The All Powerful Jeremiah Steel

CHAPTER EIGHT

“Wake up” echoed an eerie voice at the back of Jeremiah’s mind.

“Huh? Who said that?!” Jeremiah asked internally, feeling like he was surrounded by multiple entities.

“Food. We can sense delicious food and it is so close. Our hunger rises, now WAKE UP AND FEED US!”

Jeremiah gasped, panting as he regained consciousness and opened his eyes.

‘What was that? What was that voice and presence I just—?’ He thought but paused when he realized something.

“Wait. Why is everywhere so dark?” He asked himself, then grimaced because he felt something covering his head.

“What’s this on my head? Wait, is this why everywhere appears so dark?” Jeremiah tried to take the sack off his head, but to his surprise, his arms were cuffed behind his back, so he couldn’t move them.

“Looks like I’m still handcuffed, but why?” He asked himself, wondering why he was still handcuffed when he had already been taken to his cell and had been released from his cuffs.

He also realized that he was sitting on the floor.

“Whatever. Let me try and get it off this way”, Jeremiah said, then lowered his torso and started shaking his head aggressively.

He wanted to get the sack off his head without using his hand, but then…

“You’re awake. That’s good” said a calm and deep voice.

Jeremiah froze. He was surprised because he didn’t know anyone was there with him, but then his surprise quickly changed to concern because the voice that had just spoken was unfamiliar.

“Who said that?! Who’s there?! Are you the one who put this stuff over my head?!” Jeremiah asked as he heard footsteps getting closer.

“My apologies. I asked them to disguise your face so that if there was a mistake during the emancipation, then your identity wouldn’t be seen.”

Jeremiah frowned.

Who are these “they” that this person was talking about? He wondered but kept his questions to himself.

“Please, allow me to take that thing off your head, so we can speak face to face,” the man said, then took the sack off Jeremiah’s head.

Jeremiah squinted when the light suddenly invaded his eyes.

“My apologies. It’ll take some time for your vision to adjust to the light, but you’ll be fine, doctor”

“Huh?” Jeremiah paused.

‘Doctor? Wait, did I just hear wrong or did this guy just call me a doctor?’ He asked himself and just in time, his vision adjusted to the light.

He looked at the man who had taken the sack off his head, and it was a distinguished-looking gentleman in his early sixties, wearing a black suit and on his head was slick back grey hair.

The man saw the confused expression Jeremiah had and he smiled.

“Pardon my delay in initiating our introduction but first, allow me to release your arms from their shackles,” he said, then gestured to the side.

Jeremiah looked in the direction the aged gentleman had just gestured in and saw a big, tall, and muscular man in a suit walking toward him.

Jeremiah got scared and panicked, yelling “Wait, wait, wait! Don’t hurt— huh?”

To Jeremiah’s surprise, the muscular man reached into his suit’s inner pocket, took out a key, and then went behind him to unlock the handcuffs.

Jeremiah took his arms forward and rubbed his wrists, looking confused about what was going on.

“That feels better doesn’t it, Doctor Michael?” The aged gentleman asked, and again, Jeremiah paused.

He looked at the man, furrowed his eyebrows, and then tilted his head, trying to comprehend what was going on.

This time, he had heard the word “doctor” loud and clear, so he knew that he wasn’t mistaken when he thought he had heard it the first time.

“What’s the problem, doctor?”

“Doctor?” Jeremiah asked, then looked behind himself and, as he thought, there was no one behind him.

He looked at the aged gentleman, pointed at himself, and asked “Pardon my confusion, but are you talking to me when you call doc—“

“It took some time, but I was able to find where you were. Unfortunately, it was a prison cell, and that was a hindrance, but there is nowhere on this earth that is beyond the reach of my resources.” The aged gentleman said, and Jeremiah, who couldn’t make any sense of what he was saying, started to chuckle.

“I’m sorry sir, but I think there’s been a mistake somewhere. My name is not Michael but Jeremiah Steel”. Jeremiah said, then hoped that that would let the man know of his mistake.

Surprisingly, the aged gentleman smiled.

“I can see that you’ve decided to use one of your many aliases, but I can assure you that you can trust me, doctor.” The aged gentleman said, and Jeremiah grimaced.

He wondered if the well-dressed and well-spoken man in front of him was crazy, because only a crazy person would insist on furthering their misunderstanding when someone had just tried to correct them.

“To show you that I’m trustworthy, an acquaintance of yours, the same one who sends you letters in prison, was the one who gave me your information and told me where to find you and what prisoner number you’re registered under. Prison number one hundred and eleven” the aged gentleman said.

Immediately. Jeremiah grimaced and groaned.

‘Prisoner number one hundred and eleven? Wait, that’s not correct. I remember my number, and it was three hundred and six, so where did—?‘ Jeremiah thought, but then, by accident, he looked at the badge on his uniform sleeve.

‘Wait. Why isn’t this red anymore? My uniform used to have a red badge, but this is— Wait! Now I remember what happened! That bastard switched our—‘ Jeremiah panicked but then…

The aged gentleman, who, just from his appearance alone, Jeremiah could tell was someone of high status and importance, went on his knees and bowed his head, shocking Jeremiah enough to jolt backward.

“Sir, what are you doing—?” Jeremiah stuttered.

“I beg of you, Doctor Michael. Please use your talent and help save the life of a very important man. If you do, then I promise that, no matter how big or small, any wish you have will be granted.”

Jeremiah’s eyes widened.