to enjoy the drive, commenting on this or that as we drove. The worst part was driving through New Mexico, where it seemed the road went on forever.

We finally stopped outside Oklahoma City and spent the night. After getting a good night’s sleep and a good roll in the hay, we headed out again. We actually made better time than I thought and arrived after just 14 hours on the road. Marissa didn’t know what to make of my little home town, having lived her entire life in the big city.

She looked around as I drove up the hard dirt road to the two-story house.

“Your mother lives here by herself?” she asked. I nodded my head.

“For now,” I said. “The house has been in our family for three generations. My great-grandfather built it, and my grandparents lived in it. My mother stayed after my dad died and someday, it’ll belong to my brother and I.”

My mother came out of the house as we got out of the truck. She still looked good, even in her early 50s and I had a hard time believing she hadn’t found someone to settle down with. She gave me a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek and warmly welcomed Marissa. I grabbed our luggage and carried it upstairs as the women got to know each other.

Mom fixed a simple, but filling meal — meat loaf, mashed potatoes and gravy and green beans. For dessert, we had homemade apple pie. I loved her cooking and stuffed myself silly. We sat in the front room after dinner with a cup of coffee and talked about this and that, catching up on the local gossip and the family news.

“So,” Marissa began, “how do you manage by yourself?”

“Well, I do stay busy,” my mother said. “I manage on the insurance my husband set up, plus I get a small pension from his work. I also sell fresh eggs and honey and that keeps me in groceries.”

“You sell eggs and honey?” Marissa asked.

“Sure,” my mother said. “Sometimes, I get more from that than I do the pension, depending on how much the chickens produce.”

“Have you thought about starting a business?” Marissa asked. My mother shook her head.

“No, there’s no need,” she said. “I just collect the eggs, sort through them and box them up. Then I collect and can the honey. Then I take it all down to the local store. They sell it and we split the profits. Sometimes they put it toward my groceries. Everybody wins.”

“Sounds so simple,” Marissa said.

“It really is, and it works for us,” my mother said. “I just wish my boys were a bit closer so we could see each other more.”

“I do too, Mom,” I said. “I miss your cooking.” We all laughed at that.

“So when are you two getting married?” my mother asked.

“Shortly after we get back to California,” Marissa said. “Would you like to come out?”

“Of course,” my mother said. “I’ve never been to California.”

“Good,” Marissa said. “I’ll talk to my folks and see what we can arrange. I know they’d love to meet you.” That night as we lay in my old double bed, Marissa looked at me strangely.

“You really like it here, don’t you?” she asked.

“Yeah,” I said. “This is my home. This is where I’d like to retire. My dad used to take me out hunting and fishing in these hills when I was a kid. I know these hills like the back of my hand.” She smiled.

“It is a nice home,” she said. “Simple. Quaint, even. I could probably get used to it in time.” I held her as memories from my childhood flooded my mind. We fell asleep and I woke up early enough to help my mother gather the eggs. I crept downstairs as Marissa slept in my old bed and caught up to my mom in the chicken pen.

“Good morning, sleepyhead,” she said with a smile as I entered the pen. She spoke as I helped her gather the eggs. “So tell me about this girl, Marissa. Do you love her?”

“Yeah,” I said. “She was my physical therapist when I got back from Iraq. She really helped me a lot.”

“Have you told Jenny about her?” she asked.

“No, I haven’t,” I said. “I figured she’d be too busy with her fiance.”

“Is that what this is all about?” my mom asked. “Revenge for Jenny meeting someone?”

“No, mom, it isn’t,” I said. “Besides, it’s not like we were engaged or anything. She made her decision, so I made mine.”

“I see,” she said. “Still, it might be nice to get some closure there. I know she still loves you. Do you still love her?”

“I reckon I’ll love her the rest of my life,” I said. “I loved her from the time we were little kids.” My mother smiled at that.

“I know,” she said. “You two were inseparable growing up. I guess we all just took it for granted that you’d end up married to each other.”

“I guess I did, too,” I said. She nodded her head and went back to collecting her eggs, leaving me to my own thoughts. Is that what drove me to Marissa? I had a lot to consider. But, Marissa was here with me, and Jenny wasn’t.

After we collected the eggs and the honey, Mom made breakfast and ribbed Marissa for sleeping so late. It was nearly 8:00, after all.

“What time did you get up?” Marissa asked. Mom smiled as she cooked the eggs.

“My day starts at 5:30,” she said. “You have to get up pretty early around here.” After breakfast, I took Marissa out and showed her the town and the places I used to haunt as a kid. I took her to my favorite fishing hole and we tossed rocks into the clear water.

