The Ritual by Sergejs V. Andrejevs, M.Ed. - HTML preview

THE PRICE OF KNOWLEDGE

“Give us your wallet!” Two youngsters pushed a well-dressed man against the wall of the coffee-shop he had just left. “And your watch!”

“You don't want to do that,” the man retorted.

“Why not, Grandpa?” Click-click and two blades glistened in the light of a street-lamp. “If we want to, we'll do that, you dip-shit!”

Keeping silent and composed, the man took in the tattoos that covered the necks and arms of the young men, at their dark clothes. Street punks with some gang, he thought… Although...

“You don't want to do that,” he repeated quietly. “Your wallet!” They stepped closer. “Now!”

With a wide grin, the man stretched his hand towards the chest of the dark-haired young man, mumbled something, and, suddenly, they saw a human heart in his palm. The heart was still pulsating, still pushing the blood through the vessels. The young man chocked, dropped his knife, and fell on the found. The man took the knife out of the other youngster's hand and tossed it onto the sidewalk, as is if what had just happened was nothing but a mere nuisance.

Silently, he took the shocked youngster's hand in his hand and squeezed it tight, forcing him to kneel. The young man looked up at the man: He seemed taller, his face had become narrower; his skin had turned pale white. Instead of the expensive grey suit, the man was clad in a black cape with a flaming red lining; a short dagger was tuck behind his belt. Red flames danced in the man's eyes.

“We meet again, Billy…”

“Grand Master,” the young man whispered in awe. “I didn't recognize you, master.” A tighter squeeze nearly squashed his fingers and hand, sending jolts of sharp pain through the entire body. “Forgive me, Grand Master! I've been—“

“You've been a failure, Billy! You've been worshipping me since you were nine! And even now you know nothing! And see nothing!”

“I know what they say about you! They say you tempt—“

“Fools!!! I don't tempt! I give them a choice!” He looked straight into his follower's eyes, and whispered. “Just like I've been doing onto you. Remember? You had a choice… To go to school or to be a lazy slob. What did you chose?”

“To be a slob,” the pain was almost unbearable.

“I let you choose… To work or to be a nobody, to be a lousy mugger! And what are   you now?”

“Man, it hurts!!!” Billy shrieked.

The pain  became  excruciating  and then it  disappeared.  He saw the man’s  long    white fingers in front of his eyes, then something slipped into their corners, and the Billy's eyeballs let the sockets. And a greater pain and darkness wrapped Billy. He felt a hand on top of his head, and the world exploded into nothingness.

The man in the expensive gray suit approached a car parked in front of the coffee-shop, fished the keys out of the pocket, and got behind the wheel.

***

Ignatius Green always hated the ridiculous combination of his names: his pious Mother,  in a fit of religious ecstasy, decided that Ignatius would be a perfect name for a child. It could have been… However, his father's last name made everything even worse – the kids at school called him a ‘green gnat’ and exercised their, what he called it ‘retarded stupidity', inventing various stores about his ‘gnat’ family.

On quite a few occasions he would come home either with a black eye, or with a note from the Principal about a black eye he had given another boy. The things got worse when his younger sisters Anastasia and Eustachia went to the same school and, in their turn, had been bullied for their names. The bulling got worse in high school as then his class-mates had also become ‘curious' about the girls. His Mother knew how to ruin their lives.

Then, somebody had dropped a hint, a very light hint. And Ignatius joined a group. They called it ‘the Society’. AS the time went by, he got to like the rituals, the books, and the support that made him feel stronger. He even got a secret name: Hokhmah. Every Wednesday and Friday, he would attend the services at the Society Temple and bring home books that he dared not show his parents or his sisters. He read them at night, before falling asleep.

One day he made Arthur, the worst of his bullies, vanish. For years and years now, Ignatius was haunted by the visions of Arthur catching up with him by the river and plunging  into their usual heated exchange of words. At first. After that, a usual number of punches would follow that left Ignatius feeling seek and dizzy. But this time, Ignatius recalled a line from one of the books and muttered it.

“What are you mumbling over there, you frikking gnat?” Arthur pushed Ignatius on his chest, making him drop his backpack. “Want to share your excitement? Or you're apologizing for your punk-ass behavior?”

