Chapter 17
"For the Love of God, Live"
Having survived my encounter with demonic alligators, I focused all of my attention on the downed Agent Gordon, knowing that what saved me from Reverend Kane could also save Agent Gordon. Carefully, I bent down as I could see Agent Gordon with a look of sadness, pain and despair on her face.
"Why…why…?" she tearfully cried while sobbing. "God…why?"
"Agent Gordon," I whispered bending down and clutching her hand tightly, my Roman Catholic faith starting to come into play. "Agent Gordon, can you hear me?"
"Who…who is that?" Agent Gordon whimpered, unable to turn over towards me. It was apparent that her spine had been badly damaged by the gunshot. "Help…me…"
I looked down at the rosaries I was holding in my hand and being neurodivergent, I could feel and sense the pain that was going through Agent Gordon's mind.
"It's me, Daphne Blake," I whispered, taking the rosaries and placing them in her hand. "Can you feel what is in your hands?"
But Agent Gordon said nothing and more tears streamed from her face. I then turned over to Fred and Shaggy, who had now been covered with a sheet to protect him from the cold.
"I've put a rosary in your hand," I gently said as Beau bent down to join us, not wanting to see his partner in this condition. "It will help you survive."
I then removed what was left of my suit jacket and pressed it down on the stomach wound, not good that it would do anyway, but at least I could try and get the bleeding to stop.
Now, to be completely honest with you, I am not a doctor by any means. I don't have a medical degree or a Doctor of Medicine, but from what I was seeing, the damage done to Agent Gordon may have damaged her for life. Her legs were positioned in a way that would prevent her from walking again. Worst of all, she was shot in an area of her stomach that would not only prevent her from walking, but also deny her the option to ever have children of her own. But all that mattered was having her survive. Agent Gordon was young, she had her whole life ahead of her and even though we haven't known each other for very long, the fact she needed to survive was of great significance.
"This is just to try and stop the bleeding," I said. "Don't worry, I can buy another suit like this. I'm rich, I have money."
"She may never walk again," Beau replied to me solemnly, worried now that the paramedics were still not here. "Where the hell are the paramedics?"
But I said nothing and kept my eyes on Agent Gordon, trying to keep the rosaries in her hand. What I was trying to do was instill faith in her, faith that had saved me from the Reverend's alligators just now and now I was trying to help Agent Gordon fight for her life.
"Dear God, the wonderful Creator," I whispered, knowing that I needed to say a prayer for Agent Gordon. "Thank you for giving Agent Gordon a body that works in all sorts of amazing ways. This injury she is dealing with now makes me painfully aware that she is not able to physically do everything you've designed her body to do. I confess that I've gotten discouraged by the loss of function she has suffered, and by the pain. She needs your encouragement to help her get through however long she must deal with this injury. Please send her a fresh dose of encouragement through your messengers, the angels, whenever she needs it. Ask Raphael, your leading angel of healing, to intervene in my case."
Just then, the paramedics arrived and began working on Agent Gordon. Still, the prayers kept coming as she was gently loaded onto the stretcher.
"Please send her the miracle of your healing touch!" I continued. "I believe that you will respond to my prayer in whatever way is ultimately best. I understand that while you may indeed choose to heal her physically in some way - likely through medical care, but perhaps even supernaturally - you may choose only to heal her soul (the eternal part of her) rather than her body (the temporary part of her). I welcome your healing work, however, it comes into my life. Thank you for your great power and your loving compassion for me! Amen."
…
At that moment, Agent Gordon was taken away and all Beau could do was stand in devastation over his partner's situation. I then turned my attention over to the stretcher bearing Jack Ramsay, the man who had been masquerading as Jocco the Jester.
"Daphne?" Fred asked, walking over to me and Beau.
"She needs to live Freddie," I answered, tears of my own forming at the corner of my eyes. "She needs to live."
Of course, I wasn't the only one who wanted someone to live. How could someone like Jack Ramsay assume the role of a Jester to get a soul like me for a demonic Reverend?
I wanted answers…we all wanted answers…everyone that this man killed wanted answers.
And we would get them soon enough.
...
A little while later, we all were taken to the hospital to be checked out for injuries. While I had nothing but cuts and bruises, they were nothing compared to the horrors that we went through.
"Beau, any news on Agent Gordon?" I asked as Beau stepped into the room.
"She's in surgery," he said sadly, holding what appeared to be my rosary beads. He took my hand and placed them in the palm of my hand. "They're doing everything they can to save her spine, but it's not looking good."
Taking a deep sigh, I immediately sympathized with Beau and all I could do was look down at the rosary beads in my hand.
"Beau, I'm sorry," I said.
"It's the nature of the job we are in, Daphne," Beau answered. "The same with hunting ghosts the way you and the others do."
It was clear that the life of Agent Gordon was never going to be the same again when all would be said and done.
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