The corporal shook his head vigorously. “No, no, I am not quitting.”
They soon arrived outside an abandoned old warehouse outside of town. The corporal parked the police vehicle and they all got out of it.
They all could see the gold chain hovering outside the big door. It was locked.
“Let me handle that,” Lazarus offered. He stepped forward and clapped his hands twice. Immediately as he did so, the door slid open and the chain floated inside.
Lazarus and the policemen walked into the building, closing the door behind them.
Inside, they could see stacks of crates and boxes everywhere. Lazarus pointed ahead of them. “The chain is headed for the rooftop. Quickly, let’s take the stairs.”
They ran up the stairs and burst through the door which led them to the roof.
On the roof, they saw a man seated in a corner. He was wearing a pair of blue jeans and was clutching a big bag close to himself.
As they approached, the man spun around, still holding onto the bag. He sized up the three approaching men. “Who are you? What are you doing here?” he asked.
“Relax, Morrison. We have come to see you,” Lazarus said.
Morrison frowned as he looked at both the chief and the corporal. “But why are they dressed in police uniforms? Are they also supposed to be here?”
Lazarus nodded. “Yes, Morrison. They are supposed to be here. Or were you not expecting that we would come?”
“No, I knew you would come. I did everything just the way I was told,” Morrison said.
“You did everything as you were told?” Lazarus repeated.
Morrison nodded. “Yes. I made sure that I had her drugged. That way I was able to easily drain out all of her blood before cutting off all the necessary parts.”
Lazarus nodded at the bag he was clutching. “And you have everything inside there?”
Morrison nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, yes, yes. Everything is here, the blood and the parts.”
“So, what do you expect now, Morrison?” Lazarus asked.
A look of confusion flashed through his face momentarily. “I don’t understand. I thought you said if I got these then I could become wealthy.”
Lazarus shook his head slowly. “That was what they told you, Morrison. Isn’t it? That you should kill Rachel, your lover, in order to acquire riches?”
“Wait a minute. What do you mean ‘they’? Are you not with them?” Morrison asked.
“I could never be with them, Morrison. Not now or in a million years,” Lazarus replied.
Morrison was confused. He began to step backwards. “Then who are you? And how come you know my name?”
“Morrison, there are many things that you don’t know and will never know. That is a fact. And I don’t even want to begin to waste my time with introductions and further explanations, either. Rachel said I should ask you a question.”
Morrison gasped. “What? Rachel? You met her? How come? But that is not possible. I left her stone dead.”
Lazarus smiled. “I have my ways, Morrison. She only had a question for you.”
By now, Morrison was sweating and shivering. “A question? What question?”
From the corner of his eye, Lazarus saw the dark approaching shadow that was coming from afar. He glanced at the chief and the corporal who were standing a couple of feet behind him.
“What question was it?” Morrison demanded.
Lazarus turned to face him with a smile. He then handed the gold chain to him. “She wanted to know if you were feeling richer now.”
Morrison was still clutching onto the bag that contained the parts of his lover. He reached out with his other hand to collect the chain from Lazarus. For a brief moment, after he had received it, Morrison continued to stare at it as if he was in a trance.
Morrison seemed entranced and bewitched by the chain in his hand. He never saw the dark shadow which came upon him from behind. As he screamed, the shadow seemed to engulf him completely. And then he was gone.
Lazarus turned to look at the chief. He was still puffing on his cigar. The corporal was sweating profusely.
“I guess that settles it then?” the chief asked.
Lazarus nodded as they walked back to the staircase. “Yes, Chief. The messenger has already picked up Morrison. If only he knew what he was getting into before it was too late. Too bad. The things people do for riches.”
THE END
Anna's Deliverance
CHAPTER 1 The Honda sedan drove into the street and parked by the streetlight.
Father Mathew looked outside the car.
Without looking at his watch, he could tell that it was not yet six in the morning. By observing the street and how empty it was, he could confirm further that it was still very early in the morning. There were just a very few people who could be seen on the usually busy street, hurrying off to their various destinations.
