Holy Purifier

Holy Purifier by: Reclusive Knight

The birds were singing, the citizens walking, and the church bells ringing. Almost every citizen went to church in Rockville on a Sunday afternoon. One of the most popular churches in town was Our Lady of Mt. Carmel where Father Tim Lucino worked. The Bosski family was no different from any other normal Rockville family. John and Linda Bosski went to church every Sunday followed by dinner at the local restaurant in town called Grand Ma's Place.

The bells rang that Sunday, John and Linda rushed to park the family car and get inside. Father Tim was a friend of John for about a year now. He was there for John when he was battling his addiction with alcohol. John always said that whenever he needed an ear, Father Tim was always around to listen. I guess you could say everyone in town thought that Father Tim was a great and holy man.

After mass that Sunday, Father Tim was outside as he usually was shaking everyone's hand and wishing them well.

John and Linda stopped and said, "Very nice mass Father, I guess we'll see you around town, or in church next week."

Father Tim nodded and said, "Peace be with you both, take care."

So the Bosski's left the church and went to dinner at Grand Ma's Place. Nothing out of the ordinary happened that day until after the Bosski's got home.

John was watching the baseball game on TV and Linda was figuring out the household finances. She got very angry when she noticed that John spent money that wasn't in their family budget. Her face turned bright red as John walked out in the kitchen for a glass of wine.

He said to his wife, "What's wrong sweetie?"

Linda said, in an angry voice, "You're wrong John, you went and spent money again that we didn't have to spend. Now we have to figure out how we're going to pay our electric bill this month."

John apologized to her and went in the living room to sit back down and catch the rest of the Met's game on TV. He heard her slam the chair against the table and run up the steps. He smiled already feeling relaxed from the couple of glasses of wine he had.

Then without warning Linda came down the steps and opened the door and slammed it as she left. This was normal when Linda and John argued, and she would always go to her mother's house to spend the night. Usually only a day passed and she would come home. This time would be different then any other!

As the night went on John thought of Father Tim's advice. John was an alcoholic for many years, and Father Tim helped him over come that. He never thought a couple of glasses of wine were bad. He was use to drinking a case of beer and several shots of Jim Beam by himself. So a couple glasses of wine to John was nothing.

He started to think to himself, "was I drunk the day I wrote the check that was supposed to cover the electric bill?"

It turned out John wasn't drunk that day, he just forgot. So he decided to go out and take a walk. He planned on heading down to the church to see if Father Tim was around. He knew that Father Tim lived directly behind the church anyway, and that he could get a hold of him if need be.

The town of Rockville had a drug problem, so did the surrounding communities. There were reports in the newspaper of people missing. The thing was no one really cared because the drug addicts were like a cancer eating away at the community. Father Tim was known around town to help the addicts.

Many of these addicts would break in the old silk mill that was behind the church and the church property, which included Father Tim's quarters and the church's cemetery. The old silk mill was a huge building standing at least 10 stories high and made of solid brick and concrete. Many of the windows were smashed out of the mill from the neighborhood kids who liked to throw rocks through them. Even though the mill was an eye sore the city never condemned it. The mill use to employ hundreds of local people, it also had an old giant clock on the top that was now broke and stuck on 3:16 p.m.

Later that evening John walked down town towards the church. He noticed there were not as many homeless people around town as there use to be. This was odd because John usually seen half a dozen or so around. They hung out around the old mill, and back along the creek. Before long John arrived at the church, he noticed the lights were on, and the door was open. So he entered, but he didn't see Father Tim. So he walked up near the alter and sat down.

Right about this time he heard, "Hello John, what brings you by tonight?"

John turned and it was Father Tim, he said to Father Tim, "Ah, Linda and I had a fight, so I wanted to go for a walk."

Father Tim nodded and sat down next to John. "Well, what was the fight about this time John?"

John just put his head down and said, "The household finances Father."

When he said that Father Tim stood up, "I will be back in a minute, I have to lock up the church, then we will discuss this John."

He smiled at Father Tim and waited for him to lock up the church. When Father Tim came back after a couple minutes he motioned to John to follow him. The two men waked in a back room behind a purple curtain. Once behind the curtain they walked through a small room containing a chair and desk, also a lamp and some reading materials. Father Tim walked through and kept on going, John followed.

