The Preacher

Written by Squire

The preacher quietly eats his meal and watches the couple across the room. The motel restaurant is almost empty this time of the day, the motel itself only has a few customers.

The couple he's watching are obviously a mother and her teenage son, the woman very attractive and neatly dressed, in her mid-30's; the son perhaps 16, surprisingly neatly dressed with a normal haircut, as opposed to so many youths with their extreme appearance. They smile at one another and chat in an obviously friendly fashion.

They appear to meet the profile the preacher seeks: a mother and her teenage son, adjusted, liking one another.

He waits patiently, picking at his food, until the family finishes their meal. Timing his movements, he moves behind them as they pay for their meal at the cashier. In a friendly fashion, he says hello to the woman and the boy, they speak of the weather and how quiet the motel is, the usual small talk strangers might share. The woman is reassured by the clerical garb the preacher wears, the shortsleeved black shirt and white clerical collar, his quiet friendly manner.

The preacher walks with them to the restaurant door, holds it for them, and the three of them walk down the sidewalk toward the motel rooms extending behind the restaurant. The preacher moves along as if his room were simply in the same direction as theirs, continuing the friendly casual talk.

The mother stops at a room and pulls the motel key from her purse. The preacher begins his good-byes, offering to meet them perhaps at supper, standing with them as the mother unlocks and opens the door. Her son moves past her into the room, she starts to say good-bye. The preacher casually checks around to insure no one is nearby, and then he moves quickly and unhesitatingly.

Pushing the woman back into the room, he quickly closes the door behind him. He can see the young boy standing further in the room, turning around in surprise at the unexpected intruder. The woman is trying to regain her balance, shocked and stunned at the sudden intrusion.

The preacher gives his commands in a strong firm voice.

"Woman, tell your son to go into the bathroom and wait until you call him out. I must speak to you of something important, and it must be in private."

The woman is confused and afraid. At first she was angered at the sudden unexpected shove, the man pushing into her motel room. When he closed the door and stood before them, her first thought was one of robbery or rape, the clerical garb only a disguise.

But now his words confuse her. Is he really a preacher and he has some sort of message for her? Has there been a death in the family or something, and he's been sent to tell her? She's been divorced for years, so it's not as if she had a husband to worry about. What could this man want?

Whatever it is, she must protect her son. And the best way to protect him right now is to do what this man says. It'll also get him out of the room, and give her time and space to try to cope with this threat. If the man is a thief, she can just give him her purse and he'll leave. If he's a rapist .. well, even if she can't protect herself, at least her son will be spared the sight and memory of a sexual assault on her. And if he's a preacher with some sort of message .. she'll have time to think.

She takes a deep breath and intentionally forces herself to relax. Her son's already becoming afraid and she doesn't want him to panic. She must reassure her son somehow that everything's all right.

Addressing the man in a stern voice, she says "Preacher, you didn't have to scare us like that. Just a second, and then we can talk."

Turning to her son, she's distressed to see the fear and confusion on his face. "Honey, everything's OK. Just go on into the bathroom, close the door, and wait for me, OK? Don't go trying to listen through the door either! I think the preacher has something personal to tell me. So wash your hands and face: I want to hear that water running. And I want to hear that door lock, you hear?"

There, that should get him safely away and protect him as best she can. Her son still looks confused and worried, but the hints of panic are gone from his eyes.

"OK, Mom. If you say so .." The boy walks into the bathroom, giving a last concerned look over his shoulder, and closes the door. She can hear the latch click, and then the sound of running water.

Turning back to the door, she sees the preacher standing just where he was a minute ago.

The preacher is pleased with the smart confident way the mother handled the emergency, protecting her son. The first critical part of the operation is over, thanks to her.

"Very good. You're obeying me, and that will protect you and your son. Stand there and don't move," he commands the worried mother. "Obey and you won't be harmed."

She stands unmoving in front of him, still clutching her purse in front of her, her face calm and cool, trying to hide her fear.

"Give me your purse." the preacher commands, and the woman hands it to him.

Quickly feeling within, he pulls out her wallet and hands the purse back to the woman. He then examines documents and licenses in the fat wallet, writing down her name and home address from the driver's license. He hands the wallet back to the woman, who automatically puts it back in her purse, reassured that he's taken nothing.

"Put your purse on the desk and sit down on the bed, and I will explain why I'm here. Listen, obey, and you won't be hurt."

The woman shakily obeys him and sits down on the edge of the bed, unconsciously smoothing her skirt over her slim thighs.

He then explains his purpose to the mother.

"I'm on a mission from God, to teach mothers and their sons a rule that has been removed from the Bible.

"It is essential that you obey me, that you do as I say this day. If you don't obey me, I must punish you."

The preacher steels himself for the most unpleasant part of the operation, the threats he must make to gain initial control and cooperation from the woman, to make her helpless and afraid to resist his commands. He tries to make his face as threatening as possible, his voice as gruff and vicious as he can. He knows that his large size, a gift of God and much deliberate exercising, helps to make him even more imposing and threatening. He then issues the threats that he hates so much, but that are so essential to early cooperation.

"I will beat you to within an inch of your life. I'll knock those pretty white teeth out and beat you until you're black and blue! Then I'll fuck your son in the ass, and then rape you right in front of his eyes!"

The preacher sees the fear in the woman's eyes as she holds a shaking hand to her mouth. His stomach churns at the terrible words, the threats of violence, but he must get this woman's cooperation and assistance before he can begin his teaching.

"And I know where you live. I'll return again to take you, to abuse you again, to shame you and your son: you won't be able to sleep peacefully again."

He sees the fear in the woman's eyes. He hopes he's convinced her of his potential for violence.

"I'll do whatever you say," the shaken woman says in a quavering voice. "Just don't hurt my son or me, please! I'll give you anything, just don't hurt him!"......(cont)