The Exorcist Files - Case #06 - A Taste of Honey - Pt. 1

Episode Date: May 23, 2023

Trent, a kind-hearted and humble trucker, has seemingly found the woman of his dreams, but all that glitters is not gold.SPONSORS OF TODAY'S EPISODEFireStarter Series-    A dramatic and epic adventure recounting the legend of George and the Dragon. A fun narrative podcast that is great for the family, starring Wizards of Waverly Place Star David Henrie.  Click here to listenExodus90- Ultimate men's spiritual formation curriculum. Co-hosted by Father Martins. Join the St. Michael's Lent with a group of likeminded warriors.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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I'm sorry, whatever I did. Can I help me. Please get me out of this. Help, please. Welcome back to the Exorcist Files, a fascinating and chilling foray into the world of spiritual warfare told to the case files of Exorcist Father Carlos Martins. We now will commence with the opening of our final case file for season one. Due to the complexity of this case, we will be releasing it as a rare three-parter. And before going any further, we want to offer a disclaimer that this episode contains mature themes and is definitely not suitable for all audiences.

We are delving into a topic that to some is fascinating, and to an unfortunate view, is all too real. Witchcraft. Also, throughout this case file, listeners will hear incantations and spells, which ideally sound real, but are in fact entirely fictitious and devoid of any spiritual meaning. So have no fear. One could say we have enabled spell check for these episodes. You're welcome. Now, let's begin.

When it comes to witchcraft, the term usually conjures up images of broomsticks and pointy hats, and contrary to many people's belief that it died out in the Middle Ages, witchcraft is still very much alive today. And for a protagonist Trent, a kind-hearted and humble trucker, one fateful encounter will show him just how real this ancient form of sorcery is. As soon as Trent set foot on the incarnate word Bible College grounds, he began to experience peace, a peace unlike he had ever felt before. His accident and what preceded it were such awful experiences

that they would forever remain ingrained in his memory. Now, eight days after accidentally arriving at the college, he didn't care if he ever left. As we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation. Since his arrival, Trent had prayed the, rosary countless times. He had also spent many hours of silence before the blessed sacrament, and he went to Mass Daily. For someone who had rarely practiced faith since his time in elementary

school over 20 years ago, the spiritual change in him was dramatic. Pray for us sinners, now to the yell of our death. Trent. Come in? Much better. Thank you for asking. Praise God. That's so nice to hear. John, I just, I just want to thank you for everything. You didn't, you didn't have to... Hey, hey, anytime. You would have done the same for me, right?

Now, look, I can see there's been a lot of progress, but I don't think we're fully out of the woods yet. Or are you still having those? Unfortunately, yeah. That's okay, because I have a colleague coming in tomorrow who specializes in these types of things, and I want you to meet them. Whatever it takes to rid me of her, I'll do it.

Good, because you'll have to give up your left ring finger. Thank God. Incarnate Word Bible College was a startup school in only its sixth year of operation. The school rented the grounds of what was now a vacant monastery, and it kept afloat by cutting costs wherever it could. Trent was grateful for the school's hospitality. Most of all, however, Trent was the recipient of daily prayer ministry, increasingly freeing him of the nightmare that were the last six months of his life.

Trent. Trent. No, no, no, no, no, no. Trent, my love, you can't run away. What the hell are you? I'm yours, silly. Get out of my head. And you are mine.

Please get out of my head. All mine. Get out of my head. My f***ed. Mine. Mine, honeybee. Get off the road. Get off.

Oh, my. Get off the road. Oh, my. Get off the road. Trent had been driving a pickup truck on Stanwood Road in eastern Idaho when he hit a horse. And the damage was tremendous. His truck was totaled. The front end collapsed and pushed the entire engine into the cab of the truck.

Any further, it would have crushed Trent's legs. His legs were pinned so tightly between the deformed dashboard and his seat that he had no circulation in his feet. The passenger seat had been ejected and was in the ditch on the side of the road, and the front axle was bent into a V, and the stallion was now a scattering of bits of flesh and bone strewn inside the cab and on the road behind it. The fact that Trent survived, let alone walked away, with only a battle, brutally bruised chest, and having a few cuts on his arm was astonishing. Someone looking at the wreckage would have never believed that anyone had ever survived. The incident occurred just past one o'clock in the afternoon.

