No Mercy

        The visitor entered the dining hall of the Seventh Street Mission just before dinner. Dressed in black except for his collar, he carried a set of beads, a bible and a small box. Walking around, he spoke to each man looking for someone to save. He was just about to leave when he saw a figure in the corner. The man’s shoulders were slouched, his head hung without expression. Walking over, the visitor introduced himself.

“They call me Father Dan,” he said. Mind if I sit down?”

“No,” said the man, “I’m Mickey.

Never been much of a religious man, Father,” said Mickey rubbing his scarred hands. “I’m afraid I’ve done too many things God won’t forgive.”

“There is no deed that God won’t forgive, Son if there is true repentance. You must believe in His mercy.”

“I want to, Father but some things are too horrible to be forgiven.”

“Tell me what you’ve done and I’ll help you repent.” Father Dan bowed his head.

“My old man hated sissies,” said Mickey. “That’s what he called my brothers and me when we lost a fight. He’d say, “Don’t be a sissy. Get in there and make the guy pay. Show no mercy.”

Tapping Mickey’s hands Father Dan said, “Go on.”

“I’m only sayin’ it started then. I’m not blamin’ him. I knew what I was doin.”

“That’s good, Son. It’s important to take responsibility. Go on.”

“I was in high school when I first killed a guy. His name was Frankie. He was a jock who could have any girl he wanted. But not Melissa. She was mine.”

While listening, Father Dan studied Mickey’s face. He was young, maybe thirty but shaded eyes and hollow cheeks made him look older. Painfully thin, his neck and breast bone bulged through the skin.

“I lived in Mountain Bay near Portland. Kids hung out and drank on one of the overlooks. Someone jumped off the cliff on a dare and soon every guy did it. They called it ‘Diving Under the Influence’. A few girls wanted to try it, even Melissa.”

Mickey’s words slowed.

“One night, Frankie started flapping his mouth about ‘getting with Melissa’ and I freaked. She’d been my girl since junior high. Frankie had no right gettin in the middle of that.”

Mickey’s hands moved faster.

“Finally everyone left except Frankie. I snuck up behind him, bashed his head with a rock and shoved him off the cliff. He sank like cement. No one knew cause they thought it was an accident. No mercy.”

“What about the girl?”

“Her family moved away. I guess they were afraid she’d be hurt next. I never saw her again.”

Staring at Mickey, Father Dan said, “Are you sorry for what you did, Son?”

Mickey looked up. “I lost Melissa anyway but I guess if I was really sorry, it wouldn’t have happened again.”

Mickey’s hands stopped moving.

“You said he was your first. Tell me who else.” Father Dan passed the rosary slowly over Mickey’s hands whispering a prayer.

“I left Mountain Bay after graduation and hitched a ride to Arizona. I got plenty of scut work: washing dishes, driving a delivery truck. I even got a job at fast food. That’s where I met Sandy. She managed the Jack in the Box in Phoenix. We hit it right off. She was two years older and hated her folks, too.”

Closing his eyes, Father Dan recited the Lord’s prayer while rubbing the beads around Mickey’s hands.

“Sandy didn’t have a boyfriend. She’d had it with guys hittin’ on her because she worked nights so I played it cool. I didn’t speak first. I did my job and was nice to the customers even though they were losers. One night after shift, she asked me out. We stayed together every night after.”

Mickey’s eyes darkened.

“One night, this joker came in drunk and Sandy asked him to leave. He started yelling about getting his burger and curly fries but Sandy refused to serve him. He called her a bunch of names and stormed out.”

“What did she do?”

“Nothing, she let it go. But she didn’t deserve it.”

“What did you do, Son?”

Lowering his eyes, Mickey stared at his hands. There were bruises and cuts on his fingers and the cuffs of his shirt were mixed with dirt and blood. After a moment, he looked up smiling.

“I told Sandy I needed a break. While the drunk stumbled lookin for his ride, I got in my truck, revved the engine and mowed the creep down like a pancake. It was perfect. There were no witnesses because it was dark but I drove through a car wash just in case. When I got back, an ambulance was drivin off with the guy but it was too late. I got him good. No mercy.”

Father Dan handed Mickey the beads.

“That was a while ago,” Mickey said. “Sandy and I didn’t last long after that. She felt sorry for the drunk. I thought it was stupid. How could she feel sorry for a guy who humiliated her in front of people?”

“What happened with her?”

“I couldn’t take her pitying him so I left. I worked at a state park picking up after tourists. The job had decent hours and reminded me of Mountain Bay. I was happy for a while till I wasn’t.”

Opening the Bible, Father Dan recited a marked passage.

“I mean, how happy could I be? I thought after the last time, I was finished killing. But I guess you never really are, don’t you think, Father?”

“Tell me about the blood, Son?”

Holding the rosary, Mickey tugged at his stained sleeves.

“Last night, a guy had his lights flashin so I stopped. He said he’d pay me ten bucks to fix a flat tire. When I was done, he said he couldn’t pay me. He thought he had the cash but was short. Said he’d send it to me.”

“You didn’t believe him?”

“That wasn’t the deal. If someone says they’re gonna pay you to do something, they gotta pay. That’s it.”

“What did you do?” Father Dan wrapped the beads tightly around Mickey’s s hands and recited another passage.

“I made him pay all right,” said Mickey. “No mercy.”

Closing his eyes, Father Dan remembered back when he’d saved his first soul. It’d been years since then and he had gotten quite good at his job. He knew all the parts of the Bible to save those in need and if he was lucky, he found the right tools. This time, he found one in Florida.

Looking around, Father Dan noticed the empty dining room. Opening the small box, he took out a crucifix, a sprinkler, a purple vestment and placed them on the table. Lifting the vestment, he placed it carefully around his neck.

“It’s clear, Son that you are in need of salvation. I have heard many stories from those without God in their hearts and I have brought the most deserving to the kingdom of heaven. Will you pray for forgiveness with me?” he said raising the crucifix and holding the sprinkler.

Mickey nodded.

Father Dan saw the only true desire in this man’s eyes was for food and a better place to sleep. There was no sign of remorse or regret which made him the right soul to save. Father Dan told Mickey to close his eyes while he recited a prayer.

“Dear Lord, I am your servant. Please bring this soul to the kingdom of light and forgive him for what he’s done.”

Clutching the crucifix, Father Dan sprayed Mickey in the face with a sticky liquid while repeating the prayer.

Within seconds, Mickey clutched his chest. His eyes, nose and mouth were sealed shut. He couldn’t get air from anywhere. Grabbing his mouth, he tried to force his lips apart but nothing moved.

Mickey flailed his arms from side to side reaching for Father Dan but when he stood, his lungs burst and he slumped to the floor.

Father Dan crouched over the body. Finding no pulse, he removed the vestment and placed it inside the box along with the crucifix, the bottle of liquid adhesive and the Bible.

Unsnapping his clerical collar, Father Dan placed it with the other items in the box. Kneeling down, he removed the rosary pea beads from the dead body and placed them carefully inside their pouch. According to his friend in Florida, the poison worked quickly once exposed to open cuts on the skin.

Taking his tools, Father Dan pondered which costume he’d wear for the next repentant. He enjoyed imitating a priest but maybe next time he’d try a minister or a monk. Sinners trusted religious men so it was easy to get close to them and fulfill his true calling as ‘The Punisher’. Stepping over the body to leave, he leaned down and whispered,

“You were right, Mickey. No mercy.”