Blood Shadow: Book of Manuel by Phil Wohl
“So, what do you want to do Thomas?”
Hartwell looked deep into Manuel’s eyes and then had his answer.
“I was ready to put a bullet into my head when my wife and child died. And, in fact, when Manuel took me back to that day and we let it play out without Lowery and I did end things.”
There was an audible gasp in the room as Maggie clutched her husband’s arm in shock.
“The one thing I learned from that whole experience is that you can’t interrupt the flow of life. If Lowery had not come to my doorstep that day then we all would not be standing here together right now. And that would have been the biggest crime of all. So, if I get to spend the next 40 minutes or 400 years with you all it will the best moments of my life.”
And then the delivered the statement that bounced off the boundaries of the paranormal world.
“I had the faith for over a century that my wife and son would return to me based on a stranger’s advice. And then they came back to me…” he said as a few tears rolled from his eyes and instantly froze into ice cubes. All of the other vampires turned on the waterworks, including Manuel who said, “Ice cubes? Who knew?” as he had refrained from crying since he became a vampire.
“The one thing that I learned—and that we should all know—is that it doesn’t matter when we die, because we will all come back to each other one day. And that cycle will repeat itself for all eternity… we will always find each other, for we are a family.”
Hartwell extended his arms and the entire family came toward him for a massive group hug. Even Manuel, who was not usually prone to such fuzzy feelings, joined the group meld.
THIRTY
So it was decided once the group hug physically unhinged, that they would go out to the field the next two nights and have a good time after their victories, which took mere seconds to complete. And, on the third night, they would pick up the kids and enter a new chapter of life together as a family.
Gabriel Billingsley had become sick of losing, so he called on Brenda Vinson to concoct a spell that would give his side a better chance at winning.
“You have to neutralize Hartwell and Manuel, they’re literally killing us by themselves.”
Brenda Vinson agreed to come up with a spell that was predicated on the 100th death of Manuel, not the ascension of the apes. She also decided to throw something in there about her and her family, in hopes that the action could also free them from the bonds of oppression they had felt for years as witches tied to others.
The family left the field the next two nights and then went to eat at the 24-hour Beach Haven Diner, where they simply just enjoyed each other’s company. No plans were being made for life after the change, because Hartwell’s view of their continuous path made them all live each day without recourse. These special people could live the remainder of their years without looking over their shoulders, because another family member would be watching their backs.
The kids had so much fun flying in a plane that they decided to take the plane back from Florida to New York. Riding in first class sort of skewed their view of air travel, with all of the warm cookies and towels and everything, but Hartwell and company wouldn’t want it any other way.
“We can’t let the kids know what’s happening,” Maggie said to Hartwell. “There’s no telling with Maxwell and Samuel will do with their abilities. They might not understand?”
“I’ll talk to Manuel about it,” Hartwell replied. “We’ll work it out. I just know that if Maxwell sees my face he’ll know something is up.”
It was late afternoon as the family piled in separate cars to greet Aaron and the kids at the airport. It was a joyous scene at the gate as kids melted into parents and grandparents arms. Once Hartwell hugged Maxwell and Samuel, he turned to Manuel and they both disappeared.
“Where’s grandpa’?” Max asked Maggie.
“Grandpa’ had some business to take care of. He’s going to meet us back at the house,” Maggie said as if she was talking to a little kid.
Max looked at her and said, “Will this put an end to the fighting?”
She had a million reasons not to tell him the complete truth but none of them made sense anymore.
“Yes Maxie, the fighting will be over.”
“Can we all still live together?” he asked.
“Of course, my angel” she said as she hugged Maxwell.
Hartwell and Manuel were back in the clouds again before they transitioned to the Beach Haven Boardwalk.
“It’s been quite the journey, hasn’t it Thomas?” Manuel observed.