“I’m not apologizing—“

“Whaaat!? I am gonna kick your—“

Arthur suddenly fell onto the ground, and, in convulsions, rolled off the steep bank and disappeared under the water. Ignatius, shivering and speechless, came home; he refused lunch and yelled at Eustachia for bugging him. They never found Arthur 's body, so it was believed that he had run away.

While still at high school, Ignatius put to use a lot of what he had read in the books. This or that classmate of his, especially the ones who were mean to him, would get some nasty condition, usually in the most virulent form. If assaulted, he would just have to recite a line or a verse from one of the books, and the problem would have been solved. With no damage to Ignatius; with a lot of damage to the assaulting person.

The only thing that brought any happiness and satisfaction to Ignatius’ life was his attending the functions at the Temple. He had managed to rise gradually in the ranks, from an Initiate to one of the Chosen. Even though he never made to the Master of the Society, he was respected and considered an authority.

That night, Master Pontius introduced a very special guest, Grand Master Luke Ciferus,  or something along those lines as Ignatius failed to catch the name. Ignatius was impressed by  the man's appearance, by what he said and how he said it. At home, when his wife and daughters had gone to bed, he remained in the living-room, to meditate about the evening. What was it that the Grand Master said about the Initiates being loyal? And all of the members of the Temple follow the Ordinance?

The bell at the front door rang. Wondering, who it might be, and at that hour, Ignatius opened the door. With an utmost surprise and astonishment, he found himself face to face with Master Pontius. AND Grand Master Luke himself!

“Hokhmah, may we come in?” Master Pontius inquired after their usual exchange of the secret signs.

“Yes, yes...” Ignatius whispered. “Yes, of course. It's such an unexpected visit!”

“I do understand it is very late. And for that - my apologies.” He paused. “But I have to ask you for a really big favor…

They arranged themselves in the stuffed armchairs in the living-room. The host offered coffee or drinks, but his guests declined.

“Hokhmah, you've been a devoted member of the Society, and we've always appreciated your services in the name of the Greatest Superior.” He hesitated, as they heard somebody descending the stairs.

“Honey, who was at the door? And at this—“ Beth paused when she noticed that her husband was not alone. “Ah, Master Pontius! How are you doing?”

“I'm fine, Beth. Thank you. How are you? And the girls?”

“We’re all fine, thank you.”

“Allow me to introduce Grand Master Luke Ciferus.” Master Pontius said, waving at the Grand Master. “He is visiting our Chapter of the Society. It's such an honor...”

Beth looked at the man. He was neatly dressed, of an average height, with darkish hair that was emphasized with two white spikes on the left side of his head, some gray hair on his temples. His hazel eyes - for some reason, she was not sure of their color - were warm at one moment and penetrating at the next. A warm smile curved his a bit narrow lips. She looked into his eyes again: Was his glance suppressive, or was she just imagining things...? She had never seen so much intelligence in one's eyes... And suppressed pain?

She started losing the sense of reality. It seemed to her that she was in a kind of a basement, its stone wails illuminated by the torches on the walls. The floor was inlaid with stone signs she didn't recognized. This man, Grand Master Luke, was facing a tall slab of white stone. For some strange reason she knew it was not marble. The man held a long knife in his hand. And on the top of the stone, hands and legs tied to the rings - was HERSELF! Grand Master Luke raised his hand, the blade glistened in the torch light, almost blinding her, and he plunged the dagger into her chest.

She gasped, and the vision disappeared. She was in her living-room, next to her  husband.

Ignatius looked at her, worried. “What's the matter, honey?”

“Nothing,” she responded slowly. “I am just tired… I think…”

“Why wouldn't you call it the day and turn in? I have something to discuss with the gentlemen.” Ignatius gave his wife a closer look.

She squeezed her husband's hand. Master Pontius glanced at Beth and Ignatius.

“I believe it would be better if you stay, Beth.” He gave them a broad smile. “As I've already told Ignatius, we've come to your house to ask you for a big favor...”

“And it'll be a great honor, Master Pontius,” Ignatius intervened.

“As you know,” Pontius continued, “Grand Master Luke is visiting us for a couple of days. We ask you to let him stay in your house.” Pontius paused, a question in his eyes.

“Of course he can stay,” Beth exclaimed. “We will be honored that you have chosen our humble dwelling, Sir.”

“Only for a couple of days, Madam,” Grand Master's deep voice reverberated in the room. “I appreciate your hospitality. My compliments - you have a very beautiful house.”

