Taking a Prisoner Part 3

Chapter 159-2

Taking a Prisoner

Part 3

 

Dad waited with Jared until the chapel had been mostly seated as Jody and Mom took their places behind our wheelchairs with our pretend nurses. Mom whispered. “Showtime boys,” Dad put Sparky on my lap and they wheeled me and Jared down the aisle with our nurses each wearing a uniform and a stethoscope around their neck with everything else inside our backpacks to make it look real as they play nurse.

Once we had arrived with everyone’s eyes on us and guessing what the hell was going on as Mom and Jody brought us to the front with our nurses. Mom waited as Brother Nile's and Bishop Sakes come to get us and took Sparky from me, giving him to Jody as Jody took one of the chairs where Jared and I would be seating during sacrament meeting, Letting Dad take his seat with the rest of our family.

Brother Nile's picked me up as if I was no bigger then a small boy like he used too, way back when letting the nurse follow me with the backpack and IV as well as my blankets. All he said was. “Man you have gotten big Kido.” Watching Jared follow me with his nurse and supplies while Bishop Lanwall my old Bishop moved mine and Jared’s wheelchairs to the side and out of the way for now. Back then they didn’t have the ramps as they do now. Bishop Sakes and Brother Nile's put us in our chairs, letting the nurses make us comfortable and attend to us during the meeting.

Letting Bishop Lanwall take his seat next to Bishop Sakes as his 1st councilor and Brother Nile's as his second counselor who was being released today and knew he would be called next Sunday. It gave Brother Nile's a chance to say goodbye to all of us, something I been dreading all week long knowing he would be leaving right after church. Once more I tried to feel numb not wanting a face that goodbye, as my tears look as if I was in pain; which was true just not that kind of pain seeing my best friend leave me knowing I would most likely never see him again.

I tried to smile seeing my best friends at the sacrament table as well as the boys I knew by name from school, and some I didn’t know being a new ward and all. All had chosen to take off their shirts and go barefoot. Seeing Gloria’s two boys whispering to each of them as I watched them do it and slide their shoes under their seats as Bishop Lanwall gathered their shirts in his arms and came up to the stand and laid them over the railing, to prevent them from getting dirty and wrinkled, not that matter considering they would be wrinkled anyway by the time church ended today.

The chapel was full of whispers as they noticed the boys and the Bishop and his two councilors. Picking up the boys shoes and lined them up in front the podium like it was a shoe sale as the congregation watched the three men remove their shoes and socks and added them to the boys, leaving on their shirts, only taking off their ties adding them to the boy’s shirts. Wondering what was going on, asking each other if they been told ahead time that today was one of those special days that Bishop Lanwall had them do this every once and a while. Having them flip through the program finding nothing mentioning it.

Bishop Sakes stood at the podium as he waited for the organist to stop playing as the congregation stopped talking watching the seats being filled slowly. Bishop sakes said “Today I have asked the boys to take off their shirts and walk barefoot today inside our church and during our meetings in remembrance of our savor and the burden of which he carried his cross. I am not asking you to do like wises, I am hoping that you will be willing to sacrifice a little of your normal Sunday modesty for our two boys that have suffered personal injury at the hands of their enemies. Like Jesus did when he walked the streets carrying his cross that his enemies made him carry so they could put him to death. To show God and his son Jesus Christ that you do remember his suffering. I am asking you to choose as my councilors and I have chosen as well as our boys that will be participating in our sacrament today.”

After he had asked the congregation to participate, he sat down and the organ started to play as people finished taking their seats and the whispering began again. Jared and I watched to see how many would participate. Finding very few boys were willing to participate or overhearing parents telling them no or asking them to do so. I saw the look Bishop Sakes face turn red with anger as few of the parents of the boys that had been chosen to bless and pass the sacrament were told to grab their shirts and shoes from the podium. Ordering them to put them back on and take a seat in the audience; leaving them short-handed.

He couldn’t stop them, because it was their choice regardless if the other boys and their parents were willing to let them participate. Like I have said earlier when Bishop Lanwall was our Bishop he would ask us to do it at least once a month during the summer months and sometimes during the winter turning up the heat and turning off the air conditioners after giving his talk God Doesn’t Care.

