Page 1 of Dead Evil
PROLOGUE
Tennyson
Kansas City, Missouri, August, 2005…
Seventeen-year-old Tennyson Grimm was bored off his gourd. His parents had promised they’d have lots of fun during their long awaited trip to Kansas City, but he should have known how wildly his idea of fun varied from his parents’ version. He’d hoped they would catch a Chief’s training camp practice. Visit the Kansas City Zoo to see the gorillas. Tour Union Station, which was a revamped train terminal, with restaurants, attractions and more fun than Ten ever had in his life.
Unfortunately, he was plopped in the center of the twenty-fourth row at the King of Deliverance megachurch rally, while the rabid congregants raised their hands in praise and shouted “Amen” at nearly every word out of the pastor’s mouth.
Held outdoors in a large white tent, Ten felt like he was about to pass out from heat stroke. With the mercury hovering somewhere north of ninety degrees, and humidity soaking every inch of his body from his blue button down and tan pants, all the way to his toes, ensconced in his Sunday best dress shoes, he was miserable.
With all the fire and brimstone preached over the last few days in regard to homosexuality, sexual relations, both solo and with a partner, the occult, and immigrants, Ten couldn’t help feeling his future was hopeless. Being a gay psychic with a predilection for jacking off in the shower, and having a massive crush on the handsome Italian boy sitting one row ahead of him, Ten’s eternal soul was doomed. Double or possibly even triple doomed, if such a thing existed.
It was day three of Ten’s Hell on Earth tour. With two days to go, Ten wondered if he could fake a summer cold or Ebola, something equally as virulent that would allow him to stay alone in the blessed cool of their air conditioned hotel room along with two hundred satellite cable channels, most of which he’d never heard of.Allof which he wanted to watch until his brain rotted and sloshed out through his nose.
A quick jab to the ribs courtesy of his mother’s bony elbow brought Ten back to the present. She shot him an angry look, one which said if he didn’t straighten up and fly right, the consequences would be even less fun than the thousand degree revival tent.
Sitting up straighter, Ten tuned into what Pastor Levi Shackleton was preaching, “Wewillrise against our enemies!”
“Amen!” the congregation chorused with fervor.
“Wewilldefeat our enemies!” Shackleton slammed a fist down on his pulpit.
“Amen!”
“An army whose sword is Jesus Christ is invincible! All evil will fall against our blade. Homosexuals will burn!”
“Burn! Burn!” Congregants around Tennyson shouted in response to the raging pastor.
“Are there any homosexuals here?” Pastor Shackleton shouted. “Come forward and be washed clean of sin! This is your one opportunity to avoid hell fire and eternal damnation.”
One man, a few rows forward from Tennyson, raised his hand and stood up. He looked to be in his early twenties and wore khaki pants and a blue polo shirt. He moved through his pew and stood in the aisle.
A group of men, dressed all in black, who’d been sitting near the altar broke toward the man, who instantly seemed to sense the danger he was in. Turning toward the entrance to the tent, he tried to backpedal, but was stopped by men in the crowd who’d been sitting behind the Grimm family.
“Bring him to me!” Shackleton shouted.
Ten watched, gobsmacked, as the men in black escorted the now unwilling volunteer toward the front. The black-clad church members surrounded him like he was a serial killer being taken into custody by the FBI. He didn’t know what was going to happen next, which scared him even more. Ten’s fear overwhelmed his gift. He was not only frightened for the gay man, but for himself as well. None of the people sitting with the volunteer tried to stop security from taking him. Ten knew his parents would stand by and let him be dragged toward certain doom. Every instinct in his body screamed at him to run, but Ten knew his safety depended on his ability to stay quiet and blend in, just like an elk fawn hiding from a hungry grizzly bear. Like the fawn, Ten had never been more scared in his life.
“What’s your name?” Shackleton asked when the man was pushed on stage.
“Greg Tompkins.”
“I’m going to offer you the most incredible gift. All you have to do is reach out and take it. How does that sound, Greg?” Shackleton played to the crowd, but Ten could see the malice burning in his eyes. “I’m going to save your eternal soul today! What do you think of that?”
“H-How?” Greg asked. His entire body shook. “I’ve tried everything and I’m still attracted to men.” He sounded desperate. “My parents kicked me out of the house. My entirefamily turned their backs on me. I don’t know how to make it all stop.”
“Do you believe in miracles, Greg?” Shackleton asked.
“I do,” Greg’s voice trembled as he answered.
“We have a very special guest with us today. A man who is renowned the world over for his ability to cast demons out of people. Ladies, and gentlemen, it’s my great honor to introduce Duke Barrymore!”
The crowd erupted as Duke stood and turned to face the audience. People chanted his name. Hands were raised toward the sky in praise.
Ten watched as his parents stood and cheered for thisallegeddemon hunter. Over the course of the last five years, he’d looked into every way known to man to cure himself of being gay. Did Ten have a demon? Is that why he couldn’t pray the gay away? Was it possible that this man could save him from eternal damnation? “Who is this guy?” Ten asked his mother.
“He’s a miracle worker,” Kaye said. “One of Jesus’s modern day apostles. He cures people by casting out their demons. Pay close attention, Tennyson. You’re about to see a miracle take place right in front of your eyes.”
