Christmas Night
In London, the Catholic Orphanage is asleep except for two nuns, an older and a younger. The older nun went by Sister Mary; she had been in the orphanage for 40 years taking proper care of the children. She is sometimes known as Mother Mary, at least to the children. The younger was about 17. She was converted (more like pushed by her over conservative parents) to being a nun only a week ago then was sent to the orphanage this afternoon. She was known as Sister Nikkolatta.
"The first day is terrifying but you'll get use to it over time," said Sister Mary with knowledgeable experience. As they were about to retire for the night a loud knock on the door stopped them. "I wonder who can be at this hour?" asked Sister Mary heading for the door while Sister Nikkolatta gave the answer quietly. "The damned are knocking," was her answer. She said this because her mother would always tell her countless times that orphans were damned souls left on the doorstep by harlots who slept with Satan. Of course only part of it was true but then again this was a time caught between change and the need to keep tradition alive but, for tonight you can say Nikkolatta's mother was right.
Once the door was opened both sisters looked upon the woman frightened at the sight of her. The strange woman wore a red dress which made her skin deathly pale. Her eyes were a jade green that seemed to be glowing. "I need a place to stay," she said, her voice tired. Her hand was on her bloated stomach. She was pregnant and do any minute now. Seeing this woman pregnant the elder Sister took the red woman inside offering her warmth and food. Once Sister Mary sat the strange woman down she whispered to Nikkolatta, "Comfort this one, dear while I prepare some tea. She looks like she's ready to pop." Nikkolatta wanted to protest but kept her mouth shut. She wasn't going to have her say any way, she never had until the stranger asked her, "What's your pleasure, Sister?"
Nikkolatta didn't understand the question but the way the red woman asked her got her attention. She sat across from her staring at the woman's face. Her mother would say she was damned and it would be the first time she was right. "What do you mean?" The red woman leaned in closer, a smile twitched on her face.
"I can tell on your face you don't like it here. Your whole body screams you want something…..more."
"What are you getting at Miss…..?"
"Gaunt, Merope Gaunt but, you can call me Mimi. My lover always calls me that."
"He's the father?"
"Yes, he is and don't ask me why I'm here. It's a little complicated to explain. As for you, what is your pleasure, Sister?" Nikkolatta thought about that for a moment. True she never wanted to be a nun but her parents made her because they said her mind was sinful and was about to do something sinful. "All I did was kiss a boy I liked under a tree."
"Where you wanting to go further?" The Sister paused for a moment wondering if she did or didn't. She only met the boy once so it wasn't like she was ready to jump his bones but she did want to commit 'original sin' at least someday yet her parents condemned that pleasure from her forever. "I hoped one day I would but, they said I was impure."
"You're not impure, girl. If you were impure I would have smelt raw lust a mile away but you are not at least not yet."
"I don't think that would happen."
"Nonsense, Sister," said Merope as she was extracting an object from out of her dress pocket. She put the object on the table, Nikkolatta was instantly hypnotized by it. It was a box made of gold and ebony with designs graphed into the cube object. "What is it?"
"It's a key to a place of pleasure and pain. A place of blissful indulgence. Would you like to have it?" Nikkolatta looked at it with a hungry need. Of course she wanted it but it looked like it would cost a hefty price. "How much is it?" asked the Sister. She was expecting something as high as 4 maybe 500 pound or even higher. She was in disbelief by the answer, "Whatever you think it's worth." The Sister looked at Merope thinking this was a joke but she can tell on the red lady's face she wasn't kidding around. Going into her pockets she extracted 5 pound and gave it to Merope.
"Now it is yours," said Merope as she exchanged the box for the 5 pound. Nikkolatta stared at the box in fascination but quickly stuffed it in her pocket once Sister Mary came in with tea. She set the tea on the table, pouring a cup for Merope. "Here's a cup for you d-" she didn't get a chance to pour a cup for Nikkolatta as Merope screamed when she went into labor. The birth of Leviathan's son had begun.