by James Brown
the
ROCHESTER
CONFESSIONS
James Brown
Notion Press
Old No. 38, New No. 6,
McNichols Road, Chetpet,
Chennai - 600 031
First Published by Notion Press 2015
Copyright © James Brown 2015
All Rights Reserved.
ISBN: 978-93-52060-84-9
This book has been published in good faith that the work of the author is original. All efforts have been taken to make the material error-free. However, the author and the publisher disclaim the responsibility.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage retrieval system, without the permission, in writing, from the publisher.
Disclaimer
This work is purely a piece of fiction. Places and incidents have been picked randomly from around the world to provide a realistic and authentic feel to the story. There is absolutely no relation to real life events or places. This story is not intended to be a historical or geographical chronology nor is it an attempt to distort any true incident. Incidents narrated in the story are for the sake of effect alone. Any resemblance to incidents from real life is coincidental.
“Confess your sins or God will catch up with you one day,
if not then the Devil surely will...”
Chapter 1
The year 2001
Father Paul was relaxing in the balcony of his duplex house in the premises of the St Thomas Church in the small town of Rochester, north of New York City. A young nun came into the room and informed him that Nick Carter, the Mayor, had come to meet him.
Fathert Paul got up to receive the visitor at the door with a warm smile. He liked and respected the old man. Both would meet often, over drinks, to discuss topics of mutual interest. Nick often discussed matters related to the town and its municipality with Father Paul, as he trusted the sound advice of the Father. He was in fact intrigued by the fact that Father always understood the technical aspects of any discussion so easily and with such great depth. The Mayor often wondered if the Father had more to hide than he revealed under his unobtrusive and quiet manners and perfect etiquette.
The town of Rochester was situated at the northern tip of North America, bordering Lake Ontario on its southern shores. The lake, or more the ocean, formed an integral part of the lives of the townsfolk. Right across the lake, there was the big city of Toronto along the Canadian border.
Reaching Toronto by road and rail had always been a problem as Rochester was a coastal town, situated on the northern shores of the lake. The land route was along the shoreline, cutting through dense woods. The road was long and winding and best avoided at night.
There was always heavy traffic of goods and people between Rochester and Toronto and the town municipality wanted to use this to its benefit and fill its depleted coffers. There had been a proposal in the last general body meeting of the municipality; the Mayor had suggested that the municipality start a ferry -freight service between the two towns.
Nick had come to meet Father Paul to ask for his support for the motion which he wanted to raise in the next general body meeting. Father Paul’s vote was crucial in swinging the results in the municipality’s favor. Nick knew that Father Paul was strongly against modernization and attempts to increase connectivity with the outside world. The Father belonged to the old school of thought and believed that change should happen gradually and naturally and should not be forced.
So, Nick broached the matter delicately, starting with the reference to the fact that the municipality was under a heavy cost burden of providing subsidized healthcare to its swelling population of senior citizens. As more and more young people were shifting to the bigger cities such as New York and Toronto due to lack of opportunities in Rochester, the average age of the local citizen was going up. The municipality was faced with lower revenue collections and higher outflow of funds year after year. And with the overall economy of the country in bad shape, central support subsidy had also been nearly halved. This called for desperate measures to somehow generate revenues to sustain the various community welfare activities.
Under the circumstances, Nick told Father Paul that he had proposed a fast ferry-cum-freight service between Rochester and Toronto in the last meeting of the municipality. Nick asked Father Paul for his point of view on the matter.
Father Paul listened to Nick with rapt attention. He then gave the matter a serious thought. He was silent for a long time, deliberating the various points put forth by the old master. Nick was an astute and sharp politician and knew how to put forth any argument. Finally, the Father spoke.
“I feel it’s a good proposal, but we need to analyze the technical aspects in detail and then work on the financial aspects. How do you plan to raise the funds to move ahead with the proposal? You have to prepare a budgetary estimate and allocate the funds for every stage. As far as I know, we hardly have any funds left in the treasury.”
Nick was ready for this. He said, “The first thing is to prepare a project report. I made some enquiries and came to know that the Gardiner Brothers are the foremost technical analysis firm in NY. I happen to know one of their founding partners who had migrated from Australia and was a sailor at one time. They offer a single-window solution to this type of projects. They will not only do the technical analysis and recommend the best suitable vessel but will also submit a feasibility report based on the cost of the boat and its running costs. Besides, they will also set the prerequisites and do the planning for related works, such as the docking bay, and the ancillary facilities required to be set up for the same.”
Nick did not notice but Father Paul stiffened at the mention of Australia and the boat. Old memories flooded his mind at lightning speed and his face suddenly went ashen, as he tried to hide his emotion, which was a mixture of anger, sadness and pain. The pain of a man who had lost everything in life.
Fortunately, Nick was not looking at him as he spoke. Father Paul turned towards the window and addressed him in a choked voice. “But what about the funding? How do we get the funds to move ahead?”
