Some years ago, the Kings of Judah sacrificed their flesh and blood, their children, to gain a path to righteousness and wealth. Yep, you read right again. These hideous, selfish kings would stand by and watch as their children burned at the stake, praying and worshiping to the false gods that their desires and wishes would come true by gifting them with the souls of their very own flesh and blood.
I may be a modern-day man; however, I cannot even begin to contemplate how one stands by and watches their own child burn to death in the hope of pleasing a false god. I mean, think about it, they’d be watching as their children screamed and begged for their lives to be spared. And yet no such wish was met. This cruel act indeed backfired as the land became unholy. As the Lord stated in the verse the Smashing of the Clay Pot: Jeremiah 19:2-5: “Say, ‘Listen to God’s Word, you kings of Judah and people of Jerusalem! This is the Message from God-of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel. I am about to bring doom crashing down on this place. Oh, and will ears ever ring! Doom—because they have walked off and left me, and made this place strange by worshiping strange gods, gods never heard of by them, their parents, or the old kings of Judah. Doom—because they have massacred innocent people. Doom—because they’ve built altars to that no-god Baal, and burned their own children alive in the fire as offerings to Baal, an atrocity I never ordered, never so much as hinted at!”
Upon this dark order from the Lord, a curse was born. And low and behold, the land was claimed by a demon. But not just any demon; this particular entity vowed to take revenge on mankind on behalf of the souls of the young who had been tortured and killed at the hands of the people who should have been their protectors. Formed from pure hatred towards families, she is the Dark Empress and devastating families and taking her full reign over this world and the whole universe is her aim. And how will she do this, you might ask? By using the souls and bodies of the young as her army. Possessing them in their dreams. Luring them into her universe and vowing to protect them. Which she will, but at what cost? I’ll tell you what cost. It’s the cost of their family life.
People of the world, I believe her time is now! I believe this entity has started to strike and the world as we know it will soon be no more, for I have visited this land in my own mind’s eye and I have seen things that would keep you up at night. With more power than the average demon, this one will not pass if you call out her name. No, she was created wiser than that. There is only one sure way to defeat this entity and the truth lies here, in Jerusalem.
Please, people of the world, let us pray that I am wrong.
“Erm, what the fuck have we just read?” Phil says, looking stunned.
Sitting back, Matthew remains speechless.
“Mate, what do we do with this information?”
“I, Phil, I don’t know…”
With his hand to his mouth, Matthew tries to process the information he has just read. He never expected to find an article that would speak such truths based on a nightmare he had.
“Matthew, do you think we should contact the person who wrote it?”
Matthew scans the page. “Herman Shimai. He’s left an email address.”
He types out a quick message:
Sent: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: We Need Your Help!
Dear Hermon,
I came across your article online about the land of Gehenna the Tainted Valley of Hinnom and I had to reach out to you. You are right! The entity you speak of, The Dark Empress, or Jezebel, which is her name, she is here! And I know this for a fact because she has taken my daughter. Hermon, she has not only taken my daughter, but she has taken my friend Phil’s five children and that of fifty other children from an orphanage in Ireland. Phil and I have been trying to track her down for some time. We have no clue where she has gone. We lost her trail back in July when they left Ireland and we have been desperately trying to find her and our children again ever since. The reason why we are desperately reaching out to you, is that in your article you stated that you are aware of how this entity can be defeated. We really need this information because when we do find her, which we will, we want to be ready. Please can you disclose this and any other information you might have about her to us so that we can finally take her down once and for all and claim back our children and prevent the world from becoming unholy land? Please Hermon, we are down on our knees begging you.
Kindest regards
Two very desperate fathers
Matthew Honey and Phil Parkinson
Hitting the send button, Matthew looks to Phil and says, “Let’s see if he gets back to us.”
“Mate, I have a good feeling about this,” Phil responds with a big smile on his face.
“Me too.”
Chapter Four
“Father, say it isn’t true.”
Alannah stares out of the window of her new home, a fifth-floor apartment at The Verona on sixty-fourth street between Madison and Park Avenue South, in New York City. She is no longer in her religious attire. Her tiny frame is accentuated by tight dark denim jeans, complemented by a white silk blouse with a loosely tied bow at the neckline. Her hair is scraped back into a neat bun. She sits back in the comfy leather chair in the study, locked in a trance. The morning light highlights the flecks of green in her hazel eyes.
Heightened emotions circulate in her mind – guilt and deep sorrow at the memories of the life she left behind. The view outside her window confirms daily that she is no longer a sister at the Moycullen Nunnery. Although there’s the odd tree positioned outside every apartment building, at present they are all bare without a single leaf. Tall, dark brown trees with extended branches layered in frost. The view is quite the opposite of what she had become accustomed to over the years. Outside of her window is tall brick building upon tall brick building, as far as the eye can see. They have been built by professional architects, but in her eyes, this isn’t the true beauty of nature. No, this is mankind’s version of beauty. Simply put, how to make money and suppress the way God intended the world to look. And the traffic is worse than anything she’s seen – a never-ending queue of yellow cabs and delivery trucks generating non-stop noise pollution. However, one thing puts a slight smile on her face: Christmas time in New York is magical and she had always wanted to experience this first-hand.
