Chapter 8 - When He Couldn't Help It

An understandable silence fell on the room for a moment when Ysabelle left. Marcus was still standing near the table, the empty glass still in his hand. Remembering what she said about a tattoo on his arm, he decided to ask Father Julien out of curiosity and in order to break the silence. “Have you noticed anything unusual with me Father?” He turned to face his colleague and stood ready to be inspected.

As if it was a normal routine, Father Julien did as expected, scanning him from head to foot. “Hmmm... not that I can see, Father Marcus. You look just the same. Why do you ask?” he answered after a minute.

“My arm. Do you notice anything peculiar about it?” was Marcus’ clear inquiry. Might as well go straight to the point than have his poor secretary decipher his words.

“Hmmm?” But still, Father Julien was oblivious, so Marcus raised his right arm and displayed it in their front. The former’s brows furrowed, examining the arm meticulously.

“Let’s see, ” he then spoke after seconds past, “Other than the unusual healing of your charred right hand, there is nothing I can find that’s weird in a way.”

That brought Marcus to furrow his own brows. What’s this? Could it be that it was only him and Ysabelle who can see the unusual blank ink tattoo? Since it was his arm, he understood already why he can. But Ysabelle? Why was she able to see it when in fact she was just a normal woman?

“Ah, I see, ” was Marcus’ response. He didn’t delve deeper and decided to walk inside the change room leaving his secretary to nonchalantly shrug off the unnatural exchange. He waited patiently, sitting on a solo sofa near the chamber fireplace as Father Marcus prepared himself. Once he was done, they both exited the room and went to a particular hallway.

***

“André, someone is here to see you, ” Regina informed after opening the door wider for Father Marcus and Father Julien to enter. They strolled towards the king-sized bed where the elder son of the Rogratiatto Family was sitting with pillows propped up behind him. It was Father Marcus who chose to continue near the edge of the bed, choosing to sit in a cushioned chair where Regina earlier sat.

“You must be Father Marcus, my savior, ” André spoke, his voice perfectly developed for a man his age. He was already staring at the priest since he entered and found it surprising how Marcus looked young as him. He actually expected the exorcist priest to be bald old.

André had a tall, lean built, but he was an inch shorter than Father Marcus. He had short, black hair, wavy, and with highlights of brown in the edges. His eyes were the color of the forest, a dark green, the same as his mother’s.

“Savior?” Marcus quirked a brow. “No, I’m just an exorcist priest, ” he admitted in all honesty.

“You did save my life, Father. So I owe you a lot, ” was André’s reply thereafter. He held a serious gaze, somewhat telling the priest that he realized he was batshit in danger before the exorcism rite.

“Hmmm...” Marcus grumbled audibly. He knew full well what he meant and had found the Savior nickname understandable. Thinking about his last words though, it made him smirk, realizing it was good to take advantage of it now. “If that’s the case, I will have to ask you to tell me all you know about the demon while you were possessed, ” he stated with a straight face. “I reckon you have dreams for this one-month duration of the possession?”

“One month?” André echoed, “Is that how long I was out?” There was a mixture of surprise and confusion holding his eyes when he gazed upon the exorcist priest. He waited for Marcus to affirm his query but he didn’t, choosing to stay silent. Then, his attention was caught up when his mother neared the foot of the bed. He threw her a disbelieving stare and the latter only just nodded silently.

Their exchange though had some level of discreetness that Marcus didn’t miss out. He immediately thought it odd, especially when it looked as if they were hiding something...

“I see.” André cleared his throat, choosing not to press on the matter anymore.

Marcus, noticing it, went on to speak. “I will have to go straight to the point with you, Mr. André.” He leaned on to the chair and placed his hands onto his lap, clasping them together. “I also want to know how you were possessed. If... you can still recall it. An honest account would be appreciated because you know, I can use it if there are any cases similar to yours.”

He was hoping for André to share the information that instant, but then clear coughing from across the room right in the doorway emerged cutting off their conversation.

“I don’t think that André still remembers all that Father, ” said Alfon in a mildly irritated manner. “It has already been a month and he was unconscious that time.” He stood straight, shoulder’s squared and chin lifted as he waited for a few seconds to cross the room towards them. When he did, he stood a few feet away from Regina in the foot of the bed.

Marcus turned his face to see him. He wasn’t intimidated by the old man, not at all, but knew his words were basically commandments inside the mansion. He was aware he needed to be obedient as he was still under the Master’s zone of control, so he decided he won’t squeeze out his son anymore, but then André’s voice caught his attention. “I do remember something though, ” was what he countered.

