Fandom: Brimstone

Rating: G

Warning/Categories: Drama

By Claudia Aranda.

Doctor Malkira walked along the corridor while checking the patient's card. Mr. Jones was under the conviction that God really existed, therefore The Devil was around tempting people to make them lost their tracks and souls. Being the resident expert in religious fixations Doctor Malkira had been asked for his opinion about the patient. The Devil entered the patient's room and smiled. "Good morning, I'm Doctor Malkira. How are you feeling today?"

Mr. Jones was speechless for a moment staring at the doctor but then he started to twist and shout, "Help me! The Devil is here! Heeelp me!"

The other doctors looked at poor Mr. Jones while the male nurses put him a tranquilizer shot and adjusted the bonds in his ankles and wrists. "This is the worse reaction the patient have had. We thought he was recovering."

"We can't always win," answered Dr. Malkira sympathetically. "We only can do our best."

Quietly, the doctors left the room. The Devil was smiling to himself. As always he had done his best and would win anyway: if Mr. Jones wouldn't go to Hell after his death; he would live in Hell until his time come.

*---*

"So, Rosalyn, are you positive about it?"

"Of course! Who else could do it?"

"Just... Zeke..."

"Exactly!"

"Rosalyn, are you aware that your husband died fifteen years ago?"

"It doesn't matter. I've seen him in the streets, just glimpses of course, but he's watching me, taking care of me. And all of it led to that morning when I awoke and found the gift in my hand."

"Your mother told me that you two are been talking about this. Why don't you accept what she says?"

"Because she's wrong! She doesn't understand!"

"Rosalyn..."

"Zeke is around me! He's telling me that he's waiting for me... that... that love can overcome death!"

"Of course, Rosalyn. I never implied the contrary. Will you excuse me? I'll be back in a minute."

*---*

"What do you think?"

"I have to be sincere with you. Your daughter is very disturbed. She really believes that her dead husband will return to her."

"But... what about the gift...?..."

"Obviously, she prepared the scene to have 'facts' about what she desires."

"But how...?"

"She bought the gift. I know it's not what you want to hear, but she's ill. She needs treatment or it could get worse."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not completely sure about what her pathology is, but religious fixations usually are dangerous. If she is convinced that people can return from death, or that there is an afterlife, she might attempt to take her own life or those of others in the belief that she's doing them a favor."

"Don't say that!"

"In her mind, she could think of suicide or murder as a faster way to reach the other side. Those she loves could be the ones in the most danger."

"But suicide and muders are sins!"

"Please, understand. Rosalyn is confused and she might do things that she would regret later. But as I said before she is ill, and she could lose control at any moment. We have to prevent it."

"But... my poor baby..."

"I know it's difficult, but she needs help."

"You will take care of her, Doctor?"

"Don't worry, we will do our best to help her."

"I... I hope I'm doing the right thing."

"Yes, you are. Don't think that you are locking her up and throwing away the key. She'll be able to recover here."

"I know, I've prayed to be able to do the right thing for her... She's my daughter... I... I love her."

"Of course and I understand. If you didn't love her you would never have brought her here. I'm sure that with our help, she will see the world the way it really is."

"Forgetting all about her dead husband?"

"No, it wouldn't be healthy to forget about her husband, he was part of her life, an important part in fact, but I hope she will be able to see the truth: that he is dead, he will be dead forever, and there is nothing to do about it. That people can't come back"

"Ohhh... Doctor, this is so hard for me... tell me that is a chance for her... please..."

"Don't worry, we have one of the best expert in the field of religious delusions. I will talk with him about your daughter, and I'm sure he will take her case."

"... This doctor... might help her...?"

"Let's do this. Come back this afternoon and both of us will talk with him. He has lots of cases, but I'm sure Rosalyn will interest him."

"Thanks, doctor. What time should I come back?"

"At 3 pm will be OK. This is the number of his office, I will be with him."

"Excuse me, doctor, what's his name? I want to give him a good impression, for my daughter's sake."

"He is very kind, he's incredibly understanding and treats every one of his cases as if was the only one he was treating. I have to confess that I don't know where he gets the strengh. His name is Luke Malkira, you are going to like him."

*---*

Zeke watched Rosalyn's house for a month but she never returned. Just her mother came to the house alone, retrieved a couple of things, closed the house and left with a suitcase. Since then she had returned from time to time to water the grass. Zeke understood that he had to leave. He had scared Rosalyn, even if that hadn't been his intention.

Zeke was fearing that he wouldn't be able to send all the escapees back to Hell and that he wouldn't have the opportunity to redeem himself, so he had wanted let her know that he still loved her, that he would love her forever and that not even the place where he had been the last fifteen years could destroy real love. In fact, the only thing that kept him doing his work was the hope that Rosalyn and he would be together again.

Tired and defeated, Zeke started to walk toward his hotel. Love was suppossed to be a good thing, why did it hurt so much?

End.

Notes:

1° I saw a documentary about fake memories that could be put into impressionable people, then Wesa said something about the gift that Zeke gave to Rosalyn... and I couldn't help it. Sorry. :-D

2° I have no idea about psychology, so everything the doctor says is just my interpretation of what Rosalyn is going through.

3° Luke is short for Lucifer, and is the name that Wesa gave to The Devil in her saga "To Tempt The Devil." She also suggested the name "Luke Malkira." According "A Dictionary of Angels" by Gustav Davidson, Malkira ("king of the wicked") was the surname used for The Devil in "The Martyrdom of Isaiah" edited by R. H. Charles.