He looked at his old hands. Were they shaking again? he wondered. That must be a good sign, he said to himself. He had been too long in this business to know that whenever one experienced fear, it was always a good sign. To pretend that you were not afraid was to deceive yourself, he reasoned. And evil always flourished in the midst of deception.
He squeezed his old hands together and sighed. He then closed his eyes and began to say a prayer silently.
“It’s awfully quiet, isn’t it, Father?”
The sound of the sudden voice almost startled Father Mathew. He opened his eyes and glared at the driver seated next to him. He was a much younger man, perhaps still in his twenties.
In his quiet reflections, Father Mathew had completely forgotten about his presence.
“What was that you said, Gabriel?” Father Mathew asked, slightly annoyed that his prayer had been interrupted.
“I mean the streets, Father. It is so quiet. Even with the few people walking by, I cannot believe how quiet this particular street can be,” Gabriel said.
“Well, it is still very early in the day. But besides that, it is usually a sign of the forces that dwell in the area,” Father Mathew said.
Gabriel turned to face him. “Forces, Father?”
Father Mathew nodded. “Yes, forces. Where there is evil, it tends to engulf any presence of light and good. You barely get to hear birds chirping, or feel the wind blowing. No, none of that exists where evil dwells. Rather, you get this. Absolute silence and unusual quietness.”
Gabriel nodded. “So, you really think that this family we have come to see is right about what they said over the phone about their little daughter?”
Father Mathew nodded. “I have no reason to doubt the words of parents who are making a complaint over the weird and unusual behaviour of their daughter. And when I do arrive and make a preliminary assessment of the environment, I then get more convinced about the issue at hand. Yes, evil dwells in this place.”
Gabriel nodded and bit his lip. “You know, Father, when I decided that I was going to serve, I did not know much about possessions, evil manipulations, and all that. I only wanted to be of service to people, help them through their difficulties and pains, to comfort them, and all that. I never knew that there could be a whole different approach to serving humanity the way you do. I think it is a much deeper level of service, to be able to help families who are faced with such a crisis.”
Father Mathew nodded. “Yes, it is a much deeper type of service, Gabriel. But it goes beyond service. For the family, you are rescuing them from a severe form of bondage. And for the person or child in question, we offer an opportunity to experience freedom again.”
“Do you get scared, Father?” Gabriel asked.
Father Mathew smiled. “Every time, Gabriel. Every time. But it is also a good sign, because it helps to put my spirit in check so that I do not begin to feel proud and dependent on my own abilities. Evil has a way of spotting such behaviour in us and once it does, it wastes no time in feasting on our sins, which only helps to make them stronger. And that is the last
thing that we want when we come for such assignments. We must strive to do everything possible to ensure that the evil present does not have the chance to grow beyond what it presently is. So, fear is a good sign. And when you detect it, you just admit its presence and pray about it.”
Gabriel nodded. “Thank you, Father.”
“You are welcome, Gabriel. I know that this is your first opportunity to observe such an activity. I want you to make sure that no matter what happens, you do not interact with the entity in any way.”
“Interact with the entity?”
“Yes, Gabriel. By responding to its questions, suggestions, and remarks. They have a way of connecting with our deepest desires and fears, all in a bid to weaken our strength and resolve. You must not engage in any form of interaction. No matter what is said or what you hear, just leave the talking to me. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Father. I will not interact or interfere in the process in any way.”
Father Mathew pointed outside. “It is dawn. We’d better get moving to their apartment before the sun comes up.”
They both got out of the car and walked to the blocks of apartments that were close by. Gabriel was carrying a brown bag, while Father Mathew held on tightly to his crucifix and a huge Bible. As they climbed up the dimly lit staircase, they could hear the howl of the wind as it made its way through several hidden vents and crevices in the hallways and ceilings.
