In the House of Mirrors (12 page)

CHAPTER TWELVE

Saturday night came all too quickly. I spent most of the day gathering my shots for the Sunday paper. I  dropped by Cameraland and gave Big Chris—Little Chris had the day off his father told me—a roll of film I needed to drop by the office, before the Order's ceremony at midnight. Saturday nights were late nights for most of the people who worked at the paper, but I had to have my shots submitted before five o'clock.

Once everything was squared away for tomorrow's edition, I plotted my moves for the evening's adventure. I realized I didn't quite remember the way to Boone's place. Instead of following Olberstad from his apartment, I decided to pick up his tail later in his travels. I knew some of the roads he was going to use, so I decided to wait on the one familiar highway I knew he'd have to take. There was a convenience store, the last one before the end of civilization, and I decided to wait for his BMW there.

It was a quarter past eleven when I pulled into the parking lot. I found a spot closest to the road, the best vantage point I could have asked for. I was early, but I didn't want to run the risk of being late. He'd probably want to get there early, maybe to help set up, or meet his lover. Then a scary thought occurred to me; what if he was somewhere else before the meeting, like with Aunt Danica? What if they took a different route to get there? What if they carpooled and took her vehicle? I couldn't remember what she drove. A Celica? A Chevy? Was it Silver? Black? Fuck me running, I couldn't remember.

It was twenty to midnight and I grew nervous. I rummaged around my wallet and found Aurelia's number. I called to ask her for directions, something I probably should have done in the first place. The phone rang twice. Three times. No answer. Went to voicemail.
Shit
, I thought,
what the hell am I supposed to do now?
I waited five more minutes, hoping Olberstad's BMW would cruise by and save me.

But he didn't.

It was nearing crunch time, and I had to make a decision.

I decided to wing it, drive aimlessly down the dark road I thought the path was on, and with some luck, find it. I turned my brights on and pulled onto the highway.

I drove for five minutes, and the boring scenery to my right and left seemed vaguely familiar. Although, trees were trees, and endless stretches of them looked the same, didn't they? I kept driving, keeping in mind that the exit was to the right somewhere. I slowed down at every little path I thought I could get my car down. Unfortunately, every single one I saw was only big enough for a bicycle. It was seven minutes to midnight and the fear that I was going to miss this thing was building. It wasn't because I'd lose out on another opportunity to snap an indecent photo of my Aunt the Adulteress and her new boy toy. It was because I felt I'd be letting Aurelia down. I know we had only met a few times, but still. We hit it off pretty well, and I wanted to be there for her. I
had
to be there for her. It was important to her, no matter how ridiculous it appeared to be, or if I thought the whole thing was bullshit; it was important to her and that's all that mattered.

I was determined to find it.

Luckily, a glimmer of hope appeared in the near distance. It looked exactly like the path Olberstad had turned down just one week ago. I took the turn and crossed my fingers that this was the right path, that I wouldn't end up in a ditch or worse—maybe a camp full of hungry cannibals. After my experience in the woods a week ago, it wouldn't shock me. The woods are a scary place; you never know what's hiding deep within.

It was three minutes to midnight when I could make out Boone's house through the branches and shrubbery. The lights were on, but not as many as there were a week ago. I accelerated and headed for the dirt lot as fast as I could, without wrapping my car around an oak tree. I made it to the parking lot with two minutes to spare. The ceremony would commence momentarily, and I didn't want to miss a second of it. I parked my car in the closest spot and jumped out, shutting the door without wasting a single millisecond on locking it. There wasn't anything in there worthy enough to steal anyway. I trotted toward the door, running up the small flight of stairs two steps at a time. I reached for the handle and realized there was none.

I almost forgot.
I rapped my knuckles on the door three times, hard so it would be heard.

It took a minute for the unhappy doorman to greet me.

“Password,” he spoke, sounding irritated.

“
The Veil,” I muttered.

I saw the man shake his head through the slot in the door. I couldn't see his face, but I knew the son of a bitch was smiling. His eyes narrowed. “That was last week's password. Sorry, pal.”

I felt my face flush. 

2

“Look,” I said, feeling the anger rise inside me. “I was here last week. You remember me, right?” The man behind the door said nothing. “All I want to do is watch the ceremony. This is Aurelia's night.” I know it sounded like I was begging. The door man was enjoying it, but I didn't care. I had come to see Aurelia, and I wouldn't take no for an answer.

“
You're a little late,” he said. His tone was cold. “We're just getting started.”

“
Then I suggest you let me in so I don't miss anything.”

“
Oh really?” He chuckled heartily. “
You
suggest that
I
let you in? Who the hell do you think you are?” I felt like telling him that I was Ritchie Naughton, and I didn't appreciate his fucking attitude. But I thought that would only make matters worse. Instead, I tried a more cordial approach.

“
I'm sorry. I apologize. But seriously. Just let me in, man. I'm not here looking for any problems. I just want to see the ceremony. I don't have a password. I guess I wasn't given it last week.” He stared at me. For a second I thought he was going to close the small viewing window, and disappear,  keeping me locked out and in the cold. “Please,” I said one more time, as apologetic as possible.

Then he shut the window.

Motherfu—

I heard the door unlock from the inside and then it opened, slightly, inviting me in. I opened the door and stepped into the lobby. The door man was there, grumpy as usual. He seemed unhappy with his decision. “I appreciate it, man.”

“I don't see what
he
sees in you,” he muttered.

“
Who?”

“
Who the fuck do you think?”