This time, Nick was quick to notice the emotion and was taken aback. At once, Nick knew that this maybe tougher than he thought. Maybe it would be best to leave the matter at this point. Nick was sure that once Father Paul gave the proposal a deep thought, he would understand the obvious merits of the project and give his approval.
“I am working on that as well, Father. I will come up with something by the weekend.”
Sensing a change in his mood, Nick quickly changed the topic. After a couple of drinks, he left.
Father Paul was lost in thought long after Nick had left.
Chapter 2
The year 1965
Nathan was a typical south Australian farm boy. He worked on the farm lands in the small town of Cowell, which lay on Franklin Harbor, a naturally land-locked bay with a narrow entrance through which the tide rushed in and out. Inside the harbor, the waters were calm.
He had inherited the farm from his father, the late John Campbell, and his entire life had been spent on the farm. He had a small herd of cows, some pigs and hens, besides his prized possession, the majestic stallion Stan. Stan was the pride of his farm. The farm was a 50-acre property surrounded by hills; the sprawling fields stretched right up to their base.
On the barn, there were separate lots reserved for growing wheat, barley and oats. Overall, it was a typical south Australian farm.
Next to his farm was the Millers Farm, which had been the largest and most famous farm of the area till the time the Mi
llers owned it. But gradually it fell on hard times.
The MacLean family, which owned the farm now, had bought it when they moved from Adelaide some years ago along with their son Tom and daughter Jade, after closing down their business there. The family had retained the farm’s old name considering the local sentiments.
Nathan had helped the family settle down in the town. Gradually a bond had developed between them. He had been attracted to Jade right from the first time he saw her. She was a hearty, carefree and gorgeous girl with a vivacious personality and good upbringing. Eventually, their mutual attraction turned to love. One day, Nathan asked MacLean Senior for her hand in marriage and he accepted gladly. Jade and Nathan married thereafter and became the darlings of the small town. Most people in the town considered them the best looking couple in Cowell.
A year had passed since then but it appeared only like yesterday to Nathan.
Today, Nathan was very happy. Jade had proven to be lucky for him. Last year’s crop had been exceptionally good and he had managed to save enough money to build their new house on the farm.
Nathan had spoken to the local developer who had links with design firms in Adelaide. He had promised to get the designs for the new farmhouse from the big city.
Nathan had yet not told Jade about the plan and was waiting for the right moment to break the news. He planned to do so tonight. Tonight being a Saturday night, they were going to the local clubhouse, as was customary in the community.
They reached the club at 7.30 p.m. sharp in their old truck. Immediately Nathan was surrounded by his friends and Jade got busy with the ladies who were all in the weekend mood. South Australian wine and food was flowing in abundance and soon everyone was high on wine and scotch. There was loud music, dance and fun and frolic.
Little Sandy sat at the far end of the club at a single table and observed the crowd making merry at the central atrium. He was the village’s new vet. He had come to town about two months ago in place of the old doctor who had retired. Being a recluse and an introvert, he had been finding it tough to mix with the boisterous townsfolk. But being a womanizer, he was eyeing the women with interest. He was particularly drawn to one; she was perhaps the most beautiful woman he had seen in his lifetime. She was so free, bubbly and loud, more so after consuming a fair amount of country wine. She had caught his eye earlier as well and he had made enquiries about her. He knew she was Jade, had migrated from the big city to the town, and was married to Nathan. He thought Nathan was a very lucky bastard.
There was something evil about little Sandy in the way he turned his head and his eyes darted and looked up and down a person, especially women. His long interaction with animals of all kinds had also made him totally insensitive to human pain. To him, there was hardly any difference between an animal and a human being. Long ago, while treating a horse, he had stumbled and the syringe containing poisonous antibody got injected into his arm. He had been ill for more than two weeks after that till the effect of the poison wore off. That incident had somehow changed him. Since then he developed an inclination towards the supernatural. He started reading books about torture, reincarnation, spells and evil. He soon started practicing some of the evil arts too.
His occupation had always taken him to strange lonely places. Soon he started liking his loneliness. When alone, he would turn to the devil. In the city, he would often lure unsuspecting call girls to his hotel room and torture them, as he loved inflicting pain on people, especially those from the fairer sex.
Sandy could hardly sleep that night, as the beautiful face of Jade kept floating in his dreams. He wanted to hold her and make love to her. But even in his dreams he could not touch her. Whenever he tried to do so, the image would melt away, only to reappear and torment him. Finally, he got up and took out his book. He sat down cross-legged in front of a collage of small bones, beads and ancient writings, which he had placed on one of the shelves of his cupboard. After lighting three candles, he started muttering the verses from the book, with animated movements of his body and horrific expressions on his face. His eyes were closed and he was in a deep trance, with only the thought of Jade on his mind.
Jade was fast asleep and Nathan was looking at her face. He was counting the stars and thanking the gods for blessing him with such a lovely wife. He had not yet broken the news to her, as yesterday night, by the time they had reached home, Jade was too drowsy and drunk to listen to anything.
