Devil's Nightmare (Devil's Nightmare, Book 1)

by Pruneda, Robert

  I raised my brow. “Youth minister, huh?” Riley turned and walked away without a response. I called out to him, “Don’t leave the property, Riley.”

  “Sir, yes, sir!” he mocked.

  †

  The Saint Hedwig chapel was situated in the west wing of the home. I waited outside the chapel doors as three teenage boys dressed in ceremonial robes led the rest of the children through the open double doors and into the chapel. The oldest and tallest of the boys held a polished wooden crucifix, while the other two each held a golden candlestick with a lit faux candle, consistent with the rest of the artificial lighting throughout the building. The rest of the boys carried black bibles with red lettering on the covers. Cody followed at the end of the line. He stared at me for a brief moment as he approached the chapel entrance, his eyes filled with anxiety. Two women dressed in dark suits, and an older bald priest wearing a white ornate clergy robe, followed the children inside the chapel. The priest carried a large black leather-wrapped bible. He mumbled a prayer as he passed.

  Miss Jimenez stepped around a corner down the hall, followed by Detective Riley, who carried his own bible. I sneered and then offered my arm in jest, as Miss Jimenez approached.

  She ignored me and continued into the chapel without my escort.

  Riley jerked his thumb towards Miss Jimenez. “You have a crush on her or something?” he whispered.

  “What, are you in the fifth grade? It’s an inside joke.”

  Riley smiled and mumbled, “Sanders has a heart after all.”

  “Just keep it up, Riley.”

  I followed him inside the chapel and sat next to Miss Jimenez on the last row. Riley knelt and motioned the sign of the cross with his hands in front of him, before taking a seat in the pew in front of me. Two rows of seven pews allowed enough seating for about eighty to one hundred people, so with only twenty kids and a few adults, there was a bit of a gap between me and the children seated at the front of the chapel. A large marble altar with a sculpted image of “The Last Supper” rested on a raised, carpeted platform at the front of the chapel.

  The altar boys stepped onto the platform and placed their candlesticks on each side of the altar. The priest set the bible on a stand atop the altar, while the oldest altar boy placed the polished wooden crucifix centered between the candle sticks. The two altar boys who had carried the candlesticks each grabbed a round golden tray from a stand at the rear of the platform and placed them on each side of the crucifix. The trays had covers with lid handles fashioned in the shape of crosses.

  After assisting with the preparation, the altar boys sat in antique arm chairs behind the priest. The priest bowed his head, said a quiet prayer, and lifted his hands upward. After staring at the ceiling for a moment, he asked the congregation to rise.

  I remained seated, until I felt a sharp high-heeled kick to my leg. I submitted, and whispered, “All right, I’m standing!”

  “Let us pray.” The priest lifted his hands upward and said, “Almighty God, creator of the universe, our blessed savior, we come to you today in assembly as you have commanded in the book of Hebrews. Let us not forsake our duty to assemble together in worship, lifting your name on high, Almighty God. Bless us this day as we worship you through the study of your Holy words and protect us from the wiles of Satan, the fallen angel.”

  Most of the boys said “Amen” and lifted their hands in worship. The three altar boys got on their knees, bowed their heads and raised their hands upward. Cody bowed his head, but he looked up several times and shifted his stance. He was clearly uncomfortable.

  “Reple nos tua Sancti Spiritus, omnipotens Deus.” The priest continued to pray in Latin. “Domine, doce nos viam iustitiae per sanctarum Scripturarum. Humble us before you, Holy Father, and bless us, your children.”

  Suddenly, I felt a presence in the room that made the hairs on my arms stand up.

  “Aaaamen…” The priest drew out the word in a songlike voice. “You may be seated.”

  As I sat down, I felt an eerie awkwardness about the commencement of the service. I wasn’t Catholic, but I had been to a few Catholic services with friends. It just didn’t feel right. The Catholic Church had founded Saint Hedwig Youth Home, so I assumed the chapel services would follow the Catholic tradition. It certainly appeared so, in a way, but something was just… off.

