In a bedroom at St. Jude's Catholic Church in New Jersey, a young woman named Marie tosses and turns as several images flash in her dream. The images Marie sees are from World War II. She sees Nazi soldiers and scientists in the ruins of Trondham Abbey on a dark and stormy night in Scotland. Among the Nazis are two dangerous men: Karl Ruprect Kroenen, Hitler's head assassin and head of the Thule Occult Society, and Grigori Rasputin, a Russian mystic and Spiritual Advisor to Tsar Nicholas Romanov II. A machine stands in the middle of the remains. Several American soldiers and Professor Trevor Broom close in on the ruins before observing the Nazis.
The machine begins working as a portal to another dimension appears, intending to summon a dangerous and powerful being. The Americans then storm the ruins and attack the Nazis. During the attack, a grenade goes off near the machine, damaging it. Suddenly, Rasputin is absorbed into the portal before it closes. After the fighting ends, Professor Broom and the American Soldiers find a little half-demon baby with a red stone right hand. It was a happy moment before it changed to an apocalyptic image. Marie sees what appears to be the grown adult man version of the half-demon baby boy. The half-demon man has a crown of fire atop his head with fully grown horns. He stands in a decimated city with orange skies and dark clouds as the apocalypse has arrived, for he is the bringer.
Marie jolts up in a cold sweat as she awakens from her dream. The young woman looks out her window as the heavy rain from the storm hits it. She could sense something evil was out in the world and the reason for the visions. Marie had a strong feeling that she would be there when the shit finally hit the fan.
Marie looked at the time on her clock and saw no reason to return to sleep as she would have to get up in two hours. The woman got up and out of bed before going through her morning routine, which included the occasional four-mile run before returning to the church to shower, brush her teeth, and dress in a black KISS Detroit Rock City t-shirt, dark denim jeans, black combat boots, and a black leather jacket. Marie also wore jewelry, specifically a simple and elegant silver cross necklace around her neck. On her right wrist and ring finger, Marie had a rosary and Claddagh ring that belonged to her mother.
She pulled her hair up into a ponytail while standing before a mirror. When Marie finished her ponytail, she remained in front of the mirror, staring at the slit-shaped scar on her eyebrow. The scar served as a reminder of the car accident Marie was in as a child.
Marie's room had a bed, nightstand, lamp, two bookshelves filled with books, a full-body mirror, a desk, a giant corkboard covered in Polaroid pictures, vinyl records, Walkman, cassette tapes, an armoire, and a wooden chest at the foot of her bed. On Marie's nightstand are four framed pictures. One is of her father, late mother, and herself as a little girl. The second is of her father, stepmother, toddler half-sister, and herself as a teenager. The third is a headshot picture of her mother. And the last is a recent picture. Her father and stepmother have a few wrinkles, and their hair is a bit gray. Her sister is all grown and standing with her husband, young son, and daughter. But Marie appeared to look the same.
Marie leaves her room to pray with the nuns living at the church and Monsignor Thomas, the parish priest. Throughout the day, Marie does her usual routine by helping the sisters with their tasks, riding her motorcycle, and reading. Later that day, Marie has dinner with Monsignor Thomas, Reverend Mother, and the other nuns.
"Are you excited, Marie?" Sister Mary Patrick asked her, referring to Marie's new assignment.
"I am, Sister," She responded. "I am grateful for the opportunity the B.P.R.D. has given me to help the world by protecting the innocent and fighting the wicked."
"Marie, has Professor Broom given you any indication of your assignment?" Monsignor Thomas inquired.
"No, Monsignor," Marie replied. "Professor Broom only told me that given my unique skills, I am the only one who qualifies for the job."
YOU ARE READING
The Ghost Rider
HorrorMarie had no idea what she was getting into after accepting a job from an old friend. All he told her was that she was the only one who could do it. Little did Marie know that the job was being a nanny for a half-demon man who's over 6 feet tall, br...
