Absence of Faith

by Anthony S. Policastro

  "You've been shot!"

  "Get out of here! Now!" Husk said. "Go before they come. The bastards must have night vision goggles."

  Husk tried to get up, but Carson easily guided him back down.

  "Got to slow the bleeding first," Carson said.

  He gingerly removed Husk's shirt and Husk protested painfully. Then Carson tied the shirt in a tight knot under Husk's arm and around his shoulder.

  "Can you stand?"

  Husk nodded.

  Carson helped Husk to his feet nearly collapsing from his weight.

  "Oh, man does it hurt!" Husk gasped.

  Carson and Husk walked slowly stumbling through the darkness with only the light of the full moon illuminating their way.

  "Where's Chantress?" Husk asked.

  "She took off into the woods over there," Carson said.

  "I hope she knows what she’s up against," he said.

  A shadow suddenly appeared about thirty feet ahead, and then another seemed to materialize next to it out of the darkness. Carson and Husk stopped. The shadows moved closer. They moved back, but the dark figures continued to approach them. When the shadows were close enough, they turned into two men dressed in black with rifles aimed at them. Their faces were covered in ski masks.

  "Oh, shit!" Husk said.

  "Move it," one of the men said and he moved his rifle forward.

  Carson and Husk turned around and began walking; the men in black followed. The clearing turned into a narrow path and Carson continued to help Husk walk. A few minutes later, Carson noticed a strange object attached to one of the trees ahead. When he was closer, he saw it was a black cross, nailed to the tree about five feet from the ground.

  "It's to keep the bad in and the good out," Husk said in a low voice.

  Carson nodded.

  The group reached the old warehouse a few minutes later. One of the men moved in front of them and opened the large door. They walked into a wall of hot, stuffy air that smelled of burning candles and incense. Many red candles placed on several small shelves illuminated the large room. A small portable fire pit burned in the center of the room inside the large circle. The live embers and smoke curled its way upward and escaped through a large jagged hole in the roof. Everyone was dressed in red robes. The air was acrid and the candles and the fire cast an eerie light on everything.

  "We have guests," Kyle said turning to see the group as they entered.

  "You?" Kyle directed at Husk. "You're a traitor! A traitor!"

  Kyle spit on the ground.

  "Fuck you, asshole," Husk said. "I was never one of your kind. Your kind is everything bad and evil in the world, scum, the lowest of the earth. Your kind took my brother, and I'm going to take you to hell with me!"

  "Ha, ha, ha. You talk bravely for a man who won't see the sun again," Kyle replied. "You have caused enough trouble for our coven."

  "Wrong! I've just begun," Husk said.

  Kyle ignored him and walked closer Carson.

  "We also have a healer among us," he said. "A doctor, the very doctor that has been doing harm to us, the one who has been trying to undermine our efforts. This will surely be a glorious night for Satan and his followers."

  Carson was silent. The crowd applauded.

  "We heard your feeble attempts to scare us off, but we were one step ahead of you. We knew you were there."

  Carson gave him the finger.

  "Bring out Satan's bride," Kyle ordered.

  Two men appeared holding a woman under both arms. The woman could barely walk and her head drooped. When the men came closer, Carson began to shift on his feet. The man in black moved the barrel of his rifle in front of Carson.

  "Linda!" Carson screamed.

  Linda slowly picked up her head and half opened her eyes. He noticed a flicker in her eyes, confirmation that she knew he was there.

  "What did you do to her?" Carson yelled lunging forward.

  The man with the rifle pushed him back and jammed his foot into Carson’s stomach.

  "I'll kill you, you son of a bitch!" Carson yelled holding his stomach.

  Several of the guards instantly jammed their rifles into Carson's chest. Carson stopped moving and stared at the men his eyes filled with hatred. They pulled the guns away and then motioned Carson and Husk to the side of the altar, a crudely constructed wood platform with a red satin sheet placed over the top. They trained their rifles on the two men. The others huddled inside the large pentagram. Nurse Doherty then moved out of the crowd of eight and approached the altar. She smiled at Carson. Carson eyes burned into hers. You bitch. You're responsible for this, he thought. The nurse removed Linda's robe. She was nude. Carson pushed forward towards Linda.

  "You degenerates!"

  The two men pushed Carson back with their rifles. Linda was placed on her back on the altar. She moaned and then fell silent.

  Kyle picked up a large, brass bell from the altar and whipped it in the air as if he might catch something. The crowd went silent and still. Kyle lifted a silver chalice off the altar and drank from it and then he handed it to nurse Doherty. She took a drink and passed it to the others. The others drank from it one by one. Kyle faced the small gathering.

  "Emperor Lucifer, master of rebellious spirits, we command you to place your seed in this woman of the flesh through me. Take her as your bride and let her bear your child."

  Carson shifted on his feet.

  "You fucking low life!" he yelled and lunged for Kyle with his hands outstretched.

  One of the men swung the butt of his rifle into the side of Carson's head. Carson collapsed like a rag doll. Husk caught him as he fell and both slowly slumped to the dirt floor. Drops of blood trickled out of Carson's head and ran down the right side of his face.

