Holy Water

by Drew Woodward

Dutch O’Brien, vampire, 167 years old, crossed himself as he exited the confessional booth he went to following every battle, because killing - no matter how evil the creature was or how much he deserved it - was still a sin in the eyes of God. As he neared the exit of the cathedral, a young priest crossed his path and somehow recognized Dutch for what he was; the priest pulled out a decanter of holy water and began dousing the undead Irishman in the blessed sacrement. Raising an eyebrow, Dutch looked at the priest and said, "Ye know ye’re gettin’ me jacket wet?" Once the priest realized that his holy relic had no effect, he began to back away from Dutch in fear, gibbering about why doesn’t it work? "Yer holy water, crosses, communion wafers, and prayers only work if ye have faith, and the one ye’re attackin’ has a heart ruled by Lucifer himself," Dutch calmly replied as he walked past the young priest. Before exiting the church, Dutch turned and smied as the priest began to regain his composure: "Yer faith is strong Padre," Dutch said, "so be at peace and know that me and ye are on the same side."

6S

Drew Woodward, a writer of supernatural fiction and short stories on military history, lives in northern Kentucky with his wife.