The Demonic Oppression of Javier Vasquez

A Tale of Deliverance

Javier Vasquez sat nervously in the foyer of his family’s church, waiting on his mother to finish speaking with the pastor’s wife. He knew once their conversation had completed, he would be next.

From stories he had been told, this was one encounter he was not looking forward to. It seemed like sharing the stories of the horrors that the encounter he was about to have had been the only thing the church kids wanted to share with him. Almost like they knew it was inevitable that he would find himself facing this reality at some point.

Having just switched churches a couple months earlier, he was not fitting in with the kids at the new church his family now called home. Not that this was new for him. Quiet and reserved, he was more at home sitting in a quiet room lost in a good book than attempting to meet new people.

He found this easier than putting himself out there, hoping to be accepted by people that he had no common interests with.

Being the shortest boy in his grade didn’t help. While the other boys were into sports, cars and girls, not always in that same order, Javier couldn’t tell you what sport was currently in season, let alone name any athletes or the teams they played for.

His dark hair, dark eyes, short stature and lack of athletic ability always left him the last one picked at gym class, if he were picked at all.

If he were to be totally honest, the times he was not picked were the best days he had in gym. He preferred to sit on the sidelines and pretend to watch while he let his mind wander, thinking about where the book he was currently reading might take him.

Now his love of reading was being viewed as a spiritual issue. One that had to be dealt with now, before it led him down a path of godlessness, spiritual decay and an eternity in Hell.

His reading material had always been scrutinized with a critical eye before he was permitted to indulge in its contents. As he got older, the material he found himself drawn to was beginning to cause concern in his parents’ minds.

Having recently found the fantasy section at the local library, he had quickly found himself drawn into amazing tails that were described on the back cover of the books he picked up, knowing there was no way he would ever be able to sneak one into the family home.

Now, all he could do was sit and wait, trying to conjure up in his head the conversation that must be taking place. Closing his eyes, he envisioned himself inside the room, listening to the conversation.

“All he does is sit in his room and read,” he could hear his mother telling Teacher Catherine, the title the pastor’s wife went by. “If it were only his Bible I would not be concerned, but he has begun reading non-biblical works. I even had to stop him from picking up The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at the library just last week. I don’t know how to handle this blatant disregard for what he has been taught is right his entire life.”