Damned for Eternity

by Jerrice Owens

  Those folks you see out there on the lawn are people protesting capital punishment. They want me to overturn the decision, but I honestly don’t know the case too well.”

  “So you’ll have to look into it?”

  “First thing tomorrow, when things quiet down.”

  He took a peek through the curtain.

  “At least I hope it does.”

  “Yeah, we should stay,” Kate then agreed.

  Governor White put them up in separate rooms, housed in a wing designated for guests.

  Secretly, before turning in, Angie and Phil agreed to a late night romp. He would come down and stay in her room because he knew the mansion much better than her.

  Ordinarily, after an exhausting day, Phil would usually conk out by midnight, but his eager ass was unable to sleep. Coochie literally flooded his mind.

  About two in the morning, he tipped toed out, ready to get some more of that pussy.

  He moved past Sam’s room and felt a little bad, but like always, the feeling subsided.

  He made three light knocks on Angie’s door, twisted the knob, and eased it open. He made just enough space to slide on through then he gently closed it back.

  He knew that she was pretending to sleep, because she was sprawled on her back with her legs spread wide.

  He guided a hand under the blanket and gently started to caress her thigh. He didn’t feel a panty line.

  All this did was excite him more. He quickly disrobed and hopped into bed.

  The first ten minutes was sheer fucking, nothing tender, just animalistic.

  After a rest, they made love, over and over ‘til the sun came up.

  Phil put his pajamas back on and headed back from where he’d come.

  He only got two hours of sleep and was the last to head down to the breakfast table.

  The other two came individually and let him in on obscured suspicions.

  First, it was Kate, who whispered to him. “Don’t tell anybody, I told you this, but last night I heard Sam in Angie’s room. And I think they made love right here in the mansion.”

  Then it was Sam, who said later on, grinning at him as he admitted, “I heard you walk to Kate’s room bro, and also heard noises from up the hall. I know you were getting it on, but it’s cool with me; I won’t tell anybody.”

  As predicted, the protestors had all gone home by now, but Phil’s father didn’t doubt that they’d be back.

  “I’m gonna drop off my friends,” Phil told his dad. “I’ll be by your office a little later on.”

  “Okay, we’ll be expecting you. Do not talk to the media!”

  There were two lights on the way to Kate’s house. At the second one, she noticed a flyer.

  “Hey, check it out,” she said. “The carnival’s coming to town. You think this’ll all die down by then?”

  “Hard to say,” Phil replied. “We can only hope this shit’ll end soon.”

  Before letting Kate out, he kissed her.

  Kate pulled away and studied his face.

  “What?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “Nothing,” she said, as she exited the car.

  The door slammed shut with aggressive force.

  Sam jumped. “What’s wrong with her?”

  Phil shrugged his shoulders and pulled away.

  “For real. After last night bro, I’d think that things would be good with you.”

  He caught Angie’s eyes in the rearview mirror. She couldn’t help smiling back at him.

  Phillip strolled into the office a little before nine. His dad was seated amongst several lawyers.

  “Phillip,” he called, noticing him. “They were just about to brief me on this case.”

  Phillip nodded and took a seat.

  The attorney general opened a file.

  “This concerns Mr. Zebediah Ware….”

  He extracted a mug shot and showed it to all.

  “….a naturalized immigrant who’s lived in the state for the past five years.”

  “So that means he must’ve come in under Rainey. Damn him and his push for citizenship!”

  The guy continued. “Anyway, Mr. Governor. From what we know, he comes from Jamaica, and traveled to the states with three of his sons. It’s been reported to local authorities that they practice some form of earth voodoo.”

  “So how does it all tie in to me? And why is he sitting on death row?”

  He displays another picture, of a well-dressed businessman.

  “It centers around his wealthy neighbor. This gentleman is Wesley Crum, who owned several companies within the area. He went missing almost three years ago and his body was found near their property. It was literally hacked to tiny bits, each with demonic symbols upon it. Police believe he was sacrificed in some sort of satanic ritual.”

  “More evidence?”

  “It’s all circumstantial.”

  “And what about these sons of his?”

  “They had traveled back home at the time of the crime. And while it stands as their alibi, it also leaves him void of a witness.”

  Phil’s dad sat back and thought.

  “I’m starting to see the problem myself. I’d hate to kill an innocent man. See if you can contact the victim’s family. Set up a lunch as soon as today. We’ll see if we can’t work this out. At the very least, we can get him life.”