Now, you might be wondering, a horse, and who is that voice in his head? As this case file involves a subject of witchcraft, we think it's important to set the table with a proper understanding of what it is from a historical and a Christian context. In our research, we quickly realized that while beliefs about witchcraft are universal, there is no universal definition of witchcraft, because its method and understanding derived from a variety of sources, including ancient sorcery, paganism, scholastic theology, medieval heresy, inquisition trials, and folklore. One definition states it as the manipulation of supernatural forces through the casting of spells and the conjuring or evoking of spirits. Some define it,

as an innate condition one is born with, in which one harnesses occult powers by psychic means with no need for rituals or charms. Witchcraft can take many forms. In most societies, witches are believed to use their supernatural powers for evil, a form often called black magic. However, there are also self-proclaimed white witches who practice folk medicine, pagan rituals, divination, and conjure spells for healing, protection, fertility, good fortune, and other, most people. more charitable reasons. And these practices have been used for centuries. With numerous witchcraft references found on religious inscriptions dating back to the Samarians,

it seems for as long as humans have been around, witchcraft was there as well. Now, from a Christian context, witchcraft is mentioned numerous times in scripture and is explicitly prohibited. Dating back to Old Testament times, the Bible has some harsh words to say about those who consult mediums, divination, and practice sorcery. The Book of Leviticus states that anyone who practices these arts is to be stoned to death. Then of course there's perhaps the most well-known witch reference from Exodus chapter 22, thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. In the New Testament, the Book of Acts describes a character known as Simon the sorcerer. The account says of Simon,

he had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, this man is rightly called the great power of God. Simon later offered the apostle Peter money in exchange for Jesus' powers. You can guess what Peter's response was. I found it particularly interesting how the surprising part of the story was not the supernatural feats, but rather the fact that he tried to put a price on obtaining power. Bottom line, you cannot buy power. from Jesus. To this day, humans have a fascination with magic arts, and time has done nothing to diminish witchcraft's popularity. On one of the world's largest social media apps, TikTok, there is a

trending hashtag called Witch Talk. With over 30 billion views to date, the tag is uniting a community of practicing witches who discuss everything from spells to rituals and blog about their experiences. While it is small relative to other religions, according to one Pew survey, it is estimated that in the U.S. alone, there were at least just under a million people identifying as Wiccan, New Age, or pagan. And that number probably underestimates the involvement. Stanwood Road is a little traveled road that Trent discovered years ago when he and a friend were elk hunting. The views of the mountains were as scenic as any, and what usually added to the pleasure of driving on that road was the lack of other vehicles. Trent waited, trapped inside his truck, his legs immobilized for someone to come along and help him. His cell phone had been thrown in the impact and only God knew where it was now.

After 10 minutes or so of no one else passing by, having no choice, he began to work himself out. After wiggling and painfully pulling on his legs, he managed to free them, but only by slipping off his shoes. The driver's door had also crumpled on the impact, so he had to crawl out the window to get himself out. The sound of the crash still rang in his ears. Trent began to limp southward down the road looking for any sign of civilization. After walking almost a mile, he saw the sign for the Bible College, and he turned up the laneway hoping to get access to a telephone to call for help. It didn't take long for Trent to get noticed. And she said it was because it was because I didn't use APA formatting, but if she wanted APA, why wouldn't she specify that in the syllabus?

Well, at least you're going to pass. I swear Myers is off her rocker. She wrote Better Luck next time on my paper. You can believe I'm paying for this. It's a Christian school. You'd think that there would be a little bit more forget. Oh, hell no. Blood!

Please! Sir, don't move. Someone help us. Wait right there. Go get help. The sweet bad, sir, just stop moving. Call 911 now. Help.

Please help. I can't be all his blood. Help. Help. Help me. Oh, no. He was a gruesome sight. Covered with Stallion's blood,

he had drying bits of animal flesh, clinging to his face and shirt, and that caused a crowd to quickly gather. Sir, can you hear me? Put his feet up now. Yeah, yeah, okay. Sir, if you can hear me, just stay calm. We are getting help for you.

Does someone call an ambulance? It's okay. It's okay. Just stay with us. help is coming. Sure. Okay. This is a good time to take a quick commercial break, but don't go anywhere. We will be back with more of Trent's fascinating story in just a bit.

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Again, it begins Monday, January 20th. God bless you. Welcome back to The Exorcist Files, where our trucker Trent just claimed he was cursed after he miraculously survived a horrific crash fleeing some malevolent force. Now, I know, to some, curses can seem far-fetched, but in the spiritual world, cursing and spellcasting have been an experience of humanity for almost all of documented civilization. Before we go too far down the rabbit hole,

let's hear from Father Martins on just what a curse actually is. Most people believe a curse is simply the use of crude words in speech. Certainly verbal crudeness is one of the definitions, but a curse in a spiritual sense is speech or an action calling for harm to befall someone or something. It's best understood in contrast to a blessing. A blessing empowers, strengthens, and gives life. A curse, however, drains, weakens, and kills.