  “Brothers and sisters, would you please open your bibles to the sixth chapter, verse twenty-three, in the book of Romans.”

  The altar boys reached for bibles held in pouches attached to the sides of their chairs and opened them, thumbing through the pages to find Romans 6:23. Detective Riley flipped through his own bible and quickly found the verse. Miss Jimenez pulled a small bible out of her purse. I was the only one without a bible—until I felt a small King James Bible fall on my lap.

  “You’re welcome,” Miss Jimenez whispered, as she dug into her purse and pulled out another bible.

  “You carry a spare?” I whispered back.

  Ignoring me, Miss Jimenez opened her bible. She only flipped a couple of pages before finding the scripture. I stared at the small bible resting on my lap, sighed, and finally opened it. I thumbed through the Old Testament, searching for the book of Romans. I scanned the titles: Leviticus… Joshua… First and Second Chronicles… Psalms… Jeremiah…

  An aggressive hand reached over and flipped the pages to the New Testament. Miss Jimenez formed a slight smile as she found the sixth chapter of Romans for me.

  “For the wages of sin is death!” The priest’s emphasis on the word ‘death’ had a creepy tone to it. He continued, as I read along, “But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

  “And here comes the bible thumping,” I mumbled to myself, glancing at Miss Jimenez to make sure she hadn’t heard me.

  “We are all sinners in need of a savior,” the priest proclaimed. “We were born into sin from the days of Adam, but Jesus Christ our Lord will resurrect us unto eternal life if we follow his commands and live according to his Holy purposes.”

  It sounded like a Baptist preacher wearing the Pope’s garments. The whole service was… different, considering the altar boys, the priest’s robes, and apparent multi-denominational style of preaching.

  “The blessed Mary, mother of God prays for us to be redeemed in our time of sinful rebellion to our Holy God.”

  Okay, we were back to Catholic-ish preaching.

  “You are all sinners!” The priest motioned his hand outward. “You, young man,” he said, pointing to a boy in the front row. “You are a sinner!” Then he pointed at me. “You, my brother,” he said. “You are a sinner!”

  I closed the Bible, and though tempted to speak out, I clenched my jaw and resisted, thinking that judgmental creep had better make his point fast. I crossed my arms over my chest.

  “I am a sinner,” the priest spoke softly, placing his right hand over his chest. “We are all sinners, and the wages of that sin is death. Because of your sin…” He pointed at Cody and said, “. . . you will die. Because of my sin, I will die. We will all die because of our sins. For the wages of sin… is death.”

  I breathed in a cold breath of air and released it slowly. Riley nodded in agreement. I couldn’t see the faces of the boys seated at the front of the chapel, but I could imagine the fear in their eyes. Some of the kids appeared to be no older than seven or eight years old. I didn’t feel that that type of preaching was appropriate for children that age. Heck, I didn’t feel that type of preaching was appropriate for my age.

  “But there is good news, brothers and sisters. The blessed mother of God prays for us. She prays that we would be free from our sins, so that we may enjoy the gift of God, which is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” The priest stepped down from the platform and stood in front of the altar. “Give your life to Jesus Christ and he will save you from eternal damnation in hell. Free your soul and give your life to the Holy Church, and thus, the Lake of Fire shall not consume your soul. Lo
ve one another. Give freely of what you have to your neighbor. Show compassion to the sick. Do good to others as you would have them show kindness to you.”

  I stretched my legs and crossed them, keeping my arms over my chest while stealing a glanced towards Miss Jimenez. She held her bible open, and was giving the priest her complete attention.

  “If you have not given your life to Christ, you must do so… because the wages of sin is death.” The priest returned to his place behind the altar. “If you were to perish today—if you were to fall into the grips of death—do you know where you would go? Will you spend eternity with our Lord and Savior… or will you spend eternity in hell where there is gnawing and gnashing of teeth? Will you die a sinner, sentenced to eternal damnation? Or will you die a child of God, saved by grace?”

