JACK BATSON AND THE HOLY GRAIL

by Georgekutty Adappur

  “Can you please come to my room. I want to show you something!” He grabbed her hand and took her to his room.

  “He had his burning candle in his right hand and mama’s hand in the left. Mama’s room was in the ground floor and his was in the first floor. They climbed up the steps and finally reached in front of his room. He pushed the door and it opened with a creaking sound. His room was clearly visible in the moonlight. When they entered the room they could see someone standing beside the window.

  “Thus, finally, your time has come.” The image at the window turned and said.

  “It was a horrible beast. When they saw it, they got terrified and fell back onto the floor. It was such a terrible, hellish creature. Even the colour of the beast was very dark, and mama could see him very clearly in the mixture of the candlelight and moonlight. The beast’s image made them shiver with fear. Nobody can explain how hideous was his structure. Its body was like a man, but it had two horns like a bull, on its head. Besides it had sharp fangs like a tiger has in its mouth, and a long black tail at the back. There were two large black wings at his back.

  At that time a nasty smell of burning sulphur and phosphorous filled the room. A type of white smoke surrounded his body and the beast was roaring like a lion. It was licking its tongue all the time like a wild beast approaching its prey to kill. When Miller saw that beast, he started to howl like a wolf. He hurled himself in front of the beast and begged like a dog that mourns at the feet of its master:

  “O lord, please forgive me. I am here under your mercy, you can do whatever you wish to do to me. But I beg you; please don’t punish me. I promise my lord, I won’t betray you again. If I commit the mistakes again, you can punish me…please...”

  “But, that beast wasn’t satisfied in his multiple pleas. He didn’t show any mercy upon his prey. The beast grabbed him around his neck with its gigantic arms and threw him through the window onto the courtyard. While the beast caught him, my mama didn’t dare to go close to the beast to save Miller’s life. She didn’t dare even to raise her voice. Instead, she ran downstairs into her room, slammed the door behind her, and locked it from inside. When mama reached the room, she was panting. She was afraid that she would be the next prey.”

  “While she ran away downstairs for her life, she didn’t realize that she had snatched a book from the room. It was a diary written by Miller. She threw it onto the bed and waited there, expecting the arrival of the beast that would come to kill her. But nothing happened. After a few hours, when she realized that she was safe, she opened the diary and looked into it. In the first page, she could see triple six. Under that, she saw the picture of the star that normally used for satanic rituals. In the next page, she could see an upside down cross and a snake tangled around it, which was same like the tattoo she could see on Miller’s right arm. Under that picture, she could see something scribbled: ‘Peace be to the people in Hell.’”

  “When she saw these images and writings, she felt more terrified and nervous. She was scared to turn and read more pages. Until the next morning, she didn’t dare to move out from her room to other rooms seeking help or explain the misfortune that happened to the couple’s son.

  When the Sun rose in the sky, she went outside to meet the couple and her nurse. She was shocked to find the house empty. All the bedrooms, kitchen, bathrooms, working area looked deserted. She ventured to go to the courtyard looking for the corpse of Miller, but to her surprise she couldn’t see anything there, even any traces of bloodstains. Doubt mounted to that, something strange happened to all the members in Ghost Ship. She realized that she was helpless and it was impossible for her to find out the inmates of the house.”

  “After that horrible incident, she ran away from that house. Before she left the house, she took Miller’s diary with her. From there, she reached this house which was abandoned by its owners due to some unknown reasons. She thought that this house would be suitable for her to live without any trouble from others.

  “Since then, this country was ruled by the same King Arthur who was notorious for his cruelty. Anyway, mama took a daring decision to continue here. Thus, she started to live here and gave me birth without the help of any people as we didn’t have any neighbours. Even now, we have no neighbours, the nearest neighbourhood is 3 KMs away from here.”

  “Even before my birth, mama searched everywhere to find a job to make some money for food, but nobody helped. But, she didn’t find any way to get her daily bread, so she started to sell herself to the devilish people. With that sinful money, she brought me up. It may be God’s punishment that she lost her eye eventually.

  Two days before I turned eighteen, a man with a long white beard came to this house and expressed his interest in me. My poor lovely mother straight away denied that offer. He tried to bribe her by offering a huge amount of money, but she slammed the door in front of him.

  That night a gang came to our house and knocked very violently at the door. They banged at the door, and we cried for help knowing that nobody would come for our rescue. We knew that this front door was not strong enough to protect us from the intruders. That was the very first time we cried for the mercy of God and we begged forgiveness for our sins.

  Suddenly a miracle happened. We saw a red light flashing in front of us. At the same time, we heard a crash of loud thunder that was even enough to break our eardrums. After that incident, we couldn’t hear any knock at the door. Our hearts started to beat horribly and we expected something strange like a curse going to fall upon us.”

  “Then we could see this door flung open and a white light came into this room.” She pointed towards the front door and continued:

  “Then we could see a man like an Angel…came into this room. When we saw him, our mind became peaceful like an ocean which calmed after the roaring gigantic waves invading the shore. He had worn white cassock and pellegrina, girded with a fringed white fascia and a skull cap upon his head. He had a silver chain that hung around his neck and at the end of it hung a crucifix. We could easily recognize him. It was none other than Pope Francis! His holiness blessed us with a Sign of Cross and spoke to us.”

