Theo Feels There is

“Don’t. It’s a trick.” Fred offered placing a hand on Theo’s shoulder as he took the first step towards Gale.

“It may well be. But Gale is right. Jesus did speak with the Devil at least three times in one trip in the desert. Besides, we only gain strength from knowing just what they want.” Theo replied sincerely and reluctantly gently lowering Fred’s hand from his shoulder.

“May the power of Christ protect you.” Fred blessed Theo quickly making the signs of the cross.

“And also with you.” Theo replied in kind before approaching Gale.

“So tell me, how does a nice girl like you become a demon and walk upon sacred ground.” Theo asked quite blatantly, his voice struggling to convey a casual nature while growing friendlier towards Gale in tone.

“Oh, I’m not one of them.” Gale replied pausing in her stride alongside Theo. “Believe me, I don’t know why. But they haven’t taken me like so many others. I’ve felt its presence, the true Demon, their deity. It truly gave new depths to my study. Perhaps even made me seek a divine experience of equal magnitude.”

Theo snorted at the response pausing as he and Gale approached the property line. Theo questioned when the demons who had patrolled its edge marked it with paint. The table at which the business man sat straddling the line, alongside another with a buffet of prepared foods.

“Good morning Father Theo, it is always a privilege to meet my peers.” The business man warmly welcomed, standing and bowing, provoking a look of disdain and a snort from Father Theo. “I hope everything is to your liking. Don’t want those souls you’re saving to starve.” The business man then added gesturing to the buffet laid out on the table. “I of course had everything set up so as you can feel secure as in your sanctuary.”

“How do I know this line isn’t just some trickery?” Theo remarked eyeing the run of the line and back up to what clearly was conveying itself as the man in charge.

“Of course.” With a pointed finger at one officer and a gesture, Theo immediately began to regret his distrust.

The police officer looked distraught, flailing and struggling against their legs as step by step they approached the line. Father Theo watched with initial disgust, them concern as he saw the wide eyed terror and distress of the officer's face as fire began igniting and flaring up one leg as it planted a foot over the line.

“NO! STOP!” Theo half questioned his empathy for the suffering he beheld, his words too late to stop the second leg's final step and the cringe inducing shrieks of pain and terror as the flames flared to their apex, and vanished leaving little more than dust amongst the still lush green grass blades.

“Why?” Theo asked, suddenly at a loss for the cold reaction his counterpart had as they casually sat down, lifted one leg over the other and sipped some tea.

“In the interests of trust. And interfaith dialogue I assure you. Worry not, they will be remembered akin to a Saint, having been sacrificed for the greater good of our faith.” Placing the cup down gently on the table Theo felt strangely insecure as the gaze of the prime of their health business man fell upon him.

The remarks irked Theo, its casualness, its disregard, the apparent lack of value in an individual marched against their will into literal fire. “THAT MAN,” Theo paused, was that man still a person? Had they been at anytime that Theo had seen them along the property line? Theo questioned his statements during a pause that dragged on, before inhaling deeply.

“They. It’s more encompassing. More inclusive.” The Witness corrected Theo, before gesturing for the priest to continue.

“They…” Theo felt discomfort with how strangely appropriate the suggested word felt in its context rolling off his tongue. “THEY… clearly didn’t choose to demonstrate that.” Theo cried out exasperated even further by the casual attitude the well dressed man seated at the table maintained as he nibbled strangely child like on a pastry.

“Let’s cut through the moral dilemma shall we?” The business man remarked quite plainly placing his cup down delicately on the table after another quick sip. “We are both holy men shepherding souls for our respective Lords. Yes, yours has a LONG and sordid history of persecuting other faiths and belief systems it has found to be in contravention of it’s own purported values. A juicy historic irony as it was once a cult hiding from persecution of the Roman rule under which it developed.”

“Its about free will.” Theo remarked frowning at the strangely sound statement from the man in the suit, Theo was all too willing to concede to the sins and mistakes of the church historically. But it was beyond that now.

This was about the here and now, and the fear of just what these demons walking the Earth could mean.

