“Well, I guess we all have to go some time,” Joey said as he tossed a handful of menus at my face. He shot out of the to-go area and into the dining room of the restaurant and killed the lights so the place was completely dark. So many individuals begged and pleaded with me not to kill them, but some tried to fight like Joey did. I especially enjoyed the fighters. They added an extra level of excitement to the whole thing and kept my hunting skills sharpened.
“Joey, just come on out, and I promise it will be over quickly,” I said as I straightened my jacket and stood in the entry way of the dining area. “This is going to happen tonight, and running and fighting me isn’t going to stop it.” I walked into the large dining room. I altered my appearance to blend in with the darkness, as I quietly walked to where Joey had hidden behind some tables in the back. I figured he assumed he could maneuver around the room to make his exit while I searched for him in the darkness, but I could easily see where he was the entire time. Even if he got outside, there was no way he could escape my grasp.
“Here you are,” I shouted as I grabbed him by the throat and lifted him off the ground and into the air. All the lights came back on at my command as terror gripped that arrogant man. “Your time has come for you to pay for your sins, Joey.”
“Please stop! You don’t have to do this.”
“But I must.”
“Come on, there has to be something I can give you.” Joey struggled to get the words out.
“All I want is to fulfill what I was created for.” I brought Joey down to my eye level.
“Are you going to stab me like you did Ron?”
“Oh no,” I said with glee as I brought him down hard in a chair and delivered a hard punch to his stomach that knocked all the wind and fight out of him in an instant. Then I hummed a little song to myself as I zip-tied his hands behind his back and firmly secured him to the chair.
I checked my watch again and saw that I was slightly ahead of schedule, so as I waited, I allowed Joey to catch his breath.
“What are you doing? Just stab me and get it over with already!”
“I told you, I’m not going to stab you. What’s with you and wanting to be stabbed to death. You have some real problems.”
“Come on already, I know that’s how you like to kill your victims.”
“No, Ron liked to kill others with a knife, and so he died by a knife. You however liked to beat people to death with your bare hands. That takes a special sick and sadistic monster to do something like that, and that is how you will go out Mr. Joey Abbate.”
“Please don’t do this. I’ll give you anything, even this restaurant if you will let me go. I’ll disappear and no one will ever see me again, and you can go and tell your boss you completed the job. Please. I’m begging you here. You don’t have to do this!”
“I guess I was wrong about you.”
“What do you mean? Are you going to let me go?” Joey asked as a glimmer of hope echoed in his voice.
“I didn’t have you pegged for a beggar.”
Then I delivered several well-placed blows of my fist that caused enough trauma to practically liquefy his organs. I dealt the appropriate amount of punishment that his sins had warranted, and within moments, Joey was no more. I checked my watch and Joey left this world right at eleven fifty-nine, at the exact moment he was supposed to. I cleaned the blood from my gloves and straightened my tie before I stepped outside. As the door quietly closed behind me, I felt refreshed by the warm night air. I stood there and slowly breathed in and out the soothing aroma of Italian food mixed with the scent of spring, as I savored that moment before the time came for my next target to be dispatched.
Chapter Ten
Luciferian High Priest
The City of Black Castle
RUMORS HAD SEEPED IN from the spirit realm over the past couple of days of a powerful spiritual being that had entered the natural realm and started to dispense his version of justice to the unfortunate citizens who had crossed his path. One of my many sources in the city said he read the official police report where Brandon Farmer claimed he witnessed a man in a red business suit named Wrath kill a man named Ron Horn. Both men had been known for their ill-repute from their illegal dealings when they were detectives for the city.
Apparently, the red suit man had stabbed Ron to death with a yellow knife that read Brimstone and had left trace elements of the knife’s namesake in the wound. Also, the man had excessive strength that wasn’t humanly possible, and he appeared and disappeared from Ron’s domicile without a trace.
I had come across beings like that in my service as a high priest to my lord, Lucifer, so I knew that Brandon was telling the truth. What I didn’t know was what Wrath’s end game was, and why exactly had he entered my city. I figured the being wasn’t there for me since my men and I had done nothing wrong to anger our lord, so I needed to find that being and surveil him before I made myself known to him. I knew a good place to start looking for Wrath was to follow Brandon Farmer until the man showed back up.
I sent my elders out into the city that morning with specific instructions to locate Brandon, and then immediately inform me when they had. They were not to speak or interact with Brandon in any way, and I warned them of the consequences of what could happen to them if they failed. If Wrath was guarding Brandon, then he’d most assuredly turn his fury on to my elders and end their lives. But there was the off chance that Brandon had been gifted with abilities like I had been, and Wrath was a figment of his imagination to absolve him of any guilt, or to throw police off his scent, at the very least. I was aware of Brandon’s past, and the obvious grudge he had towards the Amaras for the injustice he suffered at their hands—which was mostly his fault. Even a blind person could see he was being played, but not Brandon for some reason. He had blindly followed Ron right off the edge of the cliff.
