Chapter 1: Tip of the Iceberg

January 1999

Before I get started, I just want to make one thing perfectly clear. I am not crazy! Nobody, not even a mad man, could make up what I am about to tell you. Do you believe in ghosts? Demons? Angels? Okay, how about vampires? I do. Yeah, really, I do. If I had not lived through all of this, it is possible I just had the nightmare of the century ... eight centuries, to be more accurate! Yes, I suppose that I would be insane if it were not for my faith in Jesus and everything that He means to me. Because of Him, I shall live forever. At least I will live with Him. This is my story...

My name is Malcolm Harris. I am a reporter for a local television station WBFS, in Miami, Florida. My station called one morning with an assignment to cover a story about missing pets. Apparently, somebody found them. It was January 1999, the last year before the much-anticipated Y2K crisis. I remember it so well. I walked out of my house to cover this story just like any other only to meet my neighbor out by the curb. My neighbor and I are complete opposites on many issues.

“You should be glad the homeowner’s association doesn’t tell you to take off all of your religious stickers!” Mike Hamrick hollered out to me as I began to get into my car. He was already out pretending to do something in his lawn only to spy on his neighbors to report them at the next association meeting.

“It’s my first amendment, Mike! Give it a rest, will you? It also part of my religious freedom.” I stopped the car before rolling out into the street, waiting for his caustic reply, which came immediately. “You Christians are alike. Just a bunch of hypocrites! What is it about your faith that should make me want to give it a rest?” He put his lawn tools down and paused to light up a cigarette. “I will give you a rare opportunity. You have until this cigarette is done before I will cut you off. I know you Bible thumpers love to talk so start talking!” He lit up his favorite carcinogenic source. He had caught me off guard, as I had not prepared for this rare opportunity to give my testimony to my diehard atheistic neighbor. Then again, I am not one to turn down an opportunity.

“Mike, you’re my neighbor. You know I don’t harbor any ill will to you or your family. I am a man of faith. It’s that simple. I believe in Jesus Christ. I believe what I believe because I have felt the Holy Spirit in me. I’m baptized, both of water and of the spirit. Christ is very real to me. His gospel is truth to me. His path and his teachings are acceptable to me. It’s why I believe what I believe. I don’t say you have to believe it too, but I think you would be a much happier human being if you did. It works for me and would for you too. That is all Mike. That’s all.”

“Wow! Malcolm, that was quick! What? No literature? No trying to get into my house? No exorcisms to perform? I am surprised!” Mike was very sarcastic, very anti-religious, even more anti-Christian, and somewhat anti-social. Mike was divorced and had been very bitter ever since the divorce. His wife had run-off with a minister and that was the only real reason he had for despising me. I represented something he had come to hate.

“Mike, I have to run, but I will talk to you anytime about our differences regarding faith. I know about your divorce, and your wife. I can understand your pain, but I am not the cause of it. I am merely someone whom you’ve projected your hate upon.”

Mike was silent for a moment. I could tell by his face that he knew I had gone straight to the nerve of his problem. He hated Christians and religion because he felt it had robbed him of his wife. I would have like to have been able to tell him that he had drove her away with his drinking and abusive nature, and she had found a man of God who had exhibited a weakness and violated his own vows. The minister’s marriage suffered and perhaps he had his own issues.

“Malcolm, we do need to talk someday, just not this day. I am in a bad mood, which is why I started in on you so early this morning. Sorry.”

“Mike, I have an assignment to cover. When I get back, we will talk. Are you gonna be alright?” I could see his tired eyes watering, as he was no doubt thinking about what I said. The man either was reliving his pain or had a hangover.

“Yeah! See you later.” He turned away and walked into his house as I pulled out of my driveway. Across town, a story was waiting.

It seems that there had been an increase of pet-abductions going on around Dade County. Now if it had been just big dogs, I would have guessed that there was a ring of dogfighters getting more dogs for their stables. There were many dogfight fans in Dade county and surrounding areas lending to the local history regarding that ugly sport. However, all kinds of breeds of dogs and cats were coming up missing.

I parked next to my camera crew’s truck already on the scene when I arrived. My engineer and camera operator were ready to film a house that the police had surrounded with yellow crime scene tape.

“Nice of you to join us, Malcolm,” Kevin said as he heaved his camera upon his shoulder.

“Well, Kevin, I just got the call. How about cutting me some slack, huh? I haven’t been to the station yet. Any other stations here yet?”

“Not yet, but they will be. Hey Rico, let’s get a sound check before Malcolm has to go on!” Rico was sorting out cables and microphone equipment.

I went across the street to the meet with the investigating officer in charge. I saw the familiar face of Lt. Luis Martinez and thought it strange to see him here. “Lou! Good to see you again! Why are you here for this kind of stuff? This isn’t your usual kind of case.”

He came over after seeing me outside the police crime tape.

Lou and I had a history from way back on many occasions. Because of our association, this officer became one of my most trusted friends and sources of information. I always called him “Lou.”

He greeted me with his usual Cuban accent, “Malcolm, my friend! I need to speak to you. Off the record! I think this is in your arena.” He had a bad habit of waving his hands in the air as he spoke quietly in a guarded manner. “Listen very carefully. For the record, I cannot give you anything but what I will officially give in my press statement. I will let you film the inside before we are ready to bring out the dead animals. But listen to me, my friend! This cannot hit the air yet. I need you for a special consultation.”