The Coming of The Satanists by Norman A. Rubin

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On the hot, sultry afternoon at the beginning of the summer of '99, the town was rocked by the sensational news of the discovery of the mutilated bodies of two nine-year old boys. The boys apparently were reported missing by their parents and an extensive search was in progress.

An itinerant hiker accidently uncovered the remains during his search for a safe place to prepare a campfire; instead he was greeted by the sight of pair of hands, then the outline of a nude body partially hidden by leaves and debris deep in a small hollow. He immediately notified the sherrif's office without hesitation on his part.

Rumours spread like wildfire of the nature of the murders spread through the gossiping tongues of the town's residents. The details of the murders were rife in nature. Some claimed that the boys were sodomized and their lips were sealed by the cuts of a knife. Words bantered back and forth that rumoured the cause of death until it was revealed on the third day following the discovery of the bodies, that the police were questioning their first suspect.

Shock added their layer of misery to the rumoured tongues as the suspect was the eldest son of the town's doctor, the respected Dr. Jonathan Able. The accused was known to all as Jim, a tall lanky teen-ager, who was the best scorer on the high school basketball team. His thin freckled face with its laughing blue eyes was appreciated by the lovely lasses of his classes. All and all he was a good all around student, the town's prominent athlete with a promising future.

The inquistive onlookers watched in horror as Jim, handcuffed and shackled, was brought by the sheriff's car to the site where the young victims were found. They noted all details at the scene. They were aware that the location, a wooded hill on the outskirts of the town was wellknown as a trysting place for young couples. The tree-covered knoll was sufficient to hide coupling half-naked young bodies, and far from the center of the town to cover the sound of passionate love.

Jim's handcuffs and shackles were removed and under the guard of the deputies he was allowed to roam about the site of the murderous find; a rocky site at the bottom of the wood pitted with cavities, some circled by bramble bushes. The few onlookers watched in suspense as the youth was allowed to reenact the final and gruesome act of the murder to the authorities, namely the burial of the victims. Terror was etched on their faces as they watched the teenager described by hand gestures and body movements the dragging of the mutilated bodies from the place of their execution to their rough graves. Through excited gestures it was understood that youths were disturbed in their attempt of burial and they were forced to flee. The grim faces of the sheriff and his deputies were seen during their investigation at the scene as the horror of murder unveiled.

The sound of satanic rites reverbrated throughout the wood as the youth confessed. He spoke of wild barbaric chants of the celebrants, and the rhythmic movement of waggling heads and streaming hair. "May the evil spirit, the shadow spirit, and the demon, both male and female depart in the name of Satan," the chant of a pseudo cultic priest could be heard when he lifted the sacrificial knife and in frenzy plunged it into naked bodies.

The spectators were spared the site of the sacrificial site with its stink of blood, which was closed off by yellow tape and guarded till the arrival of forensic experts under the authority of the state. .

The confession of the youth was later heard in the privacy of the sheriff's office where he detailed the horror of the crime to the astonished interrogators. The investigators were stunned as he detailed the killing of the two boys through a semblance of satanic ceremony. Soon after the confession, two other teenagers were arrested and charged in the murder of James Dee and David Hamish, two robust nine-year-old boys.

Within time the identification of the two other suspects were immediately made known. Hushed whispers told of their names. One called Hank was the only son of a respected lawyer and an able mother. The sixteen-year-old youth was handsome and rugged in appearance; he was well versed in his studies and excelled in sports. To all appearances he was known as a likable young man, well mannered and trusted. Like his friend Jim, he too held out a promising future.

The second accused youth, Danny by name, was in appearance opposite to his two friends, a friendship only attached to the high school sports. He was the sullen troublesome member of the large family of an unruly garage mechanic and a slatternly mother; like his parents he was rough in appearance with sullen dark eyes and a constant smirk of devilry on his face. He was a pack leader and many at time, his actions with his followers were called to the attention of the authorities for some minor infraction of the law. Somehow the three youths attained close companionship and were always seen together at social and athletic gatherings.

