Magician's Realm, Page 3

31

  Kelvin turns about quickly ready to ask a major concern to Doctor Tuttle but yelps in pain.

  “Are you alright?”

  “Yes,” Kelvin lifts a hand, “no, I’ll be fine after a good night’s rest. Lawn furniture is good for relaxing in the sun, but doesn’t make well for an actual bed.”

  Doctor Tuttle motions for him to continue with his question.

  “Let’s say for discussion sake that David was looking at pornography, dirty pictures, the ugly.”

  “Let’s say.”

  “Why?”

  “Uhm, why what exactly?”

  Kelvin walks around the room, his hands and arms moving to illustrate his point, “Looking at it from a military standpoint, what tactical advantage does Satan have sending pornography or conduits of lust his way?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Kelvin motions with a downward wave of his hand to all of Doctor’s Tuttle’s degrees on the wall.”

  “Hey, we never get these kinds of questions. It’s always, uhm, what did someone’s house look like or who’s this person’s great grandfather.”

  “Please stay with me on this, Doctor. What tactical advantage did Satan have throwing pornography at David, using Bathsheba.”

  Doctor Tuttle leans back to think. “For starters, Bathsheba didn’t cause him to be weak or sin, she just revealed a flaw.”

  “So again, we see that pornography is just the show, not the strike per say.”

  “Yes, the cotton candy, uh-huh.”

  “Why send it? Why orchestrate all of that? To allocate a certain hierarchy of his demon cohorts to so strongly pursue this attack?”

  “Well,” he lifts his eyebrows looking up to the ceiling, “John 10:10 comes to mind. Satan comes to kill, steal and destroy.”

  Kelvin is enlightened, “So David had something Satan was after.” He points an a-ha.

  Doctor Tuttle nods. “He was king for starters.” Kelvin lifts an eyebrow listening. “Sure, after he fell with Bathsheba, he almost lost everything his sin was building, starting with his new son. I think at this point, when his son died, was when he started to awaken to what he really did, feeling some kind of remorse. Then things got really bad because he had to deal with consequences. Family raping family, killing family, it let in all this stuff. Lust, adultery, lying, conspiracy, death, not being a good steward as a king, incest, more rape, more death, shame. His family suffered dearly.”

  Kelvin is staring at him, thinking, “His son, his line.”

  “Yes, and if you look further down that line, or rather the next line he created with Bathsheba, you’ll find Solomon, wisest of all.”

  Kelvin is listening intently.

  “Then go way, way, way down that line and you’ll find Jesus arriving through that lineage, but I guess him being born of a virgin kind of threw a wrench in Satan’s plans.”

  Kelvin is floored, for the first time, he must sit down. “Doctor Tuttle, I’m led to believe here that pornography is always after something.” He takes a pause. “Whether it’s David being a voyeur or me.”

  “Lust is lust.”

  “Yes. I see it now,” Kelvin ponders, “pornography is after something.”

  “Ha! And it reveals something too.”

  Kelvin must stand again to speak, “Because of King David’s conduit of lust, his whole family got destroyed by corruption. In fact, nothing even happened to him or Bathsheba, physically. Satan wasn’t even after them; the onslaught was mostly on David’s family. He was after David’s line and I’m sure destroying David and making his life a living hell was just a perk.” He nods, “Satan was after something with this pseudo pornography attack,” he ponders.

  “Yes, a temptation that if acted on, would lead to an attack.”

  Kelvin states warily, “He must be after something in my life too.” He tries to stay composed as he watches another piece of the puzzle come into play. He looks over, “Doctor Tuttle, your skills of perception are starting to impress me.” And he bolts out of the study.

  “Ah, good.”

  32

  Kelvin leans on the statue, enjoying some reverie. One of them being him and his father leaving the new fellowship and being stopped by one of the brothers.

  “Wait, wait, you’re not staying?” A voice calls from behind.

  Oreleander turns around, “Oh, is there something scheduled?”

  “No,” Tim smiles, “but we realized we had all these burgers and dogs left over from the festival so we’re going to have a barbecue, today. Now actually,” his smile lingering.

  “Is that right?” Oreleander looks over to Kelvin who’s already wearing a grin.

  “Gotta watch out for us here, we’re pretty spontaneous. I hope you don’t have to be anywhere?”

  “Just here, Tim.” The brother is delighted and coaxes him to some picnic tables. Kelvin trails behind smiling.

  He finishes reminiscing, still wearing the smile, “You’re going to bless him, huh God?” Kelvin lifts his eyes then spots Saches approach in his usual walk with a hop.

  They have been friends a long time, long for a teenager that is. How they met is actually kind of funny. Oreleander’s jet was coming in for a landing when Mr. Northrope’s helicopter, that’s Saches’ Dad, had already gotten clearance to land and moved in front of them almost causing a collision. Once on the ground, the pilot of Oreleander’s plane raced out of the aircraft and ran full speed to the helicopter and started to beat up the pilot, pummeling him to a pulp. Oreleander quickly ran out to see what was happening, then had to assist Mr. Northrope to keep them apart, or at least keep the helicopter pilot alive until the police arrived. Kelvin and Saches were only seven and had looked at each other astonished this was even happening. Mr. Northrope forced the airport to fire all the tower employees. He wanted everyone to know what happens if someone messed up. Eventually, he just decided to build his own mini airport in his backyard. He’s really rich.

  “Hey.”

  “Hey.”

  “Hey.”

  “Hey,” gets a closer look, “have you been messing around with chocolate again?”

  “No!”

  “Yes!”

  “No!”

  Kelvin laughs.

  Saches returns with, “Have you?”

  “Are you kidding me? My kitchen looks like a baker worked double shifts.” Then he laughs, puts his arm around Saches and walks off. “Don’t worry buddy, Romans 8:1, no condemnation, not from me anyway, or Jesus for that matter. But now I have a craving for chocolate cake. I mean the actual cake,” he chuckles finding it difficult to stay serious.

