Post by gzavadak on Sept 15, 2013 1:47:52 GMT -5
(OOC: This is actually the CD section of a past EXODUS Pro RP that greatly examines the beginning of the relationship between the Reverend Jerry Matthews and Deacon Jeremiah. Please excuse the poor formatting. Otherwise, enjoy.)
The scene opens to the inside
of a rust red 1986 Cadillac El Dorado cruising down the streets of a
neighborhood of the undercrust of Birmingham, Alabama in the early black shades
of the morning. The car’s leather interior is marked by a smoky
marijuana-inspired haze, somewhat obscuring the vision of the car’s
African-American occupants. Each man is wearing some sort of black, be it
sweatpants, jackets or t-shirts. The group’s conversation occurs over the
subtle background of Steely Dan’s “Dirty Work.”
Radio: “Times are hard, you’re
afraid to pay the fee, so you find yourself somebody, who can do the job for
free…."
One particular member of the
group seems recognizable, albeit he is much younger, still sporting a small,
well-kempt afro and not wearing any sunglasses.
Young Jeremiah: Darnell, you
said this job will be in and out correct?
The short and stocky driver
nods his head as he begins to roll down the driver side window. He reaches into
his coat pocket and shortly thereafter sparks a Newport cigarette.
Darnell: You got it,
Jeremiah. These old fools should be well asleep by now. We find the safe, crack
it, and make off with the loot.
The two men in the back of
the El Dorado remain silent, bobbing their heads to the music.
Radio: “I’m a fool to do
your dirty work, oh yeah, I don’t wanna do your dirty work, no more, I’m a fool
to do your dirty work, oh yeah.”
Jeremiah: So, we bust in,
use these two fools in the back for crowd control, and find the safe in the
study. Sounds like a pretty open and shut case.
Darnell: You know it, blood.
The Cadillac continues down
the road, as Darnell flicks his cigarette butt into the street and rolls up the
window. After about five more minutes, the car parks in front of a modest
two-story brick home. The porch light is off, and the curtains are drawn,
giving the impression that the owners are fast asleep.
Darnell: Alright, folks, we’ve
got a job to do. Let’s roll.
Jeremiah, Darnell and the
two others each slide on a pair of pantyhose over their faces in a subtle
effort to deny identification. Each man then silently opens their car door and
shuts them as quietly as possible. The two men from the back seat pull out a
pair of Glocks from the back of their waistbands while Jeremiah reaches into
his pocket and removes a set of lock picks. He begins to work on the house’s
front door while Darnell quietly offers some encouragement as the other two
stand guard over the front of the house. After about 35 or 40 seconds a click
is heard and Jeremiah gives Darnell a thumbs up. Darnell then signals for the
other two as the Jeremiah quietly opens the door.
The foursome end up in a
living room, with a couch in the center in front of a small TV resting on a
coffee table. The four sneak over to the next room and Jeremiah tries the door
knob. It opens and Darnell and Jeremiah walk in, leaving the others to stand
guard. They find a small study, and a safe sits in the far corner behind a
plain oak wooden desk. Darnell walks over to the safe, and reaches into his
coat for his safecracking gear. He then starts to work on the safe. Jeremiah
begins to go through the drawers of the desk, finding nothing valuable but the
occasional stash of stationary and personal correspondence. Darnell finishes
cracking the safe, and opens the door. Inside sit five neatly organized stacks
of cash. He reaches in and stuffs the stacks inside his coat. He then signals
for Jeremiah that the job is done, and the two exit the study. They join their
other two conspirators and head out of the living room and exit the house.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
By now, the foursome have
made it back to the car and are heading back home. Jeremiah and Darnell are
having a rather hushed conversation celebrating the successful heist. The other
two men sit silently in the back.
Jeremiah: Darnell, don’t you
think that this job was a little too easy?
Darnell: What are you
worried about, blood? We got in, we got out. You act like it’s a sin to have an
easy night of work doing what we do.
Jeremiah: I guess you’re
right.