  The priest knew how to mess with the mind. He had a way of using fear and a compassionate voice in an effort to convince you that the only choice was to surrender yourself to the Church and live according to its rules and regulations. It all sounded good, but I had no intention of trusting in a God who had never showed me mercy, who had taken both of my parents away from me at an early age, who had…

  My reverie was interrupted by the sound of a boy crying.

  “Fear not, my child,” the priest comforted and knelt in front of Cody.

  I sat up. From the corner of my eye, I could see that Miss Jimenez had also straightened her posture.

  The priest placed his hand on Cody’s shoulder. “My child, do you believe that you are a sinner?”

  Cody’s sobs continued.

  “Do you believe that sin has no power over God Almighty?”

  Cody whimpered, sniffed, and cried more.

  “My little brother, you can be free of Satan’s grip by confessing your sin and turning to God Almighty. Free yourself from the chains of iniquity.” The priest lifted a hand upward.

  I stood up, and Miss Jimenez grabbed my arm. “No, Aaron.”

  I wanted to stop the priest, but I respected the fact that Miss Jimenez was Cody’s social worker, and if she believed we should let the scene play out, then I would hold my ground… for the time being.

  The priest began chanting in a language that didn’t sound like Latin or any other language I had ever heard. Cody stopped crying. But then his body trembled.

  “This doesn’t feel right,” I said.

  She grabbed my leg and said, “Don’t. Let the priest do his thing.”

  The two women in suits stood behind the priest, laid their hands on him, and spoke in tongues. The three altar boys got out of their chairs and joined the ritual, laying their hands on the women’s backs.

  “What the hell is this?” I asked. “An exorcism?”

  “No, they’re just praying for—”

  “NOOOOOOO!” Cody screamed. The boy’s voice reverberated throughout the auditorium. The priest fell backward, knocking the women and altar boys down like pins at a bowling alley. “There is no God! I hate him!”

  Miss Jimenez grabbed my arm as I got up, but I pulled away from her grip and rushed down the aisle.

  The oldest youth pointed at Cody and yelled, “Blasphemer!”

  The priest pushed himself up from the ground. “Sit down, Brother Joseph.”

  “Brother Joseph?” I spoke louder than I’d realized.

  “My son,” the priest addressed me. “We can take care of this child’s outburst. Please take a seat.”

  “Father Henry,” another of the altar boys called out. “That man is a police officer.”

  “State your business here” the priest said to me. “Why do you interrupt this holy gathering?”

  “My business is that kid you’re trying to brainwash. He clearly doesn’t—”

  “I will not tolerate a blatant disrespect of the Lord’s work. We are here to help this child, not brainwash him, as you incorrectly assert. Now, if you do not mind, we were in the middle of a… spiritual cleansing.”

  “Don’t you mean exorcism? He isn’t possessed. He’s grieving, you idiot!”

  A chorus of boys inhaling in shock filled the room. Someone grabbed my shoulder and pulled me back. I spun around and found Miss Jimenez with fury in her eyes.

  “Leave,” she ordered. “Now.”

  “Are you kidding me?”

  “I want you and your partner off the premises immediately.”

  I glanced at Cody, his face wet with tears. His eyes moved from me to Miss Jimenez and then back at me.

  “You’re making a mistake,” I asserted.

  “Leave, Detective!”

  “Come on, Aaron,” Detective Riley said as he placed his hand on my shoulder. I shot Riley a glare that warned him to get his hand off my shoulder or else he’d lose it. Riley removed his hand and stepped back with his palms up.

  I asked the priest, “Do you even know what he’s been through?”

  “Detective Sanders!” Miss Jimenez said sharply, then warned, “Do I need to call Chief Hernandez?”

  I aimed my index finger at her face. “You of all people should have a problem with this. You’re Cody’s case worker, for crying out loud.”

  “I will not tell you again.”

  “Jesus Christ!” I spouted, causing a few of the children to let out a surprised gasp. “Don’t you even care what’s going on here?”

  “You don’t need to worry about Cody anymore. He’s my concern now.”

  “The hell I don’t!”

