by Diogenes Ruiz | Apr 15, 2018 | Books, Excerpt, Prequel
Joe came up to the counter. “What can I get for you?”
“A cheese calzone, please.” After ordering, she fidgeted nervously. She caught me looking at her.
I gave her a smile. She forced a smile and looked the other way. I noticed the scars on her wrist. “How are the calzones here, any good?” I asked.
She turned her head, surprised by my question. “Yeah, they’re pretty good.”
“I haven’t had a calzone in ages.” I said.
She did not respond.
“Don’t I know you from somewhere?” I asked.
Her head whipped around. She looked me over. “Aren’t you a priest or something? You’re not supposed to be hitting on women are you?”
I blushed a bit. “I’m sorry. But, I’m not hitting on you. I was just ordained a priest today, as a matter of fact.”
“Well, fact is ‘Don’t I know you from somewhere?’ is the lamest pickup line in history,” she said. “Besides for all I know, you could be some psycho pretending to be a priest.”
I laughed. It caught her by surprise.
Joe came to counter with her calzone.
“Thanks,” she said.
I extended my hand to her. “My name is Fr. Oliver. I’m not a psycho. I promise.”
She shook my hand. “Clare.”
“Nice to meet you, Clare.”
She blew on her calzone to cool it off a bit before biting into it. “So, what made you become a priest? She looked me over again. “Kind of a waste if you ask me.”
“It’s just something I always wanted to do. It’s a little hard to explain. It became kind of an obsession. I just had to do it.”
She took a bite of her calzone. “You’re a psycho. You gave up sex.” She said as she chewed her food.
“Sometimes you have to give up something to get what you really want. For me, it was to become a priest.”
She shook her head. “Whatever. I couldn’t do it.”
“I know, you couldn’t even if you wanted to. They don’t allow women to become priest.”
“That’s bullshit,” she said. “Was that a God thing, or did some frustrated old fart make up that stupid rule?”
I laughed again at her response which made her smile. “It’s complicated,” I said. “But that’s the way it is. In my heart, I don’t believe it was a God thing. Your old fart theory might merit further investigation.”
“I don’t believe in God anyway,” she said, as she took a sip of her soda. “No offense, I just don’t think a God would let so much bad crap happen if he really existed.”
“What kind of bad crap are you talking about?” I asked.
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by Diogenes Ruiz | Apr 14, 2018 | Books, Excerpt, Prequel
As I entered the pizzeria, I picked up one of the free newspapers from the stand and pretended to read it. I was really checking the place out to see if any of the people who were preparing pizza’s had demon heads. None. That was good, I did not want to eat a pizza prepared by a demon. Sounds crazy now that I think about it. Everyone in the pizza restaurant had blotches, some faint, others very dark and pronounced. The only one with a demon head was the waiter who spotted me and came up to me.
“You want to sit at a table?” He recognized me from earlier. “Hey, you were in here before with your buddies. Are you OK? What was it you saw when you looked at me? I heard you ask your friends if they noticed anything strange about me.”
I was extremely difficult to look into his demon eyes as his face shifted from demon to human and back to demon, and not react like I had earlier. I smiled and folded my paper. “I’m sorry, I had a bit of a panic attack earlier. I’m overdue for an eye exam and kept seeing spots all day. I’m feeling better now, seeing things as they really are.”
“Cool man, OK. Say, if you ever need anything to help with panic attacks or anything at all. You come see me.” He leaned in close as though we were now best buddies. “I’ve got some good shit. It’ll blow your mind.” He winked. I saw his demon mouth drool.
“Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind.”
“So, you gonna sit at the counter? Joe will take care of you.” He pointed at the man taking a pizza out of the oven.”
“Thanks.” I took my seat at the counter and looked around. Demon waiter buzzed about the place serving patrons at the tables.
Joe came up to the counter. “What can I get you?”
“Two slices of pepperoni please and a coke,” I replied.
Joe took the stub of a pencil which he kept tucked behind the top of his right ear and wrote my order on a small sheet of green receipt paper. Then he put it on the narrow counter behind him with the other order tickets. Five minutes later, he placed two hot slices of pepperoni pizza and a coke in front of me. “Thanks!” I said.