“YES! Yes it is.” The Witness responded enthusiastically, standing up and leaning over the table, his voice dripped with hunger for debate. “Your lord allows it to persist through life, different sects offering different atonements before the grand finale of persecution before the life after. Mine truly embraces its followers, freeing them from the burden of Sin in exchange for their surrender to its embrace. That individual chose to walk in the path of my Lord. In return, well your faith's intolerance has executed him.” An arm reached out, fingers spread, palm up, gesturing towards where the one police officer had stood.

Theo felt agitation growing with the statements being made before him, his jaw dropping as a scoff escape his lips in response to the word execution being uttered.

“Not that it should matter, as your faith doesn’t see followers of mine as people. Just as pests to be culled. A persecution of faith for exercising the free will and choice of their own God.” The business man finished his passionate tirade of words before sitting back down and picking up a fork which he gentle stabbed into some penne on a plate before him and ate.

“What is it you want.” Theo grunted, questioning why he ever bothered coming out here, feeling strangely more insecure by the moment as the person before him conveyed strangely poignant statements.

“This!” The Witness mumble around a half filled mouth before rushing to swallow. “Mmm.. Delicious. I want discussion, debate, exchanging of ideas and ideals. You couldn’t imagine how long its been since I had a good theological debate. Hell, last time the followers of my Lord tried to open a conduit through which they might be closer to our God followers of a Church much like your came in and slaughtered the lot.” The business man stabbed his fork down for another morsel from his plate.

Theo shook his head, unable to resist the slight pull of a grin on his face as he questioned which of them was the mad man. The one who wanted dialogue and discussion talking as if they’d walked this world what must have been at least a century earlier, or the Priest whose belief in demons went from the metaphysical to the literal.

“Please Father, have something to eat, drink. I had food brought for everyone. Its safe to eat, bless it even if you'd like.” The Witness remarked before mouthing another fork full of food from his plate and gesturing to the buffet.

“What will this cost us?” Theo asked, looking for the proverbial strings attached.

Wiping his mouth and swallowing the Witness smiled happily. “I only ask that we sit, and exchange dialogue and ideas on faith, much as you would with a Rabbi, or Imam.”

Theo couldn’t help but shake his head and look at the man incredulously. “Really?”

“Truly. It is so rare for me to be able to engage in such inspiring dialogue. Most recent converts to my faith are too selfish, consumed with sin, or overwhelmed by the sudden freedom that comes with their devotion to my Lord. Often it takes one living decades or centuries for such followers to settle down and seek intellectual recourse.” The Witness remarked gesturing broadly.

“Centuries… Really…” Theo remarked, his voice heavy with disbelief.

“Yes, much like your Lord mine offers eternal life. Not always requiring **** first. Much like how it doesn’t lead people along asking them to believe in its power blindly manifesting miracles sparsely.” The Witness remarked taking a sip of his coffee before frowning and looking at his phone as an alarm began chiming.

“Shoot..” The Witness frowned glancing at the device. “Its seems I have to go. Some Federal investigators have arrived at the airport and we need to stay on top of things so they don’t spiral out of control and cause someone to get hurt. You and your congregation help yourselves to the food, feel free to bring it back to your Sanctuary. Let’s do this again tomorrow… Hhmmmm….” Theo didn’t know what to think at this point, his head a mess of thoughts, concerns and questions as the man before him, likely a demon, thumbed through a schedule on their phone as if some busy and heavily scheduled business man.

“I have an opening for 2pm… Is that too late in the day? I’d hate for anyone to go hungry.” The Witness looked at Theo awaiting a reply as the priest shook his head and sighed. “Let’s go with 2pm then. I'll have the caterers come for noon just in case. I'll sit here and see what you decide. In terms of meeting for discussion tomorrow.” Getting up the business man turned to march towards his ride pausing half way there. “Oh, and you may address me as The Witness. You might also want to look at doing a few confessions.” With a snap of his fingers screams of pain and terror echoed from behind Theo causing him to look towards the church in disbelief.

“I did say I would out our wolf in your midst.. Silly thing, said they’d give anything for a second dessert last night. Guess they never thought about how they might just get burned for it.” As Gale placed down a business card on the table Theo turned and rushed back towards the church, disturbed by the discussion, the acts of good faith, and the strangely benign request in exchange.

As the Witness was chauffeured away Theo banged on the locked front doors of the church, alarmed and distressed that some how, one of these things had been amongst them. No answer coming to the door as those who had been waiting within scrambled towards the screams in the depths of the church.