  All his officials nodded at him then began to vacate the office.

  “Stay a minute, Phil,” he said as he rose.

  Phillip reclined back in his chair and allowed the rest of the crowd to disperse. Finally, when it was just him and his dad, the governor’s facial expression changed.

  He slid a folder across to him. Phil opened it up and let out a gasp.

  “You wanna tell me whose ass that is?”

  He started to speak but got cut off.

  “There was only one black one there on the boat, and I certainly recognize the ones that are white.”

  His brow furrowed deep.

  “I’ve told you son! You can’t be doing shit like that! Our family has an image to protect!”

  “How’d you get it?” Phil asked him.

  “Brian brought it to me personally. I’m glad he did instead of the press, but that would have been his very next stop. For a nice little fee, he sold me the pic. Enough to fund his next campaign.”

  “I’ll work it off,” Phillip agreed.

  “You damn right,” his dad told him. “No more simply ‘dropping by’. I want you at this office for half a day.”

  “Done,” Phillip said, nodding.

  “Good now, I need you to make some calls. After that, the two of us are going to lunch. You’ll have my back when I meet the family.”

  He nodded again and then left out.

  Phil and his old man sat side by side in an upscale restaurant located in the heart of the capital. They were awaiting the arrival of Beverly Crum, the spouse of the victim Wesley Crum.

  Neither was familiar with how she looked, and for that reason, she crept up on them.

  “Governor?” a blonde woman with a shapely figure said with a smile.

  “How do you do?” the Governor said.

  She extended a hand. “I’m Beverly Crum.”

  Then she pointed to a man beside her.

  “This is Pastor Avery Judd.”

  “I’m aware,” he nodded. “We’ve met in passing.”

  He arose and pulled a chair out for her.

  “Both of you please. Take a seat.”

  Once everyone was settled again, an awkward silence filled the table.

  “Care to order?” the governor said.

  They all perused the long menus.

  A waitress approached. “Is everyone ready?”

  “It’s all on me,” the governor said.

  “In that case,” said the Pastor. “I’ll have a steak. Medium rare with a side of veggies.”

  “A salad for me,” Mrs. Crum replied.

  “Burger and fries,” Phil said
after her.

  The governor cut his eyes at him. “I’ll have the house soup,” he responded embarrassed.

  “And what would everyone like to drink?”

  “Water,” said Crum.

  The others took tea.

  The silence returned once she’d left.

  The governor finally cleared his throat. “Well, not to ruin your appetite. It’s best to discuss the business at hand.”

  “I agree,” said Crum. “Let’s get it out. My husband was chopped like slaughterhouse meat.”

  “I understand,” he said. “A heinous crime. Unspeakable acts within this state. However, as you surely know, there’s heavy doubt within this case.”

  “Well, governor,” she shot back at him. “Someone has to pay for this. What kind of example would you be setting? It’s perfectly fine to butcher people?”

  “Absolutely not,” his dad shot back. “But what purpose will it serve to take his life? It definitely won’t bring your husband back, while the real perpetrator may have gotten away.”

  “It makes perfect sense,” Mrs. Crum defended. “Let him die and go to hell. And be with those spirits he serves,” she scoffed.

  The food arrived and diffused some of the tension. The table went quiet for a minute or so.

  During that time, the governor never glanced up from his plate.

  “Mrs. Crum, I’m seriously thinking of having the sentence reduced to life.”

  “I want him dead,” she replied, without even missing a bite of salad.

  “I’m sorry, I don’t have a choice.”

  “Like we have a choice when we vote?”

  She smirked at him.

  “You don’t realize exactly who you’re dealing with. My husband was a very wealthy man with connections that reached all over the state. Those same people in our circle were responsible for putting you back in office.”

  “If I may,” the Pastor then cut in. “So was the religious community. We don’t condone the death penalty, but it’ll make you look bad in their eyes too.”

  He put down the fork of his bleeding steak which was really starting to turn Phil’s stomach.

  “There’s no place for demonic cults to exist within the religious order. Especially those whose leaders may have committed a sacrificial act. There has to be an example set that true religion should not be tested.”

  “We have the right,” Mrs. Crum picked up. “To petition your reelection sir. We know enough folks between us two to close the gap and get you out.”

  Mrs. Crum took a sip of her water. She was certain that she had him there.

