The 13th Black Candle

by Bob Goodwin

  ‘A minor problem at my end, Romoli, but it will be resolved tomorrow.’ The young woman’s voice was slow and calm. ‘Our plan will continue as we discussed.’

  ‘Do you need any assistance?’

  ‘No. I’ll contact you if there’s any further problem, but I don’t expect there to be,’ she replied firmly.

  ‘Anyone else?’ There was a short pause. The soft cries of the man secured to the cross filled the air. No other comment was made. ‘Excellent! The night of our greatest offering and tribute to our King is nearly at hand, and of course, our revenge for our murdered brother,’ announced Romoli loudly, ‘Let us commence tonight’s ceremony. Doctor, would you like to place the tenth candle and prepare for our anointing?’

  The member of the clan referred to as the Doctor stood and approached the master of ceremonies. He took the candle in one hand and then, after Romoli kissed the blade, took a long knife in the other.

  He knelt before the altar, bowed his head, then stood and took two further steps to reach the bench. The candle was placed carefully on an intersecting point on the star — there were two more points still to be covered plus the very centre, marked with an X. The Doctor bowed again, kissed the bench and announced loudly...

  ‘Dear Lord, Prince of Darkness and Ruler of the universe, we ask that you accept this, our tenth marker.’

  The other members were now all standing with arms outstretched. They recited the response.

  ‘Accept our souls!’

  ‘Dear Lord, Prince of Darkness and Ruler of the universe, we ask that you bless the blood of this unbeliever,’ continued the Doctor.

  ‘Accept our offering!’

  ‘Dear Lord, Prince of Darkness and Ruler of the universe, we humbly ask your guidance and protection for our church – the 13th Black Candle.’

  ‘Accept our souls.’

  The Doctor moved over to the crucifix. Romoli took hold of the winch handle. With every turn, the long end of the cross rose slightly. The winch creaked noisily for two minutes, then stopped. The cries of the man grew louder as his weight, being suspended vertically, caused the barbs to embed themselves deeper. He probably could have screamed louder had he not been so exhausted. Fresh streams of blood began weaving their tortuous course down his body. The Doctor stood in front of the crucifix and steadied the slight swinging motion. The naked man’s navel was at eye level.

  A bizarre recital commenced.

  Joj Sookyun,

  Eithod Enk,

  Chey Yduta,

  Og Gubtuon,

  Enk Kyltady,

  Eillua Eillua Eillua.

  The group now formed a line. In turn they stepped forward, knelt, and rubbed their fingers over the bloodied chest. They marked an inverted crucifix on their foreheads and smeared blood over their lips.

  As one cloaked figure approached and touched his chest the tortured man opened and shut his eyes quickly several times. He strained and grunted. For a moment, he could focus.

  ‘Angela. Help me. Don’t let me die. Angela, please,’ he begged. She looked down at his bloodied head, smiled, and gave a long, sinister laugh before turning her back on him and walking away.

  ‘Don’t worry!’ shouted Romoli, ‘You are not going to die, at least not tonight. You are not the main attraction.’ He plunged his hand into his robe pocket and pulled out a small plastic bag containing a micro-cassette tape. ‘No, Mr Devlin, you are but the prelude to an unbelievable event. It would be nice if you were still alive to bear witness. And I thank you for guiding us to this tape. I’m sure it is going to prove very helpful.’

  Chapter 24

  Don’t Leave Me This Way

  The night staff had completed their handover report to the oncoming nurses and were almost ready to leave. The rituals of checking all the keys and counting the restricted drugs were the only tasks remaining before their departure. Mike’s joke asking them if there were any bodies hanging around or if they had issued out any more plastic bags had not gone over particularly well. Eddy had stood stone-faced throughout the report. In addition to the small dressing still mounted on his nose, he now carried another injury, well bandaged, on his right wrist.

  The drugs were checked and the morning staff each selected a set of keys for the day, noting the number on the tag and signing in the corresponding column in the book provided. Without saying a word, Eddy snatched up set number three, attached them to his personal clip, signed his name and left the office. Kym repeated the procedure before making her way towards the ladies’ dormitory. Her black, tapered, crepe wool pants, cream silk shirt and black patterned tapestry waistcoat complimented her dark features. She always looked nice, but today she was particularly stunning.