“I never thought it would all end this way, but I’m glad that we finally got to meet because it put a few pieces together for me that I questioned,” Hartwell replied. “I definitely learned a valuable lesson about the pitfalls of infidelity,” he added, referring to the reason that Manuel became a vampire in the first place.
“I learned a valuable lesson as well, Thomas.”
“Yes, what was that?”
“I learned that family is the most important thing in life,” Manuel stated. “Sadly, I was young and impulsive and I took my family for granted, the most of which was Carmen. I can’t say that I would have acted differently in her position, although I might have just killed her and spared myself the imposition of learning the black magic’s.”
Hartwell and Manuel laughed until Manuel asked a more somber question.
“How have you envisioned your death? Your 100th death?”
“Well, the first time I thought I was going to experience ‘death by soup special’ until Cal got loose and basically removed me from my heart.”
“Yes, I think it’s only fitting that it be death by heart, but I imagined that it would be by spear,” Manuel explained.
“They just returned safely to the house,” Hartwell said as he felt that all of his people were safe in the house that he literally built.
Manuel nodded, “Then I guess it’s time for us to go,” as both men stood up. Manuel momentarily zipped out of the picture and then came back with a long, tribal spear and handed it to Hartwell.
“Make sure you don’t miss. These things can be a bit head-waited.”
Hartwell nodded in acknowledgement of the tip as the men met in a handshake and bro’ hug.
“Just make sure I’m facing the ocean with the sun at my back when it’s time,” Manuel gave final instructions.
Hartwell joked, “Anything else?”
“Yes, I want to settle down at some point.”
Hartwell replied, “Maybe Carmen will come back and give you another chance.”
And the vision of a young, undamaged Carmen danced in Manuel’s head as the two made the transition to the porch of the house, Manuel facing the ocean as the sun set to his back. Hartwell coiled then uncoiled from a relatively short distance and hurled the spear towards Manuel’s heart, the sharp blade piercing his chest and penetrating clear through his shoulder blade.
“See you on the other side, Thomas” Manuel said. And then with his last breath he added, “Thank you for giving me another chance.”
A few of the family members saw the two men on the porch, but it was Maggie that sped out to the porch and yelled “Time!” so everyone could be with their loved ones during the transition. She held Hartwell’s hand as Manuel expired. And then they kissed as the impact of the 100th death drained all of the beings of Hartwell house and made them collapse to the floor in an extended slumber.
Across town, Gabriel Billingsley was trying to think only good thoughts for the night ahead. If his witch had complied with his wishes then his group would surely have a better showing. But then a strange sensation be-felled him as he watched the other members of his gang undergo a metamorphosis from corporeal to their previous forms before reinvention.
Eloise Phillips, Mary Brewster, Julie and Gregory Justice, Randy Prince, Agent Terrence Carter all turned from body to dust as the last flashes of light in the sky disappeared. Then Alexander Lowery,
who was the last link between Manuel Ortiz and Thomas Hartwell in the vampirical world, turned to Gabriel and said, “Thanks for the extra time.” And, just before he turned to dust he added, “Let it go.”
“Let it go?” Billingsley questioned the wisdom of such a statement. “Let what go?”
And then he felt surprised and a bit betrayed at first as his own body start to release any substance of wholeness.
“Oh, let it go.”
He closed his eyes and said as his body turned to dust, “It’s time to go.”
A few hours later, Hartwell and Maggie awoke on the porch in the dark of the night. They both felt a little hung over at first as Hartwell helped Maggie sit up.
“Do you feel any different?” Hartwell asked.
Maggie checked herself and smiled, “I feel unobstructed love.”
Even though Hartwell had reached his 100th death in recent times, it had been over a century since he had been mortal with no associated paranormal activity. His view of the future always was ringed with clouds on the horizon. He helped Maggie to her feet and then said, “It’s like when we first met all over again.”
They met it a passionate kiss as the power of the moment eventually caused Maggie to lose her balance. She backed up slightly and he followed, their lips still locked, until she came up on an object that impeded her path. Maggie looked up at the long spear that was still poking a whole in Manuel.
