I read a story about a priest, who appears at a lake. It seems the ghost priest is not very talkative and nobody knows why he is appearing. It got my fantasy going, this is the result.
For those who don't know Samuel Richards, here is a short explanation to make some of the content easier to understand.
Samuel Richards is a successful author. He is famous for The Corrigan Saga, beginning in Ireland during the Great Famine and continuing until the present.
He is married for the second time. His first wife died. To find out more how it happened, you can read Adrianna's Destiny and The Impact.
Why was he here? Damn Honey Bunny!
Sam was in a dark mood. His agent had taken up an invitation on his behalf to give a lecture to the Historical Writing Society in Maine.
He had clearly told Honey Bunny he had no interest, and what had she done?! The whole opposite! The dark sky and the rough sea reflected his mood well.
The society held a work shop at Ogilvy House, a faux Victorian castle, built by a timber magnate at the turn of the 20th century. Now it was a hotel. Sam admitted the location was dramatic and romantic at the same time and under different circumstances he would have enjoyed his stay.
At the moment he hated it, though, and felt like running away. He couldn't let down the Writing Society, and Honey Bunny had built on Sam's guilty conscience, when she sent him his flight tickets and a note what was expected of him two weeks before the event.
If Honey Bunny would have been with Sam, he would have strangled her. Sam left an angry voicemail on her cell. Of course there had been no reply to it. Honey Bunny and Sam had started their respective careers at the same time and knew each other well, so Sam bet Honey was going to call him after his return to Sao Paulo. By then he had calmed down enough, and they would chat as if nothing had happened.
Sam decided to go for a walk, following the path along the coast. He put on his warmest coat and went out. Sam managed to shake off any admirers quickly. Only Mrs. Lionis, the busybody of the organization, proved difficult. "Mr. Richards, it's going to rain soon. Why don't you join me with coffee and cookies in the library? I bet we can snatch a seat by the open fire." Sam didn't care for coffee, cookies or company. "Maybe later, Mrs. Lionis. I'm back before the rain starts." "You know your way around, Mr. Richards? I don't want to start a search commando for you." Sam gritted his teeth. "Mrs. Lionis, I have lived in the area for seven years. Don't worry." "If you wait a moment, I'll join you." "NO! I mean ... I'm looking for a moment’s solitude, you know, getting inspiration for the Corrigan’s ..." Sam grabbled for the right words. He didn't want to hurt Mrs. Lionis feelings. She looked crest fallen. "Sure, Mr. Richards." Sam sighed with relief. He left quickly before Mrs. Lionis or somebody else decided otherwise.
Sam had walked for quite a while, when he arrived at a natural bay. He watched the sea. It was time to turn around, if he wanted dinner. He didn't want to go back. Because he was unhappy and deep in thought about his first wife, he hadn't heard or seen the other man. Maybe it was because of the dark clothing the stranger was wearing. Sam didn't know what it was, but something was odd. It turned out the stranger was a priest. That didn't explain, what was unusual. The priest was deep in thought, too and murmuring under his breath. If Sam heard right, it sounded like Latin. "Hello, Father." Sam greeted the priest. There was no reply. Sam tried again, feeling slightly spooked. "I'm sorry, son, if I've overlooked you. It seems we were both looking for a quiet place. Have you any problems, Sam?" Sam hadn't noticed the priest had used his name, otherwise he would have wondered how the stranger could have known it. "Not really. I'm just sad..." Sam didn't finish. "Well, I'm here, because I try to figure out something." "Can I help you?" Sam asked the grey haired gentleman. "Keep me company for a moment." The priest was searching in his jacket and with a satisfied: "Ahh!" withdrew a flask. "I think you can do with a strong sip! I've made up my mind, by the way." Sam unscrewed the cap and smelled. Whisky! The priest smiled. "The finest Glenlivet." He confirmed. Sam was a whisky aficionado and could not refuse. He took a gulp. "Take another one, Sam. You are going to need it." Sam's eye brows went up. "I have a message from Adrianna." Sam thought he hadn't heard right, and it must have shown, because the priest said: "Yes, it's true. She asked me to tell you not to worry and stop feeling guilty. She is always with you, and she is happy you are together with Hue. It was her time to go." Sam was outraged. "Who are you? A charlatan? Do you want a story or money?" "No, I'm Father Brennigan and I'm just a messenger. Adrianna said you would be here, and her wish was to let you know she and the unborn baby are alright." "You are either a liar or mad, and I won't listen to you!" Sam's eyes were blazing. He was angry somebody would abuse the death of his wife Adrianna to gain access to him. Sam turned and started to walk away. "Hue is pregnant. She is going to call you this evening to tell you the good news. It's going to be twins, a boy and a girl. Adrianna says the pregnancy is going to be plain sailing, and the twins are going to be born natural." This prophecy made Sam stop in his tracks. He was loosing his temper completely. "Keep my family out of this, bastard!" The priest stayed calm and replied absolutely serious: " Sam, I know more about you than you prefer. Adrianna said, you could be stubborn, so as a sign, that I'm not lying, I'm going to tell you of one episode only you and Adrianna know about. The names you choose for the two oldest children of Lisbeth Corrigan and Socrates Rokou are the names your children would have had, if you and Adrianna had any." Father Brennigan was right. Sam shivered. It felt like icy hands were touching his spine. He turned. The man had vanished.
When Sam returned to his room in complete shock, the telephone was ringing. As predicted it was Hue, telling Sam she was pregnant. Sam didn't understand it. He needed a drink. Fast! Sam went downstairs to the bar, ordering another whisky. The bartender filled the glass to a quarter. "More." Sam ordered. The bartender complied, adding a little bit more. "More." Sam requested. "Sure?" The bartender asked concerned. Sam gave the affirmative. The bartender topped it up nearly to the rim. Sam emptied the glass. "Thank you." "Mr. Richards, you look as if you have seen a ghost." "Maybe I have, Mrs. Lionis." Sam told her about his adventure. "Can you describe Father Brennigan?" Mrs. Lionis was quite startled, when she heard what the priest looked like. "Let me speak to my colleagues and do some research. I'll come back to you."
Later that evening Mrs. Lionis presented Sam with a manila folder. "Is this your fellow?” She asked. It contained a print out of a black and white photograph, showing the priest, Sam had seen just a few hours before. He nodded. "Francis Dougal Brennigan, born 17th of October 1867 in Edinburgh, Scotland, died 17th of October 1929 in Portland, Maine. Irish-Scottish family background, came in 1886 to the US, studied for priesthood and worked in the poorest neighborhoods of Portland until he died. Father Brennigan tried to save children out of a burning building, sustained fatal injuries, when the house crumbled under the fire with Father Brennigan inside and succumbed to them on his 62nd birthday. He was very much beloved and sorely missed. Anecdotes describe Father Brennigan as warm, no-nonsense and whisky loving. Local folklore has it that he appears around his birthday at the bay, deep in thought and grumbling. Normally he ignores people." Sam was white as a sheet. He never had believed in ghosts before, and there was no rational explanation what had happened.
It struck Sam as odd that his wife and Father Brennigan had birthday on the same day, only one hundred ten years apart. Both died around their birthdays in the Portland area, and Sam had himself Scottish and Irish ancestors.
He double checked with his family and friends, if Adrianna had mentioned baby names to them, but nobody knew about the connection between Leon and Minna Rokou in the Corrigan Saga.
Six months later Salvador Conway and Eleni Dale Richards were born. Eleni first, Salvador eight minutes later without Hue needing a Caesarean section.
Father Brennigan was never seen again.
©2011
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