“You three stay here,” says Frank.
“Dad!” exclaims Cindy.
“I said stay here.”
Frank and Linda run full stride down the hall towards Kelly’s room. Frank opens the door forcefully.
“I said calm down!” yells the night nurse.
Kelly stands on the bed, screaming profanities. Three other nurses walk through the door and surround the bed. They try containing her. Kelly throws them away like Barbie Dolls. One nurse tries holding her legs; the force of her kick throws the nurse across the room. Another nurse grabs her arm. Kelly throws a left hook and the nurse falls to the ground.
“Fuck you, assholes. You mother fuckin’ cock suckers,” yells Kelly.
One of the nurses stands up and finds his way to the panic button. The alarm sounds at a shocking decimal. Two other nurses run through the door. It takes five nurses to hold down Kelly. She kicks and screams as the profanities slur from her mouth. The sounds are deep, cackled, and inhuman. Kelly surprisingly throws the four large men off her and stands on the bed again.
“You’re all a bunch of cock sucking faggots. Leave me alone, you fuckers!!” screams Kelly.
The IV bag falls to the ground. Kelly grabs the injection needle and tears it from her hand as blood squirts all over her. Kelly begins licking the blood from her hand and cackles. The sounds of many demons hail from her mouth. The nurses with the help of Frank and Linda finally throw Kelly to the bed.
“Hold her!” exclaims one of the nurses.
The nurse grabs a bottle and extracts a sedative with a syringe. She shoves the oversized needle deep in Kelly’s arm. The screams from Kelly are now deafening.
“Stay away, fuckin’ bitch. You think you can stop us, stupid whore!!” screams Kelly.
The sedative starts taking effect. Kelly lays back on her bed, moving her head in all directions. She lashes her tongue in midair and laughs. She looks at Frank calmly smiles then giggles.
“You’re all dead, and too stupid to know it,” cries Kelly.
“Why’s this happening?!” exclaims Linda. “Make it stop.”
One of the nurse ties Kelly’s wrists to the bed post. Another nurse ties her ankles together.
“You both need to leave now. We have things under control,” calmly says the nurse.
“Are you crazy? We’re not leaving,” says Frank. One of the nurses stand in front of Frank clenching his fist.
“It’s a demand, not a request,” says the nurse.
Doctor Chu walks in Kelly’s room holding a sandwich. He looks at the nurses, then Kelly, then Frank and Linda.
“What the hell is going on here? Can’t you see, I’m on break, for goodness sake?”
“I was adjusting IV, then she attacked me,” says the nurse.
"Attacked, attacked? You kidding? How can she attack when she weighs 115 pounds?
“Can someone tell me what the fuck’s wrong with my daughter?!” yells Frank.
Doctor Chu takes the last bite of his sandwich. He throws the wrapper in the garbage can. He speaks with food still in his mouth.
“When she starts to wake, give her two mil of Ativan and two mil of Dilaudid,” states Doctor Chu.
Frank sits in a chair with his hands over his head. Linda stands by the bed and looks at Kelly, crying.
“Mr. Walbreck, it’s best you take your family home now. Everything is under control now,” says Doctor Chu.
“We’re not leaving our daughter until we know what’s wrong with her.”
“Follow me,” says Doctor Chu. Frank and Linda follow the Doctor out of Kelly’s room. “Look, I understand your concern. We’re all concerned. Remember what we discussed earlier? Your daughter’s problems maybe psychosomatic. We still have to run tests. You must take your family home. If her problems stems from this family or someone related to your family, it will be psychologically devastating if they’re here when she wakes. She could go into shock, have a stroke, or go into coma. Do you both want that?” Doctor Chu is stern and direct with Frank and Linda.
Linda and Frank look at the Doctor and shake their heads no.
“Please go,” says the Doctor.
“Frank, Doctor Chu’s right, we need to think about Cindy and Matthew. Haven’t they been through enough already?”
“Ok alright.” Frank begins pacing he floor as he speaks. “I’ll be expecting a call later. Or I’ll be back raising holy fuckin’ hell,” replies Frank.
“Very well, good night,” says Doctor Chu.