Festive decorations take over the streets along with thick layers of snow, and tourists from across the globe travel to New York to embrace the beauty of this magnificent city. And yet, as stunning as the decorations and the snow looks, this seasonal change is far from practical for those who live here and for the commuters who must travel into the city for work. Even now, Alannah can see people from all walks of life on the sidewalks attempting to navigate the sludge and snow. Slipping and sliding on the pavement, they cling to everything and everyone within their reach. Alannah looks away from the window before she sees someone fall flat on the ground.
Gazing at her hand, Alannah admires her simplistic white-gold wedding band. Taking a deep breath, she scans the room. She has settled into her new marital home quite contentedly. With that being said, at times heartache overcomes her as she cannot help but miss her family, along with the solitude and privacy that Moycullen Forest had to offer.
Pondering the sin of leaving her sisters behind and going against her devotion to give her life to the Lord and to Moycullen, Alannah is surmounted by a strong sense of guilt. Tears form in her eyes. She misses her sisters. She misses the children terribly. As she remains deep in thought, Alannah hears her husband’s voice.
“Alannah, baby, where did you put my wallet?”
Turning towards the door, Alannah smiles as she sees Brennan’s handsome face as he enters the room. He is wearing trendy dark denim jeans, a navy-blue t-shirt and thick black rimmed glasses. Looking as if he’s in somewhat of a hurry, Brennan says, “H
ey, baby, I’m going to brave the cold. I need to call at the store for a few things. Where did you put my wallet?”
“It’s in my bag,” Alannah responds as she gets up from her seat. Walking towards her husband, Alannah puts out her arms and hugs him. She then kisses him on his perfectly plump lips and says, “Lord knows how much I’m in love with you.”
Smiling back with a look of admiration in his eyes, Brennan replies, “Aw, I’m in love with you too, baby.”
Content with his response, Alannah releases him from her arms and makes her way to their bedroom. The room is lit beautifully by the rising sun. The interior design is gleaming. An impeccable, romantic room, for an adorable newlywed couple. Walking to her side of the bed, Alannah collects her handbag from off the floor.
“Are you okay?” Brennan queries as he follows her into the room.
“Yeah, why?”
“You just seem distracted today. You’ve been quiet in the study for hours now.”
“Yeah, I’m all good. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine,” Alannah replies as she retrieves his wallet from her handbag and passes it to him.
“Come on, you can tell me. What’s ticking away in that brain of yours?” Brennan says as he holds his wife in his arms and kisses her on the top of her head.
“I… erm…” A slight pause. “I’m sure you don’t want to hear this.”
“And why wouldn’t I want to hear what’s bugging my beautiful.” He kisses her. “Kind.” He kisses her again. “Funny.” He kisses her a final time. “Wife. Huh?”
Smiling, Alannah looks deep into his eyes. “Because you’ve heard it all before.”
“It’s okay. I don’t mind, and if it’s still bugging you, just tell me. And hey, who knows, I might actually be able to cheer you up.”
Laughing slightly, Alannah responds, “That you always do, my baby. That you always do.”
“See, so tell me what’s on your mind.”
“Okay,” Alannah says as she slumps onto the bed and looks to the ceiling, twiddling her fingers. “I suppose I just still feel immensely guilty for having left them all behind like I did without saying goodbye. I didn’t say goodbye to any of my sisters or the children. They were my family. The only family who truly loved me for who I was. They took care of me and looked after me, which is more than I could have ever said for the people who were biologically related to me and should have taken care of me regardless. And how did I repay them for that act of kindness? Huh? I walked out on them all. Some sister I turned out to be.”
“Oh, my baby, it’s okay,” Brennan says as he sits next to Alannah on the bed and puts his arm around her shoulders. “Look, there’s no rule against contacting the nunnery and checking in on everyone. Why don’t you just give them a call?”
“Well, I just don’t know if I can after the way I left and the amount of time that has passed.”
“Baby, look at me.” Brennan places his hands on her shoulders and turns her to face him. “I’m sure they’ll find it in their hearts to forgive you. After all, isn’t that what you guys preach all the time? Forgiveness and all that jazz?”
“But what if they scream at me. I just don’t—”
“Baby, please, you’re going to make yourself ill. Do you want me to call? Maybe I could speak to them first and just tell them it was all on me?”
Smiling at her husband’s desire to protect and take care of her, Alannah replies, “No, it’s okay. I will face the music and call myself.”
“Okay, well look, I’m just heading to the store two blocks down, I won’t be long.” He giggles. “Huh, that’s if I don’t slip on my butt and die of embarrassment. Have you seen some of the sights out there this morning?”
“Yes, I’ve decided to contain myself and not laugh so karma doesn’t bite me on the ass the next time I go out.”
