Free Blood of the Impaler by Jeffrey Sackett Page B

collection plates were being carried forward, and he winked at Malcolm and returned to his place at the altar.
    Malcolm looked over at the wall and saw to his chagrin that the top of one of the windows was open and that sunlight was streaming in upon him, bathing him in its unpleasant warmth. No wonder I'm so dizzy and sick to my stomach, he thought. I've been getting a damned tan, sitting here . He looked ahead of him and saw that Henley was consecrating the elements. Not much longer now , he thought, and I can get out of here . He wiped his brow and tried not to feel sick.
    "The same night in which our Lord Jesus was betrayed, He took bread and brake it, and gave it to His disciples . . ."
    Must be my imagination , Malcolm thought, but the people in here today don't seem to have bathed very well . The smell of unwashed body odor was beginning to reach his nostrils, and it was a few moments before he realized that he was the source of the smell. Oh, great , he thought, just great. Holly'll love this! He was sweating so profusely that his trousers were damp against his legs . Hurry up, Father, will you? he thought desperately.
    "After the same manner also He took the cup when He had supped . . ."
    He began to feel the nausea rising in him again, and he struggled again to force it back. Maybe I should have eaten breakfast , he thought. Maybe I'm just hungry . But he knew that this was not the case. He had been eating in a careless, desultory manner for days, eating because he knew he must, but deriving neither pleasure nor satisfaction from it.
    Henley came forward carrying a silver chalice, followed by an acolyte carrying a silver tray that held the wafers. He walked over to Quincy and placed a wafer in his mouth, saying softly, "The body of Christ." He waited a moment and then tipped the lip of the chalice as he placed it against the old man's mouth and said, "The blood of Christ." He moved sideways and looked at Holly questioningly. Not knowing if it was proper for her to partake, she shook her head.
    Henley then moved to Malcolm and took a wafer from the tray. Malcolm opened his mouth as the priest placed the wafer on his tongue, saying, "The body of Christ."
    What is this, cinnamon? Malcolm thought. Communion wafers were always bland, unleavened bread, but this tasted a bit spicy. Very spicy.
    Horribly spicy!
    The wafer seemed to be burning his tongue and his eyes went wide with pain. When the priest tipped the chalice to his mouth, he drank deeply of the wine, hoping to quench the fire. The wine rolled over his tongue and slid down his throat. It was like drinking molten lead, and it burned its way down his gullet and seemed to set fire to his stomach and chest.
    Malcolm jumped to his feet, knocking Father Henley down, and then, clutching his throat and stomach, he ran screaming from the church.

Chapter Four
     
    M alcolm did not return home that afternoon nor that evening nor that night. Holly remained in the Harker home for a few hours, anxiously awaiting him, then took her leave alter exacting from Quincy his promise to contact her the minute Malcolm showed up. The old man was averse to telling untruths, but he agreed nonetheless, knowing full well that when and if his grandson returned, they had much to discuss before anyone would be told that Malcolm was home.
    Quincy waited up for Malcolm that night, and he dozed sporadically in his easy chair all the next day. It was not until nearly ten o'clock on Monday night that Malcolm dragged himself into the large Victorian house and walked unsteadily toward the stairs. His grandfather watched him enter, noting with sorrow and anxiety the chalky-white face, the eyes red from weeping and weariness, and the slight bend to the young man's back, a bend expressive of sorrow and confusion.
    "Malcolm," he said softly. His grandson turned slowly when he heard his name called. He looked at his grandfather and made no reply. "Are you all right, boy?"
    Malcolm nodded slowly. "Yes.