  Four women, in the six-bed dormitory-style room, still lay under their blankets, having not bothered to make a move since being woken earlier by the night staff. Kym’s pace quickened when she saw them through the thin blinds.

  ‘Bitches. Lousy bitches!’ she whispered harshly. ‘As if I haven’t got enough on my mind. Lazy, inadequate morons!’ As she pushed her way roughly through the door and entered the room, she turned on the fake charm.

  ‘Good morning, ladies,’ she said brightly. ‘And how are we all today? I trust you all slept well? Mrs Alcott, let me help you up. I know how stiff that knee of yours gets in the morning.’

  ‘Thank you so much,’ replied the sleepy woman. ‘You know it makes the day so much more bearable knowing you’re on duty.’

  Within a few minutes, she had the ladies up showering, dressing, and tidying up the room.

  ‘Breakfast in fifteen minutes, ladies. See you then.’ She left the room. She flicked her hair from her shoulders and forced a short, disinterested smile as she passed some patients sitting outside the nurses’ station. They smiled back. ‘Hello, Kym,’ one said. She nodded her head but said nothing. Her eyes were fixed on room number eight. Simon was sitting on his bed reading a newspaper. There was no one in the nursing station.

  ‘Where do you think you’re going?’ Eddy grabbed her upper arm tightly from behind and swung her around to face him. Kym gasped. Her body jolted. ‘You’ve got some fast talking to do,’ he added.

  ‘Ouch! Let go, you’re hurting me.’ She tried to pry his fingers lose. ‘Let go, you bastard. I’ve got nothing to say to you.’

  ‘Oh, yes you have. Let’s just step into the office here for a few minutes, shall we?’ Eddy tipped his head in the direction of the nurses’ station and marched her towards the door.

  ‘No, we shall not,’ she protested, while Eddy unlocked the deserted room. ‘No I said! Do I have to scream?’ Eddy pushed her into the room and down onto a chair.

  ‘Sit there like a good girl while I tell you a short story about a small yellow pill.’ She immediately stopped squirming. He lifted his hand off her shoulder and sat down. ‘How absolutely radical, eh? The little ching chong is all ears now.’

  ‘Make it quick, will you? The others will be wondering what we’re up to,’ said Kym. Eddy told her how he sustained the injury to his wrist last night. How he gave the pill to his dog and how this changed a sedate, fat Labrador into a crazy, wild animal, biting trees, running into fences, and eventually biting his arm. Kym sat motionless. All initial expressions of discomfort and surprise had been replaced by a fixed, cold stare. She breathed slowly and evenly through a small round hole between her lips.

  ‘And what’s more,’ he continued. ‘The reason I gave poor Cactus the pill was because I had an idea that you had been interfering with Stacey’s medication. After all, you acted strangely when I sprung you in the drug room. I found Stacey’s medicine bottle spilled after you left, and your behaviour about getting that pill back yesterday got me thinking.’ Kym remained still. Her eyes were moist and a slight quiver had developed in her lower jaw.

  ‘When Cactus went ape-shit I knew you must be playing some pretty stupid games. And what about old Hartley? I asked myself. Could dear, sweet Kym have anything to do with that? You know, I must admit I don’
t much care for that bastard Stacey, and old George was a bit of a prick, but for Christ’s sake, I would never do anything...’ Kym had a stream of tears running down her face. Her mascara had formed two black snaking lines down her cheeks.

  ‘Don’t start that crap with me. It just won’t wash,’ said Eddy. She began some quiet sobbing and wiped her nose with a tissue.

  ‘It’s just that...’ She cried louder and covered her face with her hands for a moment.

  ‘Just that what! Come on, I want to hear it. Stop that, please.’ Despite his earlier decision that he would not be manipulated by this predictable antic, his resolve was already weakening.

  ‘I can’t help it. I’ve got a drug habit.’ She blotted her eyes once more and then produced a small vial from her pocket containing several of the yellow pills.

  ‘You’re trying to tell me that you’re addicted to those things? Hallucinogens? That doesn’t seem likely. How would you ever function at work?’

