No Way To Escape | Novel

CHAPTER 43: PRELUDE TO THE CULMINATION

By the time September arrived, the Warwick's house had already been filled with a gruelling tension. For me, the tape was played fast forward, but it was enough for me to get whatever happened within this time. 

Edward... He was going deeper into the darkness -- both literally and metaphorically. He was spending a huge amount of time alone reading the books provided to him by someone. He was getting more and more addicted to it. He was starting to wake up all night, go to the attic, and work on his theories about the Satan. He was smitten by Satan's principles and ideas. He was slowly turning into a devoted Satanist. 

There was nothing in the hands of Laura. She believed the only way to help Edward was to let him do whatever he is doing. She surmised that Edward was already depressed about his job problems and the only thing that could probably help him was to keep him calm and satisfied. They were already being summoned by monetary problems and a good amount of debtors. Both of them were already in a lot of tension. But the time since when Edward had started reading the books, Laura could feel a light of positivity around him. 

He had become less worried and he had regained his old smile though it wasn't like before but atleast he had gained some part of it. She didn't know what the reason was behind it but the only thing which she could see was that her husband was slowly getting psychologically better than what he used to be by the beginning of 1924. He used to visit someone out of her knowledge but she didn't bother ask him even once after Edward had mentioned that it was some 'helping friend'. She trusted Edward that he wasn't cheating on her -- she was a really nice and wise wife anyone would ever pray for. 

Although she had noticed him wake up at the middle of the night and go to the attic to read those books on Satanism, she didn't want to disturb him. But one conception which was still out of their knowledge was that no matter how positive Edward seemed, the Warwick's mansion was getting filled with a negative energy, a strange darkness which was rooting itself all over the house. And by the time September arrived, it had spread its roots all over the house. In the silence of the mansion at night, there loomed the voice of the dead Satanists who were slowly being aroused by the preachings of Edward over darkness. He was unleashing the Devil and his devotees. He was unknowingly reading the scriptures for arousing the dark spirits. 

...

Eleventh of September, 1924

It was evening time, still almost an hour shy to sunset. It was a bright weather with clear skies and one could see only a few birds flying in the vast orange sky. And now I could visualize Edward standing in an alleyway and waiting for someone. He was in his usual plain attire with a hat over his head.

Just after a couple of minutes, two men dressed in long black suit and black hats entered into the alley. One of them was a man around thirty years of age and the other one seemed considerably older. Edward gave out a sigh of relief as he saw them.

'I thought you won't come', he said as soon as they approached him.

'Don't worry', one of the men said. 'We are safe and grounded. Tell me... Did you complete the books?'

'Yes'

'Congratulations!', the man remarked and held Edward's hands in his. 'Now you are prepared. You--'

'I want to see him, Drew... As soon as possible'

'It's time now, Edward... You are ready to meet him. Every predicament you are in, you are going to get yourself out of it. Under his shelter you will thrive, your enemies will pay the price for what they have done to you… They surely will, Edward', said the older man.

There was a smile over Edward's face now. ‘You know I have been waiting for this for some months now but it fucking seems like a long long time… I have like, recited all the chapters, all the lines, all the verses… Damn. Thank you guys for helping me out'

‘But there's still one thing that is left to be done'. There was a gravity over the old man's face.
‘What is it?’, asked Edward.
‘You need to give something, you know, some… um--'
‘Spill it'

‘You have to sacrifice your family'

That came as a lightning over Edward. ‘My family?! What the hell are you talking about, Stephen?!’

‘Hold your temper, Edward. The Devil wants sacrifice as an offering. The more the number, the more the divinity. You want a better life, right?’

‘But not by killing my family!’

‘Hold on. Calm down. Listen to me… You have read the scriptures thoroughly, haven’t you?’, asked Drew.

‘So?’

‘The world in which the Satan, our father, dwells, is filled with all the happiness and satisfaction one would ever want. Up there, all are treated equal and all are given equal rights. They will never have any worries out there and the Satan himself will take care of them as their own father. Believe us, Edward. You have read about him. You must be a smarter man'

Edward still seemed reluctant. Stephen walked closer to him and then resting his palm over his shoulder he said, ‘Trust us, Edward. They will live a wonderful after-life up there. Then, after joining us and helping us in completing the chores of our Savior over here, you will also go to his abode and lead a happy after-life with your family up there... Forever... Without any pain or suffering, under the peaceful arms of the Satan'

Edward was no longer a wise man. His brain had already been drained and all he wanted was a peaceful life for him and his family and he was ready to do anything for this. He turned back, dropped down on his knees and started sobbing.

‘I don’t know how I am gonna do this… I don’t--'

‘If you can’t, it’s fine. We can get someone else into it. We chose you because the Devil gave us the directions to… he chose you, Edward'

Edward got up swiftly and facing the two men he said, ‘I will do it. I will fucking do it!’

The determination in his eyes was terrifying. I could see a killer in him, a merciless, trained killer.