There was a sudden hostility in André’s expression when Marcus looked at him. It was directed to his father so it seems, who was giving off the same aura of hostility himself.

Regina stiffened in response when she heard him say. Her eyes widened for a brief moment but then turned to slits. Her brows furrowed so clearly as she shook her head once. It was another unusual exchange for a mother and son and Marcus found it odd and even more alarming. Something really wasn’t right with them. They were hiding some very important information maybe? But that was already a given thought when he noticed the podium and the tattered book the first time he set foot in the room days ago.

Disregarding his parent’s silent plea, André continued with more determination, looking now at Father Marcus’ way with a serious face.

“You asked me if I have dreams when I was possessed and my answer to that for you is yes. I am not sure if those were even called dreams though for it felt so God-damn real.”

Remembering that the man in his front was a righteous priest, he immediately held his breath and shook his head. “I’m sorry for cursing Father, ” he stated, half apologetic.

“No. Not at all, go on, ” Marcus replied disregarding the slip-off, wanting to know more about these so-called real dreams.

“Well, for starters, I should tell you about the environment I was in, and honestly, I can only give you one word about it.”

André watched Father Marcus and he caught him staring with eager anticipation.

“Black, ” he then continued. This did incite a sharp intake of breath on the priest.

“Black?” the exorcist priest parroted.

“Yes, black. All of the surroundings were black Father. Black soil, black water, and black sky. And it had an unbearable feeling of emptiness. The whole time I was there, I was alone. Well... except for the fact that I had an odd shadow even though there wasn’t even a sun in the sky.”

By the mention of that, Marcus’ lips pressed tightly. He was calm and composed, but deep inside he was already in chaos. They exactly had the same dream -- the environment and the empty feeling. Could it be that he is?

“Hmmm, that’s an interesting information, ” was his cool announcement. “And what else was in your dreams?”

“A man, ” André replied.

“A man?” Marcus brow’s rose. Now, this is new.

But it wasn’t only the priest’s brows that rose, Alfon and Regina’s did too. They had been listening to their conversation attentively hoping to find a window wherein they can interrupt it if a certain information would leak out. They, of course, didn’t expect to learn about their son’s possession experience in detail.

André, finding that the mere mention of a man in his dreams caught the priest’s attention, he continued with thorough information. “Yes, I bumped into him in my lazy wanderings of the place. Although it was brief and my only encounter with him, I was happy that there was finally another soul other than me in the dream. He wasn’t a talkative man but his presence was a good change. He called himself “H” and other than his name, I don’t have any other information about him.”

“Really now.” Marcus almost choked. The H letter seemed to linger in his mind for more than necessary. “And this man, what does he look like?”

“He was as tall as you, with hair that was up to his waist. It had the slick blackness like a panthers. What I noticed more though was his odd eyes. It was heterochromatic. The left iris was a golden brown while the other, a blue-violet.”

Now, that is odd. Most demons normally have red eyes.

“Interesting... I assume this man didn’t interact with you?” Marcus wanted direly to know that. It was amazing already that André could remember such vivid details about this man. Surely, in light of this, there was more information he could give out.

But André only shook his head then.

“Like I said he wasn’t talkative, ” he stated. “He just sat down in a boulder, watching the sky. He did tell me he was waiting for the prime opportunity and that was it. He didn’t further anymore.”

Prime opportunity eh?

“And about my second question. How did you get possessed?”

Now for the moment of truth. Though Marcus already knew that André’s possession has something to do with the brotherhood, he just needed to affirm this one with the family’s accounts, André firstly.

“I think that’s enough for now Father Marcus. I believe my son needs some rest, “Alfon, in a quick move, stated. He stepped closer at the edge of the bed and stared gravely at André, giving him an invisible message not to defy him.

“But we’ve only just begun, Sir Alfon, ” was Marcus’ subtle complaint.

“I know, but he had just recuperated from his illness. I believe it is healthier if you give him time to rest.”

The priest’s lips pressed thinly, battling his disappointment from seething out. He wasn’t a man who easily gets angered but for some reason, Alfon’s apparent intrusion came for him as a quick blow to the head. What was the man actually hiding from him? Sure it might be all about the brotherhood, but it seems that it was more than that. Something that the family didn’t want for him to know.

