Albert looked over at Ethelinda who had barely spoken since they arrived.

"Are you okay Ethy? You haven't said a word," he asked.

She smiled as she answered, "I'm enjoying this and I love Gram's stories. I'm just going to sit here drinking my tea."

Rosamund patted Ethelinda on the hand, "She's a good girl, respectful and smart, I think she's my favorite granddaughter."

"You talk more about Margaret." Ethy noted.

"I like her children, Maggie is a bit judgmental."

"She is, isn't she?" Ethy laughed, then turned toward Albert, "You should have heard her when I came out. It was like the only reason I'm a lesbian was to embarrass her."

Rosamund chuckled again, "I was a bit surprised too, but not too much. Men are such an annoyance. It wasn't really an option when I was growing up, but I definitely see the appeal. Anyway, the heart wants what the heart wants and who are we to judge another's heart."

"Enough about me Gram, tell us the story."

"It's not my story. It's my great-grandmother's. She wrote it down. Ethelinda, be a darling and get me that book on my desk, the brown leather one with the gold lettering."

Ethelinda retrieved the book and handed it to her grandmother. Rosamund gently placed her hand on the cover lovingly.

"This was written by my great-grandmother, Esmerelda when she was 16 years old. She was the first one in our family to be born in this country, right here in Georgia. She was here when Sherman's Bane was founded.

"This place was nothing but a tent city, catering to soldiers who needed a break from war. There were saloons, whorehouses, and gambling halls. And there was our  little troupe of Gypsies, telling fortunes, selling talismans and cures for everything from gonorrhea to trench foot. They did very well.

"Then something horrible happened, and that's where her story begins. Before I tell it, Albert, you have to be honest with me." Rosamund stared deeply into Albert's eyes.

"Anything," Albert said honestly.

"When you asked about angels, was it because you saw one?"

Ethelinda snorted a laugh. Albert turned and stared at her with a serious look on his face. Ethelinda looked incredulous and asked, "Seriously?"

Albert ignored her and turned towards Rosamund, "Yes, I did."

"You can't be serious, Albert," Ethy blurted out.

"Silence girl! This is important," Rosamund snapped.

Ethelinda looked confused, but sat back silently.

Rosamund continued, "I was afraid of that. When I heard about all those terrible events in the woods, deep down I knew."

"Knew what?" Albert asked.

Rosamund opened the book in front of her as she answered, "Let Esmeralda tell you."

December 22, 1864
News has reached us of the fall of Savannah to the Yankee troops. I hope this means that the destruction which has been daily news has come to an end. The Yankee garrison outside town is in a mood of celebration and they have been kind to those of us here who have helped with their sicknesses.

I met a handsome young Yankee named Bill Ford who has been quite proper and polite. He has asked if I was amenable to being courted by a Northern boy and I said it was up to my parents.

I sure hope this horrible war ends soon and I do not care who wins so long as the killing stops, even though when I think on it, I do not like the idea of slavery and do not understand how one person can own another. Pa says our people have been slaves too and it makes me sad.

Bill tells me the Yankees will be here another month and I hope I can spend some time with him as I like him a great deal.

December 24, 1864
I saw the hellspawn today and the horror it has brought our way. I was to go to the Yankee garrison to deliver a cake to Bill so he might celebrate Christmas with some measure of Joy.

When I was on the outskirts of the troop enclosure I could hear horrible screams. I hid behind some trees and saw the apparition responsible. It was a creature straight from the Infernal regions. It feasted on the bodies of those poor boys and I fear Bill did not survive. I rushed home to Pa and I have never seen him as frightened as he was then. He asked me to accompany him tomorrow to see if any had survived.

December 25, 1864
Pa and I returned to the garrison today and we seen the beast still eating on the bodies. It was awful and Pa cried.

We weren't sure what to do, when all of a sudden I caught sight of a glint of metal in the sky. I looked up and it was an Angel carrying a sword. Pa crossed himself.

The heavenly messenger swooped towards the beast. The demon was far bigger than the Angel, but really quick. It avoided many swings of the sword, but did not attack with claws or teeth. I was sure the Angel would win because it was sent by God, but the demon got behind the Angel and wrapped its long arms around his chest, squeezing. I heard a cracking sound. The Angel dropped the sword and went limp.

I was sure the Angel would be killed as the monster sat upon his chest and began to squeeze his neck. It was then that the Angel cut open his own hand with a stone and pushed it into the devil's face. The hellspawn recoiled in great pain and stumbled back, leaving the scene of the battle.

Pa and I approached the fallen and crushed cherub. He beckoned us closer. He spoke to Pa, saying "my blood is like poison to the creature, use it as you will" I did not know what this meant. Pa and I carried the dying Angel back to our wagon, where he is now, speaking what must surely be his last words to my Pa and Ma.

December 26, 1864
The Angel died during the evening. There was much talk amongst the family all morning long. They are convinced the demon will return and follow the Angel here to our home to ensure that he is dead and to retrieve the mighty sword.

The men talked long among themselves and then did a most horrible thing. They strung the Angel up by his ankles like a slaughtered calf and nicked it's neck with a sharp blade to bleed it into a bucket like some sacrifice to God. When the heavenly host was drained, they took some sail cloth that we use to patch the tents and soaked it in a good portion of the Angel's blood.

They took the body and placed it under a tree in the field, then all hid. Sure enough, come noon, cousin Peter says that the beast was coming. It was an ugly thing up close. When it reached down to grab the sword next to the Angel's body, the men dropped the bloody sail cloth from the tree onto its head.

The demon screamed like no sound I ever heard and started to struggle. It was like it couldn't move right, like it had a real bad arthritis and getting worse. After a while it stopped moving under the cloth and the men pulled the cloth away. The beast was there, frozen. Mama came over with the bucket and slowly poured the rest of the blood over the monster's petrified body.

It began to crackle and shrink like a raisin from a grape. After a time all that was left was small statue, which we all took down to the graveyard and buried in consecrated ground.

When we returned to where the Angel had been, it was gone, the sword too. We went to the garrison and as feared, young Billy and all his friends had been slaughtered. I fear I will never be the same again.

Rosamund stopped reading and closed the book. Albert sat silently and felt a shiver run down his spine.

"I think I need to go home and process this," Albert said in a dazed voice.

"Does it sound familiar?" Rosamund asked.

"More than you know....I have the sword."

Ethelinda was wide-eyed. "Are you being serious right now? Are you saying this is real?" She asked incredulously.

Rosamund ignored her and addressed Albert urgently, "You have the sword!? How? Is the Angel dead

"I'm afraid he is," Albert said meekly.

"The Beast killed him?" The old Gypsy asked.

"Not exactly...but that's not the concern, what about the sword, what should I do?"

"You must dispose of it as quickly as possible. The creature will come for it. It is a trophy of the highest order and the aberration will surely desire it." Rosamund said urgently.

"Dispose of it, yes. I need to get rid of it," Albert repeated as in a trance. He stood and addressed Ethy, "Come on, we need to go. I need to do this as soon as possible, before it finds me."

Ethelinda stood without argument, still a bit dumbfounded. Rosamund stood as well and put her right hand on Albert's shoulder.

"Go then Albert, God be with you."

"Thank you Rosamund." He was about to exit the house when the old Gypsy called to him.

"How did the angel die if the demon did not kill him?"

"It's complicated... I'll tell you next time we talk," Albert said as he quickly slipped out the door.

When Ethelinda drove him home, not a word was spoken.