Bullet Holes

Chapter 3

The next day my mother sent me to be the assistant to the priest and I worked there through half of my teenage. As days and months passed by doubts in God was erased by the teaching of books and morals and my faith increased. I saw the world as a wretched place and many a times set out to spread the name of Christ and relieve the world. I was condemned and spat at but I never ceased my quest nor lost my faith in changing the world. By the time I was sixteen I'd known everything there's to know about Christianity and dreamt of the day I could become the priest. But all my hopes and faith vanished after an atrocious incident.

It happened after the day a man in a suit visited the church. He came during the time when Father was having his lunch and the church was closed for the time being. He was hysterical and fell to Father's feet the moment he saw him. Father covered his food and took him to the confession room and an hour later he was gone. The next day two men in the same suit and asked me to accompany them. They sounded religious and we talked about many things.

'Does father give away his confession secrets?'

'Only when someone's life is threatened.' I said.

'Is murder a sin?'

'Yes.'

'What if it's a person who deceives hundreds of people by wearing the mask of a God's messenger and is actually a cold-hearted criminal?'

I looked at them questioningly, trying to make sense out of their question.

'It's not a sin, then, is it?'

'I don't know.'

'Yes, you do.'

We passed through a black gate and came in front of an ornate door. Someone from the inside opened the door and ushered us in after he knocked on the door. We three went into a room and sat on a sofa. The woman who ushered us in brought in tea and biscuits soon after. As I was drinking the tea I caught a glimpse of the two men smiling at each other and then breaking into a laughter. I assumed that it didn't concern me and began thus: 'Let us get into the matter.'

The two men were surprised as I caught them off guard and their face betrayed their surprise.

'Uh, are you satisfied with the tea? Why don't you have some biscuits? They are delicious, homemade.'

'Thank you for your hospitality but I do not intend to waste my time any longer. So please.'

'I understand. But you should realizethis matter is of immense seriousness.' His face turned grave. 'And we need to be sure that you would be able to do the necessary task at hand.' He looked at me as if waiting for a cue.

'Go on.'

'It's about the priest. He's not the person who you think he is.'

'I've known Father Magnus for years. We've travelled to many places together to spread the word of the lord. And in those journeys we've had many private conversations; he has revealed his innermost desires and thoughts to me. I know him better than anyone.'

'The shepherd leads the sheep astray.' The other one scoffed.

'Father Magnus works for the Black Vipers gang.' The man continued. 'He drugs tourists with the communion wine and sells them to the gang. The gang does horrible things with these people.'

'Like what?'

The man lowered his head, unable to find an answer. Maybe it was the trick of the light I caught a glimpse of him smiling. Before I could confirm the oddity, his head bobbed right up.

'They sell the kidneys of the males and sell the women for prostitution and the  children as labors. It is abhorrent. That is why; you need to do something, something that should've been done long ago.'