  Until this time Jack was listening to Christa’s narration silently, but this time he broke the silence and asked her unbelievingly:

  “Are you sure our dearest Papa Francisco gave you an apparition or do you think that you were dreaming?”

  “No Mr. Batson, Papa Francisco gave us an apparition. His Holiness told us to turn away from our sins and come back to God. His Holiness reminded us, God is our loving Father who cries when we commit sins, and waiting patiently for the return of His prodigal children!”

  “Did Papa Francisco tell you anything more?” Jack asked her.

  “Yeah, His Holiness talked more while sitting on the same chair where you are sitting now.”

  When Jack heard this, he sprang up from the chair and looked at it with great honour and respect.

  “I am fortunate to sit on the same chair where Papa Francisco sat.”

  He sat on the chair again and told Christa to continue her narration like a detective, who was trying to study the reason behind a great mystery.

  “His Holiness spoke to us very kindly. He was very humble and simple; His Holiness is truly a saint. His Holiness told us:

  “My dear Children, don’t be afraid, I promise you, it won’t happen again. God will send His Angels to protect you from all the evils. Give yourselves under the protection of Our Lord Jesus Christ and He will help you to save your souls from all the dangers and snares of the devils. Never forget to invoke your Holy Mother Mary’s help.”

  “Then we knelt down in front of him and asked God’s forgiveness for the sins that we committed in our whole life. We begged him to hear our confession and He agreed happily. After the confession and absolution, He looked upon us with tenderly love. Suddenly a light fell upon us from his eyes, and a feeling of peace overpowered our fear. He placed his hands upon our heads, drew the sign of cross and bless
ed us. Again, he looked upon us mercifully and started to speak:

  “My dear children, you are saved. God has forgiven all your sins. Pray to God Jesus Christ for His greatest gift- the Holy Spirit. Agatha, tomorrow morning, when you go to the city, you will meet up with a man named Jack Batson, who is condemned to death by King Arthur. Go and beg the king for his release and you can save his life. He is chosen by God. The same person whose life you are going to save will help you to escape from your enemies’ clutches. So, do not be afraid.”

  “Holy Father, it is not easy to change the mind of a cruel person like king Arthur. If I go and ask him to forgive and release Jack Batson… he would take my life too…I don’t mean…I am afraid to give up my life for a person who is stranger to me. What I mean is, then nobody will be here in this strange world to protect my daughter.”

  “He looked upon us mercifully and smiled. His smile seemed like the smile of an Angel and it filled our hearts with tranquillity, peace and security. Then Holy Father said in a very sweet voice:

  “Dear child, don’t be afraid…Why do you doubt about God’s power to save you from the clutches of your enemies. WHEN GOD IS WITH YOU, NOBODY CAN DO ANY HARM. WHEN YOU TRAVEL IN THE HANDS OF GOD, YOUR ENEMIES WILL TURN INTO YOUR FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS. YOU WILL HUG CRUEL LIONS, AND THEY WILL BOW IN FRONT OF YOUR FEET LIKE CATS THAT SHOW ITS AWE TOWARDS ITS MASTER. YOU WILL TOUCH SNAKES, BUT IT WON’T BITE YOU. PEOPLE MAY GIVE YOU POISON, BUT YOU WOULD DRINK IT LIKE NECTAR.”

  “Then mama raised her head again and smiled. He also smiled and patted on our shoulders. Suddenly, courage overpowered our fear and mama said:

  “Yes, Holy Father, I am ready to do what you said. Tomorrow I will go to the King’s palace and beg for Jack Batson’s release. Please bless us.”

  “Then Papa Francisco raised his right hand, made a sign of the Cross in the air and said:

  “Love, Blessings and the Power of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit will be with you always.”

  “Amen.”

  “After blessing us, Papa Francisco disappeared from our sight. After that apparition, we could sleep peacefully without any disturbances from the intruders and enemies. I can assure you Mr. Batson, it was the first time in our life we felt such security and safety.”

  “Then, in the morning we got up early and eagerly waited for the sunrise. Thus, when the dawn came my mother went to meet the King and saved your life.”

  “So, you think that God brought me here with a purpose?” Jack asked Christa while he drank the coffee and emptied his cup.

  “Yes, Mr. Batson. I think so. Otherwise, Papa Francisco wouldn’t have told us to save you from the clutches of the King. Don’t you believe His Holiness’s words?”

  “I believe it Christa and I know what God’s plan is!”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The plan is to retrieve the Holy Grail that Lord used at the time of the Last Supper.”

  “You mean the Holy Grail is stolen from the Monastery of the Holy Face of Jesus?” Christa couldn’t believe that news.

  “Yes, Christa. I am after that mystery.”

  “What do you mean?” Christa asked.

  “What?” Jack asked.

  “To go after this mystery, are you a policeman or a secret agent?” Christa asked.

  “No, I am not!”

