The Oily Man

Kate pushed herself free and looked at Megan with a frown. "What about you? The police are saying you were raped. Is it true?"

Megan nodded, wiping tears from her eyes. "Yes, Orang Minyak raped me."

Suddenly the old lady in the bed next to her gasped, and Megan looked at her. The old lady looked away, coughing, so she thought it must've been the reason for her gasp and ignored her. They talked for about an hour when a nurse came and told Kate she had to leave. After Kate had left, Megan contemplated what happened to her. Eventually she said loudly to the old woman, "You know about Orang Minyak, don't you?"

The old woman rolled over, looking at her with dark eyes and troubled face. "I know him only too well, all know of him in Malaysia."

Megan nodded, she sensed the old woman spoke the truth. "What I don't understand is why he left my sister alone?"

The old woman smiled knowingly, saying, "He never touches women who have already lost their virginity. Legend says that non-virgin women can't even see him."

Megan frowned deeply. "But Kate is a virgin, she told me."

"I don't want to upset you, but if she's a virgin, Orang Minyak would've raped her. There's no exceptions."

"No, it can't be," Megan said, rolling over so her back is to the old lady.

"I'm sorry child, I didn't mean to upset you," the old lady said.

Megan said nothing, with tears running down her cheeks, she knew the old lady had been true in her words. She remembered Kate telling her how Ralph had been writing to beg her to come home. How the idea to come on this trip had been Kate's, and had happened unexpectedly. The truth revealed itself to her, shocking her, making her feel sad and angry. Kate isn't a virgin as she had claimed, Megan knew that now. This trip to the Mission is a repeat of the dog/gate incident. Kate had sex with Ralph, felt guilty about it, and ran away to Malaysia dragging her little sister with her. Lying to her about her reasons. Kate's sin had set her up to be raped by a demon.

Megan cried, and prayed furiously to her Lord for forgiveness for Kate, and herself. Part of her felt angry at Kate, however, eventually she decided that confronting Kate about how her sins led to the rape would only cause her overwhelming guilt in her. To Megan that sounded like revenge, another sin. With a deep sigh she thought, Sin leads to more sin, before long we have wondered so far from God's path that we've become lost. Best I leave it to the Lord. So she prayed.

*****

Much later that night, Megan noticed the old lady still awake, so she asked, "How do you get over such a thing?"

Tears filled the old woman's eyes. "I don't think any woman 'gets over' being raped. All we can do is bear it, and get on with life."

"You seem like a wise woman," Megan said with a smile.

"Life stops for no one, and if you try to stop it by feeling sorry for yourself you'll only hurt yourself more."

"I suppose," Megan said, not believing her. "Why do you think God allows him to do this?"

"Maybe God allows it because he feels sorry for him. Maybe it's a test for us, like Job. The mind of God is difficult for mortals to understand."

"I sensed his reason for raping is revenge and loneliness," Megan said sadly. "Abandoned by God and the angels, the only pleasure he gets is sexual."

The old woman nodded. "I suggest you devote your recovery to prayer, so the Lord can guide you down the right path. The sex you've had can lead you to temptations more vile than Orang has put you through."

"Yes, I know, I'll need to be strong," she said. "Oh... Thanks for being honest with me before, I'm sorry I..."

"Don't be silly, child, there's no need to apologise for being human."

Megan nodded, turned out her light and said, "Good night."

"Good night, sweet child, and remember the Lord is with you. He loves you and cherishes you."

Suddenly, Megan felt a warm glow over her body, and she nestled into it. Falling asleep, thinking, I love HIM, too.

*****

In the morning the nurse woke her with pills and breakfast. Megan looked toward the old woman to find the bed empty and made. "Oh, nurse, where's the old lady gone?"

The nurse frowned, looked at the empty bed, and asked, "What old lady?"

Megan's eyes widened, as she said, "The lady who was in that bed yesterday... Last night... I talked to her."

"Megan, I can assure there's never been anyone in that bed. You must've dreamed it," the nurse said.

The End.