“So this is how you grew up?” she asked, splashing her bare feet in the water.

“Yup,” I said. “It don’t get any better than this.” She looked at me funny. “What’s the matter?” I asked. She smiled before she spoke.

“It’s just that you sound different,” she said. “Maybe it’s the real you, I don’t know. Tell me about Jenny. Did you love her?”

“Yeah, I did,” I said. “She was my first love, if you know what I mean. We grew up together. We even went skinny-dipping here when we were younger.”

“Skinny-dipping?” Marissa asked.

“Yeah,” I said.

“And what else did you do together?” she asked.

“Why? Are you jealous?” I asked.

“Of course,” she said. “I don’t want to compete with a memory.”

“Well,” I said, sheepish. “We made love here, once. We were supposed to be fishing, but one thing led to another and, well, you know. It was the first time for both of us. I’m sure you remember your first time.” She nodded her head.

“I do,” she said. “But I didn’t really enjoy it. So what happened. With Jenny, that is.”

“I went out west after I joined the military,” I said. “She went back east and met a medical student. Got engaged. I ended up getting wounded, and you know the rest.”

“And you haven’t seen her since?” she asked. I shook my head.

“No, but I hear from her every now and then. Not too often,” I said.

“Do you still think about her? Do you ever think about getting back with her?” Marissa asked. I shrugged my shoulders.

“I did for a while,” I said. “I don’t know where it would’ve gone, but it doesn’t matter now, does it?” Marissa smiled as she began removing her clothes. Soon, she was totally naked and smothering me with hot kisses. I felt my manhood stir as she began removing my clothes. Soon, we were both naked and she looked at me with a wicked grin.

“Trust me, lover, I’ll take you places Jenny couldn’t even begin to imagine,” she hissed as she began sucking on my cock. Then she laid me on my back and straddled me, guiding my cock into her warm, wet pussy. She rode me like a cowgirl for what seemed like forever.

“Fuck me,” she hissed. “Do it, lover, fuck my juicy pussy.” I bucked up into her as hard as I could, getting deeper inside her velvety warmth. I saw her eyes flash as her orgasm hit. I exploded inside her, filling her with semen. She lay down on me, my cock still inside her. “This cock is mine,” she said. “All MINE.”

After catching our breath, we disentangled and I felt a bit “froggy.” With a laugh, I pushed her into the water, then jumped in after her. She was startled but came up laughing. We played in the water for a while, splashing each other like children.

“You BRAT,” she yelled. “I hope you have some towels in your truck.”

“Of course,” I said. “I always bring towels when I come here.” We got out of the water and toweled ourselves down before getting dressed. Happy and sated, we went back to the house and settled in for the night. My mother said nothing, but the smile on her face when she saw us spoke volumes.

The next day was Sunday, which meant we all got up early to get ready for church. Marissa just about had a cow when she saw me in jeans and a baton-down shirt.

“Don’t you have to wear a suit to church?” she asked. I smiled and shook my head.

“Suit?” I asked. “No one wears a suit to church here, not unless it’s a wedding or a funeral.”

I helped my mother load up the bags that held her contribution to the after-service potluck lunch, then the three of us climed in the truck and headed for church. Marissa seemed nervous, but my mother was able to calm her down before we got there.

Bob was standing outside, greeting everyone as they came to the door. His face lit up when he saw me pull in with Marissa and my mother. He ran to the truck and gave me a manly bear hug, slapping my back.

“Jim, how are ya, boy?” he asked, smiling from ear to ear.

“Doing good, Bob,” I said. “How are you?”

“Still upright,” he said smiling. He went to Marissa. “And you must be Marissa,” he said. “It’s so good to finally meet you.”

“It’s good to meet you, uh, Pastor Bob,” she said. He laughed.

“Please, just call me Bob,” he said. “We’re all family here. I just happen to be a pastor.” He walked to my mother. “Ginny,” he said, hugging her. “Let me carry that in for you,” he added, grabbing the bag that held the food she brought. Bob and my mother headed inside. I looked at Marissa and saw her staring at the cross on the church steeple. I took her hand.

“It’s okay, babe,” I said. “Really. Everyone here is like family. C’mon, let’s go inside.” She looked at me and nodded. We walked in, and I couldn’t help but notice that she purposefully stepped around the shadow of the cross on the ground.

Several people greeted us as we went inside and they all welcomed Marissa like they would anyone else. One of the ushers sat us in the pew where my mother always sat. After a couple minutes, my mother joined us and soon, the doors were closed and the service was underway.