It is the wishing of evil to befall someone. There are different reasons why someone would curse. They might do so to get revenge on someone, to destroy someone. destroy a marriage or relationship that two people have, to establish an unholy relationship, to cause financial hardship, disturbance, unhappiness, or any other poor state of affairs upon someone. Curses exist simply because of the way that God has constructed reality. God created a moral universe, a universe where it is possible to choose good or evil. When Adam rebelled against God, he destroyed the primordial blessing of paradise under which he and the rest of the universe was living.

And that transgression became the occasion for history's first curses. God cursed the serpent. Two verses later, he curses Eve. One verse later, he curses the earth. And beginning in that same verse, he finally curses Adam. But God never curses simply for the sake of punishment alone. His curses are medicinal. They become means for a blessing.

There is such a thing as evil cursing, cursing that desires to wound someone sinfully or to selfishly manipulate them. That kind of cursing is capable of inflicting terrible damage. So, in short, from the Christian perspective, while spells, hexes, evil eyes, black magic, and other forms of malevolent supernatural practices can vary in their practice and intention. A curse is the general umbrella term for causing harm to others through demonic intervention. And unfortunately for the altruistic witches, even so-called white magic with its benign or beneficial intentions, is still considered a serious sin that puts one in

relationship by the demonic. Now, let's get back to Trent, who barely managed to survive his ordeal when he fortunately stumbled upon a Christian college. Shortly afterwards, John Brooks, the school's headmaster arrived, and Trent recounted his collision with the stallion. John brought Trent inside to report the accident to the police, and the operator dispatched a unit immediately, but it would be over 30 minutes before it arrived in the rural area. In the meantime, John offered Trent the shower in his quarters to wash himself of the blood for which Trent was grateful. John pulled clothes from his wardrobe that Trent could wear after washing up, and he produced a pair of shoes as well. By the time Trent changed, the police had arrived. The two officers took his account of the

accident and offered to drive him to a hospital to be examined, which Trent politely turned down. He felt so much peace in the short time he was at school that he did not want to leave. John offered to let him stay at the college as long as he needed, and Trent couldn't think of anything he wanted more. The goodness Trent saw around him left him speechless. These people did not know him, and yet they treated him like a brother. One student promised to offer a holy hour for him in the chapel, while several more promised to pray the rosary for him.

Another one lent him a laptop to email family and let him know where he was. He saw in these people something that he lacked, tranquility and peace. John arranged for Trent and him to eat in his private dining room. As they sat down, Trent told him the extended version of how he got there. His likeness wade and wharf, his heart be wished. His member in a raven's nest, chained by wrists and made to crawl, shackled to the beastly ankle, slave of spirit, lust in life, honey dark and lead in water, wax in likeness, wane and wamble. You may have just noticed our mystery sorceress invoking

Asmodeus, the notorious demon of lust. Well documented within the Judeo-Christian narrative, this diabolical fiend is one of the devil's leading agents of provocation, and it's not the first time he was mentioned this season. Witches are said to worship Asmadius, and magicians and sorcerers have reportedly conjured him to strike at enemies. Interestingly, it is noted that grim wars, or spellbooks, sternly admonish anyone seeking an audience with Asmadias to summon him bareheaded out of respect. And with that bit of trivia, I must reiterate that nobody affiliated with this show

has ever opened or seen a grimaceous. All the incantations are pure fabrications. As a long-haul truck driver, Trent crisscrossed the country and, like all truckers, he had his favorite stops along his route. Trent often had the same drive, Houston to Memphis, to Wichita, to Seattle. In case you're wondering, and as a shout out to all our truckers out there, Google Maps claims that route is a 44-hour drive, not including stops, but it would likely take even longer when carrying a large load in an 18-wheeler. Trent discovered a restaurant about 20 miles outside of Seattle where he liked to eat. Who it is?

Can't stay away, I guess. There's no better restaurant than this one, right? You could say that. I said it. I guess that makes it true. It is true that there is no better restaurant within an 18-mile radius. Let's see how psychic I am. Pork job and mashed potatoes again?

Mm. Evelyn, tonight, I'm feeling rebellious. I'm gonna go fried chicken. Fried chicken? Oh, you're a bad boy, right you? I'll put in that order, and then I want to hear about what you've been up to all week. No, I ain't going anywhere, darling. You know, rumor has it.