The Cadillac continues down
the block, but Jeremiah notices that Darnell has begun to slow the car down. He
questioningly looks in his friend and business partner’s direction. Darnell
simply shrugs his shoulders, and a shuffling is heard from the back seat. The
man sitting directly behind Jeremiah reaches over the seat, and puts Jeremiah
in a choke hold. Darnell takes a hand off of the wheel and reaches into his
coat pocket and pulls out the stolen cash. He plants them in Jeremiah’s
pockets.
Darnell: Can’t blame you for
being suspicious, Jeremiah. But, blood, business is business.
The other man not involved in
the struggle then pulls out his Glock and fires a shot. The bullet lodges into
Jeremiah’s knee cap, subtly tearing through skin, tissue and muscle. Jeremiah
screams out in pain. The man having him in a choke hold opens the passenger
door, and hurls Jeremiah out onto the street.
Jeremiah hits the asphalt
with a hard impact. He then proceeds to roll about three times before coming to
a stop. He hears the thud of a car door closing and the screeching of rubber on
road as the Cadillac speeds away down the block. Another one or two pops of
gunshots come from the car directly into the air. Jeremiah begins to clutch his
knee as he writhes on the ground in pain. He lies there for a few minutes
before he hears the shriek of police sirens in the distance.
Jeremiah: Aw, fuck…..
Jeremiah tries to get his
feet, but finds it quite the difficult task given the state of his injured
knee. He notices that when he uses his hands to steady himself on the street
that they are now shaded crimson. He attempts to shake out his cobwebs, and
attempts to get up off of the ground. He comes to rest on his good knee, and
then struggles to his feet as waves of pain run over him.
The attempt is successful
and he takes a quick look around to gauge his surroundings. He notices a humble
church in front of him. The sign out front signals that this church is called
Birmingham First Baptist. Jeremiah nods his head and begins to limp towards the
front door. He pulls on the door handle and the door opens.
Inside he finds a tiled
sanctuary, with rows and rows of wooden pews directly in front of him. Off to
the side, he finds a confessional booth. He limps towards it and opens the door
on the far side. He sits on the vacant bench and shuts the door. Unbeknownst to
Jeremiah, the other side of the confessional is also occupied. The wooden door
behind a screen between the two booths opens and Jeremiah is greeted by a down
homey Southern drawl of a younger Reverend Matthews.
Matthews: Brother, what can
I do for you tonight? A bit late for confession, don’t you think?
Jeremiah is shocked by the
greeting, but replies.
Jeremiah: Shouldn’t I be
asking you the same thing?
Matthews: My friend, need I
remind you that I oversee this temple of worship. Why have you chosen to walk
through the doors tonight?
Jeremiah: I don’t see how
that is any of your business. I’m here and we should just leave it at that.
Matthews: Need I remind you,
the police are simply one phone call away.
Jeremiah silences, and begins
to consider his options. Clearly, his fate lied in the hands of this stranger
and he came to the conclusion that he might best be served to acquiesce to his
wishes.
Jeremiah: I’m simply seeking
sanctuary. I was involved in some antics I’d rather not discuss.
Matthews: If I’m going to be
providing sanctuary for a stranger that came off of the street at this hour, I
think I’m entitled to know exactly what he’s hiding from.
Jeremiah lets out a deep
breath and shrugs his shoulders.
Jeremiah: I was involved in
a robbery gone wrong, at a house a few miles down the road. And, the worst part
of all of it is that I was betrayed by the person that I thought was my best
friend in the entire world, a man that I thought I could trust with my life.
And the police are on the way, no doubt looking for me when I was planted with
the take.
The pastor brings his hands
together and begins to think heavily. While doing this, he goes silent. Jeremiah
is also silent for a few moments, and a mounting tension lingers in the
confessional.
Matthews: I have one, and
only one question for you. I will provide you with one and only one opportunity
to answer it. If you answer correctly, and the cops come, I’ll steer them away
and provide you with the sanctuary you seek. If you answer incorrectly, I will
injure your knee to the point where you will be nothing but a sitting duck for
Johnny Law.
Jeremiah: Guess I have no
choice. Ask away.
