A New Novel, Part 234 She May Be Dying

26 May 2011, A New Novel, Part 234 She May Be Dying


For those who haven’t been following this blog, let me introduce it a little. I am currently blogging my 21st novel that has the working title Daemon. The novel is about Aksinya, a sorceress, who, to save her family from the Bolsheviks, called and contracted the demon, Asmodeus. Her family was murdered anyway, and she fled with the demon from Russia to Austria.

Aksinya is locked in a cold dark cell under the residence of the Cardinal of Wien.  Aksinya knows Asmodeus will return to torment her.  Unless she can put crosses on her dress and blankets, he will take them from her.  She uses her own blood to draw crosses on them.  Unfortunately, she can't stop the blood once she started it...

Frau Mauer screamed and jumped up.  Aksinya’s eyes closed and she slowly lay on the bench.  The release of the pressure on her vein let the drip become a slow stream.  Frau Mauer screamed again and ran toward the kitchen. 

Frau Mauer grabbed Frau Becker’s arm, “The sorceress has committed suicide.  She is bleeding everywhere.”

Frau Becker’s face clouded and her eye twitched, “Get the Secretary, immediately.”

“What will you do?”

“Just get the secretary.”

Frau Mauer nodded vigorously and ran off. 

Frau Becker grabbed the kitchen axe from the wood pile and ran to the corridor that held Aksinya’s cell.  The guards didn’t attempt to stop her.  She glanced at Aksinya and the growing pool of blood and chopped at the lock on the door.  The old wood splintered satisfactorily under the axe and the door swung open.  Frau Mauer grabbed Aksinya’s wrist and immediately the flow of blood stopped.

Secretary Schwab followed by Otto stopped at the entrance to the cell.  Frau Mauer didn’t wait for them to say anything, she yelled at them, “Get the doctor now.  I’ve stopped the blood, but she may be dying.”

They almost trampled Frau Mauer as she hobbled down the corridor toward them.

This scene is very straightforward.  The results of Aksinya's experiment are not good.  She achieved the markings she wanted, but she couldn't stop the flow of blood.  The demon couldn't imagine this result--could he.  Whether he did or not, the result will be the same.  It appears that Aksinya has tried to commit suicide.  Although Frau Becker stopped the blood, what will the result be for Aksinya.  It seems that she is slowly falling deeper and deeper in to a place that is impossible to recover from.  Sad since she had the spiritual strength to face down the demon and pronounce her freedom from him.  We see that she is not free from the demon.  She has placed her trust in the right place, but Aksinya's problem is like all of ours.  Do you remember Paul's great cry of dismay?  "I do those things I don't wish to do and not those I know I should do."  Still, can there be hope for Aksinya.  If there is hope for her, perhaps there is hope for any of us.  Tomorrow, she wakes. 

A New Novel, Part 232 I Must Put Crosses on my Dress

24 May 2011, A New Novel, Part 232 I Must Put Crosses on my Dress 

For those who haven’t been following this blog, let me introduce it a little. I am currently blogging my 21st novel that has the working title Daemon. The novel is about Aksinya, a sorceress, who, to save her family from the Bolsheviks, called and contracted the demon, Asmodeus. Her family was murdered anyway, and she fled with the demon from Russia to Austria.

Aksinya is locked in a cold dark cell under the residence of the Cardinal of Wien.  Aksinya almost died of exposure because the demon took her dress.  Now, she is back in her cell with warm blankets, but the demon could take them away...

After Secretary Schwab, Otto, and Frau Becker departed, Frau Mauer took her position again beside the door.  The moment Aksinya finished praying her rosary she felt better, she called to the Frau, “Frau Mauer, may I borrow a needle and thread?”

Frau Mauer took a quick glance at Aksinya.  Aksinya sat on the bench wrapped in the blankets, “Of course you may not have a needle and thread.  What would you want with something like that anyway?”

“I must put crosses on my dress.”

“Crosses on your dress?  You are a strange one.”

“If I don’t he’ll just take it off me again.”

Frau Mauer stared at Aksinya and nervously fumbled her sewing, “Did you lie to the secretary and Frau Becker?  Did some man molest you?”

“The demon took off my clothing to punish me.”

Frau Becker’s eyes widened, “I think Frau Becker is right, you are crazy.”

“I may be crazy, but I need to put crosses on my clothing and on these blankets.”

“You shan’t get any needles or thread from me—not unless the Secretary himself instructs me.”
Aksinya sat back and pouted.  She felt much better, but she knew that wouldn’t last long if the demon returned and took her dress and the blankets from her again.  She only knew one way to fight Asmodeus.  She thought for a while about how she might put crosses on her clothing and the wonderfully warm blankets.  After a long time, there was only one thing she thought she could use.  Under the cover of the blankets, she began to prick at her hand with a sharp point of her rosary.  After a few minutes she drew some blood and made a couple of satisfactory crosses on the hem of her dress.  At that point, she couldn’t get much more blood without going deeper into her hand than she wanted to.  She thought for a while then began to prick at the large vein at the side of her wrist.

Frau Mauer is Aksinya's guard again.  Aksinya asks for a needle and thread, but Frau Mauer won't loan them to her.  Aksinya tells the Frau exactly why she needs the needle and thread.  Do you remember, the effect of the crosses on the demon.  The crosses did prevent Asmodeus from removing Aksinya's clothing.  She knows they can protect her in the cell.

Frau Mauer's thoughts are not pleasant.  She can't imagine anything good about Aksinya.  Do you see that her reaction and the reaction of Frau Becker will be the reaction of everyone else.  If Aksinya imagines a demon, she must be crazy. 

Since Aksinya can't get Frau Mauer to give her a needle and thread, she must discover another way to protect herself.  Aksinya is used to using blood as a sacrifice.  This time, she is using blood to protect herself, but it isn't through a spell.  She is using blood to make crosses on her clothing and blankets.  Aksinya may be resourceful, but she just is too innocent and naive.   Tomorrow, success, but at what price.