“You’re trying to finish what Sunny Miller started. Open the Gates of Hell.” I said.
“Oh, they're already open. The doctor, my great grandfather, he just didn’t have an usher, he didn't have a Resurrectionist. Only a Resurrectionist can guide a soul out of hell.”
Justin pulled back a curtain. Monika stood bound and gagged, chained to the wall. Justin approached her and removed her gag. “He’s possessed! Will, Justin’s possessed! I tried, the cleansing, it didn’t work. I’m not strong enough!”
I stood up and looked over to Monika. “You are strong enough Monika, believe me, he’s faking.”
“What? How can you tell?”
I turned toward a bewildered Justin. “It was me, you know, the devil you conjured.” Justin stepped back from Monika, confused by my statement. “You should’ve seen your face when I crawled out of depths hell and appeared before you. I’d imagine you threw your underwear away that night, at least it smelled like you should have.” Shock was the only expression on Justin’s face. “See, let me tell you something about demons,” I glared, “because I know a little something about them, since, well, since I was one. They don’t care about money, riches, or power. They just want to see the soul destroyed. You’ve already done their work for them. Congratulations, you can take over as bitch boy for your dear ole granddad.”
“I, I don’t understand.” Justin’s voice was weak and broken.
“Because you're in darkness, that's why you don’t understand. Why you can’t comprehend the light. Don’t worry, the demons are great teachers. They'll teach you. Just don’t expect the lesson’s to be easy. At least not for you. Let’s just say they tend to lean towards more forceful methods of teaching. Or, you could save yourself the trouble, let us go, repent, get started on the right path.”
“And what path would that be?” Justin asked.
“The path that leads to God.”
“Enough!” Screamed Corbin as he lunged at me, burying his bat into my chest and knocking the wind from my lungs. I watched Justin turn to Corbin through my watery eyes.
“What's he saying? You said we could work a deal with the demon, make a pact, and they would grant us anything we wanted. Riches.”
Corbin growled, "we can, and they will.”
Corbin handed Justin a knife. “Here, take it. Cut the bitch’s throat.” Justin looked down at the knife in his hand, his eyes as wide with apprehension. “Well, what the hell you waiting for?” Justin hesitated before dragging one foot closer to Monika.
“Wait! Wait! You said you needed both of us. Justin, you know that I can’t do it myself. I need Monika’s invocations to put me in trance, only she can do it.”
Justin turned towards Corbin. “He’s right, we need them both.”
Corbin walked over to me putting his face into mine, his breath in my mouth. “Actually, I fixed that little glitch. Came up with something new, you’ll like it, you can access hell without even being in trance.” Corbin held up the small silver box that Justin carried in from the trunk of his car. He moved away and put his face into Justin’s. “Now get on with it.”
Justin couldn't control the spasm in his hand. “Damnit boy!” Corbin knocked him to the ground and grabbed the knife from his hand. He stepped up to Monika, pressed the palm of his hand hard against her forehead causing her neck to snap backward. Her head crashed violently into the brick wall behind her. The color in Monika's eyes faded before Corbin ran the blade across her throat.
Blood gushed down Monika’s neck, soaking her blouse and pooling on the floor. She gargled fluid and gasped for air until her head slunk down onto her chest. I opened my mouth to yell, but couldn’t. Justin scurried into a corner, hands trembling. Corbin turned to him. "Was that so hard?”
“Now, where were we?” Corbin forced the Gateway headset onto my forehead and strapped a monitor to my wrist. He walked back to his computer and turned it on. In a whirlwind I was transported back, back to the veil of hell.
“You’re going to find the Angels, free them from the deepest hell, and bring them here. Do you understand?” Corbin instructed.
“I won’t do it you monster!” I shouted into the headset. “I'll just take it off and walk away.”
“If you try that again, you die.” Corbin’s voice sounded in my ear. “My Gateway didn’t fail last time, you did.”
