The Devil's Belt Vengeance Is Mine

by Garry E. Lewis

  Susie says, “You took my Richard somewhere yesterday, I

  wish to know where you took him, and can you take me to him?”

  “Is this man Richard your husband?”

  “He’s my boyfriend. Did he hire you to take him somewhere?” Susie says, “He was searching for his nephew.”

  Pierre looks into her eyes and says, “This man tried to hire

  me, but he couldn’t because when he came to see me, I had already been hired by another. So he went on his way. I have not seen him since.”

  “Are you sure?” Susie asks. “I have it on good authority

  that he did hire you.”

  Pierre asks, “And who might this person be?”

  “A young lady who knew Madam Juju. Madam Juju advised him to hire you.”

  “Yes,” Pierre says, “but as I have told you I could not help

  this man as I’d already accepted another fare.”

  “Well, if you happen to run into Richard could you let him

  know that Susie’s in town and she’s looking for him.”

  Pierre smiles and says, “Madame, it will be my pleasure.”

  Susie turns and walks away. Pierre asks, “O Madame, if this Richard should show up where will you be staying?”

  “At that hotel on Bourbon street the name escapes me.” She

  says. “Do you know the one I mean?” Susie asks.

  “Yes, certainly Madame. What room are you in in case I see this man of yours?”

  “Room 16C.” Susie turns and slides into her drivers seat,

  starts the car and pulls away.

  Pierre watches her drive off, a wicked smile comes across his face and he says; “I wonder how much money she’ll be worth

  to the Master?”

  Leblanc turns and crosses the street and heads into the local bar, sitting next to a familiar man in a white suit and Panama hat, his cane leaning against the bar.

  “Buy you a drink Mr. Leblanc?” Lucifer asks.

  Pierre sits down on the stool next to him and says, “Sure

  thing kind sir.”

  Lucifer says, “Your money’s no good here, the drinks are

  on me.”

  Pierre smiles and says, “Have I got good news for you

  Master.”

  A wicked smile comes across Lucifer’s face as he says, “O

  how I do love good news, don’t keep me in suspense. What’s this good news you speak of?” As he signals the bar tender to bring two more drinks. Lucifer yells, “Only this time bar keep, bring a bottle of your best Bourbon. I’m celebrating tonight, all my apples seem to be in one basket; and O how I love apples. After all, they’ve been around since the beginning of time, have they not? I should know.”

  Pierre says, “The good news I have for you is, I had a young lady come to visit me this afternoon, it seems she is concerned about this boyfriend of hers that has come up missing.”

  Lucifer sits sipping his bourbon on the rocks as he listens to Pierre’s news. He says, “Tell me more.”

  “Well,” Pierre says, “it just so happens the man she’s looking for is some guy named Richard Devine.” Pierre smiling

  watches Lucifer’s facial expression as he says it. “So I told her if this man shows up I’ll contact her, of course I told her I’d need to know where she’s staying so I could reach her if this Richard should show up at the docks.”

  Lucifer suddenly sets his drink down and grins from ear to ear, Pierre slowly slides Susie’s hotel name and room number written on a napkin over to him.

  Lucifer looks down at the address and room number and

  starts laughing as he pours Pierre another Bourbon on the rocks

  an says, “Name your desire Pierre.”

  “Name what Master?”

  Lucifer says, “What have you dreamed of owning for years

  now?”

  “Well,” Pierre says, “I’ve always dreamed of owning a new

  boat with one of those fancy fish locators, you know the fancy kind that shows you the depth and location of the fish.”

  Lucifer says, “Well what are you waiting for Captain

  Leblanc? You’ll find it waiting for you at the docks.”

  Pierre’s eyes tear up as he says, “Captain Leblanc? Are you

  shitting me Master?”

  Lucifer turns and clinks his glass against Pierre’s in a toast

  and says, “Happy fishing my fine friend.” Having said that Lucifer gulps down his bourbon, slides the rest of the bottle over to Pierre,

  stands and throws a stack of hundred dollar bills down in front of Pierre and says, “Enjoy, the drinks are on me.”

