`Especially important is the warning to
avoid conversations with the demon. We may ask what is relevant but anything
beyond that is dangerous. He is a liar. The demon is a liar. He will lie to
confuse us. But he will also mix lies with the truth to attack us. The attack
is psychological, and powerful. So don't listen to him. Remember that - do not
listen.`
The Exorcist.
Ring…ring… ring… John
Malley was in ecstasy. The usual nocturnal utopian dream, of sun sex and
sangria. Ring… Ring… ring… Fumbling for the receiver he picked it up.
`John… Malley?`
The voice on the other
end sounded respectable, rational even.
`Yes, ` replied
Malley, picking a hardened crust from the corner of his eye.
A, Mr Malley, I’m
dreadfully sorry to call at this god forsaken hour but I have a dilemma. It’s
my car you see, it appears to have broken down. I was given your number from
the all night filling station in Larchwood. Do you know it Mr Malley?`
`Yes, retorted Malley
sighing, I know it.`
`Mr Malley, could you
come to my assistance? I have been driving through the night and I have the
most important meeting in London
`Ok, Ok.`Malley was
despondent at the thought of dragging his warm arse out of bed. The fact that
it was 3am and he had the most gorgeous piece of fluff lying next to him made
it all the more unbearable.
`It’s a hundred pound
call out and that’s before I try to fix the thing, Mr, Mr…?`
`Yes that’s fine and,
I’m so dreadfully sorry, replied the voice, it’s Rimmon, Dr Peter
Rimmon.`
Malley, pulled
on a pair of oil stained jeans. ` Just my damned luck, I score the best
shag for a long time and some tory bugger breaks down in his… shit I never
asked him what kind of car he drives. It’s gotta be a BM or Merc by the
sound of the voice. Tory bastard, what the bloody hell does he expect me
to do in the middle of the night? `
Malley slapped
the sleeping woman’s buttock. `Be ready for me when I get back.`he hissed.
The woman
grunted, `Johhnnn`, sighed and pulled the crumpled duvet back over her naked
body.
Malley's pick-up stood
where it always stood. Battered, rusty red, the pick-up had belonged
to his father and was definitely nearing the end of its shelf life.
Malley pushed the key
into the lock and pulled open the door.
The
burst mattress imitation synthetic seat was breathtakingly cold
against his warm back.
`Shit, shit, shit,` it's Baltic thought
Malley as he popped the ignition .
The pick-up burst
into life with a cough.
The streets were empty as he made his way through the
sleeping town. It had started to rain a light drizzle which forced Malley to switch
on his car’s wiper. They smeared as they crossed the windscreen and this caused
another flood of expletives.
As Malley pulled into the forecourt of the 24 hr. garage he
couldn’t see any vehicles waiting. Although the rain had gone off a wind had
arisen and it moaned and wailed as it blew through the area. Malley switched
his car’s engine off, opened the door and walked over to the night kiosk where
a young man sat watching a tiny portable television.
“Hey!” Malley shouted. “You seen anything of a broken down
car?”
The youth looked over and muttered, “yeh, I asked him to
pull round the back of the garage. Don’t want him scaring away the customers!”
Malley scratched his head. Was this noddy on something? H or
weed or what…?
“Round the back you said?” the mechanic asked, but got no
answer as the young man was already back in his televised dreams.
“Bloody dope head! Frighten the customers. What’s that all
about?” Malley grunted as he made his way round the building. He turned a
corner and suddenly stepped back “Whohhh!”
The long black hearse sat in the shadow by a sign for
Luboil. If a car could look evil this was Mark 1. Its smooth sleek body glinted
in the night light and Malley knew that when the engine started it would run
with a snarl.
“Mr. Malley? I’m Dr. Rimmon.” A well dressed man approached
holding his hand out. Malley took it and gave it a shake.
“Yeah, that’s me, your friendly neighbourhood mechanic.”
“I think there is a blockage in the fuel line. The engine
just gave a cough and died,” the man said conversationally.
Malley opened the hearse’s bonnet and stared in admiration
at the gleaming V8 engine. He had instinctively known that this monster would
look like this after the bonnet was up. The engine looked steam cleaned and
polished. There wasn’t a spot of oil visible anywhere.
