Isabell is sound asleep. She is feeling uneasy and nauseous. She suddenly sees some images turning into motion.
"I am dreaming again. Jasebell is that you?? what more could you show me. No one believes me. What's the point of showing these dreams or memories" said Isabell talking to herself in her sleep.
She hears a faint voice of someone calling her name. But this time it's not a voice of a woman or a girl. It's a man's voice and scary man's voice at that. He calls out to her…"ISABELL ….ISABELL".
She sees someone approaching her. She can hear loud footsteps from all the sides. Its dark and she could see nothing. The voice stopped aslo the footsteps. She sees a yellow light shinning in front of her amidst all the darkness.
"Hello….is anyone there??" Isbaella asks, but there is no answer.
"Mama….Papa…Jasabell….anyone??? I am scared" said Isabell in a whispering voice.
She goes closer towards the yellow light. Stunned and unable to move, tears run down Isabella's cheeks.
"No it cant be…..its the Taveeerrr"… Isabella stutters
It is the very statue of the Diety of Tavern just like grandmama explained….its the Tavernodus, God of wealth and success. But he looks anything but holy. She sees writings on the foot stone of the statue, which exactly matches with the symbol on her chest.
The symbol on the foot stone begins to wobble and form into actual words….
It said…..Mem Mem Vav Nun.
"Mem Mem Vav Nun? ...But what does it mean" asked Isabell to herself. At that moment the statue began to break and from the broken stone a new sculpture emerged.
It was horrifying to look at. It is not a God or a Deity. It was of a Demon. A terrifying malicious demon.
Isabell begins to run away. She stumbles and falls down. When she opens her eyes, she has fallen off of her bed.
Isabella sighs in relief. She sees that one of the wood under the bed has come off. She goes under the bed to take a closer look. There she finds a small secret compartment. There she finds a Diary and a Hebrew Bible.
She takes the books and sits in her bed. She opens the Diary. In the first page its written...."Jasabella's Diary. Caution to those who are going to read it".
Isabella begins to turn the pages.
Jasabella has mentioned about Mayor Michael and how he has been lurking around her in order to get married to her. There are few pages missing here and there. She also reads about the Vision of The Tavernodus exactly as Isabella saw in her dream moments earlier. She a page with the title as "the true face of the Deity"
Isabella reads aloud…
" Tavernodus isn't a God, he is the Demon. I searched all the books at the county library after my visions. I couldn't find anything. I asked the people in the village but they shooed me away.
I asked the Librarian about the words I saw at the foot stone under the Tavernodus statue. He said the words are Hebrew and that it is related to something in the bible. The librarian couldn't help me any further but showed me the way to the Archaeology and Religious Study section. I found an old Hebrew bible, worn off and most parts damaged. I borrowed a Hebrew English dictionary and went home.
Mem Mem Vav Nun... Matthew 6:24: No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Mammon…. The Aramaic god of wealth and profit.
In the Middle Ages he was often personified as the seven princes of Hell.
Also known as Greed..one among the seven deadly sins.
Those who pray to him and offer him sacrifices accrues great wealth and success. He preys on the greed that men have when it comes to money and success.
I tried to tell mama and papa but they did not believe me. I went to the Village Elders Council the next day and presented my findings. They assured me that they will handle and find the statue wherever it is.
I was happy that the village elders took me seriously unlike my parents.
My best friend Maria, one of the Tooder Twins visited me that evening. She was in great distress. She told me about the affair that is going on with Sophia, her twin sister and Mayor Michael. She also said that Sophia is with a child and that it is Mayor Michael's. She happened to have listened to their conversation at the Barn while she came back from the market.
Maria didn't know what to do. She was betrothed to William Mundane, Mayor Michael's nephew and soon to be wed tomorrow morning.
She also informed me that today midnight both Sophia and Mayor Michael are planning to get married in secret. She pleaded me to talk with Sophia and Mayor Michael tonight.
We both planned to sneak behind them and find out where they are planning to get married. It was night. I sneaked out off my room and went out. I met Maria behind her father's Shop "The Tooders". It was almost midnight and they saw Sophia sneaking out off her house wearing a white dress. She began to walk towards the off road. Maria and I followed her without her noticing. She went way too far off road and reached a rundown factory. In front of the factory there was a small table with white cloth spread on it. The mayor was standing next to the table with the village elders all dressed in black hooded clothes. Sophia was surprised but the Mayor assured her that they are with him on this marriage and they will be the Reverend to this marriage.
Maria and I stood watching behind an old cart not too far from the factory.
The elders started to chant some prayer in an unknown language. They put a flower crown on her head and took her inside the factory. When everyone went inside and the factory was closed. We moved closer towards the factory and looked inside through the crack on the wood.
My eyes widened. I couldn't move and I was trembling in fear…it was the statue of the Tavernodus…no…it was Mammon the prince of Hell just like she saw in her dream.
Sophia was shocked and afraid. She told the mayor that she is scared and wants to go home. But the Mayor ignored her. One of the elder brought a shackle and chained her neck and hands. Both of us couldn't move due to fear. They made her lay down and began to bow before the statue. One of the elders said…."here is your sacrifice my lord".
Sophia began to scream. Maria opened the door to the factory and rushed in screaming. When I was about to go in with her, someone covered my mouth with their hands. They closed the door, it was papa and mama…. They told me not go in. They dragged me out of the factory grounds and took me home despite all of my attempts to help Maria and Sophia.
They locked me in my room. I tried to break open the door but it was futile. I cried all night and went to sleep. The next day when I woke up the door was open. I ran and went to the Tooders residence expecting both Sophia and Maria to be safe. Instead i found a big crowd outside the residence. I went inside and found Mr. Tooder crying and Mrs. Tooder laying down almost unconscious.
I heard the bystanders gossiping about Sophia and Maria who were found dead outside the factory. They were saying that the elders found the girls playing inside the factory and mentioned seeing the Statue of Lord Tavernodus. They had to be sacrificed on the spot as by not doing so the village will be grave peril.
I was furious and I screamed at the crowd stating that it was not a God they were sacrificed to but a Demon. No God gives prosperity in exchange for human life.
The crowd began to murmur and said that I am going to die soon since I spoke ill off their God. The elders came upfront and was going to say something, but was interrupted by mama and papa who came running and apologizing on my behalf.
The crowd began to tell the elders to sacrifice me or else the whole village will rot.
The elders looked at me with an eerie smile...I am doomed …. Am I the next sacrifice...
Rest of the pages are missing. Isabell tried to look for the pages but found none. She looked at herself in the mirror and began to whisper….."Am I the next sacrifice??"
End of Chapter 6