It was a simple service, nothing like you’d expect in those big-city churches. Old man Belkin played the piano as Bob and a few of the church ladies led us in a few songs from the hymnal. Then Bob began as he always did, welcoming everyone to the Sunday service before passing along a few announcements.

From there, he began his teaching, reading a few verses before explaining them as he always did, with a few jokes thrown in for good measure. I noticed several times he seemed to glance straight at Marissa with a look I couldn’t read. It was almost as if he could see something no one else could. I glanced at her once and for a second, I thought her eyes had a red hue to them.

After about a half hour, he wrapped up his message and called the “choir” back up for a final song. Afterward, he invited everyone to stay for the potluck with a warning that, “if ya leave here hungry, it’s yer own fault.”

We all got up and filed outside. Marissa seemed to be relieved to be out of the building.

“See,” I said. “Now that wasn’t so bad, was it?” I asked. She smiled and shook her head.

“No,” she said quietly. “Not at all. I think I understand what you were talking about. I’ve never been to a service like… that.”

We joined the line outside and grabbed a plate full of food before sitting down to eat. Bob had already pulled out his guitar and was entertaining the children, who danced as he played and sang. A few of the parents stood around, clapping as he played.

“Does he always do that?” Marissa asked between bites of casserole.

“Yup,” I said. “Every Sunday. I think he enjoys that more than anything else.” She smiled.

“He seems so good with the kids,” she said.

“He’s a good man,” I said. After we finished eating, Marissa went to help my mother and a few of the other ladies clean up. I grabbed a Coke and headed to a bench that sat on a patch of ground overlooking a large draw. Two of my old hunting buddies, Bill and Joe, waved me over and we talked about old times. After a while, I heard Bob walk up behind us.

“You fellas mind if I have a word with Jim here?” he asked.

“No problem Bob,” Joe said. “See ya around,” he added as he and Bill headed for the picnic table.

“Beautiful country, ain’t it?” Bob asked. I looked at the rolling hills and the trees that covered them.

“Yeah,” I said. “Don’t get much better than this. But I know you didn’t chase them boys off to talk about the scenery. What’s on your mind, Bob?”

“You’re right,” he said. “I didn’t. How well do you know this Marissa girl?” I shrugged my shoulders.

“How well do you ever know anyone?” I asked. “I thought I knew Jenny, but you see where that ended up. I reckon she got blinded by money and fancy cars and hooked up with some medical student.”

“Jenny,” Bob said, nodding his head. “Yeah. I felt bad about that. I thought surely the two of you would, you know. Hell, boy, we all thought the two of you were made for each other. I guess things happen for a reason.”

“What are you getting at, Bob?” I asked.

“Look, I’m not your daddy, but I’ve always loved you like a son,” he said, putting his arm around me. I nodded.

“I’ve thought of you as a second father, Bob,” I said. “You were always good to my mom and I appreciate that a bunch.”

“I just want to make sure you’re thinking with your big brain here, not your little brain, if you know what I mean,” he said. I smiled at that. Bob could be salty at times without getting profane. I guess that was one of the things I really admired about him.

“Have you thought about where you might be in, say, nineteen or twenty years?” he asked. I looked at him wondering where he was going with this. “Seriously? Where will you and Marissa be by then? What will you be doing?” I shook my head.

“I really haven’t thought about it,” I said.

“Maybe you should,” he said. He looked out over the draw at the rolling hills beyond. “Go on,” he added, “take a look out there and think about the future. Let’s do it together, you and me.” I looked at the hills and started thinking…

…

The next two decades seemed to fly. It was a bit like watching a movie on fast-forward. Marissa and I married and enjoyed a nice honeymoon in Las Vegas. I got a job as an IT consultant for a private firm that services realtors and small financial companies and was doing quite well.

That first October after we married, Marissa went to one of her “time-outs” and we screwed like rabbits when she got back. A few weeks after she returned, she told me she was pregnant. I was ecstatic and we celebrated with a nice dinner out.

She gave birth to twin girls, Lisa and April, and they grew into miniature versions of their mother. I loved spending time with my girls and watched them grow into beautiful young ladies. I knew they would become heart-breakers and actually thought about buying a shotgun.

Shortly after they were born, I suggested taking them to church and having them christened. Marissa about blew a gasket.

“No,” she said emphatically. “You will NOT take my children to any church.”

“Why not?” I asked.

“I went to church with you once and it was the most horrific experience of my life,” she said. “I absolutely will not let you take the girls to any church. End of discussion.”

As she walked away, I wondered what brought all that on. I shook my head and carried on. Other than that one blow-up, though, Marissa and I got along well.

