by David Paul
“I’m just glad that you are alright,” Rawley said. A weary smile shows on the exorcists face. “I wasn’t looking forward to a fight with a master vampire.”
“Ill be fine,” David said.
Detangelo is laid out in the middle of the circle, and his skin seems to be clearing up somewhat. The detective has still yet to speak since.
“I’ve got smelling salts,” Rawley said. Rawley takes some smelling salts out of his bag and puts them under Jack’s nose. “This will wake him up. I don’t want the demon attacking him in his dreams.” The detective instantly wakes up disoriented.
Detangelo notices that he is lying on the ground sweating with his shirt unbuttoned. “What the fuck happened to me?” Jack asked. “My head is pounding!”
“You are experiencing some of the typical side effects that can occur when you are possessed by an evil spirit.” Rawley offered the detective the shortened version of what happened.
“What do you mean?”
“You were all fucked up, Jack,” Rawley said. Rawley is losing his patience a bit. “Can we leave it at that?” The detective puts his head down.
The sunrise is just below the horizon. It has been almost six or so torturous hours of combating the demon inside of the doctor. Carver is very quiet, but extremely sickly looking. His gray skin and horrid bruising gives him the appearance of being close to death.
“The Sun is on its way,” David said, “and I have to make myself scarce.”
The vampire reminded everyone of his problem.
“Give me a moment,” Rawley said, “and I can take care of that dilemma.” Rawley steps out of the broken down house.
The pile of burning dead that was once a twisted raging bonfire has reduced itself to glowing embers. A strong wind could practically wipe away the dusty remains and blow the memory of this night into the dark woods. The strong stench of death and fire looms close to the ground as it floats on the early morning, forest mist. Rawley peruses the scene quickly.
He searches in his truck for something. Kaye Miller is unconscious, but alive and well. The exorcist leaves her behind undisturbed as he finds what he is looking for and heads back inside. Rawley returns with a can of Krylon Flat Black spray paint, and he spray paints all of the windows black to block out the soon to be rising Sun.
“I’m very fortunate that you come prepared,” David said. The vampire gives the exorcist a thankful gesture.
“We need to rest for awhile, “Rawley said, “and then we can commence the ritual.”
Rawley steps outside once again.
“I don’t want to sleep next to this goddamn ghoul,” the detective said.
“Neither do I.” The vampire assured the detective that he is not alone in that thought.
“Do you really think that we will be able to help Carver?” Jack asked.
“There is a decent chance that we may be able to save him,” David said. “We won’t know until we finish.”
“I’m really scared, David. I’ve never seen anything like this in my entire life, and I’d love to leave right now.”
“You are actually better off with us. The demon has invaded your mind already, and that will make it easier for him to do so in the future. We will all rest easy once he is gone.”
“What if we can’t get rid of him?” The cop asked.
“We will take care of him.”
“But what if we can’t?” The cop asked.
“The word can’t is not even in our vocabulary…end of conversation.”
The detective has a somewhat defeated look about him. The night has been a test of physical, emotional, and spiritual strength. Everyone has been put to the test, and the night is not over yet.
Rawley returns with a couple of air mattresses, sleeping bags, a case of bottled water, a bottle of Scotch, and military food rations identical to what our soldiers use in the battlefield.
“This guy really does come prepared,” Detangelo said. The cop eyeballs the bottle of Scotch.
“Rawley is quite the boy scout,” David said. The vampire joked with his team.
“All he needs is a few rocks glasses, cigars, and some ice,” the detective added.
David takes out a fancy leather and chrome case from his jacket’s inside pocket, opens it, and reveals the three fresh Cohibas that he has on his person. “I guess the rocks glasses and the ice are out of the question, but I’ve got a few choice stogies,” David said. The vampire shows off his cigars. “We should use them to celebrate when we conquer the beast.”
“I hope that we are smoking those cigars soon,” the detective said.
“I’ve got some steel canteen cups,” Rawley said. Rawley offered a better solution than drinking the Scotch from the bottle.
