The creature tilted its head, hesitated, and departed. He turned back to look at Churchie at regular intervals—lost and confused.

Churchie watched the creature drift down the road. It stopped outside a house. Gill Watts’s house. He said a silent prayer—the demon would be contemplating a return to that house, and Gill didn’t have the protection he needed. The house would be empty, swept clean and in order, it was ready for re-habitation. Unless Gill understood what happened and had sought refuge with the Almighty, the demons could return. Would return.

Other demons came up beside the hovering spirit, smaller in size and in an excited state.

The larger creature looked back at Churchie, perplexed and adrift. A sadness touched Churchie but it was the creature’s choice. Its entry to Watts’s house was temporarily blocked by an invisible wall brought about by prayer and the Holy Spirit. Disgruntled, the creature continued on its way. The tiny allies hovered, confused, then turned and followed. Gill Watts was safe, for now.

64 – Supernatural mystery

IT WAS JACK’S FIRST SEEKING STEP into the mysteries of church. A step of faith? He wasn’t sure but he was now willing to drop his guard and expose himself to the elements—whatever they were. 

Churchie had decided to catch up with his good friend, Pastor Peter Thomas, and invited Ruby and Jack to come along to an evening service. Invites flowed down to Zoe, Shoana, and Catherine.

An energy surrounded him as he entered the Church. A different type of energy. Something he could embrace and ride with. Like-minded people with loving, caring thoughts under the same roof. Over five hundred of them. Soothing acoustic music. Spirits flowing. Contagious.

One big family. Exchanging awkward hugs and handshakes as they gathered together to take their seats in the middle of the congregation. Erica stood beside him, and Jack could see Johnny down near the front with a group of friends. Baseball caps worn straight and backwards, brimmed hats like those worn by the Hollywood detectives of old, and hats worn like a bucket thrown over the head. Young fashionable people. Jack could sense their energy. Sensed their belongingness.

Jack felt a peace he’d never experienced before. It brought tears to his eyes. Erica squeezed his hand. He watched the people in worship and he listened to the message.

These people had something.

As they walked out of the church, Jack had a vision of a stream of energy bursting out through the doors, flowing over the nearby houses, but losing its power the further it got from the church building. He understood—the church needed to grow and attack the wickedness pervading society. 

Deep thoughts, Jack. The mysteries of church.

Erica sent Jack and Catherine to some seats located in a quiet corner of the meeting area while she organised some coffees.

<°)))><

“Well that was different.” Ruby sat down and joined them. “Had a real good feel about it. I’ll be coming back.”

“Good to hear,” Catherine said.

“I agree, Ruby. It had a good feel about it,” Jack said. “What have you been up to?”

“Family things. Caught up with my dad and brother. Convinced them all is okay.” Ruby looked around the people. “And I overcame something else. I realised I needed to forgive the person who accidently killed my mother. I’ve been able to do that because now I can see something had control of the man’s life—evil. He just didn’t know that at the time.”

She looked over to a group of people. “Be back in a minute. Just want to let Churchie know I’d like to visit him again.”

“Back to the island?” Jack asked.

“Yep. Remember the advice I was given on the things of threes? Well my third trip to the island is going to be the best and I need to do it. Still some garbage in my head.” She gave a wink and shot off.

“It’ll be good having a partner that sees unseen things, especially after what she’s been through,” Catherine said.

“You’re such a romantic, Cath.”

Jack searched for Erica. Found her. She gave him a wave. The coffee queue was long.

“Thought you’d be interested to know something,” Catherine paused. “You know you told me Ruby’s dad was a retired magistrate,”.

“Yes. I’m still puzzled how we didn’t connect the surname. Sometimes we can miss the obvious.” Jack waited. He knew there was more coming.

“I’m sure there was a good reason why we missed it. Anyway, he was the magistrate who dealt with the Jill Winter’s case. I read the transcript. He was quite scathing about what she did and there was a lot of media attention at the time regarding health workers stealing prescriptions drugs and the like. Jill got caught up in the headlines.”

“And some people hate that. In fact, most. Unwanted attention.”

“There’s more, Jack. I found a news clip. Toby Watts stood beside her, rubbing his hands. He was ready for a fight.”

“A supported partner. Yes. I’d say Watts didn’t like the way the magistrate treated his partner, Watts hated his dad who had red hair, the magistrate had a daughter with red hair . . . all fuel for a fire. A lame excuse fanned by evil elements, so-called gods, and a little rag doll.”

“I went deeper, Jack.”

“Deeper?”

“He was also the magistrate that dealt with Toby Watts.”

“A smokescreen.”

“Yes, Jill Winter was just a smokescreen. It was Toby who wanted the revenge all along.”

“Watts is a psychopath who I would say had major bonding issues with his parents—a common thread amongst psychopaths as we know. We saw the evil and dark environment he was raised in. What chance did he have?”

Jack glanced over at Erica. She was getting closer to the counter.

Jack continued. “And we know the smallest or perceived insult or snub can trigger revenge in a psychopath. And it gets paid back many times over. And that revenge can take many forms. They thrive on the energy from it. They couldn’t get to the dad for some reason. Ruby was a better fit anyway.”

“Jill Winter fed off his negative energy,” Catherine looked over towards Erica collecting some take-away coffee cups. “Erica’s got the coffee, Jack. We better finish the shop talk.”

“You’re right, Cath. But one thing came through loud and clear in the sermon. The pastor spoke about not wrestling with flesh and blood but against cosmic powers, spiritual forces.

“I know the verse. ‘For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places’,” Catherine said. “We are the restraining forces, trying to hold back evil. And it’s easier if we call on the supernatural.”

These churchgoers spoke another language. Flesh. Blood. Rulers. Cosmic powers.

With the girls deep in discussion, Jack had excused himself, somewhat overwhelmed, and went out to the cool of the night. He leaned on a rail overlooking the car park. Red tail lights still flowing out of the car park. A red river. He wanted some time away from the noise to reflect on what he encountered inside the church. Some palm branches swayed beside him. He closed his eyes for a moment and had a sense of something behind him. He turned and looked. Nobody but the presence was still there. He raised his eyes. A large white cross sat perched on the roof. Its brightness overshadowed the dark roof. It looked over him.

A cross.

The supernatural.

About The Unseen Series

Thank you for reading Under a Blue Moon - the third book in a series exploring the supernatural. Other books in the series include:

Dead Man's Journey (1)

You're born spiritually dead. A riveting story taking you on a journey from death to life. Aaron Fitzpatrick doesn’t know what happens when you die. He's been told but he’s not sure what he believes. With his dad dying in peculiar circumstances, Aaron is drawn into a mystery that challenges his beliefs about life, death, angels, demons, and God.