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oliverjsn8 t1_jdvu6q5 wrote

The young, naive man sat next to ‘Father’ Geniol. The Vatican had assigned him to be the father’s latest apprentice. Daniel had just recently taken on the vestments of a holy man but quickly found himself in trouble for his ‘carnal desires.’ His choices were to suffer excommunication or to become the apprentice to the Father here. Daniel took the later knowing while it was almost a guaranteed death sentence, at least he would be welcome into the kingdom of Heaven. It would… just be a little quicker than he had originally planned, thought Daniel.

The Father took a swig from his holy water font(?) “Father did you just take a drink of holy water?”, asked Daniel. Turning to Daniel and no longer looking at the road ahead, the scent of whiskey overwhelmed Daniel. “Yeap, thank our Lord Jameson. Amen” Daniel was appalled at this blasphemy but held his tongue least he earn yet another black eye from the Father.

Barely missing an oncoming truck, the Father swerved the car somehow sensing the danger without at glance. “Come now ‘child’ if the son of man’s blood is wine a nip or two of alcohol only brings us closer to him.” Daniel could only bite his tongue harder and may also have wet himself.

Looking a bit disappointed the Father put the font back into his front pocket and again looked at the road. Daniel had witnessed the power of this holy man next to him. His aura was palpable when he stepped into a room as he would quickly slur some prayers in Latin, Greek and other languages. These prayers seemed to seal the room and cause the demons to reel in fear. The Father would then approach the demon who would scream and plead. Then with a simple touch the Father would exorcise the abomination.

The Father and Daniel were on their way to a mansion where something powerful had taken hold of the manor’s youngest. Whatever it was had slain a fellow priest and drove another mad. It was such cases that the Vatican would send Father Geniol and by extension his apprentice.

Arriving later that day, the Father quickly gathered his possessions and practically dragged Daniel inside. “Are we not going to rest and pray,” asked Daniel. “No rest for the wicked,” came the reply from the Father with an uncharacteristic chuckle. They were ushered upstairs to a room with a door barely on its hinges. The Father removed his Font (the same one as he had previously drank from) and made a big spectacle of splashing the door frame before the worried parents.

As if on cue the occupant of the room started screeching and scratching. Daniel thought for a second and realized this one spoke Latin. Previously these demons spoke either an unfamiliar language or what he assumed was the language of Hell. Quickly entering the door the Father started approaching the possessed child who was in the corner. Daniel heard the demon shout in Latin. “Devourer please come no closer, let me leave this child.” The small hands of the child pointed at him. “Devourer why do you want to eat me, that corrupted man’s soul would be much more satisfying. Just leave me…”

The Father finished approaching the child and with a forceful shove, the child fell limply to the floor. The sense of foreboding emanating from the fragile frame gone. Thinking back at the other exorcisms, Daniel realized that every one of the possessed had gestured similarly in his direction. He had thought they were pointing to the door but no it was him…

Daniel felt behind him at the doorknob and quickly retracted his hand… it was scalding hot. Father Geniol seeing the understanding in Daniels face, started to approach him.

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oliverjsn8 t1_jdwq6im wrote

Post Script:

Daniel couldn't do anything but flinch as the Father placed his hand on Daniel's shoulder. Oblivion, Hell, or something else was his expectation but instead nothing. "Don't believe everything they say, demons lie." said Geniol. The Father pushed past Daniel and opened the door. The parents quickly ran into the room and hugged their child who was just now coming to.

The Father and Daniel retreated and made their way down the stairs toward the car which waited in the circular drive. Along the way Daniel gathered some courage and looked at the Father, "You cannot be human." Not even turning around the Father replied, "Nope." Geniol reached the car and opened Daniel's door, gesturing Daniel into the vehicle. Reluctantly Daniel took his seat.

The car pulled from the drive and past the gate. "If you are not human, then what are you? Are you going to eat my 'corrupted soul?'" asked Daniel, the last bit being in Latin. The Father looked at Daniel "I am cursed wretch and no I'm not eating your 'corrupted soul' I don't eat beings like myself." Daniel replied "Like Christians?"

The car veered hard to the left and braked. The Father was laughing hard, his smile stretched unnaturally wide and his fist slammed into the dash. "Like Christians he says... ha... you are not an idiot. Think before you speak, child. I don't eat things like me, like cannibals." Daniel was taken aback, "Cannibals?!?"

The Father suddenly looked darkly at Daniel, the mirth previously seen was completely gone. The air grew unnaturally cold. "Daniel, the Vatican knows fully well what I am and who I am. I am kept around because I benefit them. They provide me food and I provide them a service, that they are welcome to take credit for. I eat the little demons which have seeped into this world through little crevasses, and on occasion they provide me a treat of a lost sinner or two. I don't eat my followers, cannibals people who devour their own kind. Like you..." The Father stretched a finger into Daniels chest.

Daniel stuttered, "But I have never ate another human being..." Father Geniol harshly rebuked him, "You don't have to have ate a persons flesh to have consumed them." Father Geniol then gave Daniel a knowing smile.

The car then pulled back on the road with Father Geniol and his apprentice in tow.

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PM_ME_UR_RECIPEZ t1_jdwyu4f wrote

Is Daniel a pedophile priest?

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dragonadamant t1_jdxgtd7 wrote

I figured the end was referring to Communion, but that interpretation also works, especially with the early mention of 'carnal desires' (theoretically the younger man desiring a prostitute would also qualify and get him in trouble).

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MrRedoot55 t1_jdxjj7v wrote

I'll just hope the Father was only speaking of Communion, then.

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PM_ME_UR_RECIPEZ t1_jdxm9go wrote

I’m biased towards pedophilia bc it was my own idea but I also think it tracks with making him a monster like the demon. He’s consumed an entire persons life with this horrible horrible action.

I think having carnal desires in quotes for emphasis also allows it to be a highlighted point of fact. Because it didn’t need to be in quotes. But now it’s like..okay what are the “carnal desires” and why were they enough not to get him kicked out of the clergy but excommunicated

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olmyapsennon t1_jdx4n4z wrote

Oohh I didn't make that connection, but that makes sense.

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Thiago270398 t1_jdxj1xb wrote

I thought he literally ate someone

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PM_ME_UR_RECIPEZ t1_jdxm3x0 wrote

It sounds like his carnal desires that was in parenthesis for emphasis in the first part was actually more than just what we first would have thought was consensual sex between another adult. And that’s what the demon is referring to all throughout when he’s alluding to the fact that Daniel is also a monster

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Thiago270398 t1_jdxmjj9 wrote

Oh that first part I got, I just thought the twist was that "carnal" meant he ate people instead of molesting kids. I mean both cases are monsters

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Daedal75 OP t1_jdwfq8t wrote

I loved reading this, I really like the choice of POV

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