“We should probably remove this at some point,” she suggested.
Hartwell got in position and tugged at it, but the object
Hartwell looked deep into Manuel’s eyes and then had his answer.
“I was ready to put a bullet into my head when my wife and child died. And, in fact, when Manuel took me back to that day and we let it play out without Lowery and I did end things.”
There was an audible gasp in the room as Maggie clutched her husband’s arm in shock.
“The one thing I learned from that whole experience is that you can’t interrupt the flow of life. If Lowery had not come to my doorstep that day then we all would not be standing here together right now. And that would have been the biggest crime of all. So, if I get to spend the next 40 minutes or 400 years with you all it will the best moments of my life.”
And then the delivered the statement that bounced off the boundaries of the paranormal world.
“I had the faith for over a century that my wife and son would return to me based on a stranger’s advice. And then they came back to me…” he said as a few tears rolled from his eyes and instantly froze into ice cubes. All of the other vampires turned on the waterworks, including Manuel who said, “Ice cubes? Who knew?” as he had refrained from crying since he became a vampire.
“The one thing that I learned—and that we should all know—is that it doesn’t matter when we die, because we will all come back to each other one day. And that cycle will repeat itself for all eternity… we will always find each other, for we are a family.”
Hartwell extended his arms and the entire family came toward him for a massive group hug. Even Manuel, who was not usually prone to such fuzzy feelings, joined the group meld.
THIRTY
So it was decided once the group hug physically unhinged, that they would go out to the field the next two nights and have a good time after their victories, which took mere seconds to complete. And, on the third night, they would pick up the kids and enter a new chapter of life together as a family.
Gabriel Billingsley had become sick of losing, so he called on Brenda Vinson to concoct a spell that would give his side a better chance at winning.
“You have to neutralize Hartwell and Manuel, they’re literally killing us by themselves.”
Brenda Vinson agreed to come up with a spell that was predicated on the 100th death of Manuel, not the ascension of the apes. She also decided to throw something in there about her and her family, in hopes that the action could also free them from the bonds of oppression they had felt for years as witches tied to others.
The family left the field the next two nights and then went to eat at the 24-hour Beach Haven Diner, where they simply just enjoyed each other’s company. No plans were being made for life after the change, because Hartwell’s view of their continuous path made them all live each day without recourse. These special people could live the remainder of their years without looking over their shoulders, because another family member would be watching their backs.
The kids had so much fun flying in a plane that they decided to take the plane back from Florida to New York. Riding in first class sort of skewed their view of air travel, with all of the warm cookies and towels and everything, but Hartwell and company wouldn’t want it any other way.
“We can’t let the kids know what’s happening,” Maggie said to Hartwell. “There’s no telling with Maxwell and Samuel will do with their abilities. They might not understand?”
“I’ll talk to Manuel about it,” Hartwell replied. “We’ll work it out. I just know that if Maxwell sees my face he’ll know something is up.”
It was late afternoon as the family piled in separate cars to greet Aaron and the kids at the airport. It was a joyous scene at the gate as kids melted into parents and grandparents arms. Once Hartwell hugged Maxwell and Samuel, he turned to Manuel and they both disappeared.
“Where’s grandpa’?” Max asked Maggie.
“Grandpa’ had some business to take care of. He’s going to meet us back at the house,” Maggie said as if she was talking to a little kid.
Max looked at her and said, “Will this put an end to the fighting?”
She had a million reasons not to tell him the complete truth but none of them made sense anymore.
“Yes Maxie, the fighting will be over.”
“Can we all still live together?” he asked.
“Of course, my angel” she said as she hugged Maxwell.
Hartwell and Manuel were back in the clouds again before they transitioned to the Beach Haven Boardwalk.
“It’s been quite the journey, hasn’t it Thomas?” Manuel observed.