Some even tried to leave the building entirely; telling people that they can not support a Bishop that is willing to ask them to be immodest on Sunday. Whispering Bishop Crawford would never have asked them to do this. I watched as the people that were leaving were told to retake their seats and be quiet as they were not permitted to leave as the Police Officers, man the doors. Telling them they can leave after sacrament meeting if they still chose too. 

I didn’t know how many laws Bishop Sake was breaking by holding everyone prisoner, but I simply didn’t care. Knowing that people that are trying to leave or the people unwilling to participate are the very people that could be the ones out to kill me and my family as well as my friends.

I looked out into the crowd finding a video camera had been set up to record this meeting. Most likely so Gloria and Crawford could watch it personally. I smiled seeing the Vincent’s and their two boys participating as well as Mr. Vincent seeing his bare shoulders in the audience they had chosen to sit towards the back of congregation while Dad and my two brothers sat somewhere in the middle of the chapel. I watched Shawn and Arthur shake their heads when Dad asked them for their shirt as he had done with my two brothers.

Dad grew angry, but kept the monster inside, letting Arthur and Shawn keep them on. I smiled seeing Dad taking off his shirt as well Kerry’s husband Tom as Kerry folded it into her lap and smiled at me. They weren’t the only fathers that had chosen to participate, but it still was just a handful and so were the boys in the audience and I knew Bishop Sake looked concerned because of it. Prompting him to change his talk as I watched him take the one he had prepared today and stuffed inside his briefcase angrily and pulled out another crisp one.

Once the clock on the wall read 12: pm Bishop Lanwall stood up to direct the meeting, as he conducted ward business. I knew once he had concluded it was mine and Jared turn to play our parts, before the sacrament started, which we were told that we wouldn’t present ourselves until after the sacrament, but apparently that had changed as well and had to do with what had taken places a moment of ago when very few boys and men refused to participate.

It wasn’t because they breaking Sabbath law on Sunday it was because they felt threatened by Crawford and the people he represented. That had tried to get Bishop Lanwall excommunicated for letting this kind of behavior happen in the first place. Sure it was ok for the boys not wear a shirt or go barefoot outside or in the gym during a game, it was because he was asking them to do so in the chapel on Sunday. I knew for a fact that in some countries where the population is poor. That it is common for boys and men to go without a shirt or go barefoot in church or in school.

Yet we lived in the United States were people believe that it is a sin against God unless you were a baby or young toddler that doesn’t know any better. Even woman and girls sometimes run barefoot during church.  Today though Bishop Sakes and his councilors were making a different statement to the way they were implying this dress code today and had nothing to do with Bishop Lanwall’s talk God Doesn’t Care. Today he was telling the congregation what Crawford and Gloria have done and are willing to do anyone that stands in their way.

Mr. Nile's helped me up to the side of the podium and placed my arms around his neck and walked me to the podium as Bishop Lanwall picked up Jared having both the nurse follow us with our fake IV’s, as Mom and Jody picked up the blankets we were using too keep us warm, even though we were sweating to death because how hot the chapel was with the heater blowing at full capacity plus the fever it wasn’t high enough for it if was my teeth would have been chattering instead it was on the brink.

Once we made it to the podium Jared I were turned around and placed on stools with our backs to the congregation while Bishop Lanwall and brother Nile's made sure we didn’t fall letting us lean on them to prevent us from falling. Because how weak we were and we had to pretend how much pain we were truly in for this to work.

I didn’t have to fake a groan because I was still very much in pain more so my bottom and back were Gloria had whipped me and forcibly rapped me.  I heard the audience gasp seeing our backs that looked like they had been through a meat grinder. Bishop Sakes said standing up at the podium between us adjusting the microphone. “These boys have been taken from their schools last Friday and by Gloria West, Mr. and Mrs. Vincent’s housekeeper and with the help of Mr. Crawford and the people that have been supporting him and her. They beat these boys, tortured these boys, and sexually abused these boys and tried to kill them… either by torture or by poison.