  With that Lucifer places his hat on his head and with cane in hand strolls out of the bar onto the street. Looking at the moon

  overhead, that would soon be full in several days he says, “Oh how I love the night so.” Smiling he heads off down Bourbon Street and soon disappears into the night.

  Meanwhile Cheri has made her way through the swamp to a small cabin with a crude wooden cross perched on its roof. Lights are on inside. As she approaches she can tell he’s in.

  A sign out front reads, Church of The Blessed Virgin.

  Cheri makes her way to the front door of the make shift chapel and enters crossing herself as she does. Father Petri acquired the old cabin in the Bayou to offer those living in the swamp a place to pray and worship. It was pretty crude, did not have many of the modern conveniences of the larger churches in town by no means, no running water, or indoor plumbing but for those who lived in the Bayou it was a welcome retreat and its doors were open 24hours a day for prayer and silent worship, as well an outhouse out back. Cheri walks to the front of the makeshift chapel and kneels to pray having lit a prayer candle.

  Soon Father Petri enters from his office in the back and

  asks, “Have you come for confession my dear?” Looking up

  Father Petri recognizes Cheri and says, “Well hello my dear.”

  “Hello Father.” Cheri says. “I have come asking for your help in a matter.”

  Father Petri says, “I can see the concern on your face, what

  is it troubling you my dear?”

  “My father.” She says.

  Father Petri smiles and says, “What has that old Cajun done

  now?”

  “He has turned a friend of mine over to the Brotherhood of The Wolves,” She says. “For profit, and I’m concerned for his safety.”

  Father Petri’s smile turns to a look of deep concern. “Why

  would your father do such a thing?”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Cheri says, “Because he worships money more then his own soul.”

  Father Petri asks, “Do you know where they have taken this

  friend of yours?”

  “Yes, his name is Richard Devine Father, and he is a very

  nice man. Concerned only about rescuing his nephew from the

  brotherhood.”

  Father Petri says, “We must act quickly, the two of us should be able to sneak in by night and help your friend escape from their clutches; hopefully his nephew as well. But time is of the utmost importance, the moon she will be full soon, that means

  their ritual will be starting soon. Hopefully we’re not too late!”

  Meanwhile, deep in the swamp, Richard hears the sound of

  footsteps out side the shed where he’s being held captive. The door opens and in walks a man looking down at Richard. He says, “Don’t worry my friend, soon it will be your time, you will have more to keep you company soon.” As a smile comes over his face.

  With that he sets a plate of food down in front of Richard saying, “Now you can do this the hard way or the easy way. Would

  you prefer to eat your meal like a dog, or would you like to use silver ware?”

  Richard looks up at him and says, “What do you think?”

  The man says, “Ok, I will untie your hands but if you try

  anyt
hing; I’ll be forced to kill you! The choice is yours.”

  “What’s your name?” Richard asks.

  “Steven.” He says.

  “Well Steven,” Richard says, “I’m starving, so if you don’t

  mind I prefer eating the usual way with a fork and knife.”

  “How about a fork,” Steven says, “I don’t trust you enough

  to give you a knife; you’ll just have to tear the meat apart with your teeth.”

  “What ever man, just come on I’m starving.” Richard says.

  Steven says, “Roll over, I’ll untie your hands, but if you even look like your going to try something stupid you’ll be gumming your food. Do you understand me?”

  “Yes, yes just come on,” Richard says rolling over, “I’m

  hungry for Christ sakes!”

  Steven leaning down suddenly stands back up from a kneeling position and frowning he says, “We never use that name around here!” He walks away. As he leaves he says, “You can just lap your food up like a dog now!” Walking out of the shed he slams the door locking it.

  Richard lies on his side smiling saying, “Gee, was it something I said?”

  He manages to scoot his body over close enough to reach the food on the plate and says, “Oh well.” And he puts his face down into the plate and begins eating best he can. It isn’t long before he hears someone else approach the shed door.

