Chapter Fifteen: At the Flanders' Home
Father O'Flaherty knocked on Ned's door. After some time, it opened. Ned, predictably, was in no fair condition at all. His eyes were swollen and red. Tears had blazed their trails across his sullen face. John Denver music was playing loudly.
"Yes…can I help you?" he asked politely.
"Mr. Flanders…it's about yer son. I need to speak with you. May I come In?"
Ned said nothing. He moved away from the door, leaving it open. The priest paused, then entered. He followed the mellow sounds of "Country Roads" to the den, where Ned sat sobbing, his head in his hands, a glass of B&B Bourbon on the coffee table.
Father O'Flaherty sat in the couch opposite of where Ned was sitting. He set his briefcase down on the floor, then steepled his fingers, running briefly through his plan of action.
"Mr. Flanders…I have come to you today, because I have reason to believe that your child, Theodore, is possessed by a demon."
Ned gasped. He looked up at the priest, his teary eyes were brimming with anger and grief.
"I can not say fer sure, though. Wit' your permission, I can talk to the boy, though. I will then be able to tell you whether or not I can help your son."
Ned looked at the ground. His glasses slid down the bridge of his sweaty nose. He seized his hair with both hands and pulled as hard as he could.
"Please…it may be the only chance we have to get yer son back…"
O'Flaherty sat silently and looked for a moment upon the broken man that was once Ned Flanders. He was shaking now, whether with rage or sadness or sickness, or some combination of the three, he did not know. He felt that he should not have come, that he should not have compounded the man's grief, telling him that the Devil was controlling his son. He took his briefcase, and stood up. He turned and headed for the door.
"…Why him, Father? Why him?"
The priest turned. Ned was looking at him now. His eyes held no anger, only desperation and grief.
"I do not know…but whatever the reason…we can help him."
"I…give you my permission… They're keeping him in the Unnecessarily Secure wing, of the John Terrance Overkille ward."
"Thank you."