We moved several times over those 20 years. Most of it was due to Marissa’s desire to get something newer and bigger, but part of it was due to the fact that I never really felt comfortable in any of the houses we lived in. Things would be nice at first, but after about two or three years, I would start seeing shadows out of the corner of my eyes. I also heard strange disembodied voices and saw things move all by themselves. I didn’t believe in ghosts, but I knew what I had experienced. Eventually, I would get to the point that I didn’t feel safe and constantly felt chills going up and down my spine.

Marissa thought I was being silly, but she didn’t totally dismiss my feelings. We would move — again — and find something bigger, newer and better. And the cycle would repeat about two years later.

Several times I suggested taking everyone back to Kentucky to visit the old home, but it seemed that something always came up to put a stop to my plan. Either the girls had something going on with school or Marissa would have something happen at work to keep us from going. I still kept in touch with Bob and my mother and called whenever I could.

About a month or so before the girls’ 16^th birthday, Marissa informed me she would be taking them with her to her next “time-out.”

“It’s time they were initiated into the family tradition,” she said. I would miss them, but I understood.

“What about me?” I asked. She looked at me and stroked my cheek.

“Soon enough,” she said. For a moment, I thought I saw sadness in her eyes when she said that. The girls hugged and kissed me before they left and I waved as they drove off.

When they returned a few days later, things began to change. Sure, children go through a rebellious stage when they become teenagers, but this was different. It was almost as if they shared a deep, dark secret that somehow involved me. They would look at me with near disgust, whisper to each other and giggle as they looked at me with smirks on their faces.

Marissa still treated me well, however, and we continued to make love whenever we could.

Then, a month or so before the girls’ 18^th birthday, Marissa approached me, a tear in one eye.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“It’s been agreed upon,” she said. “It’s your turn. You’ll be joining us for the next time-out. We leave tomorrow morning.”

“About time,” I said. “I’ve been wondering what the big secret is.” She smiled, but it wasn’t a happy smile. I thought I would be happy to finally be a part of something Marissa and the girls found so important, but I almost felt like I was at a wake — my wake.

“So, you’re finally joining us,” Lisa said with a wicked smirk. April laughed, but there was no mirth in it.

“That’s what your mother tells me,” I said. They looked at each other then back at me.

“Trust us, it’ll be like nothing you’ve ever experienced before,” April said. That sent both of them into a giggling fit.

The next morning, Addy and Greg stopped by the house. Marissa had decided we would all travel in their SUV, since it was big enough to accommodate all of us. I had a large suitcase packed up, but Marissa told me not to bother.

“You won’t need much,” she said.

“But we’ll be gone for three days,” I said in protest. “I need clean clothes.”

“I’ve got everything you need here,” she said, holding a small overnight bag. I looked at it, confused.

“What?” I asked. I tried to protest, but Marissa held me back.

“You won’t need much,” she said. “Everything else you’ll need will be provided.” I shook my head and went downstairs to meet Greg. He extended his hand and smiled.

“Well, I hear you’re the guest of honor,” he said.

“That’s what I’ve been told,” I said.

“It’ll be the experience of your life. Trust me, you’ll never forget it,” he said. We all piled into Greg’s SUV and headed out. I fell asleep shortly after we left and woke up when we reached our destination, which looked like an old barn in the woods. It was already dark and I had no idea how long we had been driving. A few other cars, including one belonging to Marissa’s parents, were already at the barn.

Marissa turned to me before I got out of the car. She took my face in her hands and kissed me lightly on the lips. I saw a tear in her eyes.

“Jim, I want you to know that you’ve been the best husband a girl could ever want, and you’ve been the best father any child could ever have,” she said.

“Thank you, Marissa,” I said. “I feel the same about you.” She smiled.

“It’s been a wonderful 20 years,” she said. “I just wanted you to know that, and I want you to know that I really do love you.”

“I love you, too,” I said. “What brought all this on?”

“You will see and hear things tonight that may shock you,” she said. “I just want you to know that no matter what happens, I’ll always love you.” I nodded my head, not sure of what she meant.

We got out of the SUV and made our way to the barn, where several others, including Marissa’s parents, were waiting. Marissa’s mother handed me a long robe and a pair of sandals. She pointed to an area that had been curtained off.

“You’ll need to go in there and change into this,” she said. “Everything comes off. And I mean, everything. When you are done, come back into the main room.” I didn’t know what to make of this, but I noticed everyone else was already wearing robes. Marissa and the girls had already left and I didn’t know where they were. I did as Marissa’s mother said and changed into the robe and sandals.