“Then, I will come back here tomorrow.” His response was stern and unyielding. He stood up and walked a few inches away from André’s bed, when abruptly Alfon inquired.

“I thought you are leaving this afternoon Father? You feel better now right?”

His face was dripping wet with curiosity, but it made Marcus raise his brows. How smooth of him to make the priest know that he is now unwanted inside the house.

“Hmmm... I am, ” replied the exorcist priest cautiously, squaring at the old man in the face, “but make no mistake about it Sir Alfon, I intend to know more about André’s possession. All of it. It is my duty to investigate his case, obliged or not by the Vatican Council. To know how he was possessed is vital information for me and for my report.”

Those were his reasons alright, but another reason was hiding behind his thoughts too, and it was to learn more about the dream and this man.

Yes, Marcus wasn’t dumb not to notice. With two signs already showing -- the invisible tattoo in his right arm and the same dreams he and André both share -- he can already deduce that he was in fact the current successor of the demon’s attention.

“Then, you can just return tomorrow Father. Give André time to recollect everything he could, ” was Alfon’s sugar-coated request, but deep inside he never wanted the exorcist priest to interrogate his son again. This could lead to dire consequences, especially when he discovers the family’s secret.

“Tomorrow it is then, ” Marcus responded with a short nod. He strolled out of the room with the almost-nonexistent Father Julien stalking him from behind. When they reached the open main door, Marcus found that Ysabelle was standing beside the door frame as if she was intentionally hiding from the people inside the room.

“Ysabelle, ” Alfon then called out loudly, already knowing she was in the hallway, “Could you so kindly accompany our priests in the dining room? Lunch is already served there.”

“Uh, yes Uncle, ” she said with due obedience. Gesturing a hand to show the way, she didn’t meet any of the priests' eyes when she said, “Right this way please.”

And then there was awkward silence throughout the hallway walk as each of them was in a pensive mood.

Father Julien was bewildered as much as Marcus with how they were treated so coldly by the Master of the House then. Not like he didn’t have an unwelcoming aura when they first arrived in the mansion, but now, he seemed to act like he wanted to kick them out of the house literally.

“Oh, I believe I left my cellphone in the room, Father Marcus, ” he informed out-of-the-blue when he realized the gadget wasn’t in his pants pocket.

“Didn’t you say you were waiting for Father Einsle’s second call?” was Marcus’ question, looking at him.

“Yes, I am. His call is very important because it is about another demon possession the Holy Pope wanted you to fix.”

“Hmmm, I see.” Marcus let out a breath. Another one huh?

“I better get that cellphone now, ” Father Julien announced after abruptly stopping his walk. “I will see you in the dining room, Father.”

“Yes, you go on ahead. You know how Father Einsle hates it when his phone call is prolonged.”

Father Julien nodded and then whirled around to walk the other hallway, leaving Father Marcus and Ysabelle alone together. This fact didn’t concern her at all for she was in deep thought about the recent conversation she heard in the Altar room. She knew exactly why her uncle kept on interrupting them, and she would have done so the same if she were in his shoes. It wouldn’t be right if the priest would find out about her secret too.

“Ms. Ysabelle, you are living here with André right? Do you have any knowledge about how he was possessed?” Marcus then stated when they reached the grand staircase. She was in his left, choosing to be as silent as a mouse, but now all pressure was on her.

“I beg your pardon Father?” she said with bated breath, looking at his profile.

Oh no. This topic isn’t supposed to be brought up.

But the topic wasn’t the one that worried Ysabelle more. It was the priest’s stern expression and the way he looked at her...

Marcus’ priestly wall was strong, fortified with determination and an unbreakable will, but when he glanced at Ysabelle’s way, he instantly regretted it. Really regretted it. His wall came crumbling down.

Her eyes were beautiful, exactly just like he remembered it inside his room when they gazed at each other. Her face was luminescent of youth, blushing in cherry blossom shades. The way her chest lifted was graceful, enough to catch his breath too. The morning sunshine passing through the tinted glass walls of the main foyer came as an accessory to the crime. It highlighted Ysabelle’s wavy lock of hair breathtakingly like the early morning sky. It was...arresting him.

What a stunning angel... Marcus thought out aloud.

She had a complete innocence about her, with a gentle nature that was mixed with a hint of seductiveness. She was...clouding his senses, clouding his rational thought. Marcus couldn’t explain why but he wanted to taste her lips right then and there.

‘Certainly, I’m digging my own grave now.’