Read Online John Jordan05 - Blood Sacrifice by Michael Lister - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Michael Lister
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asked.
“Of course not, but I could tell
she
did, that she genuinely wanted and needed help.”
“So you began to help her?”
“I began to meet with her on a semi-regular basis, and the more we talked, the more I realized just how deeply disturbed she really was. Her promiscuity and drug use had opened her up to all sorts of…”
“Demons?” Steve asked, his flat tone unable to completely mask its underlying ridicule.
“As it turns out, yes,” Father Thomas said, “but at the time I wasn’t sure. I thought it could be psychological trauma. Often the two go hand in hand.”
“What?”
“Possession and mental illness. I just wasn’t prepared. Not like I should’ve been. God forgive me for my arrogance and blindness.”
“When did you change your mind about what her real problem was?”
“I didn’t,” he said. “At least not until tonight. That’s what I’m saying. I was unprepared for what I faced tonight because I thought she was…”
“Faking?” Steve offered.
“Well, to be more precise, that it was in her mind. I honestly felt that Sister Abigail could do her more good than I, but I didn’t think she would even be open to that kind of counseling until we went through the ritual.”
“Of exorcism?”
He nodded. “The thing about possession is—and you can ask any exorcist about this—most manifestations of the demonic don’t occur until the ritual is performed. If there’s any question, it’s best to go ahead and perform the ritual. No one without a demon was ever hurt by an exorcism.”
“And tell me, Father, is that usually done by strapping the person naked to a bed?”
Father Thomas let out a frustrated sigh and Reid shook his head, his eyes narrowing angrily as he glared at Steve.
“I told you,” he said, “
she
did that. I had mentioned to her that I usually used restraints because you never knew what the demons might make a person do, so naturally she wanted to use them, but she’s the one who put them on the bed, undressed, and strapped herself in. She said she didn’t want to hide anything from me or God and that she wanted to be physically uncomfortable, but I saw it as yet another sign that she was suffering from mental illness, if not demon possession.”
I wanted to ask how he discerned between the two, but refrained. Sister Abigail would appreciate my restraint.
“I thought being naked was the state Tammy was most comfortable in?” Steve asked.
“Because of the cold,” Father Thomas said, shaking his head. “Are you trying to be––”
“So you went in that cabin last night not believing you were dealing with a demon?”
“Right.”
“So you can understand why we’re having such a difficult time with it,” Steve said.
“Sure,” he said. “But I’m telling you that’s what it was. I’ll swear to it in court. I’ll take a lie detector test. I’m telling the truth.”
“You’ve done exorcisms before?”
“Lots of them.”
“Anything like this ever happen?”
“I’ve had people hurt themselves,” he said. “Manifestations of the demons torturing their souls showing up on their bodies, but never to this degree. I’ve never seen them kill.”
“Have you ever even heard of it happening?” Steve asked. “In recorded history?”
“Most exorcisms aren’t recorded. They embarrass the church.”
“Is that a no?”
“It’s a ‘not that I’m aware of.’”
“So what we’re dealing with is unprecedented?”
“In my experience,” he said. “Yes.”
“And that doesn’t worry you?”
“Worry me?”
“Yeah, you know, risking your life on something no jury will have a frame of reference for?”
“I have evidence. Well, if not of her actual death, at least of how bad it was torturing her.”
“What evidence?” Steve asked.
“I videotaped the whole thing. It’ll prove I’m telling the truth. You’ll be forced to confront your own unbelief when you see it, and will have to let me go.”
“Well, maybe
“Of course not, but I could tell
she
did, that she genuinely wanted and needed help.”
“So you began to help her?”
“I began to meet with her on a semi-regular basis, and the more we talked, the more I realized just how deeply disturbed she really was. Her promiscuity and drug use had opened her up to all sorts of…”
“Demons?” Steve asked, his flat tone unable to completely mask its underlying ridicule.
“As it turns out, yes,” Father Thomas said, “but at the time I wasn’t sure. I thought it could be psychological trauma. Often the two go hand in hand.”
“What?”
“Possession and mental illness. I just wasn’t prepared. Not like I should’ve been. God forgive me for my arrogance and blindness.”
“When did you change your mind about what her real problem was?”
“I didn’t,” he said. “At least not until tonight. That’s what I’m saying. I was unprepared for what I faced tonight because I thought she was…”
“Faking?” Steve offered.
“Well, to be more precise, that it was in her mind. I honestly felt that Sister Abigail could do her more good than I, but I didn’t think she would even be open to that kind of counseling until we went through the ritual.”
“Of exorcism?”
He nodded. “The thing about possession is—and you can ask any exorcist about this—most manifestations of the demonic don’t occur until the ritual is performed. If there’s any question, it’s best to go ahead and perform the ritual. No one without a demon was ever hurt by an exorcism.”
“And tell me, Father, is that usually done by strapping the person naked to a bed?”
Father Thomas let out a frustrated sigh and Reid shook his head, his eyes narrowing angrily as he glared at Steve.
“I told you,” he said, “
she
did that. I had mentioned to her that I usually used restraints because you never knew what the demons might make a person do, so naturally she wanted to use them, but she’s the one who put them on the bed, undressed, and strapped herself in. She said she didn’t want to hide anything from me or God and that she wanted to be physically uncomfortable, but I saw it as yet another sign that she was suffering from mental illness, if not demon possession.”
I wanted to ask how he discerned between the two, but refrained. Sister Abigail would appreciate my restraint.
“I thought being naked was the state Tammy was most comfortable in?” Steve asked.
“Because of the cold,” Father Thomas said, shaking his head. “Are you trying to be––”
“So you went in that cabin last night not believing you were dealing with a demon?”
“Right.”
“So you can understand why we’re having such a difficult time with it,” Steve said.
“Sure,” he said. “But I’m telling you that’s what it was. I’ll swear to it in court. I’ll take a lie detector test. I’m telling the truth.”
“You’ve done exorcisms before?”
“Lots of them.”
“Anything like this ever happen?”
“I’ve had people hurt themselves,” he said. “Manifestations of the demons torturing their souls showing up on their bodies, but never to this degree. I’ve never seen them kill.”
“Have you ever even heard of it happening?” Steve asked. “In recorded history?”
“Most exorcisms aren’t recorded. They embarrass the church.”
“Is that a no?”
“It’s a ‘not that I’m aware of.’”
“So what we’re dealing with is unprecedented?”
“In my experience,” he said. “Yes.”
“And that doesn’t worry you?”
“Worry me?”
“Yeah, you know, risking your life on something no jury will have a frame of reference for?”
“I have evidence. Well, if not of her actual death, at least of how bad it was torturing her.”
“What evidence?” Steve asked.
“I videotaped the whole thing. It’ll prove I’m telling the truth. You’ll be forced to confront your own unbelief when you see it, and will have to let me go.”
“Well, maybe
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