Events moved quickly. The investigation, through evidence and signed confessions, linked the youths to the murder. It was also revealed at the hearing of the grand jury, that the only reasonable explanation to the murderous act was coupled with ritualistic cultic rites. Upon the completion of the inquiry the trial of the three youths in the conspiracy of the act of murder was set for the beginning of the following month. Bail was denied due to nature of the crime and the boys were remanded in custody till the end of the proceedings, despite the appeals of their lawyers. The citizens of the town were relieved that the monsters that had committed this heinous crime had been apprehended. They knew that justice would be served despite the fact that two of the plaintiffs were from upstanding families of the community.

From the time of the arrest of the three youths, the local papers, as well as the nearby radio and television stations fed the blood lust appetite of the community with stories of satanic abominations. Features and stories, appearing on a regular basis, told of the rituals of this cultic worship, ranging from the tales of ceremonies in the drinking of blood to the removal of the heart of the victim sacrificed. And, as an added touch to the horror, a tabloid revealed that murdered boys had their genitals removed, and was not found; a gruesome detail that hinted of canabalism.

The following trial revealed the shocking report towards the three adolescents supposedly involved in satanic rites. It was further revealed the cult was led by the youth by the name of Danny who convinced his friends in the killing of two innocent boys as part of a Satanic ritual. "Just for the thrill," were his words. He told how the two boys were picked up in random when they were trekking through the wood; a promise of delectable confections was the bait. When they were led under the shade of the forest, they were seized, bound and gagged. Later, under a full moon, the innocent ones found themselves naked and spread on a large flat rock unable to move or call for help.

Evidence from the sheriff's office was presented to the fact, along with the written confessions, which detailed the plaintiff's so-called abominable rites towards Satan. Details of their exploits were revealed in the horrific testimony of the sheriff, which clarified the ritualistic ceremony. Hushed silence gripped the spectators in the court as damning words described the gagged screaming of the two boys as they were sacrificed alive. Two of the jurors chocked, near vomiting, when the lawmen testified that the cultists talked about the drinking of the blood of their victims.

A scream arose from the spectators, as the mother of one the victims arose in screaming anguish upon hearing the testimony, "My boy, my poor boy…". Her weeping voice repeated her cry for her child again and again. The judge then called the court in order and placed the poor woman in the hands of a compassionate court marshal.

The sheriff continued in his testimony. He detailed the phrases of the plaintiffs to the cultic murders, despite the objection of one the counsels who stated that the words were hearsay and another lawyer for the defence protested that the confessions were obtained under duress at the time of their arrest. The objections were dismissed as the being contrary to actual fact: The youths had their lawyers present during the official interrogation and that the sheriff was only quoting their words.

The lawman told of the finding of the knife used in the rites at the upper shelf of the closet of Jim's room; that no fingerprints were found on handle. It was also stated the suspect admitted being the owner of said knife. The elaborate cultic knife was shown to the jurors, returned to its plastic bag, and submitted in evidence.

The sheriff then told of the hiker's find of the bodies of the two boys, which touched a shudder of horror to all in the court. He told that the bodies were dumped in a natural pit near the wood and covered with nature's debris and heavy rocks. But, when he told of the uncovering of the bodies, he paused as he chocked on his words. He apologized for the delay and continued the description, "The bodies were dumped one on top of the other, partly decayed and showed signs of physical abuse."

The sheriff testified that one of his deputies had found near the burial site the evidence of a set of dropped keys at the site, partly covered by debris, which led to the arrest of the suspect by the name of Jim Able. The youth had implicated his two friends in the crime and these suspects were brought into custody.

The sheriff stood steadfast in his testimony and the lawyers of the three suspects were unable to put doubt in his words during their questioning. The lawyer for Danny, the unruly youth, tried to connect the so-called accusation towards his client by his association to his like of music of the so-called satanic groups. The prosecutor raised an objection and the judge denied the question with said instruction to the jury. The lawman was then dismissed.

The prosecutor brought other witnesses forth. The deputy sheriff told of the find of the keys, which was linked to Jim. An objection by one of the lawyers of the accused who tried to insinuate the possiblity of tainted evidence by stating that the deputy had a past fall out with the plaintiff, "perhaps in act of retribution it was planted by him." The judge admonished the lawyer and warned him of such uncorroborated accusations.

