Chapter 1: The Stranger

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In every Peyton Place affair, in every battlefield, in every evil situation there is right there in the middle of it a positive spirit of truth wrestling with the negative forces that demoralize, degenerate, and kill.

~Bob W. Parrott, in his book Earth, Moon, and Beyond

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A form moved in the darkness. An eerie glow illuminated two floating eyes, focused on the man sleeping on the bed.

A hand reached out, slowly, carefully… and clamped onto his jaw.

Andrew Parson’s eyes shot open and his whole body jerked, but he quickly saw a finger held over shadowed lips, very near to his face. He nodded and slowly slipped out from under the blankets, careful not to awaken his wife.

He slowly shut his bedroom door and strolled across the room to find his oil lamp. Where was-

His hand suddenly hit glass, and it began to topple over.

He caught it in midair.

He let out a low breath, desperate to slow his pounding heart. He gently set the lamp back onto the table and felt around for a match. After a few moments, the darkness fled to a soft, orange glow.

Andrew lit the lamp and shook the match’s flame out. He turned to David Flanders and placed his hands on his hips.

The deputy shook his head. “I’m sorry to disturb ye, Reverend. But I figured ye wouldn’t want me to wake Mary.”

Andrew nodded. “What is it?”

“I, um…” He fidgeted and looked down at the floor.

Concern rose in Andrew’s chest. “It’s not the church, is it? Was there a fire?”

“No, no, nothin’ like that,” David quickly denied. “But… well… here, I’ll just show ye.”

Andrew followed David to his front door, then stood back as David thrust it open.

Andrew’s blood went cold, and his jaw dropped.

Angry clouds were beginning to swirl above the mountains of the Glyderau Range. The churning, swirling red and purple billows exploded with lightning, and the distant thunder sent a chill up Andrew’s spine.

“I don’t know what that is,” David said quietly, “but somethin’s tellin’ me that a storm is comin’. But not a physical one. One much stronger than that.”

Andrew met his gaze. “What do ye mean?”

David let out a low breath and looked back at the swirling specter. “I can feel it in me bones. Call it intuition. But somethin’ bad is comin’. Real bad. And it’s not somethin’ we can board our windows against.”

“Ye mean somethin’ spiritual?” Andrew asked.

David shook his head. “Call me crazy…”

“No, I won’t. That thing-” he pointed to the sky- “does not look natural. I don’t know what it is, but I think ye’re right about one thing. We need to keep our eyes open. And our hearts. I don’t know what’s comin’, but I’ll start prayin’ right now. It certainly won’t hurt.”

David nodded. “Sounds wise.”

“What are ye doin’ in the meantime?”