Gabriel looked at Father Mathew. Father Mathew could see the flashes of doubt in his youthful eyes. “It is just the wind, Gabriel. Just get a grip on yourself and don’t think too much about it. Evil has a way of blowing the ordinary and natural things of life beyond proportion. If you dwell too much on it, evil will feed more on your fear. Be strong. Have faith.”
Gabriel nodded and mumbled a silent prayer as they advanced upwards through the stairs. Eventually, they arrived at the fourth floor. Father Mathew searched through the different apartment doors and stopped at the one marked A413. He knocked on the door.
“Just a second,” came the reply from inside.
When the door opened, they were met by a woman. She was wearing a pair of spectacles and looked tired, or maybe sleepy.
“Mrs. Rogers?” Father Mathew asked.
She adjusted her glasses and looked closer at the two men outside her doorway. “Father Mathew? Is that you? My goodness, please come in, come in.”
Father Mathew and Gabriel stepped into the dimly lit apartment. They sat down on a settee that was close to a table.
“You are quite early, Father,” Mrs. Rogers said as she sat down on a sofa next to theirs.
“Whenever I go for such calls, I make sure that I arrive at the location before the break of dawn,” Father Mathew replied.
“I see. You are welcome, Father. Is this your assistant?” Mrs. Rogers asked, pointing at Gabriel.
“Yes, Mrs. Rogers. This is Gabriel. He is going to assist me during the process. What of your husband, Mr. Rogers?” Father Mathew asked.
“He is not yet back from the factory. He was on the night shift yesterday. He should be back by eight this morning.”
“That means we are going to go along without him then?”
Mrs. Rogers nodded. “I am afraid that is what it has to be, Father. He would have loved to be here. But they would not give him the day off at the factory.”
“It’s all right, Mrs. Rogers. We can go on without him. Hopefully, by the time he is back we will have finished and everything will be all right once again. Where is the girl?”
“You mean Anna? She is in her room.”
Father Mathew frowned. “In her room? All by herself?”
Mrs. Rogers stood up. “No, no, no. Of course not. She is not by herself.” She led them into the nearest room.
Inside, there was a bed and two chairs and a table. The standing mirror that was there was covered with a brown bed sheet. The illumination in the room was not too bright.
On the bed was a girl. She was wearing a pair of pajamas and trousers. On both of her wrists and ankles were shackles and chains which were fastened to the bed posts.
Gabriel gasped in surprise when he saw the chains.
Mrs. Rogers smiled at him. “Ever since she began to manifest, we had to make sure that she was always restrained with the chains. That way we know where she is at all times. And she is also never all by herself anymore.”
Father Mathew nodded as he looked at the girl on the bed. She couldn’t have been more than seven years of age. She was asleep.
“When did all this start?” Father Mathew asked.
“Today would make it a week since she began to manifest, Father,” Mrs. Rogers replied.
“Just a week? That means that the possession has not been too long,” Father Mathew said.
“No. It hasn’t been too long, Father. But it has been terrible.”
“I can imagine. Did she have any encounter with anyone or anything before she began to manifest?”
“Well, I can only recall that we changed her school from the former one she used to attend. And once that happened, she suddenly became, became, became—” Mrs. Rogers stuttered while searching for the right word to say.
“Possessed?” Father Mathew offered.
Mrs. Rogers nodded. “Yes. Possessed. It is terrible, Father. She is just a little girl. Our little baby girl. And yet see what we have had to do to her.”
Father Mathew patted Mrs. Rogers’s shoulder. “It is all right, my dear. Be strong. Don’t despair. Evil does not really care about anyone. It respects no one, and does not seek your opinion nor permission before it strikes at those whom we hold dear and cherish so much.”
“I am so glad that you came, Father. I just got tired of trying to find out what to do.”
“It is all right, Mrs. Rogers. I am glad that I am able to respond to your call. How long has she been asleep?”
“You mean recently? She has been asleep since yesterday.”
“Has she had anything to eat in the last forty-eight hours?”