“I don’t want to spend the rest of eternity here,” David said. The vampire is pondering the situation. “I hope that we can get this demon out of Carver soon and move on.”
“In a perfect world,” Rawley said, “I’d already be done.” Rawley gave the team a dose of grim reality. “There may no be an easy way out of this. This could possibly take weeks.”
The vampire knows that Rawley is telling the truth about the potential time frame for the exorcism. As a precaution, David gives a quick call over to Fiona on his cellular phone to check up on her and his other house-guest. His conversation is quite brief, but he finds out that everything is fine. Fiona has been entertaining Emily with no problems, and Fiona is actually enjoying the company at the large house.
She tells David that Emily is a really interesting person, and the two of them are carrying on as if they have been close friends all along. Ironically, Emily doesn’t seem anywhere near as depressed as she first did upon meeting her. The vampire is slightly relieved, but he has a bad feeling that he cannot put his finger on. David has been wrong in the past with his feelings, and maybe he is being slightly over-cautious. Years of horrific events have shaped his mindset in such a manner. He ends the call with, “I love you.”
“It has been a long night,” Rawley said. Rawley hands out the simple sleeping accommodations. “Let us get some rest.” The detective is petrified to leave the protective circle that he is inside.
“I hate to be the pain in the ass,” Jack said, “but I really have to take a leak.”
“Give me a moment.” Rawley performed a quick prayer over the detective. “Go piss quickly,” the exorcist said, “but get back here fast.”
The detective reluctantly leaves the protective circle.
“You got a cigarette?” Jack asked David. The vampire gives Jack one of his cigarettes because the detective is out of Marlboros. It has been hours since Detangelo has had a cigarette, and he is craving nicotine. “I’m just going to piss and have a quick smoke.” The detective is waiting for their approval.
“Go for it, Jack,” the exorcist said, “but just hurry the fuck up.”
The detective sees the smoldering aftermath of the fierce battle as the Sun comes up to start the morning. The nauseating smell of death puts a damper on a beautiful morning in the woods. He goes about his business and lights up the smoke that he bummed off of the vampire. Jack silently watches over the battlefield, and certain memories of the night flash inside his mind like a horror movie. He gets a cold chill down his back in the brisk morning air. The Sun hasn’t had time to bring up the temperature yet.
Jack is shaken up a bit, but he is not a broken man. He realizes what it means to have a sense of duty. A rush of courage comes up from the deepest part of his soul. This is the area of the soul that differentiates between being a hero and being a coward. David had sensed a great deal of power within the detective. Earlier, Detangelo had wanted to flee, but now he wants to continue with this exorcism.
Detangelo has seen the Devil with his own eyes, and he has clashed with evil. From this point forward, the detective’s life will never be the same. To protect and serve the people was the oath that he took when he became a police officer, but he never counted on his duty going as far a
s it now has. Somehow, it has been extended to include the supernatural. Some would see this as a curse and would rather walk the Earth in ignorance. Others embrace the challenge and feel closer to God by doing his work. Detangelo has already lost all that is important to him in this world, and his duty is all that he has left. This new sense of purpose and selflessness is a great change within the policeman.
While the detective is outside taking a break, Rawley and David discuss their game plan for dealing with Carver and company. “I’m going to get down to business when we resume,” Rawley said. “I’m tired of fucking around with Devin.” An upset Rawley reaches for the quintessential exorcism book. The exorcist produces a copy of De Exorcismis et Supplicationibus Quibusdam, which is what the Catholics have used to perform exorcisms for the last three hundred or so years.
“Taking out the big guns?” David asked. David is fully aware of this tome because it is a famous tool that is used to banish and exorcise demons.
“Yeah,” Rawley said. Rawley laughs briefly. “Devin is not really responding to the foreplay.”
“At least we are trying several methods.”
“I always start off small,” Rawley said. Rawley thumbs through the book. “I progress to this book, if need be. Most exorcisms, I can simply drive the demon out myself, but that approach is not going to work with this demon. On the other hand, we may have actually won a small battle over Devin. His inability to completely turn you gives me more hope. That could be the slight advantage we need over him.”
