Haints and Saints

Haints and Saints

The question being, of course, who is the haint and who is the saint.

Here is a little attempt at a sort of ghost story. As always, all characters are over the age of 18.

In the borderland between what was and what will be lies a land of not-is. This is the land of the not-living and not-dead and only the most lost find their way to its void.

Shadrach Gage felt a blow like that of a strong mans fist strike his side. The smoke from the highwaymans pistol obscured his target so he could not fire back without endangering the townspeople.

His lifeblood flowed down from the wound soaking his through his shirt and waistcoat. He felt his strength flow out with his gore. His hand trembled so that he could not aim the firearm and then it fell from his weakening grip. His knees buckled and he collapsed onto the cobblestones. He could hear people hurrying to his aid, then everything went black.

Shadrach came to his senses walking through a dense fog. He could see vague shapes in front of him that could be trees or houses or even mountains. There were no distinguishable features near him. The last thing he could remember was being struck by the ball from the evildoers pistol. He then came to the shocking realization that he felt no pain or weakness. Perhaps this was a dream. He reached up and pinched his earlobe. The resulting sensation made a dream seem improbable. But where was he and what place was this?

The blankness and silence around him were unearthly. He realized he could not even hear his own footsteps. He wanted to call out, but his shout died in his throat as he could not force himself to break the stillness surrounding him.

He had been walking for some time, but the shapes in the mist seemed to get no closer.

"This place must be the work of Satan," he finally spoke aloud, "I do not feel the presence of God here This must be a place of great evil if God has abandoned it."

"There are no gods or devils here," answered a woman's voice. "You are the first soul I have seen in the time I have wandered here."

"Who are you?" Shadrach shouted back, "are you a demon or a witch here to lead me astray?" He looked around but could only see the dim shape of a woman.

"I am only another lost wayfarer here in the forsaken land." She answered. She came toward him gradually revealing herself out of the fog. She stopped a few paces way, regarding him with her dark eyes. A few strands of black hair straggled out from under her cap. Her nose was straight and slightly upturned at the tip. Her lips were full and a dusky rose color. He could see the shape of her bosom even under the stiff cloth of the waistcoat. Her waist was slender and the curve of her hips clear beneath her heavy skirt.

Shadrach stepped back and tamped down his response to her beauty. He had never felt the weight of the flesh pull so strongly at his soul. "She must be a devil," Ihe thought. He had never felt the attraction of a woman so strongly.

"What is your name, woman?" he asked more harshly than he intended.

"I am called Rahab," she answered. "I am, or was the wife of John Hammond of Coventry. And what name do you go by?"

"Constable Shadrach Gage of New Galilee," he asserted.

"How came you to this Godless place, Constable Shadrach Gage of New Galilee?" she asked with an amused smile. Almost against his will, he told her about confronting the robber at the door of the general store as he tried to escape with the stolen goods. And about how the thief had fired first and he had been struck down.

"And I found myself walking here in this foggy gloom with no idea where I was nor how I came here." He continued to babble on about being the youngest man in his township to show the faith and integrity to be entrusted with the position of constable. And how he hoped to be the magistrate one day.

She looked at him with an odd smile and replied. "I came here in something of the same manner. I had been married to a Godly and upright man. One who was dedicated to enforcing the will of God." She spoke with an undertone of bitterness. "Particularly in enforcing that will on me. His will or God's will. To him they were the same. I suppose he was enough older that I seemed like a child to him, even though I was past 20 years. But he certainly did not spare the rod. He hated all the sins of the flesh. Even when they were the call of his own flesh. He would revile me and call me strumpet and whore and worse. Even as he spent his lust on me."

