A Twist in Time Read online

  A Twist in Time

  by Donna Raider

  ©6/2019

  Edited by Claudette Cruz

  ©6/2019 Donna Raider

  www.donnaraider.com

  Independently published

  By Donna Raider

  A Twist in Time is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental

  Copyright 2019 Donna Raider

  All Rights Reserved

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—mechanical, photocopy, electronic, recording, or any other, except for brief quotations in printed reviews—without prior permission of the author.

  Dedication

  To my bohemian who made me see the world through a kaleidoscope—bright and sparkling. You make me laugh. My world is a happier place because of you. You are my shiny thing.

  Always,

  Donna

  Contents

  PROLOGUE

  CHAPTER 1 - The Priest

  CHAPTER 2 – Rebuilding

  CHAPTER 3- Richie

  CHAPTER 4 - Christmas-Card Town

  CHAPTER 5 - The Rules

  CHAPTER 6 - Confessions

  CHAPTER 7 - The Winter Solstice

  CHAPTER 8 - Consecrated Ground

  CHAPTER 9 - Spring Fever

  CHAPTER 10 - A Woman, After Midnight

  CHAPTER 11 - The Evil Lurking

  CHAPTER 12 - Show and Tell

  CHAPTER 13 - Their Secret

  CHAPTER 14 - The Second Christmas

  CHAPTER 15 - Secrets Revealed

  CHAPTER 16 - The Wedding

  CHAPTER 17 - The Honeymoon

  CHAPTER 18 - I Didn’t Know You’re a Witch!

  CHAPTER 19 – Maine’s Got Talent

  CHAPTER 20 - The Show Must Go On

  PROLOGUE

  THE YEAR 2125

  The curse had passed long ago. So long ago, Athaliah couldn’t recall how many years she had lived in limbo. Ignoring God had been wrong. Cursing God’s name had been worse and had resulted in Athaliah’s banishment to her own personal hell, where each day was just like the one before it. A world where she was feared and hated. A world filled with the vilest beings who had cursed God.

  Athaliah was trapped in a world of her own making. A world that never changed. A world of distrust and fear. A world of boredom and repetition that was driving her insane.

  Through the centuries her name had mutated until she was now known simply as Leah. Leah Anthal. A truly bastardized version of the name of a woman who had once ruled the land of Judah.

  As monarch of Judah and parts of Israel, she had ordered the execution of priests who worshiped the one true God and replaced them with her pagan priests who worshipped Baal, the Earth god.

  In the end, her pagan god had vanished, and the one true God had rained fury on her for the mindless murders God’s followers. She knew this was her eternity. Her punishment for the evil she had unleashed on the world. The price she paid for being a witch.

  ##

  Mika Cross had made her own decisions about serving the only God she had ever known. She served her God well and was sent to the four corners of Earth in her efforts to redeem mankind.

  Mika had been instrumental in bringing about changes in the church. In the twenty-second century, women served as priests in the Catholic Church, and their behavior was exemplary. They had become shining examples for Christians, unlike many of their male counterparts, who seemed obsessed with the young men in their parishes.

  While Mika had led the charge to change the church’s archaic views, she had failed in one major undertaking: priests—whether they be male or female—were not allowed to marry.

  The world had long ago ceased to care who married whom. Homosexuality was a long-forgotten word as all love was accepted in the twenty-second century.

  As a priest, Mika Cross had more pressing concerns than marriage. Mika was more concerned about the survival of mankind.

  CHAPTER 1 - The Priest

  “I will burn this whole damn town to the ground,” a maniacal voice screamed as Priest Mika Cross opened the door to the diner.

  “I am looking for the mayor,” she announced, surveying the room full of people.

