VESSEL OF THE NIGHT

The shadows of darkness dawned on the berserk city of Edgenstone in Eastern Europe. Most of the city's population was hastily heading for their home to catch the election of the city's new mayor. This was a spectacular day for the country for it was the last year in 1990 and at twelve would be the commencing of the New Year. At the center of city hall, before Sharps Courthouse, stood a twenty six year old college graduate of Stanford University. She was of a medium build and olive colored skin with brunette hair. She had a keen sense of smell and wore a rose scented perfume. Her hooded jacket and pants were worn tall and black with a pair of gloves to go with them. Usually at these hours she would be visiting Harold Charmer, an African philanthropist, a hippy and gypsy who sold antiques during the day but performed various grand theft autos at night for an un-named car drug dealer. Her nickname was Sadie though it did not match her description. She was the last daughter of Arnold Lawrence and MaryAnn Law, both whom did not live to see her graduate from high school. A tall slender white man raggedly dressed in a gray business suit, emerged from the front entrance and stepped out onto the top step of the courthouse. He held a bottle of vodka in his left hand though he stood upright and seemed to be in control of himself.  

"Wow! You look ravishing in black my friend" he said. 

"As always, you're not so bad either Tom". 

"I have always wanted to ask you, how many priests and preachers have you attained in your lifetime?" 

"Am I going to have to stand out here all night?" 

"Sorry! Just trying to make conversation, come on up" he said with a quick turn. 

Immediately she briskly climbed the stairs to a huge silver door that lead to an immense dining room, overwhelmed by the dim ruby lights of a chandelier. 

"Nice setting" she whispered into his ear. 

"I know, but this isn't for us" he said gripping her hand.  

Quickly he brought her by the welded gold chairs and delicious looking dining table in the middle of the room to a red metal door to the west of the building which led to a dark room full of angelic pictures and crosses. The room was very small with a silver table in the center and handcuffs at the edges. Immediately she rebelled pulling Thomas's hand to the door. He bravely lifted her by the waist slamming her onto the table. 

"Get it out of me just get it the hell!"  

A deep foreign voice erupted from her mouth as she slowly levitated off the table. One by one the pictures caught fire and fell from the walls. Thomas popped open a pocket bible to the chapter of revelations. He read fluently on the top his voice trying to overcome the presence of evil when an invisible force knocked him to the ground. Suddenly two of his colleagues came crashing into the room preaching on the peak of their voices. 

"Leave, if you value your lives!" screamed the foreign voice. 

One of his colleagues noticed the raging fire at the back of the room and grabbed Thomas by the shoulder dragging him into the dining room. The men scrambled outside to courthouse and in a short time the entire building went up in flames. That night he decided to give up being an exorcist and disappear for a while to avoid contact with the authority. The next day it was bright and sunny, Fire fighters searched every inch of the unfortunate site but found no sign of what started it. Some residents who lived nearby gave vague descriptions of three people leaving the courthouse in white while others spoke of three men running from the blazing building carrying guns. The Edgenstone Police Department searched everywhere within a three mile perimeter of city hall. Each team returned with the same results, nothing. 

Chapter 1- Save Me from My Soul! 

The Saturday night rain erupted into the city without a warning. Harold straightened his rearview mirror but cautiously rolled his orange caravan on the busy street. The vehicle went at a pace of twenty eight miles per hour paying caution to the wind. Tonight he was on his usual rounds though the type of weather and transportation quality did not seem appropriate. At the moment the stoplight altered to green he pulled off Maine Street passing three blue cars and entering the rear of an underground parking lot. Using a neat crowbar he smashed out the tinted window of a cherry red Slam Van. He climbed aboard the front leather seats and stomped out the front onto the busy street keeping closely in mind that everything will go as planned. The Slam Van's rear tires popped sending it into a wicked spin. Harold pounded the brakes but nothing worked. He squinted his eyes to the second lane where a huge Water Truck came speeding towards him. Immediately he pressed to his hard right scraping the van across the opposite lane by an inch of the truck and into a stop sign on Fleet Street. Blood dripped from his nose as he held his nostrils together leaning forward. A pungent odor erupted from the smoking engine.