As I studied the deep and profoundly wise scriptures of Lucifer in the Den of Sacrifice, I received a call from one of my elders. They informed me they’d just seen Brandon have a heated confrontation with a man before going into Joey Abbate’s restaurant, and given Brandon’s well-known disdain for the Amaras, I knew he wasn’t there for the food.
I took a deep breath as I drew upon my power from within me that Lucifer had gifted me with, and within seconds my body had become completely translucent. When I was in that state, I was completely invisible to the naked eye, and to most spiritual beings as well. But the best part of that gift was it allowed me to travel great distances within a matter of seconds at very high rates of speed. I asked Lucifer once how that was possible, and he told me when I became invisible my body was actually vibrating at the same frequency as the spirit realm, which also gave me extraordinary speed at traversing the natural plane of existence.
I took off my ceremonial robe in favor of my street clothes, but I donned a jacket with a hood to conceal my face just in case Wrath discovered me hiding in plain sight. As I focused on Joey’s Kitchen as my destination, my surroundings began to blur around me, and within a matter of moments, I stood in the parking lot across the street from Joey’s Kitchen. I purposefully stood away from the restaurant so I wouldn’t inadvertently give myself away. I thanked my good lord, Lucifer, because I arrived just in time to see Brandon as he came out of the restaurant with his tail between his legs like a scolded dog. I ducked behind a light pole and watched as his friend in red kept a careful eye on him as he got into his car and drove off. Wrath must have concealed his presence well since Brandon walked right by him.
I watched Brandon as he went, and when I turned back to see what Wrath was doing, he still stood in the lot. My heart quickened as Wrath began to look around him, as if he’d picked up a scent of something or someone. As he began to turn my direction, two cars sped into the parking lot, and the men who clearly had guns underneath their suit jackets grabbed his attention. They quickly proceeded inside. Joey must have called in backup after his meeting Brandon, which told me Brandon was a dead man.
&nbs
p; Whether he knew it or not was a different story.
Wrath walked down the street in the same direction that Brandon had taken, and I needed to know what had gone on. I crossed the street and entered the restaurant all within the blink of an eye and surveyed the place until I located Joey and his crew in a back room as Joey filled them in.
“Listen up, boys. Brandon Farmer was in here and told me he didn’t kill Ron, but some guy in an expensive red suit did.”
“Since when did Santa become a stone-cold killer? We all know it was Brandon who killed Ron,” one of the men said and they all laughed.
Joey raised his hands and quieted everyone. “That’s enough, boys. I’m pretty sure it was him who killed Ron, but on the off chance that he didn’t, we need to be prepared for whoever this guy is. We still need to be ready if it is him and he decides to come back in here to make good on his previous threats.”
“What’s the matter, boss? Don’t tell me you’re scared of a civilian,” the same guy joked as the others laughed a little harder at Joey’s expense. I knew that guy was in for a world of hurt, because Joey never allowed anyone to make him the butt of a joke and get away with it.
Joey smiled really big as he walked to the guy who made the joke from where he sat and laughed.
“That’s funny?” Joey asked.
“You see everyone laughing, don’t you?” the wise guy cracked again.
“Yeah, I see that, now stand up,” Joey said still smiling.
“Come on, Joey, I was just messing around.”
“I know you were, but I said stand up.”
I and everyone else knew what that meant, and as the man slowly stood, Joey socked him right in the mouth. The man stumbled back as Joey repeatedly punched him in the face and kicked him multiple times when he landed on the floor while everyone looked away for a moment.
“Anyone else have a joke they want to make at my expense?” Joey yelled.
No one said a word. “That’s what I thought. Ron wasn’t one of us, but he was still a friend, so if this guy wants a piece of me, then I’m going to give it to him. I want you guys to stay here today just in case that guy shows up and wants to get his hands dirty with me. Someone get that funny guy off the floor and get him cleaned up. Now!”
I relished that moment as Joey’s men got busy following his orders, but I knew all I needed to do was sit back and wait for when Wrath showed up.
I STAYED HIDDEN FROM the natural eye all day as I surveyed Joey’s restaurant from the safety of the rooftop across the street. Joey let his bodyguards go one-by-one as the day wore on. I would have chalked his error up to his own hubris, but in the end, it didn’t matter, because not even an army could stop that man from getting to Joey.
An old man in a baby blue polo and khakis seemingly showed up out of nowhere in the middle of the restaurant parking lot and shuffled inside. The last two of Joey’s bodyguards walked out of the building, and I knew Joey had fallen for the fake old man. Next, I saw some of the lights turn off for a few minutes before they all came back on again. Finally, Wrath walked out with a smile on his face as he appeared to be enjoying the night air.
Then he checked his watch, headed down the road, and vanished from my sight.
I hadn’t heard one scream or even the slightest bit of commotion that would indicate someone was being attacked. I knew it probably wasn’t a good idea to go into the building, because I had no idea of what could be waiting for me inside, but I had to know what had happened to Joey. I waited a few more minutes to see if any other beings showed up, and when I was convinced none were coming, I quickly traveled from the roof to the front door of the restaurant. I took one last look around and ensured Wrath and no one else was around, and then I opened the door.