When I finished, I opened the curtain and saw the twins waiting for me. They had already changed into their robes, and their heads were covered with a hoodie.

“Girls,” I said. “Good to see you.”

“Quiet. Come with us,” April said as they took my hands and led me into a large area lit with torches. I saw a long table on a raised platform in the center of the area and everyone stood around the platform. The girls led me to a chair at one end of the platform, facing the table. “Sit here,” April said. I sat down and the girls stood on either side of me.

After I sat, a man wearing a robe and a hood that covered most of his face stood up on the platform and raised his hands. Everyone else fell quiet. The man led the group in a litany of chants I couldn’t understand. When they finished, he turned and looked at me. It was Marissa’s father.

“The agreed-upon time has come,” he said. Turning to the other end of the platform, he raised his hand. I saw Marissa step up on the platform and walk to the table. She slipped off her sandals, opened her robe and let it fall to the floor. She was completely naked. I couldn’t help gasping as I saw her expose herself.

She looked at me with no emotion and laid down on the table. Spreading her legs wide, she began moaning and chanting in a language I didn’t understand. When she finished, she began rubbing her obviously wet pussy. It looked as though she was preparing herself to be gang-banged.

She raised her wet hands and licked her fingers before speaking.

“Come to me, my master,” she cried. “Come and take me. I’m ready for you.” She began chanting again and everyone else, including the girls, joined her. I looked at April and she smirked as she returned my gaze. Something like a fire began to materialize on the platform a few feet in front of me. I considered getting up to put the fire out, but realized I was rooted in my chair and couldn’t move.

The fire continued to grow, but the platform never burned. As the fire grew, I began to see a figure take shape inside the fire. Finally, the fire went out and a large humanoid figure with twisted horns on his head stood on the platform looking at Marissa.

“Master!” she cried. “I’m here for you! Come, take what is yours!” What the fuck, I thought to myself. I looked at the girls. They looked back with evil grins on their faces. They took my hands and ordered me to stand.

“Come, meet our REAL father,” April said. They giggled as I stood. The figure turned to look at me and that’s when I noticed he was nude except for a large pendant that hung from a chain around his neck. It was a larger version of the one Marissa and everyone else but me wore.

As I watched, the figure produced a large, flaming sword seemingly from thin air and pointed it at me.

“Don’t worry, little man,” he growled. “I’ll take good care of your body. And your wife. Excuse me, I meant, MY wife. And MY children,” he added, looking at the girls, who gazed on him with awe, their faces smiling wide.

“Yes, father,” they said in unison. “Send HIM to his eternal destination.” The figure smiled and raised the sword over his head. As he started to swing down, I could only think of one thing — something I heard Bob teach years ago.

“Jesus!” I cried. “Save me!”

Suddenly, I was no longer in that barn. Shaking and sweating, I looked out over the draw, Bob’s arm on my shoulder. I looked at him, more scared than I had ever been in my life.

“What happened?” I asked.

“You were given a vision,” he said calmly. “A premonition of your future with Marissa.”

“How?” I asked.

“Anything’s possible,” he said.

“Was any of it real?”

“Yes, it would’ve been,” he said. I put my head in my hands and began to cry. Now I knew what happened to Greg. I felt like my whole life had been a big joke, a lie. I heard her voice behind us.

“It’s time to go,” Marissa said. I turned and looked at her. I shook my head.

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” I said.

“What are you talking about?” she asked, stepping toward us. I held up my hand and stopped her.

“I understand and I know what you are,” I said. “The wedding’s off. We’re finished.” Her face began to turn red.

“So, you think you know what I am? Really?” she asked. She looked at Bob, rage in her eyes.

“You!” she exclaimed. “You did this. You turned him against me.”

“I did no such thing,” Bob said calmly. “I just helped him see things as they really are.”

“You fool,” Marissa said, looking at me. “Do you have any idea what you’re up against? Do you honestly think some backwoods hick with a few parlor tricks can help you?”

“What are you talking about?” I asked.

“I already arranged everything,” she said. “You were supposed to get 20 years of unmatched wedded bliss. You would get to raise two beautiful children. Then your soul would have been sent to its eternal reward. It would have been quick and painless and your body would continue on. You would still be alive as far as anyone ever knew.” I looked at her in shock.

“But no,” she added. “You had to go and listen to… HIM,” she said, glancing at Bob. “And you have the audacity to call off the wedding.” She shook her head.

“You’ve royally pissed me the fuck off,” she hissed. “Now, I’m going to show you the real meaning of pain.” Bob stepped in front of me and held me back.

