Chapter 256: Absolution

Thursday, January 26th, Night

The night started early as Ellie grabbed a light dinner. Once she finished her food, she went up to her room and showered. After showering, she dried herself and headed to the vanity. Sitting down, she looked at her smartphone and scrolled through her images.

Ellie started to do her makeup. It was an interesting time to find the look she liked. She even consulted Candi, the only person Ellie knew that dressed as a Goth. Candi wasn't that helpful, claiming her experience was years ago.

After special care, she finished her makeup. Ellie got up and went to her wardrobe to find what she picked out for tonight. There was a moment as she sorted her stuff out that she thought she heard her bedroom door open and close.

Turning around, Ellie saw Nomi sitting on the bed. Ellie canted her head and looked at her niece. Finally, Ellie just shook her head.

"Hello, Nomi," Ellie said.

"Hello, Aunt Ellie," Nomi said.

"What are you doing here?" Ellie asked.

"I've not seen much of you since you've come home," Nomi said.

"I've been working," Ellie said.

"You work too much," Nomi said.

Ellie shrugged, "Maybe, you're right," she said, "But you're also ten."

"What do those words mean?" Nomi asked.

"What words, Nomi?" Ellie asked.

"The ones on your ribs," Nomi said.

"It's from a poem," Ellie said.

"Oh, you have a lot of tattoos," Nomi said.

"I only have three," Ellie said.

"That's more than I have," Nomi said.

"That's more than I have," Nomi said.

"You're ten; you're too young to have any," Ellie said.

"Well, Mrs. Stanković has a tattoo on her arm, and she said she got it as a baby," Nomi said.

"Old Mrs. Stanković or her daughter-in-law?" Ellie asked.

"Old Mrs. Stanković, she came to speak to my class last April," Nomi said.

Ellie nodded, "You know why Mrs. Stanković has those numbers?" Ellie asked.

Nomi nodded, "Something about getting it at a Summer Camp called Sisak," she said.

Ellie nodded, "It wasn't a summer camp; she spoke to you on Yom HaShoah," she said.

Nomi can't her head, "What's that?" she asked.

"Holocaust Remembrance Day, Mrs. Stanković was in a concentration camp," Ellie said.

"She's not Jewish," Nomi said.

"Not everyone who died in the holocaust was Jewish," Ellie said, "In Mrs. Stanković case, she was Serbian."

Nomi nodded, "Oh," she said.

"It's okay," Ellie said, "It took me years to understand too."

Nomi nodded, "Okay," she said, and what seems only a child could do, she bounced back from the serious issues, "What are you doing?"

"Getting ready to go out," Ellie said, shocked at the rapid change in her niece.

"Where are you going?" Nomi asked.

"I'm going to a club," Ellie said.

"A club, why?" Nomi asked.

"Research for a story I'm going to be writing," Ellie said.

Ellie laid her clothes out on the bed next to Nomi. Nomi looked them over and rubbed her chin.

"Is this what you wear when you go to a club?" Nomi asked.

"It is for the club I'm going to," Ellie said.

There was a knock on the door, which opened without a pause for a response. That meant Sawyer, Ellie reflected. As if on cue, Sawyer walked through the door. The youngest of Lucas' kids looked at her older sister and niece. Sawyer just shook her head.

"There you are, Nomi," Sawyer said.

"I was spending time with Aunt Ellie," Nomi said.

"I can see that," Sawyer said, "Could have let her get dressed first."

"It's fine, Sawyer," Ellie said.

"So, what trouble are you up to tonight?" Sawyer asked.

"Going to Absolution," Ellie said.

"Isn't that the place Brett tried to sneak into?" Sawyer asked.

"I wouldn't know," Ellie said.

"Okay, come on, Nomi, let's let Aunt Ellie finish getting ready," Sawyer said.

"Okay," Nomi said, "Do you know what Aunt Ellie's tattoo mean?"

"Which one?" Sawyer asked.

"The one on her ribs," Nomi said.

"You'll have to ask her later," Sawyer said.

"Okay," Nomi said and followed Sawyer out of the room.

Ellie got dressed and headed out of her room. Passing through the East Range, Ellie got into her borrowed car and headed out. After not so long of a drive, Ellie found a parking lot and left the car.

After leaving the car, Ellie joined the crowd heading to the club. She felt like she somewhat fitted in, and that was how she liked it. The NFL scale doorman let her through the door without much trouble.

Ellie walked out into the old nave of the church. The music was what she expected it to be. Of all the clubs she's been to, this was one of the most unique.

Ellie looked up to the choir loft and saw someone standing there, watching. Every so often, that person would gesture, and two monsters would go to where she pointed and escort whomever she pointed at out.

"Can I get you anything?" a voice rang out over the music and came from behind Ellie.

Ellie turned around and came face to face with a tall, athletic waitress. Looking her over, the first thing Ellie noticed was her pale gray eyes, followed by full lips painted black, platinum blonde hair worn down her back, and held out of her face by a black and purple headband. She wore a black velvet high-low dress with lace trim, stockings, and black Doc Martens.

"I'll have your best beer on tap," Ellie said.

"Very well," The waitress said and headed out.

A few minutes later, she returned with Ellie's beer. As Ellie settled up, she noticed the crowd moved towards the aspe, where the dance floor's location.

"Why are you here?" The waitress asked.

That's when Ellie noticed the Victorian Style choker around her neck, which was hung a purple jeweled rose.

"To enjoy the music," Ellie said.

"There seems to be more," the waitress said.

"What would make you say that?" Ellie asked.

"You don't feel like someone who belongs here; you're a different type," the waitress said.

"Yeah, so what type would I be?" Ellie asked.

"The lost and confused type," the waitress said

"Maybe, I'm just a lost soul, looking for a place to rest my weary head," Ellie said.

"At least you didn't say a lost soul swimming in a fishbowl year after year," the waitress said, shook her head, and walked away. Before Ellie could say anything, she was alone, holding her beer. The music stopped, breaking the crowd's trance.

The music came up again; this time, it was a different song and a different feel. The patrons stirred and turned towards the choir loft. Ellie looked up and saw the first person up there was now gone. The lights were dark up there now. The music started to reach its crescendo; now, lights were playing along the choir loft. Ellie watched the patrons were staring at the light show.

When the crescendo hit its peak, the lights on the choir loft stopped their dancing. It was dark then at the sounds of a drumbeat; a single light lit up. Standing there was a tall figure; it was in the shape of a person. Ellie couldn't see the head clearly as it appeared this figure is hooded. What Ellie could clearly see behind the figure were two outstretched wings with dark feathers. That's when the words finally made sense, or what she could understand of them.

She offers me sleep

Under her black wings

Whoa, oh

Under her black wings

The patrons were silent and enthralled with this person, but then started to cheer. As the song ended, the lights went out, and the crowd began to break out of their trance. Ellie shook her head and wondered if she found a cult.