“Whoh! Nice engine man.”
Malley got some tools out of his pickup and leaning into the
motor began to unscrew the fuel line. As he worked he began to feel cold. The
wind was a northerly and it carried the promise of snow in its blast.
Just as the mechanic got the tube unscrewed the vehicle gave
a shudder and Malley almost dropped his spanner.
“What the….?” he cursed. “Did something run into us?”
Dr. Rimmon shook his head. “No, it must have been a strong
gust of wind.”
A full hour later Malley asked Dr. Rimmon to switch on the
engine. Everything had been reattached and it was time to give the engine a
try.
The doctor turned the key and the big V8 engine sprang into
life. It growled, it roared and as Malley expected, it snarled.
“Thank you Mr. Malley,” said Dr. Rimmon proffering a handful
of cash. “You really are an expert mechanic. What was the matter?”
“Oh, I think that a bit of dirt had got stuck in the fuel
line,” replied Malley. “You had a notion the problem was the fuel.”
The doctor looked cold and turning to the mechanic asked if
he would like a hot coffee. Malley said yes and Dr. Rimmon walked off towards
the all night kiosk.
Just at the moment that the doctor went out of sight the car
gave another shudder.
Malley looked inside and was horrified to see a ornately
carved coffin lying in the rear of the hearse.
Just because he drives a hearse, it don’t mean he has to
tote a casket round with him, thought Malley.
The car gave another shake and Malley knew that it was
coming from the coffin. Something was alive in there – and was trying to get
out!
Checking to see if the coast was clear Malley carefully
opened the tail gate of the hearse and leaning in pulled the coffin towards
him. It was heavy, but he could tell that it had something inside. A muffled
childish voice sounded from within.
“Help me… please!”
Running over to his pickup he pulled a crowbar from his tool
box and returning to the hearse began trying to prise the top of the coffin
off. He managed to raise one edge of the lid and found himself looking into the
cornflower blue coloured eyes of a little girl. She had an oily smudge on her
cheek and her eyes were red with crying.
“Please mister, “she wailed. “Please get me out of here!”
Malley didn’t see what hit him on the head but whatever it
was it knocked him unconscious.
*
An hour later Malley came to, he found himself trussed up
hand and foot. He was lying in the back of the hearse where the large coffin
had lain. The inside of the vehicle was lit up with flickering light. Voices
could be heard in the distance chanting and singing.
Squirming round onto his front Malley began to work at the
knots that secured him. He felt sure that he could break free if he kept at
them.
About ten minutes later the mechanic began untying the rope
round his ankles.
The singing and chanting had been getting louder and louder.
Malley could see bushes and rough vegetation through the
windows and he realised that the noise must be coming from some open air
ceremony.
Crouching low Malley crawled out of the back of the hearse
and into some long grass. The vehicle sat on top of a hill that overlooked a
small valley. Down below Malley could see figures dancing round a roaring
bonfire. He decided to crawl closer and get a good look at what was going on.
These monsters could be torturing the little girl and Malley would not stand
for that.
The crowd of revellers screamed, danced and chanted. On a
small rise two figures sat on throne like seats. One of the figures was Dr.
Rimmon, the other was dressed in a dark cloak and sported a large black mask.
Both watched the festivities unfold like monarchs at court.
All at once the noise stopped and Malley could hear nothing
except the crackling of the fire. Then Dr. Rimmon stood up and walking down the
rise to stand with the gathered throng, raised his hands up into the sky and
shouted,
“Come Magerrah the Daemon! We await your triumphant return!”
Malley looked all around from his hiding place. Everyone was
looking up at the night sky. They seemed to be waiting for something to happen.
Malley suddenly heard a small cry. He knew that the little
girl was there and was to be used somewhere in the ceremony.
Suddenly there was a
large flash of light and standing above the assembly was an eight foot high
monstrosity. Its head was bulbulous with red piercing eyes. The body, that of a
jellyfish whose visible interior, swirled continuously. How it stood upright
was a mystery.