“He is a child of God and you will not touch him,” Bob said. Marissa looked at him, a sneer on her face.

“Oh really?” she said. “And by what authority do YOU speak, little preacher man?” Bob straightened up and looked at her hard.

“By the power and authority of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,” he said firmly. “I command you and your clan to leave and go back to the pit from whence you came,” he added, his voice appearing to be stronger than I could remember. As he said that, Marissa put her hands over her ears and screeched as if in pain.

Bob started speaking again, this time in a language I couldn’t understand. As he spoke, Marissa screamed in agony and it appeared as though her body was actually changing shape. She looked at me with wide, pleading eyes.

“Make it stop!” she screamed. “Please, Jim, make it stop. It hurts!!!” Her body continued to convulse and started turning bright red. Suddenly, I heard a “pop” and her body disappeared in a large puff of smoke. A small flame burned in mid-air for a few seconds then went out.

As the smoke cleared, I saw a small pile of ash where she stood. I looked at Bob, and he appeared normal again, but was bent over, breathing heavily. I put my arm around him and he nodded his head as he looked at me.

“I’m okay now,” he said, standing back up.

“What just happened?” I asked.

“She’s gone,” he said. “So is her family. They’ve been sent back. You’re out of danger.” I looked at him, confused. “C’mon, let me show you something.” I followed him back into the church building and into his office.

He pulled a large book off his shelf and opened it to a picture. He put the open book in front of me so I could see the picture. It showed an old relic that looked just like the pendant Marissa wore to her time-outs.

“Have you ever seen this before?” he asked. I nodded my head.

“Marissa had a pendant that looked just like that,” I said. “What is it?”

“It was found in a dig outside ancient Babylon,” he said. “Archaeologists still don’t know what it really was, but said it was dedicated to some ancient fertility goddess. I saw an ancient text once that displayed this and it referred to a clan of demons that actually displaced human souls while taking over the body. According to the text, the clan plotted to take over the world by taking over human bodies and procreating. But something happened and the clan was imprisoned in the underworld for two thousand years.”

I looked at the pictures and glanced at the back cover. There, in black and white, was a picture of a much younger Bob. I looked at him, surprised.

“You wrote this?” I asked. He smiled.

“I wasn’t always a simple country preacher,” he said.

“So, what, they got loose and you sent them back?” I asked. He shrugged.

“I reckon so,” he said. “By the way, there’s someone who wants to say hello.”

“Who?” I asked. I looked up and saw a petite girl with long blonde hair staring at me with her big blue eyes.

“Jenny?” I asked. She smiled and came to me, wrapping her arms around me.

“Yes, Jim, it’s me,” she said.

“What’s going on?” I asked. “I thought you were married to some rich doctor.” She laughed.

“No, silly,” she said. “Didn’t you get my letters?” I shook my head.

“What letters?” I asked. “I haven’t seen anything from you for more than a year. The last I heard, you were getting married.”

“I woke up and broke it off over a year ago,” she said.

“What, was he a body-snatching demon or something?” I asked.

“No, nothing like that,” she said. “He was just an abusive, cheating asshole. Sorry,” she added, looking at Bob. He smiled and shook his head.

“I’ve heard a lot worse,” he said. “Besides, anyone who abuses and cheats on you IS an asshole in my book.”

“So what are you doing here?” I asked her.

“Your mother said you’d be here,” she said. “I just got hired at the hospital down the road and I start full time in a couple weeks.”

“Where are you staying?” I asked.

“Your mother said I could stay with her until I find a place of my own,” she said. “I heard you’re engaged. Where’s the lucky girl?”

“The engagement’s off,” I said. “And she took an express train home,” I added. Bob laughed at that. “I do have to get back to California, though, just to tie up some loose ends. Then I’ll be back. There’s nothing for me there.”

“Do you have a job?” she asked. I shook my head.

“No, not yet,” I said.

“Well, I hear the hospital is looking for an IT guy. Maybe you can get on there,” she said.

“I’ll look into it when I get back,” I said. “I won’t be gone long, maybe a week or so at the most.”

“Would you mind if I tagged along?” she asked. “I feel like we have a lot to talk about.”

“I agree,” I said. “We do have a lot to talk about. Sure, why not? I could use a navigator.” She smiled and hugged me.

“Thanks, Jim,” she said. “I’ll go catch up with your mother and let her know. It’s great to see you again.”

“Good to see you, too,” I said. I looked at Bob.

“Did you set that up?” I asked. He smiled.

“God works in mysterious ways,” he said. I started to shake his hand and ended up giving him a hug instead.