She paused and blinked back tears. She took a deep breath and continued. "I make no excuse for what I did. I knew better, but I succumbed to the attention, flattery and tenderness of a young man of the village. I wanted to believe his promises to take me away and to protect and care for me. We had not even sinned yet, when my husband returned and found us together. No, it was a sin to desire a man and let him embrace me." She laughed bitterly. "The man who promised to protect me fled as rapidly as his legs could move, leaving me to face my husband's wrath. It truly was like the wrath of God. He struck me down, pulled me back to my feet only to strike me harder. He held me and struck me again and again. I was only half aware of what was happening, but I do remember him pulling back his fist and hitting me so hard that I heard the bones in my face break. I fell back once more and the side of my head crashed onto the hearth. Then I awoke here on my feet in this dismal place."

Sadrach was shocked to feel so much sympathy for an adulteress. And so much anger against the betrayed husband. He pushed away an image of her lashed to a post as a whip flayed her back. He had wielded such a whip before as he had carried out a sentence on a girl convicted of fornication. He remembered the prideful feeling of administering the justice of the Lord on a sinner.

For a reason he could not understand, he felt shame for that today. It had been part of his duties as constable to. Iuphold the laws of God as well as the laws of men. But here is this desolation, that seemed too harsh and cruel.

"You seem troubled, Constable," she said as he stood there silently.

"Is there something weighing on your conscience? Is there a sin you

need to confess?"

"I was right to think you were a temptress sent to lead me astray with your tale of death at the hand of a cruel husband. God has hardened my heart against your lies."

She stared back at him defiantly. "At the beginning I thought you were like my husband, but I was wrong. He was on fire with the wrath of God. You are cold like a statue of ice. You were troubled because my sorrows began to melt that ice. It is you who have hardened your heart, not God. I am no temptress, only a woman murdered by her jealous husband, who is lost here with you between Heaven and Hell."

Shadrach turned away from her as thoughts roiled his mind. He knew he

Should loathe her as a sinner. But he did feel sympathy for her cruel death and for her being lost here in this limbo. She deserved a better fate than this. Words from the Scripture found their way into his thoughts. "Go and sin no more." "Judge not that you not be judged."

He turned back to her and spoke, "I don't know why God has put us in this place together. I have to believe it has some purpose. I am without any understand what that purpose could be. I do not believe that you are a demon. I find no deception in you. That is what troubles me. I have tried to punish doers of evil in the name of the God. But what if I was wrong in my judgment. I try to be resolute, but sometimes I wonder if we are too harsh on sinners. Jesus walked with sinners and showed them compassion and understanding."

Rahab reached out and took his hands in hers. She looked up into his eyes

and said, "The ice in your heart is truly melting. Mayhap this is why you are here. To learn that mercy must come with judgment"

Shadrach pulled her to him, throwing his arms around her and crushing her

to his chest. He stroked her hair and luxuriated in the feel of her womanliness against his body. Without thinking, he bent his head down and pressed his lips to hers. She returned the kiss gently, then more demandingly. He gently caressed her back, sliding his hands down the rough fabric until he could feel the soft curve of her behind.

She moaned softly through their kiss. Then pulled her lips away to lay her head against his chest. He felt her hips press against him, her thighs embracing his leg. He then realized that his phallus was erect. Instead of feeling shame it enflamed his passion more. He felt her push against him and realized she could feel the tumescence And was responding to his desire with her own. She lifted her mouth back to his and resumed their kiss. They both felt the fire of their passion burst into flame. He squeezed her lower cheeks enjoying the feel of them against his hand. She turned away slightly and moved her right hand down to stroke his member through his breeches. He let out a sound between a moan and a growl. He let go of her behind with his hand and raised it to fondle her breast. She responded by squeezing the lump in his pantaloons harder, eliciting an even more intense growl.

She pushed away from him and shook her head as he reached out for her.

His disappointed and frustration faded as she began to unfasten her waistcoat as quickly as she could. She shed it and began to work at her skirt. Soon it joined her upper garment on the ground. She stood there brazenly before him in only her thin shift which showed the loveliness of her shape. She untied it at the neck and pulled it up over her head and dropped it down on top of the rest of her clothes.

Shadrach gasped as she stood there in the mist. He had never seen anything like her natural beauty standing there as God had made her.

