Freement by William James Johnson Chapter 1

Freement

by

William James Johnson



His feet astride, and hands thrust upward, Freement chilled the small gathering with his challenge which had become his method of captivating his audience whenever he spoke.
"God...if there is a God, and you are so powerful, show my followers your mighty power...I dare you to strike me dead, now...before all these witnesses...strike me dead, in front of them."
Outside the darkened church where they were gathered, jagged lightning ripped open the heavens releasing a cold winter flood. Cascading from a black November sky, freezing rain pelted the streets of Chathurst. North of the University, on the other side of the city, a vigilante group of angry fathers hurried out of their meeting at the Asylum, and raced to the Union Church. They had agreed to capture Freement the tyrant, despoiler of young people's minds, and turn him over to the Sisters of Faith, who administered the Asylum. Despite their hatred of this cultist, they were convinced his destructive theories were caused by a perversion of his religious faith, and he should be cared for by his own kind.
Down Richmond Hill, past the University, and the majestic leafless maples that bordered its campus, they entered the cavernous streets of their metropolis. Splashing through the deluge, they sped along the waterfront which had given birth to their city, its rugged natural harbour, once a thing of beauty, now a ragged nightmare of freight piers and grain elevators. Approaching the factory side of Chathurst, with its boarded-up windows, and rusty rail lines, they passed the Cosmo Hotel, its flashing neon sign, dripping colour in their path. The Cosmo was the spawning ground of the philosophy of Freement, whose aim was, "Mental Freedom through the destruction of conscience...".
The convoy had nine cars in all, with three or four men in each. A mixed lot of ordinary people living in a lukewarm Christian society. They had been provoked to protect their way of life despite its shortcomings, from the devastation caused by the cult of Freementers. The desecration of their places of worship and degradation of morality amongst their children had finally provoked these parents to fight against the evil in their midst. Pulling up in front of the Union Church, they searched the eery darkness for signs of life. The blackness heightened the sense of guilt they felt, as they waited outside the modern low-slung building. Lightning revealed the stark lines of the uncomplicated design, evidence of the non-sectarian attitude of its congregation.
"We're not going to get that bastard just sitting here," said Finn Dancy, self-appointed leader of these vigilantes.
Yanking up his collar, he pushed opened the car door, and dashed out into the freezing rain, towards the front of the building. Soon his short, stout figure, blended into the darkness, relieved only by sudden flashes of lightning. After a cursory inspection, he charged back to the car.
"What a bitch of a night. Doesn't look like he's here yet. We're just gonna have to sit tight and wait."
The driver in the car behind them, blasted his horn.
"What the hell's he want?"
"That's Hank Fisher. Probably wants to know what we're gonna do, since the church is so dark, and all."
Finn reached for the door handle again.
"I better tell them we're gonna wait. He's gonna be here tonight. I know that for sure."
"Hold on Finn. You're soaked already. You're gonna get a helluva cold. I'll go tell them."
"No use all of us getting soaked. Keep your eyes peeled, while I tell the others."
As he went back out into the bleak night, Mick Kelly told them about Finn.
"I feel sorry for the little sucker. He's only got one kid, a sweet little girl, or she was before she got mixed up with this bastard Freement. Now she turns tricks down on Brush street. He tells me she's been into drugs, and has had a couple of abortions. It's just about killed him and his wife. You can see why he wants to get this whoremonger."
"You gotta hand it to him. The little guys got guts," said Charlie Bender, whose son had been mixed up with Freement for several months.
"What about your boy, Charlie?"
"Just like Finn and his daughter. We feel we've lost him. He was never really a bad kid, you know. Then he meets this weirdo who says do whatever you like, as long as it makes you feel good, and Joey falls for it."
"Were you very strict at home?"
"No more than other parents. My folks did a pretty good job on me when I was growing up, so I tried to raise my kids the same way. But Jeezus! Times sure have changed. Kids don't care anymore. Listen to their music, and you'll see for yourself, anything goes. What do you think Frank?"