“Thanks for everything,” I said.

“You’re welcome, son,” he said. “Now, go do what you have to do and I’ll see you in a week or so.”

I left and collected my mother, who said she and some of the other women felt a sudden need to pray for Bob and I.

“Where’s Marissa?” she asked.

“Gone,” I said. “For good.” She looked at me funny. “I’ll explain when we get back from California.”

“We?” she asked. “Are you taking Marissa back to California?”

“No, Marissa’s already gone home,” I said. “Jenny’s going back with me to California.” She smiled.

“Jenny?” she asked. “You don’t waste any time, do you, boy?” I smiled.

Jenny and I left early the next morning and headed west. On the way, I told Jenny about Marissa and everything that happened with Bob at the church. I was still shaken up by everything that had happened. When I finished, Jenny looked at me in shock.

“Oh my God,” she said. “I feel so bad.”

Afterward, Jenny told me about her time back east. Apparently, she met John shortly after starting school. He was a year ahead of her and helped tutor her through some of her early classes. From there, they began dating and the two fell in love.

His true personality began showing after they were engaged. According to Jenny, he was very demanding and the abuse began shortly thereafter. Jenny swore she never had sex with him and that seemed to irritate him.

“Why’d you put up with it?” I asked her.

“I didn’t know what else to do,” she cried. “I wrote you, telling you about it, hoping you’d come to help me, but you never responded.”

“I never saw any letter mentioning that,” I said. I began to wonder if Marissa had intercepted Jenny’s letters. “I would’ve dropped everything if I’d known. I’m sorry.”

“No,” she said. “I’m the one who owes you an apology. I made a promise to you and I broke it. Can you ever forgive me?”

“We both screwed up,” I said. “We weren’t engaged and we never promised to remain exclusive. I should’ve asked you to marry me before I went into the service. I just took everything for granted.”

“I think I did too. And by the way, I would’ve said yes,” she said.

“What about now?” I asked. “Would you still say yes?”

“Yes, I would,” she said. “Are you asking?”

“Hell yes,” I said. “There’s no way I’m letting you get away from me again.”

“Then the answer is yes,” she said.

“Just one condition,” I said. She looked at me funny.

“What’s that?” she asked.

“No Halloween — ever,” I said.

“I can live with that,” she said.

We stopped for the night in Albuquerque and finished the trip the next day. I pulled in front of the condo and wondered what we would be walking into.

“We won’t be here long,” I told Jenny. “I just want to get my paperwork and the rest of my stuff and get the hell out of here.”

The condo seemed eerily quiet when we went in. Jenny shuddered as she looked around.

“This place is creepy,” she said, wrapping her arms around herself. I nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, it does seem pretty dark in here, doesn’t it?” I asked. I grabbed the rest of my clothes out of the closet and tossed them in a trash bag. I came back in and hauled out my television, stereo and computer. I grabbed all of my paperwork from the desk I used in the small office and boxed it up.

I looked at the desk Marissa had used and noticed the large drawer in one corner. I never looked in her desk before, vowing never to invade her privacy, but I wondered what she kept in there. I opened the drawer and saw a pile of unopened letters and cards from Jenny. I also saw several letters I had written Jenny. Apparently, Marissa had never mailed them as she claimed. I called Jenny to come into the office.

“Look at this,” I said, pulling out the letters. There was a large pile of unopened mail, almost all of it from Jenny. A few were from my mother and a couple came from Bob. She gasped when she saw the stack.

“No wonder I never heard from you,” she said, going through the letters. I looked through the rest of the desk and found what appeared to be a diary. I opened to a random page and my jaw hit the floor when I read what she had written.

“I finally convinced Master and my parents to give me 20 years with Jim,” Marissa had written. “It wasn’t easy and I promised to give Master twin girls as long as I could convince Jim they were his. I swear my pussy smoldered for two days after Master fucked me with that huge cock of his and his cum dripped out of me the whole time. If Jim knew that he had actually eaten a demon’s cum out of me, he’d grab that Bible of his and run for the hills. Yeah, I’m wicked, but it was so much fun.” There were other characters on the page that I couldn’t understand.

I felt as though I was going to be sick after reading that, and turned a few pages to another entry.

“Jim got another letter from that girl he grew up with,” the entry said. “I was able to keep it from him. Fortunately, he respects my privacy enough to stay out of my stuff and he’d get suspicious if he saw it in the trash. I’ve seen his memories and I know he still loves her. John is getting abusive with her because she refuses to fuck him until they’re married. I spoke with John about it at the last gathering and I could feel his frustration, so I let him fuck me and warned him to go easy on her. The only way I can snare Jim for good is to make him believe his old girlfriend is in love with another man. If he knew what was really going on, he’d run to her in a heartbeat.”