“I’ve been meaning to ask you this,” the vampire said. Rawley cut him off.
“Ask me what?”
“How do you know Devin so well?” David asked.
“Let’s just say that I’ve got a personal vendetta against him.” Rawley kept his answer vague.
“Too painful to talk about?” David asked.
“He took my love from me,” Rawley said. The exorcist spoke emphatically in a deep tone. “So for her sake, for the common good of the world, and for all of the angels in Heaven, I will defeat him.” The vampire is able to see that Rawley still hurts from his loss and doesn’t want to push the issue. He can relate to the pain of losing someone close. Wounds like that sometimes never heal.
“I wasn’t trying to pry, Xavier.” The vampire apologized.
“I didn’t think you were,” Rawley said. “This antichrist has caused a tremendous amount of problems, and he needs to be stopped. All of my other attempts have been a losing effort, and I refuse to have the same happen again. I’ve waited centuries to confront this bloodthirsty demon again.”
“Well,” David said, “you have your chance, so make good on it.”
Rawley ponders what David said. There are a few moments of pure silence. The detective comes back inside seemingly refreshed and sits in the protective circle for his own good. The vampire is silent.
“Are we going to rest a bit?” Detangelo asked.
“I suppose so,” the exorcist replied.
“I wish we could send out for pizza,” the cop said. He laughs at his own statement. Rawley chuckles along with Jack. The cop is entertaining at times.
“I doubt the pizza guy is going to deliver a pie to a woodland murder scene,” the exorcist quipped. Rawley hands the detective a military ration and a bottled water. “Try this.”
“Beef?” Jack asked. Jack has a perplexed look on his face. “Wow, this doesn’t look like beef.”
“Just eat it,” Rawley said. “This isn’t the Outback Steakhouse.” Rawley laughs at his own joke. They both get a chuckle out of the quiet vampire.
“How about some of that Scotch?” Jack asked. Rawley answers the detective by filling three dull metal canteen cups with a healthy helping of Scotch. He gives each person the cup, and they toast each other with a sharp metallic, clanging sound. The detective finishes his drink first while the others slowly enjoy the aged Scotch.
“Slow down, Jack,” Rawley said. “After last night, I thought we all deserved a drink, but none of us should get hammered before we start again.”
“C’mon, would one more drink be out of line?” The detective asked.
Rawley doesn’t respond to Detangelo, but pours him another stiff drink. He realizes that Jack is a functioning alcoholic and not giving him alcohol could be just as bad. The exorcist usually works alone at his craft, but tonight, he is not alone. Rawley is making the best of the situation, and he feels like a combined effort between everyone could prove successful. He needs to harness all of their cosmic power together and use it to execute the exorcism.
Because Devin is an ultra-powerful demon, a group effort may be needed to overcome his grip on Carver’s captive soul. Rawley would most likely fail by himself. The exorcist will combine several forms of magic with the traditional Catholic exorcism in an attempt to conquer the demon. A vampire and a drunken detective are two unlikely sources of cosmic power, but exorcising a major demon is also an unlikely situation. Perhaps, the vampire’s magic will be what is needed. The ends will hopefully justify the means.
“Is that better, Jack?”
“Thanks, Rawley. I feel embarrassed of myself.” The detective sips his drink slowly.
“Don’t be embarrassed, Jack,” David said. “You have evolved into a soldier, and you have been brought into the light.”
“He’s right,” Rawley said. The exorcist sips his Scotch. “You have fought valiantly and have chosen the correct side. All of your earthly faults will be forgiven by the Creator.”
They can tell that their words of encouragement have fallen upon caring ears, and the detective’s morale is even better than before. Both of them give a great deal of credit to the policeman. Most humans would have fled by now. Highly trained Catholic exorcists have done much worse on their first exorcism. Jack is solid in their eyes, and he has gained much respect from his peers. Boosting the confidence of Detangelo will work in everyone’s favor. Jack is the weakest link of the group, and a group is only as powerful as its weakest member.
