The Beast of 1977 (Book 1)

From an aerial perspective, the scene inside the hallowed and raucous halls of Saint John the Baptist Church appeared at first glance to resemble an out of control gathering.

Both male and female black parishioners hooped and hollered at the powerful words that Mr. Mercer shouted as he stood firm behind his almighty wooden pulpit clear down in front of the church.Outfitted in his customary black and red robe, Mercer preached with the fire of a man hell-bent on saving each and every soul that was seated in front of him.

His arms flailed back and forth and up and down while his deep voice spewed words of God's love and forgiveness from one end of the old building to the other.Old women sat in their pews, just waving their frail hands from side to side, too weak anymore to jump for joy, while old men nodded their heads and clapped their hands, assuring both the pastor and themselves that every word was soaking through just fine.

The younger crowd squirmed and fidgeted in their seats next to their parents, impatiently waiting for what they would consider an ordeal to be over a lot sooner than later.

Down clear in the front pew sat both Isaac and Lynnette, with Isaiah amazingly fast asleep in his mother's clapping arms.Isaac sat glued to his pew, as he had been doing ever since he was smaller than his son, listening to every sentence that his father was shouting in his high stature.

The young man was in good spirits that Sunday Morning. He tapped his feet every time the organist hit a specific note that happened to coincide with one of the pastor's "highlight moments" in his all important message.

Every so often Isaac would turn and look over to his right to see Lynnette shouting the words "Amen and Praise God!" She, much like him, wasn't all too much into church going, save for Easter and Christmas.There was a slight, proud smirk on the young man's face. A look of both peacefulness and warmth being amongst his familiar surroundings after being away for so long. No longer was he carrying the dreaded feelings of trepidation with him every time he dared think about what took place back in November. Sitting next to his family only made him realize what he truly missed, and ultimately nearly lost.

The louder his father preached on the book of Galatians, that was all the more rowdy the crowd's intensity seemed to increase. Though Isaac was not all too animated, he always found it within himself to be a curious bystander. The man glanced from side to side and from front to back as though he were inspecting the melee. He kept on and on until a stiff aroma ended up seizing him completely out of nowhere and all of the sudden.

He smelled the scent before, but never was it as breathtaking as it was that morning. The odor seared into his nostrils to the point where Isaac had to wipe his nose just to keep himself from sneezing.

He gawked around the church in the hopes of locating the area from which the stench was emanating, but the more his nose skulked about, the stronger the aroma seemed to grow.

Ever so gradually, he leaned over and sniffed Lynnette while she wasn't noticing only to discover that she was only wearing her perfume which he had smelled all morning long.

He then turned to his left. Just three feet apart were another set of pews and a young, full-figured woman clothed in a black dress, black stockings and a black hat, clapping and cheering while joyfully jumping up and down in her seat.

At first glance, he smiled the interruption away, but Isaac was finding that the odor was far too powerful to be ignored, at least by him. The more the woman's backside left her seat, the more Isaac's eyes began to drift away, as though he were becoming sleepy. His lips began to move; he was whispering the same words that his father was speaking, only Isaac's words were three seconds ahead of his dad's. It was as if he knew every part of the sermon, even though it was the very first time he had ever heard it in his life.

With his sullen eyes pointed directly at the large woman and his lips mimicking the pastor's, Isaac deeply inhaled. To anyone else who would have been able to smell it, it would have resembled a putrid stench, something to be discretely taken care of immediately by a member of the fairer sex, but to Isaac, it was utter bliss. Isaac breathed in the strong odor that was soaking badly inside the overweight woman.

Soon, and much to his own shock, everyone inside the church had vanished, everyone that is expect six people. Gone were his father, Lynnette, his son and the vast majority of the congregation, all that was left was six unfamiliar souls that sat in various other pews within the sanctuary. Three young black men and three young white women, all of whom were clothed in blood soaked rags from head to toe.

With drowsy eyes, Isaac studied each individual who had their heads pointed to the floor beneath them. Isaac couldn't find the will to get up out of his seat, all the man could do was continue to sit and watch the persons quietly remain in their places.

The church itself was completely silent. A person could actually hear the other breathing, it was so quiet. It was quiet enough for Isaac to hear what sounded like something moving across the carpeted floor towards him.

The young man turned around to see a tall figure clothed in a blood soaked white sheet standing right in front of him. Isaac sat, but rather than become afraid, he just gawked at the individual as it stretched out its arms to him.

"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside still waters." All six of the young people gathered began chanting in unison. Isaac spun around to see them all standing and reciting the 23rd Psalm in perfect synchronicity in all their bloody glory.

"Come home." The hooded figure in front of Isaac hissed before lunging at the man.

of his suit jacket and staring at him as though he had lost his mind. Isaac looked back at her with his amber

to take a long look at his son before he resumed his

his hands along with the rest of the crowd. Everyone else in the congregation was seemingly ignoring Isaac; it was

"Nema!" Isaac jubilantly said

half an hour later, church let out, with the usual after service cheer that went along with

caught in between both streams of chaos. People glad to see them back in church again, and congratulating them on their engagement. Hugs,

his robe, came up beside Isaac and Lynnette and asked, "Hey, before

Both Lynnette and Isaac's faces lit up at that second with the visions of free food and hopeful leftovers to take

"We sure would, Pastor." Lynnette jovially

Mercer smiled back. "Let me get my

miss Don's fried chicken." Isaac drooled. "Not as much

shoulder and

shook a couple of more hands before following his dad back to his study that was located next to the restrooms

of his father taking off his robe and politely lancing it on a coat hanger that sat next to his desk where his

son." Mr. Mercer anxiously sighed while wiping sweat

on a white stool in the middle of the floor and waited for his father to

I wanted to talk to you about something,

do with me not coming home last night, I can explain."

against the desk. "I wanted to talk to you about...the other night. I didn't want to bring it up the other day

in a forceful,

were you doing in my bedroom the other night around

Isaac thought to himself at first before saying, "Two a.m.? Dad...I can hardly remember anything anymore. For the past few days, I've been having

"Blackouts," Mr. Mercer chocked. "Why didn't you

tell the psychiatrist back on Friday when I went to see him. He said to go to a doctor. I told him

Mr. Mercer shot up from off the desk and said, "Isaac, this is

"I'm not taking it lightly, dad." Isaac vehemently protested.

"When was

"I dunno," Isaac shrugged, "I think back on Friday. But it was only for a

"Son, I can't believe you're taking this so calmly. Don't you know

sorry. For the life of me, I don't remember being in your room at two a.m. I remember you

Isaac heard a scratching racket at the door behind him. Immediately, he spun around and stared at the

son?" Mr. Mercer questioned with folded

room that could hear the sound, he turned back around and shut his eyes