Matthews: Very well then.
Can you comprehend why the circumstances of your accident occurred tonight, and
recognize who is truly at fault?
A small pool of tears begin
to collect in Jeremiah’s eyes. He then begins an inner confession of sorts.
Jeremiah: Tonight, I was
betrayed and shot in the knee, and I’m the only person who can shoulder the
blame. For what amounts to my entire life, I’ve always blamed the way I was
raised, the way I turned out, for the lifestyle that I chose. I’ve robbed many
people, never bothered to stop, and chose to associate with who I did. Never
before did I ever see it, but I’ve brought this on myself. What do I do,
Father?
Matthews: Brother, I’m proud
of you. It is not too often that people acknowledge the ugly truth: man is the
only one to blame for the suffering of this world. If we simply strived to hold
ourselves to a higher standard, to walk the way the Savior Jesus Christ walked,
the world would be a better place. You’ve acknowledged that your inside is
rotten, and infested with the dark, fatal worms of sin. That, brother, is the
first step to finding redemption in the eyes of the Lord. For that, you will
receive the sanctuary that you seek. On top of it all, I will allow you to stay
with me until you have nursed yourself back to health. And, I will ensure that
you are in a more than capable mental state when you seek revenge on your “friend.”
Jeremiah is full on sobbing at
this point when he answers.
Jeremiah: Father, what makes
you think I would be so eager to get revenge?
Matthews: Because, brother,
the need for revenge is an inherent part of human nature, and while it is a
need that is derided by common society, there are certain instances where it is
not sinful, but actually acting in God’s name.
Jeremiah: How can that be
so? Everything I was ever taught by ministers directly contradicts this.
Matthews: Indeed, I’m sure
that it is. Either way, if you are eager, I can show you exactly how this is a
truth.
Jeremiah: Reverend, I would
be greatly interested.
A loud series of knocks
comes from the sanctuary’s front door.
Matthews: It would seem that
I have other callers. I simply ask that you remain here, and to not make a
sound. I will deal with our visitors, and then we’ll see what we can do about
your wound.
Matthews rises from his side
of the confessional, and pushes open the door. He then heads for the front door
and opens it, greeting the present city officers.
The scene opens to the inside
of a rust red 1986 Cadillac El Dorado cruising down the streets of a
neighborhood of the undercrust of Birmingham, Alabama in the early black shades
of the morning. The car’s leather interior is marked by a smoky
marijuana-inspired haze, somewhat obscuring the vision of the car’s
African-American occupants. Each man is wearing some sort of black, be it
sweatpants, jackets or t-shirts. The group’s conversation occurs over the
subtle background of Steely Dan’s “Dirty Work.”
Radio: “Times are hard, you’re
afraid to pay the fee, so you find yourself somebody, who can do the job for
free…."
One particular member of the
group seems recognizable, albeit he is much younger, still sporting a small,
well-kempt afro and not wearing any sunglasses.
Young Jeremiah: Darnell, you
said this job will be in and out correct?
The short and stocky driver
nods his head as he begins to roll down the driver side window. He reaches into
his coat pocket and shortly thereafter sparks a Newport cigarette.
Darnell: You got it,
Jeremiah. These old fools should be well asleep by now. We find the safe, crack
it, and make off with the loot.
The two men in the back of
the El Dorado remain silent, bobbing their heads to the music.
Radio: “I’m a fool to do
your dirty work, oh yeah, I don’t wanna do your dirty work, no more, I’m a fool
to do your dirty work, oh yeah.”
Jeremiah: So, we bust in,
use these two fools in the back for crowd control, and find the safe in the
study. Sounds like a pretty open and shut case.
Darnell: You know it, blood.
The Cadillac continues down
the road, as Darnell flicks his cigarette butt into the street and rolls up the
window. After about five more minutes, the car parks in front of a modest
two-story brick home. The porch light is off, and the curtains are drawn,
giving the impression that the owners are fast asleep.
Darnell: Alright, folks, we’ve
got a job to do. Let’s roll.