“Well, that’s me definitely falling flat on my back, then. I’ve not stopped laughing all morning.”
Tapping him on the arm in a playful manner, Alannah says, “Now that’s just cruel.”
“What?” he replies innocently with his hands in the air.
“I’m sure our Lord will forgive you for your sins and will make sure that you’re okay on your travels.” She kisses him gently on his lips. Every time his lips are in reaching distance, a strong urge to kiss them takes over. His desirable, soft lips are just one of the many things that drives her crazy about her husband.
“Hmm, I love it when you kiss me,” Brennan says.
“Oh, you do, do you?”
“Uh huh.”
“Well, why don’t we continue this kissing session?”
“What, so you can get out of calling the nunnery?”
“Nooo...” she replies with a seductive smirk upon her face.
“Ouch, I feel so used,” Brennan jokes.
“Aw, my baby, you should never feel used.”
The pair share a passionate kiss.
“Right, missy, I’ve got to get to the store, and you’ve got a call to make.”
“I know.” Apprehension is running throughout her mind. The unknown reaction and possible rejection from her sisters scares her greatly.
Stroking her hair, Brennan says, “Okay, well, I’ll make you a deal: wait for me to get back from the store and I’ll hold your hand and be on standby for kisses and general moral support while you make the call.”
“Aw, you really are the best husband a girl could ever wish for.” She kisses him. “I am.” She kisses him again. “So blessed.” She stares deeply into his eyes. Stroking the back of his head, she gently grips his hair with her fingers. “Honestly, I’ll be okay. You go to the store. I’ll be brave and give them a call while you’re out.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. I’m a big girl. I promise, I’ll be fine.” Looking over his shoulder to the clock on the wall above the doorframe, she works out the five-hour time difference in her head. “So, it’s… currently three fifteen in the afternoon there, they should be back from after lunch prayer by now. I’ll call the office. I’m sure Sister Marie will be around.” She smiles. “I can’t wait to hear her voice again.”
With a sincere grin on his face, Brennan says, “Well, as long as you’re going to be okay?”
“I’ll be a-o-kay. You just make sure of one thing…?”
“Hmm, and what’s that, then?”
With a slight giggle in her tone she replies, “You just promise me that if you do fall flat on your back you do it in front of someone with a camera.”
“Hey, cheeky.”
“I’m not even sorry.” She continues to laugh. “Honestly, I’ll be fine. Go. Go to the store and bring your wife back some chocolate and potato chips.”
“Okay, well as long as you’re sure. I can’t promise someone will have their camera at the ready, but I can promise that I’ll bring you back your favourite chips and chocolate.”
“You’re the best.”
“I won’t be long.” Brennan kisses her on the forehead and walks out of the bedroom.
“I won’t be long, baby!” she hears him call out. The door clicks shut behind him.
Now alone with her thoughts, Alannah whispers to herself, “Okay, it’s time to face the music.”
Back in the study, her hands tremble as she dials the number for the Moycullen Nunnery. A bleep sounds in her ear and a message is repeated: “This number is no longer in service. Please redial and try again.”
Alannah does just that, this time cautiously watching every digit as she presses it. Yet again, the same bleep and message. Believing that she might have remembered the number incorrectly, Alannah reaches for the keyboard on her computer and types Moycullen Nunnery Ireland contact number into the internet search bar. The details of the Moycullen Nunnery come up and underneath them it says ‘closed’ in red letters. Scrolling down, Alannah’s eyes wi
den as her attention is drawn to the headline: Who Killed the Nuns of Moycullen and Where Did the Children Go?
Alannah frantically dials the number of Father McDoyle. Thankfully the number is in service. The line rings and rings. What could this mean? She clicks on the article and an image pops up. It comes with a warning. As clear as day, she can see the Moycullen Nunnery. And on the grounds of the nunnery there is a line-up of what appears to be a gathering of sisters deceased on the floor with their faces blurred out.
“Father McDoyle speaking, how can I assist you today?”
Alannah is relieved to hear the familiar strong Irish accent. “Father McDoyle, it’s Sister Alannah. Please, what has happened at Moycullen?”
“Sister Alannah? Where are you?” he asks urgently.
“Father, I am in America. What has happened to my sisters?”
“America? Is Sister Elisabeth with you? Are you both safe? Oh, good Lord thank you. Thank you.” Father McDoyle sounds tearful.
“No, Father. Why would Sister Elisabeth be with me?”
“You were the only two missing sisters. We thought that you were either snatched or that you had both decided to leave the convent before – well, you know.”
“No, Father, I don’t know. Please, tell me what has happened to my sisters.”
Silence.
“Please, I really need you to tell me what is on the internet is not true. Please just say it’s another cruel internet rumour.”
Again, there is nothing but a deadly silence.
“Father, are you still there? Can you hear me?”
A moment or so passes before Father McDoyle speaks. “Yes, Sister Alannah, I am here. I really don’t know how to tell you this. The things you have read online are true.”
The Broken IV: Vengeance Page 4