Doctor Chu walks away. Four other nurses leave Kelly’s room. One of the nurses lock Kelly’s door. Frank and Linda pass Kelly’s room. Linda walks up to the door and places her ear against it. Kelly lays in her bed. The only thing Linda and Frank hear is Kelly laughing, and cackling wickedly. Linda looks under the door space of her hospital room. She sees the shadow of feet walking by, then hears a whisper. “Soon you will be ours my child. Soon you will join us for all eternity.”
Chapter Fifteen
Frank is passed out in his favorite La-Z-Boy. Linda is upstairs in bed. An empty bottle of whisky sits next to Frank. A half drunken bottle of wine and pills sit next Linda. Cindy is lying in bed. She didn’t sleep a wink. She lays on her side staring at the clown that sits in her rocking chair. The clown with the evil smile. The clown that never changes expression. How she hates that clown. How she’d like to burn it in the fireplace. She can’t because Kelly gave it to her on her 14th birthday.
Cindy gets up from bed and makes way downstairs. She looks over her father, frowns, grabs an extra blanket from the closet, and places it over him. Frank’s eyes open as she covers him.
“Hey, pumpkin, how are you holding out?” asks Frank.
“I don’t know, everything’s like a bad dream. I can’t sleep anymore,” replies Cindy.
Matthew walks downstairs rubbing his eyes. He’s holding his Gameboy. Donkey Kong music can be heard.
“Why isn’t Mom up? What’s going on around here? I got home last night. The whole house was empty. Grandma wasn’t in her room,”
“Kelly had an accident, sport. We were at the hospital,” says Frank.
“What kind of accident?” asks Matthew.
“She slipped and fell in the bath,” replies Frank.
Matthew looks around the house, bottles of beers lay about. Frozen food boxes in the kitchen are in view. “Where in the heck is Grandma?” No one says a word. Well, who’s going to make us breakfast?" Matthew is now sweating from his forehead. He starts to panic. The kids never lifted a finger his whole life. Frank knows he must calm him.
“Kelly is fine, champ. We’ll hit Mickey D’s for breakfast.” This immediately calms Matthew. How he likes the kid meal toys.
“Mom gives us lunch money,” says Cindy.
Frank stands up from his La-Z-Boy and stretches. He opens his wallet and takes out two ten-dollar bills.
“Ten dollars enough?” asks Frank.
“It’s perfect,” replies Matthew. Matthew grabs the ten dollars from Frank and runs upstairs. Matthew places the ten dollars in his ‘stashbox,’ take 75 cents from his Darth Vader change holder and says to himself “sucker.”
Frank heads for the kitchen refrigerator. He opens the fridge and grabs a Coors. He opens the can and drinks it down. When finished, he throws the can in the sink.
Cindy looks over Frank with a frown, shaking her head in disapproval.
“Dad?” Cindy in a mundane tone.
“Yeah, baby?”
“What’s going on with this family?”
Frank opens the fridge and grabs another beer. It’s a bottle of Spaten, his favorite. He grabs an opener and laughs.
“What’s the matter? Why you ask? There’s nothing wrong. Stop trying to act like your mother.”
“Dad, all I’m saying is with all that’s happened, maybe we shouldn’t have the Halloween party this year.”
“Not an option, kiddo. Invitations are sent, about 200 people have RSVP’d. Money’s been spent, kegs are orde
red, DJ’s in town. What we need is a good old’ fashioned Walbreck party. You know, make things normal again.”
“But, Dad—”
Frank quickly interrupts Cindy, “Cindy don’t sound like your mother. We need got on with our lives. Kelly is fine, we’re all fine. If we cancel everything, everyone will start blabbing their mouths. Do you want to be known as the neighborhood freaks? Enough shit has happened already. We need pull together as a family unit, stick together. Show these assholes what the Walbrecks are made of.”
Cindy looks at Frank with a blank expression. One of disgust. She won’t agree or disagree. Either way, she’ll be guilty. Guilty of her own existence. Guilty of being a child with a brain. A child that sees the faults in her parents. Cindy thinks of the beatings for talking out of line. For voicing an opinion. No wait, she thinks, not an opinion, a fact. All she can do is keep her mouth shut. Keep her mouth shut and walk away. What she wants to say is Dad, why don’t you just drink yourself to death. That way there will be peace around here.
“Do you have a problem with that?” Frank asks.
