章節 261: Chapter 261: Trauma
It was clear that Ron bringing his wife wasn't just for a simple introduction as it appeared on the surface, but since Ron didn't speak up, York didn't pry either.
Seeing his wife, fragile like a startled deer, York had no choice but to have the more serene and gentle Eileen accompany Ron's wife, Laura.
At this moment, Eileen's presence shone through, in stark contrast to the oppressive aura of the priest. He was like a green leaf accentuating the young nun.
At least when Eileen invited Laura to tour the church, the latter's gaze wasn't as evasive but instead, she looked at Eileen hesitantly.
"Go ahead."
Ron gently encouraged his wife again, "I grew up here, everyone here is kind. There won't be any trouble. I'll join the Father in the backyard to see the renovation plans and then come find you."
Laura glanced silently at the nun before her, sensing an aura around Eileen that made her involuntarily calm, a feeling she had never experienced before, not even from her own husband.
After a moment of thought, Laura nodded softly, "Okay."
She knew why her husband came here and didn't want her presence to affect his work.
Ron smiled at his wife's willingness, surprised she could do so much, considering doctors hadn't been able to persuade Laura to step away from him even for a moment.
This visit seemed to not have been in vain.
York glanced at Eileen.
Understanding immediately, Eileen smiled and said, "Come on, Mrs. Laura, please follow me."
Taking a deep breath and psyching herself up, Laura followed hesitantly, looking back three times with each step.
Ron maintained a waving gesture until his wife disappeared with the nun, then he exhaled in relief.
"Father, my apologies for this."
"It's okay."
York shook his head, "Come with me, let's see what your plans are for the renovation."
Walking towards the backyard, York believed Ron would eventually open up.
...
"In the backyard, Ron transformed into a professional, pointing here and there with authority.
He even had paper and pen, jotting down needed materials and their approximate costs.
"We'll need about this much."
Ron said, handing the list to York.
York, always indifferent about these matters, knew Ron would offer the best service and even the highest discount, right down to cost price.
"How many days will it take?"
York glanced at the list and then asked.
"Can it be done before Halloween?"
With Halloween fast approaching, it meant Ron might need to work overtime today.
"Yes."
Ron said with pride, "Father, I'm not alone anymore, I have a team of over a dozen workers."
York smiled, returning the list to Ron.
"There's someone living in the church now, if you need anything, you can ask him."
York indicated towards John Wick, who was enjoying his leisure time in a corner of the backyard, quietly reading a book.
As the priest and as the boss, York was considerate, ensuring there was time for lunch breaks. If Eileen had no other duties or wasn't out, this "killer" had quite a lot of free time.
Ron nodded, following York's gaze to the sturdy figure of John Wick.
"Alright, Father."
With work matters settled, Ron seemed hesitant about something else.
York, patient, led Ron back to the church.
Walking along the path from the backyard to the church, Ron's hesitant, nervous voice finally broke the silence.
"Father York, may I ask you a question?"
York responded gently, "Of course, Ron. If I can provide an answer."
"Is it true that you performed an exorcism for Ms. Mosan's daughter, Sarah?"
Ms. Mosan was one of the faithful, and though York no longer needed to use injections for exorcisms.
"Yes."
York didn't hide it.
Ron was part of the devout community at the Pluto Church, just like Ms. Mosan.
"So... was Sarah really possessed by a demon?"
York stopped and turned to look at Ron, who was a head shorter, seeing a strange hope in his eyes.
"Ron, what do you want to say?"
Ron looked up at the towering figure of the priest, took a deep breath, and said earnestly.
"Yes, Father York. I want you to look at my wife, Laura. I suspect she's been possessed by a demon..."
...
Pluto Church, with its considerable age and legacy from olden times, was spacious.
York had designated an area as a Quiet Room, a place for believers to find peace.
Calling it a Quiet Room was a bit of a misnomer; it was more of a viewing room, adorned with plants, grains, and murals of landscapes and people.
The church had no shortage of ancient murals, all sourced by York from the headquarters.
Each painting was lifelike, evoking unique thoughts in every viewer, akin to a thousand Hamlets in a thousand people's eyes.
