Don't Shoot the "Messenger", Ch. 36

The man walked out of the courthouse, the deed accomplished. The Messenger would be pleased. He took out his phone and made a call.

Standing in the lab, working with his little beauties, Ivan’s cell rang. “I see, you were able to secure both properties. Excellent. Yes, proceed with his instructions.”

Mitch walked out of the room where he had left Alison. “Well?”

“You and your followers are now the proud owners of this compound and the tabernacle. What are your plans for Ms. Perkins?”

“Alison is aware of her transgressions. She will be punished.”

“Does that mean you have no further wish to marry her?”

Jealousy stirred in Mitch and he growled at Kipling. “Alison is mine. If I choose to marry her, it will be on my terms, but you stay away from her.”

“Are you aware of her condition?”

Mitch frowned, “What condition? She’s not sick.” If anything, he thought, she’s the picture of health. He had grabbed her that morning with every intention of finding out the truth about himself. In the throes of passion, Alison had called him the Messenger and his memories had suddenly returned in full, including the memory that Alison was not his fiance, but his disciple. He had properly punished her for that and had left her weeping and tied up while he had confronted Kipling. 

After being filled in by Kipling on his “death” and “resurrection”, they had discussed what had occurred days earlier with the police. Ivan had been keeping an eye on the laws surrounding property impounded during an investigation and had discovered that the mayor was in need of funds. A little tidbit dropped in the right ears and the mayor had ordered all impounded property auctioned off. With the auction set for one that afternoon, Mitch had used Kipling’s phone to make a call, and events were put into motion. He had then returned to his punishment of Alison. She had proven properly penitent and he had allowed her to show him just how much she was sorry. He was furious with her, but she made him crazy and he couldn’t keep his hands off her. Mitch looked at Kipling. “What condition are you talking about? Alison is in the best shape I’ve ever seen her. I don’t know what happened, but she‘s not the same woman she used to be.”

“Yes, well both of you have my little beauties to thank for that. The nanobots in your system enabled you to heal and become a virile man again. Ms. Perkins saw the changes in you and helped herself to some. You both have been enjoying the benefits. When I spoke of her condition, I was referring to the fact that Ms. Perkins is pregnant.” Ivan suddenly found himself forced back against the counter as Mitch encircled his throat squeezing.

“I told you to keep your hands off her. I’ll kill you old man!” Mitch’s fury took over as visions of Alison with Ivan went through his head.

Ivan used his robotic hand to force one of Mitch’s hands loose and struggled to talk. “I haven’t touched her. It’s your baby.” He croaked, applying pressure to Mitch’s hand to get his attention. “Mitch, it’s your baby.” Ivan was close to passing out when Mitch released him.

Mitch let go and backed off. He was breathing heavily trying to control the rage he felt towards Kipling and to understand what had just come over him. He had always prided himself on his ability to stay detached from the baser urges that the ordinary masses engaged in. Now, something was different. He had wanted to kill Kipling for touching Alison. Alison is mine. She belongs to me. He couldn’t shake that thought. Then Kipling’s words penetrated. She’s carrying my child. He turned from Kipling without another word and went in search of his mate.

Ivan turned back to his counter rubbing his throat, and then calmly reached for his transcriber. Although memory fully returned, Subject One is now more aggressive and animalistic. Recessive primal genes have clearly taken root in the subject.

Mitch stood looking down at Alison. She was still bound to the bed and she was lying naked in front of him. His eyes traveled the length of her noting the fuller hips and breasts and coming to rest on her belly. There was proof of Kipling’s words. The bulge just below her belly button beginning to show. She was with his child. He would give her his name and bind her to him because she was the mother of his child, but she would learn he was the boss.

Sitting on the edge of the bed he began stroking her until she awoke moaning with pleasure. “Alison, who is your master?” he whispered.

Alison looked at him dazed, completely overwhelmed by the sensations Mitch was producing. “You are.”

“Who am I?”

“The Messenger.”

“You’ll do anything I ask, isn’t that right, Alison?”

“Yes, you are the Messenger. Whatever you command, I obey.”

“Then this I command. You will dress, and fix our dinner. Then tomorrow you will begin preparing for a wedding. By next month’s end, I will be taking a wife.” He watched her expression turn joyful then he delivered the crushing blow. “One other thing. You, personally, will bring Natalie Buchanan to me, for she will bear my child.” From her crestfallen face, he knew she thought he was going to marry Natalie. It was her punishment and for now, she must suffer. Soon he would magnanimously forgive her and take her as his wife.

Alison’s heart had filled with joy at the mention of the wedding but had tumbled in despair when Mitch ordered her to bring in the harlot, Natalie Buchanan

Mitch revelled in her sorrow. “You deceived me, now you must be punished. Only the one I deem worthy will be my wife. Do you understand?”

Alison bowed her head in sorrow. “I was wrong, forgive me. Whatever my Messenger commands, I will obey.” Deep inside, she cried. She had wrongfully used him and he was her master, now she must face all her punishment. “I will do as you instructed. I will bring you, Natalie Buchanan. I’m not worthy to be your wife because of my deception, but you should know, I carry your child.”