“All because they had… and their friends have refused to join their organization. Where they sell their young children to child sex rings and making them become drug mules. To distribute their drugs across the county. If it wasn’t for Eric’s monitoring device these two boys would not be with us today letting us know where they had taken them. I am asking the congregation to take a good look at these boys knowing that this could happen to them. If they allow Gloria West and Mr. Crawford to commit these crimes and go unpunished, knowing your children could be next, because they have participated at his discretion, having them or you vandalize their homes, rape your children telling you that he is their prophet, he is their way to salvation… that this church is corrupt as well as our teachings.

“I ask you where in our teachings that say we must kidnap young boys such as these two, and beat them so bad that nearly kills them? Then poison them leaving them at the side of the road in a ditch so they can die painfully and slowly as they make their getaway. Where does it teach us that we should torture them because they do not want to belong to an organization that participates in raping children, raping each other, doing drugs, drinking alcohol and forcing them to have sex with them and each other? I am asking you to come forward and tell us who these people are that are doing this to our children and to our families, to our husbands and wives, our friends and our neighbors. I am giving you one chance to come clean and so we can walk our streets once again in safety, knowing that these criminals have been stopped. 

“Either inform me, an officer at the door or give them a anonymous tip on who these people are and where we can find them, before we have more violence, and before we not only have these two boys, but others in our ward and in our town of Highland living through the horrors they have put these innocent boys through. And take the chance of them killing your sons and daughters. All because you, my friends have trusted Mr. Crawford to look after you when all this time he has turned his back on you, forcing you to do things for his unjust cause. And his revenge for being excommunicated by the church and is now being hunted for his and Gloria Wests crimes by every lawman on the streets.”

Bishop sake paused as he looked out into the audience hearing people telling him that its nothing but lies and we are trying to destroy a man of God and woman’s life with lies and false crimes. Bishop Sakes continued as some of the congregation booed and hissed at him causing him to raise his voice. “Right now he is laughing at you because he has you by the balls, right where he wants you. Right now he is running for offices to be our new Mayor.

“Using the drug money, using the money he gets from selling your children to child sex rings and prostitution for his campaign funds. Yet he remains in hiding letting people like you to do his dirty work as he buys his way into a high ranking office with bribes and favors. Using people like Gloria West and the people like her to commit these crimes, knowing you will let them get away with it. I want you to take a good look at these two boys in front of you. I want you to take a good look at your son's backs as they either sit with you or as they bless and pass the sacrament and walk these halls as if on holy ground. I want you to think that this could be your sons, your daughters, your husband, and your wives.

“I want you to ask Mr. Crawford and Gloria why he is willing to torture, rape young children, force you out of your homes, so he and his organization can ridicule you for going against him if you do not participate or feel you no longer want to be a part of his organization. As he burns your homes to the ground like he has the Olson home not more than two weeks ago. How he and his organization have vandalized neighbors homes like the Rothwell home, buttered all their animals, painted devil signs on their walls, houses; covering them in blood and human waste. Vandalizing private property and government lands were people like to go and camp out destroying the land and ponds were we like to fish and swim during the hot summer months.

“Ask him is this. What has God taught us when it comes to loving your neighbor regardless of what they believe in or who they are? If he says to you that God wants you to do everything that Mr. Crawford and his friend Gloria says for you to do. Then you have fallen so far off the path God himself put you on. I would pray for your souls, and we will weep for you, as Crawford and his organization and Gloria have taken your children and brutally tortured them as they have to these two boys.

“Perhaps even killed them to show you that he and his organization and Gloria are more powerful than God himself, and can do whatever they want, when they want and how they want. You may take your seats, Eric and Jared, pray that these people here today that have caused this may be stopped. May your recoveries be swift and justice be done for what they have done to you both.”

The moment we sat down letting our nurses make sure we were comfortable Bishop Sakes let them open the doors to the ones that wanted to leave can. I noticed that Shawn’s and Arthur's face, as well as many of his friends, was angry, as they hissed and booed, causing Dad to become quite angry with Shawn and Arthur as he moved them out of their seats and forced them out of the chapel. It was almost after sacrament meeting was about to be let out as Bishop Lanwall was finishing his talk on God doesn’t care, then changed to God Does Care in regards to how we love one another. When Dad had them retake their seats, neither of them was wearing their shirts and was barefoot. I knew they were angry because of it and embarrassed because Dad forced them to participate.