“Keepin’ me eyes open,” David replied gruffly. “If anythin’ happens, I’ll be the first one to know.”

~~~*~~~

Jade’s eyes drifted open. How many times had she woken up to the sound of Mr. Evan’s rooster? A small smile tugged at her lips as she stretched. For a moment, she let herself lay there. It felt so good just to lie still, to listen to the relative silence, to feel the gentle thumping of her heart.

After a minute, she swung her legs out of bed and started to get ready. Business could only wait for so long. She had better get everything done while she still had sunlight.

She slipped on a cute light blue and white dress- a Jade original. Over the course of the last two years, her reputation for taste and skill with cloth had spread throughout the town. Now all of Anwen was requesting her creations, from new dresses to gloves to jackets. Jade had quickly gained enough money to buy her own supply of cloth from Kendall’s General Store, and now she was an independent tailor and designer.

Jade stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the last parts of her dress, scrutinizing every detail with her green eyes to ensure it was picture perfect. There. It wouldn’t last two steps, but at least she knew it could look perfect at some point.

She paused for a moment, and her brow furrowed. Something didn’t feel right. But what? Today was like any other day. Nothing unusual about that.

Just like there was nothing unusual about the scent of bacon and toast that drifted through her doorway.

Jade smiled and left her room to join Nesta in the kitchen. She sat at the table and sang, “Good morning, Miss Nesta.”

Old Widow Nesta turned from the sizzling skillet on the stove and smiled. “Good mornin’, Jade. Did ye sleep well?”

“Quite well, thank you.”

“Well, just hold on a minute, dear. Breakfast is almost ready.”

“Smells great.”

A few minutes later, Nesta and Jade sat at the table with steaming plates of delicious-smelling food before them. After a word of grace, they dug in.

“So, have you just got the usual going on today?”

Nesta nodded. “I’ve got some things I need ye to deliver, if ye could.”

“That’s no problem. I can just add them to my route.”

“Thank ye, Jade. Other than that, I have a couple orders I need to complete, but then I can relax the rest of the day.”

Jade smiled. “Sounds nice.”

The newspaper thudded on the front porch.

“How about ye?”

Jade shrugged. “I’ve got to do my route, but I don’t have any other plans.”

“Will ye be seein’ Luke today?”

Jade shrugged. “I don’t know. I haven’t been seeing that much of him lately. He’s got his eye on the daughter of that new family in town.”

“Ah, the Vaughans?” Jade nodded. “I hear they’re nice.”

“Me too. But that’s about it.”

“What do ye know about her?”

Jade chewed on her bacon thoughtfully. “Not much. Luke hasn’t really said anything about her yet. All I know is she’s about our age, has curly blond hair, and caught Luke sneaking around her garden.”

Nesta laughed. “Well, she sounds fine to me.”

“To me too.” Jade added quietly, “I guess.”

“Ye guess?” Nesta asked, her smile fading.

“It’s just that… he’s overlooked me a lot lately. Gallivanting about, trying to be Prince Charming for the new damsel in distress.”

“And ye feel that ye’ve been put on the back burner, is that it?”

Jade looked down at her plate and poked her bacon. “Yeah.”

Nesta gave her a warm, encouraging smile. “Don’t worry, Jade. He’s just a little infatuated right now. But he’ll always love ye as a sister. Ye know that, right?”

Jade nodded.

“Don’t worry,” Nesta said again. “He’ll come around soon.”

Jade nodded again, then pushed her plate away and stood. “Thank you for breakfast, Miss Nesta. I need to be getting on my route.”

Nesta nodded. “Me embroideries are in the basket in the back room, dear. There’s a towel, a pillow, and a set of napkins in there. The towel goes to Mary Parson, the pillow goes to Eva Drake, and the napkins go to Christine Gordon.”

“Parson, Drake, and Gordon,” Jade repeated, holding up the appropriate item with each name. Nesta nodded her approval. “I’ll be back soon,” Jade called after grabbing her own basket of goods.

“Do ye know how long ye’ll be today?”

“No,” Jade replied. “I’ll try to be back by lunch.”

“Alright. Be careful,” Nesta advised.

“Thank you, I will.”

Jade stepped out into the open and breathed in the invigorating mountain air. She loved it here. Anwen had been her home all her life, and even on an overcast day like today, it was beautiful.