Frank Martindale wanted to come along, because he didn't want them to hurt his son John. They said they only wanted to stop him spreading his gospel of mental freedom, a philosophy he had developed when he was at Chathurst University. It was his son, who was the infamous Freement. Listening to them, he found it hard to believe they were talking about his boy. They all agreed that to preach what he was preaching, he would have to have developed some kind of mental illness. They felt certain capturing him, and turning him over to the Sisters of Faith Asylum, before his behaviour became violent, was the best way to handle this problem. Frank was convinced his son must be possessed by a demon, and maybe the Church should be asked to exorcise this evil.
"I asked you what you think Frank," repeated Bender.
"I don't know what to think. All these things you said about John...I don't know what to say Charlie. I just want to be sure you guys don't hurt him, that's all."
"After all the grief he's caused us..."
"Back off Charlie," said Mick. "How'd you feel if he was your son?"
"Thank Christ he's not..."
Some of the cars began to move on the streets which were now becoming slippery, as the temperature was dropping. Finn returned to his car, dripping wet, and trembling from the cold and the excitement.
"I told the guys to spread out, so we wouldn't alert them when they get here. Jesus, I'm freezing."
"Turn the heat on high Charlie. And you better get outa that coat Finn. You're gonna get a helluva cold."
"I don't care what happens to me, as long as we get that devil and stop him spreading his lies...a cold would be a small price to pay."
The blast of warm air soon steamed up the car windows. Impatient, Finn rubbed the steam off with his sleeve.
"Jesus!...I hope that bastard shows up. Can't you see what we're doing is for your boy's own good Frank?"
"I guess so...it's just that being here like this, I feel like a traitor that's all."
"Look, you didn't have to come. You wanted to be sure to protect him. There ain't gonna be no trouble unless he starts it. Isn't that right guys?"
"That's right Frank..We get him turned over to the nuns, you being Catholic and all, he'll be protected there."
Mick wiped the steam off his window, and peered into the blackness.
"Its amazing how your imagination plays tricks on you. I could of sworn there's someone standing in the side doorway of the church."
Wanting to show Finn he was also a man of action, Mick rushed out of the car, running across the soggy lawn, towards the building. Slipping, he fell down on one knee, and got up again. They saw him grab a shadowy figure.
"Let me go...please let me go."
"A girl ! What the hell you doin' standing' here in the dark?"
By this time Finn had reached them. When Mick released the girl Finn grabbed her and began shaking her.
"Where is he? Where's that bastard Freement?" The girl began to cry.
"You're hurting her Finn. For Chrissake let her go. She's only a kid."
"Keep to hell outa this Mick. Now tell me kid, where are the others?"
"Inside...with Freement. You've got to stop him."
"Get the others Mick...Hurry."
"He's in a room in the basement. You can't see the lights from the street. He's a madman. I came to the meeting, and when he stood in front of us and challenged God to strike him dead, to prove in his words, 'there is no God'...it was horrible. He ridiculed us for believing in spiritual things. That's when I shouted I would pray for him. Two of his men kicked me out. It was awful."
"How many are there?"
"About twenty or so. What are you going to do?"
"We're gonna take care of this devil, once and for all, when the rest of the men get here."
Soon they were surrounded by several men, their coat collars pulled up against the weather, eager to follow the girl into the church basement. Frank Martindale was at the front.
"Remember you promised no one would get hurt."
"I didn't promise nothin'. Listen guys, they're in the basement. We've got 'em outnumbered. Half you guys come with me, and the rest cover the other doors in case they make a run for it. And Frank, I want you to stay out here. I don't want to take any chances on you screwing up, when we get inside."
"But maybe I could explain to him...make him understand."
"It's too late for explanations. Charlie!... Keep an eye on Frank for me. The rest of you guys, for Chrissake be quiet goin' in. We want to take them by surprise."
Stealthily they followed the girl down the stairs. There were several doors at the bottom along each side of a narrow hallway. She opened one of them, and led them across a concrete floor in the furnace room. They stopped outside a sliding steel door.
"This leads to a storage room. There aren't any windows. That's why you couldn't see anything from outside. This door slides across. It's a fire door. They're inside."
"Thanks miss. You better get outa here, and keep outa sight."
Finn listened closely to the energetic voice of a young man speaking.
"...you're never going to be free unless you get rid of God in your lives. Destroy God, or belief in God will destroy you. It's up to people like you and me, young people who have our whole lives ahead of us, to make this world a better place to live in. Down with ignorance and fantasy. Free men from the enslaving bonds of hypocritical morality. Destroy the conscience that takes away your freedom."
