The Gabon Virus by Paul McCusker

Author:Paul McCusker
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Howard Books

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

“THE BLUE MONK?” MARK exclaimed.

“I’ll give you bits and pieces of the legend as I’ve been able to assemble them over the few years I’ve been here,” Andrew said.

Mark and Nora leaned forward to give him their full attention like two kids anticipating a good story.

“Before the time of the plague, the Lumen Christi Order helped out in this area, mostly ministering to the miners and their families, but, according to some sources, the monks became ill from some unknown cause and slowly died off. They were buried, but no one was sure where.” He tipped his head appreciatively to Nora. “Until now.”

She smiled back at him.

“When the plague hit, a mysterious man in a monk’s cowl, who, it is assumed, was a member of the order, began to help the sick and dying, usually at night.”

“Why at night?” Nora asked.

“Because of his appearance. His skin was said to be blue.”

“The monk really was blue?” Mark asked.

Andrew nodded. “Legend has it that he was the last of the order, at least in this shire, and that he was the one who had to bury his brothers as they died.”

Mark’s mind began to work out the reasons for such a phenomenon and landed on the most obvious answer, but he kept quiet and allowed Andrew to continue.

“Some villagers considered the monk a blessing, others thought he was a curse. He brought comfort and solace and even blessed the bodies and graves of the departed. But a few people thought he might be in league with the devil, while others blamed him for bringing the plague to the village.”

“He helped them, but they still blamed him?” Nora asked with disbelief.

“You’ll remember that the Pharisees accused Jesus of using Satan’s power to cast out demons,” Andrew said.

“And you’ll remember Jesus’ answer to that,” Nora said. “A house fighting against itself will fall.”

Mark wasn’t interested in a Bible story. “What became of the monk? Did he die of the plague?”

“Not that we know of.”

Nora’s face lit up. “He came in contact with plague victims again and again, yet survived?”

“It would seem so.”

“I’d love to find his grave,” Mark exclaimed, realizing the opportunity. “If he didn’t die of the plague, a sample from his body might yield solid help. His immune system must have been remarkable.”

“Maybe he’s buried with the other monks,” Nora suggested.

“Maybe,” Andrew said, but with a skeptical tone. “Except . . .”

“Except what?”

“We don’t know that he died in this area. He disappeared under mysterious circumstances.”

“What kind of mysterious circumstances?” asked Mark.

“A scandal or a curse of some sort.”

“Scandal? Like, he had an affair with the vicar’s wife or took off with the church funds?”

“We don’t know,” Andrew replied. “I’m using the word ‘scandal’ because that’s the word used in several places in the records. No specifics, only a reference to the scandal that led to the monk’s disappearance, and then a reference to a curse in other places.”

“Maybe they considered his blue skin a curse,” Mark suggested. He hoped they hadn’t already reached a dead-end.

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