“I never thought it would all end this way, but I’m glad that we finally got to meet because it put a few pieces together for me that I questioned,” Hartwell replied. “I definitely learned a valuable lesson about the pitfalls of infidelity,” he added, referring to the reason that Manuel became a vampire in the first place.
“I learned a valuable lesson as well, Thomas.”
“Yes, what was that?”
“I learned that family is the most important thing in life,” Manuel stated. “Sadly, I was young and impulsive and I took my family for granted, the most of which was Carmen. I can’t say that I would have acted differently in her position, although I might have just killed her and spared myself the imposition of learning the black magic’s.”
Hartwell and Manuel laughed until Manuel asked a more somber question.
“How have you envisioned your death? Your 100th death?”
“Well, the first time I thought I was going to experience ‘death by soup special’ until Cal got loose and basically removed me from my heart.”
“Yes, I think it’s only fitting that it be death by heart, but I imagined that it would be by spear,” Manuel explained.
“They just returned safely to the house,” Hartwell said as he felt that all of his people were safe in the house that he literally built.
Manuel nodded, “Then I guess it’s time for us to go,” as both men stood up. Manuel momentarily zipped out of the picture and then came back with a long, tribal spear and handed it to Hartwell.
“Make sure you don’t miss. These things can be a bit head-waited.”
Hartwell nodded in acknowledgement of the tip as the men met in a handshake and bro’ hug.
“Just make sure I’m facing the ocean with the sun at my back when it’s time,” Manuel gave final instructions.
Hartwell joked, “Anything else?”
“Yes, I want to settle down at some point.”
Hartwell replied, “Maybe Carmen will come back and give you another chance.”
And the vision of a young, undamaged Carmen danced in Manuel’s head as the two made the transition to the porch of the house, Manuel facing the ocean as the sun set to his back. Hartwell coiled then uncoiled from a relatively short distance and hurled the spear towards Manuel’s heart, the sharp blade piercing his chest and penetrating clear through his shoulder blade.
“See you on the other side, Thomas” Manuel said. And then with his last breath he added, “Thank you for giving me another chance.”
A few of the family members saw the two men on the porch, but it was Maggie that sped out to the porch and yelled “Time!” so everyone could be with their loved ones during the transition. She held Hartwell’s hand as Manuel expired. And then they kissed as the impact of the 100th death drained all of the beings of Hartwell house and made them collapse to the floor in an extended slumber.
Across town, Gabriel Billingsley was trying to think only good thoughts for the night ahead. If his witch had complied with his wishes then his group would surely have a better showing. But then a strange sensation be-felled him as he watched the other members of his gang undergo a metamorphosis from corporeal to their previous forms before reinvention.
Eloise Phillips, Mary Brewster, Julie and Gregory Justice, Randy Prince, Agent Terrence Carter all turned from body to dust as the last flashes of light in the sky disappeared. Then Alexander Lowery,
“Let it go?” Billingsley questioned the wisdom of such a statement. “Let what go?”
And then he felt surprised and a bit betrayed at first as his own body start to release any substance of wholeness.
“Oh, let it go.”
He closed his eyes and said as his body turned to dust, “It’s time to go.”
A few hours later, Hartwell and Maggie awoke on the porch in the dark of the night. They both felt a little hung over at first as Hartwell helped Maggie sit up.
“Do you feel any different?” Hartwell asked.
Maggie checked herself and smiled, “I feel unobstructed love.”
Even though Hartwell had reached his 100th death in recent times, it had been over a century since he had been mortal with no associated paranormal activity. His view of the future always was ringed with clouds on the horizon. He helped Maggie to her feet and then said, “It’s like when we first met all over again.”
They met it a passionate kiss as the power of the moment eventually caused Maggie to lose her balance. She backed up slightly and he followed, their lips still locked, until she came up on an object that impeded her path. Maggie looked up at the long spear that was still poking a whole in Manuel.
“We should probably remove this at some point,” she suggested.
Hartwell got in position and tugged at it, but the object