Then they came to a door, it was white and looked like it had been there for hundreds of years. The paint was peeling off, and it had the old type door handle with the iron plate around the knob.

It looked to John like the door leading to the basement of the church. He was right, the two men walked down the steps and Father Tim pulled the string that was hanging down, then a light came on. John looked around and seen tables stacked up, some old chairs, and dusty bookshelves filled with old bibles. There was a musty odor to the basement, he thought it was normal so he didn't say anything.

Then as Father Tim stopped by the bookshelves John could here what sounded like running water?

"Father, do you hear that?"

He laughed, "Yes John, that is the underground sewer."

John started laughing as well, he noticed pipes on the ceiling which were for water and drainage. As the two stood there Father Tim appeared to be thinking, then he grabbed the end of the one shelf and started to lift it and pull out on it. John watched, wondering what was going on?

"Do you need some help with that Father?" he asked.

Father Tim was a big man though, he stood nearly 6 foot 7 and weighed over 200 pounds. "No I'm good, but I've been wanting to show you this for a very long time."

John walked closer and seen an old door, and it appeared to be home made. Father Tim reached around his neck and pulled out a key to the door. It didn't have a knob, it was just a dirty wooden door with a padlock on it. He opened the door and a foul odor came out. It smelled like raw sewage, and rotting meat.

John said nothing as he followed close behind Father Tim, both men started to climb down an old rusty ladder which was attached to the concrete wall. When they got to the bottom of the rusty ladder John noted to himself that Father Tim didn't have on his usual robe.

Father Tim had on a plain brown robe, with a piece of rope around it. This was the normal attire that Father Tim would wear to funerals in the cemetery. John followed close as they started to walk, Father Tim bent down and was reaching for something. He then turned around and shined a light at John. It was a flashlight, then John heard something, and he spotted large rats.

He shouted, "Father there are rats down here! Where are we going?"

Father Tim laughed, and waved the flashlight in a forward motion towards the rats. John stopped, he was not willing to follow Father Tim any longer.

"Come on John, they're God's creatures, they will not harm you."

John looked at Father Tim in a confused state and said, "No way, I hate rats, especially ones that big!"

Father Tim kicked the rats and shined his light on them, and they jumped around falling in the sewer water. "There now come on John, I really want you to see this."

He followed, the two men walked deeper into the sewer. They walked for about 5 to 10 minutes, but to John it seemed like an hour. They arrived at another ladder, similar to the one that they climbed down earlier from the church's basement.

The two men were now directly below the old silk mill. John noted this to himself, then asked Father Tim the same question that he was thinking about. Father Tim shook his head yes and began to climb the ladder. When he got to the top he reached up and pushed on the ceiling. John noticed a square metal plate the father slid over.

He shined his light down, "Come on John, you are going to love this."

John climbed the ladder nervously, when he got to the top he looked around. He seen some chain lying on the ground, and a bunch of old machine parts. Father Tim shined his light to the left and there was a concrete hallway. The two men started to walk down the hall. John reached for his shirt and covered his nose. The smell was terrible, and one of the worst John ever smelled. Father Tim walked on, shining his light, and John noticed there were large spiders on the roof of the concrete hall. He spotted them right away because he hated spiders.

Then John noticed a light coming from an opening on the right side of the hallway, "Father, look light!"

Father Tim kept on walking, "Yeah John we're in the Eagle Silk Mill's basement."

John slowed, he wondered why they were down there. He also thought about the sewer, and wondered how Father Tim knew that it would lead to the old silk mill. After a few seconds John began to hurry and get closer to Father Tim. Then they turned right and entered an opening.

Out of no where Father Tim said, "Wait here, I will be right back."

John waited, but he was very nervous. There was a long wooden table in the room, also a bucket of dirty water. The light he seen was coming from an old lantern. While waiting he looked around the dim room, he noticed there was blood on the table and the floor. He walked closer into the light and seen some chain on the floor, also a couple pad locks. He started to breath heavy, his heart raced, and he began to sweat in the cool damp basement.

Then he heard Father Tim coming back down the hallway. When Father Tim entered the room he was wearing a old dirty jump suit. He also had a belt on with a knife and a pistol in his hand!

"You old drunk bastard, get your ass up on the table before I shoot you! NOW!"