First stop, the Parsons. Twenty minutes later, she walked up to their front porch. After some friendly conversation with Mary and exchanging the towel for a few coins, she headed off to town.

About fifteen minutes later, she stepped onto Main Street and surveyed the rows of little shops that lined each side. The Drakes’ bakery was the closest.

She stepped into the bakery, and the scent of bread made her mouth water.

“Jade! What can I do for ye?”

“Just making some deliveries, Mr. Drake,” Jade grinned. She pulled the pillow out of her basket and held it up for him to see. “For your wife.”

“Ah! Well, hold on just a minute.”

Mr. Drake disappeared behind shelves filled with loaves of bread, and Jade could hear Mrs. Drake’s voice drift through the air. Mr. Drake returned in a minute with a few coins. “Thank ye, Jade.”

“My pleasure, Mr. Drake,” she said, accepting the tokens. “I’ll be seeing you soon.”

“How are ye comin’ on me order?”

Jade smiled. “It ought to be done by Tuesday.”

“Wonderful! Thank ye, Jade. Have a great day!”

“You too, Mr. Drake! Give my regards to Luke!”

“Will do!”

Jade stepped back onto the street and glanced around. Ah, there it was. A white-and-red-painted sign down the road read, “The Butcher Shop.” She entered it, delivered the napkins to the Gordons, and sifted through the remains of her basket.

Let’s see…the dress for little Sarah O’Conner… that’ll be for my way home. Suit jacket for the deputy… the vest for Dr. Kelly…looks like the vest is next.

Jade walked down Main Street until she came to the new clinic. After it had been wrecked by a mob two years ago, it had been completely rebuilt, and a new doctor had moved in from a nearby town. And the new doctor? Well, he was… well, he…

Jade stepped into the clinic.

“Jade! What can I do for ye?”

Jade smiled and reached into her basket. “I have your order, just the way you asked.” Pulling out the vest, she handed it to him, daring herself to look into his soft blue eyes. His square, muscular face broke into a wide smile. As he dug into his pocket for coins, Jade couldn’t help but notice how a lock of brown hair fell across his forehead and dangled just above his eyes at an impossibly perfect angle.

“Ah! Here are the little devils.” Jade giggled as his strong hand placed the coins in hers. He held up the vest and surveyed it. “Looks perfect!”

Jade grinned. “I’m glad! The best vest for the best doctor in town.”

“Well, what can I say?” A broad smile spread across his face. “Boy, I ought to let ye do all me clothes if they’re all goin’ to turn out this great.”

“Well, I wouldn’t mind. It means business,” Jade bantered playfully.

“Meanwhile, I might go bankrupt with all I’d have to pay ye!”

They both laughed. “Well, I’d better get going,” Jade finally said. “I’ve still got to finish my route.”

“And I need to do some research.”

Jade cocked an eyebrow.

“Ye know Mr. Riley? I think he has an abnormal heart murmur. I’ve got to read up on it to be sure.”

“A heart murmur? What’s that?”

He shook his head. “I won’t bore ye with the technical parts of it, but it sounds like he has an extra heartbeat. It could mean there’s somethin’ wrong with one of his heart valves, which means he could have a stroke or a heart attack.”

“Sounds serious!”

“They’re usually harmless. However, doctors are comin’ out with new procedures. If it’s really that bad, I can fix it.”

“That’s amazing.”

“Aye.” He looked down at the vest in his hands and sighed. “I certainly hope it’s not serious, though.”

“Me too.”

A beat. “Well, I guess I’ll let ye get off to yer route.”

Jade grinned. “Thank you. See you soon?”

“How about tomorrow?”

Jade stared at him, eyes glittering with excitement. “That would be great!”

He grinned. “Tell ye what. Be at yer house around six and I’ll take ye out on the best night ye’ve ever had!”

“Oh, Stephen! Really?”

“Of course! I’ll see ye then!”

She grinned. “Thank you, Stephen! I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then!”

“Goodbye!”

Jade stepped onto the street and twirled in a tight circle, grinning to the sky. Then she took a deep breath and looked down into her basket, still smiling. Only two items left? She was making good time- it was only about ten o’clock. Then she could get back and work on some of her orders…

As Jade walked towards Deputy Flanders’ office, she couldn’t help but skip a few steps. Excitement made her as light as a feather. She had thought that Dr. Kelly was interested in her, but she’d had no evidence, nothing concrete- just her intuition, which happened to always be right.