Cindy snaps out of her daze.
“No, Dad, I’m going up stairs to get ready for school,” replies Cindy.
“Glad we’re in agreement,” says Frank. “Now get upstairs, tell your brother to get his ass moving,” orders Frank. Cindy turns away from her father and runs upstairs.
Frank’s finishing his third beer. He looks around the house, then walks to his La-Z-Boy chair. Frank turns on a college football game. It’s a re-run. Doesn’t matter to Frank, now he can have normality around here. Football, Baseball and booze and wagering. He sits down and pours a shot of whisky. Frank begins to laugh aloud. He watches the game and yells, “Catch the football, you fuckin’ pussy.”
The clock on the wall reads 1:00 pm. Frank is passed out in front of television as MTV plays in the background. Linda stands in front of Frank in her ever-famed orange blue. Her eyeliner has ruined, and wrinkles show around her eyes. Her lips are chapped from another opium binge. Linda kicks Frank on his leg. Frank open his eyes and looks at Linda.
“What the hell you want?” asks Frank.
“The Doctor called while you were out,” says Linda.
“Oh yeah, what did he say?” replies Frank.
“They want to transfer Kelly to South Hill Psychiatric Hospital. Things are getting worse, Frank. They can’t find anything physically wrong with her anymore. They say she suffers from some kind of major psychotic terror. They want our permission that Father McCourt see her. You know, the one Doctor Chu mentioned.”
“Father who?” says Frank.
Linda closes her eyes and refrains from beating Frank over his head with a whisky bottle. She says a quick private prayer and regains composure.
“Frank, Father McCourt remember? Doctor Chu mentioned him. Please tell me you remember.”
“Well, there’s nothing we can do about it right now. Is there?” replies Frank.
Frank stands up from his chair quickly and walks to the refrigerator. He grabs another Spaten and drinks it down. Linda cannot believe what she sees. The sight of Frank now makes her sick. Her feelings now are that or regret, remorse, disgust.
“You’re a real son of bitch, aren’t you?” Says Linda.
Frank looks at Linda, smiles, and burps. “Yeah, well, you knew that when you married me. Or shall I say trapped me.”
Linda runs up to Frank and slaps him hard across his face. “Trap you? You son of a bitch. This house came from my father’s inheritance. You drink away everything else, or lose it gambling, or the market. Worst part is, you’ve cheated on me all these years. Why do you continue to disrespect me, Frank? I have given you so much. My life, my love, my soul. All you do is take, Frank. As a husband, you are never here for me. As a father, you’re a drunk. You get drunk, then abuse everyone physically and emotionally.”
Frank takes a good look at Linda. He tries his best James Dean attitude. “Then leave,” says Frank.
Linda has a look of complete shock on her face. She turns and walks away. She looks at Frank with tears in her eyes. A look of a woman that’s given up. A look of a woman with a broken heart. A look of a woman that’s lost her will to live. Linda runs upstairs and slams her door. There is no doubt she will find comfort in her love books and Vicodin. She may just live on tap water, pills, and her hidden wine bottles for a few weeks. This way, she can lose weight, and Frank might be attracted to her again.
Grandma sits on her bed knitting. She was listening to the conversation. She holds in her hand a voodoo doll of Frank. She knits clothing around the doll and chuckles aloud.
“You will see. I will show you. I will show you everything devil man.”
Father McCourt, 57 years old, dark grayish-black hair, gleaming eyes and good looks, walks towards the information desk at the psychiatric hospital. He stands in front of an attractive front desk nurse in her early twenties. She discusses visiting hours over the phone. The nurse impatiently taps her nails on the desk.
“I have an appointment today with Doctor Chu,” says Father McCourt.
The nurse at the desk studied Father McCourt and looks over with a seductive smile. “Right over there in the corner.” The nurse points to the west side of the waiting room.
“I will help myself. Thank you so kindly,” says Father McCourt.