Mrs. Rogers shook her head. “No, Father. She has not eaten in the last two days. She was asleep all through yesterday up till this moment.”
“And since then there has been no incidents?”
“No, Father. No incidents at all. I was beginning to think that it was over. Or maybe the lack of food had sort of healed her of the possession. Do you think so?”
Father Mathew shook his head. “It is merely deception, Mrs. Rogers. Whatever evil took hold of your daughter is only pretending. Unless you are sure that she has undergone cleansing in the past forty-eight hours, you cannot assume that she is now free.”
Mrs. Rogers sighed. “No, Father. No priest has been here to cleanse her in the past forty-eight hours.”
“Then, I am afraid to say this, but she is not yet free. And even as we speak right now, the evil inside her is fully aware of our presence and what we intend to do,” Father Mathew said.
At that moment, the little girl stirred and turned.
Mrs. Rogers moved closer to the bed. “Anna? Anna? Anna, my little girl. Are you awake? Can you hear me, Anna?”
Father Mathew raised up his hands. “Mrs. Roger, wait. I don’t think that is a good idea.”
Mrs. Rogers glared back at him. “What do you mean, Father? She is in chains and cannot do anything. Besides, I am her mother. I only want to check up on her. Don’t you understand? She has been asleep and has not eaten in two days!”
“I know, Mrs. Rogers, but—” Father Mathew began to say but stopped. Mrs. Rogers was already by her daughter’s side of the bed. He turned to look at Gabriel, who was still clutching the brown bag close to his chest, watching the unfolding scenario with an expression of awe and surprise written all over his face.
CHAPTER 2 “Come on, Gabriel. Give me the bag. This is not the time to stare and be amazed. Guard your heart, and be sceptical of whatever you may see at any point,” Father Mathew said.
Gabriel handed over the bag as he watched Mrs. Roger
s cradle her daughter in her arms. “Yes, Father. But she looks harmless. Why is she in such chains?”
As Father Mathews opened the bag, he glanced quickly at Mrs. Rogers and shook his head. “Looks are deceptive, Gabriel. Looks are very deceptive. The evil one always works that way, through the art of deception. And that is how many of us fall into temptation, into sin, into condemnation. You must understand this, or else you cannot defeat it.”
Anna’s head was on her mother’s shoulder. After a little bit of cuddling, she turned to look at the other occupants of the room. “Mummy, who are they?” Anna asked.
“That is Father Mathew from our local church, my dear. And the other man is his assistant, Gabriel,” Mrs. Rogers responded.
“Why are they here, Mummy? And why are they inside my room?” Anna asked.
“They have come to visit you, my dear. They have come to help you,” Mrs. Rogers replied.
“But I am fine, Mummy. I don’t need any help. I am not in trouble, am I? Do you think I am in trouble?”
Mrs. Rogers looked at her daughter closely. She wiped her daughter’s face with the hem of her dress and straightened her hair. “No, Anna dear. You are not in trouble. But I think you still need help. That is why Father Mathew is here. He is going to help you.”
“But why is he in my room? Are we not supposed to have gone to see him in the church instead?” Anna asked.
“Yes, Anna. We should have gone to his church. But not in the condition that you were in. We could not take you out like that, my dear,” Mrs. Rogers said.
“What condition am I in? Is that why you put these chains on me?” Anna asked.
Mrs. Rogers sighed and nodded her head. It was as if to utter a response to her daughter’s probing enquiries was now becoming a heavy of burden on her. “Yes, Anna dear. That is why we had to place the chains on you.”
“But it is not fair, Mummy! I am all right. Why would you put me in chains? Why would you put your daughter in such a condition?” Anna asked.
As he heard this question, Father Mathew stood upright and looked at Mrs. Rogers. She looked back at him with a sorrowful look in her eyes. He could tell that she was weakened in her spirit already. “Mrs. Rogers, please step away from the bed. Step away from your child,” Father Mathew commanded in a stern tone.
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