EXORCIST

'The world is getting darker as time goes by.
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'Rampart disasters of unknown causes. Road accidents, work place accidents. Murder. Genocide. The incidence of all social vices have shot up for more than 200% compared to the past two years.
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'Some see it all as natural phenomena and ignore it.
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'Some say the end is near, that our sins have come to claim us for the apocalypse. But they are only half right.
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'The end of our world is coming but it's not at the hands of some biblical apocalypse. No. This threat has deep connections with our ancestry. This threat is from another realm.'

[Image drawn using autodesk sketchbook]

Charlie sat outside the Church waiting for service to be over. He wasn't a church goer but he used to have important duties with the church before he was banned and excommunicated some years back. The church was a front to cover the work that went on in secret underground chambers.

A network of people who were enlightened to the forces that coexisted with human beings. They were in charge of dispelling these forces and preventing them from harming human life.

He pulled down his base ball hat to hide his face as church members passed by. He tucked his hands in his jacket pocket to insulate from the cold. He had a red scraf and a brown sling bag across his shoulders.

The Orchestra in the church was still playing when a pick-up truck drove into the compound. A man in his late thirties came out the driver's seat. He hurriedly rushed into the backseat and brought out what seemed to be his pregnant wife out the back of the car. Immediately she was out of the car, the pregnant immediately reached for her husband's throat with both hands. The man tried to resist and in no time, they were both on the ground. The woman firmly gripping the man by the throat.

'Hoi.' Charlie yelled as he ran to ward the woman from where he sat outside the church.

The woman looked up to see Charlie coming towards her. Her dry lips cracked into a smile, as if she recognized him. Her eyes were black and the area of skin around her eyes were red.

Charlie brought out a bottle from within the bag he had slung over his shoulder and sprayed the fluid over her body. The fluid burnt the woman's skin like acid and steam blew out of her body.

The Church attendant had allready been alerted and before the lady could do anything. Some guards had come and cuffed her with special chains and carried her away.

Charlie left the husband to gasp for breathe and rushed at the clergy man that led the guards carrying the woman.

'Father Michael. You have to let me in. I've got a lot to explain to the council. These happenings, these disasters- they are signs. Something big is going down.'

'Charlie. You have been excused from entering this church or doing anything relating to council duty.' Father Michael said. 'I haven't reported your recent escapades for old times sake. Just, stop asking questions and get yourself a job and a life.'

'Is it true that the contract has appeared on this side.' Charlies asked as the father was climbing up the stairs to go back into the building. His words stopped the Father mid stride.

'It's true. Isn't' Charlie nodded his head and spread his hands. 'You know you're gonna need all the help you can get.'

The father said nothing and continued his walk into the church and signalled for the guards to carry the lady along.

As the woman was being carried away, Charlie saw the look in her eyes. The long stare she gave him. He was certain that there was something bad being planned. And vile forces were pulling the strings behind the scenes.

Charlie tugged on his sling bag and walked away from the church, crossing the open street with the determination to solve the mystery alone. Maybe if he was able to connect all the pieces together, the council would realize that they were wrong to ban him and welcome him back to their fold with loving embrace.

Meanwhile, in a volks wagen car parked a few yards away from the church, a man with binoculars watched Charlie leave the church. He put down his scope and looked at a business card in his hand. It read;