C(HAPCER ONE: MERGY FOR The PRODIGAL When we have done evil itflbecaut@y ve have been worsted by our baser side — fora man is many==by desire or rage or some evilimage Plotinus, The First: Ennead [have so much to tell you, my son. Those are the first words I ever hean ixty-three years hteen winters I) described s she told me, even ig nto.a mirror that captured my reflective four and ahalf decades ag as still filled with joy atthe possibilities of my life and anger at the knowledge that he who sired me had fl bilities while I was Yet unborn, leaving a simple country girl to be mother and tather both to me. [try tostammer outa reply, but I cannot. My hands tremble, as much with fear andWithout waiting for an invitation, the dark-haired stranger sits on the edge of the small table on which I since M is thoughts. My mind reel this makes any sense have taken my meals e passed ten years “1 told you this was a waste of time, Paul,” the other says, glancing apathy The only reply offered him isan icy stare from those sky blue eyes. Finally, I find my tongue 1: me with disdain or perhaps just I don’t understand.” He steps forward and takes my gnarled hands in his own flawlessly youthful ones. His flesh is as chill as the nightair notice my reaction and spe snd I shudder under his touch. He seems not to ks, “Oh, Guillaume, where supose you must have so many things you The other sm amusement or di and 1 cannot tell if it is wit ¢1eannot help butt outh even knows my name do my best this blo gnore the dark stranger, keeping my es fixed upon this “Paul” (which was, as my mother told me, my father’s and asking, "Why, after all this time, after sixty and some years of never having known or even seen me, would you come here?” Hesmiles, bit sadly, “A good question, Guillaume. You want to know the re har | am here now claiming to be your father? Very well, chen. You shall ave the truth c Monsters who Walk as Men He looks to one of the other two rickety stools in my small home and glances back at me, wordlessly aski permission tosit. [nod and he owering himself gracefully antair. Heunshishand throvsch his hair and closes his eyes for justa moment. The heavy sigh that seeps from between his lips is what frst makes me notice that no atcam escapes wid 1 his brcath in the chill confine ‘of my home. A quick glan patronizingly at me, confirms the same for him as wel. fact, before I tear my eyes away to look back ac ths strange youth who calls me “son,” I note that the other does not seem to breathe at all the fair man says, his tone low and ‘Lam here because of the things in which I have ‘come to believe, but which have, for many years, eluded me. [have ¢ father, opport ny long 1 here because you deserve to know your T have not eared the 1e man you have become in owever briefly, even if ty to know you, absence. I do this now because I have at last found the strength to show you t when I turned my back on a p new existence which had he courtesy I could not sant girl because of the been thrust upon me.” “esti makes no sense,” I say, more confidently now The young man smiles, sincerely and without il ness, “I suppose that's fair an any. The desite for family is aman desire, iit He already has hie min nd he continues as “And when we find ounell ow much rer question's answer sponse is necessary wondert fhe mien we oun we often turn to those thi essential humanity.” Forgetting for his claims (not to mention my puzzlemento he is referring *So, you have come ett indulge yourself an of guilt to), mutter “The other laughs, but his mirth seen cat on my table and approaches. “Petha Paul. Your boy seems to understand per your path better than you d wonderful idea. My in bringing us her logies for doubsin, Enough, Miche thing menacing in his ssly beneath th The dark-haite down and never Paul barks, and the woice, something nan, this “Michel,” sthat condescending ours, revealing ccc iat sine eal Paul starts to step toward hit the second pace, stops himself His mouth sts maf and | note that he seems to have, just for an insta forgotten 1 was even there, so single-mind vance. The cast of hi hi but its focus doa not. His eyes remain fixed upon Michel Perhaps, Paul bel than whisper, “youll wish totell yourson why, ex you have been gone all these years and why it is youll ho dhferent from the splendic youth who bedi a abandoned his mothe palfway thro Miche! asks, his voice Surprisingly, the blond “Yes, Michel, I suppose you ABeast Beneath the Shin ‘Guillaume you ever truly lost © mean getting angry or frustrated, but instead sipping far beyond the edge of reason and sanity, to the pil that there isn’t even enough of you there to want come back I shake my head. les, and el " Paul whispers tome, “Hae 1 don't jt ntrol of yourse Tuspected as much,” “That onl S uniquely Cainie viee. Tei what il leasiedy te Cuse,thedriving nced to sate ours he continues, madness isorothers. Ieisa Wien you cone uur senses return to you and your commands once more, you journeying in darkness, be xd. That horrid other place is Hell, 1 to it as a being yer upon the #A‘Cainite"” | ask Paul (for sce no ree sith my {ese his explanation. His demeanor shows his fionand itis obvious to me that he {s trying to put if words something that would, by the look of ystoadequately describe, Atlast, he turns to el and lifts his hands, as if to ask, “What do you in why he should nots urely long-dead father) catches him her's smile looks much as 1 ima didn the Gar the sweet ifone isinnocentand wrath ft seems to ack the wall be. Farth and Hell. Before Paul can ¢ Michel is upon me, 2 slavering thing with fle and eyesthac gather lightin the room and shine it back at me ed of fresly spilt blood. He towers over me and lock of my seat. I feel no shame for my ery of fea ls Michel's shoulders and, with strength I had fnaginedthathe (orany man, for that mat gs, heaves him off of me forceflly enough for Bsbody to impact halfway up the opposite wall. A fhe smal trinkets scartered about (mostly bought ants) fall over and Michel ingly an ordinary man, My old heart pounds within my chest, and a long fore Lcatch my breath. Awkwardlly, 1 ¢ my seat and, leaning on the body atre + myself onto it once more. My breathing is ragged and Ican hear my blood throbbing i my ears. [ look across to Michel, who is rousing himself He stares and feel ell the frantic racing of my lip back and his tongue slides across Linterposes himself just chen, bl rel. all with my entice his teeth. P view of Mic ‘Guillaume,” Paul says, placinghisfingertips (which. Lean fe red in a smooth shell of calluses, as if from years of labor) under my chin and raising my e hel’ display. Hi wins C are look up into his, “l apologize for M ever itseems youhave the th enoud The motions of time have no power over Ui possesiftsbeyond the eckoningotmortalmen, th ere prices to be paid ower: Prices paidby ourselvesand, sadly, by others. Fornow, thate: illhave to suffice.” “Monsters,” I mutter, b thought has slipped out of my mind and ny lips, lanat ising that the ssed Michel rises from the floor ane the dust from his fine garm rs. You see the whol ard.a statement that thuckles. He slaps nts and approaches. “Yes, sf it, Guillaume pechaps a bit lik questc en, who walk as