An Unholy Redemption Chapter 5.1 continued

. I pulled my car over to the side of the main road, got out and made my way cautiously in the moonlight to the house. I hid behind a bush and observed Mathew talking to two men. They were standing in the dimly lit doorway laughing and joking. The two men wore black suits partially covered in some kind of fur around their chest and waistline. It was strange. I waited quietly in my position and the only sound you could hear was their talking in the distance. I wondered what on earth was Mathew doing there and who those two men were. One of the men took hold of Mathew’s hands and began to bind them with rope. I felt helpless not knowing what to do, whether I should run and get help. I resisted because I thought it was strange that Matthew wasn’t putting up a fight or struggling for his freedom. I watched with amazement when one of the men put a black hood over Mathew’s head. The other one banged on the door three times with something he had in his hand. The big oak door opened and I saw something terrifying which to this day I will never forget.”

“Terrifying, interesting,” Lucifer leant forward, eager for more, “What did you see?”

“Somebody or something stood before the three of them, dressed in the same black suit and the fur regalia, but the head was feline in nature. I couldn’t make it out. The head was big and grotesque with pointed ears, an extended nose and it was definitely made up of some sort of fur. I was beside myself with fear at what I was seeing. I wanted to cry out. Just then, the person wearing this mask leant towards Mathew’s covered face. It was like he was listening to what Mathew was whispering. Then the masked man moved away and took hold of Matthew’s hand and shook it, then nodded to the other two men and went back inside closing the door behind him.

More tea Luther? or perhaps another biscuit?”

The nun had deliberately paused from telling her story. Lucifer could tell she was not really enjoying reliving this experience. “So what happened next?” Lucifer replied after another sip of his tea. “For a few moments, the three of them stood waiting, not saying a word, then the door opened again. This time no one appeared. Instead, one of the men took hold of the other end of the rope tightly fastened to Mathew’s hand and dragged him inside whilst the other man remained outside and closed the door behind them. I waited for another ten or more minutes, nothing else happened apart from the man smoking and guarding the door. I decided to quietly make my way back to the car. Driving home, I was still dazed from what I had just seen: men in sinister black suits, tying up people. To me it seemed totally weird and ungodly. What had Mathew got himself into?”

“Well, didn’t you ask him what he was up to or who the people were?”

“Yes, eventually I managed to gather enough courage to ask him about that evening although he didn’t like people, especially me, prying into his private affairs. I invited him round on a Sunday afternoon for some tea and scones. Before he arrived, I drank about three glasses of vodka to steady my nerves, and then I nervously started to ask him. Matthew looked impatient when I found it quite hard to get my words out properly. In the end I broke down and told him everything I had witnessed in every detail. You can imagine Matthew’s explosion of anger, shouting at me, telling me I didn’t trust him and what was I thinking of spying on him. He told me I shouldn’t pry into things that I could not even begin to comprehend. After a while his anger subsided, he then started to explain to me that he could only tell me as much as he could of the secretive meeting. I listened with great curiosity and my eyes widened as he explained his story in more depth. He told me that the book he was reading contained addresses and telephone numbers of people to contact if anybody reading wanted to learn more about the meditation techniques listed therein.

He further explained that after phoning one of these numbers he was introduced to someone down at the local pub. This person was some kind of sponsor or judge of his character to see if he was respectable enough to join their organisation. After this initial interview, the man instructed Mathew to wait for a phone call where he would receive details of where and what time to meet his sponsor. He eventually found out that he would be joining an organisation who praised themselves with the name of ‘Watchers’. It was an organisation that claimed to have ancient and esoteric knowledge, and the ability to be able to read signs given to us from the universe. Its main ethos was dedicated to teaching its members this knowledge. It is said that eventually its members would be able to communicate with the angels and temporarily enter heaven.”

“Watchers you say,” Lucifer mused. “I wonder what they were watching for?”

“Matthew didn’t know. People higher up in their ranks knew but didn’t tell him. It was the beginning of the end for us, as we grew further apart. I would go to church more and more, he would go to his meetings more frequently. Our marriage kept getting postponed to later and later in the year. It was then that I gave him an ultimatum, me or the Watchers. I was heartbroken when he chose the latter and before long he stopped calling altogether. It was only when I heard from a friend that I found out he had got himself in terrible debt, lost his house and nobody knew where he was.”

“He just disappeared without a trace?”

“Yes, for about thirty years. During this time I had mourned and let go of my love for him. Then one day someone approached me and told me that Matthew wanted to meet me at the local park.”

“It wasn’t on a bench near a lifeless tree, was it?” Lucifer interrupted.

“Yes it was. How did you know that?”