  "You, asshole! You didn't have to hit him!" Husk yelled at the man holding the rifle.

  Linda moaned again and Kyle continued.

  "We want the Prince Beelzebub to protect our newborn. O Astaroth, great count, be favorable likewise and make it possible for the great Lucifuge to appear through this child. O great Lucifuge, we command you to leave your dwelling wherever it may be to come here and speak with us."

  Kyle took a pinch of red powder from a small pouch on the altar and sprinkled the dust over a lit candle. The dust sparked and flared as it touched the small flame.

  "In the name of Satan the ruler of the earth, the king of the world, I command the forces of darkness to bestow their infernal power upon me. Open wide the gates of Hell and come forth from the abyss to greet me as your brother and friend. Grant me the indulgences of which I ask."

  Kyle took more of the powder and sprinkled it over the small fire burning in the center of the circle.

  "By all the gods of the pit, I command that these things of which I speak shall come to pass."

  Two men left the circle and went to a far corner of the warehouse. They returned with a middle-aged man pale and catatonic. His eyes were closed and he mumbled and moaned. Blood oozed from two large cuts on each side of his body just above the waistline.

  "Prepare the sacrifice," Kyle ordered.

  Another man brought a long rope over that was attached to a ceiling crossbeam.

  "That's Nick!" Carson gasped.

  The men put Nick on the floor and then tied the rope around his ankles.

  "Go ahead," the man said.

  Two other men pulled on a rope near one of the walls. The block squeaked as the rope ran through it and Nick was slowly raised into an upside down position.

  "I call upon the messengers of doom to slash with grim delight this victim I have chosen," Kyle said to the small group.

  No one moved. Then Kyle moved towards Nick and stood there staring at the naked man. He pulled out the athame, the ceremonial dagger, and thrust it into the existing wounds on the side of Nick’s body and turned the knife. Nick squirmed and moaned louder. More blood oozed out the cuts.

  Kyle returned to the altar and removed his robe. He was nude. He climbed up
on the altar and moved over Linda. The nurse moved her legs apart. She helped Kyle get ready by touching and stroking him.

  Carson moved to get up and Husk held him down and shook his head. Husk moved his eyes down towards his hand to show Carson he had gathered a small pile of dirt with his good hand. He slowly scooped the dirt near him until he had a couple of large handfuls. Then one of the men with the rifles stepped closer to Husk. Husk stopped moving and closed his eyes as if that would ward off the blow. He waited several seconds wondering where he would feel the pain. Nothing. He opened his eyes cautiously and then slowly looked up at the man. The man was mesmerized by the activity on the altar.

  Kyle was on all fours posed over Linda when one of the large doors swung open. Chantress stood in the doorway holding a large silver revolver. She quickly looked around the room and when she spotted Kyle, she aimed and fired. The gunfire was so loud it seemed to numb everyone. Chantress’ arm jerked upward from he kick of the gun and she stumbled and fell. When she hit the ground, the gun went off again and the bullet went through the roof. Kyle jumped off behind the altar and vanished. The two gunmen instantly raised their rifles and aimed them at Chantress. Husk kicked the gunman's feet closest to him, knocking him down. The man fell forward onto his face and the rifle went off - the bullet slamming into the portable fire pit sending sparks and flames everywhere. The robes of several people near the pit caught on fire and they ran out in a panic. Then Husk threw a handful of dirt into the face of the other gunman, and Carson jumped forward, grabbed his ankles, and pulled. The man fell backward, his gun going off and tearing a hole in the roof. The man struck his head on the edge of the altar and collapsed. Husk quickly moved on top of the first gunman, no longer feeling the pain in his shoulder, and pushed the man's face to the floor. The man struggled to push him off, but Husk grabbed his hair and used it as a handle to smash the man's face repeatedly into the hard dirt. When the man no longer moved, Husk stopped. Nurse Doherty and the others ran towards the rear of the building and disappeared into the darkness. Husk took both rifles and kept one trained on the unconscious men. He turned towards the door, but no one was there. Carson got up and rushed towards Linda.

  "Oh, baby. Are you all right? Are you all right?" he said holding her head up.

  She opened her eyes and smiled. Carson hugged her. He took one of the robes lying on the floor and covered her.

  "You’ll be fine. Don’t worry. It’s all over now. You’ll be fine," Carson said while lightly kissing her on her face.

  "Boom!"

  "What was that?" Carson asked fearfully.

  "Another gunshot!" Husk added. "Could have been Chantress. It was loud enough."

  Seconds later two patrol cars pulled up piercing the night with their sirens. Red and blue light flashed on the front of warehouse. Frank pulled up behind the patrol cars and then a fourth car followed by two more patrol cars. Two uniformed police officers rushed into the warehouse with their guns drawn and flashlights shining.

  "Hold it right there!" said one of the officers.

  Carson and Husk raised their hands.

  "Stop! They’re my friends!" Frank yelled as he rushed in after the officers.

  Yanni followed.

  "Carson, is Linda ok?"

  "I think so. They drugged her," Carson said holding her hand. "We need to get her to the hospital."

