Overcomer - The Journey by Judy Colella (top 10 non fiction books of all time txt) 📕

“Is that supposed to be a sword, little man?” This time its voice was mocking, smug. “Are you serious, or do you try and insult me?”

Cian looked down at the piece of wood, feeling stupid, seeing it for the first time as a toy. A foolish toy he’d made by hand. One he had never even thought to use in self-defense the whole time he was in that house. Why not? And what made him think it would be of any use now? Except, of course, that he hadn’t brought it with him; it had been placed in his hand, unbidden. Why? By whom or what?

Moloch heaved a thunderous sigh and began to change again. By the time it was done with this new metamorphosis, it was a fraction taller than Cian and dressed in a black suit with a red shirt and white tie, a bright green handkerchief flopping out of the breast pocket. It smoothed back wavy black hair with a manicured hand, thrusting the other into the pocket of its trousers. When its hand came away from its head, it was holding a cigarette, which it put between thick red lips, taking a puff, and blowing the smoke out with a slow, languid breath into the dark air around them.

In a voice so pleasant and normal that it frightened Cian more than the deeper, angrier one, it said, “You know, you are beginning to bore me, little man.” It gave Cian an up-and-down glance, lip curled in scorn, and shook its head. “No threat here, I see. But I must say, I’m sorry I didn’t find you sooner – you would have made a delicious morsel as a baby. You’re so pretty, and I know you would have tasted as good as you look!” It threw back its head, laughed as though it had said something hilarious, and turned, walking away into deeper darkness, leaving Cian alone and shivering.

That was his opponent? That was who – what – he had to face in a final battle and somehow defeat? A despair greater than that which had driven him to attempt suicide overwhelmed him. He crouched down, hugging himself, unable to think, to breathe... almost like with Celeste...

Beautiful Celeste, who would be playing to keep back the other beings of evil so he could face Moloch alone; Celeste, who would be in the worst danger if he failed, the first to bear the brunt of the terrors that would be unleashed if –

Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to uncoil, stand straight, forced himself to relax, to breathe, to think. And then he recognized what had happened, saw its reality: a first strike by his opponent to try and defeat him before they ever met in real combat. Cian shook his head, strength flooding back into numbed limbs, into his heart and mind.

Celeste, Katie, the Croghan, Celesta, even Niall – for their sakes, he could not afford to indulge in fear or self-pity, and not because he was so wonderful and heroic... but because they were.

A new voice, a welcomed, familiar one, whispered words of comfort, encouragement and strength into the silence. He answered with quiet gratitude. The dreaming nightmare was over and he could rest. All that remained was to face the waking horror and the battle that would mark the end of his journey with either victory or defeat.

And then, one way or the other, he might finally have peace.

The End of Book I

Text: Judy Colella
Images: Laszlo Kugler
Publication Date: 03-25-2014

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