“I am a little psychic, you know.” Lucifer was enjoying the opportunity to mock the nun.

“Anyway, as I was saying, I was anxiously waiting in the park. The thought of seeing Matthew again after so many years made me nervous. What did he want? What did he look like? It was not long before my questions were answered. A man dressed like a vagrant approached me.” Lucifer listened as she perfectly described the man with whom he had spent the previous evening in every detail. “As he approached, I got out my purse ready to give him some money, just to get him to move on. Then he said ‘Hello’. That’s when I realised the voice I was hearing was that of Matthew. I saw those saddened eyes that I had seen all those years ago, only this time they were now shining, full of kindness and love, with an intensity I had never seen in his eyes before. We soon started to talk about the old times and what we both had been doing in our lives since. He began to tell me how the Watchers had taught him all types of rituals and meditation. He explained how these techniques had helped him to get more in touch with himself spiritually. But after a while they were demanding more time and money from him until he was left a broken man, both materially and spiritually. He conveyed to me how all the members had turned their backs on him, forcing him into living as an ascetic in the local woods. Here he studied the techniques he had been taught every night, seeking enlightenment. I will never forget how excited he became when he spoke about the visions he was experiencing. He told me how Archangel Michael paid him a visit one night. Michael told him to change his name to Christopher because now he was going to be like Saint Christopher, a helper of people on their journey through life. He further informed Matthew that God wanted him to play an important part in helping a stranger. The signs would tell him where to be and when. I asked him about this stranger, but all he said was that he didn’t know who it was, only that he had to wait and watch for a falling star on a particular evening.

Then on the following day he had to go to a place of healing. Michael also told him that I was to play an important part in God’s plan. In order to achieve this, I had to give my life up for God and become a nun. I laughed at him and said he was crazy, I had no plans of entering sisterhood. I was shocked when he took hold of my arms and stared intensely into my eyes, telling me to watch for a blue light in my bedroom one night then I’d become a believer. After he released my arms, he looked up at the setting sun and stood up to leave. I asked him if it would be possible for me to see him again, he stroked my face with his hand and said if you need to see me come to this tree. Then he left.”

“I don’t know why I’m telling you all this, but I feel I have to. I remember I was fast asleep in my bed, when all of a sudden the room became very cold, waking me from my sleep. As I opened my eyes, I felt someone or something watching me. This caused me to nervously turn to face the most beautiful blue light you can imagine. It made me feel totally safe and unafraid. The more I looked at the light, the more intense and loving it became until finally I had to surrender myself mentally and spiritually. Then, extraordinarily, this blue light exploded in a cascade of light entering into my eyes. I felt like time had stood still. The light was showing me in my mind’s eye this world of suffering - people who are either lost or unloved or looking for some meaning in their lives - I felt so much sorrow in their hearts. Children were walking towards me holding up their arms in need of love. ‘Sister Sophie, we need you,’ they seemed to be saying. I saw myself kneeling on the floor embracing the children. I would never forget the feeling of total unconditional love I felt with them all. As the vision faded, Michael’s face appeared and reminded me of my duty that Matthew had previously spoken about. Matthew’s words had come true and who was I not to obey this wonderful vision from God? I have never looked back on my decision to become a nun and finally find my home.”

“How did Christopher or Matthew, whatever his name was, come to have that card in his possession, the one he gave to me?”

“After becoming a nun, I went to visit that tree in the park once a week for two months to relate to Matthew what had happened. Sadly he never showed up, so I decided to leave that card with my address on in hope that he would find it. He must have watched me leave the card at the base of the tree next to his bench.”

“If he saw you in your God’s uniform, why did he not come and see you in the orphanage?”

“I don’t know. I guess he was so dedicated to finding his spiritual pathway, he didn’t want me or anything else to get in the way of him finding it. I do hope he found it before he died.”

Lucifer frowned and gave a wry smile, “Perhaps he did. I expect he is the only one who knows that now.”

“Maybe you are right, I do hope so. My goodness would you look at the time. We have been

talking for hours. Dinner will soon be served. Would you like to wash before dinner?” Lucifer nodded. “I will get Sister Phillipa to show you where the bathroom is. Please Luther, come with me.” Lucifer had just stood up to follow Sister Sophie to the door when his knees became weak. His vision began to fade giving way to darkness as he took hold of his wounded head and collapsed to the floor.

 

“Hello again.” Lucifer struggled to open his eyes to ascertain where he was and who was addressing him. As his eye sight cleared he saw Jemima, Angela’s doll dancing on a side of his bed. “How are you?” said a little voice from under Lucifer’s bed.

“I feel rotten. Come out from under there,” Lucifer replied gruffly.

