Latter-Day of the Dead Read Online Free Page B

but….”
    “But, what?”
    “You don’t have to tell me what happened, Brother Benjamin, but my professional guess initially is that these lacerations came from what looks like human teeth, which can bring on a whole different level of problems.”
    Benjamin sat silent for a moment before asking, “Like what?”
    “The bacteria found in the human mouth are much more aggressive than other bacteria. Without the antibiotics I am giving you, the lacerations can become very painful ulcers. Normal human saliva has over forty different types of bacteria, and shoot if the person in question were to have, say, gingivitis or something like that the number of bacteria triples.”
    Worry grabbed hold of Benjamin’s face. “Since you’re a doctor, I can, like, confide in you Brother Elias?”
    “Of course, Benjamin. I just want to give you the proper diagnosis to get you healthy.”
    “Okay, well….”
    “Brother Elias, Brother Benjamin,” a voice interrupted from the doorway, “is everything alright?”
    Benjamin rolled to his side on the examination table to hide his exposed lap, wincing in pain at the sudden movement. I stood straight up as the prophet entered.
    Verdell Quinn was the self-anointed prophet and leader of our sect. He stood stoically in the doorway as Benjamin and I remained silent.
    If I had to describe Verdell in two words I would probably use: stained and face .
    He was an old but strong man with a vascular birthmark covering the left-side of his temple and cheek. I have read that people outside of our compound refer to these markings as port-wine stains. The mark was deep red, and had become thick and rigid in Verdell’s old age and was associated with the glaucoma in his left eye. The glaucoma created blindness in his left eye and turned it into a creepy silver color, offset by his regular blue eye on the right.
    When I was a kid I snuck in a book from off the compound, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I always saw Verdell Quinn’s face when I tried to visualize the main character.
    “Is something wrong, Brother Benjamin?” Verdell inquired, stepping into the office.
    I watched Benjamin squirm to conceal his injury from the prophet. Verdell made his way over and placed his wrinkled hand on Benjamin’s shoulder.
    “Our bodies are our temples; we must nourish them and treat them with the highest respect.” Verdell paused after the statement for effect, and used his other wrinkled hand to ensure the thin gray strands of hair on top of his head were properly placed.
    “Yes, sir,” Benjamin agreed.
    Verdell continued, “And we are so blessed to have Brother Elias here to aid in keeping us healthy and well. He has answered his calling, and for that we all reap the reward.”
    I nodded in appreciation.
    “I should let you back to your work, Brother Elias,” Verdell said. He headed back to the door, where two men from the priesthood awaited him. Before exiting, he placed his hand on the doorframe, and without turning around, asked, “Benjamin, did you leave the compound last night?”
    Benjamin’s mouth gradually opened with nervousness. Before he could muster an answer the prophet had exited and closed the door behind him. A guilt-ridden Benjamin took a deep breath and gave me a forced smile, his kid teeth appearing in-between his desiccated lips.

chapter two
    M odern Mormons are following a false prophet. It’s true. Joseph Smith, Jr. was the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. I hold him in great regard. Sometime in the 1820’s, he was visited by an angel named Moroni who led him to a buried book detailing the Christian history of the Americas.
    If I had to describe this book in two words I would probably use golden and plates . The divine text discovered was written on thin, golden plates. He translated the ancient, unknown Egyptian language on the plates by placing a seer stone in his hat and reading the translated words through the stone. Once finished, he published