Most importantly, this room was filled with a profound holy force left by York, meant to calm the spirit.
Eileen, sensing the unease and contemplation in Laura, brought her to the Quiet Room.
There, amidst other believers who did not disturb each other, Laura stopped in front of a mural bathed in the fiery hues of a sunset, lost in thought.
Eileen, standing silently by her side, waited before gently asking.
"Mrs. Laura, are you troubled?"
Laura, still absorbed in the red hues, moved her lips but eventually shook her head softly.
"No."
Eileen didn't press further, remaining a silent companion.
They stood in front of the painting for a long while until York and Ron's arrival broke the silence.
Returning to their places.
Laura seemed to rely heavily on her husband, stepping out of her trance when Ron approached, looking better than her previously startled state.
York signaled Eileen to come out.
"Father, is something the matter?" Eileen noticed something unusual.
"What do you feel about that woman?" York asked.
"Mrs. Laura?" Eileen paused, her brows furrowing slightly.
"Yes."
York calmly stated, "Her husband suspects she's possessed by a demon."
"Demon possession?" Eileen shook her head, "Father, I don't sense any signs of demon possession in Mrs. Laura."
York smiled, "The fact she could enter the Quiet Room without any issue clearly shows it's not as simple as demon possession."
Recalling what she had witnessed, Eileen looked up at her imposing priest and said earnestly.
"Father, I think Mrs. Laura is troubled. She has a heavy burden on her heart."
"Sigh, it seems that's indeed the case..." York tapped his temple.
...
Confirmed by Eileen's insights, York began to delve into Laura's situation.
From Ron's account, York understood he hadn't encountered any paranormal activity himself; all the abnormalities were specific to Laura.
This didn't align with typical paranormal occurrences, as those close to the victim usually experience effects as well.
From this, York could almost conclude this wasn't a paranormal event or supernatural phenomenon, but a real-life case.
Ron's wife, Laura, was ill.
"Father, is Laura not possessed by a demon?" Ron's anguish became evident.
"So all this was just my imagination."
York, seated on a bench, glanced back at Laura accompanied by Eileen, seeing her as a glass bottle full of cracks
, and said thoughtfully.
"Ron, do you know Laura's past? Like if she's experienced anything particularly traumatic before."
York's tone was subtle.
"Generally speaking, cases like hers stem from significant trauma leading to their current state."
"Her past?"
Ron rubbed his face, heavily stating, "She hasn't mentioned anything. The doctors asked about her past too, to better guide and treat her,
but she refuses to speak. I respect her choice, as those are memories Laura doesn't want to revisit.
She even told me she's forgotten everything, unable to recall any details."
York, seeing Ron's heavy demeanor, sighed.
"Ron, if it's indeed a psychological and mental illness, she needs to learn to heal herself, and opening up is just the first step. If she can't even do that, then..."
The implication was clear; without taking the first step, there was no hope.
Ron instinctively looked back at his increasingly depressed wife, smiling slightly in acknowledgment.
"I understand, Father."
He whispered softly, "I'll find a way on my own."
York detected despair in his tone, obviously, Ron was out of options, especially when his wife refused to speak.
"Ron, I have another method," York sighed.
"But you need to be prepared."
Ron looked eagerly at the priest.
York said, "The process might cause your wife great pain or resentment, as it's akin to reopening an unhealed wound.
Are you willing to try?"
Ron licked his dry lips instinctively.
"Father, I've been prepared. If it can cure or alleviate Laura's condition, I'm willing to face any consequences."
"Good."
York looked at the oblivious Laura calmly.
It seemed it was time to revive the long-forgotten injection method.
Without further ado, York used a syringe gun equipped with a sedative to knock Laura unconscious in the rest room.
Then, with the prepared Ron and a baffled Eileen's help, they moved the unconscious Laura to his personal resting room.
"Father, what are you doing?"
Eileen was completely baffled, not understanding why the priest would knock someone unconscious directly.
"Treatment."
York was succinct, asking Ron to sit down and then told Eileen.
"I'll teach you another method of using your psychic abilities."
Saying so, York placed his hand on Ron's shoulder.
"Of course, this requires the aid of a magic circle."