"Are you an Angel?" he whispered. "Only a messenger of Heaven could be as lovely as you are."

Her breasts were full and heavy, and stood out proudly from her chest.

They were capped with circles the size of a pence matching the color of her lips. In the center of those circles were the nubs of her stiffened nipples. He seemed to caress her with his eyes as he took all of her in. He noted the narrow waist and flare of her hips. The soft curve of her belly as it narrowed down into the tangle of curly black hair hiding her cunny.

"Have you never been with a woman?" she asked softly. He shook his head

no.

"I thought not since you are standing there gawking like a yokel. I don't

mind being a lead mare, but I shouldn't have to tell you to remove your clothing."

He quickly complied and momentarily stood there as he was born. But he

was certainly no newborn. Rahab breathed deeply as she examined him

from head to foot. His face was handsome, his shoulders broad and muscular. His chest was deep and strong, his belly flat and hard. Out of a thatch of hair dark brown hair protruded his rampant prick. He was longer and thicker than Rahab's husband had been. She felt a moment of trepidation remembering the pain she felt when he had taken her so roughly. But she had never been so aroused as she was now. She pressed her thighs together as the wetness between them grew.

"Come here!" she demanded.

With two long strides he was there pulling her against him. She unashamedly pushed her belly against his member, feeling dampness at the tip. His hands squeezed her behind roughly. She felt another surge of excitement at his strength and potency. She pushed his head down to her breasts and breathed heavily as the stubble on his cheeks rubbed against the tender flesh.

"Kiss them and suck on the tips," she ordered. He responded passionately

but tenderly, taking her nipples between his lips and teasing them with

his tongue. She moaned as his lips and tongue caressed her, tormenting her with desire.

She dropped to her knees and took his phallus in her hand gently stroking

from base to head. He let out a full-throated groan as sensations of pleasure rushed through him. She then pressed her lips against the tip and kissed it gently. She opened her mouth and let the head slide past her lips.

She had felt humiliated and abused when her husband had commanded her to service him that way, but it was different when it was her choice. She savored the masculine taste of him and enjoyed eliciting moans and gasps as she pleasured him.

She let him slip from her mouth and laid back on top of her clothing. He lay down beside her and leaned over her with an intense look on his face. She lifted her knees and spread them opening herself up to be taken.

He surprised her by kissing her lips. Then down her neck and shoulders

to her breasts where he took time to fondle them and suck and lick

at the areoles and nipples. She moaned and panted as he continued tontrail his lips down her body. He paused every inch or two to kiss her flawless skin. She felt the muscles of her stomach tighten as his tongue explored the recess of her navel. He continued to kiss his way down until he reached the dark tangle of pubic hair.

His tongue eased between the lips of her cunny and he tasted the wetness.

He explored all the creases and folds of her womanhood. Finally, he

discovered the little bump at the top, which caused her to cry out in pleasure.

"Right there, please, don't stop!" she moaned. "Sweet merciful Heaven, I have never felt anything like this before. Please don't stop!"

Obediently he continued to stimulate her even when her back arched mashing her quim against his face and she screamed out into the silence. After a moment she caught her breath and pushed his face away. She lay against him luxuriating in the bliss of afterglow.

"Give me a few moments before you take me," she asked.

She stroked his chest and smiled at him. "I have heard that some women find joy like that with a man. I never expected to feel anything like that."

She felt his still rampant member press against her leg. She reached down

to slide her fingers along his length.

"You poor man, you have been so patient. Now you shall have your reward."

With a wicked smile, she straddled his hips and guided him into

her waiting opening. It was bigger than she had been used to but slowly

She lowered herself down on to it inch by inch. It hurt a little at first but her tunnel stretched to accommodate him until the discomfort faded into the pleasant sensation of being filled with him. Starting slowly, she began to slide up and down. She would pull up until just the bulbous head was inside her, then back down until his base was against her wet and matted pubes. As the sensations of pleasure grew and her cunny became wetter, she moved faster and faster. She savored every stroke and every sensation as she impaled herself on his thick prick. Soon

she felt the fire build in her again. Not being taken by surprise this time, she slowed down her movements to make the pleasure last. Her moans turned to cries of pleasure until she felt her climax rush through her and she screamed out at the top of her lungs.

