The Wrath Walker (The Wrath Series Book 1) by Matthew Newson (fun to read .txt) 📗

“I don’t have an answer to how a man could commit cold-blooded murder then heal another person, other than the devil copies the things God does all the time. This man could have some kind of power from the devil and is using it to confuse you. The devil is real, Brandon.”

“I get that, but this guy moved faster and was stronger than anyone I have ever seen before, and he wasn’t that much bigger than me.”

“Could you have seen it wrong? You did say he threw you into the wall pretty hard. Maybe you thought you saw him do all those things.”

He had a point, but I still wasn’t fully sold that Wrath wasn’t some random guy. “He said he had been in the city doing this thing for years, though.”

Phillip quietly sat back in his chair as he seemingly considered what to say next. “Well, if that’s the case, have you thought about visiting the old Black Castle the city is named after? It’s the place where the city keeps all of its official records from years past. I think they did it as some sort of PR gimmick, but they turned the place into an old museum. Maybe you can find something there?”

“Maybe, but I don’t think they’ll let me just go through the town records without some sort of permission from the mayor or the city council, given my stellar reputation.”

“Oh boy, you really have been out of the loop on what’s going on in the city, haven’t you? The city had all the records digitized, so the public can go and see the history of the city. You can read about the founding of the city to many other major events that have gone on in years past. I believe the only thing you can’t see is all the current stuff they’re working on.”

“That’s a good idea, but it would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Just trying to find a starting point would be maddening.” Then it hit me. I knew exactly where I needed to start looking to find out who the other potential victims could be.

“Brandon, are you okay?” Phillip’s words snapped me back to the present.

“Yes, and I have to go. Thank you for talking with me, Phillip, I really appreciate it.” I stood to leave.

“Wait, where are you going?”

“I have an idea where to start.” I proceeded to the door.

“Brandon, wait, if you ever need to talk again, please feel free to come by any time.”

“Thanks, I might take you up on that. But I have to go and figure this out, there’s a lot depending on it.”

He stood from his chair. “Will I see you next Sunday, Brandon?”

“One thing at a time here, Pastor Phillip.”

I rushed out of his office and to my beat-up old car.

Chapter SevenWrath

The City of Black Castle

I STOOD OUTSIDE, SAFELY concealed in the shadows and watched from across the street as the police walked Brandon out of Ron’s house and placed him in the back of one of their squad cars. He had to be going to the station to be questioned at length from Elizabeth. Brandon looked devastated when they placed him in the car with his hands cuffed behind his back, and I knew that was at Elizabeth’s order. I found her to be especially cold and unpleasant, but then again, she had blamed all the problems in their relationship on Brandon. I had studied him at length before I introduced myself to him, including his relationship with Elizabeth, and they were both very much to blame for their failed relationship. They were both selfish and too focused on their own careers. Even though neither would ever admit it out loud, they had always internally competed against each other to be the better detective. That driving force was the real reason their relationship would have never worked out, even if Elizabeth was able to get past all the drama Ron had caused them.

The squad car roared to life and turned onto the road as the driver cautiously made his way around the crowd of the neighborhood inhabitants that had come out for the show. I quickly slipped into the spirit realm and stealthily followed the car along its route, but not too close because I didn’t want anyone to be aware of my presence. If there was a person around who had the ability to see into the spirit realm, they could spot me in a second, and I wasn’t the only spiritual force running around there. If one of the officers had the ability to do so and spotted me, then all would be ruined. There was much more that I needed to do before my visit reached its inevitable dramatic climax. The time hadn’t been deemed for all of humanity to be aware of the existence of me and others like me. Even if the masses knew that spirit beings freely walked among them and interacted with them every day, many would be undone. Others might try and worship us, but there would still be those who found some reason to explain us all away.

It took a while before they finally made it to the precinct, and I decided to keep watch from above the ground. I looked on from the roof across the police station as Brandon was taken inside and undoubtedly told them all about me. I was sure he would tell them I had four other targets, but I wondered if he’d say that he was the fifth. I had been sent to Black Castle and other cities like it after many over the years, and released God’s wrath upon all of them, but only a few had been able to save themselves from my clutches. The way of escape seemed so easy and logical for all to see, but many were too prideful to accept a helping hand. Instead, they would choose to bite the hand that was trying