Cuchulainn

         Cahoolan’s Pub was one of many pubs located at the end of the main drag in town called James St. These days the pub was rather quiet compared to its glory years when it first opened. There were, of course, the regulars who numbered enough that you’d have to count them on both hands but no more. Seamus the barkeep was always able to draw a bit of a crowd on Sunday evenings when he offered half priced drafts which included, as always, Guinness Draught, Harp Lager, and Smithwick’s Irish Ale; and most nights they were able to draw enough patrons to keep in business.
         The lower half of its walls along with the floor was made from oak boards that used to glow with a beautiful varnish. By now they had been scratched and banged up by so many drunken patrons that repair was dearly, but altogether too time consuming and expensive. The upper half of the walls were painted a dark green and decorated with various neon signs and posters advertising different brands of beer and spirits. Some older posters still remained advertising tobacco products; a vestige from the days when it was customary to smoke inside. The age of these advertisements was obvious by the out dated logos they featured. The alcohol  posters on the other hand were mostly all current because the delivery men were known to bring new posters, neons, and other promotional products with their alcohol deliveries from time to time, and Seamus was careful to replace the old beer signs when he could in order to keep customers up to date on their current products. It seemed strange to most that he left up the few decades old tobacco posters, but Seamus was old-fashioned and felt that they were a necessary part of a bar even if he didn’t sell cigarettes and you could no longer smoke inside of the pub.
         This pub was rectangular with the door placed in the middle of one of the skinny ends of the rectangle. To the left of the door the bar ran along the wall, and to the right were oaken tables and chairs which were all just as worn as the floor but as sturdy as the day they were made. Many of the tables had various names and messages scratched on to the surface by various patrons who desired their presence in that place be remembered by those who came later
         This night there was about an average sized crowd. Two regulars, Tim Finnegan and Lukey, sat at the end closest to the door having come in after work at the mill. While near the other end a couple sat chatting quietly. At a table over in the far corner sat a group of six young men drinking rather heavily and every now and again the table would erupt in loud laughter, but other than that they kept mostly quiet. Finally a small group of only three people sat at a table about a quarter of the way down the right wall. It was especially cold and rainy tonight and when conversation lulled one could clearly hear the rain falling to the earth outside.
         It was half past eleven and “The Rising of the Moon” was quietly playing on the jukebox when suddenly the door to the pub burst open with a thundering smack as it hit the wall so hard that the whole building shook. In the doorway stood a haggard looking giant of a man with a long scraggly brown beard and a long head of thin head complete with a bald spot at the back of his head. His jacket was torn, tattered, and by no means was it water proof. His jeans were just as worn and consisted of a large whole in each knee. It was obvious that he had been out in the rain for quite some time because his clothes were so wet that water was literally pouring off of them onto the floor.
         All conversation stopped as everyone in the pub stared wide eyed at the creature which stood in the doorway and the last line of the song played: “And hurrah, me boys, for freedom, 'tis the rising of the moon.” The shady creature half stumbled half tripped up to the bar next to Lukey and Tim and slurred a mumble which sounded something like, “Shhh-jurrr psh.” This along with the acrid chemical scent and the heavy glaze over his eyes made it obvious to Seamus that this man was not only too intoxicated to drink but he was definitely on some sort of drug and probably far too much of it.
         Keeping his calm Seamus began explaining to the creature, “I’m sorry sir, but don’t you think you have had enough to drink tonight? Maybe it’s time you head on home. Is there someone who can take you or should I call you a cab?” All the while he was reaching over to grab the phone which was only a couple feet to his side.
         Hearing this and understanding all too well this shady giant of a creature’s eyes began to burn hot with anger. He let out a monstrous, “NOOO!” swinging his arms with all of his might to the right he hit both Tim Finnegan and Lukey across the chest and sent them sprawling across the small pub. The back of Tim’s head went directly into the corner of the nearest table and he crumpled unmoving to the floor. Lukey went sprawling backwards rolling head over feet into a chair. As Lukey pulled himself to his feet, and shook the senses back into his head, the creature turned back to the Seamus and pounded his fists on the table as he growled more unintelligible and now violent sounding nonsense. Seamus took his glance away from the creature to notice Lukey pulling an engraved silver flask of the rare old stuff out of his back pocket. Unscrewing the top Lukey tilted his head back and gulped down its contents.
         Time stood still.
         His eyes began to glow with a fiery fierce vengeance as the lights in the room seemed to dim and glow with a tint of red as though the room was now lit by firelight rather than electric lights.
         Seamus fold his hands tilted his head and began to pray:

“I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.”

         Lukey blood was pulsing through his veins so loud that anyone in the room could almost hear it pounding in their ears like the war drums of an army marching into battle.

“I arise today
Through the strength of Christ’s birth with his baptism,
Through the strength of his crucifixion with his burial,
Through the strength of his resurrection with his ascension,
Though the strength of his descent for the judgment of Doom.”

         As the elixir coursed through Lukey’s veins his fists clenched so tight his knuckles cracked reminiscent of snares leading the marching infantry.

“I arise today
Through the strength of the love of Cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In prayers of patriarchs,
In predictions of prophets,
In preaching of apostles,
In faith of confessors,
In innocence of holy virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.”

         His muscles seemed to grow to stupefying proportions and bulge through his clothes right before the eyes as his mouth curled into slight grin.

“I arise today
Through the strength of heaven:
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth,
Firmness of rock.”

         Finally Lukey broke the silence as he called out to the creature, “Ay! Laddy! I would recommend you run, boy-o!” Slowly the creature began to turn to look at Lukey.

“I arise today
Through God’s strength to pilor me:
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s host to save me
From snares of devils,
From temptations of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in multitude.”

         The brutish creature let out an ear shattering guttural yell that shook each and everyone person in the bar clear to the bone… Except Lukey who yelled in return, “Have at it laddy!” As they charged towards each other.

“I summon today all these powers between me and those evils,
Against ever cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and soul
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul.”

         As they came close Lukey’s feet left the ground as he hit the creature with a drop kick that had so much force he flew backwards into the bar. Almost immediately Lukey was back on his feet as he pounced on the creature like a tiger tackling an antelope.

“Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me abundance of reward.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in ever ear that hears me.”

         Lukey swung his mighty fist down hard and fast onto the fallen creature. One, two, three times, and the creature had ceased to struggle. Slowly Lukey stood up, his skin color fading from red to white as the drums in everyone’s ears seemed to be marching away.

“I arise today
Through a might strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through the belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness,
Of the Creator of Creation.”

         Electric light flooded into the room as Lukey sat himself onto a barstool and cupped his now shaking hands in his face. The three patrons had moved over Tim and were holding his head, he was not moving. The couple sat at the end of the bar their white faces still looking terrified, and the group of five now having finally found their bravery were poised to grab the creature if he began to move. Seamus picked up the phone and dialed 911, while pouring a glass of porter to calm poor Lukey’s nerves. After Seamus set down the phone one of the three trying to revive the unresponsive Tim Finnegan jumped up to grab a wet rag from the barkeep, as he did this his shoulder struck the table causing it to shake. This then caused his glass of whisky which he set there just moments before to shake and fall; as it fell the contents spilled out and splashed over Tim’s face. Just as a police officer came running in through the still open door Tim began to cough and sputter as his eyes opened ever so slightly.