There were signs of a struggle. The floor was littered with buck shot, spent shotgun shells, and the two halves of the broken shotgun. I carefully maneuvered around the room. Even though I couldn’t be seen by others, I still consisted of solid matter, even in that state, so I made sure not to disturb the scene. I stepped around the room and avoided any evidence that had settled on the ground.
In the dining room, it didn’t take long for me to spot what was left of Joey b.
A bloody disfigured mess of a man was seated in a chair that he had been zip-tied to. It appeared Wrath, did not want his target to be able to defend himself in any way, but to suffer the full force of the punishment that was inflicted upon him. Joey’s face was completely caved in, and there were fist-shaped indentions in his chest. Several bones protruded through the skin, and there were many other gut-wrenching injuries that could turn even the strongest of stomachs. But Joey’s mangled dead body gave me a glimpse into his attacker’s mind. First, by the way he checked his watch right after he left the building told me he’s working to a schedule, as did many of the spirit beings who worked in the natural realm. They always seemed to be obsessed with time. Even Lucifer kept to a tight schedule when he would appear in our meetings.
The second thing I learned that night was that Wrath was truly killing his victims in the same manner that they had killed other people. I was aware of Ron’s fondness for knives, and how he preferred the bladed weapon instead of a gun. Since he was a cop, he didn’t want to make the mistake of using his service weapon on one of his victims, which would immediately tie the crime back to him. Joey preferred to beat his victims to death with his bare hands. Joey fancied himself a great fighter, but it’s not hard to fight someone when they have been tied to a chair. Wrath was truly vicious, and he had earned my respect, however, the two people he killed thus far did slightly affect my plans for the city. It wasn’t a matter of if, but when he would kill again, and when he did, I would have to introduce myself to him.
“Goodbye, and good riddance, Joey Abbate.”
I stepped outside and headed the opposite direction of Wrath.
Chapter Eleven
Brandon Farmer
The Holy Anointed Church
AFTER I LEFT JOEY’S restaurant, I drove around, angry with myself and Joey over the exchange. Every time I relived his final threat to me, I thought about pulling the gun from behind my back and repeatedly pulling the trigger until it clicked. After I cleansed the world from that vile bit of pond scum, I’d find Scott and work him over in front of Lizzie just because I knew I could wipe the floor with him. Then she’d see how weak and pathetic he truly was, and she’d know how big of a mistake she made by choosing him. I punched the steering wheel as my heart pounded with the surge of adrenaline from the thought of making my enemies suffer at my hands.
Then the familiar feelings of guilt and shame flowed back to me over my desire to end another man’s life. My father raised me to be better than that, and at that moment I wished he would have never filled my head with all that stuff from the Bible. Then I wouldn’t have to endure that constant struggle I had lived with for years. It was so ingrained in my thinking that even though I hadn’t read the Bible or so much as even listened to a sermon in years, those principles still guided and judged my every motive, thought, and action no matter how hard I tried to block them out.
Every time I strayed from them over the years, it only increased the levels of guilt and shame already compounded on top of the stack that continued to crush and torment my soul every day. I thought about asking God and others to be forgiven, but I never did, because I truly deserved to suffer for my sins. I wondered when the day finally came, when I had been tormented enough, would I feel like a man who had been released from spending years in solitary confinement?
With my luck, on that day the sun upon my face and fresh air blowing across my skin, freedom would only become my next imprisoned state.
A man like me could never be truly free.
I recognized that I was spiraling to the depths of the abyss of my internal sadness, and I couldn’t stop it with reading my old law books. I needed to talk to someone at that moment, but I had no friends to turn to except for one man who would always talk to me.
“Hey, Brandon, how are you?” He looked genuinely happy to see me, and I had to admit to myself it felt nice. I had received so many looks of disdain from others for so long that I had grown to accept them as a normal part of my life.
“Hey, Phillip, I um... I came by to talk. If you have a minute.”
“Well sure, come on in, I’m just prepping my message for this coming Sunday.”
“You’re busy, I didn’t mean to interrupt. I’ll come back another time.”
“Don’t worry about that, I could use a break from staring at my computer screen. I’ve been in front of that thing all day. Come inside, please.” Phillip motioned for me to follow. We went to his office, and again I was amazed by the sheer elegance of the room. It just seemed too nice for a pastor’s office, but then again it was a big church, and the rest of the building looked just as good. I figured God was okay with churches being more on the higher end of the elegance spectrum, because if they were ugly and run down, no one would want to go to them. We sat down and I thought about what I wanted to talk about, and the exact words I should use.
“What brings you by today?” Phillip sat and folded his hands together on the top of his desk.
I sat and shifted around in the chair as I tried to get comfortable and settle the nervous energy that filled my insides. “Several things, to be honest with you.”
The Wrath Walker (The Wrath Series Book 1) Page 10