Mitch stared at her, his eyes hard. Anger surged because she had used his weakness to ensnare him. Then he began to see how she had changed from the simpering sycophant with no mind of her own to a strong woman who had taken matters in her own hands and used them to her advantage. She still bowed to his will, but there was now an inner strength he had never seen before. She had truly become his woman and when the time was right she would stand beside him and help him lead his flock. “I know.” He replied and untied her. “Get to work.” As she dressed, he watched her and when she started to leave, he said. “Alison, prepare yourself, there will be more punishment.”

***

Ray was going over Todd’s file when he was informed Todd and Blair had arrived. He met them and they walked into the same room where everything had started the year before. “Todd, Blair, take a seat. Todd, you’re looking a lot better than when we last talked. Any more nightmares?”

Todd looked at Blair and back to Ray. “Nothing like the other night.“

“I’m sensing there’s a ‘but’ in that statement. I guess it’s time to explore what’s going on. I was reading your file and if you recall, one of the first things we had to get passed when this all started, was your delusion concerning your fathers.”

Todd recalled all too well his delusion. The lack of oxygen had caused him to hallucinate. That delusion wasn’t real, but the cause was. He had been stupid and fallen into Mitch’s trap. Now, nine years later, he was still haunted by it.

“Todd, what do you feel when you think about Mitch Laurence?”

“I’ve been trying not to think of him.”

“How’s that working out for you?”

“It isn’t. It’s like he’s taken up permanent residence in my head and he won’t let go of me. He‘s not through with me. I feel it and I want to get away, but like the last time, it holds me hostage. He did that Ray, he’s here in my head, like those worms eating away at a husk. He’s one of those worms.”

Blair was holding Todd’s hand and gave it a squeeze, but he didn’t respond back. She looked at his face and could tell he was seeing something and she shuddered, thinking of the last image Todd had been haunted by.

Ray saw Todd’s eyes lose focus. “Todd, you were saying?” Whatever Todd was seeing wasn’t good. His face lost its color and his breathing became quick and shallow.

He watched as they lowered the lid. He was trapped. Something moved under him and then across his cheek; he hated the dark. Todd struggled to take shallower breaths, then held them as long as he could, so he didn’t smell his father’s rotting corpse lying next to him. There it was again. The skittering. He flicked his hands as he felt the touch of legs crawling on him. He could hear Mitch taunting him from outside, and knew the air was getting stale. His eyes became adjusted to the darkness and he found himself staring at his father’s face. It was ghastly, and as he watched he thought he saw movement under the eyelids. He expected his father’s eyes to open at any minute. He had never considered himself squeamish, but suddenly he found himself in one of those horror movie scenarios and watched horrified as his father’s eyelid parted and then a small, white worm tumbled down his father’s cheek, it was suddenly followed by a multitude more. Todd screamed as he had never screamed before.

Todd dropped to his knees, his stomach heaving as the scream died on his lips. He somehow managed to keep from losing his lunch even as he found a wastebasket being held toward him. The hand extending it was Ray’s and Todd pushed it aside. “I’m fine.” His stomach was still lurching, but he refused to get sick. He sat down on the floor taking slow breaths and felt Blair’s hand enfold his, as she knelt beside him.

“Todd, it’s all right. You’re all right.” She dropped to sit with him.

“Sure I am,” he laughed, but the sound wasn’t joyous. “Like Hell.”

“Todd, can you tell us what you saw?” Ray knew he was asking a lot, but Todd seemed to have weathered the memory or vision he had just seen. The sooner he talked about it, the less hold it would have on him.

Todd looked bleakly at Ray but nodded. “I was in the damn tomb. Mitch’s goons had dropped me in and had inadvertently uncovered my father’s face. I didn’t realize it at first, I was trying hard to conserve the air. Mitch was outside taunting me, then my eyes became adjusted to the darkness. I found myself face to face with my father. I was fascinated by it, I knew I was going to die, but I couldn’t stop looking at him. Then his eyelids moved and I watched them come out. “ He couldn’t stop himself and he grabbed the basket. This time his lunch came up.

Blair turned away as her fragile stomach threatened to also erupt and she was forced to leave Todd, making her way to the bathroom to splash water on herself.

Ray took the offending basket and removed it, returning with a wet cloth for Todd and a bottle of water for both of them. Todd was staring toward the bathroom door with concern.

“I shouldn’t have let her come. This isn’t something she needs to hear in her condition.” He accepted the cloth and wiped his mouth, then opened the bottle and took a drink.

“What caused this? What did you see that turned your stomach?” 

Todd grimaced, “Maggots.” He couldn’t stop the shudder that rippled through him. “I can’t stand them. Haven’t been able to even look at them without getting sick.”

Blair heard his response and commented. “But Todd, you’ve never been afraid of bugs.”

“Bugs? Those aren’t bugs, they’re disgusting deathly white eating machines.”

Ray sensed there was an underlying reason for Todd’s fear. “That’s a strange way to describe them, Todd. Why did you say that?”