He was followed by the young hiker who to told of the accidental find of the bodies in the hollowed-out cavity and the notification to the sheriff's office. The defence offered no rebuttal and the young man was excused.

The testimony of the pathologist related the time of death of each boy, but indicated that one of the boys had been killed at an earlier hour; probably two hours before the second murder, which was confirmed by pathological examination. He stated, ''the bodies showed signs of ritualitic abuse, which he described in detail, namely the skin on the chest of the boys was cut in crude concentric sun symbols, an ancient sign of Satan. That the stomachs had been cut open and the innards were disturbed probably for the ceremony of the so-called satanic ritual." An objection by one of the defence lawyers prevented him from detailing the gruesome rites, which was sustained. The pathologist confirmed the cutting was done on live bodies. And, he acknowledged that the boy's genitals had been crudely cut from their bodies and these body parts were missing, despite an intensive search at the burial site. The pathologist stated that there was positive identification of the remains of the two boys by a member from both families. The medical report was presented as evidence without any objections by the defendant's lawyers. The testimony of the pathologist ended after the plaintiffs's lawyers presented basic questions.

The court balliff called the next witness whose appearance was one of trust and knowledge. The white-haired chap was a known forensic expert called into the case for his expertise in the examination of sites of criminal acts. The slender form of the Dr. Davis made his way slowly to the witness stand, where he crossed his legs and sat comfortably in the chair. His thin aged face was set in readiness and his grey eyes were bright in confidence.

The prosecutor fielded his first question, which was to assay the expert's identification, the background in forensic knowledge and his record of expertise in his assistance to state law enforcement agencies. His answer to the question was satifactorily presented and confirmed by the attorneys for the defense.

The prosecutor then asked Dr Davis to give a positive identification of the burial scene. The good man clear his throat with an 'ahem' and an 'ahem' and proceded to testify. He told that the sheriff and his deputies had taken preventive caution at the site. Dr. Jaminson confirmed that bodies were hurriedly dumped and covered in the cavity. The expert testified that drops of blood found in the burial pit and on the ground and rocks near the site were linked by DNA testing as belonging to the victims. Also, he stated that viable prints were found on flat surfaces of nearby rocks, which were identified with comparison in his laboratory to those of the accused. Other prints found at the site were linked to the hiker and the authorities.

Hushed silence prevailed as the forensic expert told of finding traces of blood on the clothing of the accused, which linked by DNA testing to the victims. He added that the ceremonial knife, found at one of the accused home, also contained traces of the victim's blood, but fingerprints had been carefully wiped from the handle.

The testimony continued. Dr. Jaminson stated that with the aid of his competent staff, he had examined the cultic site in a hollow deep in the knoll. But, as he spoke, the knowledge of his findings was quite astonishing to the ears of the spectators. Not a sound could be heard, only the ticking of an antique clock hanging on the wall above the chair of the judge could be heard.

He related that blood samples from the site were linked to the two boys. Dr Jamison stated that prints, both hand and naked footprints found at the scene indicated that there were many participants at the rites, "the find of rolled ends of a paper-packed cannabis weed with spittle of varied parties were further proof." His evidence of photos of smeared blood on the ground and of sample traces of seminal and vaginal fluid indicated that the so-called ceremony of sacrifice of a living body to one accompanied by an orgiastic orgy.

The expert started to paint a picture of naked young bodies of the ceremonial participants in blood lust couplings of sexual frenzy, "Filled with the hallucination of drugs and stirred by the the sight of streaming blood, the young celebrants flung their clothing aside and coupled their bodies."

The plaintiff's lawyers yelled objections; bedlam was raised in the court and the judge rapped hard on his gavel for order. The spectators, mainly outstanding citizens of the town, hushed in the trembling of their bodies as they stared with accusation into the eyes of one another.

~The End~

Email the author: Norman A. Rubin

Norman A. Rubin is a former correspondent for the Continental News Service USA, now retired and busy writing fiction in all genres.


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The Coming of The Satanists

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