Finn could tolerate no more of his rantings. Grabbing the edge of the sliding door, he forced it open. The rest of the men surged inward like a tide of righteousness. Some of the girls screamed when they saw what was happening. A few tried to run through the opening, but were forced back into the room.
Finn screamed above the noise.
"It's no use trying to escape. We've got the place surrounded. Give yourselves up, and you wont get hurt."
Freement's striking appearance surprised them. They expected to find a long haired, dissipated druggie. His handsome face radiated with the inner enthusiasm of a mystic. Looking like a young executive, in his dark grey suit, he moved confidently towards Finn.
"No one wants to leave. They've come to listen to my message. Feel free to join us."
Finn slapped his extended hand.
"Don't touch me you sacrilegious bastard...join you! We've come to end your goddamn lies."
"How can you say I lie, when you don't even know what I teach? You're the kind of people I've been speaking about. You're willing to die to protect our freedom, but just let one member of our society try to use his freedom of speech, and he ends up being condemned by you...without a hearing. And do you know why? Because you fear God. You're not free to listen to new ideas because God will punish you. You're so ridiculous,...It's pitiful."
"Shut him up Finn. We didn't come to argue with the sonofabitch. Let's get him to hell outa here for Chrissake...this is a church, a goddamn place of worship."
"Where is all this treachery going to end? Full grown men, frightened to listen to a few words. I suppose you're going to justify this assault by claiming you're doing it in the name of God. If that's the way you want it, I demand your God, damn you for all eternity."
Finn lunged at Freement's throat, but the agile leader side stepped, and rabbit punched him in the back of the neck, knocking him down . The others backed off momentarily when they saw Finn squirming on the floor. Mick bent to help him, and one of the youths kicked him in the groin. He rolled over on the hard concrete, moaning as he tried to protect himself in a fetal position.
A girl tried to run past the guard on the door. Seeing what had happened to the irate fathers, he punched her in the face, and drove her back into the store room. Grabbing her around the body, he forced her tiny breasts up under her chin.. Using the only weapon she had, she brutally bit into his arm, until he thrust her away, shouting obscenities. Another girl who tried to help one of her fallen friends was covered in blood when someone kicked the boy in his nose and broke it. Insanely the vigilantes lashed out at their own children, blaming Freement for their violent attack.
Chairs were broken. Screams of the young girls were drowned out by the shouting curses of their Christian captors. Freement set the example for his followers, burying his fist into the solar plexus of an overweight parent, who fell like a sack of dry cement. As he fell, the rebellious leader straightened him out with a knee butt on the jaw.
"Stop it...please. Stop hurting yourselves and listen to Freement. He has the truth...shouted one of the girls. She was silenced when a man grabbed her around the neck, and flung her to the floor. Freement wanted to end the struggle.
"Listen to me. You've got to stop this ridiculous attack. You say you are Christians, then in the name of Christ, be merciful. If only you'll let me explain, I'll come with you...but please spare the others."
Finn Dancy got up from the floor, his face covered in blood. "We didn't come to bargain with the devil. The sooner we get you back into hell, the better it will be for all of us."
Two men grabbed Freement, and pinned his arms behind him. The short but stocky Dancy, unloaded a tremendous punch at his mid-section. As he came back at him for another blow, Freement caught him squarely in the groin, and the scrappy Irishman, doubled up in pain. Giving a sudden jerk, he tore free from his two captors, and charged towards the door. The sound of his face being mashed by a swinging shovel was the last thing he heard, as he fell over backward, into the store room. They continued to kick and punch him while he was out on the floor, releasing months of pent up hate and frustration for this fiend.
They dragged his beaten body up the cement stairs to the waiting cars. They didn't really care what happened to the others. They had captured the wretch they had come after.
Frank Martindale was in a state of shock, as he tried to recognize in this mangled mass, his son John.
They delivered the beaten leader of the Freementers to the Sisters of Faith. One of the guys even suggested using the small chapel in the Asylum, to say a little prayer of thanksgiving for God's help in capturing the evil cultist.

View original art by William James Johnson at www.noozoon.com