Todd found Ray’s eyes on him, but he couldn’t bring himself to tell his tale. It hurt whenever he recalled it.

“I’ll tell it, Todd, you don’t have to,” said Tom.

Todd nodded in agreement and closed his eyes.

Ray and Blair watched as Todd’s posture changed, and he suddenly sat cross-legged in front of them.

Tom looked at them. “Hi Blair, hi Dr.Ray. Todd’s sad, so I’m here to tell the story. Is that alright?

Ray nodded. “Go ahead, Tom.”

“Momma gave us a puppy when we turned five and he was the greatest. We named him Rufus and we helped Momma take care of him every day. When Rufus started getting his teeth Momma started getting into arguments with Dad. He had found out Rufus was starting to chew on everything. He warned her, he’d better not find out Rufus was chewing any of his stuff.” Tom stopped. They had really loved their puppy. “It was all my fault that Rufus died.”

Todd chided Tom. “We didn’t do anything. We were only five.”

Blair listened to Tom, her eyes filling with tears.

Ray swallowed getting a lump in his throat as he asked the boy to continue. “How, Tom? How was it your fault that Rufus died?”

“I was out because Todd had been punished for not cleaning up after Rufus and had to go to the doctor. We had to make a second trip out to the pharmacy for medicine and I was supposed to make sure Rufus was put in my room, but I forgot. When we got back, Dad told us Rufus had gotten out of the house and had run away. He said it was good riddance because he had come home to find his favorite pair of shoes chewed on. Momma took me all around the block, but we couldn’t find him.”

Blair sat down next to Tom and put her arms around him. She wanted to comfort him like she had Sam when he had lost his pet mouse. “Did Peter let you get another puppy?”

“No, Dad said we didn’t deserve any more pets. A couple of weeks later Todd was cleaning his room and found Rufus’ collar. He went to ask dad if he knew how Rufus lost his collar. Dad was furious and accused Todd of calling him a liar about how Rufus got out. He grabbed Todd and took him out into the backyard.”

“Why Tom, what did Peter have in the backyard?”

“That was where the shed was.” Tom began fumbling with his shoelaces like he didn’t want to go on.

“Tom, what did Peter do next?” Ray urged.

“He...He put Todd in it and told him he would have to stay there overnight. He said Todd needed to understand that Rufus getting loose was his fault for not putting him in his room like he should have. But it wasn’t Todd’s fault, that was mine. I should have been the one in the shed, but Todd wouldn’t let me come out. He was feeling as bad as I was because Rufus had left. Todd sat there and Momma came out looking for us, but Dad had said Todd would have to spend more nights if he called to Momma, so he kept quiet. It was getting really dark in the shed. Todd was scared. There was a little tiny bit of light and he moved to it but tripped. He fell down and scraped his knee. He was trying not to cry but saw the lump on the floor. I told him not to touch it. It was a dirty old rag. I knew Dad would be mad if we touched anything, but Todd wanted to know what made him fall.”

Ray didn’t like the way Tom was turning a little gray, and his breathing had increased. “Tom, look at me. You need to take some deep breaths. It’s going to be okay, you can tell this, and then you and Todd can take a breather. Now, I want you to breathe slower.”

Tom struggled to follow Ray’s suggestion. He took a few exaggerated breaths and then before he lost his nerve, he blurted out the rest of the story. “Todd pulled off the rag and he found Rufus, but he was covered in all these white wriggling worms and some of them landed on Todd. He screamed and tried to get away from them. They were eating Rufus, and he was afraid they were going to eat him. Momma heard Todd’s screams and found him. She warned Dad if he stuck Todd in there again, she’d call the police.” Tom was crying soft tears for his lost puppy.

Todd was crying alongside Tom, he let Blair comfort Tom for a minute and then sent him back to Ms. Perkins. Then he gathered Blair’s arms tightly around him. “Babe, don’t let go. It hurts so bad.”

Blair hugged her husband, kissing him gently on his cheek as his tears fell. “No five-year-old boy should have had to face that kind of scene.”

Ray watched silently as Todd recovered from his ordeal. He turned away from Todd and Blair, as he composed the anger he felt toward Peter Manning at that moment. He picked up his clipboard to make notes but broke the pencil in half. Frustrated, he flung the clipboard down on the table and watched it slide and fall to the floor.

Todd and Blair looked over startled by the noise. Noting Ray’s discomfort, Todd asked, “Hey, Ray, you okay?”

Ray ran his fingers through his hair. “Sure Todd, just broke my pencil. Stupid thing to get mad about. How are you? Doing okay?”

“I guess. Man, this floor is getting hard.” He unwound his limbs and stood up reaching to give Blair a hand off the floor. “I think I’ve had all I can take today."  Todd was afraid Ray might push him more about Victor's tomb, and he just wanted to clear his mind of the images.  "Okay, if we call it a day?”

“Sure Todd, It’s your call. Do you want to set up another session, we’ve only tapped the surface you know.”

“Yeah, I know. Sure, let’s give it a couple of days. I’ll let you know.”

Ray watched as Todd and Blair walked down the hall. He turned off the light in the room and headed out. He needed a drink after that session.