Diary of a Wandering Psychic 02

[thorr-kan]

29 April 2008:

“Look, I know you’re preparing for your England trip. And I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t urgent. But I need your help with a confessee.” Father Chuck sits across the table at the café, looking uncomfortable.

“I’m not an ordained priest. I can’t hear confession,” I reply, sipping my coffee.

“It’s…complicated,” says the priest. “She’s more of a patient than anything. She’s sedated in my office right now.”

My eyebrows go up. “That’s not standard practice, Father. You’re bordering on criminal activity.”

Father Chuck looks me straight in the eye. “I think she’s possessed. But I need your Sight to confirm it.”

I spew my coffee all over the table.

He nods. “I didn’t think you realized I knew.”

In retrospect, I should not be surprised. Father Chuck is a Jesuit, and they have ways of ferreting out secrets. While he was my mentor in seminary, he was not part of the “special training” some of us received. Even though I dropped out, I still believe the vows of secrecy I took. The rest of this conversation will be extremely difficult.

Father Chuck continues, “I know you’re not able to talk about this. I’m can perform the exorcism myself, but I don’t have any way of knowing if it is needed. Or of confirming it’s success, for that matter.”

I consider his request. I have already confirmed his suspicions, but I have not betrayed any trusts yet. As long as I do not give him any more information, I should not be breaking my vows.

“I’ll see what I can.” We pay our bill and leave.

***

We enter Father Chuck’s office. In his desk chair is a disheveled lady. She is currently unconscious, courtesy of the IV attached to her left arm.

“Sister Mary Benedict,” says Father Chuck. “She disappeared two weeks ago and stumbled into the church this morning. In my opinion, she needed to be examined by a medical professional. But that suggestion was met with hysterics and paranoia. The symptoms indicate possession, but not necessarily demonic possession. I need your help in confirming this.”

“I will,” I nod.

“Good. Let me setup before you try your Sight. I want to be prepared.” Father Chuck begins laying out the tools of his trade. When he’s ready, I open my Sight.

The mundane world falls way, and the supernatural works sharpens in focus. I look at Father Chuck. I see the quiet power humming within him. I realize I have never looked at him with my Sight before, or I would have realized my mentor was an even more gifted healer than I gave him credit for.

I turn my attention to Sister Mary. In contrast to Father Chuck’s quiet aura, there is a seething darkness crackling around the Sister. I have never seen this, but I recognize it from my training.

“A possessing entity,” I whisper. “Powerful. You’ll need all your skill.”

Father Chuck nods, and moves closer to the Sister. He starts chanting in Latin, performing the rite of exorcism. I fall back, continuing to use my Sight and to watch Sister Mary. It is imperative that I confirm whether the exorcism is successful.

Several minutes pass. Slowly, the darkness is pulled from Sister Mary’s aura. Father Chuck is sweating with exertion when I confirm, “It’s out,” and we both sigh in relief.

The entity’s attack catches us by surprise. The is a psychic howl as the festering darkness triples in volume. Father Chuck disappears from my Sight as he shields himself from the attack. I could do the same, but without my Sight, the entity would be free to escape. My vows still bind me; I cannot allow this.

“BEGONE.” I shout. The sound knocks Father Chuck off his feet. Sister Mary’s chair collapses beneath her. I am braced for the pressure wave, but the entity seems stunned.

I step closer to the entity.

“That which cannot abide the name of Christ will depart!” I shout. Blue flame flickers from my fingertips, engulfing the darkness seething around us. The entity collapses into itself as the fire eats it away. In a moment, it is gone.

There’s nothing subtle about my magic.

I spin around, breathing heavily. Nothing appears to my Sight. Only myself, Father Chuck and Sister Mary are in the room. Relieved, I help Father Chuck to his feet. Together, we right Sister Mary. Her breathing appears normal now, and her features look much more relaxed.

“That…was not what I expected,” mutters Father Chuck. He looks at me.

I look at him.

“Your exorcism was successful. But the entity made an attempt to possess one of us. Your shield saved you, but I was forced to use…other means to protect us.”

The priest nods, “Without your Sight, the creature could have escaped.” He straightens up and looks around. Even without my Sight, I see his shielding relax. He looks at me again. “Your training appears to have progressed further than my sources realized,” he says, holding up a hand. “Don’t answer that; I know there are vows involved that you still feel bound by. That is well and good.

“But when you get back from England, we need to talk. Your special talents would be of great use to the Church.”

“I am not ordained,” I feel compelled to point out. “I have not authority to act on the Church’s behalf.”

“Ordination is not a requirement for wielding power,” he replies. “There are lay members of the Church that serve along side ordained personnel.”

“Opus Dei?” I smile.

“Opus Dei,” he confirms. “Enjoy England.”

Father Chuck shakes my hand, and I take my leave.

[Lord Z]

she needed to be examined by a medical profession.

That should have been “professional.”

Overall, I thought this entry was excellent. It's a very well constructed and intriguing story. I look forward to learning more about why the narrator is going to England.

[thorr-kan]

That should have been “professional.”

Overall, I thought this entry was excellent. It's a very well constructed and intriguing story. I look forward to learning more about why the narrator is going to England.

Noted and corrected.

Let me tell you a story...

Once upon a time (c. 1988), I had a copy of the 1ed BTS book. The section on Stone Ages sites of England caught my imagination, especially Avesbury. A village, inside a stone circle that's bigger than Stonehenge. How cool is that?!

Fastfoward to post-college. Most of my gaming books got sold to pay for food and gas for myself and my wife after losing our first jobs. But Avesbury still stuck through all of that.

Fastfoward to 2006. Myself, my wife, and 12 of our best friends planned a two-week trip to Britain. Somebody mentioned Stonehenge, and everybody agreed that would be cool, but the folks who had been there clued us into the high security and lack of ability to actually get up close and personal. I suggested an alternative: Avesbury. Much agreement.

Fastfoward to 2008. The trip was a blast. The 2 hrs in Avesbury really were wonderfully educational. I can't recommend it enough. Everybody else had a great time.

And all because I read a worthless, waste-of-time RPG book as a teenager.

Gamer 1, Mundanes 0

(It helps that nobody on the trip was a Mundane: some gamers, some SCAdians, all freaks, all wonderful people. And after 2 wks, we were still all on speaking terms...)