“Thank you, Sir. You are too kind. I’ll go and take care of your room, then.” She rose to her feet. “We have a suite on the first floor. It is very quiet. I’ll tell the girls not to make noise in the morning, so you could—“

“Please don't interrupt your daily life because of me,” Grand Master stopped her.

“No changes then, sir. Breakfast at nine.” She forced her lips to resemble a smile and left the room.

“I must be going,” Master Pontius uttered, rising. “Hokhmah, thanks again.”

Ignatius saw his guest to the door and returned to the living-room. Grand Master sat motionless in the chair, apparently deep in thought.

In the morning the Grand Master joined the family for breakfast, and the girls, Melanie and Karen, were introduced to him. Ignatius had a newspaper with him and read aloud an article about the previous night's alleged murder.

“I wonder, how is it possible to extract one's heart without opening his ribcage?” Beth exclaimed.

“Ewwwww, Mother! You're making me puke!” Melanie shouted in disgust. “You always find something nasty to discuss at the table!”

“And the other guy's head… they say… looks as if it had exploded inside…” Beth continued, ignoring Melanie's exclamation. “And who knows what really happened! The newspapers are never able to put all the facts right and straight!!!”

“They have no clue,” Ignatius murmured.

“It was a mugging attempt, “the Grand Master said. They looked at him with deep disbelief. “I happened to be in the area…”

“How close?” Melanie inquired, bursting with curiosity, her eyes fixed on the Grand Master. “Tell me please. Please? Pretty please?”

“Pretty close,” the Grand Master looked straight into her face; Melanie felt a hot wave passing through her body.

“But they don't mention any witnesses.”

“There weren't any...”

Beth felt as if she had plunged into a cold water – Is he the one who. . .?

She shivered and looked at her husband: Ignatius was sipping his coffee, seemingly content with his breakfast. Then she realized that she knew nothing about the Society and what role her husband played there... What services had he rendered to them? she blushed, as she noticed the Grand Master observing her from the corner of his eye. I should find out what the Society is about... And keep the girls away from— Something interrupted her thoughts. Why wouldn't we go shopping today?

“I think we could go shopping!” Beth exclaimed, suddenly enthused with the idea. “We could go to the Nine Oaks Mall and then have some Chinese food. Grand Master Luke, would you like to join us?”

“It will be my pleasure, Ma'am.”

After breakfast Ignatius spent some time contemplating the reasons for such an unexpected shopping trip. Has Beth forgotten that just last weekend we— What a great ideal We haven't gone shopping for at least a month. Some new clothes won't hurt…

The mall was crowded, with shoppers streaming in and out of the stores. They bought about everything they wanted… Or, didn’t want… They didn't notice that it was Grand Master Luke who was paying for everything… The same happened in the Half-Moon Buffet as well... Karen mentioned that; however, they immediately forgot what she had said.

There was a reception in the Grand Master's honor the same night. As it had been agreed, Ignatius drove him to the society Temple. There were only the Chosen present, and Master Pontius led the ceremony. They honored the Greatest Superior: In the light of the torches, Grand Master beheaded a dove, collected its blood into an upturned skull, and, reading from one of the books, let the blood run through the skull’s eye sockets, and onto the sacred stone. Ignatius was astonished: the moment the just blood drop fell onto the stone, it steed to emanate a blue light.

He felt so close to the Greatest Superior as he had never felt before! His lips were repeating the words from the Books, his mind.. . His mind, for some reason, was going over his life... Arthur... His sisters who had become nuns (a total waste of life, as he saw it)... His services to the Society - delivering a packet, calling a certain number, meeting somebody at the airport... He recalled the smell of the swamps where he would bring the bodies of those he had met at the airport ... Bodies only.. . No heads...

After the reception, in the car, the Grand Master talked to Ignatius about how omnipotent the Greatest Superior was, how devoted His followers should be.. . And obedient. .. And strong.. . “Master Pontius seems to highly value you, Ignatius,” said the Grand Master. “I know you've done a lot for the Society and the Greatest Superior. Do you think the Greatest Superior is really the greatest?”

“Yes,” Ignatius. “He is the greatest.”

“How do you know that?”

“He made me strong when I was weak. He helped me survive with all those morons around.. . I feel I can do anything!”

“And nobody would know…” The Grand Master dropped casually… “Very casually...” Ignatius shivered. “What do you mean?”