You've been letting someone else fill your cut. I would never. You better not. While the food was good, what he found exceptional was the waitress, Evelyn. She engaged him in conversation throughout the evening. With each of Trent's subsequent visits, she made sure that it was she who waited on him, and the conversation continued from where it left off the previous visit.

Trent loved Evelyn's personality and found her both physically attractive and pleasingly feminine. By his fourth visit, Evelyn was overtly flirtatious, and halfway through his meal came to him and said, So when are you going to do it? Do what? I've been sending you all the signals and frankly, I'm out of signals. I thought you were just working for those good tips.

Honey, when are you going to ask me out? Um, right now, would you like to go out sometime? I'm about dinner tomorrow night. Yeah, I would love to have dinner with you. And yeah, I don't have to hit the road for a few more days, so do you know any spots with good pork chop? My place. The specials are way better there. All of everything ready by 6.30, don't be late.

I hate being disappointed. She handed Trent a piece of paper with her address, winking as she did so. Okay then. Okay then. See you tomorrow, Trent. Well, I'll be there. This charm about her, she just has,

for the last six months. Not her section because she's the break's there. I gotta get through dinner first. Oh, yeah. Bring a bottle of wine. Trent could be all over the continent each month. One week, he could be in Mexico, the next he could be in Canada. While he loved the open road, he was well aware of his loneliness, and at 34 years old, his plans to get married and have children were passing by as well.

The next day when Trent arrived, Evelyn spotted him even before he rang the doorbell. Right on time, my hero. Hey. I drive a truck with precious cargo. Being on time is my job. Anyway, I wasn't sure what... She led him in, greeting him with a tight hug. Hey there.

Hey, handsome. Wow, you smell very nice. Are you surprised? Not at all. Wait till you smell the food, though. Follow me. It had been so long since he had experienced any human affection that he could have remained in that hug forever.

This is the Lavin-Roe. Make yourself at home. And I can take that from you. Yeah, I didn't know if you liked red or white. A boulogalé. You chose wisely. Awesome. I told the wine lady I was looking for tasting notes of red and good.

So I've got one more thing on the stove. Then dinner will be served. Take your time. Sit tight, monsieur. I'm in no way. rush. Evelyn's home, once an old stone farmhouse, was eventually absorbed by the town. It was apparent it had been recently renovated, the cost of which would have been a fortune. But it turned out beautifully. The stone fireplace, the log walls, and the lead windows

created one of the most inviting rooms Trent had ever seen. This place is amazing. Do you live alone? You got me. I'm just saying the work of this house, This house is very impressive. Thanks. I actually just finished renovated last year. It's so cozy.

Hey, would you like a beer, Trent? Yes, I would. He wondered how Evelyn could afford this on a waitress salary. The house's decor was simple, though elegant,

with mirrors and art that fit the room perfectly. I hear truckers like ice-cold beer. That's a stereotype, but yes, this trucker Loves beer. Whoa. How did you...

In her hand was a bottle of La Fand de Monde, a beer brewed in Quebec, Canada by a tiny brewery. You know, this may be my absolute favorite beer in the world. Something told me you'd like it. Yeah? Cheers. Where did you get this? I have friends in low places, known as the restaurant business.

Well, I've definitely known. ever seen around these parts. Of all the drinks she could bring him, he never expected a bottle of La Fandamonde. It was a Belgian-style beer that Trent thought tasted like heaven. He was introduced to it when he was in a bar in Montreal, Quebec, by an old trucker. It's brewed in Shambly, about 20 miles from Montreal. Interesting. Yeah, I have stops there all the time.

Fresh off the tap, it's literal heaven. but it's 9% alcohol by volume. So you can love it, but too much love, we'll take you down. Cheers to that. Since things are heating up here, let's cool down with a quick commercial break. We'll be right back. Welcome back to The Exorcist Files, where our favorite trucker Trent is enjoying a dinner night with, ostensibly, the woman of his dreams. Evelyn made a wonderful chicken and rice dish with green beans, salad, and fresh-baked bread.

He loved every bite. All through dinner, Evelyn told him about herself. We moved around a lot. I spent eight years of my childhood living in Europe. My father was stationed in Germany from when I was six until I think 14. We still own a house in Munich. I go back. every couple years.

So does that mean you can speak German? Yeah? I like your lesson. Es is so shamans. I'm kind of scared right now. I learned Russian as well. Prove it, comrade. You agree with you,

Russia? What's that? It's Russian, isn't it? I want to tell you of wisdom. Today I'm here to be a person. Duh? Okay, I'm laughing, but for real, it sounded like you were reading me a death sentence.

