False Healer

Chapter Ten

While Taymor and his followers worked to tie Officer Wuornos down on top of the altar, Abassi prepared himself for the ritual. Each of them took a long time to perform, but because Nathan was different, Abassi knew that this time was going to be different; that this was going to take a lot more of his own strength and energy to complete the ritual.

A few minutes before midnight, Abassi walked back into the clearing, through the crowd, and finally stood beside the altar. He carried a basket with him, but set it down as he arrived. Nathan only glared at Abassi as the witch doctor loomed over him and began to chant, almost as if he was signing a song. After Nathan listened for a few minutes, he realized that the song was an African chant.

As he continued his chant, Abassi pulled out a large, jagged dagger from under his cloak, which he wore on his shoulders, and slowly began to carve a large symbol into the skin across Nathan's stomach. Abassi slowly carved smaller symbols across his chest and then suddenly stabbed the tip of the dagger roughly into the palms of his hands and the tops of his feet. Blood began to trickle from each of his wounds as the witch doctor pulled the dagger away.

Taymor walked over to stand across from Abassi at the altar and took the dagger from him as he finished, then picked up the basket from the ground and opened up the lid as he held it out to his friend. Abassi reached into the opened basket and slowly pulled out a large snake and gently laid it on top of Nathan's chest.

Nathan looked down and stared at the snake, as it began to slither up his body until it reached where the right side of his neck met his shoulder and struck, biting deep into his flesh. Nathan began to grow dizzy as Abassi picked up the snake once again and carefully put it back inside the basket, then closed the lid to keep it from escaping.

Abassi still continued his chanting as the crowd around them watched the ritual in awe, while Taymor picked up the case that held his syringes and pulled out one and waited until Nathan was on the verge of falling unconscious, then injected the needle into his chest, just above his heart.

Taymor bent down next to Nathan's ear and whispered, "The snake's venom is meant to kill the cells throughout your body so that the disease within you will die and the serum I just injected into your heart will keep the poison from killing you; at least for now. Abassi has saved many from a number of curses and diseases by performing this ritual. Not one of them has died, until we came here to Haven. My friend has lost faith in himself. However, if he can save you, his faith will be renewed."

Nathan struggled to speak as he answered, "And if he fails… which I know… know that he will, you will have to find a new way… to make money… from behind bars. When I die, you both will be… in prison… waiting for a needle… a needle of your own."

"As Abassi told you before, by the time your partner finds you, we will be long gone," Taymor responded angrily. "It's time for us to leave you alone. We will keep our eyes on you to try to keep you alive and the chanting will continue through the night, but I doubt you'll be awake much longer to be able to listen. Good night, Officer Wuornos."

"Chief Wuornos," Nathan replied as he finally allowed the darkness to overcome him.

As the followers slowly began to walk away, one of them walked up to Taymor and said, "This is wrong, Sandri. I don't agree with the fact that he was against what Reverend Driscoll fought for, but Nathan is still a good man, who only wants to do what he thinks is right for us and all of Haven. I joined Abassi because he said that he could stop the 'Troubles', but so far three are dead and Nathan will probably be next. This wasn't supposed to happen."

Taymor put a hand on the man's shoulder as he responded, "If Abassi is going to be able to figure out how to save your town from this curse, then what's going on here is necessary. Soon, you all will be free to live in peace. That is what you want, isn't it?"

"Of course it is," the man answered. "I just…"

"Then, you need to let this happen," Sandri interrupted. "Do I make myself clear?"

The man nodded and walked away. Taymor smiled and then walked back over to stand beside Abassi. The witch doctor suddenly stopped his chanting and turned his head to look at his friend.

He softly said, "I hear the doubts among the men and women here with us. I do not blame them. Do you believe that I can save him, or do you not even care? I have heard rumors you only care for the money we have taken from them."

"I do care for you, My Friend," Sandri replied. "I do believe that you can save him. I have never doubted you, but in order to do what we must, we must also get paid. You are a doctor after all. We need money to live. My loyalty is with you always, as I hope your loyalty belongs with me."

"We have been friends for a long time, Sandri," Abassi responded. "I believe you. Please, stay by my side tonight as I continue to fight for his freedom from his curse. I am growing weary and I will need your strength if I am to be successful."

Taymor answered, "I was never planning on leaving. Just complete the ritual and I will administer the drugs needed to keep him alive for as long as is necessary."

Abassi started up his chanting once again as he raised his arms and head toward the sky, while continuing to stand over Nathan, who lay unconscious on top of the altar. As Taymor looked down at Nathan, he could see that a fever was beginning to rise within him, as sweat broke out across his forehead, down his neck, as well as down his chest.

The flow of blood from all of his wounds continued to trickle out slowly, but Taymor finally began to clean the lacerations through Nathan's hands and his feet with fresh water and then wrapped them tightly with bandages in order to stop the flow and to keep him from dying from the loss of blood. As he looked over at his friend and saw that his eyes were facing toward the sky, he smiled.