Jenny’s eyes grew wide in horror when she looked at it. I realized that Jenny was telling me the truth, so I decided to take the diary with me and look through it with Bob.

“Let’s get out of here,” Jenny begged. I tossed the mail and the diary in the box holding my paperwork and nodded my head.

“I agree,” I said. “I have a few more places to go before we head back home.” I looked around to make sure I had everything, then put my key on the kitchen counter. I locked the door and left the condo, glad to have ended that part of my life.

From there, we went to my bank, where I closed out my account. Then it was on to Addy and Greg’s house. I had no desire to speak to them, but I was curious to know if they were still around. I pulled up to their house and saw Greg’s SUV in the driveway. The house looked dark, and I saw no movement.

I walked up to the SUV and saw two very small piles of ashes on the front seat, one pile in the driver’s seat and the other on the passenger side, where Addy would have sat. I didn’t need to go any further.

From there, we went to Marissa’s parents’ house. The house itself was little more than a pile of burned wood. I could see several men working around the ruins, cleaning things up. I pulled up to one of them and asked what happened.

“The place caught on fire Sunday afternoon,” the man said. “Don’t know exactly what happened, but the place burned down in a matter of minutes.”

“Was anyone hurt?” I asked. The man shook his head.

“They never found any bodies, and no one’s been able to locate the owners,” he said. “Their cars are all here, though. Did you know the people who lived here?”

“Yeah, I met them,” I said, “but I was in Kentucky on Sunday, and I haven’t heard anything from them.” The man handed me a card belonging to a fire inspector.

“Well, if you know anything or hear anything, you might want to give this guy a call,” he said.

“Sure,” I said. “Thanks.” We pulled out and headed back east. I wanted to put as many miles between me and this city as I could before sundown. We stopped at a motel in Needles, California and grabbed a room for the night.

I had a brainstorm and got John’s last name from Jenny. I hooked my laptop up to the motel’s wireless and did a Google search. Sure enough, the search revealed a small article about the disappearance of one John Argyle, who seemed to simply vanish without a trace. One witness claimed he had vanished in a puff of smoke, but no one was able to corroborate that.

Jenny and I laid in bed and held each other tight. We were both a bit frightened and overwhelmed by recent events. I began to feel a bit ashamed about my relationship with Marissa. Jenny sensed this and coaxed me into talking with her about it.

“I just feel so ashamed,” I said.

“Don’t,” she said. “We were both played like fiddles. But we’re together now and that’s the way it’s going to stay. But so help me, Jim Patterson, if you ever stick that cock in another woman, I’ll cut your balls off and feed them to the chickens.”

“Message received,” I said. She smiled and kissed me. I kissed her back and we finally fell asleep.

The next day, we headed out. I was determined to drive until we both got home. Unlike Marissa, Jenny had no problem driving my truck, so we drove in shifts, stopping only for gas and food.

We finally arrived at the house and Mom met us at the door. I carried my stuff inside and took it all to my room.

“Did you get everything straightened out?” my mother asked.

“Yeah,” I said. “And I’m never going back.”

The next several weeks were a blur. I bought a ring for Jenny and made the engagement official. My mother, Bob and Jenny planned our wedding and we were married within a month. Her parents came up from Florida where they had retired and the church was filled to overflowing.

I applied for the IT job at the hospital where Jenny worked and got hired. Fortunately, we worked the same shift so we were able to carpool to the hospital.

It took some time, but Bob and I eventually went through Marissa’s entire diary. I was able to give Bob some context on several of her entries and realized that Jenny and I were both used and played for fools by Marissa and her cohorts. Bob asked if he could keep the diary for his own research and I let him. I had no desire to have anything of hers in the house.

A few months later, Jenny and I were sharing lunch when she suggested we look for a house.

“Why?” I asked.

“Well,” she said. “We’re gonna need another bedroom for the baby.”

“Baby?” I asked.

“Yup,” she said. “You’re gonna be a daddy.” I whooped so loud that half of the floor could hear me. Jenny smiled as her face turned red.

“I love you,” she said. I looked into her eyes.

“I love you, too,” I said.

That Sunday at church, I sat at the bench overlooking the draw and stared at the scenery. Bob came up behind me.

“Everything okay, son?” he asked. I nodded my head.

“Yeah,” I said, looking at the beautiful, brightly-lit landscape. “It doesn’t get any better than this.”

THE END