I shrugged my shoulders and assumed he meant Carter Boone, although I don't know what the man could “see in me” considering our very brief conversation and how it ended. I nodded and thanked the door man again. He told me to hurry into the church and grab a seat quickly, the ceremony was about to commence.

“And the password changes with the new moon. New moon, new password.”

“
I'll keep that in mind,” I said.

I walked down the corridor and entered the church, which had become blanketed with darkness.

3

This time around, I decided to grab a better seat. Closer. I would have been better off if I had sat in the back, like the previous Saturday night. But, that was my choice. And like all choices, I had to stick with it.

I found a cozy spot directly behind Aunt Danica and Marty Olberstad, a few pews from the altar. I tried to eavesdrop on their conversation, but I couldn't quite make out their whispers. People began hushing the clusters of chatter, and within seconds the church grew silent. A figure on the altar lit the candles. Through the shadows I saw Carter Boone—garbed in unholy attire—decorating the table in front of him. At first, he set down a wreath. He poured wine (or what I hoped was wine) into the large golden chalice before him. After he finished, he raised his arms in the air, asking the congregation to pray along with him. He started them off with uttering something in Latin, which everyone else probably understood except me. I pretended to know the words as he spoke. I opened my mouth, faking the recitation, while the rest of the audiences sung along with clarity. It was too dark to tell I wasn't really saying anything, and luckily no one seemed to care enough to notice.

After Carter and the rest of the Order of the Black Book finished their opening chant, the church became uncomfortably quiet. Boone took a minute to collect his thoughts. Then, slowly, he reached across the table and grabbed the black book, the Devil's bible, and held it against his chest. “Ladies and gentlemen, Children of the Black Book,” he welcomed. “We have gathered here tonight to see one of our sisters become one of our own. She has proven herself to be a loyal, competent servant of our Lord.”

Beneath her breath, Aunt Danica scoffed.

Boone took several minutes to lecture the audience on how worthy Aurelia was to receive the sacrament, to become initiated. Without warning, someone rapped their knuckles on the door leading to the church. The sound echoed throughout the room.

“Who seeks entry?” Boone asked the intruder.

“
One who repents her past heresies, and desires acceptance into the grace of our Lord—Satan,” a woman's voice came from outside the door. It was Aurelia, playing out her part in this scripted activity.

“
Then you may enter, at your own risk. Prepare to devote yourself to the one true God, our Lord Satan. Prepare to prove your gratitude.”

The door swung open. The crowd turned toward her. Surrounded in an orange glow from the candle she carried, Aurelia entered. She was wearing a white dress, eerily similar to the white dress the woman in my photograph wore. This one, however, did not have a blood stain near the crotch. Aurelia made her way down the red carpet, the eyes of the witnesses following her as she went. I caught a glimpse of my Aunt Danica looking on. She seemed unpleased. Her mouth was quivering ever-so slightly, and I could tell she was grinding her teeth.

A few seconds later, Aurelia stood before Boone and the black altar.

“
The opportunity to forgive your past and absolve you of all your impurities has come to pass, Aurelia, most sacred servant of the Fallen One,” Boone announced. “Will you accept?”

“
Yes,” Aurelia responded.

“
Then come forth, and claim your seat next to our Lord Satan.”

Aurelia walked up the black altar's steps. She stood before Boone, who nodded, implying she face the congregation. She complied. Boone raised the Black Book above her head, and began to speak. “First you must prove yourself. Take this crucifix and break it. Scatter its pieces among the floor, where it belongs.”

Aurelia presented a crucifix to the gathered. She held it above her head, and snapped it in half. She threw the pieces to the floor, just as Boone commanded.

“
Good,” he added. “Now, raise your right hand. Do you, Aurelia, deny Christ the deceiver and solemnly swear to abjure the Christian faith and all of its lies?”

“
I swear,” Aurelia answered.

A strange smell tickled my nose, but I thought nothing of it.

“Do you swear to accept the most beautiful Archangel, Lucifer the bold and brave, Prince over our world, to possess a human body and reclaim His throne as ruler of our world?”

“
I swear.”

“
Do you...” Whatever it was, Carter Boone smelled it too. He paused, glancing around the room. “Do you swear... to give your mind, body, and soul to our Master Satan, and serve him in this life and hereafter?”

“
I... swear,” Aurelia replied, struggling with the words, as if she was unsure whether to utter them.

The smell intensified. I couldn't put my finger on exactly what it was. If it makes sense (and it totally doesn't), the odor resembled the old man in my dream, reminding me of him. The man in my pictures. It was a foul stink, one I wished not to smell again. I thought about the book Aurelia suggested I read. In it, the author claimed that when demons or devils are near, a sulphuric odor is usually present. I couldn't exactly remember what sulfur smelled like (since I probably haven't smelled it since a chemistry class I was forced to take during college), but I thought the church vaguely smelled like that.  Some of the other members of the Order were becoming restless. The stench became more unmistakable as the minutes passed.

Demons
. I chuckled just thinking about the idea, that an actual demon had come to join the ceremony. Demons were fairy-tale creatures. They only existed in books and the movies. Not in real life. The notion was downright laughable.

Any more laughable than a camera that takes pictures of other worlds? Old men who only exist in your dreams?
a
voice asked.

Shut up you,
I responded.

Carter Boone tried to keep the ceremony moving. “Good. To finish the pact, you will need to remove your dress.”
Oh, no,
I thought.
Here we go.
“You will need to smear the goat-headed god with a small sample of your blood. Here... take... this... knife.”