Page 136 of Retribution
Bones opens the cage and Killian reaches in and pulls on her rosary breaking it and the beads fly in all directions. Then he grabs the material of her habit and yanks her out while she cries about her jewelry.
“Oh shut up. You can’t take it with you to hell anyway.”
They all turn to me with raised eyebrows when I say, “Take off your habit. Down to your under garments.”
I walk over to the metal table and tap the top.
“After you get undressed you can lay down here.”
Psycho drags the tip of his knife over his beard.
“Oh this is going to be fun.”
I shake my head at him. While I don’t know the story of how he got his nickname, I think I understand the basics. He’s definitely psychotic. What I appreciate about him is that he doesn’t hide it or even try.
Sister Agatha drops her clothing and gets on the table as she was told to. I’m surprised she didn’t argue, but I grab the straps hanging from the sides and fasten her in place when something under her slip catches my eye.
I lower the slip and stare at the mark on her skin just below her belly button.
It’s a branding but not just any branding. It’s an upside down cross. And I know who she is because there has only ever been one person in the cult who had a mistake in their branding. Jedediah was furious and everyone was punished for it because it was a stain against our Lord. According to him it was as if we had spit in God’s face. The only reason he didn’t kill her was because she was not only obedient but she held us down for him. In the event that he wanted her to violate children for his pleasure she’d do that too.
“I knew you were familiar, Aunt Sophie. You look much older. Other than the branding, you aren’t even recognizable.”
She stares at me with hatred as if I’m the one who abused her. Eyes that look like mine glare at me as she hisses, “ungodly.”
There was a time when that word bothered me so much. I desperately wanted to be a good girl and earn the favor of God. Now I know that word means nothing. It was a tool to control me.
“Yeah? You think I’m ungodly? More so than a child molester? More than a woman that helped men perpetrateviolent brutal rapes of little girls? Children. How could you, Sophie?”
She lies strapped to the table, but stays strong in her beliefs and shakes her head.
“It’s not ungodly when you are following his word. Everything was ordered by the Lord. Even going to the asylum to make you pay for your sins. We followed his word. You can kill me, but I will live in the kingdom of heaven for eternity while you burn in hell.”
Carter groans audibly expressing his disgust.
“It’s almost worse when they believe the shit they spew.”
I pull a cross from my pocket and hold it upside down above her throat, her unblinking eyes widen as her body shakes uncontrollably.
“God is dead. And so are you.”
I plunge the cross into her flesh, the blood from the wound spraying when I intentionally hit her artery, wanting it to be quick because I want this over. She is the final member of the cult. I said I would end it, and I did. I smile to myself as she gurgles her last breath. It’s satisfying. I let out a long sigh of contentment.
“The cult is no more.”
I turn to Psycho with a small smile.
“You enjoy torture?”
He nods as his lips pull up into a sadistic grin.
“Do you want to take care of the priest for me? I’m done with all of this. I’m ready to start living.”
He glances at Bones and then returns his gaze to mine.
“It would be my pleasure.”
Walking over to the cage he kicks it, and Murphy trembles in fear cowering in the corner.