Jeremiah, Darnell and the
two others each slide on a pair of pantyhose over their faces in a subtle
effort to deny identification. Each man then silently opens their car door and
shuts them as quietly as possible. The two men from the back seat pull out a
pair of Glocks from the back of their waistbands while Jeremiah reaches into
his pocket and removes a set of lock picks. He begins to work on the house’s
front door while Darnell quietly offers some encouragement as the other two
stand guard over the front of the house. After about 35 or 40 seconds a click
is heard and Jeremiah gives Darnell a thumbs up. Darnell then signals for the
other two as the Jeremiah quietly opens the door.
The foursome end up in a
living room, with a couch in the center in front of a small TV resting on a
coffee table. The four sneak over to the next room and Jeremiah tries the door
knob. It opens and Darnell and Jeremiah walk in, leaving the others to stand
guard. They find a small study, and a safe sits in the far corner behind a
plain oak wooden desk. Darnell walks over to the safe, and reaches into his
coat for his safecracking gear. He then starts to work on the safe. Jeremiah
begins to go through the drawers of the desk, finding nothing valuable but the
occasional stash of stationary and personal correspondence. Darnell finishes
cracking the safe, and opens the door. Inside sit five neatly organized stacks
of cash. He reaches in and stuffs the stacks inside his coat. He then signals
for Jeremiah that the job is done, and the two exit the study. They join their
other two conspirators and head out of the living room and exit the house.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
By now, the foursome have
made it back to the car and are heading back home. Jeremiah and Darnell are
having a rather hushed conversation celebrating the successful heist. The other
two men sit silently in the back.
Jeremiah: Darnell, don’t you
think that this job was a little too easy?
Darnell: What are you
worried about, blood? We got in, we got out. You act like it’s a sin to have an
easy night of work doing what we do.
Jeremiah: I guess you’re
right.
The Cadillac continues down
the block, but Jeremiah notices that Darnell has begun to slow the car down. He
questioningly looks in his friend and business partner’s direction. Darnell
simply shrugs his shoulders, and a shuffling is heard from the back seat. The
man sitting directly behind Jeremiah reaches over the seat, and puts Jeremiah
in a choke hold. Darnell takes a hand off of the wheel and reaches into his
coat pocket and pulls out the stolen cash. He plants them in Jeremiah’s
pockets.
Darnell: Can’t blame you for
being suspicious, Jeremiah. But, blood, business is business.
The other man not involved in
the struggle then pulls out his Glock and fires a shot. The bullet lodges into
Jeremiah’s knee cap, subtly tearing through skin, tissue and muscle. Jeremiah
screams out in pain. The man having him in a choke hold opens the passenger
door, and hurls Jeremiah out onto the street.
Jeremiah hits the asphalt
with a hard impact. He then proceeds to roll about three times before coming to
a stop. He hears the thud of a car door closing and the screeching of rubber on
road as the Cadillac speeds away down the block. Another one or two pops of
gunshots come from the car directly into the air. Jeremiah begins to clutch his
knee as he writhes on the ground in pain. He lies there for a few minutes
before he hears the shriek of police sirens in the distance.
Jeremiah: Aw, fuck…..
Jeremiah tries to get his
feet, but finds it quite the difficult task given the state of his injured
knee. He notices that when he uses his hands to steady himself on the street
that they are now shaded crimson. He attempts to shake out his cobwebs, and
attempts to get up off of the ground. He comes to rest on his good knee, and
then struggles to his feet as waves of pain run over him.
The attempt is successful
and he takes a quick look around to gauge his surroundings. He notices a humble
church in front of him. The sign out front signals that this church is called
Birmingham First Baptist. Jeremiah nods his head and begins to limp towards the
front door. He pulls on the door handle and the door opens.
Inside he finds a tiled
sanctuary, with rows and rows of wooden pews directly in front of him. Off to
the side, he finds a confessional booth. He limps towards it and opens the door
on the far side. He sits on the vacant bench and shuts the door. Unbeknownst to
Jeremiah, the other side of the confessional is also occupied. The wooden door
behind a screen between the two booths opens and Jeremiah is greeted by a down
homey Southern drawl of a younger Reverend Matthews.