  “Quit it man.”

  A boring lecture, Kelvin is dozing off. Coffee didn’t help, neither did the second cup. But he does get a text and that wakes him momentarily.

  Professors plan an all out hit from a blind spot. Be ready.

  After reading it, he dozes off still holding the phone in one hand and an empty coffee cup in another.

  Sitting on a park bench, sleepy, looking at reports, he yawns trying to keep his eyes open. He catches a kid walking by, about four years old, who stares at him oddly. Then the kid begins to shake a pointed finger at him, as if saying, ‘Shame on you’, and keeps walking by, looking back until out of sight.

  After the kid passes, Kelvin finally turns forwards again, glances to where the kid went, looks puzzled, then looks down to ponder.

  Night rolls in and Kelvin is getting to bed. After what seems like only one second of deep sleep, the light turns back on again. He struggles to open his eyes only to focus on a badge.

  “I’m Detective Sodder. We have a court order to search and retrieve,” his eyes look around, “everything.” Kelvin looks up to find a man in a suit, then others with suits, as well as uniformed men all wearing white gloves. “We traced your p2p’s I.P. address, and it leads us here, a bunch of times. Any idea why our hackers, which are quite good, told us your house has been a very bad house?”

  Kel
vin’s eyes freeze, then move again as he watches officers going through his belongings. Then another officer enters with a type of drawer from a dresser and shows the insides to the Detective. “It’s littered throughout the house,” a scruff voice rumbles.

  The Detective grimaces, takes out his handcuffs and orders, “Stand up!”

  Kelvin cries, “What? No.” Then two officers forcefully help him up and turn him around so Detective Sodder can handcuff him. “This must be some kind of mistake.”

  “On whose part?” Sodder lashes. “Grab his laptop, I’m sure we’ll find a whole lot of sweet stuff on there. Enough to make you the sweetest guy in prison.”

  “Huh? No!” he gasps for air.

  “You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to an attorney.” They begin to lead him out. “If you can’t afford one, one will be appointed to you.”

  Suddenly the front door opens giving a full view to a light show of police cars and siren lights. Kelvin screams in fear, then tries to go back in the house, fighting his way in, or at least trying. Frantically he yells, “Dad, Dad! Where are you?”

  The Detective gets close and snarls, “Your Daddy is already in the patrol car. He says he’s innocent, but,” he shrugs, “they all do.” Kelvin looks at him stupefied. “Do you wanna ride with him while we search the rest of the house?”

  Kelvin looks at all the cars knowing they must have been on to him for some time. Then his eyes stop at his father’s face in one of the back seats. He turns overwhelmed and distraught, crying with no hope, breaking from within, snot pouring out. And with breaths short, becoming more and more trite, he tries to resist the arrest, “No! No! I don’t want to go jail. No, please, no! Somebody, please!” The cops hold him strong against his struggle.

  Suddenly everybody in the lecture hall sees Kelvin jump up and scream, “I don’t want to go to jail!” His voice echoes loudly and horrifying.

  The students are startled by his upheaval. Those next to him aghast, those sitting faraway looking over, wondering. His breaths are heavy, eyes glassy, hands still behind him as if handcuffed.

  Kelvin slowly begins to get his composure, he retracts his hands. The teacher is looking at him oddly. The students snicker. Then batting his eyes a few times, he opens his eyes wide and looks around slowly starting to regress to his seat, “I apologize for interrupting your class, Professor Hentley.” He waves with an accompanying cough.

  “Are you...okay? Do you need to get some water, or something?” he lifts up a hand.

  Trying to calm his breathing, “I’m okay, thank you, Sir. Again, I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.” He then looks around to all the leering faces. “Actually, I think water would be good.” He hastens out of there shaking his head angry with himself.

  Mr. Sanders remarks, “I think the pressure is getting to him.” Mr. Spiffs who is nearby indulges in a smile.

  33

  “I think I now understand the motivation and tactics behind what is happening, some.” He shrugs his shoulders, “But that doesn’t necessarily mean that I can push it away every time. It still appears, no, it is, overwhelming, like trying to stop a freight train. Surely there is no weapon from Satan that has absolute power. Does that not violate the scripture where it says we won’t have more than we can handle? To look for the escape?” He lifts his eyebrows.

  “Uh, yes and no,” Doctor Tuttle’s replies.

  “Elaborate, please. I believe with God, there is either yes or no even though with the world, life and such, gray areas do exist. ”

  “There is a scripture in the bible that not too many people want to hear.” Kelvin approaches curiously, bracing himself. “I know I try to forget it whenever possible,” he chuckles.

  “Please, Doctor Tuttle, I’m at the edge of my seat.”

  “If you look in the King James Version, Mark, chapter nine and Matthew chapter, uhm, seventeen, yes, that’s it, when the disciples weren’t able to cast out an evil spirit, but Jesus was able to, they questioned him afterwards about it.”

  Kelvin bows his head as he knows where Doctor Tuttle is going.

  “Jesus said, these only come out or come forth by prayer and fasting, and right before this, in Matthew, the previous verse, he taught a little bit about faith.” Kelvin’s expression is frozen. “I’m not saying you are possessed by an evil spirit, but what this scripture outlines appears to be the right approach to a seemingly impossible problem.” Kelvin closes his eyes in dread. His head falls hanging loosely.

  34

  In the courtyard, Kelvin is watching something intently. Following his line of sight through a mass of students, a chocolate bar is visible sticking out of one of the student’s coat. He can’t take his eyes off it. Then suddenly, the kid moves and the chocolate bar slips out of his pocket. Kelvin jumps, watching the chocolate bar fall in slow motion, spinning through the air, and hitting the ground, bouncing and rolling a couple times. No one even notices.

