( It was Saturday.Confession Day in the Catholic communities. )

The Cathedral was almost empty but for a few devotees scattered about.

A lone figure walked in ,shuffled down the aisle ,genuflected, made the sign of the cross ,then entered the confessional box that read "Father O’Brian officiating"

Kneeling on the rack, he said in a hesitant voice " Bless me Father for I have sinned," The man began clearing his throat."It’s been twenty years since my last confession, I accuse myself of.." He broke off,".Father, If I confess, will you call the police?"

"I cannot, son, I took a vow of confidentiality"replied the Priest calmly.

Reassured ,the penitent continued" Then I accuse myself of killing five women recently".

Shocked, the Priest gasped ,horrified.  A cold shiver washed over him. It was the first time in his twenty five years of hearing confessions he had ever heard such a confession, however, he calmed himself wondering if this was a prank.

He then said "Go ahead, son, tell me , what made you do it?"he asked curiously ,trying to get a glance at the man’s face through the meshed divider but the man's head  was bowed.

"It was a whore, Father, a dirty, stinking rotten whore who laughed and mocked me that started me killing 'em Father,"

"Yes?", said Tha Priest, his curiousity peaking, "go ahead, tell me about it.""

The voice continued,"She laughed at my prick , Father, telling me she had never seen such a tiny one on a grown man before,it was like a child’s,she said, too small to ever satisfy a woman!" and he began sobbing. caught himself and continued ."and on top of that the bitch gave me the sickness. I tried all the cures, mercury.. but they did not ,work now I am rotting to death !" he said bitterly

"Please ,son, lower your voice"said the Priest calmly

"Control yourself, son," urged the Priest now very much intrigued ,"and then what happened?"

"Well, are you sure you won’t call the Police, Father" He asked again.

"I can assure you I won’t,son" replied the Priest reassuringly .

.."And that’s, that’s when I became impotent ,Father, and I started killing them them, Father, I wanted to kill them all!,especilly that bitch who gave it to me" said the voice rising in anger "Now I can’t even get an erection, I am no longer a man !"

"Father, I am no longer a man !" he paused "It was then that I began my search for her the bitch who did this to me, "

"but son , there are other remedies,"…. suggested the Priest soothingly.

"I can arrange…"

"No , no, Father,It’s too late" the voice cut in"I am doomed as a man" He said "Doomed because of what that slut said!"

There was some shuffling on the other side of the divider.

"I must go now, Father,"said the voice.some what subduded

"Wait! "said the Priest,"I must give you some penance to do"

"I can’t wait ,Father, I must leave at once .The urge is upon me, pray for me Father!"

‘Your name, son, " asked the Priest urgently, "What is your name?"

"The authorities  call me Jack the Ripper !"

Upon hearing that dreaded name, the Priest quickly rose from his seat and went around to the adjoining booth.  He  grabbed the penitent by the throat and began strangling him saying in an angry voice:

" One of your bloody victims was my niece!, you hear butcher,my niece !.

There was a loud crack as the penitent's neck snapped beneath the Priest strong hands, an expression of surprise and disbelief on his face.

Post Script.:

The Priest later buried him in the cemetry behind the Church.