  ‘Eddy, you take these for two years and then you’ll really know what they can do to a person.’ She blew her nose again, then leaned forward and placed one hand on Eddy’s knee. ‘I know you’re a good psych nurse, Eddy, and I’ve always been worried that someday you’d find out about me. That’s why I’ve been so rude to you, to keep you away from me. I’m so sorry. It was so wrong.’ She dropped her head and cried some more.

  ‘Shit, I hate this. What am I supposed to do now? Look, Kym, I’m sorry I said some of those things, but you must admit it all seems very strange.’ He placed his hand on her downcast head. Kym raised her head. His hand slid down her hair and brushed her cheek. She clasped it firmly with both her wet hands and held it close to her lips.

  ‘I know we’ve had our differences, but I have always respected your judgement. You’re a strong, sensitive man and I like that. I need your help. Please.’

  ‘Okay,’ he nodded. ‘But I still have some questions for you.’

  ‘Sure, that’s fine. But right now, I need to go around to interview room one to take a moment and clean myself up. I can’t walk around looking like this.’ She gave a little smile and a sniff. ‘Tell the others I have a migraine and needed to lie down.’

  ‘Okay, Kym. I can do that, but what — ’

  ‘Eddy,’ she interrupted. ‘Please come and talk to me after breakfast. I’ll wait there for you. I’ll give you the whole story, beginning to end. And thank you for being so understanding.’ She kissed his hand and left.

  Eddy, much to everyone’s surprise, was rather energetic during the breakfast sitting, helping patients carry meal trays, feeding some of the older residents, and even wiping down some of the tables. Once the cutlery count was correct, he promptly excused himself and left the dining area, not remaining for his usual bowl of porridge.

  The interviewing room was located immediately to the left of the door which opened into the courtyard. It was at the opposite end of the building to the dining room and out of view from the central nursing station. Kym sat on one of the two straight-backed, armless chairs facing the door. Her Walkman was playing the Communards hit song ‘Don’t Leave Me This Way’ through her earplugs. Her arms were folded, her eyes closed. The light was out. She swayed gently to the beat of the music.

  Don’t leave me this way

  I can’t survive, I can’t stay alive

  Without your love, no, baby

  Don’t leave me this way…

  A faint hum filtered through the air-conditioning vent. The small room, closed all night, was cold. Sunlight from the greenhouse had begun to nuzzle its way between the top few slits of the closed venetian blinds. In the partial light the floor, walls, furnishings, and even the white sheets of the examination bench appeared grey and sterile.

  Kym opened her eyes and slid her left hand slowly into the deep pocket of her pants.

  The blade of the knife was long and slender, cut away in a gentle arc that accentuated its sharpness and length. The polished blade and black ebony snake-shaped handle glistened as Kym held it up and rolled it over and over in front of her face. Her tongue protruded ever so slightly as she moistened her lips.

  A minute later, Eddy knocked and entered.

  ‘Gee, it’s dark in here!’ He reached for the light switch.

  ‘No! No lights please.’ She removed one earplug.

  ‘It’s bloody cold, too!’ Eddy raised his shoulders and rubbed his hands together. ‘Are you feeling any better now?’

  ‘Oh yes, Eddy, much better. Much better indeed.’ Her speech was faint, almost a whisper, and unhurried, as if she was savouring every moment. ‘You haven’t told anyone about my problem, have you?’

  ‘Of course not, just that you had a migraine and were resting. But I do need to know more.’ Eddy scratched his head as his eyes adjusted to the dim lighting. ‘Why, may I ask, are you wearing a plastic apron?’

  ‘I took a moment to quickly help old Maude in the shower before I came to rest in here.’

  ‘Right.’

  ‘Are you going to stand there staring at me all morning? Sit down.’ Eddy sat across from her. Kym stood.

  ‘Tell me the story then? I’m sure I can help you,’ said Eddy.

  She took one step forward, extended her arms, and ran her fingers through his hair. ‘Yes, I’m sure you can help me with my problem. I would like to get to know you more deeply, Eddy.’ She pushed his head back and gently caressed his neck with her fingers. She felt the rasping stubble of his whiskers, the outline of his Adam’s apple, the muscles at the sides of his neck, and finally her fingers came to rest over his carotid pulse just below the line of his jaw ‘You have such a strong heartbeat.’ She moved forward, straddled his legs and sat on them.