Matthews: Brother, what can
I do for you tonight? A bit late for confession, don’t you think?
Jeremiah is shocked by the
greeting, but replies.
Jeremiah: Shouldn’t I be
asking you the same thing?
Matthews: My friend, need I
remind you that I oversee this temple of worship. Why have you chosen to walk
through the doors tonight?
Jeremiah: I don’t see how
that is any of your business. I’m here and we should just leave it at that.
Matthews: Need I remind you,
the police are simply one phone call away.
Jeremiah silences, and begins
to consider his options. Clearly, his fate lied in the hands of this stranger
and he came to the conclusion that he might best be served to acquiesce to his
wishes.
Jeremiah: I’m simply seeking
sanctuary. I was involved in some antics I’d rather not discuss.
Matthews: If I’m going to be
providing sanctuary for a stranger that came off of the street at this hour, I
think I’m entitled to know exactly what he’s hiding from.
Jeremiah lets out a deep
breath and shrugs his shoulders.
Jeremiah: I was involved in
a robbery gone wrong, at a house a few miles down the road. And, the worst part
of all of it is that I was betrayed by the person that I thought was my best
friend in the entire world, a man that I thought I could trust with my life.
And the police are on the way, no doubt looking for me when I was planted with
the take.
The pastor brings his hands
together and begins to think heavily. While doing this, he goes silent. Jeremiah
is also silent for a few moments, and a mounting tension lingers in the
confessional.
Matthews: I have one, and
only one question for you. I will provide you with one and only one opportunity
to answer it. If you answer correctly, and the cops come, I’ll steer them away
and provide you with the sanctuary you seek. If you answer incorrectly, I will
injure your knee to the point where you will be nothing but a sitting duck for
Johnny Law.
Jeremiah: Guess I have no
choice. Ask away.
Matthews: Very well then.
Can you comprehend why the circumstances of your accident occurred tonight, and
recognize who is truly at fault?
A small pool of tears begin
to collect in Jeremiah’s eyes. He then begins an inner confession of sorts.
Jeremiah: Tonight, I was
betrayed and shot in the knee, and I’m the only person who can shoulder the
blame. For what amounts to my entire life, I’ve always blamed the way I was
raised, the way I turned out, for the lifestyle that I chose. I’ve robbed many
people, never bothered to stop, and chose to associate with who I did. Never
before did I ever see it, but I’ve brought this on myself. What do I do,
Father?
Matthews: Brother, I’m proud
of you. It is not too often that people acknowledge the ugly truth: man is the
only one to blame for the suffering of this world. If we simply strived to hold
ourselves to a higher standard, to walk the way the Savior Jesus Christ walked,
the world would be a better place. You’ve acknowledged that your inside is
rotten, and infested with the dark, fatal worms of sin. That, brother, is the
first step to finding redemption in the eyes of the Lord. For that, you will
receive the sanctuary that you seek. On top of it all, I will allow you to stay
with me until you have nursed yourself back to health. And, I will ensure that
you are in a more than capable mental state when you seek revenge on your “friend.”
Jeremiah is full on sobbing at
this point when he answers.
Jeremiah: Father, what makes
you think I would be so eager to get revenge?
Matthews: Because, brother,
the need for revenge is an inherent part of human nature, and while it is a
need that is derided by common society, there are certain instances where it is
not sinful, but actually acting in God’s name.
Jeremiah: How can that be
so? Everything I was ever taught by ministers directly contradicts this.
Matthews: Indeed, I’m sure
that it is. Either way, if you are eager, I can show you exactly how this is a
truth.
Jeremiah: Reverend, I would
be greatly interested.
A loud series of knocks
comes from the sanctuary’s front door.
Matthews: It would seem that
I have other callers. I simply ask that you remain here, and to not make a
sound. I will deal with our visitors, and then we’ll see what we can do about
your wound.
Matthews rises from his side
of the confessional, and pushes open the door. He then heads for the front door
and opens it, greeting the present city officers.