Oh, don't worry. I basically said you're very cute. Well, you're beautiful, and you have gorgeous eyes. I think they're magical. Oh, okay, I just said magical. Wow, dread. Well, as they say, don't question. Thank you for all the joy in page.

My, what a lovely singing voice you have. I'm glad you noticed. I use a rare technique where you kind of take the notes you're supposed to hit and you sing the other one. Pictures show second balcony was the place we need. Though Trent was older than Evelyn by three years, she had seen a lot more of the world than he had. Had she not continually looked at him with indulgent eyes, he might have even felt intimidated by her.

They were at the table for over an hour. Okay, then, I'll take these plates, grab another fiendomond, and then what do you say we move to the solarium and watch the sunset? You have a salarium? My second favorite spot in the house. Wow, you are full of surprises. Help you clean up. You just hang tired and conserve Evan. I really don't deserve this treatment.

No, you deserve more. I've got to say it again, Evelyn. The food was absolutely delicious. And the drink pairing was perfection. It was to see the night. It was only 7.30 in the evening, but Evelyn just made clear what her desires were. I like that, Trent thought to himself.

Did you hear me? Yeah. What's the saying? An ounce of prevention? Worth a pound of cure? I better stay over. Good call. Just to be safe, you know?

Together they watched a beautiful sunset, had a few more drinks, and talked well into the evening, caressing each other on the couch. Trent felt better than he had in years. Normally, at this hour of the night, he would either be drinking by himself in a bar or inside his rig while watching a movie.

Either way, it would be a night alone. It felt so good to have some companionship, especially with somebody who made it so apparent that she liked him. Don't mess this up, he told himself. Hey. Hey. Evelyn. It's about time.

Actually, you know what? Come with me. Yes, ma'am. You can almost hear people screaming into their speakers. Don't do it, Trent. Don't do it. Unfortunately, that's all the time we have for this episode, but stay tuned for the next episode

to find out what ungodly fate befalls our beloved trucker. Thanks for listening to The Exorcist Files. And remember, all that glitters is not gold, folks. See you soon. You've been listening to The Exorcist Files. For additional materials and video resources, you can follow us on social media and sign up for our email list at Exorcistfiles.com.

TV to be made aware of new case files. You can also email us absurd and overly specific criticisms at ExorcistFiles at gmail.com. All cases in The Exorcist Files are recounted by Father Carlos Martens from his personal archives. The Exorcist Files is hosted by Father Martens and myself, Ryan Bithay. This episode's reenactments were directed and recorded by Chandler Mays and Ryan Bithay in the Big Easy, New Orleans, Louisiana. These recordings wouldn't be possible without our special locations manager and Everything New Orleans expert producer, Katie Weiss. Thank you for all your hospitality, hard work, and help on this case file, Katie. The character of Trent is portrayed by Cameron Stout, Evelyn by Virginia Tucker,

headmaster John by Kegan Macy, and the college students by Alex Arnold and Danya Asante. Any likeness or similarities of characters are entirely coincidental and unintentional on the part of the writers. Additional research provided by Anne Marie Robson and Miranda Hawkins, script written by Chandler Mays and Ryan Bethay. All incantations are written by I-Heart's own Robert Lamb, co-host of the hit podcast, Stuff to Blow Your Mind. Thank you for the assist, Robert. For this particular case file, the soundtrack is written and composed by the Uber Talented, Annalia Lentini, our guest composer hailing all the way from Argentina. You can follow her on Instagram at A-N-A-L-I-A-L-I-N-T-I.

And you can listen to her other works on YouTube and Spotify under her name Annalia Lintini. Original theme song written and composed by Dan Carey Bailey. Assistant editor is Christian Vermilia. Supervising producer, sound designer, editor, and mixer is Chandler Mays. Executive producers are Carlos Martin's Ryan Bethay, Ben Bowlin, and Chandler Mays. And last, but certainly not least, all big rig sound effects you hear throughout this case file were graciously provided by Squirrel, the friendly trucker we met in the parking lot behind the Miss Universe pageant in New Orleans. Squirrel is the founder of the Diesel Drifters, a nonprofit group that organizes charity rides to raise money for the needy. And you can learn more about the group and their cause on their Facebook page, Diesel Drifters Public.

And you can email them at Diesel Drifters Forever at Gmail. com. The Exorcist Files is a production of IHeartRadio.