Till the End (RB Vs. The Shadow God, Chapter 24 and Epilogue) · 3:17pm Jul 17th, 2022
Previously, on The Shadow God:
The boss rush!
And now:
Craig awakens in the blue sky-ed, green pasture-ed, cave-nearby-ed scenery of his dreams.
Maybe THIS is a dream, Craig.
No, it wasn’t. He could tell it wasn’t because each breath he drew felt like sucking in clean, crisp oxygen from a tank. It was the freshest air he had ever breathed. It infiltrated his lungs, filling them with a kind of innovativeness he had never felt before.
Craig's lungs are very innovative. They've learned to breathe out all kinds of bullshit.
Craig realizes he must be in the land of Nod. He searches around for any sign of Cain, but sees nothing.
Speaking of Cain and Mark's dreams, we can assume that the neanderthal Craig saw was Cain, right? Which doesn't make sense; Abel was a shepherd, but sheep were only domesticated between 11,000 and 9,000 BC, well after the Neanderthals, who are said to have died out around 40,000 years ago for the most part.
Craig can sense that Cain is nearby. He climbs on top of the cave and has a look around.
He could vividly remember the sheep in his dreams, but he didn’t quite understand their purpose. They meant something—a symbol perhaps.
The sword. The sword was made from bone. A sheep’s bone.
Again, Abel was a shepherd. I don't see why the sheep have to mean anything other than that.
Craig also spots something moving around in the wheat.
Goose bumps grew across his skin at the thought of some horrible creature latching onto the front of his body and face, its claws and teeth digging profusely into his soft, perhaps vulnerable skin. He wondered absently if this world had dinosaurs. By the sounds of the thing below, he couldn’t discredit the notion.
Why would Nod have dinosaurs? That's such a bizarre thing to think. Dinosaurs, in case you didn't know, Craig, died out long before humans came into existence.
The thing emerges from the wheat, and we see that it's the neanderthal, looking slightly older than it did in Craig's dream. It approaches him.
“Here we are,” said Cain.
Craig was amazed to hear the Neanderthal-looking man speak perfect English. He thought he would grunt and make horrible mocking sounds. But then again, this wasn’t just any old man from the Stone Age. Or perhaps, if Craig had paid attention during high school, he would know if it was the period between the Tertiary and the Quaternary.
There is nothing between the Tertiary and Quaternary Periods; the Quaternary Period directly follows the Tertiary. The stone age overlaps with both of them.
I think. I'm no archeologist.
Craig and Cain banter back and forth a bit. Craig begins to remember his life as Abel. It's very painful:
“REMEMBER, ABEL? HUH? REMEMBER!”
Craig screamed, eyes closed as he clawed madly at his skull. Images—tons of them—flew past his mind’s eye. They were images he had never seen before, but somehow remembered. He saw lambs, he saw a man he feared—a sibling. Cain. Craig saw an older man and an older woman. There was a booming voice from above.
Thou hast done well, Abel. I am pleased with thee. Thou shalt dwell in the Garden of Eden for many years to come.
In the next instant, Craig caught glimpses of Cain smashing a large rock down upon his head. “NO!” he heard himself shout. “NO! NO! NO! STOP! ADAM! EVE! DEAR GOD, MAKE HIM STOP!”
Okay, so, as I said before: I haven't read the bible? But I'm pretty sure Cain and Abel came way after Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden. Book can't even keep its own theology straight.
Craig witnesses his own murder as Abel. Then, he assumes the form of Abel, with white hair and a beard.
Craig then realized he was the spitting image of what he once was thousands of years ago. All over again, he was Abel; the inner core of his true self.
Craig picked up another rock, this one larger, and began descending down the cave’s steep grade with hate in his eyes and determination set in his brow. He was going to end Cain’s life once and for all. “I’m the one who’s going to kill you, motherfucker!” he screamed, raising the rock high above his head.
They fight. Lots of punches are thrown as they roll around on the ground in the mouth of the cave. Cain chokes Craig, but Craig manages to get the upper hand and flips Cain over, wrapping his own arms around Cain's neck.
Suddenly Craig saw a white flash, and then he felt his body flip and his back slapping hard against the ground. He watched eagerly as Cain hovered over the top of him.
Cheater.
They continue their slobberknocker. Craig kicks Cain in the ribs a bunch. Cain breaks Craig's ankle.
Craig cried out painfully as he gripped Cain’s head and dug his thumbs into his eye sockets. There were two audible pops as Cain’s eyeballs deflated like grapes. Cain squealed wretchedly, thick, hot blood filling his empty eye sockets and spilling onto Craig’s burning hands.