  A slender brunette whirled around. “I am Mayor Leah Anth . . .” her voice trailed off as she looked at the young priest. She was beautiful. Tall—at least six feet—with long blonde hair and the face of an angel. Her full, sensuous lips parted, exposing bright white teeth. She was a true golden girl. She was almost baby-faced, but the soulful look in her eyes spoke of a much more mature woman. She took Leah’s breath away. Mika smiled at her, and the entire room bathed in a soft golden light.

  “I’m your new parish priest,” she said, beaming. She quickly closed the distance between them and extended her hand to Leah. Leah looked at her hand as if she were offering her a dead kitten, almost recoiling from her.

  Leah’s eyes darted furtively around the room then locked on the iridescent blue of Mika’s eyes—piercing blue eyes that seemed to peer into the depths of her soul.

  Mika studied Leah briefly. She was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen, and she was only a heartbeat away from plunging into total, irrevocable madness.

  She quickly grabbed Leah’s hand and shook it. Mika knew she had to distract her from the demons that were about to take possession of her sanity.

  At Mika’s touch, Leah felt a warm peacefulness flow throughout her body. The total annihilation of this pathetic little town can wait until tomorrow, she thought.

  “I was told that you might provide me with keys to the church and the rectory,” Mika said, continuing to hold Leah’s hand.

  “It is after office hours,” Leah said as she pulled her hand from Mika’s and moved toward the diner door, “but I suppose I could get them from my office for you.”

  “I would be eternally grateful,” Mika said, smiling. “I’ve come a long way, and I’m fatigued.”

  Mika followed Leah to her office, where the mayor quickly located the keys. “Now, if you could just point me in the right direction, I’ll let you get back to your friends.”

  “Both the church and the rectory are just across the street.” Leah gestured toward a huge, run-down building that had obviously been grand at one time. “The rectory is behind the church. But I hope you aren’t planning on sleeping there tonight. It’s a mess—vandals and such. You should get a room at the bed and breakfast connected to the diner. It’s clean, and the food’s acceptable.”

  “I could use a good meal.” Mika nodded. “Would you be so kind as to join me for dinner? You could give me a big head start by telling me about the town and the people.”

  “Yes, I would like that,” Leah said, eager to be the first to provide the new priest with insight into the residents of her town, from her point of view. Some of the desolation had disappeared from Leah’s eyes. Thoughts of homicide and suicide left her mind for now.

  ##

  Leah was more than happy to give her opinion of the town and its people. The curse had been broken for some time for everyone but her. She was mayor, but only because no one else was smart enough to guide her town through the perils of twenty-second-century America.

  After they had ordered, she began to grill Mika, curious that she had shown up out of the blue. Leah wondered how much Mika knew about her little town.

  “Not much, I’m afraid,” Mika said as she blushed. “I’m ashamed to admit that I didn’t have time to do any research. I was rather abruptly assigned here.”

  Lea
h studied the blonde as she ate her hamburger. “I hate to think of what rule you must have broken that resulted in this being your punishment.” She smiled a fleeting, teasing smile.

  “Busted!” Mika laughed. “I can see you are no stranger to the concept of rules and consequences, Mayor Anthal.”

  “A concept I know all too well,” Leah mumbled.

  Leah loved it when Mika laughed. It was free and honest, not wrapped in secrecy or innuendo. She liked this priest that was condemned to paying penance in her town. She was kind, and Leah liked being with her.

  Leah wondered how Mika had gotten into her city. She was of this realm and should not have been able to walk into her town without notice.

  “By water,” Mika answered. “I was fortunate enough to make the winning bid on a boat at an estate sale. It has served me well.”

  They talked until closing time, oblivious to the curious stares and whispered conversations going on around them. Mika became excited when she learned that Leah was from the Middle East.

  “I’ve spent a lot of time in the Middle East,” Mika enthused. “What is your heritage? From what tribe are you descended?”

  Leah told her of her family’s prominence in the lands of Judah and Israel. They discussed how the face of the Middle East had changed and that Judah was now part of Egypt. Of course, she never told Mika she had been the queen of her realm.