Jared and I let the nurses play their parts throughout sacrament meeting, checking our temperature, or listening to our heartbeat, as well as having us sip water and wipe the sweat from our faces because how hot the room was getting. We would nod off every so often from the lack of sleep and room being so hot after sitting with blankets around us until we couldn’t take it any longer as they hand them to Mom. After the meeting had concluded Brother Nile's and Bishop Lanwall returned us to our wheelchairs. Mom placed a warm blanket on our shoulders, mostly to keep anyone from looking at our backs up closes and placed Sparky on my lap.

Dad and Tom took over so Mom and Jody could go to Relief society where all the woman go while we boys and men go to priesthood. Letting the nurses follow us as they were told to do. Dad handed his wheelchair duties to Jake and Adam so he could go to his class and he handed Jared’s wheelchair duty to his friends like Jake's brother Billy. Dad told Shawn and Arthur that I was in charge of them. I saw the anger in their eyes when he said it. It was bad enough that Dad had forced them to take off their shirts and made them go barefoot like the other boys. Once Dad had left with the nurse after they had changed the IV and took my empty water bottle to refill it with her as planned.

Knowing Shawn and Arthur wouldn’t dare say anything to me with him being in the same room. Shawn and Arthur growled at Jake and Adam to leave the room. I handed them Sparky to take outside so he could do his business. I nodded that was exactly what I wanted them to do, so we could be alone in the room.

I wasn’t afraid of them because I knew I needed them focused on me and their anger. Shawn said. “You and Jared are such liars, Bishop Crawford and our friends never touched you. They didn’t kidnap you from school either. I know that for a fact because I knew where you had gone all this time. You had been sent to the Vincent’s; to throw us off the track.” Shawn waited to see if I realized what he was saying.

I smiled and said. “I figured as much, hearing the phone click three times instead of two when Mom and Dad called to check on me and our three younger brothers had no clue where I was until they had arrived that following morning at the Vincent’s house. Then when Gloria tried to make her escape knowing she had poisoned Jared and me and was about to get caught and wanted to leave before Crawford’s boys come to kidnap us so she wouldn’t be in the crossfire. The question I have is if Mom and Dad were on both of the phones and the one in my room had been removed. Knowing that both of you were down locked in your rooms. How were you able to listen in on our conversation?”

I waited until Arthur blurted out. “We have our own phone.” Having Shawn tell him too shut his mouth.

I said. “Are you sure that Crawford and his palls didn’t catch us last night? Or do you think that this is just something we have cooked up?” Shawn was about to take off the blanket as my hands quickly grabbed his and twisted it, forcing him on his knees as my left foot kicked him towards the door. Proving I wasn’t all that helpless watching his eyes light up. He was about to launch himself at me when Jake opened the door with our teacher with my nurse right behind him. Arthur looked to Shawn asking him what we should do now.

Shawn said. “Nothing, Crawford and the boys will handle it. And our God will save us.”

I said. “Thanks, Shawn that’s all I needed to hear,” I lifted the small tape recorder up and clicked it off and rewind it and replayed it so they can hear their confession. Shawn and Arthur’s face turned white.

Dad came back in and said. “I guess we know who tipped them off now don’t we Shawn. We thought it had have been Gloria, but she had confessed she didn’t know anything about them showing up at the house.   It was you and Arthur who was giving away the information.” I didn’t tell Dad that she had lied about that it didn’t really matter anymore, so didn’t say anything.

Dad grabbed Shawn and Arthur by the ear and took them out of the room, letting the nurse attend to me. Jake and Adam took their seats next to me handing me Sparky’s leash and smiled, Jake said. “Your Dad just invited us and our families to dinner at the Vincent’s place.” Jake and Adam whispered in my ear and said. “And for chocolate covered penis.”

I smiled and said. “My favorite.”