Suddenly he heard a loud groan from the barn. It was a very unfamiliar sound. Alarmed, he got up quickly and rushed to the barn to see Stan lying on the ground, groaning loudly and strangely. He checked his underbelly; it felt much warmer than usual. It appeared to him that Stan was not well. He probably had some stomach infection that caused him pain and spasm.
By now, Jade had also come into the barn as her sleep was disturbed.
“We have to take him to the vet,” said Nathan. “Old Mr. Hansen has gone back home. It seems the new vet has come in but I haven’t had much chance to talk to him yet. Tell you what, I will drop by him and fix a time for him to look at Stan. But I may have to go out today as I have some work in Adelaide. Maybe you can show Stan to him if he comes over.”
“Adelaide, wow! Meeting some old flame?”Jade teased him.
“Well, now that you have asked, let me tell you, my darling. I have only one flame and she is burning bright right in front of me now. And I want her to burn inside a bigger and newer home. I am going to Adelaide to discuss the same with a design firm,” said Nathan.
“Really, that’s the best news I have heard in a long time,” said Jade and grabbed him and planted a long passionate kiss on his lips.
As they came out of the barn, Jade said, “I have to go visit Mrs. Stevens as she is not keeping well. I will be passing by the dispensary. Why don’t you drop me there? I will talk to the vet and then go to Mrs. Stevens. I’ll ask Tom to drop me back.”
Nathan agreed. “Okay then, I will drop you at the vet on my way to Adelaide. Call him over to look at Stan. He seems to be in a bit of a pain, the old fella.”
Jade asked, “What time you’ll be back?”
“Nightfall. Will try to hit the town by 8,” Nathan replied.
Both of them got ready and left for the town.
Sandy had just finished grooming his hair and was getting ready to go to the small office where he sat and waited for the owners of his feline friends and other patients to report their problems. People generally brought the smaller animals, such as pigs, hens, goats and dogs, without an appointment, sometimes at odd hours. But he didn’t have any complaint. The accommodation he had been provided with was surprisingly lavish for a small town animal dispensary, although it was designed more like a train than a proper house.
The house had a small room with an outer chamber, which was his office. This led to the next room, which was the living room. Then there was a big hall with an open kitchen and a dining area. And at the far end, there was a study with a bedroom at the end. The study was his favorite place, as it was here that he stored most of the medicines. It also had a fireplace and a small bar embedded in the far wall. The accommodation was old-fashioned, with lots of wooden paneling and a strong smell of a mixture of alcohol, polished mahogany, and tar coal. He loved to sit at the small round table, sip coffee, and look over the various medical journals, savoring the aroma of the room.
Suddenly, he heard the screeching of tires as Nathan pulled up outside. He then heard a very sweet voice calling his name gently, “Mr. Sandy, are you there?”
He quickly walked over to the outer room, where he saw Jade standing and waiting for him, in all her majestic charm and attractive beauty.
For once, he was unable to speak. His chants of the previous night had worked. The Devil had listened to his prayers and sent the very object of his abject desire to him. He was overcome with emotion but he composed himself and said, “A pleasure to see you, madam. How may I help you?”
Jade replied, “Good morning, Mr. S
andy. This is about our horse, Stan. He is behaving abnormally since morning, groaning and rolling. He also has a bit of a fever, it seems. I was wondering if you could come over and have a look at him… maybe later sometime, when you are free.”
Her long narrative gave Sandy the time to gather his wits. A wicked plan began forming in his crooked mind. He strongly felt that the presence of Jade in his office was a sign from the powers that be, and his prayers had been answered. But he had to now make his own efforts to possess what he had pined for. He replied, “I thought it was more the man’s job to come to the vet than that of a beautiful lady like you.”
“Oh well, Nathan had to go out of town. So, I thought I would request you to come over and see Stan. When can I expect you?” she replied, a bit uncomfortable under Sandy’s gaze.
“There is a problem. As you can see, I don’t have an assistant yet. He was supposed to join last week but has not shown up yet. Why don’t you bring your horse here and I will examine him here itself, and also treat him, as leaving the dispensary will be very difficult,” he said.
This seemed a good idea to Jade. She thought this would save a lot of time in treating the animal. She was quite sure he had some major infection and didn’t want to wait too long for the treatment to start.
“You can take the pick-up used for carrying horses. It is parked outside. I will look at him and you can pick him up later. Here, these are the keys,” said Sandy and handed over the keys of the pick-up trolley to her.
Jade drove over to the farm and persuaded Stan to get into the trolley. She then drove back to the dispensary. As she entered, she saw that Sandy was nowhere to be seen in the office. She opened the far door of the room and called out his name. She heard his voice from behind the nearby door. “Come right in Jade, I want to show you something.”
She crossed over to the next room, and saw Sandy sitting at a small table with a teapot and two cups arranged in front of him.