Lovely. For the record, this fight scene is written pretty competently. Much better than anything in the last chapter. Good job, Mr. Rayburn!
The battle almost won, Craig goes to pick up a heavy stone. He smashes it into Cain's skull over and over until it splits apart like a pumpkin.
Craig smiled. He was happy. For the first time in a long time, he was happy. He never thought this moment would ever happen. But it had. He watched the thin line of blood run down his arm and he knew that what he was experiencing was real. Too real.
He hunkered down and began to sob. His mother was dead. Kristy was dead. Mark was dead. Todd was probably dead as well. Everyone he cared about was dead.
The zephyr begins to blow again. Craig relishes the feeling of it blowing over his skin.
He stands and walks towards the cave, lumbering around on his damaged ankle.
Then:
“Where is thy brother?” asked a booming voice from … everywhere, it seemed.
Craig’s body broke out in goose flesh. He looked maniacally around, searching for a body to the voice. He looked again at Cain’s body. It still lay mangled in a bloody heap in the short grass some twenty yards away.
“Who’s there?” Craig asked, slapping his back up against the side of the cave.
“What hast thou done?” boomed the voice somewhere from the sky. “The voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground!”
The booming voice from above began a deep moan, then said, “I SHALL BANISH THOU INTO THE LAND OF NOD, ON THE EAST OF EDEN WHERE THOU SHALL SPEND ETERNITY!” The voice broke off into cynical laughter.
Cain's body bursts into flames. A serpent's tail emerges from the flames. Then a pair of horns. Then legs. Then leathery wings.
The thickest part of the serpent debuted; its underside was a dark green.
Cain's become an idol, it seems.
And then a massive, demonesque head sprang out along with the rest of the serpent, fire erupting from its elongated beak, which housed hundreds of large pointed teeth. Two long, curved, and pointed horns stuck out from the top of its head.
Craig’s breath caught in his throat. He realized that he wasn’t looking at a disfigured serpent, but rather a tremendous creature he had only read about. The serpent turned out to be the giant tail of a live, red, fire-breathing dragon.
Y'know, this has been bothering me a bit. Mr. Rayburn seems to depend on existing monsters a lot. Werewolves, vampires, mixes of werewolves and vampires, demons, now a dragon—all of these are old hat, and challenging to make scary because we're so desensitized to them. It would better serve the horror aspects of this book if it had more original monsters, like the one that Mark killed in the second visit to the Dark World (what was that thing's deal, anyway?), or goofy candle Todd. That's what I think, anyway.
Regardless, Cain has transformed into a fire-breathing dragon. Craig, already in very bad shape from the fight, feels a sense of impending doom.
The sky has changed from day to night, now. Craig notices that there are two moons in the sky. With no other options, he begins to pray.
Cut to Todd, who is making sure no one is left in the church. He spots a bloody pair of woman's legs sticking out from between the pews. He debates whether or not to drag the body out of the church.
Surely the girl’s family would be appreciative and think highly of him for performing such a heroic act.
So noble, our Todd.
He approaches the body and sees that it's Kristy's. He grabs her by the legs and begins to drag her out of the church. He trips over something, but two police officers are there to help; they take hold of Kristy and take her out of the church. Todd looks down on what he tripped over; it's the bone sword.
Craig needed that sword. Right now. More than anything else in this world. Or that world.
Todd picks up the sword and makes his way back to the door that leads to the cave. He runs into the cave. The tip of the sword begins to glow, illuminating the way for him.
“Holy crap!” Todd exclaimed, pointing the sword toward the massive stonewall in front of him. (Subconsciously, he reverted back to his days as a non-cursing person. Though cussing did make him feel liberated, he felt that it would only anger God in helping him get the sword to Craig. Sometime during the past week, he decided that since there was a Shadow God, there must be a real God. And he didn’t want to do anything to upset him.)
Holy shit, did the author just write in a retroactive character arc for Todd via exposition?
Todd had no doubts there were things down here that were a thousand times worse than the skeletons. But it didn’t hinder him from moving forward.
Two character arcs!?
Todd runs through the cave and towards the cavern with the blue light. Once there, he throws the sword at the giant portal.
The bony blade glided toward the light, seemingly on a kind of spinning axis. And then it struck the blue portal, bounced, and fell aimlessly to the stone floor. White lines waved through the shining portal just as a rock would disturb a quiet pond.