  “Then, what is your interest in this case?”

  “I am a Christian and I have a moral responsibility.” Jack tried to convince her.

  Their conversation broke and there was silence for a few moments.

  “But, how do you know that the Holy Grail was hidden secretly in the Monastery of Holy Face of Jesus?” Jack couldn’t stop asking.

  “I have read about it in Miller’s diary.”

  “You mean, Miller knew about the Holy Grail and where it was kept secretly for many centuries?”

  “Yes, Mr. Batson.”

  “If you don’t mind, can I have a glance at that diary? I hope I will get some clues from Miller’s diary that may promote my enquiry. Perhaps, I may be able to unravel the mystery.”

  Meanwhile Jack Batson and Christa continued their conversation, Agatha went to the kitchen to do some house chores.

  “I am happy to give it to you Mr. Batson, but you have to promise me one thing!”

  “Promise…what do you want dear girl? I can’t promise you without knowing what you ask for. If it is difficult to give you, then I will be unhappy because I can’t keep my word. My parents have advised me many times that NEVER GIVE PROMISE TO ANYONE IF I CAN’T KEEP MY WORD. So first tell me the thing, then I will decide.”

  “Then, Mr. Batson, please don’t feel bad, I can’t give you that diary. If you are a person with that pride, why should I give it to you? Why can’t I use it for my own benefits?”

  After Christa said all these, Jack was pondering deeply by leaning backwards, uncomfortably, in the chair. His eye brows rose and facial expression became very serious. There was a long gap before Jack broke the silence:

  “Sorry for that Christa. I am ready…I am ready to give my word. Tell me whatever you want; I am ready to do anything under the sun. Even if you want my life, or burn me alive at a stake, I am ready for that. Tell me dear girl, tell me.”

  “Dear Jack, don’t feel bad. I don’t want anything that causes harm to your life. I just want to be with you throughout the investigation for the Holy Grail. I wish to be the part of your quest for the vanished Holy Grail. Can you please permit me to stay beside you in this journey?”

  “Yes, Christa, yes! But, remember it is not a cakewalk. If you come with me, your life may be in danger. Remember that you are the only child for your mother, and if something happens to you she would die with a broken heart.”

  “I know that dear Batson. But do you know that I am a brave girl. I wish to be an adventuress like you. I don’t want to spoil my life, by just spending my entire life under this roof without achieving anything. I want to do something remarkable that would make me a celebrity, rich and happy person.”

  “Yes, Christa, I can understand your pain than anyone, because we have the same wave length! Yet, I was thinking about your life and your future. If something happens to you, I have to answer to the tears of your mother. I don’t want to spoil the happiness of your mother. Even I don’t know whether I will succeed in this mission!”

  “Mr. Batson, IF YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH A GREAT PLAN ALWAYS BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN SUCCEED IN IT; EVEN IF THE WHOLE WORLD ALREADY FAILED OR MAY FEAR TO DO IT. BE BRAVE TO TAKE RISKS, THEN YOU CAN REAP SUCCESS. I don’t think that we will end up in a tragedy. I do understand your worries. Please don’t consider me like a small baby. I am not a child, I am a 23 year old woman. It is my greatest ambition to do something strange which the other people fear to do. I don’t want to be a failure in my life. I want to be successful.”

  “O.K. Christa, if it is your wish, I don’t want to be an obstacle in your dream. I invite you to join as my companion in my risky journey. But, before that I want you to know that I already have lost my dear brother in this journey. I don’t know whether he is alive or not? In case he is surviving somewhere we will find him somehow.”

  “I am sorry about that heart-breaking news. I will be with you to find out your brother and definitely we will do it!”

  “O.K. Christa, then please ask permission from your mother. If she does agree, I have no objection against your will.”

  “Thank you, dear Batson!” Christa gave him a hug, and then she approached her mother who was overhearing to all these conversations from the kitchen.

  “My dear child, never dream that I will give you the permission to go with him. Even if you are not afraid of the threats, I can’t give up my child for such silly reasons. I want you to be with me, I won’t…I can’t do it.” Agatha answered showing her anxiety.

  “But, mama I want to go with him, please let me go. I beg you…please…” Christa requested.

  Agatha didn’t give any more reply, instead she looked
at her child seriously. Agatha was tapping angrily at her thighs, and she was thinking deeply about something else. She remembered her lover, the famous merchant Antonio Pedro, who left her alone. She feared that if she permits her daughter to go with Jack, she may fall in love with him. She decided that she wouldn’t allow the same disaster happening in her daughter’s life.

  Agatha kept quiet for a few minutes. She was thinking about her past. She remembered how she fell in love with the Antonio Pedro and how they got separated. After they broke up she realized that she was pregnant. She hated him at that time, so she didn’t reveal it to him.

  She always kept it as a secret. She feared that if she tells about it, he would kill the child or would snatch away the child from her. Until now, even after these 23 years, he didn’t know anything about his own daughter. She still can’t digest how he remain himself as a bachelor all these years. She heard from her friends that even he got proposals from beautiful girls but he denied those offers saying that he doesn’t believe girls.