Chapter 7

Father Hermann's Diagnosis

Felix lay half awake, half asleep on his bed. All around him it was dark. The lights were off, the door was shut, and his shutters were closed. It was very quiet, no one was upstairs with him, they were all downstairs. He was in his bed all alone in the dark, quiet room. He debated whether or not to turn on his side and if he did turn over which way. But in his current condition he realized that he really couldn't do anything right now. He was so exhausted that he was surprised that he was still conscious. And he was in constant pain. The fleeting pains that he had been experiencing now refused to fade away. His hands, feet, and back felt like a million burning needles were being poked into them as he lay perfectly still. When he tried to move the pain exploded into infernos and threatened to send him back into the blacker darkness of unconsciousness.

He couldn't really remember what had happened after he passed out on the camping trip. His mother told him that Arnold and Axel ran for help while Wolfie tried to take care of him. The others that remained refused to go near him because they thought that he was possessed or that Anna had cast a spell on him. Wolfie knew better and tried to keep the writhing unconscious Felix from moving too much. When the two boys returned with help the adults took charge of the situation. They put Felix in his sleeping bag and carried him the two miles back to town and his home. He was carried up to his room, put him in his bed, and that is where he slept for two days straight.

Now it was Monday and there was no way beyond a miracle that he was going to make it to school. His digital clock displayed the exact time in glowing red numbers that never seemed to change. The faint glow the spread from beneath his door provided enough light for him to make out the rough outlines of his private living space. He could see his desk where he did his homework assignments every night and the worn stool that he sat on. He could make out the dim outlines of his collection of books on his set of shelves. In the corner sat his wooden dresser with its top covered in picture frames. Beyond that his room was neat, orderly, and barren. No relics of his childhood aside from photographs remained.

The dull thuds of approaching footsteps reached Felix's ears and he slowly turned to face the door. He watched the brass knob turned and heard the metallic click before it slowly creaked open. As the door opened it revealed his mother with a tray in her hands. There was a bowl on the tray, probably some sort of soup, and a cup of some kind of tea. When the door had opened wide enough she tiptoed in and stood before his bed. The light that followed her in from the hall was blinding to him so he could barely make out his mother's outline when he squinted. As his eyes adjusted his mother simply stood there and waited. When he could finally see he greeted his mother.

"Guten Morgen Mutter." Felix managed to croak weakly.

"Guten Morgen Felix. Are you feeling better today?" She asked.

"Nein." He replied.

"Do you think that you can take some food?" She asked softly.

"Ja." Felix replied.

His mother nodded and sat in a chair next to his bed that he hadn't noticed earlier. She placed the tray on his nightstand and propped him into a seating position with some extra pillows. She tried to be careful but every movement still caused him pain. Once he was settled she began to spoon feed him the warm, thick soup alternated with sips of the tea. She did this in silence, the same way that she did just about everything else. The only person that said less than her was his father. Why that was he didn't know and he never felt like asking. The soup ran out far too soon to Felix and he was about to ask for more when two new people entered his room. They were Father Freidrich Hermann and Father Johannes Drachen.

"Guten Morgen Felix." Father Hermann wheezed.

"Guten Morgen Felix." Father Drachen echoed politely.

"Guten Morgen Father Hermann, Father Drachen." Felix greeted in return as his mother vanished from the room.

There was only one reason for these priests to be here. His father had sent for them. Physical ailments like broken bones and viruses were things to see the doctor for, but when things began to enter the realm of mental illness his father distrusted modern medicine in favor of religion and faith. Because seizures and headaches are products of the mind his father must have decided to call on Winzeldorf's priests rather than the doctors to treats his only child. Felix wasn't sure if he agreed with his father's decision but he was in no shape to protest.

"How are you feeling this fine morning?" Father Hermann rasped as he seated himself on the edge of Felix's bed.

"Not very well." Felix replied, wishing that it was only Father Drachen who had come.

"I am sorry to hear that." Father Hermann sighed. "Do you know what happened to you Saturday night?"

"I don't remember all of it, but mother told me the rest." Felix answered.

"Do you know why it happened?" Father Hermann asked.

"No." Felix replied with a frown. What sort of question is that?

"What did you feel when your 'attack' happened?" Father Hermann inquired.

"It hurt a lot. It felt like I was on fire from the inside out." Felix answered.

"Did you hear anything when it happened?" Father Hermann almost demanded.

"No, I didn't hear anything." Felix replied. Father Hermann sat back and seemed to consider what he learned before speaking again.

"Are you sure that you did not hear anything?" The old priest asked.

"Yes, I am sure." Felix firmly answered.

"How odd." Father Hermann muttered to himself.

The elderly priest rose from Felix's bed and shuffled out of the room deep in thought. As soon as the old man was out of the room Felix allowed himself to relax. He wasn't sure what is was but something about Father Hermann always put him on edge. The priest was a withered old man who indulged in pipe tobacco throughout most of his life. His hair had become white and wispy and his eyebrows were thick and heavy with age. Father Hermann's skin was nothing but wrinkles upon wrinkles hanging loose in some places off his thin frail frame. The old priest's eyes while still sharp and intelligent were sunk deep into his face. Overall his aged body reminded Felix of a picture of a zombie he'd seen once.

"How has life been treating you Felix?" Father Drachen asked suddenly making Felix flinch in surprise.

Felix had completely forgotten that the younger priest was still there. Father Drachen was a newly minted priest from Berlin. He was the only person who had moved here since Felix had been born. Very few people moved to Winzeldorf from other parts of the country and no one from another country had ever moved here. The dark-haired priest was considered an outsider by most adults but most of the younger generation preferred him to the walking mummy of Father Hermann. The few masses that Felix had seen him conduct were more interesting and entertaining than anything that Father Hermann had done. In Felix's humble opinion Father Drachen was the better priest not that his father would agree with him.

"Not very well at all." Felix sighed tiredly, sinking back into his bed.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Hopefully things will start to get better soon." Father Drachen soothed.

"I hope so too." Felix mumbled. Before they could speak further Father Hermann called Father Drachen out into the hall. Felix knew he shouldn't, but he strained his ears to try and hear what they were saying.

"What do you think?" He heard Father Hermann ask.

"He seems to be very sick but otherwise the same as he usually is." Father Drachen replied.

"I am not so sure of that." Father Hermann countered.

"Oh, what makes you think that?" Father Drachen asked.

"The only thing that doesn't fit is that he hasn't heard any strange voices." Father Hermann seemed to say to himself.

"I don't think that I follow you Father." Father Drachen sighed.

"It's very obvious to me. This boy is suffering from the early stages of demonic possession. Normally strange voices are reported first but it is quite possible that the demon has remained silent so far." Father Hermann patiently explained.

"Are you certain?" Father Drachen sounded as incredulous as Felix felt upon hearing that.

"Yes I am." Father Hermann confidently replied.

"So what are you going to tell Felix and his parents?" Father Drachen hesitantly asked.

"I will tell them that I believe that Felix is suffering from some early stage of demonic possession and that I recommend that an exorcism be performed as soon as possible." Father Hermann declared. Felix closed his eyes and slumped deep into his bed. Oh schiβe…