Todd’s mouth gaped open. He couldn’t believe it. “No,” he cried sadly, remorsefully.
Oh, bad luck old chap.
Todd tries throwing a rock into the portal. It goes right through; it's just the sword that can't enter.
Todd stepped closer to the light, feeling his body shed its moisture. He inched his way to the sword, picked it up, and debated on whether or not he wanted to go through with his insane proposal.
Craig needs you right now, said his mind. Don’t abandon him like Mark did. Don’t abandon him like everyone else did. Don’t become a statistic. Remember: friends till the end.
That was it. It was decided.
Todd charges forward with the sword and leaps into the portal.
Cut back to Craig. He watches the dragon wearily as it flies. Suddenly, he hears Todd's voice from the cave entrance.
Todd nodded, the sword shining dully in the moons’ light. “Craig, what is that?” he asked, pointing at the sky, at the dragon.
“That’s probably the fiercest dragon known to man,” said Craig.
And the only one, presumably.
Todd has an idea.
“I have an idea,” said Todd. “But you’ll have to trust me.”
Craig regarded his best friend with much respect, not knowing if he could fully trust him. He realized the roles were being reversed. He didn’t want to trust him. After all, this was his battle, not Todd’s. “What is it?” he asked, after a moment’s hesitation.
Todd just risked his life to bring you the sword. Give the man his due.
“I can’t,” said Craig. “Not until I know exactly what it is. It may not work.”
“Then again, it may,” said Todd.
“We’re running out of time,” Craig promulgated.
I'll admit it, I had to look up what 'promulgated' meant. Webster says it's "to make (an idea, belief, etc.) known to many people by open declaration : PROCLAIM". It's not quite what I think Mr. Rayburn had in mind. I suspect this is the thesaurus rearing its ugly head again.
Here's Todd's plan:
“Go hide behind that boulder with the sword. I’ll divert it, and when the time is right, you’ll come out and plunge this …” He trailed off, wanting to say “motherfucker,” but refrained and added, “ … this thing right into its heart!” He made a powerful thrusting motion.
He needed to do something because time was running extremely short. He had absolutely no ideas of his own and was, more or less, forced to go with Todd’s idea.
The dragon is in the air right now. It's going to see him run behind the boulder if it's paying any attention at all. But sure. Go for it.
The two hug, and Craig goes behind the boulder. Todd begins to taunt the dragon verbally.
Craig finally realized what Todd was doing. He was making the dragon believe that Todd was him. The dragon would surely kill him now. And Craig couldn’t let that happen. As much as he respected Todd and his on-the-spot decision, he just couldn’t let it happen.
Would Cain not be able (heh) to tell his own brother apart from Todd? Especially because Craig looks like a neanderthal now?
Craig runs out of cover and towards Todd. The dragon approaches; Craig becomes transfixed, unable to move. The dragon breathes a stream of fire at him.
Todd screamed, jumping from his position and darting toward Craig. “NO, CRAIG!” he shrieked, arms waving frantically. “GET BACK!”
Finally, Todd reached Craig’s unmoving form, shoving him back as hard as he could. Craig cried out painfully as he felt the heat from the dragon’s fire, the sheer force of Todd ripped from his grasp. Todd dove just as the dragon outstretched its large talons for Craig. Todd’s legs flailed out behind him, but it was too late. He was jerked violently to the ground.
There was a huge explosion of dirt and rock as the dragon burst mightily into the ground, causing a huge crater. A hailstorm of dirt and rock fell over Craig and Todd, as Craig opened his eyes and saw Todd struggling to crawl from the massive crater. He crawled to his rescue, latching onto Todd’s sweaty grip.
Unfortunately...
Todd cried out painfully, tears squirting from his eyes. Craig stood up and then saw him. He quickly covered his mouth, as a flood of his own tears brimmed his eyes, and then cascaded down his cheeks. Blood soaked the ground just below Todd’s body—or what was left of it. Todd’s legs were gone.
Craig, fueled by the need for revenge, grabs the sword and runs to the dragon, collapsed in the center of the crater. He stabs the dragon in the heart.
The dragon shrieked, its body convulsing and stretching, its large tail lashing angrily through the air. Finally, the creature relaxed and remained motionless. Its eyes went from a dull blue to two empty black holes.
The dragon reverts back to Cain. He's still dead, though.
“It’s all right, Todd. It’s over. We did it.” He paused, then smiled, tears of joy finding their way down his face. “We’re going home now.”
