Exorcist: The Beginning Page #2

Cast out after the war in heaven.

Can't even trust angels, can you?

- You ever seen anything like it?

- Not this far from Rome.

It's odd.

Churches were built to exalt heaven...

but this, the weapons

are pointing downward.

Look behind you, Father.

Desecration of Christ.

Who would do something like this?

The crucifix

was broken off from here.

Chuma, is there an inventory

of what's been found here?

I wouldn't know.

Who would know?

'Cause this place has been vandalized.

Probably the lead archaeologist,

Monsieur Bession.

So where can I find him?

I need to talk to him.

- It's not possible.

- Why not?

He's gone mad.

No one's been inside Bession's tent

since he fell ill?

They are superstitious.

- And you?

- Not superstitious. Smart.

- Chuma.

- Yes?

- Where's Bession now?

- A sanitorium in Nairobi.

- How long has he been gone?

- A few weeks.

- And he can read and write Aramaic?

- Sorry?

The language spoken in Palestine

at the time of Christ.

And what does it say?

The fallen shall rise...

in a river of blood.''

Do you have a moment?

Of course.

Can I get you some tea?

Or maybe something

more substantial?

Yes, that would be very nice.

You dabble in the occult?

I found them here when I arrived.

I wanted to ask you,

did you treat Bession?

You should let me clean that

before it gets infected.

There was nothing I could do

for Monsieur Bession.

He had no medical symptoms...

nothing to suggest

any kind of disease or infection.

His breakdown was purely mental

and extremely severe.

That's why the Turkana fear

the church is cursed.

That and the disappearances.

In the past few weeks,

we've lost a dozen men.

Runaways?

Or is it those evil spirits?

Yeah.

- I'm sorry. I shouldn't have.

- Your curiosity's perfectly natural.

My father was a strong man.

When the Nazis started

rounding up theJews in our town...

he didn't hesitate.

He hid our neighbors

in the crawl space.

But someone turned us in...

and we were all sent to

the concentration camps.

I'm sorry.

People can't really

understand, can they?

If they weren't there...

if they didn't see.

No.

And my husband turned out

to be one of those people.

I met him after the war,

and we came to Africa together, in love.

One night I realized

I-- I had to tell him the truth...

about... the Nazis...

and what they did to me.

After that, he never touched me again.

So...

what turns a man of the cloth

into an archaeologist?

I don't know.

I suppose I--

I wanted to work with something real,

something I could touch with my hands.

Do you miss it?

Being a priest.

No.

There's no point in that.

Sometimes I think

the best view of God is from hell.

I should get to bed.

I'm going to Nairobi tomorrow

to see Bession.

- Talk to Father Gionetti.

- Gionetti?

He runs the sanitarium.

Well, thank you...

for the medical care.

Deliver us from evil...

for thine is the kingdom,

the power and the glory forever.

Amen.

You, priest.

What is your name?

I'm Father Merrin.

God is not here today, priest.

Want some water?

Hey, what's wrong?

It's late.

You should go back to bed.

Give it to me! It's mine!

- Oh, is it yours?

- Give it to me!

- Mr. Merrin gave it to me.

- Here, take it.

- Take it!

- Oh,just give it to me, you idiot!

Who you calling idiot?

Take it! It's right here.

Give it to me!

It's mine.

- Shorty. Shorty. Shorty.

- Just give it to me!

All right. Okay, okay.

Go back to bed,

and I'll give you the stupid thing.

Joseph, look out!

Joseph, get Papa!

Get Papa!

Joseph, help me!

Joseph, please, get Papa quickly.

No! Help me!

Help! Help me!

Help me!

Help me!

Help me! Please!

- What happened?

- Hyenas. They toreJames apart.

Did you see that, Lancaster?

The hyenas ignored Joseph.

They were focused on his brother.

That was a lot more than focused.

They acted as if he wasn't even there.

Can you see?

Can you hear?

Come with me.

Monsieur Bession?

Mr. Bession.

You worked on a dig in Derati.

You drew a picture of an idol.

Where did you see it?

Was it in the church?

Mr. Bession.

- Father Merrin.

- How do you know my name?

I said how do you know my name?

Are you hurt?

No.

I'm free.

God is not here today, priest.

I hope he finds peace.

I'm Father Gionetti.

I've been waiting for you.

How did he know my name?

Have you drifted so far from God, Merrin,

that you can't see?

Monsieur Bession

was touched by the devil.

Demonic possession?

Forgive me, Father.

I never said he was possessed.

Only touched.

So, "touched."

What does that mean?

In 1647, the Ursuline Convent

in Loudon, France...

was plagued by possession.

Thirty-four nuns had

been touched by the devil...

committing unspeakable acts.

Having orgies including goats

doesn't make them possessed.

Simply horny... and inventive.

Four priests were dispatched

to exorcise the demons.

Three of them were possessed themselves

and subsequently died.

The last one was driven insane

by his brush...

with evil.

That is what happened

to Monsieur Bession.

And that evil remains in Derati.

You must be careful there.

Remember, he is the father of lies.

He will seek to poison your mind.

You will need this against him.

The Roman Rituals.

If you need somebody to perform

an exorcism, I'm not your man.

I'm not a priest anymore.

You will always be a priest,

Father Merrin.

Only your faith can save you.

Well, then I'm doomed.

Joseph?

What do you have there?

Can I see?

You threw it away.

- Jefferies, what the hell are you doing in here?

- It was in the dirt outside.

- You threw it away.

- No, I didn't.

- The clasp must have come loose--

- Liar!

Do I repulse you that much?

Maybe if you could cure

my f***ing face...

I might look as good to you

as that archaeologist.

- Joseph?

- He's coming for you.

What?

He's coming for you.

- What happened?

- I had a bad dream.

Ohh.

Don't worry.

You'll be fine.

Where is everybody?

Sebituana's baby is coming,

so the village has gathered in welcome.

Oh.

Joseph. Hey.

Joseph.

You're back.

- Are you all right?

- Yeah, I'm just a little bit tired.

These lesions--

they're not from the shock, are they?

No.

They're completely asymptomatic.

Itjust doesn't make sense.

- He should have recovered by now.

- So what is it?

In this part of the world...

it could be a dozen things...

but his symptoms don't

really match any of them.

So all I can do

is just watch and wait.

I have to do some work up at the dig.

- Will you be all right?

- Hmm. Yes.

Come sit with me, Lancaster.

I promise I won't bite.

What is it?

- How was Nairobi?

- Oh, fine.

- Did you see Monsieur Bession?

- He's dead.

- How?

- I don't know.

Some accident.

I just don't understand everything

that's happening here.

It seems like I can't

help anyone anymore.

Hey.

Easy.

Help me hold him.

Emekwi. I'm doing

everything I can for him.

Joseph?

It's this place, Lancaster.

The Turkana are right.

- It's cursed.

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