  He looks around anxiously, then decides to go for it. To go after this finder’s keepers. He weaves in and out of blue jackets, keeping his sights on-.

  Incoming text message.

  Statue.

  He pauses, gets mad, and returns back to where he was standing. Soon after, Saches arrives and immediately Kelvin grabs him by his coat at the collar, “You have to help me, Saches.”

  “What, what’s wrong?”

  “I need you to fast with me.”

  Saches starts pulling away, “Anything but that.” Kelvin is looking at his refusal to assist. “Last year I fasted for the morning and afternoon, I thought I was going to die man.” He shakes his head adamantly. “No way man, uh-uh.”

  “I need you to be strong for me, Saches. If you’re fasting, then I know I’m not in this alone.”

  Saches’ jaw drops. “What! You’re kidding right? Did you just imply what I think you-“

  “We could help each other. I won’t last any other way.”

  “Uh, sorry, Buddy. I don’t feel God calling me to fast today.”

  “Saches!”

  “Hey, my maid is making lasagna, are you crazy?”

  “Saches, this is non-negotiable. I need your help.”

  “Uh, no.” Kelvin is surprised at Saches non-compliance. Saches defends, “This is the maid that you said you wouldn’t mind being trapped on a deserted island with. She’s sixty, so I think you meant about her food, right?”

  Kelvin looks around flustered, not knowing what to say. Then he points, “I just saw a chocolate bar fall out of someone’s jacket.” He smacks his head, “The thoughts I had.” He begins to pace, hand rested on his belt.

  Saches is watching his strange behavior. “Chocolate? Where? I gotta get me some.”

  Kelvin sighs, “Can you please bring your grammar up a few tax brackets, you’re hurting my ears.” Then abruptly, Kelvin grabs Saches’ collar again, “Saches! I need your help!”

  “I am not God.”

  “You’re killing me.”

  “No, your flesh is dying!” Saches gets loose and wonders. “How long are you fasting?”

  “Tonight it will be three days. Sorry, I couldn’t tell you, just washed my face, all that.”

  “You’re gonna die man.”

  Kelvin points, “You should be dying with me. Jesus didn’t say if you fast, he said when. When Saches? When are you going to fast?” he points strongly.

  “Not today, I’ll tell you that right now. You’re on your own.” Saches walks away looking back, “Pray for grace.”

  Kelvin stands there upset. Smoke coming out of his nostrils, ears read. Then he sees the guy who dropped the chocolate bar realize he doesn’t have it, begin to look around and happily picks it up off the ground and walks away.

  Click, Click,

  “The market has spiked gentlemen. Diamond Shapers, your retail outlets are up and your overall increase is fourteen percent. Net Star, your increase is up seven percent. And Prefix Shipping, your increase is up thirty
-seven percent!” Cheers arise from all around.

  Mr. Smith and Mr. Thomas with some of the other associates come over to congratulate Kelvin. He tries to wipe away his sour face with a smile, but he’s so hungry. Then he faints.

  35

  Oreleander and Professor Trouse are sharing some words.

  “Your son is running an amazing company, but the pressure seems as it’s getting to him.”

  “How so?”

  “Well, he had an outburst the other day. Professor Hentley said he awoke out of a sleep quite hysterical.”

  “Sleeping in class?” Oreleander thinks, “I’ll keep him home tomorrow.”

  “He’s a remarkable student. I’m really proud of him.”

  He shakes hands, “Thank you, Professor Trouse.”

  Kelvin is quiet, in his room, a little somber.

  Ring, ring.

  “Saches.”

  “You faint, and I missed it! The world is not fair.”

  “It’s overrated.”

  “Did you eat?”

  “Forcibly, the doctor didn’t care much about my spirituality.”

  “It was a valiant goal, crazy too.”

  “Yes, if I hadn’t fainted, I would have had eight long hours ahead of me and would have made my goal. I’m sure it still counts for something.”

  “It wasn’t your fault.”

  “Yes it was, I should have drunk water.”

  “No water? You didn’t drink water?”

  “No.”

  “Okay, that’s just ludicrous.”

  “Now I know. Maybe next time, you’ll want to fast with me. What do you say?”

  “Man, there is no reception in this tunnel.”

  Click.

  Knock, knock.

  Kelvin smiles and hangs up. “Come in.” His father walks in, more of a stroll. “Hey Dad, sorry about today.”

  “It’s okay, you’re okay. You know, you’re free to stay home tomorrow, sleep in if you like.”

  “No, I rather not, I was just hungry.”

  “You can stay home.”

  “No, I have a lot to do. When this is over, I’ll take a day off.”

  Oreleander nods, “Goodnight.”

  36

  Sleeping soundly, morning sunlight breaks through the windows hitting Kelvin’s face. He begins to slowly open his eyes looking around cautiously. Finding the room empty, he sighs a big relief.

  In school, he gets pats on the back; he could only assume it’s for actually fainting during school. He casts it off and sends a text.

  Mr. Tripps, I want to meet with my board.

  He hits send and continues walking confidently.

  At his designated time, he stands in front of his team. “I wanted to get a status report about our company. How are we doing and is there anything I need to know? Figures not matching up, problems with fulfillment. Employee strikes.” He looks at his first in command, “Mr. Tripps.”

  “Mr. Hobbs, I believe our company is sound. We have built a strong company.”

  Kelvin looks at him and nods. Since he does not see stress on their faces he affirms, “Thank you for your time, everyone. Please, let me not take any more of your day.” They begin to leave, a few wave. Kelvin backs up a few steps and leans on the stage. Crossing his arms, he sees Saches walking down the isle from the other side.

  Click, click.

  Everyone freezes; the other students are almost out the door.