“Who are you talking about? I am Jemima and it is only me and you in here.”

Lucifer snatched the doll out of Angela’s hand and threw it against the wall, making it squeak.

“Now that wasn’t very nice was it?” Angela had now crawled out from under the bed and was standing in front of him hands on her hips, looking very cross indeed. “Don’t you care about hurting other people and their feelings?”

“Oh yes, I do care about it, particularly when I’ am doing a really good job of hurting them.”

Angela’s eyes widened in surprise. “Well I am not going to talk to you anymore, not until you learn some more manners.” Lucifer sat up in his bed as the girl picked up the doll and went to open the door. He realised that this was his perfect opportunity to ask her what she had spoken about earlier. “Wait!” he said in a raised voice causing the little girl to stop in her tracks. “I was only joking.” He realised he had to calm down to get the correct response from her. “Bring Jemima over here. Let me see. I hope I didn’t hurt her too much.” Angela paused at the door, looking at Lucifer, frowning and scowling sceptically. “Well you hurt her feelings so much she’s crying. I think you should apologise to her.”

“You have got to be joking.” He was trying very hard to comprehend the situation he now faced. Me? Apologise to a worthless piece of material? “I don’t think so.”

“Come on Jemima, let’s leave old grumpy on his own.”

“Okay, okay,” he said as the girl turned around with a smile on her face.

“Are you listening Jemima? The grumpy one is going to say sorry. Well, we’re waiting.”

“I am sorry,” he said very quietly.

“We didn’t quite hear that. What did you say?” Lucifer relented. “I am sorry, Jemima, for throwing you at the wall and hurting your feelings.”

“That’s better, that wasn’t so bad was it? Now what game would you like to play, Lucifer?”

“What did you say? How do you know my name?” Lucifer threw himself back across his bed and backed up against the wall.

“Silly, it is written on the back of your head,” she said and pointed to Lucifer’s wound which had been cleaned and redressed. Lucifer put his hand on the back of his head.

“Who else saw it?”

“Only that very nice matron. She allowed me to watch as she took care of you. That’s when I

saw your real name.”

“Did she mention anything about the mark on my head?”

“No silly, they can’t see your real name by looking at your mark. It can only be seen through the eyes of people who can see the real truth.”

“But you knew who I was when you first saw me, how did you explain that?” Angela pulled herself up and sat on Lucifer’s bed.

“I have known you for a while now. You look slightly different in real life though.”

“How have you known me?” Lucifer interrupted impatiently,

“In my dreams, I have seen you in my dreams.”

“If I looked different in your dreams, how do you know it is me?”

“God told me in my dreams that a stranger in black would come knocking on our door and through my innocence I would know who he was by the mark on his head.”

“Why would God talk to you? After all you are only a child.” Lucifer inquired impatiently.

“I don’t know, but God told me that you are the naughtiest of all the angels and with my help we can help you find your home again.”

“Well little girl, I don’t need anyone’s help, especially that of an eight year-old girl. I‘m sure my ancient and wise mind will get me where I want to go.”

“But God said you can only find your way home by helping humans. You know you really don’t look like all those pictures of the devil I’ve seen. When I saw you in my dreams in angelic form, there was no red skin and there was certainly no horns and tail.”

She started to giggle and a glare from Lucifer made her giggle even more,

“And as for hooves as feet, how silly! No wonder people have been scared of you for such a long time. I know what you really look like. You were a beautiful angel like all the others, except you had a very angry face. What made you so angry? God wouldn’t tell me.”

“I expect the Most High kept that a secret from you, because he didn’t want you to see his cruel side.”

“God, cruel?” Angela interrupted in an almost hurt tone. “How could someone suggest God

having a bad side?”

“Well I was punished and thrown out of heaven just because -”

“Angela what are you doing in here?” Sister Phillipa entered the room, stopping Lucifer from finishing his sentence. “Get out immediately and go to your room where you will stay until the morning.” Angela cried out as the nun smacked her legs to move her off the bed. Angela defiantly stayed where she was, hiding behind Lucifer’s arm as tears started to form in her eyes from the pain. “Are you going to move?”

Angela shook her head more defiantly. The nun raised her hand for another slap while Lucifer watched the little girl as she turned towards him, pleading for help. “Don’t look at me,” Lucifer said. “Stay as long as you want and enjoy the pain.” In despair, the girl jumped of the bed and turned to both of them, screaming.

“I am going to run away from here and you will never see me again. As for you Luther I thought you would be different. Perhaps the Bible was right about you after all.” With one last tearful look back, she slammed the door and ran off. “God save us from that child. Are you comfortable Luther? Sister Sophie thought it would be best if you stay the evening to rest that head of yours.