in Llanview 2004

Carlotta placed the placard that said CLOSED in the window and locked the diner from the inside. Stepping back, she gestured to her boy to take a seat in one of the front booths. She sat down and sighed heavily, the weight of many secrets bearing down on her. “Antonio,” she finally managed to say, “my maiden name is not really Esperanza. I made that up. When you were little, we lived on Esperanza Street.”

“Are you telling me that your name is really ‘Carlotta Santi’ after all?”

“Yes. I’m afraid it’s true.”

“What else have you been lying to me about?”

“Diego isn’t your father.”

“I know,” said Antonio. “It was el Toro Santi.”

“No, mijo. It is Satan.”

“So, I’m the son of el Diablo, not el Toro?” Antonio’s eyes glowed red. Yes, he thought, this all makes sense now. My horrible temper, the evil inside me. My real father planted the seeds in me.

“Creo que sí,” Carlotta admitted.

“How long have you known?” he demanded.

“I have more to tell you. Please listen carefully, Tonio. Remember when Dr. Haver kidnapped Rae Cummings? How he held her captive in a fiery lab? Somehow, she was able to break free, but during her escape she accidentally opened a portal between Hell and Earth—a portal right here in Llanview!”

“What? A portal?”

“Sí,” an impassioned Carlotta answered. “The doorway to Hell.” She stopped to make the sign of the cross and continued. “Evil is escaping into Llanview. Every day, more evil filters into our community. And now it’s up to you to save us. As the son of Satan, you must go and close the portal. Go and seal up your father and his minions before they do any more damage. Please help us!”

Antonio shook his head. “Mámi, you’re crazy.”

“No! It’s the truth.”

He was disgusted with her. “Why should I believe you?”

“Because the signs are everywhere,” Carlotta explained. “The evil is here. The feud between Asa Buchanan and Todd and Blair. Kevin Buchanan stealing that little baby from its mother. They are acting that way because they are all under the influence of evil.”

Antonio scratched his head. His mother might be onto something but he wasn’t so sure. “So call Father Gregory. I’m not an exorcist!” He stormed out of the diner.

One week came and went and anxiety levels rose in Llanview. Many people, including RJ Gannon, had prickly feelings in the pits of their stomachs that they couldn’t explain. On a crisp, autumn night, RJ ducked into a bodega in Angel Square to buy some incense. He wasn’t normally superstitious, but he’d read somewhere that the smell attracted spirits of the friendly variety, and he didn’t want to take any chances. Outside, sirens wailed away in the darkness and flashing red and blue lights landed urgently on the storefronts.

“The 5-0 are everywhere tonight,” RJ remarked to the old man ringing up his purchase.

Roxanne Balsom was in line to play the lottery. "Five oh. That sounds lucky. Give me a ticket for the Daily Numbers drawing. What he said," she tipped her head to indicate RJ, "five, 0, and eight for my birthday and two for Nigel's."

Police Commissioner Bo Buchanan’s voice boomed out of a bullhorn as a cruiser rolled through the square. “Attention, everyone. Please return to your homes and stay off the streets until morning. For your own safety, please! We’ve had reports of seismic activity in the area.”

As the police left the neighborhood, a few people gathered outside to trade theories about the source of the strange disturbances in town. Before too long, a thunderous rumbling occurred. There was what felt like an underground explosion that spanned all sides of the square. The angel statue was blown off her base. She toppled over with a thud and RJ watched flames shoot out of her feet, which now pointed skyward. On the next block over a woman screamed as she witnessed the docks come loose from their moorings and tumble into the Llantano River. Fire and brimstone rained down and a green vapor hung in the air.

Carlotta exited the diner and slipped into the night. She knew what she had to do. Armed with a paper grocery bag and the biggest Tupperware container she could find, she made her way to the entrance to Hell. Antonio had turned out to be a disappointment. He was too weak for the task, but she would stand strong in the face of evil. As she approached the building housing the University’s bio-engineering labs, Carlotta smelled something foul, like rotten eggs. Several bricks had come loose from one spot on the facade and Carlotta could hear other-worldly sounds emanating from there. She knelt down next to the spot and went to work, pulling a trowel from the bag.

As the night wore on, Natalie passed by on a scooter and spied Carlotta stooped over, wiping her hands on her dress.

Carlotta stood up and pointed at a section of the lab building. “Stay put, Satan,” she ordered.

“Mrs. Vega,” asked Natalie, “what are you doing?”

Carlotta was out of breath. “I did what had to be done and, gracias a dios, I saved us all. I sealed up the doorway to Hell. I sealed it with flan!”

Lindsay sauntered into Capricorn. She was dressed in a pink suede blazer and matching miniskirt and had not a hair out of place. She sat at the bar and asked RJ to mix her a martini. She looked around. The club was deserted. “What happened to your clientele?” she asked.

“RJ poured the drink and wiped the silver jigger off with a rag. “It seems the good folks of Llanview are afraid to leave their homes and venture out tonight. There’s a curfew, you know.”

Lindsay shrugged. “I don’t believe in curfews.”

RJ grabbed a bottle opener and removed the cap from a bottle of imported beer. He lifted the bottle and knocked against Lindsay’s glass with it. “Here’s to breaking the rules,” he grinned.

“Cheers, honey,” she cooed back at him. “Anyway, it’s safer here than at the gallery.”

Lindsay gulped her martini and soon resorted to picking up the swizzle stick to nibble on the olives.

"I haven't eaten all day," she said self-consciously.

RJ sipped on his beer then set it on the counter as he lit some incense.

Lindsay looked at RJ intensely and lowered her voice. “Some night, huh? I hope the destruction of Llanview is over. What do you think?”

RJ seemed upbeat. “Well, it’s not a total loss,” he declared.

“How so?”

“I’m going to open a new club. I’m going to call it Club Hades. I’m sure it’ll be a big success. I know just the location for it. . . .”

Lindsay smiled. “Sounds hot.”

THE END