John hesitated and started to cry, he was terrified and dropped to his knees. His mind started to race, and he wondered, "Was that really Father Tim he was seeing?"

Father Tim grabbed him and picked him up by his arm, then threw him on the table. "If you move your dead you son of a bitch, now grab the edge of the table with both hands, and lay your legs flat!"

John complied in fear for his life, then he pissed himself. All these thoughts started to run through his head, "Was Father Tim a murderer, did he kill all the drug addicts in Rockville?"

He laid there in panic as Father Tim strapped him down with the chains. Then he pad locked him to the table. The father tucked the gun in his belt, then suddenly left the room.

John knew if he didn't do something he was going to end up dead, but he followed the psychotic priest down there. Now he was chained to the table, and no one knew where he was. The only thing John could think of was the fight he had with Linda.

Then there were screams, followed by footsteps.

The old Eagle Silk Mill had been shut down for years, and the basement opening from the mill had been sealed shut with concrete so that no one could get down in the sewer. Father Tim use to go in the old mill to talk with drug addicts, then he would talk them into coming to the church for counseling. Most of the addicts would show improvement, then suddenly disappear!

No one in the town thought anything of this, they figured Father Tim cured them. They also thought that after seeing Father Tim they would leave town looking for work. Rockville was a retirement town and there wasn't a lot of work around. He even received an award at the monthly town hall meeting, for helping clean up the community. What went on underneath the grounds of the mill was unknown to the town's citizens!

John laid there and the footsteps got louder. Then a man appeared in the room, he was beaten half to death. His hands were chained behind his back, he fell to the ground. John noticed the man right away, this was one of the drug addicts that Father Tim was counseling. One of the addicts that left Rockville, or so the town's citizens thought.

Father Tim approached John, he torn off John's shirt, then took out his knife. He started to cut John from the top of his chest down to his belly button.

John screamed, "No please father, I thought we were friends. Please, don't kill me Father, I won't tell anyone!"

He ignored John, as the blood flowed from his chest. Father Tim sliced him again, then he stopped and he walked over to the man on the floor. He was lying there, the father picked him up, and slit his throat! The man immediately fell to the ground, and blood started to form a puddle around his head.

John was in a bad spot and he knew it. His breathing increased, the blood flowed, and so did the sweat. He cried out again, begging for his life, but Father Tim showed no mercy.

The father turned and was looking for something? He picked up a candle and some matches. John was in pain and bleeding profusely, mentally he gave up. He knew that he would never see his wife again.

Father Tim said to John, "You're an addict! I hate sons of bitches like you, your part of the decay taking place in this town."

He raised his knife and stuck it in John's belly button. John screamed out again, he was on the urge of passing out now, and he was losing blood fast! Father Tim stuck the candle in his belly button, then lit it. The flame began to flicker, and dance around.

Father Tim dropped to his knees, and he started to pray. "Thank you almighty for the strength to get rid of these diseased people from society. Please accept their troubled souls in heaven, only you can help them father." Then he stood up and smiled, leaving the room.

Not long after Father Tim left the room John died. The underground was a tomb for addicts, and the workshop of the psychotic and evil priest. How many men and women were down there? Were there other rooms in the hallway? Where did Father Tim bring the other man from? John would never find out, his addiction killed him!

It was once again daylight, sunny in Rockville, a regular Monday morning. The birds were singing, the citizens walking, but the church bells were silent. Not long after the church opened it's doors, Father Tim had a visitor.

It was Linda, she was looking for John. She entered the church hoping that Father Tim would have some answers. She hoped that John had gone there to see the father.

As she stood before the Father she asked, "Father Tim! Did you see John around last night, or this morning? We had an argument last night, and I have not seen him since."

Father Tim smiled, "My dear Linda, I am sure John is around somewhere. Maybe he left town to clear his mind. I am sure he will return to you soon."

Linda looked at Father Tim who she trusted with her life and said, "Thank you father, I am sure you're right. He is probably still mad at me from last night, I yelled at him over our finances."

She turned and left the church, while walking she noticed a woman hanging fliers on a telephone poll. She walked over to read the flier, "MISSING PERSON" Last seen in Rockville on August 13th. Age: 33 Male, White, 5 foot 7, 185 lbs. IF SEEN CONTACT THE ROCKVILLE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AT: [phone].

Just as Linda finished reading the flier, the church bells started to ring.

THE END