AMELIE - Part IX

AMELIE - PART IX

© Tamsin L. Silver 2013






“You don’t know? That’s bullshit! You want me to believe an angel who came from heaven has no idea why a…a…a thing attacked my family?” Killian shook his head and waved his arms about. “No. There’s no way you don’t have any ideas what is going on. And whatever they are, I want to know.”

I felt horrible. Not only because it was evident that the boy was scared, but also because it was possible I’d brought this down on his family. Then again, Charles may have come over anyway and things would’ve turned out much differently with me not there.

Killian crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m waiting.”

With a sigh, I decided to tell him what I could. “It wasn’t a thing, Killian, it was a demon named Semiazas, and he isn’t some lackey demon running errands…he’s a major player. There is no way he’d been able to take over Charles’ body without either an invitation or an opening big enough to be construed as an invitation.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means Charles dabbles in Satanism or black magic or the cult…” I shrugged. “It could be a number of things. No matter what it is, it opened the way for possession. Only when I forced him out did you see the real demon...or the version of himself he is now. To be honest, he used to look like a man. His appearance now is what happened to his spirit after evil took hold of it.”

“That doesn’t explain what he was doing at the church! Or why he took my mom!”

I saw him fight back emotion, swallow it down hard, and put that energy into pacing. I walked over and sat on the bench.

“And why take Charles’ body if he can’t use it anymore?” he continued, before I could even answer.

“How does your mom know him?”

“I don’t know. I guess he could be a new member. Her job when we are here up is to meet the new people of the community and lure them into coming to the church.”

“Lure?”

He stopped for a moment and gave me a bland stare. “You know what I mean. Those pushy religious people who visit your home and are friendly with hopes of luring you to their church.” Turning away he raised a pointed finger in the air and added, “More attendance equals more tithing!” The tone of voice was an obvious mimic of someone I didn’t know. Now, hands down, he said to no one in particular, “What if they didn’t want to? Why do we always force religion on people?”

“Jesus never forced himself on anyone.”

Spinning about, he pointed at me. “Exactly. Yet here we are, putting commercials on TV saying ‘our church is better than your church…you should come here!’ It’s disgusting.”

“I’m not going to disagree with you. But what does this have to do with your mother?”

“Cause that’s the job she’d been forced to take. My dad doesn’t have time to do some of the things that need to be done, like visit the sick, deal with employees as well as volunteers, or reach out to the community. So she does that stuff. Hell, I’m surprised he had time even for her, to be honest.”

I felt I was getting a peak into the window of Killian’s issues with his father, which had been evident when I’d woken up in the sanctuary. I could see that he felt his mother was the injured party here, and sided with her mostly. Because of this, my next sentence had to be phrased carefully.

“Charles said your mother had been to his church…she even said he was, what was it…he worshipped differently but was a good man, loved the Lord.”

“If she said that, she believed it.”

Catching his eye for the first time, I said, “He is not a good man.”

“Ya think? I don’t know…maybe it was the demon in his soul…but maybe I’m being too harsh,” he sarcastically yelled out, arms wide.” He paused and then said, and you mean ‘wasn’t a good man. Past tense.”

“Oh, there’s no reason he can’t heal and keep that body. Sure, he did a show of blood, but there’s no reason Charles can’t survive those injuries with a demon inside of him.”

Killian stopped pacing. “So you’re saying he will re-inhabit the body? Then what? My mom is with him!”

I nodded. “Yes. The question we have to figure out now is…is your mother being held against her will or not.”

Killian rounded, hot eyes on me, speed in his feet as he rushed over. Snatching me by the my shoulders, he shook once. “How dare you suggest that about my mother? How dare you?”

I could’ve pulled from his grasp easily, but he needed to vent his fear and anger, and couldn’t hurt me. I held his gaze and said, “I dare to ask all questions that might yield answers. For if she is an unwilling participant, we need to find and save her…if she and Charles are close, then she is wrapped up in something very bad and still needs help. Do you hear me? Do you understand what I’m saying?” I tilted my head, examining his green eyes as they went from crazed to steady.

Seeing his hands on me for the first time, he became mortified, and let go as if I were on fire. “I’m sorry. I…I’m not someone to lay a hand on a woman in that way. I’m so sorry. My mother taught me better...” He began to back away, yet I was faster and reached forward, taking his hand. At the contact, something in him snapped, and he crumpled to the ground, letting the tears fall.

I slid to the ground, kneeling before him, and lay a hand on his head. I prayed for peace, guidance, strength, and patience…and not just for him either. We both were going to need these things in spades if we were to get to the bottom of this.