  “Memo to the management groups of Diamond Shapers, Net Star and Prefix Shipping, all have been audited by the Internal Revenue Service. Diamond Shapers, you are free to conduct business as usual. Prefix Shipping, you are free to conduct business as usual. Net Star, all your company, employees’ and personal assets have been frozen. Your workforce has been sent home and your company is now under complete investigation and will have to await further consensus by the auditors and federal authorities.”

  The group almost out the door start cheering. Kelvin looks up and interrupts, “Let’s not gloat!” His words cut the air. “We are in no position.” The students look back at Kelvin surprised; they quiet down and dribble out the doorway.

  Saches’ jaw hangs in shock as he makes his way down to the front, still looking up. “This is too intense. I’m not even in your grade and I jump every time that P.A. turns on.”

  “Saches, that’s a good observation, which leads me to another question.”

  Kelvin sits in the passenger seat, smelling 1970’s vinyl. Finishing his time deep in thought, he looks over. “Dad, can I ask you a question, about business?”

  “Well, I would love that, Son, but wouldn’t that violate the rules?”

  “It’s not about business practices. I think it’s fine.”

  “I’m ready, hit me.” An excitement in his voice.

  “How do you do it? Have hundreds of people’s livelihoods in your hands, dealing with so many possible pitfalls? And yet, you’re calm. Look at you, you’re calm.”

  “Hmm...honestly, I think it was me that had to toughen up. I also had to realize that this is what I wanted. To be the head of five major corporations.” Kelvin listens astutely. “Once in a while, I still might get a little uneasy. But then, I realize,” a passion rising in his voice, “who better to handle the situation besides me?” He looks at Kelvin, “As long as that answer still points to me, then I have nothing to worry about.”

  Kelvin looks forward again, no reaction, “Good answer, Dad.”

  “You bet it is!”

  37

  At a function with those they’ve begun to fellowship with, Kelvin watches his father help hang decorations, and next to him, a nice woman that seemingly caught his attention, and he her’s. Kelvin smiles, enjoying the moment.

  Back at the mansion, on a quiet afternoon, Kelvin paces in the dining room as he reads his Bible, Mark 9, in the King James Version:

  And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not. He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? Bring him unto me. And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.

  Kelvin keeps reading a few more seconds slowly lowering the Bible from his eyes in wonder. His eyes show heavy ponderings as to what he just saw.”

  38

  Kelvin is looking at an object of interest on Doctor Tuttle’s shelf.

  “How goes the fight?” he hears from behind him.

  Kelvin gives a glance, then goes back to his object of interest. “I’ve had little victories here, there. At times, I would even be able to keep the furnace from turning on. But there is still a pilot light burning somewhere, a form of unbelief. Perhaps the enemy has slowed down his attack so I would overlook it.”

  The keen Doctor sits intrigued and must interject, “Technically, Jesus stripped Satan of all his power, so what could he be attacking you with?”

  Kelvin looks inside himself, “Deception, a lack of revelation as
to the finished work of Christ. Make no mistake, Doctor Tuttle, I’m on the hunt.” He exhales deeply, “Where is that pilot light?” shaking his head with a grimace. Then, while thinking, he turns and approaches, “Tell me about David’s palace, how was it situated?”

  Doctor Tuttle begins to recall, “We don’t’ know exactly, uhm...what it looked like. We do know that it was at a higher point than the rest of the abodes. Bathsheba, we presume lived nearby since her husband was in the military.” He looks away casually to think, “He was walking on the terrace, I imagine there was a good deal of space for him to even want to go for a walk up there, which brings him to an even higher vantage point. Who knows, maybe this wasn’t the first time this happened, you know, watch a girl bathing and so forth. But enough times and he finally took action.” He scoffs, “I mean, I don’t think David was a dumb guy. Who knows, maybe Bathsheba even might have known as well.”

  Kelvin motions for more.

  “Ha! Let’s be real,” the heavy set doctor belts out, “according to Scripture, sin doesn’t just spring out of the ground one day like a row of ants. It has to be appreciated, loved and caressed, nurtured. And we could already see sin has taken hold of David because he was doing things out in the open, calling for Bathsheba and such.” He waves, “I’m just filling in the blanks here.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “I mean, look at the picture.” A stifled chuckle, “The man was lying down, relaxing. The only thing that is going to get him off that couch is food or a woman.” He waves his hand as if swatting a fly.

  “Then, desire knocked, something Satan can twist into lust.”

  Nodding along, “Maybe he saw other women bathe from that vantage point, you know, in other abodes. The Bible never says this was the first time. But this time, it was Bathsheba, fire and dynamite. Maybe they both knew what they were doing and they both acted at the same time. All I’m saying is, it takes two to tango and David wasn’t dancing alone.” The doctor sighs painfully, “Poor Uriah, his wife Bathsheba is alone, and David is surrounded by people who are helping him sin.”

  Kelvin sits down and stares at him.

  Doctor Tuttle banters, “People think because of technology, that this temptation is something God wasn’t prepared for. Ha! Satan doesn’t reinvent himself. You know, this kind of stuff coming right to your door in quantities.”

  Kelvin is thinking things through, “So there was nothing left for him to do but act out.”

  “Boy, did he. By acting on this road of being a voyeur, his greedy mouth of lust, he went about handling things in his pseudo kingly way causing all hell to break loose on his and her’s unsuspecting family. A complete family breakdown, just one big waste of time.” He shakes his head frustrated just thinking about all the details.

  Kelvin looks around, his eyes searching for answers, “How can all this be avoided, Doctor Tuttle?”

  “I have been giving all of this more thought, you know, since you showed up here and all.” He reaches for a Bible from behind him searching for a scripture. Kelvin smiles. “Then I remembered,” he points up in the air, “ I believe the answer might lie with our friend, the Prophet Nathan, the one who rebuked David right after this heinous transgression transpired.”

  Kelvin tilts his head, his attention captured.