He nodded and got back to his pizza making.
Half-way through my first slice, a man and a woman entered the restaurant. The man had a demonic head and the woman had blotches on her face. They took their seats at one of the tables. Another customer entered a minute later. She took a seat at the counter next to me. Even with the blotches on her face, I recognized her as the young woman from my dream. Her face and outstretched hand were emblazoned on my mind.
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by Diogenes Ruiz | Apr 14, 2018 | Books, Excerpt, Prequel
“I think it is time for an eye exam. I’m not seeing spots anymore, perhaps a bit of nervous energy after ordination. But I assure you, I’m fine.”
The provincial nodded. “Let me ask you this Oliver. Would you like to take a few weeks off to think about this and clear your head? I think it would be…”
Oliver held up his hand in a stop motion. “Fr. Manuel, I appreciate your concern and your insights. I also very much appreciate your offer for me to take off for a few weeks.” Oliver got up from his chair. “I can assure you it is not necessary. I think you are misreading the signs. As a matter of fact, from the minute I stepped into the street, after my ordination, until right now, everything I have experienced or sensed has validated the fact that I must serve God. I have no desire to do anything else. I have no regrets, just the opposite. Our world is being consumed by evil. I feel there is a sense of urgency to reach those who are trapped in sin. I have never been so sure of anything in my entire life.”
Fr. Manuel sat in silence for a moment, then nodded. “Yes, there is a great deal of evil in our world.” He let out a sigh and smiled. “But there is plenty of good in it as well. We just have to look a little more closely.”
“That’s exactly what I plan to do.”
“Well, Fr. Oliver, I guess I’ll stop being an old father hen. I’m glad you feel so strongly about serving the Lord. It goes without saying, should anything come up, I am here for you.”
Oliver nodded. “Thank you, Fr. Manuel. I will take you up on that should something arise. Right now, I’m starved.”
Fr. Manuel chuckled. “Yes, of course.”
Oliver opened the office door, stopped, and looked at the provincial. “Thanks, Fr. Manuel. I think I’ll take a walk to the pizzeria and have a pepperoni pizza.”
***
As I walked to Ray’s Pizza, I prayed for guidance. The night was cool and brisk. As usual, there were people coming and going. I did not bother to take a close look at their faces. A homeless man sifting through a trash can stopped as I walked past him. He rushed toward me. His gnarly grey beard was ladened with bits of crumbs lodged in it. His eyebrows rose and his gaze pierced through me. “You must pretend you don’t see them. It’s the only way to be safe!” He immediately withdrew and began sifting through the trash again.
I approached him. “Excuse me, sir?”
The man stopped his trash can digging and looked at me as he backed away. I held my hand up and smiled. He stopped, squinted his eyes, and smiled, exposing two teeth as he held out the palm of his hand. “Do you have any spare change, sir?” He tilted his head and kept the smile on his face waiting for anything I might be inclined to give.
“What was it you said before?” I asked.
With the smile still on his face, he repeated. “Do you have any spare change, sir?”
“No, before that?”
“Any spare change, sir?” He repeated with the smile still plastered on his face.
I gave him a couple of dollars and continued my walk to Ray’s.
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by Diogenes Ruiz | Apr 12, 2018 | Books, Excerpt, Prequel
The demon picked me up by the throat. I gasped for breath and tried to free myself to no avail. I managed to utter “Go to hell!”
The demon smiled as he held the bloody dagger he had used to kill the provincial in his other hand. “Very well, priest.” The creature thrust the dagger deep into my side.
I felt the sharp sting of the blade as it ripped through my flesh. Then my side began to burn as the energy drained from my body. I felt the demon’s grip tighten around my neck. My vision blurred, then there was darkness.
Fr. Wayne let himself in. “Fr. Manuel wants to see you, Oliver.”
Oliver clutched his side, as he sprang up from his dream and looked at Fr. Wayne.
“Are you OK?”
Oliver wiped the sweat from his brow. “I’m fine. I must have dozed off, just a bad dream. I’ll be there in a few, just want to jump in the shower. I’m sweating like a pig.”