  ‘Oh, my God! Are you for real?’ Eddy was stunned. ‘To be honest this was not quite the therapy I was thinking you were after. But I’m not one to argue the point. Carry on, please.’ Kym put the loose earpiece into his ear. ‘Hey, cool. I like this song.’

  Oh, baby, my heart is full

  Of love and desire for you

  So come on down and do

  What you’ve got to do…

  Her right hand left his neck, replaced by her lips. She unbuttoned his shirt. He reached behind her and began tugging at the knots of the apron.

  ‘No, no, not yet.’ She pulled his hand back and lowered her face to his chest. ‘I don’t want to get undressed just yet, big boy. Don’t get too frantic. The best is yet to come.’ Her hand glided over his sparse chest hairs before coming to rest over his left nipple. Her excited panting became louder.

  ‘Kym, you’ve blown me away completely. This is radical, absolutely radical!’ Eddy made a few thrusting movements with his pelvis.

  ‘Oh, I can tell you want me. And I’m so glad you agreed to help me. I just want to express my thanks in a very special way. Are you okay with that?’

  ‘Oh yes, I am very much okay with that. Why have we waited so long?’ Eddy seemed both excited at bewildered at the same time, but he was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

  Kym stretched her left hand so her thumb remained on his nipple and her index finger rested on his sternum. She drew the two digits together to locate the centre between the two landmarks. Her right hand clutched the snake handle.

  There was a brief glint of shining metal as the blade disappeared full length into Eddy’s heart. His eyes widened in momentary surprise and horror. A rush of air and a loud grunt, and his breathing ceased. She removed the knife. A spurt of blood sprayed bright-red spots over Kym’s apron. The spurt quickly changed to a fast gush, then just as quickly again to a steady ooze.

  ‘Oh, Eddy, you do disappoint me. What a little spurt for such a big prick. You know, you really shouldn’t use your penis for thinking. Now look at the trouble it’s got you into. Really radical, eh? Tut, tut, tut.’

  Don’t leave me this way

  ‘Cause I can’t exist, I’ll surely miss

  Your tender kiss

  Don’t leave me this way…

 
; Chapter 25

  The Departure

  Simon sat back down on his bed and once again picked up yesterday’s newspaper. It had been another strange night of vivid, emotive dreaming, and it was difficult to separate fact from fantasy. His room being left unlocked was reassuring; at least he couldn’t have created too much havoc. After a disturbing thought that he was losing his mind and really needed to be in this madhouse, Simon decided he should try as best he could to occupy his mind by concentrating on everything he was doing, however minor the task. It felt a little unusual attempting an in-depth study on eating breakfast, teeth cleaning, nose blowing, and dressing, but at least it helped provide the moment with some sense of reality. Despite the pain and bruising to his cheeks, chest, and abdomen from yesterday’s encounter with the jigsaw juvenile, it was also important to make a special effort to look and act well — to avoid the empty, lifeless stare of the depressed, the irrational conclusions of the psychotic and the stiff, shuffling gait of the drugged.

  How his clothes had ended up washed, ironed, and neatly folded on the end of his bed was both a mystery and a blessing. It had felt good to slip into his own clothing. The simple blue denim jeans and red velour collared sweatshirt provided a sense of individuality and personal freedom.

  Simon directed his attention to page one of yesterday’s news. He had already read the first three pages before breakfast, but had only partial recall of the main stories. He nodded as he remembered the main headline — it was the latest on the police drug scandal. Four police officers had been charged, but the ringleaders had neither been detained nor identified. The names were listed. Stacey took his pen and circled two whom he knew. He thought long and hard. He’d had dealings with them in the past. He remembered there was some conflict and disagreement. He nodded as he recalled they had provided some assistance in determining the outcome of some very beneficial horse races. ‘Ah yes! The penny drops. Greedy bastards,’ he mumbled, as he reflected on their demands for more of the action. It was a long time ago, and there had been times then when he’d had concerns for his continuing state of health. It was a good thing it was well behind him now.