Craig carried Todd to the cave entrance and into the blue light. And as Craig entered the light, he fully understood that the war was over. A thousand different feelings rushed to his face as the sweet concept sunk in.
It was over. It was finally over.
Also over is the chapter! But of course, we have the epilogue. Let's continue, shall we?
The epilogue begins with Craig waking up in the hospital.
He was thankful that there weren’t any blue lights. Craig was finally able to make out shapes around him. There were two strange men looking awkwardly down at him. By his bedside he saw a nurse. He instantly checked out her chest. It was small. That meant she wasn’t Ginny Cook.
Seriously, man?
Craig is met by two men. One is Detective Eubanks. The other is Todd, strapped into a wheelchair. Except:
Eubanks walked up to the bed, concern lined deep in his sorrowful face. “Where is Todd?” he asked.
Craig extended his finger toward the door. “There,” he said.
Eubanks turned to look, then faced Craig again. He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Craig, but there’s no one there.”
Todd smiled broadly and waved to him.
“I didn’t want to be the one to tell you this, but Todd died several weeks after the church crumbled.”
Craig’s large eyes wavered. He shifted them back to Todd, whose image faded under the bright fluorescents of the room. “No,” he muttered. He looked up into Eubanks’s hardened face. “What’s happened?” he managed.
The doctor opened his mouth, but Roger silenced him, holding up his hand. “Please, doc. Let me tell him.”
The doctor nodded, backing away. Roger Eubanks leaned over Craig suffocatingly, examining his wet face. “You may not believe this, Craig, but you’ve just awakened from a six-month coma."
We cut to several weeks later. Eubanks is driving Craig to see what's left of the church.
Roger turned the corner as the remains of Spiers’s church came into view. He pulled to the side of the road, the two of them sitting and staring at the mountains of rubble piled on the lot.
“Did it explode?” Craig asked.
“Yes,” said Eubanks.
“Did everyone make it out okay?”
Eubanks nodded. “As far as I know.”
“Does anyone remember?”
Eubanks shook his head. “I don’t think so. The people all claim that they were sleepwalking, that there was something in the air that night that made them sleepwalk. I don’t know. It was weird.”
Mr. Rayburn has one last loose end to tie up:
“The night Todd disappeared from the hospital room, there was a spot of blood on the bathroom floor. Underwood sent it off to the lab, hoping it would match yours.”
“Did it?”
Eubanks nodded, then shrugged. “But given the circumstances, I disposed of it.”
Craig nodded, then looked into Eubanks’s square face, at his bushy mustache.
“I really appreciate it, thank you.”
“Why do you suppose your blood was there that night?” Eubanks asked.
“The Dark World,” said Craig. “Every time Todd or Mark went into it, a spot of blood—my blood—came out of their system.” He shrugged. “As to why? Me or you will probably never know.”
Eubanks puts the car back in drive and they head off to the next place of interest: the Dead Woods. A large section of the woods has caved in.
Next, they head for the cemetery. They visit Kristy's grave, then Todd's, then Craig's mother's, and finally...
Through one of his tear-stained sobs, he looked up and noticed the tombstone next to hers. It was his father’s.
Yeah.
“He died two days before the church crumbled,” said Eubanks. “The prison officials said it was of natural causes,” he lied, knowing Matt Johnson was brutally murdered. But Craig didn’t have to know that.
We cut to six months later. Craig Has gone through intense physical therapy since he woke up; he can move properly now. And the first thing he wants to do... is play tennis.
He and Eubanks play a bit (6-0, Craig) before they are approached by a pair of high school girls.
Craig and Roger shrugged, each of them blushing. “Sure,” said Craig. “If you guys are up for it.”
The girl wrinkled her face delightfully. “Do us a favor and don’t go easy on us, because we’re the number one doubles team at PHS and we need the practice.”
The four of them play into the evening. Between volleys, Craig notices a man driving past them with shining blue eyes.
The doctors did tell him he would, from time to time, experience things that were abnormal and possibly see things that weren’t even there.
He writes it off.
Craig positioned himself for Daphne’s next serve. He decided that his mind was playing tricks on him again, just as the doctor said it would.
And it would be doing so for the rest of his life.
And that's it! That's the entire book. Whew! Finally over.
Look forward to the wrap-up post tomorrow, folks. Things are about to get educational.
See you then.
Starting to suspect Mr. Rayburn might have been into that, what do you call it, Young Earth nonsense? Everything's only 6000 years old and so forth?
This guy's got all kinds of skills!
You expect anyone to have learned anything at this point.
well, that was just a... a thing that we have experienced, all right