“You're a remarkable man, Ignatius. Your wife and daughters know nothing. Or almost nothing… But she suspects something...”

“She doesn't know,” retorted the worried Ignatius. “And she won't know! I never told her about—“

“No, you didn’t,” the Grand Master interrupted him. “She doesn't know what you were thinking about during the Service. It was about Arthur, right?”

Ignatius almost hit a parked car; he pulled over and killed the engine. His face turned ashy gray. His hands were trembling.

“What... What did you say?”

“I said that Beth didn't know about Arthur, did she?”

“H... H... How do YOU know about Arthur?” Ignatius leaned back in the seat; his trembling hands on the wheel. “I thought...”

“You thought correctly, the Grand Master whispered. “B... B... But how...”

“Did you say anything before he fell on the ground in convulsions?” The Grand Master's lips curved lightly.

“Yes, I did...” Ignatius whispered.

“And do you recall those occasions when you made your classmates sick?”

“Yes, I do...” Ignatius whispered, his her throbbing in his chest. “Yes, I did... I did say…”

“And do  you recall those occasions when  you  made  your sisters do all  those things   to you?”

Ignatius blanched. He looked at the Grand Master, “But… But I was using what I had read in the Books...”

“You used the Great Magic of the Books to have what you called fun with your sisters!” The Grand Master sounded angry. Ignatius remained silent. “Now, take me to the Society temple.”

Ignatius, acting like an automaton, started the car and followed the familiar route; he parked in the driveway. They entered the quiet Temple and descended the basement stairs.  Master Pontius and the eleven Chosen, all clad, in black, all looking grave, sat around the table. They rose; the Grand Master approached the chair at the head of the table. As the all the seats  had been taken, Ignatius remained standing by the table, facing the Chosen. Master Pontius unrolled a scroll.

Keeping his eyes on the parchment, he announced, “As it is recorded in the Ordinance of this Society if anyone who uses the name of the Greatest Superior, the Books, the Skills and Knowledge, for the purposes different from the ones stated in the Ordinance, shall be punished, as well as his family.”

Ignatius tuned pale, shivering and trembling, he whispered, “But I've always followed the Ordinance...”

“Silence!” the voice of the Grand Master thundered. “You have violated the Ordinance several times!” He looked at Ignatius. “We’ll forgive you the Arthur’s incident and what you did to your classmates.”

“Thank you, Grand Master,” Ignatius relaxed. “I haven't finished! Bring them in!”

Some of the Chosen left and returned, dragging Beth, Melanie, and Karen along. All  three were blindfolded, dressed in their nightgowns, and their hands were tied. They were made to kneel by the sacred stone.

“Your wife and daughters shall know how you have debased the sacred Books and Skills and the Knowledge! Take the blindfolds off!” He turned towards Ignatius. “Now… Tell them, Ignatius! Or, should I say, Hokhmah?”

“No... They don’t have to know…” Ignatius whispered. His throat felt dry, his tongue scratched like sandpaper against the palate.

“Tell them!” The Grand Master's voice thundered as he extended his arms towards Ignatius. Suddenly, the look in Ignatius’ eyes became blank.

“I used the Skills to make my classmates sick and kill… To sleep with my sisters...” His voice sounded monotonous and dull. “I have also killed and disposed of at least fifty people in the last twenty-five years…”

“No, you didn't!” Beth screamed. “No, you didn't! You kept me in the darkness about it!   If I only knew! lf you only had told me!!!” She burst into tears. “I’d have never have married you! You and your Society! You never told me anything about it! What have you been doing for them? I despise you!” Ignatius kept silent, blankly staring at her. “Can you hear me?”

“I can hear you...” He pronounced gravely. “But it won't change a thing.”

“Ignatius, you are to be punished,” the Grand Master said.

“What should I do to be forgiven and remain in the society?” Ignatius's voice had some metal in his voice.

“As it is written in the Ordinance, you'll be forgiven through blood!” And the Grand Master handed Ignatius a bluish dagger with a serpent-shaped hilt.

Ignatius  clutched the  dagger in  his  hand.  He approached  Melanie, put  his hand on her forehead and pushed it lightly. The girl screamed, but her father didn't seem to hear anything. He placed the blade on her throat and, with one swift motion, sliced it open. Gurgling, the blood poured onto her front; a dark stain was spreading over her nightshirt.

