The Laws of Men (Five minutes freewrite)

marie-jay (61)in #freewrite • 6 years ago (edited)

The Office was not in the habit of offering explanations for the very obvious reason its decisions were final and unquestionable. Why bother then? Yet, from time to time it pleased His Eminence to make himself available and accept a petitioner’s call for a retrial. As incredibly busy as he was, His Eminence had been endowed with a prodigious memory. He never forgot a face and, in the course of his duty, had many times taken a particular dislike to certain of his subjects. Had he been permitted feelings of hate he’d have abhorred the mere presence of some of them. But, as he was called to be impartial he had to content himself with feelings of deep disgust, like when you see a big fat worm crawling out of the apple you had just had a bite of.
He tended to use as little words as possible, fearing too close an interaction with such unsavory characters would leave a stain on his immaculate robes.
When the noisy petitioner was shown into his chambers, His Eminence did not even acknowledge his presence. He remembered Gregory Hancock well - very argumentative guy and very skilled with words. And he’d made a very good living with his ability to twist and turn phrases, be it in a strong commanding voice he used in his daily speeches or in a low cajoling tone he used in his private lodgings. His Eminence was in no mood for either, so he directed the man to have a seat and focus on the screen placed in on the wall,to his right.
His Eminence was partial to old-school black-and-white movies, that brought to mind the golden age of Italian neorealism, with its stark portrayal of human life.
Try as he might, Gregory Hancock could not recognize neither the movie, nor the protagonist, although his face looked a bit familiar.
The sound was cut off, but there was no need for it to understand the drama of the poor loser living in the loft a dilapidated old building, his propensity for alcohol abundantly illustrated by the empty bottles strewn on the floor. No wonder he was constantly arguing with his wife, a thin thing with big sorrowful eyes. If this was a test, it was ridiculously easy and not just for him. Virtually anybody could pass judgment on such a sordid scene and point to the culprit. He’d never understood alcoholism - one should always fight his baser urges and resist temptation. Gregory was getting anxious as the movie dragged on and the guy on the screen smashed a bottle against the wall, one piece of broken glass cutting a big gash in the woman’s cheek. No wonder she leaves him. The drunken sod chases after her into the busy street, big tears of despair running down his face. He cannot even see where he’s going and that’s when he steps in front of a bus. Typical dramatic movie finale. Oh, well… but what’s that got to do with me?

‘Do you remember this man’s name?’, His Eminence asks in an icy voice, that sends shivers down the petitioner’s spine. Was he supposed to know the guy? He shakes his head, too bewildered to speak.
‘Nicholas Drake, although you might remember him as little Nicky.’
The image of a little boy shivering with cold and fear begins to form in front of his eyes.
‘He died five years ago’, His Eminence informs him and it’s not hard too understand he somehow blames him for the mess that man made of his life.
Gregory clears his throat. He must speak and reject these vile accusations.
‘Surely, Your Eminence must know that I haven’t seen Nicky in at least 25 years. I have no idea what happened to him after he left the orphanage’.
‘He never left the orphanage, not in his mind at least. Night after night, he’d dream of you, Father Gregory, and that little room of yours’.
‘But… but I did my penance and I asked the Lord for forgiveness. So many nights I prayed…’
‘Before or after?’
‘Your Eminence, I begged for the Lord’s mercy many times and the Bishop gave me full absolution for my sins. I cannot be sentenced to Hell when I’ve confessed all my sins and received absolution’.
‘What you make of the Lord’s word down there is entirely your business. The stories you created, the laws you invented and by which you conduct yourselves they’re all man made, nothing to do with divine justice.’
‘But I’ve earned my redemption…’
‘There is no redemption for such sins’.