  On their walk to the parking lot, the governor extracted his cell phone.

  “Cindy,” he said, when the receptionist answered. “Let the people know to cancel my meetings. I’m taking off the rest of the day.”

  He ended the call and passed Phillip the keys.

  “Here, you drive,” he said to him.

  Phillip accepted without a word.

  As they headed home, Phil continued to take his eyes off the road and threw looks of concern over his way.

  His dad was in deep thought, and he knew he’d wrestle with this all night.

  The next morning, at the office, Phil was filing papers when his dad walked in.

  “Get ready,” he told him.

  “Ready for what?”

  “To accompany me to a press conference at noon.”

  Phil walked beside him as he went to the podium, took the stand, and tapped the mic.

  He cleared his throat and addressed the crowd, a mass of flashing lights and reporters. “In recent days, since re-election, a serious issue has surfaced. The state’s protested the execution of inmate Mr. Zedbediah Ware. I am here to say after reviewing the facts, on behalf of the state’s legislature, I hereby stand behind the decision to Mr. Ware’s upcoming demise. The execution shall proceed as scheduled. That is all, good day everybody.”

  The crowd expressed a mixture of joy and shock. The governor quickly vacated the stage. He hurriedly gestured toward his son, indicating that he follow him.

  “You’re a murderer!” one woman screamed, just as they had closed the door.

  “Good job!” said a man knocking on the window. “I hope that son of a bitch burns in hell.”

  The next day, Phil and his father sat his office as Phil worked on revising a speech.

  The phone rang for the millionth time, disrupting Phillip from his work.

  “Poor Cindy,” he said, shaking his head. “Having to do this all damn day.”

  “I can only imagine what they’re saying. Wishing we were the ones that died.”

  Suddenly, they heard her shout, “hold on. Sir you can’t go in!”

  It caused the two to stand to their feet, especially after she yelled for security.

  The door flew open, and a guy barged in. The governor grabbed his emergency pistol. As he took aim, he held up his hands.

  “Sir, I really didn’t mean to intrude. But it’s urgent that I speak with you.”

  He looked harmless, dressed in a business suit.

  “The man you’re about to kill is my father. And I swear on my life that he didn’t do it.”

  “It’s been decided,” the governor said, the pistol still aimed just in case. For all he knew he would lunge at him. However, the guy kept his distance.

  “Sir,” he said, tears filling his eyes. “I tell you, we are a humble people. It would kill me if I lost my dad. On all I love, he didn’t do it.”

  “You need to leave,” the governor stated. “I’d hate to injure a citizen.”

  The man looked away totally defeated then swiftly, something caught his eyes.

  He acutely focused in on Phil and all of a sudden, started to glow.

  “You!” he said with recognition.

  Phillip had the same flashback.

  A hand was coming down on his chest and when he opened his eyes he saw that face. It was the same dude that was wearing the robe, the one that’d saved his life that day.

  “Help me please,” he pleaded with Phil then fell to his knees, the tears pouring.

  Security finally flooded in and grabbed his arms to drag him out.

  “Please!” the man tried again. “I helped you!” he screamed out.

  “Get him out of here!” the governor shouted.

  “I helped you!” he repeated, being pulled away. "I swear to you, if my father dies, your family will never have peace again. You, Mr. Governor and everyone you love will be forever damned the moment my father is executed. "

  "Get him out of here," Mr. White yelled. "I don't tolerate threats, and I don't believe in magic."

  "You don't believe in it now but you will, and you," he said, pointing at Phil. "I should've left you to die. Convince your father to spare my father or you will suffer the most."

  "Alright you've said enough," one of the white security guards said as he punched him in the mouth.

  Blood was all over the hard wood floor in the office. The security guards continued to hit him as they dragged him out. Phillip stood there shaking.

  "Son, don't let that kook scare you. A real man has faith in his own abilities. Don't worry about his empty threats," Mr. White said.

  "I never believed in magic either, but I've seen it firsthand Dad."

  "What are you not telling me? What happened?" Mr. White said, concerned.

  Phil explained his near death experience on the water, the weird chanting, and the ritual that they performed. He explained how he felt their weird behavior caused the weather to change, and how his life was saved by the man that barged in.

  "I wish you would've told me this information earlier son. I don't know if it would've altered my decision, but I'd definitely consider it. We're not going to let this make us paranoid. Everything will be fine."