  “I had to look up a lot of this stuff again, but some of it I remembered. I was intrigued by this even back in school. Ah, yes, here it is. Nathan accused David, figuratively, of stealing the lamb from the guy who had none so he can feed this…uhm, traveler the scriptures speak about. David had his eyes on what someone else had and not what God blessed him with. On top of that, he is feeding his traveler with this other guy's one little lamb.” He explains with his hands, “David already had wives,” he lifts his hands, “it appears the notion of more women is not the cure for lust. Well, anyway,” he waves it off, “this guy ended up taking this poor guy’s little lamb that was like a daughter to him. Kind of messed up, wouldn't you think? Since he was well off and all...according to Nathan.” He puts up his hand. “Now let's talk about this traveler for a minute. Who is this guy? I understand the story is symbolic of maybe an event Nathan might have saw at one time, but this traveler he speaks of is causing the man with plenty to take what doesn't belong to him, furthermore he takes from the guy who has nothing, all to feed this traveler? Hmm...and if you look up this scripture in other translations, it calls him a guest, a visitor. And it appears this visitor has clear influence over the man that took the little lamb who in this case, is the man David, whom let an influence into his life.”

  Kelvin is awe-struck. “Visitor, like pornography, a tapeworm that will never be full, that you try to feed with an endless amount of means. A mouth of lust.” Kelvin looks at Doctor Tuttle, the wheels seem to be spinning, and then Kelvin goes around the desk and picks up the Bible to read it for himself.

  “Right there, half way down.” The doctor points, then waits

  Kelvin finishes, looks away, then back at Doctor Tuttle stunned. He puts the Bible down, then comes back around the desk.

  Doctor Tuttle points upward, “I’m not done. Let’s look at that specific word ‘traveler’ in the Greek and Hebrew.” He begins to draw thick books from his arsenal of shelves.

  Kelvin grins, “You’re flexing, Doctor Tuttle.”

  “Ha! Traveler is word #1982, which, in the Hebrew means wanderer. Not the best choice for a king to be spending time with.” He smiles, “Anyway, we’ll get back to that later. Are you ready for the clincher? To be frozen with astonishment?”

  Kelvin shows anxiety on his face.

  “Traveler in the Greek means something else. It means to overshadow, to envelope in a shadow. To throw a shadow upon. So according to Nathan’s analogy, David had a visitor, it overshadowed him, it enveloped him, it took him over, and it obscured his mind and his faculties. The only thing he could see is what this shadow wanted him to see, and that was how to fulfill his lusts, the ones he himself created by listening to this thing in the first place.”

  Kelvin’s spine chills, alarmed from his inner core. Goosebumps hit his arms and he tries to speak but his mouth is frozen. He pictures, Like a shadow over an establishment of darkness or an accompaniment to temptation. Kelvin waits a second, then tries to speak again, the words escaping broken up. “David allowed a visitor into his life,” his eyes lower, “and it destroyed him, his family.”

  39

  The doctor indulges, “Now let’s go back to that wanderer, just for fun. Clearly this was an entity of some kind. But what kind? We see some similar characteristics in Matthew 12, when it describes when an evil spirit is cast out of a man, it shows the evil spirit’s path. ‘Then when it didn’t find anywhere else to go’, it said, ‘it walketh through dry places, seeking rest and finding none’, well, that word walketh in the Greek, word #1330, talks about traveling through a place or region. And this other word when he says, ‘and when he is come’, that word ‘come’ in the Greek, #2064, it talks about having influence, also uhm, coming into being, to be established. All this paints more of a picture of this visitor looming in David’s life.

  “That he allowed.” Kelvin feels naked in his soul as nothing is hid from the word of God.

  “In a way of speaking.” Doctor Tuttle is forced to sigh as he thinks upon the hardship David caused and endured. “I think this whole thing with David was going on for some time. It’s only when things surfaced that we can finally see it. But according to Nathan the prophet, God saw the visitor all along.”

  “Doctor Tuttle, I really can’t take any more of this,” his words stammering, “but I will try to stick it out a little longer.” He paces, “I am led to understand, the venue is irrelevant, watching a woman bath, looking at pornography, entangling stories, cartoons, if that thing is involved, the downfall will be just as torrential as David.”

  Doctor Tuttle lifts his eyebrows with pursed lips and slowly nods. “Looks like Satan is always trying to get people to s
ell their birthright.”

  Kelvin sharply turns as if a chord had been struck, “Just like Esau.”

  “Just like Esau,” he points, “just like Samson,” he waves his hands in the air, “Just like Adam and Eve.” He mumbles, “You know it’s because of those two I don’t have a dinosaur right now?” He looks away mad, eyebrows arched. Perhaps a chord struck in him too, disgruntled at the fall of man.

  Kelvin shakes his head trying to understand. “Doctor?” He lifts a palm in the air trying to get his attention, “If you permit me to continue, I think we were on to something.”

  “Right, right, I’m sorry, go on.”

  Kelvin begins to move again, “So then with very elaborate means, David began to act on his fantasy so it would become a reality.”

  Doctor nods.

  “Although I believe acting out is just an indication to the spiritual status of one’s mind, or lack of.”

  He points up to Kelvin, “You’re right!”

  Kelvin turns about, “What! I’m right?” a lift of the eyebrows. “How so, Doctor Tuttle? Please.”

  “Well, things happen in the spiritual realm first.” A confident look on his face as he glances at the clock. “Awe, the time, we’ll get into this in our next session.”

  “No!” Kelvin screams extending his hand forward as if Doctor Tuttle was about to cut the red wire, when it was really the blue. The doctor freezes as he was about to stand up, and looks at him oddly. Kelvin quickly regroups, takes out his wallet placing a crisp one hundred dollar bill, a second one, as he usually pays upon arrival. Then slowly slides it on the desk in front of the really nice theologian. “Doctor Tuttle, would you be so gracious as to stave off any pressing plans for at least five minutes, I really would love to hear what you were about to say.”