Father McCourt finds his way to the coffee machine. The nurse at the front desk follows with her eyes his every step of the way. Father McCourt makes his coffee then makes his way to the waiting area. There are two black leather couches with a coffee table covered with magazines and periodicals. Father McCourt sits down and adjust his position on the couch. He nervously takes a deep breath and looks around. He picks up a National Geographic and looks through the pages. He sees an article called ‘Inside the Red Dragon.’ Thumbs through a few pages and sets in down. He notices at a Time Magazine, looks it over, and puts it down. Nothing of interest is here for him. Father McCourt takes a sip of coffee and relaxes. He thinks of Kelly, then thinks of a woman he exorcised in Peru. Father McCourt’s hands begin to shake, and his head begins to feel faint. Father McCourt closes his eyes while remembering Peru. He thinks of a 10-year-old girl he exorcised. She was Catholic and from a good family. Her parents were farm workers and he a good, and well like by everyone. When he arrived, she was almost dead. Her skin was reptile grey, hair white, with yellow green eyes and deep lacerations all over her body. Her vaginal area was penetrated and bloody, and her nails sharp as nails. The young girl laughed at the Father when he splashed holy water all over her. She looked at him with eyes and giggled.
“Father, you pig, you son of a bitch. You can’t and will never defeat us. Go home to your wife. She has cancer. Go before it’s too late.”
In the end the Father not able to saver her. He arrived at Peru too late. She dies from dehydration, malnutrition, and eternal bleeding.
The Father’s wife died one year later after his return. All Father McCourt sees in his dreams are the dead eyes of the girl, and still hears the sadistic laughter. “How does it feel, Father McCourt, that God destroyed your unborn son? How does it feel that God hates you, motherfucker? Your faith is weak, Father McCourt. Your vows were weak. And for this, you shall burn in hell for all eternity.” The evil spirit taunted him. Told him things of his youth. His secret desires, the sex magazines and dirty thoughts of other nuns.
As Father McCourt waits on the couch with his eyes closed, he replays the failed exorcism over and over in his mind. He sat with the young Peruvian girl praying and gripping her hand. Only response was blood spit on his face. Countless hours went by. He looked over the girl after 172 hours of prayer and ritual. The Peruvian girl’s heart finally stopped. Father McCourt began CPR on the young girl.
The last words from the Peruvian girl were, “See you in hell, Father. You will be punished for not saving me.” The Peruvian girl smiled at the Father, then spit blood in his face, then passed away in horrible pain. To this day, that exorci
sm haunts Father McCourt. He has vowed never to lose unto Lucifer again. Now Kelly is his last chance, he believes, he must save her, or be damned forever.
Doctor Chu walks up to Father McCourt. Father His eyes are cold and distant. He appears in a trance.
“Father McCourt?” asks Doctor Chu.
“Pardon me, Father McCourt.”
The echoes and sounds of the failed exorcism stop in Father McCourt head. He regains consciousness.
“I’m sorry, yes,” says Father McCourt.
“It’s an honor meeting you, sir. I’m Doctor Chu. I’ve been on the case study regarding Kelly Walbreck.”
“Yes, Kelly Walbreck. How is she doing?” asks Father McCourt. Doctor Chu offers Father McCourt a handshake.
“I hope you are ready,” says Doctor Chu. “In all my years, I’ve never seen anything as evil as this.”Father McCourt is not impressed by Doctor Chu’s statement.
“Define evil,” asks Father McCourt.
Doctor Chu places down his head in embarrassment. Father McCourt has been his mentor for years. Father McCourt follows Doctor Chu down the cold dark hallway. The Father looks up at the ceiling as he walks. He notices the lights are flickering. The energy in the ward is intense. So intense his bowels begin to hurt. The sounds of patients moaning remind him of a mental institution in Baghdad 1978. The Father knows what is waiting for him. Father McCourt plays it calm. This is his moment of redemption.
“What is the medical prognosis?”
“Well, where do I start? As of now, it appears we’re dealing with 4 distinct personalities. Kelly seems to suffer from a bipolar, schizophrenic psychotic disorder. We have her very sedated. However, she’s amazingly and still extremely violent. She’s attacked five of our staff. Bit off the ear of one nurse. Gnawed on the penis of another. While awake in bed, she masturbates and claims Lucifer is her lover. When very heavily sedated, almost to the point of death. she sits wide-eyed and emotionless until someone tries to touch her. Then in a matter of seconds, she claims she’s an ancient deity dating back over six thousand years. The profanities are extreme. They all have to do with sex, orgies, oral sex, anal—”
The First Culling Page 17