I stood silent for a moment. Corbin knew I lied about Gateway failing. It didn’t matter, I was done with his games. I reached my hand up and removed the headset. Corbin’s instructions were cut off in mid-sentence. I glanced behind me at the silver cord that held my soul to my body. It was severed, my death freeing me. I felt no pain. Monika was there, standing just outside the veil. I ran to embrace her.
I looked at Monika's frightened eyes which told me more than words could. Behind her, out of thin air appeared a glow. As it grew brighter I could see a silhouetted figure. Monika turned around. She gasped and fell to her knees. I reached out and picked her up. She smiled at the figure. It was as if they were talking, communicating, but no words were exchanged. Monika’s smile faded fast.
“What is it?” I asked.
She turned towards me. “It’s my grandfather. He says that I have to choose. I can go with him, or I can stay with you. He says he will take me to a place of peace and love. He says I will be taken care of. He says I don’t have to be afraid."
“You need to go.” I said. We waited in silence. I looked down at my feet unable to bear the pain of having to watch Monika go into the light. Having to watch myself lose her again.
“He said where you’re going there is pain and suffering. Will, what did you do?”
Monika’s words cut to the truth. I turned to walk away, tears welling up in my eyes. I was never good and letting people see me cry, especially people I cared deeply about. Loved, even.
“William!” Monika called out. “It doesn’t matter, I’m not afraid.” I stopped, finally having the courage to face her.
“This isn’t your fight.” I paused. “Monika, I’m broken, have been for a long time. I realized it doesn’t matter. I don’t want to fix it. I can keep going, keep fighting, despite being broken. It took me a long time to figure it out. I had to go through hell, in fact, and I have to go again, but I’m strong now. I won’t fall into the same traps. I made a promise, and I’m going to see it through. I don’t care what it takes or how painful it is, but this isn’t your fight. It’s mine. Go with your grandfather, be at peace. Please, you of all people deserve it.”
Monika watched a tear fall from my eye and splash the ground. For the first time I allowed myself to be vulnerable without being afraid. Monika smiled sweetly. “William,” she reached up and touched my face, “we all deserve peace. Sometimes we have to fight for it.” Monika reached down and took a hold of my hand, leading us forward into the icy cold darkness.
The freezing air took our breath away. Monika coughed violently.
"Monika, I’m so sorry.”
“Now what Will?” She looked at me with uncertainty, trying hard to gain control over her coughing. Her lungs needed time to adjust to the foulness on the dark side of the veil. I hesitated to find the right words to tell her.
“I will pray,” she said. “I can see some of your thoughts here, Will.”
“Stop, Let me tell you the truth. You deserve it. I owe you that much.” I took a deep breath. “Allison’s father, it was me, I killed him. Now, I have to save him. The boy at the farmhouse, I tried to kill him too but thankfully you stopped me." Monika didn’t respond, didn’t show emotion. She just stared. “I’m going to pay my debts. I’m going to bring the light to Mr. Channing.” I looked down at Gateway, the headset still clutched in my hand. “I know some people, brothers, they can help. I just hope I can find them.”
Monika’s eyes filled with compassion as she slightly held back tears. “We need to get to a refuge,” I said.
“That’s a good plan,” Monika said. “I will locate the nearest one.”
&n
bsp; “What? How, I have no clue how to get back to the one I was at.”
“Leave it to me,” Monika smiled. “Don’t forget Will, I have been working with the spirit realms long before you came on board.” I was relieved to see Monika joke, even for a moment. Monika got to her knees and drew a circle around us. She asked me to sit within the circle and hold her hands. She led us in prayer. She asked her guides to illuminate our path to the refuge. When Monika finished, she thanked her guides and slowly opened her eyes. “There.” Monika pointed to a faint glow of light far in the distance.