  Doctor Tuttle concedes, “Alright then!” He sits down, “Well, do you remember when Jesus rebuked the storm? Right after they woke him up so rudely may I add.”

  “Yes, absolutely, Jesus wanted to go to the other side.”

  He nods, “He didn’t just rebuke the storm, no, Jesus is always doing something else when he’s doing something. He rebuked the winds first, then the waves.”

  Kelvin takes a moment to process this deeply.

  Doctor Tuttle pauses, lifting his eyebrows, hoping Kelvin gets it. “Come on, winds, waves...you know it?”

  Almost a minute passes.

  Kelvin is burning brain fuel. He blurts out, “The winds, they are invisible.”

  “Yes!” He points adamantly back to Kelvin. “They are the spiritual, the unseen. The waters, he did second, the physical. The winds affect the waters. The spiritual affects the natural.” His animation builds, “If you want to see the condition of the winds, look at the waters. If you want to see the condition of the spiritual, look at the natural. And this event with the winds and waves were recorded in three Gospels, all were in that order. Jesus took care of the winds first, then the waves, then a calm followed immediately after. Kapow!” He claps his hands and slams his pudgy hand down on the one hundred dollar bill taking it and putting it in his shirt pocket, then looks up with a smile and motions with a slow downward wave to all his degrees on the wall.

  Kelvin takes a few seconds to absorb this thinking, finally realizing, “It would be impossible for me to calm the raging waters in my life when the winds are still going crazy.”

  “Yes! So David, walking on the roof, or sleeping on that couch, things were already in motion against him a long, long, time ago.”

  “The visitor’s influence.”

  The doctor tilts his head, “I would almost say he was almost powerless. This outcome was going to happen whether he liked it or not. The momentum he created was too hard for him to stop in his mere natural strength, and his family will receive most of the brunt for his decision.” An expression of sorrow comes on the Doctor’s face, “And sadly, Uriah was collateral damage.”

  Kelvin looks at him amazed, then circles the room once. He nods, muttering “So, according to our Prophet Nathan, King David was entertaining a visitor.” Then he looks inwardly and his head falls from shame.

  Meanwhile the doctor is thinking. He blurts out, “And Bathsheba brought it to light.” The good Doctor looks away in thought. “See, people try to rebuke lust, or get control of it, or, actually...I don’t even know what they’re trying to do. But lust is a work of the flesh, it’s not spiritual. Something spiritual is causing the person’s flesh to go crazy with lust, and it’s in the spiritual where you have to take care of the problem. Trying to stop the flesh is like trying to stop gravity, you’re working against a law and you will lose.”

  “It’s in the mind,” Kelvin mutters. “That’s where the spiritual is in my case.”

  “Romans 12:2 instructs us to renew our minds and we will be transformed. The winds in your mind will have to be brought under the authority of the Word.” He points, “And the fun part of all is that everything hangs in the balance of your will.” He stays smiling and takes out the hundred dollar bill from his pocket and gleams while looking at it. Speaking out the side of his mouth as if thinking aloud, he jests, “I should open up a booth on the boardwalk. Easiest money I ever made.”

  Kelvin is frozen inside. He manages to turn a bit, “Doctor Tuttle, thank you for the extension of your time.” And leaves the room dignified, his hand in his side coat pocket.

  40

  Kelvin sits at a picnic table, staring out into oblivion. No notebook or briefcase, just sitting there, profoundly shaken by the intruder unawares.

  Now sitting on the ground of his basketball court, he’s still motionless.

  Standing at a high lookout point, he stares out. In a flash he remembers the spot where he found that first magazine as a little kid. His eyes grow intense. He begins to have a vision. It is of him, now in King David’s shoes and royal attire. He steps out onto the terrace, a nearby guard nods respectfully. He reciprocates and continues, looking outward, walking to the edge. He leans against the ledge looking at the city in a glance.

  His scrutinizing eyes study the landscapes, rooftops below his, spaces between the abodes. Passing his eyes over the homes, he sees something, something familiar. Behind one of the houses, a woman preparing her bath. She feels secure that the walls will give her privacy and continues.

  Suddenly, an arrow pierces Kelvin’s heart, desire strikes him. He realizes it’s best to come back, so he turns about and plans to return shortly.

  Moments later, Kelvin comes out of his trance like vision to where he was standing at the lookout point. He shakes his head, realizing he had a vision and looks down to ponder the details.

  A text interrupts his thoughts.

  Final results in two weeks. Mr. Tripps.

  “Thank you, Mr. Tripps.” Remembering his responsibility, he walks away.

  41

  Through the hustle and bustle of school, Kelvin walks about the courtyard carrying a water bottle in hand. Off to his blindside, one of Mr. Spiffs' employees approach him. With disc in hand, he aims to put it in Kelvin’s jacket pocket, but Kelvin catches the maneuver and squeezes the bottle throwing water up onto the lackey’s face sending him back. Mr. Spiffs watches the whole ordeal from the sidelines.

  A short while later, Kelvin listens to input from his management, slowly pacing back and forth, weighing each idea.

  The water bottle becomes an accessory to Kelvin’s life. Buying them at vending machines, walking from here to there, carrying a clear plastic bottle.

  As dusk arrives, and weather is foul, the white smoke from the limo’s exhaust creates an ambiance. Kelvin’s cloak like coat cuts through the puffs of smoke as he enters his limo, and before closing the door, he shares a look of hostile rivalry with Mr. Spiffs. The door shuts, and immediately, his chariot presses forward.

  42

  Click, click.

  “Memo to the business community. The investigation into Net Star's misappropriation of funds has finished, leading and causing the IRS to sei
ze all assets, freeze all accounts and render the corporation out of business.”

  Students begin cheering, others are amazed.