  "Are you all right?" Frank asked. "You look terrible."

  "Maybe." he replied. "Husk needs help. He got shot."

  "Oh, no!"

  "Where's Chantress?" Yanni asked.

  "Don't know," Carson said. "She took off."

  Jerry Vandergarde got out of the fourth car, rushed into the warehouse, and went over to Nick. The two officers first on the scene had lowered Nick to the ground.

  "Nick! Nick!" Vandergarde said knelling down next to him.

  Nick did not respond.

  "We need an ambulance," Frank said.

  "It's on its way," Vandergarde said.

  "How did you know we were here?" Carson asked.

  "We got a call from Frank earlier and had the area staked out since nightfall," Vandergarde explained. "When we heard the shots, we came in."

  Carson gave Frank a nasty look.

  "Well, I’m glad you came."

  Two ambulances arrived several minutes later and Linda, Nick, and Husk were carried out on stretchers. Carson went in the ambulance holding Linda’s hand. Several police officers appeared from the rear of the warehouse leading several people in handcuffs.

  "How many is that?"

  The female officer turned and counted them.

  "Twelve, detective."

  "One's missing!" Husk said. "They always have these ceremonies with thirteen people."

  Husk raised his head and scanned the crowd. "It's Kyle."

  "Who?" Vandergarde reacted.

  "Kyle, the leader. He's missing."

  The Chase - Chapter 49

  Chantress ran to the back of the warehouse, the barrel of her gun still warm from the shot she fired at Kyle. She entered the thickly wooded area, and crawled close to a dense bramble bush careful to avoid its prickly thorns. The police would be out in full force looking for her, she thought. It was best to lay low near the warehouse where they would not think to look. Chantress' eyes adjusted to the dim moonlight and she could see the silhouette of the warehouse clearly. She watched as the members of the coven fled in fear one by one. One man nearly stepped on her, missing her leg by only inches as he ran.

  "Crack!" The first shot rang out and Chantress shuddered thinking they had killed either Carson or Husk.

  "Crack!" The second shot rang out and she trembled. A tear formed in her right eye and escaped down her cheek. She brushed it away with the back of her trembling hand, and then looked back at the warehouse. She took a deep breath.

  "Enough is enough!" she whispered to herself.

  She got up and froze. The door to the smaller shed behind the warehouse opened. A dark figure slowly slithered out. First, the head appeared and turned from side to side, and then the thin body emerged. The figure walked a few feet and the light of the moon illuminated his face.

  "You son-of-a-bitch!" Chantress screamed.

  She raised the gun instinctively and fired. The great flash from the barrel temporarily blinded her. When her eyes adjusted the dark figure was gone. Off to the left, she heard a rustling and she moved in that direction as fast as she could, breaking small tree branches as she pushed through the foliage. The rustling sound moved as fast as she did and sometimes faster. She was convinced it was Kyle. She chased the figure for several minutes until she reached a small clearing. The dark figure ran through the clearing and down a small path. She followed like a crazed animal chasing down a meal. After several minutes, she felt beads of sweat form on her scalp and cascade down her temples and down her cheeks. Her lungs began to burn, but she didn't slow down. The black memory of the rape flashed through her mind, the deception, the pain of losing someone she had truly loved. He had turned all of her emotions into hatred, and now that hatred was turned into energy and a will to catch him at all costs.

  Suddenly, the rustling stopped. Her breathing was louder than the cadence of hundreds, maybe thousands of crickets singing into the night. She held her breath to listen. Her chest burned. Then there was a new sound. It was unfamiliar at first and then it was clear. She started running again, but at a slower speed and with more care. The path led into a field of grass about three feet tall and she could see freshly damaged blades of grass that marked where her prey had moved through the field. An instant road map, she thought smiling to herself. She moved quickly and then stopped as the coldness struck her feet and ankles and ran up her legs. It was a swamp! The tall grass was swamp grass! A sliver of fear cut through her mind - fear of snakes, fear of the darkness, fear of things lurking in the black, brackish water. She looked at the broken swamp grass, swallowed hard and started moving again. Her feet numbed in a few minutes and she no longer felt the alien
swamp creep up into her legs, into her consciousness.

  Chantress moved as fast as she could through the brackish water, fearful of water snakes and other slithering things. The path led out of the swamp quickly and back onto dry land. She stopped there and listened. There was only the sound of the crickets. Then the rustling started again and she moved silently towards the sound. A beam of light danced in the darkness and moved in her direction. She walked slowly to the left of the light, found a small indentation in the ground, and laid in it on her stomach. She looked up and watched the light as it moved closer and closer. It stopped several times and then resumed moving again in her direction. The light moved closer and stopped again. She put her face down on the dark, damp earth and held her breath. The dark figure stood only several feet from her with the light of flashlight dancing all around her. The figure was breathing heavily. She moved her head ever so slowly in his direction. The figure crouched down and put the large flashlight on the ground. He fumbled with something in front of the light and then stood up. He brought his hand up to his face and there was a scratching sound. Suddenly, his face lit up by the flame of a small lighter and the red, glowing tip of a cigarette. He wore a hat - a police officer's hat.