Justin Sloan - Allie Strom and the Sword of the Spirit

ALLIE STROM

AND THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT

Justin Sloan

Allie Strom and the Sword of the Spirit

by Justin Sloan

Copyright 2015 Justin Sloan.

All rights reserved.

This is a work of fiction. No people known to the author have begun to recover the Armor of God, to the authors knowledge. Please consider leaving a review, and tell your friends about Allie Strom and the Sword of the Spirit.

Thank you for supporting my work.

To my children, Brendan and Verona.

I love you both so much and cant wait to share my stories with you.

Chapter 1: Back to School

A llie Strom felt the walls pushing in, rocks crumbling around her as the smell of sulfur told her that something terrible was on its way. A deep voice called her name, pulling her close, and then the shadow of a being was in front of her with eyes of fire.

Allie, a distant voice said. Help me....

She woke with a start and dashed from her bed as she yelled, Im coming, Mom!

Allie burst into her parents room, ready to do whatever it took to protect her mom again. Prepared for the worst. Instead, she was confronted with the groggy and confused faces of her mom and dad.

I got this, her mom said, and led Allie out of the room.

Youre okay? Allie said when they reached her door.

Honey.... This is, what, the third time this week? Her mom held Allie by the shoulders and looked into her eyes. I get that youve been through a lot, and believe me, I know how it feels. But Im back, you saved me and I'm safe, okay? Were all safe.

For now, Allie mumbled.

Her mom took her in a hug and caressed her hair. Before her mom had gone missing earlier in the school year, Allie would have pushed her away and been annoyed. At the moment though, after yet another one of her crazy dreams, Allie leaned into the hug.

Me and you, were not so defenseless. Her mom walked her to bed and tucked her in. But I tell you what, okay? Next time you have the dream, you can come sleep with your father and me.

Yeah, right. Allie smiled and turned over in bed. I may get scared, but Im thirteen. Get serious.

Her mom left, but Allie couldnt sleep. After an hour of tossing and turning, she gave up. She wondered if Daniel was having similar issues. She rummaged around the drawer of her nightstand for a few minutes, found her cell, and texted him. While she waited, she found an outfit for the day, one with long sleeves like all of the shirts she insisted on wearing lately. She glanced down at the dark pattern on her arm, like a tattoo, but with some deep magic that she didnt understand. It had been carved into her arm by Paulette, right before she revealed herself to be possessed by the evil spirit Samyaza.

Allie had been too scared to tell anyone about what had happened to her last year. She still hadnt told her dad or anyone else about the craziness of her being a Bringer of Light, or Daniel a Guardian. She hadnt started a blog about her progress toward her supposed destiny of becoming The Tenth Worthy. And when questioned about Chriss whereabouts or anything related to the battle at Solomon Mountain, Allie just shook her head and said she had no idea.

Maybe telling people would have been the better way to go, but she didnt want to seem crazy or put those around her in danger.

A tapping on her window pulled her from her thoughts.

About time, she said as she moved aside for Daniel to crawl in.

For five in the morning, I think I did pretty good. He took a seat on her desk-chair and swiveled back and forth.

Pretty well, she corrected, and instantly hated herself for it.

Are you sure? He sat at her desk and had a look around her room. Finally got to cleaning, I see.

The boxes that had occupied most of her closet were finally cleared away, and shed decided that the nerdy posters and fantasy figurinesgifts from her brothermaybe werent best for her walls. Not when she was trying to maintain her sanity and think of anything but giants and magic and grand destinies.

Yeah, well.... When you have nightmares all the time, what else is there to do?

Aside from wake me up?

Sorry.

He waved her off. Honestly, I havent been sleeping too well either. I keep seeing that giant with fiery eyes and the way Chris looked at me, as if wed never met.

Allie shuddered. Yeah. Back to school, yay.

Think the police will still be around?

They get to you yet?

Dont worry, I stuck to the story. He cocked his head like he was some sort of hero.

Allie smiled at the thought, thinking he definitely was a hero. They had worked together to defeat Paulette, or whatever the deal was with that Samyaza demon-character taking over Paulettes body, and in the process they had rescued Allies mom. All Allie wanted in life was to be a normal girl, but with the Ring of Solomon now in her possession, she knew that wouldnt be the case. She would never be normal again.

How about you? he asked. Whatd you tell the cops?"

Somehow Ive still managed to avoid them.

Good luck with that.

She shrugged and they sat in silence for a bit before she suggested playing Minecraft together. He didnt object, although he reminded her that they were a bit old for it.

Eh, youre never too old for an awesome game, she said. Well, so Ian says anyway.

But hes a nerd.

She laughed. Welcome to the club.

Speaking of clubs.... Todays the big day, right? Soccer tryouts?

I totally forgot! She couldnt believe it had slipped her mind, after how much it had meant to her when preparing for seventh grade.

Get your head in the game, Allie, Daniel said. Mines one hundred percent in the world of baseball, I promise that.

Deal, she said, and they shook on it.

At around seven, Daniel snuck out the window to ring the front doorbell.

Its for me, Allie said as she ran to get the door. I invited Daniel over for breakfast.

You two are spending a lot of time together, her dad said, reading the morning news on the couch.

Is that a bad thing? she asked, opening the door.

He smiled at Daniel with a wave. No, of course not.

The look her dad gave her mother was too obvious for Allie to miss. Whatever. She knew what he was thinking, and yeah, she had thought of boys that wayChris for one, before she knew he was a Strayer. But her and Daniel? He was amazing, in that fun friend-who-helps-save-the-world kind of way. So yeah right, no way.

Allies older brother, Ian, was in too much of a hurry to sit and eat, so he grabbed a granola bar and a banana on his way out the door.

Hows being back at school? her dad asked, shaking his head at his sons quick departure.

Allie shrugged and returned to her cereal. It was like that lately, his questions and her awkwardness. Daniel definitely noticed, and when they headed off to school, he asked her what was up.

I dont know, she said with a glance back to her apartment. Her dad was looking out the window after them, his arm around her mom.

Daniel was still staring at her. It seemed like you were a bit cold to him, is all.

Can we drop it?

Of course.

They walked on, neither saying a word. A cool breeze blew by, making Allie wish she had put on a sweater over her polo shirt. The silence was horrible.