  “Furthermore, the IRS task force will soon be arresting C.E.O. Mr. Sanders and if convicted, he will be guilty of fraud, embezzlement, and corporate espionage, landing him in jail for most of his adult life. Uh-hem, Mr. Sanders and his corporate upper management will continue to be investigated to see whether repeating this year is in their future,” he scoffs, “if even allowed. Meanwhile, the IRS will begin selling off Net Star to pay back taxes owed plus interest. There won't be anything left of Net Star once this quarter is complete.”

  Mr. Sanders stands motionless in the courtyard for all to see as the shocking news makes it to his ears. He is lost, he does not feel bottom and knows he has been carried out to sea. A few around him, his collaborators, also disheartened.

  Right then, Mr. Spiffs takes an opportunity and arrogantly gets in Kelvin’s face. Others listen for what words will transpire.

  “It’s just you and me, Mr. Hobbs.”

  Kelvin takes a drink of water, “No, it’s you,” he points, “against me and my upper management.”

  A few of Kelvin’s managers nearby smile, then Mr. Trent pushes Mr. Spiffs back out of Kelvin’s face ordering, “Get away from him.”

  But Mr. Spiffs keeps mean eyes on Kelvin and taunts, “You know you’re no match for my business tact,” and just as he finishes, Mr. Sanders walks by with his head down in agony. Mr. Spiffs takes the opportunity and forcibly pushes him into Kelvin. “You belong over there.”

  Kelvin catches Mr. Sanders and watches Mr. Spiffs leave. Then behind him, Mr. Sanders leaving as well, numb even to that hard push. A downcast soul, head bowed, sorrowful and devastated.

  Mr. Trent assures, “Don’t let him get to you.”

  Kelvin looks at him, “He’s right, he’s better at business tact.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “Sometimes you win by losing Mr. Trent,” he keeps his eyes on Mr. Spiffs, the last sight of him before he turns the corner.

  “Are you saying you want to lose?” Kelvin does not answer. “Mr. Hobbs, I don’t want my parents to receive a negative report for the year, much less repeat this year.” Still no response out of Kelvin. “Mr. Hobbs, we have been a good management team for you.”

  “And you have good reason to.” Kelvin looks at him and walks away. Mr. Trent is left upset.

  In Kelvin’s room, Saches is wondering, “So you want to lose?”

  Kelvin grimaces, “When it comes to business sense, Mr. Spiffs has a head start. I am not so blind as to not see that.”

  Saches grabs the reports and holds them up, “He’s not that far ahead of you. His company only grossed one-hundred forty seven million last cycle. Yours is at seventy-nine million. You can catch up! You can pass him!”

  Kelvin shakes his head.

  “Ask your father, he would know what to do.”

  “I can’t ask my father, it’s against the rules. I am not allowed to ask anyone related to me.”

  “I’ll ask him!”

  “No.”

  “Okay, then, I’ll ask my own father.”

  He looks up, “I wouldn’t put you through that, Saches.”

  “Kelvin, you can’t lose to Mr. Spiffs. You can’t lose this year. You have to come up with a bigger bottom line than him. That is the only way to win.”

  Kelvin looks away, “I know.”

  43

  An intercom call interrupts Oreleander at work.

  “Mr. Hobbs, a student is here to see you.”

  Oreleander brightens, “Please, let him in.” Then he goes around the desk to-

  “Good day, Mr. Hobbs.”

  “Uh, good day Mr., uh Spiffs,” looking at him suspiciously.

  “I don’t mean to interrupt your day, but I was hoping to get some business intelligence from you. If you don’t mind helping.”

  Oreleander stays looking at him, discerningly.

  In the courtyard, the students walk around with their school coats. Kelvin holds his drink, water in hand.

  Click, click.

  “Diamond Shapers has just lowered their overhead 14.9 percent by shipping their goods via cargo ship as opposed to the costly use of aircraft.”

  Kelvin tilts his head analyzing what he just heard when Mr. Spiffs walks by and indulges, “You’re father is really smart. Please thank him for me.”

  Kelvin is surprised then angered, his face signaling he’s about to attack but he refrains, he does not even know why. Once Mr. Spiffs is out of sight, Kelvin lets his head hang.

  44

  The old car is rattling up a storm as it cruises the winding roads. Kelvin looks up at his father, “Did you really help Mr. Spiffs?”

  Oreleander pauses a moment, “Yes. He came to me for help. It wasn’t against the rules.”

  “Your advice worked. Now he’s eighty-seven million dollars ahead of me, I can never match him by last quarter’s end. Why did you give him such good advice?” he looks up at his father.

  “Because I hoped that if you would’ve went to his father and asked for help, he would’ve saw passed any animosity and help you.”

  Kelvin shakes his head disappointedly, “I don’t understand why you helped him. He’s slime. He doesn’t even care about his own company or his people.”

  Oreleander lifts his eyebrows.

  “You cut me deep, Dad.” Kelvin takes another drink of water and looks out the window.

  Oreleander keeps driving quietly.

  During a quick shotgun meeting with his management, Kelvin asks, “How’s our numbers?”

  Mr. Tripps replies, “Our numbers are good, but not even close to Mr. Spiffs’ figures.”

  “Where in our company can we cut to find the capital for more planes? More planes, more routes, it’s a plan I can submit to the professors. If it’s strong, it might yield an increase.”

  Mr. Trent points out, “If we cut into our reserves, it will leave us very vulnerable. Proceeding with that course, if the market drops even five points, or our stock splits, in fact, anything like that, it’ll be over for us, and if necessary, we won’t have the capital to buy our own stock back if a dip occurs. Right now, we have a good strong company, not the revenue Mr. Spiffs has, but it is strong. If we are bought out by Mr. Spiffs, it would be the ruin of us all, maybe even more humiliating than what happened to Net Star. The buyout negotiations alone will strip us all of our dignity.”