  Hearing the door being unlocked Richard looks up with an

  expression of disgust on his face saying, “Oh it’s you!” A tall dark figure steps through the shed door, standing before Richard is Lucifer with cane in hand.

  He looks down at him and says, “Hello Richard, I trust

  you’ve made yourself comfortable?”

  “Screw you ass hole!” Richard yells.

  “Oh,” Lucifer says, “I’m sorry Richard but your just not

  my type. But I know some other’s that will simply just love to get their hands or should I say their claws on you. In fact it won’t be to much longer now, that Ole Moon outside is just about full.” Looking down Lucifer sees Richards plate on the floor and says, “Well, I see you must have been hungry my old friend.” A smile comes across Lucifer’s face again as he says, “I know some others who are getting mighty hungry as well, but I’ve told them it

  shouldn’t be too much longer now. They were thrilled to say the least.”

  Then Lucifer’s expression changes as he peers down at Richard, eyes black as coal and says, “You Mr. Devine, have been nothing but a thorn in my side, you have cost me a lot of souls! So it is pay back time Mr. Devine.” Then he smile’s as he turns and

  says, “Well I must be off, lives to ruin, souls to steal as they say in my business.”

  As he walks out the door he turns and a wicked smile comes across his face as he says, “I’ll tell Susie hi for you, hell I might even give her a big wet sloppy kiss for you as well.” Chuckling Lucifer slams the shed door shut and locking it he walks away into the night.

  Richard screams out, “You better keep your damn hands off of her you son of a bitch! I’ll kill you!” Lucifer walks away

  with a sparkle in his fiery red eyes.

  Meanwhile, back at the old Chapel, Cheri and Father Petri

  are packing their back packs with needed supplies. Holy water,

  crucifixes, shot gun shells, looking around he finds a couple of machetes, and then begins packing food and provisions.

  Having done that Father Petri and Cheri pick up their shotguns and head out the door. Father Petri stops sets his shotgun down and crosses his self saying a silent prayer, he and Cheri walk

  towards a small boat dock where an old John boat sets tied off.

  Climbing into Father Petri’s boat he starts a small trolling

  motor, Cheri unties the boat from the dock and shoves the boat

  clear as they head off down stream.

  Meanwhile, back in New Orleans, Susie paces the floor

  wondering why she hasn’t heard from Pierre. Slipping her 9mm

  into her purse she heads for the door when suddenly she hears a

  knock at the door. She quickly opens it hoping it’s Pierre with some news about Richard.

  Standing in the door way Lucifer grins as several men rush in and grab her throwing her purse to the floor. Lucifer raises his cane and strikes Susie across the temple and she passes out. One of the men throw her over his shoulder as they turn and walk out the

  door, Lucifer slowly follows behind whistling a familiar tune as he strolls along with cane in hand. “I just can’t seem to shake this Rolling Stones song out of my head.” Lucifer says smiling. “It has to be one of my favorites;” as he sings “pleased to meet you, hope you guess my name.”

  Back in the swamp Richard hears wolves howling off in the

  distance, it brings back nightmares of his not so distant past. As he sits tied up in the old shed he remembers his old friend Danny, the

  gun smith, who helped him rescue Susie from the clutches of Lucifer and his Master Werewolf Chad. He tears up as he remembers Danny lying in a pool of his own blood having been run through with Lucifer’s ritual sword.

  He remembers how Detective Rice betrayed them and almost got them all killed. And now Richard sits realizing the nightmare is starting all over again, wondering if he’ll be as lucky this time?

  Then he thinks of Susie, if only I had remembered to call when I arrived she would not have been in the danger she is now; and here I sit Richard thinks.

  Suddenly the shed door opens and five men are shoved into the shed, their hands tied behind their backs as Richard’s. The man called Steven stands at the door holding a shot gun and orders them all to sit down. He walks in and kneels down, lying the shot gun down he calls out, “Donald come here.”