“I always hated your boy-friend, Melanie. He lied when he said he would marry you after both of you graduate from college. It's because of him you had to have that abortion. If you can still hear me, I’ll tell you something. It was ME who killed the bastard, not some stranger. They couldn't find the murderer... It was a clean job.” He laughed and let her body fell on the stone floor by his feet.

Ignatius stepped towards Karen. She was shivering; the tears were running down her cheeks. He squeezed her chin between his thumb and forefinger, and tilted her head up, and looked into frightened bright blue eyes. “Daddy... please... don’t...” The girl’s pleading whisper reached his ears. He moved his hand on her neck and squeezed it lightly. He whispered, “You lied to me... You've been telling lies all your life...” He squeezed his daughter's throat tighter. “When you were sneaking out of the house telling us you were going to the library, or to some girl's house... Instead, you were spooning with those guys... You lied about college... A sneaky slut of a drop-out...” He slid the blade into her chest and eased the grip on her neck. The body slid off the dagger and, with a thump, hit the floor, splashing blood all over.

“I’m not forgiven yet…” Ignatius mumbled.

He lifted unconscious Beth in his arms and carried her to the sacred stone. He tied her ankles to the rings screwed on the stone's bottom; then, he cut the rope on her wrists and tied her hands to the rings on the top sides. He tore her night-shirt off her body. For some time, in a total silence, he gazed at his wife's naked body, recalling the hours of their passionate love-making when they just met. The visions disappeared. He was looking at lightly fat, aged forms of his—

Beth opened her eyes and screamed, and screamed again: she saw the basement illuminated by the torches; the man, Grand Master Luke, stood behind her husband. No, it wasn't exactly the Grand Master Luke - this man's face was narrower, his skin more pale... He was the man from the vision she had in her living-room... Her husband, a dagger in his hand, was staring at her with his dead, empty eyes.

“I know that Karen is not mine,” he whispered, anger and hatred in his eyes. “She's yours, Ignatius! Beth screamed. She's YOURS! Ignatius, you're mad!”

“It  happened twenty years ago…  I know that…”  He mumbled, ignoring her  deafening screams.

“Perhaps, I shouldn't be mad at my wife… It's hard to realize that she's nothing but a filthy whore of a slut… And I thought that Karen was my first-born… And Melanie… My pet... How could you have cheated on me with your co-workers?” He paused. “It doesn't matter now, though… I forgive you...”

He raised his hand - a bluish dagger glistened in the light of the torches - Beth screamed, and he plunged the blade into her throat. The blood rushed out of the gap between her skin and the cold blade, down her neck, and onto the stone. The flow grew thicker, the stone started to emanate a blue light.

“You are forgiven, Ignatius!” The Grand Master pronounced, taking the dagger out of Ignatius’ hand. Ignatius smiled and looked into the Grand Master's eyes.

“Thank you, the Greatest Superior!” He paused. “You ARE him??

The man nodded. With a single motion of the dagger, he cut Ignatius's head off. The blood spurted in jets and rushed onto his shoulders; with a sickening splash, his body fell on the bloodied stone floor. The head rolled towards Grand Master's feet – Ignatius’ empty eyes were staring blankly at the dead bodies of his wife and the two women whom he mistakenly called his daughters all their lives.

***

“Ignatius, what's the matter?” Beth shook her husband's shoulder. He mumbled  something in his sleep and then opened his eyes. “You’ve been screaming for the last five minutes!”

“Some weird dream…”

At breakfast, Ignatius had a newspaper with him and read aloud an article about the alleged murder of two young men.

“I wonder, how is it possible to extract one's heart without opening his ribcage?” Beth exclaimed.

“Ewe, Mother! You're making me puke! Melanie shouted in disgust. “You always find something nasty to discuss at the table!”

“And the other guy's head… they say… looks as if it had exploded inside…” Beth continued, ignoring Melanie's exclamation. “And who knows what really happened! The newspapers are never able to put all the facts right and straight!!!”

“It was a mugging attempt,” Ignatius murmured.

“Honey, you'll be late for work,” she failed to notice, or pretended to ignore, his comment. “Ah, by the way, they've brought your gray suit from that Chinese all-night cleaner in downtown. Why you had to leave it with Mr. Cheng last night and pay for an over-night cleaning, is beyond my understanding!”