devils and gods

I have to tell you about my dream last night. It was so weird even for my standards. I was with a group of strangers whom I acknowledge as my friend. We were running away from something. And that something turned out to be a giant octopus-like monster. It managed to grab me with one of its tentacles. I’ve never been more scared in my life. As it tightened its grasp on my body, I could feel a thousand pins pricking my skin.

And all I could do was scream, “Buffy! Buffy!”

- Journal entry dated September 2002

Weird dreams are normal to me. But then again dreams are supposed to be almost always, something out of the ordinary.

Mine’s like a series of stories lifted and compiled from several TV shows that I’ve watched and been engrossed with at some point in my life. It’s probably my subconscious compensating for the real-life dream that I have that won’t ever materialize. In this drama, I am an investigator of the paranormal stuff. Supernatural if you may. Hunter-cum-slayer. At times, friends and family make cameos. But mostly, it’s all about me – getting rid of the world’s evil, MakMak style.

Though it is a recurring dream, it doesn’t happen regularly. It’s not like a telenovela that I can expect a new episode the next time that I take a nap. But what’s amusing is that there’s continuity whenever it occurs – I don’t need a recap of what happened, I just know it. And also, it’s in Dolby. I couldn’t ask for more.

The last time it happened was last month (I think).

*******

Bright lights. Several bright, circular lights which greatly contrast against the dark night sky perched within the facility walls. It surrounded me, filling the corners of my vision. I looked around, taking in the warm glow of the spotlights and the chill of the Rockies’ night air. I have no idea where I am but the sense of familiarity is strong. This is the place.

Walking slowly, I looked around and blinked the tiredness from my eyes. The silence – it forebodes the presence of evil. I don’t need a sixth sense to prove it. I just know.

Fast forward to the fight scene.

There was no time for the usual witty banter. Not when you?re fighting mindless imps anyway. I usually reserve the smart-ass quips when I’m dealing with the big boss. And she’s here. Watching silently, lurking in the shadows thinking that I’m unaware of her presence. I let my two sidekicks handle the cannon fodder and charged against the swarm of the lesser demons with the intention of reaching the target.

There’s a certain fascination that I find in the art of war. Each blood drawn gives off a rush, like a hunger that can only be sated by drawing more blood. Facing off on a one-on-one battle when I could have easily cleared the entire area with a single blast. Though I don?t have full knowledge of the abilities and skills that I possess nor of the arsenal of weapons I have but I feel I can do that.

Times like these that I wish I would’ve brought a camcorder to immortalize my awesomeness. I pulled out a whip from nowhere as I dashed head on giving those who were on my path a swift, yet brutal death. It’s like dancing, with the chain of light twirling gracefully in fluid circular motions (beautiful like pyrotechnics), cutting through each monstrosity clean like paper cut. They won’t be aware that they have just been decapitated until they bleed and their head falls off.

We were already rounding up those who managed to remain standing when she appeared. Lilith. She stood a few feet away, unguarded yet secured that no harm would befall upon her. Logan’s rule – attack first – so I threw what appears to be pin-like projectiles at the demon but it was easily deflected. Heck, it did not even come close enough. And for some reason, I was thankful that she did not send it flying back at us. She remained still. Calm. So I knew that something’s amiss.

I blinked.

And found my cousin on the spot where Lilith stood a few micro-seconds ago. Again with Logan’s rule but this time I was on the receiving end of the attack. She was possessed. Not by Lilith though but by lower yet relatively stronger demon. It was freaky trying to prevent myself from maiming her. Holding back has never been my strong point.

But giving pain has always been an integral part of this job. Regardless of who I’m dealing with. And for that matter, regardless of my actions or inaction as well. In the end, there is someone, or something, bound to get hurt. At times like these, I would have settled for hurting ’something’.

Thankfully, we managed to bind her to perform the exorcism. As colleague 1 took hold of my trapped cousin, I started the chant with the words to the Lord’s Prayer. Repeated for two to three times for emphasis and drama. Cue the lightning and thunder. Cue the heavy gust of wind. And the tremors.

And there you have it – she’s… still possessed?!

I was expecting that this was but a regular possession until now. From past exorcisms, the demon usually leaves the body as quick as a finger snap. I can’t tell the difference but this time, it stayed a bit longer than it should have – long enough to stare at me with those maliciously blank eyes.

It defined a whole new level of terror. That close-up shot of the victim’s eyes really shook the confidence that I have and I know that what just happened is a portent of the darker things that will come.

The night is far from being called a victory.

*******

And then I woke up highly bothered. This dream scared the hell out of me. I guess you have to be there.