Knock Three Times

15. Unburnable

                THE RAIN HAD ALL but dried up; the humidity seeming to lift from the area as a slight warm spell moved into Church Street, and its scenic Victorian neighbourhood. A black SUV pulled into the parking lot of St. Anthony's Church, and the two priests, Detective Jennifer Jenson and the young Oracle, Ashley Rhoads moved out of the vehicle. As the doors closed, they moved toward the side entrance, but the youth froze in her steps, unwilling to move up the stairs. She had felt the foreboding dread as they approached the church the moment they turned the corner, but wasn't quite sure what ominous shroud had fallen over the once hallowed ground until this very moment. Her eyes widened with fear as she could sense the touch of a hellish creature, as though the signature of a beast had been etched upon the entire grounds. The grown-ups gathered around, worried that something was wrong.

    'Ashley, what's happening?'

    The child fell to her knees, her pupils rolling into her head as the skin around her eyes twitched.

    'Call an ambulance.' Jenson ordered the priests, but they did nothing.

    'You know as well as I, this is no medical phenomena, Detective. She's seeing something—something we have yet to realize.' Father Theron knelt before her and grasped her tiny hand. 'Tell us what you see, child.'

    'She . . . was here.' Ashley's expression was of utter terror, as though she were looking into the eyes of the Devil himself, her greatest nightmares now alive in her own reality.

    'Who?' asked Father Jeremy as she seemed to right herself.

    'We must leave this place; it's not safe.'

    'There is no safer place, I assure you.' Theron insisted, his pink complexion flustered as he adjusted his collar.

    'No, Father. This is no longer holy ground; it has been desecrated, tainted by her.'

    'I don't understand, who?' Jenson pushed.

    'Bathory.' she barely whispered, her eyes narrowed with suspicion and paranoia.

    'Who?' Jeremy seemed confused, but Theron didn't seem shocked in the slightest, as though he had heard this name before.

    'It's not important. If what you say is true, we must seek sanctuary elsewhere.' the seasoned priest insisted.

    'How?' Father Jeremy asked, helping the child to her feet and lifted her into his arms. 'How has she tainted the grounds?'

    'How else, Father? The spilling of innocent blood, of course—an evil act which has enraged the Almighty.' Her ominous glare turned grave. 'God's wrath lingers in this church . . . this land is cursed.'

    'You two stay here; I'm going in to take a look.' Jenson insisted.

    Drawing her weapon, she stepped forward and cautiously opened the side door entrance. Quietly sneaking inside, senses heightened and her finger resting gently against the trigger, she climbed the small set of stairs that lead to the main cathedral. Something wasn't right, and she could feel a tight sensation in her chest, stomach nervously convulsing as she moved forward. Her eye caught no movement, but as the detective reached the center walkway which lead to the alter at the front of the room, she could hear a light buzzing nearby, as a familiar odour filled her nostrils. She stepped forward, down the aisle as her jaw dropped.

    Her gaze was transfixed on the large stone crucifix that hung above the podium. The wounds of the Savior bled onto the marble floor below, his head not tilted in the traditional way, but his brow lowered. Jesus' angry eyes would haunt her nightmares for the rest of her life, she was positive. Sweat beaded off her brow as she realized what this meant, the reality of the situation now truly hitting her.