Buried

CHAPTER 24 | yappy rats

📎A/N. Hello my friends. I hope your weekend has gone well and you have come through it safe and sound.

It has come to my attention that the Wattpad Map does not include all countries our wonderful readers are joining us from :( I would love to hear from those of you who are living in Countries & Islands I have not yet been mentioned.

This week I would like to welcome readers from Samoa. You are not on the WP map. But I know you are there. :-)

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"How could you turn your back on us? You of all people?"

Paul cringed as her high pitched voice echoed off the walls and magnified throughout the church. He was grateful that no parishioners were present to overhear the bizarre conversation. And, considering his calling, he had been privy to a range of strange and unusual discussions over the years.

"Theresa, you need to understand," he said, attempting to bring her volume back down to an acceptable level. "I'm not ignoring your plight. But I don't have the authority to do what you're asking."

Theresa held out the Bible she had been clutching all day and shook it in front of him. "Matthew 17:18 - And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly."

Paul Myers, Father Paul to his parishioners, slumped forward and placed his head into his hands. His elbows, which were digging into his knees added to his overall discomfort with the added weight. However, he preferred that to the situation he now found himself in.

He loved his sister, but there were times she could test the patience of a saint. And while he was a Catholic Priest, he did not even come close.

Father Paul said a quick prayer for guidance, took a deep breath and sat back up to face his sibling. Her eyes, red and swollen from crying were fixed upon him. Glancing across the room at his brother-in-law, he considered his options.

He had to admit, Mark, who was sitting a short distance away, was not the same man he had just seen the week before. His brother-in-law was brash, confident and outgoing. When he had turned up at his sister's place after her desperate cry for help this morning, the person residing in Marks skin was a shadow of his former self. Paul had spent the majority of the day attempting to break through to the person he knew.

It was obvious they were both traumatised from recent events. The fact that they were present during the horrific events and the aftermath of the much-publicised freeway accident only added to their combined hysteria.

Even taking into account his beliefs, he had a hard time accepting what Theresa was telling him was anything other than a fantastical tale.

"'Resa," he finally said, addressing his sister, "you have to admit, this is an extraordinary story you are asking me to believe."

Theresa burst into tears. "It's not a story!" she sobbed, "His body is possessed by the devil. You have to cast him out!"

Paul fought to not roll his eyes. "You need to calm down," he said as he reached over to squeeze his hand. "Help me to understand what you think has happened. How long has it been going on?"

Theresa clutched the Bible to her chest, a pained expression as she studied her husband. "Mark's not been feeling well lately, but the doctors said that it was just a virus and nothing to worry about," she began, "he was getting a bit more moody than normal. But I just put it down to the effects of the medication he was given."