That and the way he looked at her. She’d seen that look before, but she could tell the difference between infatuation and genuine interest. She knew what she saw.

And she’d been right! He was going to surprise her with a fantastic evening tomorrow. She couldn’t wait.

Jade searched for the sign for the deputy’s office. Where was it?

Ah, there it is. Ahead on her left. Another minute, and she’d be-

Jade stopped walking and caught her breath. Suddenly the air didn’t feel right.

She had felt the same thing this morning. But now the feeling smothered her like a blanket, stifling her breathing, making her skin prickle. And the feeling was stronger on her back. Something was behind her.

She turned, and at the far end of Main Street, someone was walking toward her. Someone with a small crowd of people behind him.

Jade squinted. Who was he? She’d never seen him before. Even from this distance she could make out his simple white shirt and beige wool pants. No shoes, no hat, no bags, no weapons- only a few foreign necklaces along with a black pouch dangling on a leather string around his neck.

He locked eyes with her.

Part of Jade wanted to turn and run, but the other part of her kept her feet rooted to the ground, frozen by curiosity. Despite the uneasiness churning in her gut, she could feel kindness and love radiating from his piercing eyes. Even from a distance, she-

“Jade!”

She blinked and looked to her right. “Luke?”

He placed a gentle hand on her elbow. “Come on. I need to talk to ye.”

“About what?”

“About them. Come on.”

He led her into a small alley between two buildings and lowered his voice. “Jade, do ye know who that is?”

She shook her head.

“That’s Seren Fawkes. Everyone’s talkin’ about him. He’s traveled across Wales with strange teachin’s. Teachin’s that clearly go against the Word and the Seal.”

Jade frowned and looked at the wall, envisioning the man that she knew walked beyond it. “He doesn’t look like a revolutionary.”

“But he is. I’ve heard stories. Be sure ye stay away from him- and his followers. They mean trouble.”

Jade nodded. “Just what is he teaching?”

“Terrible things. Lots of things. He’s really good at takin’ what we teach and twistin’ it to suit his own personal tastes.”

“Like what?”

“Like… ye should love yer neighbor as yerself, but if yer neighbor touches ye, punch him back.”

“Sounds full of conflicts.”

“Aye. But they don’t see it that way. They see it as beautiful and harmonious, and the way to the higher realm.”

“Higher realm?”

Luke shook his head. “It’s messed up. But trust me. Do yerself a favor- avoid them. No use listenin’ to what ye know isn’t true.”

Jade nodded. “Right.”

“If any of them say somethin’ to ye and ye aren’t sure about it, ye know ye can always ask me or the reverend. Right?”

“Right.” As if I don’t know what I believe by now.

Luke finally allowed a small smile to light his features. “Just be careful, Jade. Yer smart. Ye know what truth is. Walk in it.”

Jade nodded. “I will. And don’t you go being careless on me. You’ve got to be careful too.”

He smiled and nodded. “Don’t worry, I will be. I promise ye, I’m not goin’ to have anythin’ to do with Seren, his religion, or any of his followers.”

He sighed and glanced out at the street. “Well… I ought to be goin’. Do ye need to be goin’ somewhere?”

“Oh, that’s right! I still have to finish my route.”

“How many deliveries have ye got left?”

“Two. One to the deputy and one to the O’Conner’s. I can do that one on the way home.”

“Well, sounds like I can walk with ye for a while.”

“Where are you going?”

“The deputy wanted to see me. I don’t know why. I can walk with ye there and stay behind as ye finish yer route.”

Jade nodded. “Sounds good.”

“Shall we go?”

Jade smiled and slipped her arm through the crook of his. Together they walked back onto Main Street, and Jade’s heart almost felt as if it would burst with gratitude.

Thank you God for Luke Drake. Thank you for giving me a brother.

Jade surveyed the street. Most of the followers were scattered, some talking in clumps on Main Street, others drifting in and out of the stores, all dressed in the same white and beige as their leader.

Her eyes locked onto hazel ones only a couple buildings away.

Jade quickly glanced away as she and Luke turned towards the deputy’s office, but the image of Seren’s face had already seared itself into her memory. She could clearly see his rugged handsome looks, his piercing, haunting, strangely warm eyes…

And she couldn’t get them out of her mind.