Panting she rolled off him onto her back and opened her legs for him.

"Quickly! Mount and take me," she cried out.

Frantically, he moved between her legs, pushing them up and out as he

drove his engorged phallus back into her soaking quim. Rahab squeezed

him with her legs and surrendered to his passionate thrusts. She reveled

in his strength as his member slammed deep into her repeatedly. Despite the force of his thrusts, Shadrach showered in gentle kisses on her lips, on her neck and even bent his back to press his face between her breasts.

She could feel by his urgency that he was near release. In her excitement she could feel another climax build in her. She hoped he would last long enough for her to get there. Rahab felt Shadrach tremble and his strokes became irregular as his climax built. He felt the burn build inside him. Even as his orgasm approached he could tell that she was nearing a final spasm of pleasure.

He tried to hold back for her. Then suddenly she screamed out for the

Third and final time just as he jetted his first spurt of seed into her He threw his head back and let out a loud cry that echoed hers as he spent himself into her gushing tunnel. He fell over beside her gasping for breath as she clung to him and her tears dampened his chest.

He looked at her with concern, "Did I hurt you? Was I too rough?" He asked.

: No," she smiled back at him through the tears. "I don't know why

I'm crying, I've never felt anything like that. I didn"t know it could be so wonderful laying with a man. With my husband it was just a painful duty to dread."

They lay together quietly in each other's arms until suddenly Rahab sat up.

"Do you feel that breeze?" she asked. "It is the first air I have felt moving since I have been in this place."

She stood up, slightly shivering, but still enjoying the air moving against her naked body. Rahab turned until the wind was at her back and looked off into the distance. She looked mystified, but then nodded with a slight smile of understanding.

"I must walk with the wind and it will take me where I am bound. I don't know whether it will be Heaven or Hell, but it is where I belong. You must go the other way. You must walk into the wind until you reach your destination. Don't worry about me, I am finished here as are you. With that she began to walk away. Shadrach had the sensation that she was fading away as she walked into mist the mist. But he could not be sure if it was his imagination. Soon she had disappeared into the distance.

Resignedly, Shadrach picked up his clothes and dressed. Noticing

Rahab"s discarded clothing, he folded them neatly and put them back down on the ground. He could not bring himself the leave them there where she had left them.

He then turned his face into the breeze and began to walk. As he moved

through the fog, he felt a slight pain in his side. As he walked the pain got stronger and he began to feel light-headed and weak. Soon he could barely put one foot in front of the other. Then he dropped to his knees and collapsed face down in the dirt. He was overcome with lethargy and then he knew nothing more.

Shadrach awoke feeling like he was floating on a cloud. He opened his

eyes to look into the plain, but cheerful face of a woman maybe a few years younger than him. She was wearing a black waistcoat with a starchy white collar. She stepped back modestly so as not to seem too intimate.

He realized that the cloud he had been sleeping on was a featherbed in a

small room bare room. Other than the bed there was only one straight-back

chair and a small linen cabinet.

"Welcome back to the world of the living," said the woman with a warm smile. "For a while we were not certain if you would return. Fortunately, I was able to keep the leeches away from you. Those charlatans would have bled you dry even though you had already lost too much blood. The ball seems to have missed any vitals. We just need to keep you still until the wound is healed enough not to reopen and bleed you even more. By the way, I am called the Widow Hale. I am to be your nurse until you are able to be up and around. My given name is Charity. If that seems too familiar, Widow Hale or Goody Hale will do.

The events that preceded Shadrach awakening in this room, seemed too real to be a dream, but a dream seemed the only explanation. He would certainly not talk about it. Particularly anything to do with his idyll with Rahab.