  A young man comes to the door, Steven orders him to keep

  his shot gun aimed and ready in case they try anything stupid. Tying the men’s feet one at a time, Steven rises to his feet. He

  turns to Richard and says, “There, now you have some company,

  for awhile at least.” Smiling he turns and walks out the door

  and tells the young man named Donald to lock it back. “Then

  stand guard out here till someone relieves you later.”

  Donald says, “Ok.” Richard tries to remember where he had heard that name before, Donald, then it dawned on him Donald

  was the name of his nephews roommate at the university. The one that Jamie was concerned about acting so strange lately.

  Meanwhile Cheri and Father Petri make their way deep

  into the Bayou. Cheri tells Father Petri, “It shouldn’t be much

  farther now.”

  Father Petri says, “Well, maybe we better go ahead and pull

  in over there and hide the boat; go on foot from here on.”

  “Probably a good idea Father.” Cheri says.

  Father Petri steers the boat towards the bank, getting out they pull the boat up out of the water and cover it up with vines and branches that Father Petri cuts with his machete.

  Sliding their packs onto their shoulders they then set out on foot. “It’s probably about an hours walk from here Father.” Susie says.

  “Before we head there we’ve got one stop we’ll want to make first.” Father Petri tells Cheri.

  Meanwhile back at the Brotherhoods compound inside a

  large metal shed, Lucifer stands filling his wolf clan in on the

  upcoming activities on the night of the full moon.

  Across the compound Richard sits talking to the other captives, one of them tells Richard that he noticed on the palms of the brotherhood members, the ones he saw up close, had a pentagram on the palms of their hands. Richard asks, “Was the pentagram inverted, two points up?”

  The man thought about it for awhile and said, “Yes, now

  that I think about it they were. Why do you ask?”

  Richard says, “That’s the sign of the Satanic Goat. T
hey’re

  not only devil worshippers, they have sold their souls. But they are also shape shifters, they are Werewolves. Bitten by Satan’s Master Werewolf.”

  The man asks, “What are you talking about when you say,

  Master Werewolf?”

  Richard says, “The Master wolf is Lucifer’s servant. In

  exchange for his soul, he gains power and wealth. This man signed a pact with Lucifer, in return, he now has possession of a cursed object given to him by Lucifer known throughout Russia and Germany as the Devil’s wolf strap.” Richard continues explaining, “It’s a belt made from the hide of a wolf but with satanic powers, the one who possesses it can transform into a Werewolf any time he places it around his waist. The advantages of this are many, power, wealth, eternal life to the one who wears it. Only difference between the Master Werewolf and the others is the possessor of the belt can walk about pretty much living a normal life, changing when he chooses or when the devil has a job for him to do. The

  others are cursed to change every full moon, they have no control over this transformation which places them in danger of being

  detected, hunted down, and killed with a silver bullet or having their heads cut off. That’s the only two ways a Werewolf can be killed. So they have eternal life as long as they’re not detected, that’s why they hide in places such as this away from society. They feed on mostly prostitutes, the homeless, people that most likely will not be noticed or missed by today’s society sad to say.”

  The men sitting with Richard asks, “So where do we fit in?”

  Richard says sadly, “We’ll be turned loose in the swamp

  and hunted down like wild animals for the brotherhood to feed on. Women are often singled out for mating, and are bitten and turned. They’ll be bred and bare off spring.”

  “MY GOD!” One of the men screams out, “This must be

  some kind of nightmare, or a joke!”

  Richard says, “I’m afraid it’s no joke, as for a nightmare it’s one you will not awaken from, because this nightmare my

  friend is very real! We’re basically lunch for the brotherhood, we’re prey. That’s why we have to stick together as there is safety in numbers, that much still holds true. As one rule they have still remains unchanged, if you should make it out of the swamp; they won’t pursue you and you’ve got your life back.” Richard continues saying, “The down side of this is, no one usually makes it out of one of these hunts alive. Your best chance is a good offence. We have to stay in a group, and try to locate weapons. Do any of you know this area of the swamp really well?” Richard asks.