York smiled at Eileen, as magic began to flow within him, instantly creating a deep red magic circle underfoot.
Only Eileen could see the circle emerge from the ground, its flame-like light spreading along its patterns.
"Psychic abilities are not just for interpreting information and symbols but also provide healing and psychological counseling."
York gestured towards his own shoulder, inviting Eileen to place her hand there.
Eileen, understanding, reached out to touch the priest's arm.
"We just need to connect with Laura's mental energy to experience her thoughts, memories, including her most painful moments..."
Under the glow of the magic circle, York's voice grew distant as he placed his free hand on Laura's forehead.
In an instant, the space around them shifted.
Before Eileen and a more puzzled Ron could react, they found themselves inside a car.
Outside was a vast, endless field under a fiery sunset, beautifully illuminated.
"This..."
Ron's eyes widened in disbelief.
He was sitting in the back seat of the car, next to a man holding a baby, with his wife, Laura, driving.
He felt like an observer, invisible to all.
"Father York, what is this?"
"This is Laura's memory, the unforgettable event." York reclined in his seat, watching Laura and the driver laugh and talk, calmly stating.
"It's also the source of her condition. It seems she didn't refuse to talk."
York looked out the window at the sky-like barrier, continuing.
"She chose to block out this memory. Your wife didn't lie to you; she indeed forgot the details and this segment of her memory."
Eileen glanced at Ron, now understanding the priest's method.
Ron was silent, his gaze fixed on his wife's radiant smile, a sight he hadn't seen in a long time.
"So, the burned man is..."
Ron's gaze shifted to the man holding the baby, his voice bitter.
"So that's how it is."
Eileen looked to the priest, curious about his next move, but saw him staring at the radio, eyes narrowed.
"Something wrong?"
Eileen followed York's gaze to the radio, which was broadcasting a message.
"The cleaner the water flows, the more you save, filtering out dangerous minerals..."
As the radio spoke, the man in the back seat suggested buying a water filter.
With the trio's attention, the driving Laura responded, "Are you sure?"
"Of course, the less garbage we intake, the better. It's for our child's well-being."
The man looked tenderly at his child, mentioning harmful substances in water, like "microchips?"
Laura glanced at the rearview mirror, her face showing reluctant agreement.
"Okay, we'll buy a water filter tomorrow, and some aluminum foil to block government signals, for our child's sake."
"Right, absolutely." The man agreed, touching the baby's hand.
A perfectly happy family scene, leaving Ron and Eileen speechless, only York watched the radio with an unreadable expression.
Suddenly, the radio crackled, switching channels.
"We're being hunted by other demons..."
Laura frowned, switching stations.
"This radio is broken," she said.
Then, the previously quiet baby started crying, and the radio voiced,
"Why do you think gods don't answer your prayers? Because our power is greater."
Laura's expression tightened. She heard her husband soothing the child and turned back, puzzled.
"Didn't you hear?"
"Hear what?"
The man seemed oblivious.
Then, as Laura turned forward, York remained calm, Eileen's eyes wide, and Ron's gasp filled the air, a truck crashed into them.
In an instant, Eileen barely had time to shout.
"Father!"
"It's okay."
York's voice fell, and the truck slammed into Laura's car.
The impact affected only Laura's family, with York and Eileen, and a stunned Ron, remaining unscathed.
Boom!
They watched as the truck and Laura's car collided and burst into flames.
Chaos ensued.
Passing cars stopped, and kind strangers pulled the conscious Laura from the wreckage.
But as they rescued Laura, the truck and car ignited further, engulfing the truck driver, Laura's husband, and child in flames more intense than the sunset...
York rose from his seat, looking down at Ron, who now understood his wife's condition.
"Not demon possession, but post-traumatic stress from the accident. Her hallucinations are unaddressed emotional scars..."
"No! Don't!"
Laura, seemingly awake, stared at the fiery scene, frantic to rush forward but restrained by bystanders.
"Don't!"
She couldn't see York, Eileen, or her future husband, Ron, tears streaming down his face.
___________________
(Support with power stones, comments or reviews)
If you guys enjoy this story, In support me on Patreon and get access to +200 advance Chapters
Read Ahead
Patreon.com/INNIT
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票