“Good idea,” replied Fr. Wayne. It stinks in here.
Oliver jumped in the shower and felt a sting as the cool water as it touched his scar. He felt the area and noticed the scar which was not there before his nap. It felt tender but was not bleeding. He examined it, almost four inches wide. It was the exact spot the demon had stabbed him during his nightmare. “How can this be? That was just a dream. I didn’t have this before.”
***
Oliver entered the provincial’s office. “Sit down, Oliver,” said Fr. Manuel, as he put a book on a bookcase and walked to take a seat behind his large mahogany desk.”
Oliver sat down and waited for him to take his seat.
As Fr. Manuel was about to sit, he froze, looked at Oliver with a blank expression, eyes opened wide.
Oliver darted up out of his chair.
Fr. Manuel waved his hand, motioning for Oliver to sit back down. “It’s this dammed heartburn. I get it every time I eat pepperoni pizza. It’ll pass in just a moment. I didn’t mean to scare you.” Fr. Manuel noticed Oliver’s pale skin color. “Are you all right, Oliver? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Oliver sat back down. “No. It’s just that I thought you were in real trouble for a moment.”
Fr. Manuel took his seat. “I will be if I keep eating pepperoni pizza.”
“Fr. Wayne said you wanted to see me.”
“Yes, I know today was an important day for you and the church. I just want to see if there is anything you want to discuss. I’ve been there myself. There are occasions of buyer’s remorse among a few newly ordained priest. It is a reality of our calling. You come all the way, to this point, and decide it is not for you after all.” Fr. Manuel paused and studied Oliver. “Is that the case with you?”
Oliver took a deep breath and looked intently at Fr. Manuel. “No, that is not the case with me. This is where I need to be.”
“Are you sure, Oliver? This is not simply about the rest of your life but about the lives you will touch as an ordained priest. Let your truth come forth, whatever that may be. You are still one of God’s precious creations and have his unending love whether or not you follow through with your vows. Do not let human pride or fear stand in your way of acknowledging what you must do. If it sounds like I am trying to convince you to leave the priesthood on the day you became one, that is not the case. I just want what is best for you and the church.”
“I understand, Fr. Manuel. I assure you, I have no regrets or second thoughts about becoming a priest.”
“What happened this afternoon? Your comrades were worried about you, seeing spots and all. It sounds like a severe case of second thoughts to me, enough to make you physically ill. It started the minute you left the church, didn’t it?”
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by Diogenes Ruiz | Apr 11, 2018 | Books, Excerpt, Prequel
I came to a stop and slowly scanned up, across and down the street. It was the same all over. Everyone came to a stop and had turned to look at me. My heart started to pound. As I turned to glance inside the pizzeria, I saw four customers and the guy behind the counter all looking intently at me from behind the store’s glass window. I felt someone poke me on the shoulder and turned quickly. I was not aware of anyone near me.
It was the pizza waiter with the demon head. “I didn’t think any of you god-lovin-fools could see us. Join us or die!” The waiter pointed at the mass of people now huddling around and repeated. “Join us now, or die!” The crowd swelled. There was no place to run. The demon waiter laughed, The crowd chimed in as the laughter began to swell. Beneath it, I could hear whimpering. I looked around and saw a young woman with dark blotches.
She extended her hand. “Help me.”
I could barely hear her. As she repeated it, I could see her lips form the words. Upon closer observation, there were several blotched faces in the crowd all mouthing the same words. Originally, I thought everyone was laughing. They were not. The fully demonic faces were enjoying a raucous laugh. The others seemed to be asking for help.
The demon waiter raised his hand. All became quiet. The cries for help ceased as well. The crowd parted as the three demons from the provincial’s office approached. The one who killed Fr. Manuel came to a stop directly in front of me. “There is no place you can go, no place you can hide. You see us, we see you. Seers like you must either join us or die. You must decide now. What will it be, priest?”
I looked across the landscape of demonic and blotched faces. My gazed settled on the young woman whose hand had been extended. There were tears in her eyes as well as in the eyes of other blotched-faced individuals. I saw her lips move silently to form “Help me.”
What will it be, priest?
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