“This is actually not that bad,” Jack said.
The detective eats his military rations.
The vampire drinks his Scotch and lights another cigarette. His hunger is of a different variety that cannot be satisfied by this food. David can enjoy the taste of food, but he will not receive any nutritional value or power from any of it. Rawley didn’t come prepared with pints of fresh blood for the vampire. Luckily, the hunger does not affect the vampire as he rests in the house, hiding from the light.
Normally the vampire would smoke outside, but he cannot for obvious reasons. Neither Rawley, nor Detangelo make a fuss over it. The detective uses that as an excuse to ask for another cigarette from David, and Jack lights up inside the house as well. After the vampire finishes his smoke, he fades into a deep slumber as the others satisfy their hungry stomachs.
“What do you want to do with Kaye Miller?” Detangelo asked.
“We can’t leave her in the truck the entire time,” Rawley said. Rawley quickly chomps on his food. “I don’t want her inside this house. She’ll be a liability.”
“She is still out cold.”
“You could put her in protective custody,” Rawley said, “but then you may have some explaining to do about tonight.” Rawley thinks it over.
“I honestly have no idea about what I am going to say about tonight.” The detective scratches his head.
“All of the evidence is burnt to a crisp,” Rawley said, “so you might not have much to say.”
“I suppose we can drive Kaye back into town,” the cop suggested.
“The problem is that I don’t want to leave anyone alone with Carver, including myself.” Rawley said. “He is too powerful to play around with.”
“I agree with you on that, Rawley.” The detective is still thinking about a decent solution while eating his grub.
“For now,” Rawley said, “she is safe with us.”
The exorcist ends the conversation, and he lies back in his sleeping bag.
Chapter Seventeen: The Beast is Here
The vampire is resting completely silent and still as if he were made of stone. The morning Sun is blazing. The others finish their food and attempt to sleep. Time ticks by in slow motion as the morning unfolds. Nothing but their own thoughts can be heard inside their minds. There is an uncomfortable silence filled with tension and anxiety. It is a far cry from a calm warm moment spent in a deserted chapel surrounded by statues of saints. The terrible silence almost took on a sound of its own inside the house. It just wasn’t natural.
The wind whipped up a bit and drowned out the early morning calmness. The whistling wind howls, and the old house creaks, showing its age and shoddy condition. The strong Sun seems to suddenly drop below dark clouds. The interior of the house dims dramatically. Even with the windows blackened, the Sun still found its way into the house through various cracks and crevices. This offered some illumination within the house. With the absence of sunlight, their sleeping quarters become damp and shadowy.
A faint crack of thunder is heard off in the distance. Rain seemed eminent. A storm is on the way. The Sun had brought forth a feeling of purity and piety, but its absence is a reminder of the evil that they must face. That Sun is gone, and a bizarre stormy darkness falls upon the daytime. Maybe, the rain could wash away all of the filth.
An intense cold radiates throughout the house immediately. The creaking house accompanies the wind to form a diabolical orchestral arrangement. The silence competes with the new-found noises, and it loses. There was no profound sanctuary found in the void of sound. The new racket is jarring and does not lend itself to a comfortable sleep. Many factors contribute to the unfriendly environment. Outside lies the burnt remains of a bloodbath, and inside lies the handiwork of the Beast. Everyone, but Detangelo seems to have forgotten those facts.
The chilling aura of the room is preventing the detective from falling asleep. Conversely, Rawley is sleeping like a baby. Carver is still completely docile and appears to be at rest as well. The detective just keeps looking at the creepy death-like face of the possessed doctor, and it makes him extremely uncomfortable. As much as he wants to block out Carver, he cannot take his eyes off of him. Nothing that the detective can think about will ease his mind. He silently prays over and over as he keeps a watchful eye on the possessed doctor. After about an hour, the detective succumbs to total exhaustion and falls into an uneasy nap.