  “I really must be going home.” Leah smiled. “It’s a short walk, but it’s quite late.”

  Mika apologized when she discovered Leah was walking home. “I’ve kept you out very late. Please let me walk you home. A lady as lovely as you should never walk alone at night.”

  “What about you, Priest?” Leah raised a dark eyebrow. “You’d have to walk back alone.”

  “I never walk alone.” Mika grinned and pointed above her head. “God is always with me.”

  The priest walked the mayor home, sat on her front steps, and talked with her until the sun’s first rays began to color the little town light orange and gold. She knew that her presence had helped Leah make it through the night and that the thoughts of death and destruction had slipped from her mind.

  CHAPTER 2 – Rebuilding

  Mika slept later than she had intended. She’d wanted to get to work on the church early, but both hands of the clock on twelve told her she’d missed that boat.

  She rummaged through her bag and found the least-wrinkled priest attire she had. She made a mental note to locate a dry cleaner today.

  She walked downstairs to the diner, where the smell of meatloaf made her mouth water. The sight of the mayor also made her mouth water, but she ignored that reaction.

  “Priest Cross,” Leah greeted her cordially, “I hope you were able to get some rest.”

  “More than I intended to.” Mika nodded. “I meant to get to the church early, but I overslept. I’m about to have lunch. Please join me.”

  Leah inclined her head in agreement and led Mika to a booth in the back corner of the diner—the one they had shared the previous evening. An attractive brunette waitress named Ruth took their order and yelled it back to the proprietor, Naomi.

  “So,” the mayor said, “what are your plans for today?”

  “First, I need to find a dry cleaner. Then I thought I would go to the church and see where I need to begin. I suppose I need to get permits for repairs and such. I’m not certain how to proceed with that.”

  “I can help you with all of that.” Leah tilted her head slightly. A smile played on her lips, as if it pleased her to be able to help the priest. She truly is quite beautiful, she thought again.

  After lunch, Leah gave her directions to the dry cleaner’s and told her to make a list of repairs she deemed necessary. “Bring the list to my office and we can go over it together. I’ll help you fill out the required forms,” she added. “Call my secretary for an appointment. The number is in the phone book.”

  Mika watched Leah walk away. No one should walk that sensuously, she thought, realizing she was watching the mayor with a big smile on her face.

  She chastised herself. Come on, Mika, she thought, you have dealt with many beautiful women. This one is no different. But in her heart, she knew Leah Anthal was very different.

  Her thoughts instantly went to Maria. She made a silent vow that her involvement with Leah Anthal would end differently from her relationship with Maria. I will save this woman, Mika thought.

  She was impressed to find a dry cleaner offering one-day service existed in the small town and made a mental note to return after four to pick up her clothes. Now to face the real challenge: restoring the old church.

  Mika surveyed the ancient cathedral. It sat on five acres across from City Hall. The building was enormous, with multiple rooms. At one time it had housed a thriving ministry. The grounds had been given the minimal amount of care to keep it attractive, since it dominated Main Street. Inside, she was surprised at the damage to the old church. It looked as if a fire had gutted it. Graffiti desecrated the walls and floors. What pews the fire hadn’t turned to ashes were overturned and destroyed, as if someone had taken an ax to them. An ancient and beautiful tapestry of a scene depicting the Sermon on the Mount had been shredded and partially burned. The baptismal reeked from dark, slimy water. Obscenities were scrawled across the once ornate altar. The only thing that had escaped the vandals was a crucifix of her Lord, hanging as high as possible on the wall overlooking the dais. Mika surmised the vandals hadn’t been able to reach it. A thick film of filth covered everything. She began the tedious job of taking pictures to catalog the damage and repairs needed.

  It was after midnight when she finished her tour of the church, ending up in the bell tower. She inspected the bell and found it to be intact. She fought the urge to ring it, thinking a church bell tolling at midnight would not endear her to the town’s people.