I warned Monika about the hunters and scouts that patrolled the roads in hell. “Don’t be afraid, Will.” She said. “They can sense that.” Monika agreed it would be best practice to stay off the beaten paths. Monika prayed without ceasing as we trudged through death. Her strength was amazing. Her ability to focus, to hold her mind on God was a powerful thing to witness. The passage to refuge was difficult, but we were never attacked, not even once. Even if we would have been I like to think they'd have been more afraid of us than we were of them.
The journey drained Monika, but she never let up. She was far braver than I. We were greeted warmly and given much needed time to rest. In fact, they were even expecting us.
There was a knock at the door of our room. “Come in.” I said. My eyes were closed. I didn’t have the strength to stand up and open the door.
“Hello, William.” I jumped straight out of bed and onto my feet. The voice was so strong. I knew it well. I couldn’t breathe. Dr. Z. walked towards us, radiant in life and love. His love for me was powerful, overwhelming.
“I’m here to help you bring light to Allison’s father.” He said.
“Where is she?” I asked.
“With James.” Dr. Z said.
“James?"
"You've met him. He helped you escape."
"You mean Jimmy? You know him?” I asked.
“He’s my brother.”
Chapter 25
I glanced around the room, stalling, trying to make sense of it all. Dr. Z. didn't have his wheel chair, his legs were healthy and strong. He appeared young and vibrant, like he'd been transformed.
“If you’re here, that means you’re dead.”
“William, I’ve been dead for a very long time.” He said.
“Who are you?”
“I’m known to the world as the Disciple whom Jesus loved. We’ve been working, bringing light to lost souls for hundreds of years. My name’s John. John Zebedee. James is my brother."
“You’re, you’re John the apostle.” Monika said. I couldn't believe what was unfolding.
“Your brother James, the sons of Zebedee. Part of the inner circle of Christ. One of only three human witnesses to the miracle of the Transfiguration." Monika said. John nodded his head.
Monika and I exchanged glances. “It can’t be,” I said. “How were you on earth? You were my doctor.”
John looked at me. “I drew the elements and materials from the surrounding atmosphere and manifested a physical body.” John paused, "You know a little about the process." I hung my head, ashamed of my malevolent past.
“I’ve heard of it.” Monika said. “Ectoplasm. Right?”
“Yes,” John said.
“But don’t you need a human being to draw the ectoplasm from?” Monika asked.
“The social worker. She was a natural, her office was right next door.”
Monika smiled. "This is amazing. It’s an honor to meet you."
"The honor is mine." John said.
“So, Jesus, he’s real?” I asked.
“Yes, very real.” John said.
“And you said he loved you the most?”
John smiled. “That was my human ego coming through. I had not mastered it at the time I wrote my Gospel. Jesus loved all people, equally.”
“Where is he?” I asked.
“Teaching.”
Monika sat down. “So the Gospel of John, that was really you?”
“Yes, there are many truths in it. Some were lost over time. Not all of what you have today is exactly how I wrote it over two thousand years ago.”
“How does something like that get lost?” I asked.
“Times were primitive. We didn’t have copiers and fax machines. We had word of mouth. I watched you play the telephone game when you were a child. You understand what I am getting at.” John said.
“So, you were BFF’s with Jesus?” I asked, unable to think of anything else to say.
“What’s a BFF?” John asked.
Monika smiled. “It’s slang, it means best friend.” John’s look of bewilderment continued.
“Yes, we were quite close.” He said.
“What was he like?” Monika asked.
The smile returned to John’s face. “You have an expression for it. Something like; if I had a nickel for every time I got asked that question.” We all laughed.
“You’re funny Dr. Z., I mean John, err sir.” I momentarily forgotten who I was talking to. It felt like I was back in Dr. Z’s office. He had a magical way of getting me to relax and open up.
“I was once human you know. Really, not much different than you two are now. My soul is perfected but that doesn’t mean I’ve lost my sense of humor.”
“What do you mean perfected?” Monika asked.
“My soul, it has been filled with the Holy Spirit. It has perfect union with God. I am born again."
“So it’s true, the Holy Spirit is the key?” Monika asked.