“YOU HAVE CALLED ME FROM THE ABYSS. WHAT DO YOU WANT OF ME?”
roared the creature.
“I am the exorcist who called you from your slumbers, Oh
Great One,” Dr. Rimmon screamed, just as a afraid as the worshippers.
“DO YOU WISH RICHES, POWER OR WHAT?”
Malley had had enough of the situation and began crawling
back up the hill. He could hear Rimmon asking for power to carry out Magerrah’s
will. For riches to buy an army to ensure Magerrah’s rule over all the Earth.
Reaching the hearse Malley carefully opened the bonnet again
and reaching inside wrenched the fuel line off the engine.
By directing the flow Malley soaked the inside of the engine
space, then leaving the flow running he got behind the wheel and released the
hand brake allowing the heavy vehicle to start moving down the hill towards
Magerrah and its followers.
As the hearse began to near the bonfire several of the
revellers began to scream and shout pointing out the approaching vehicle.
Magerrah’s image began to shimmer and as Malley watched it
suddenly vanished.
Throwing the door of the hearse open the mechanic tugged the
wheel round firmly pointing the vehicle towards the fire. Malley threw himself
out of the door onto the ground.
The black hearse plummeted into the flames and then stopped
half in and half out of the conflagration.
Malley raised his head and saw the little girl lying on a
small altar close to the flames. Jumping to his feet he ran towards the girl
and without stopping, grabbed her up and dived into a small ditch just as the
hearse exploded spraying burning wood, buckled metal and burning fuel all
around.
Malley cradled the small child in his arms. She was sobbing
quietly and every so often looked up into Malley’s face.
“Will you take care of me?” she whispered.
“Of course my love. We’ll get you back to your mummy and
daddy soon.”
“I haven’t got a mummy or daddy, I’m an orphan. Will you look after me, please?”
Malley smiled and hugged the little girl.
“Let’s wait and see, eh?”
Raising his head Malley checked around. There were a few
smoking corpses lying about the ground but the rest of the celebrants had run
off.
Gently Malley stood up holding the child in his arms. He
began to move up the hill leaving the debris of the hearse behind.
Malley walked most of the night carrying the little girl. He
was exhausted and wanted nothing more than flop into bed and sleep, to hell
with the totty.
As the sun rose Malley could see the roves and spires of his
home town. Soon he would be able to sleep and forget all the night’s events.
He carefully put the little girl down onto a grassy tussock
and giving her a little shake attempted to awaken her.
Her eyelids rose revealing the cornflower coloured eyes. Her
little nose and cupid bow lips gave her the appearance of a doll.
“Will you look after me?” she lisped.
Malley took hold of her hand and pulled her to her feet.
“I have to take you to the police station, so we can find
out where you came from.”
“No!” the girl screamed. “You must take care of me!”
“I can’t, lovey,” pleaded Malley. “You would be better with
someone who can look after you properly.”
The little doll like girl pulled her hand away from
Malley’s. She stood as tall as she could and began to change.
She shot up to eight feet, transformed into the consistency
of jelly and her cornflower coloured eyes turned red.
“YOU FOOL THE EXORCIST CAPTURED ME IN HIS MAGIC BOX AND
TRANSPORTED ME HERE. I WOULD HAVE GIVEN HIM ANYTHING HE WISHED FOR, BUT YOU,
YOU ARE WEAK. MY CHILDISH DISGUISE FOOLED YOU COMPLETELY!”
Then the daemon reached down and swallowed Malley into its
jelly-like body mass. For several minutes Malley held his breath and as the
daemon’s body was transparent the mechanic could still see the trees and bushes
and the blue sky. Things he knew he would never see again.
The acids began to attack Malley’s asphyxiated body and very
slowly he began to disintegrate, soon becoming part of the daemon’s body.
Later that day a gypsy family consisting of a mum, dad, son
and daughter, found a little self professed orphan lost in the woods.
They made a big fuss of her as she reminded the wife of her
Barbie doll that she had had when she was young.
Before they left the area the husband decided to ‘adopt’ the
little orphan and called her Megan.
………………………………………+…………………………………………………