  Kelvin profoundly realizes as he looks at Mr. Trent that in one move he could’ve have lost his own company. He approaches, now cognizant and shakes Mr. Trent’s hand. “I hired the right man. Thank you for catching my short sightedness and hastiness.”

  Mr. Trent reciprocates, “That’s why we’re here. To be there.”

  He backs away, an expression of appreciation as he continues, “I have to submit my final order of business for the end of the fiscal year to the professors in three days. Be available, Mr. Spiffs might be leading the market,” he gives a gracious look to Mr. Trent, “but he is not the whole economy.” He nods acknowledging them, “Carry on, everyone.”

  The students begin their exit, but Kelvin stands worrying. Suddenly, his watch rings, and he gasps. Hurriedly, he rushes over to his attache case and starts to dig through it like a mad man. He pulls out a chocolate bar, unwraps it, and starts eating it making deep grunting animal sounds while tearing it apart with his teeth and paws. “I don’t believe it, 168 hours, finally over. Yum! I love you chocolate!”

  Unbeknownst to him, Saches is walking up behind him starting to see this unusual spectacle. Shocked, he yells, “Kelvin, what are you doing!” Kelvin turns around startled. Saches sees his hands and mouth smeared with chocolate accompanied with a glassy eyed expression. He can’t help but to utter an, “Oh no.”

  “It’s not what it looks like.”

  Later in the limo, Kelvin sits bombarded by guilt. Saches
who sits on the passenger side looks over to spot Kelvin shaking his head, as if mad at himself.

  “You okay?”

  “No, no...I need to ask for your forgiveness.”

  “From me?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’ve been deplorable.”

  “I’m sure it’s only half that bad.” Saches brushes it off.

  “No, I should be quartered, right there in the center square,” his voice rising, “for all the townsfolk to see what happens to a bloody planker. Yes, that should be my sentence.”

  “I’m sure you will tell me what a planker is, although, I think I don’t want to know.” He lifts up his hand, “I don’t care.

  “No! You do care, Saches! You do care! See, I understand now. Before, I would cast my eyes away at another sinner, saying to myself, proud of myself, that I’m not like them. Instead, I should beat my chests, with fists, and tear my garments with a heart of chagrin, and compunction.”

  “I’m about to kick you out of this car if you don’t get to your point.”

  “Saches, I understand about the chocolate. It took me a whole week of fasting to realize the desire and allure of…chocolate. I never understood before, but I understand now.” He sighs, forced to look away, “I was such a horrible planker.”

  Saches looks forward, “Driver, stop the car, someone’s getting out.”

  “Driver, belay that order, uh...please,” holding a finger up, “he’s probably just hungry.”

  Saches looks over loosing his patience.

  “Saches, I was walking around with a plank in my eye, all this time. And I focused on your poor little splinter in your eye, and making you feel so bad about it.”

  Saches stops mid air, “Uhm, plank? Wait, what’s your plank? Please don’t answer.”

  “Saches, I regret…again, please forgive me, I was only thirteen.”

  “Shut up and say it already!”

  After a long deep sigh, he confesses, “I tried to steal your maid.” Now he stays really still, ready for any sudden punches, but figures if he keeps talking, Saches will just forget about it. “Sadly to say, I could not help myself.”

  “You tried to steal my maid?” he inquires.

  “Yes, my friend, the good cooking one.”

  Saches just stays looking at him, unmoved. Never would he have thought.

  “I couldn’t help it, it was after dinner, she made chicken parmigiana. My nose was brought to a new place. My taste buds were being romanced. I was powerless over her wiles. Then, when you happened to leave the table for just a moment, all it took was a moment Saches, which I hate you by the way for that, even though the fault rests entirely on me. Well, to tell you all the noise of it, I approached her.”

  Still no response from Saches, just astonishment. After all, this is his best friend.

  “My knees shook, there must have been at least a foot of air beneath my shoes and the floor. I said, ‘Mrs. Lorretta, even after living in Italy for one year, I still have never tasted such invigorating chicken cutlets as what you served tonight. What would it take for you to work for me?’”

  Saches is dazed, having to look away as he remembers the night. Even the chauffeur has an ear bent backwards.

  “And with one swoop, she shot me down. Remember, she used to call me Mr. Hobes? Well, she killed me Saches. My self esteem was never the same after that. The pain of that downfall and of being heartbroken was too much to bear. And here I am throwing daggers at you because you took a swipe of chocolate frosting. How dare I? How dare I!” His loud explanation of bereavement turns to one of reminiscing, “The cute way she would call me ‘Mr. Hobes’ with only one ‘b’ making the second ‘b’ silent. The way she would start on the baking of cookies in your second kitchen to surprise us later. Oh, and please, no one makes better iced tea than her. She clearly was the best maid that has ever walked the sands of time.” He lets out a long sigh of healthy recollection.

  A few quiet seconds pass as Saches thinks his friend has lost his mind.

  Surprisingly, the chauffeur yells out, “What’d she say?” They both look up surprised. “Oh, I’m sorry, it was just because I had a similar thing and ...well, not important.” He waves it off.

  Saches agrees, “Yeah, what did she say?”

  Kelvin looks around, trapped in that gigantic limo. He realizes he must tell all. After a few deep breaths he lets known, “She said, and I quote, ‘Mr. Hobes, you make me laugh’.” His face falls from the extraction of hope.

  Saches nods, thinking things through, then reaches over and grabs Kelvin’s jacket pen pocket and pulls quickly ripping it as far as it can go.

  Kelvin is shocked, but then nods and accepts it, “Well,” he looks down, “I finally paid my penance.” He passes his hand on the open pocket as if it was a new tie, and exhales a relief, “I feel better. Thank you, Saches. Now I can wear my shame with pride.”

  “Whatever, I don’t care about all these petty little details you keep stored up.”

  “Again, thank you.”

  Saches just shakes his head and looks away. “As long as you feel better.”