  As she gazed out the opening of the bell tower, she was surprised to see that it provided her a view directly into the mayor’s second-floor office, where she was working late. She watched Leah’s lovely face as she scowled at what she was reading, marked something across the sheet, and tossed it onto a pile of other forms.

  As she watched, a sheriff’s car pulled up in front of City Hall. A female officer got out of the car and unlocked the door to the building. Within a few minutes, she opened the door to the mayor’s office.

  Mika watched spellbound as the blonde sheriff walked around the mayor’s desk and sat down on it as if she owned it. Leah stood up and moved around the desk, putting space between her and the sheriff. The taller woman followed Leah, closing the distance between them until she had the mayor’s back against the wall and her hands pinned above her head.

  Mika caught her breath as she realized the sheriff was going to kiss the smaller, dark-haired woman even though the mayor was turning her head and trying to push her away.

  Yeah, thought Mika, the town’s people do need to hear the church bell. She pulled hard on the old rope and smiled gleefully as the bell tolled, sending the sound across the silent, empty streets.

  The sheriff spun around, glaring in the direction of the church and the dark bell tower. She ran to see what was going on.

  As the mayor and the sheriff reached the street, so did the priest.

  “I am so sorry,” Mika immediately started talking as the three met in the middle of the road. “I’ve been assessing damage and checking out what is usable in the church. I had no idea that thing would work.” She smiled her most disarming smile.

  “You probably woke the entire town,” the sheriff said as she glared at Mika.

  Mika shook her head. “Again, I’m so sorry.”

  Leah smiled at Mika, then stepped in to save her from the sheriff’s wrath. “Mika Cross, meet our sheriff, Emily Carver.”

  Mika extended her hand to the sheriff and stepped into the glare of the streetlight. What is wrong with these people? Do they not understand a handshake? she thought as the sheriff stared at her.

&nbs
p; Emily’s mouth dropped open when the streetlight hit the priest’s face. She was devastatingly beautiful, covered with dirt and grime, but still lovely. Emily tried to shake the hand Mika freely offered, but she didn’t seem to have control of her limbs.

  “Close your mouth, dear,” Leah smirked. “You’re gawking.” It was evident the mayor was enjoying the effect the priest was having on the sheriff.

  Mika reached down and took Emily’s hand, shaking it aggressively. “I’ve been working at the church all day. I didn’t realize the time, and I certainly didn’t think the bell would work.”

  “Well, my phone hasn’t started ringing,” Emily volunteered, “so I guess it wasn’t enough to wake up the town.”

  “Looks like you are burning the midnight oil, too, Madame Mayor,” Mika said as she turned to Leah. She stretched her shoulders and rolled her head around as if trying to get the kinks out of her tired body. “I’ve been in the church all day and need some fresh air. May I walk you home?”

  “That would be nice.” Leah smiled, lighting up the night.

  “I’ll take her home in the squad car,” the sheriff interrupted.

  “Thank you, Sheriff, but I believe the walk and fresh air will be good for me,” Leah smirked. “It’s only half a mile.”

  “Let me put out the candles and lock the church. I’ll meet you in your office.” Mika headed for the church feeling pleased with herself for interrupting whatever plans Sheriff Carver had in mind for the mayor that evening.

  Mika started back across the street toward the mayor’s office just as the sheriff laid rubber and squealed the tires on the patrol car, fishtailing down the street.

  ##

  “I hope you don’t mind. I was at the dry cleaner’s just before closing today and noticed you hadn’t picked up your clothes.” Leah said. “I knew you were working hard in the church, so I picked them up for you.” She looked up from the stack of forms she was signing.

  Mika unconsciously dusted her slacks and shirt front. “Thank you so much. I’m afraid I lost track of time. Do you mind stopping by the bed and breakfast so I can run the clothes up to my room? You can wait in the lobby. I’ll only be a few minutes.”