  “Enough!” The voice came from the back of the chapel. The director of Saint Hedwig stood in front of the double doors that he had propped open. “You are no longer welcome here, Detective Sanders. I must ask that you leave the premises immediately.”

  “We need to go,” Riley stressed.

  I looked back at Cody, at Miss Jimenez, and then at the priest. As I headed towards the doorway leading out of the chapel, Cody cried out, “Don’t leave me here! Please! I want to go home! Don’t make me stay here with these people!”

  I stopped and glared at the director. He answered with a quick point of his index finger towards the hallway where two security guards had just arrived. I clenched my jaw and took a deep breath.

  As I passed Mr. Hadley, I promised, “You haven’t seen the last of me.”

  “Oh, I believe I have, Detective. Now, please leave.”

  “Sir,” said one of the guards, in a polite, but firm tone. ”Please follow us outside to your vehicle.” Both guards escorted me to my car, while Riley left the building without any rent-a-cops attached to him.

  I got into my car. One of the guards pressed the call button on his radio and said, “Subject is off the premises.” He then motioned towards me with an open palm. “Have a nice day, sir. And drive carefully.”

  As the guards went back inside, Riley got into his Crown Victoria and drove around the courtyard toward the security gates. The gates opened as the vehicle approached. Frustrated, I hit the Charger’s steering wheel and yelled a stream of curse words, before switching on the ignition.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Skeleton Key

  I sat alone on a bench in Zilker Park with a pack of cigarettes in my hand. A group of people played disc golf nearby. I tapped my finger on the package several times before surrendering to the urge. Twenty cigarettes housed tightly together inside the small box aroused my temptation to light up.

  I gazed at the cloudless sky and ran my hand through my hair as a flock of birds flew overhead in a ‘V’ formation. A light, cool breeze caressed the skin on the back of my tense neck. Leaves on the surrounding trees fluttered. Birds sang their cheerful songs, while a dog barked somewhere nearby.

  I finally pulled a cigarette out of the box and examined the paper-wrapped roll of tobacco, contemplating my next decision. I bobbed the cigarette in between my fingers a few times before flicking the spark wheel of my lighter. As the flame shot up, a gust of wind snuffed it out. I dropped the box on my lap. I then held the cigarette between my lips, shielded the lighter with one hand, and flicked the spark w
heel again. As I moved the flame towards the tip of the cigarette, my cell phone jingled to a tune I recognized as Queensrÿche’s “Resistance.”

  “What the—?” I had never downloaded any special ringtones to my cell phone.

  My unlit cigarette fell out of my mouth and bounced off my leg, and then a gust of wind tossed it to the ground. The phone continued to jingle, the message on the screen indicating an anonymous caller.

  “This is Detective Sanders,” I answered.

  Static partially obscured a distant, deep male voice, which said, “Puer est maledictus.”

  “Who is this?” I raised the call volume on the phone and asked again, “Who is this?”

  “Puer est maledixit cum in diabolicae tantibus.”

  “Who the hell is this?”

  “Infernum habet misit eius ira.”

  I scanned the area, but only found the disc golfers, people playing with their dogs, and joggers with headphones. “Tell me who this is,” I said.

  The voice yelled, “In puer mustum mori! In puer mustum mori!” I then heard a loud squeal that sounded like a deep scream. I jerked the phone away from my ear and then, through the speaker, I could hear the voice cry out, “The boy must die!”

  A message on the screen displayed that the call had disconnected. I stared at the screen for a moment and then checked my surroundings. A dog barked and a woman screamed. I spun around and discovered it was just a woman struggling to keep her German shepherd from chasing a squirrel that had scurried up a tree.

  Refocusing my attention to the phone, I dialed the number to Dispatch. Before the dispatcher could even respond I identified myself and requested a trace on the last numbered dialed into my cell phone.

  †

  “This is the kid’s house,” Detective Riley observed. “Are you sure the call came from here?”

  “According to the phone record, yeah. It came from a land line.” I shut off the engine of the blue Charger and got out of the vehicle. Riley followed as I approached the front door of Cody Sumner’s home.