I turned to both of them. “Help me out here, I’m lost. I don't know if I can easily accept all of this. I don't know if I believe.”
"Neither did Thomas. I guess we know how that turned out." John smiled.
Monika laughed. I sat dumbfounded. “John’s Gospel. He wrote about the Holy Spirit, the advocate, the helper.” Monika said.
“I didn’t know you were so religious.” I said to Monika.
John looked at us both. "Religion doesn’t matter, only love matters."
“Do you mean Jesus loves Buddhists?”
John laughed. “Yes, very much so.”
“What is the significance of the Holy Spirit?” Monika asked.
John turned serious. “The Holy Spirit is the advocate and the helper. Whomever prays earnestly and asks for it, God will send it. The Holy Spirit is a type of messenger. It delivers love, God’s love, his essence into a person’s soul. This love, it's a part of God, his energy, his light, his soul. It burns away sin and error. It renews the soul, cleanses it, and makes it like his own."
That explains the burning light I experienced each time I prayed in hell. It felt like my heart was on fire.” I said.
“That was God’s love entering your soul, burning away your sin, making you whole.” John said.
I took a step back. “I don’t know, that was no love, it was painful.”
“Sometime love is painful, Will,” Monika said, her eyes quickly looking away.
“No, this felt real, like electricity.” I said.
“The love of God is a real substance, like electricity.” John said. “Do not confuse it with the human concept of love.”
“What do you mean?” Monika asked.
“The love of God is a physical substance. It radiates throughout the universe. The universe could not survive without it. It’s the life blood. Much like the sun fuels the earth, the love of God fuels all. It's power is infinite. Your scientists have just begun to scratch the truth of this self-renewing energy. The darkness is working to keep this discovery unknown, but one day the world will know the truth.”
I sat down next to Monika. “This is a lot.”
“I understand. I will leave you to rest.” John said.
I nodded as John turned to leave. “Wait,” I called out.
“What about Allison? I have to see her?”
“She's working to free her father.”
“I've said this before but I really wish you guys could just zap him free. Life would be
much, much, easier."
“There is no automatic salvation, William. Salvation is available to all who seek it but it is not an instantaneous process. Prayer, lots of it, that's your salvation. If people believe they are automatically saved they will become complacent and stop looking. This leads to spiritual stagnation, spiritual death.” John said.
“The darkness wants you to believe salvation is automatic.” I turned to see Sarah standing behind me. “My husband discovered the scientific truth that is still unknown to the world. He discovered the physical substance of God's love. An energy that has infinite potential, even to heal and renew the body. It’s the same energy, the light that burns so great in the spiritual realm. The false prophet got word of the discovery and deceived my husband, playing to his weakness. My husband always loved the church, but sometimes to a fault. He feared God. He was haunted by the fact he failed out of seminary and by doing so felt he failed God. The false prophet offered him a chance at redemption. The prophet lied, teaching my husband that he failed because he was soft, that God was a vengeful God, tormenting people for their sins. He taught my husband to preach fear and hold people captive to the fear, ensuring he would always have followers. So when the leader of the Puritans approached my husband with a prominent position he gave into the temptation, forced by fear to keep his discovery a secret. Over time his mind became twisted. He lost everything, his job and eventually his family. Jamison and Ned, Puritan teenage misfits with no promising future in the church other than cleaning offices and scrubbing church toilets, discovered my husband's research. They were determined to escape the church and reveal it to the world. It cost them their lives, as well as my own."
“I don’t understand. Why would the demons want your husband to preach? Wouldn’t preaching be counterproductive to an evil agenda?”
John stepped closer. "It’s a subtle illusion. If people learn to be afraid of God, to fear him, they will naturally turn away and stop seeking. Their actions and deeds will be based in fear and not in faith. It's a volatile mix leaving a hidden anger within a person's soul. It's the one truth I hoped you'd see for yourself during our sessions." He said.
The Resurrectionist Page 22