Necessary Evil

It was cramped to say the least. Only a paper-thin wall separated the two chambers. In the middle of the wall was a screen, translucent enough to let some light through and yet so opaque that no faces could be seen.

He entered hesitantly, for it was his first confession. His childhood had been tough. His father died even before his birth and he had grown up without the presence of an authoritative figure. He had fallen in with the wrong crowd and by the time he was twelve, he had already been arrested for assault and battery. His mother was too busy trying to earn a living to be bothered, so, he grew up on the streets and learnt to look out for himself. Since then, he had assassinated five prime ministers and never been arrested again. Everyone had a different name for him; no one knew what his real name was. The police called him The Phantom. He was the wanted lists of ten countries, accused of innumerable crimes, brutal crimes and yet he found a way to ease from one country to another. Today, for the first time since he could remember, he was nervous.

The priest quietly entered his side of the confessional.

“Speak freely son. Nobody is going to know what is said here. God is always ready to forgive His children.”

He had a very soft voice, almost calming. He enunciated each word.

“Father, I have done terrible things. I have nightmares, I can’t sleep or eat, I am an awful, awful person.”

“We are all His creations, the flowers in his garden. No one is awful. Just speak what’s on your mind.”

“I killed Father! I killed a woman for money! She was going to get married, Judy was going to get married and I killed her!”

“That was the wrong thing to do my son. You were driven by selfish desires and you took an innocent’s life.”

“I just can't forget her face, Father. She was so beautiful father; her green eyes were dazzling, even in fear, her lithe form was glistening with sparkling sweat. I have killed many times but I have never been so enraptured by my victim. That night, the hunter’s instinct was fading, I was smitten. But I killed her. My lust for money defeated my love as I watched her chenille nightgown disappearing in the sea of red. I am lost, Father.”

“Son, we all do things we shouldn’t. You have done incurable harm, but you are repentant. True love is never vanquished. You will be a good man; you will love again. Our heavenly Father has a big heart, a magnanimous soul. You just need to ask for forgiveness and promise to mend your ways.”

“I'm sorry Father; forgive me for I have sinned.”

The priest chanted inaudible incantations and then said,

“Son, God forgives you for this heinous crime. You have been absolved.”

That night, for the first time in weeks, he slept at night. It seemed he had been relieved of a great load. When he awoke the next morning, he made a decision. After that, he visited the priest every week and confessed to his sins. He confessed the wrong things he had done during his past. He had a little black book, a record of all killings he had done. Every time after a confession, he would tear out the pages on which he had written the victims’ names. As the book got thinner, his conscience became lighter. The people around him were quite curious as he seldom took up new assignments and started going to a place all alone every week. He remained non-committal, he knew they wouldn’t understand.

One day, he woke up and remembered it was that day of the week. He checked his book and saw that there were no more pages in the book. The same as every week, he went the church to confess.

“Father, I have told you about all the sins I have committed. Coming here has really helped me a lot. I used to think I would change one day, perhaps in the distant future. I never thought this day would come so soon. I will never assist the dark forces of this world again. But I do have one last thing to do.”

“What is it, son?”

“They have told me that I won’t be allowed to go away until I have completed my final mission- to kill you. I am moving on.”

He pulled out a gun and with one muffled boom, it was over.

“Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. It was a necessary evil.”