"Azmaria? Now where did she go…"
"Rosette, I really think you should have thought about what you said before you said it."
"Chrono! Are you telling me I have a big mouth?"
"Well….um…."
"Oh just forget it! Azmaria?...hey there you are…..why are you crying?"
"Oh Rosette…I can't help but to feel so guilty for everything that I have done…so many people have died and…now your risking your life just so I could follow you around…and all I ever do is get in the way…"
"Applesauce! C'mon Azmaria. You're always looking on the down side of life…you have to look on the bright side…and you have to stay strong…its good that you feel sorry, but none of that was your fault…you just have to keep looking ahead, instead of what is behind."
"Well...I guess you are right."
"And as long as we stick together, nothing could go wrong, right Rosette?
"Right, Chrono!"
Azmaria awoke, warm tears trailing down her face. She lay in bed sobbing for only a few moments before deciding to sit up. As she did so, she looked to her bedside table and saw the picture taken of her, Chrono, Rosette, and Satella at the fair. Azmaria couldn't help but to think if she hadent brought them there, none of this would have happened, but then again, Aion might have still been at large, creating even more havoc.
Azmaria whipped her tears remembering the promise she had made the two friends. She would be strong for them. "I will be strong." She repeated out loud firmly. She wouldn't let them down, and refused to give up on anything, just like Rosette.
Sliding out of bed and sliping into her slippers, Azmaria decided to take a walk. She walked over to her closet door and grabbed her light pink night robe, and wrapped it around herself heading to the door.
Azmaria quietly turned the gold knob, and tiptoed outside of her room. A lit lamp in the room next door caught her attention. The door was wide opened, and it seemed as if no one was in there. Azmaria cautiously stepped into the room.
"Hello? Sister Naomi? Are you in here?" Azmaria called looking around Naomi's room. She looked down and saw some unraveled bandages across the floor. Azmaria closed the door, and loked around a little more. She could hear the sound of running water, and headed for Sister Naomi's bathroom.
"Sister Naomi…are you in here?" Azmaria asked pushing the door opened.
What caught Azmaria's eye both frightened her and caused her to take a few steps back, with a loud shriek.
"Shhhh…" Naomi said calmly. "Don't wake anyone."
"But…but…" Azmaria trembled.
Sister Naomi looked back down to the crimson liquid pouring down her wrists. She stood over the sink, whipping away the excess blood, and finally bandaging herself. She slowly and gingerly turned off the water, and stepped out of the bathroom, not even bothering to turn off the light.
"Sister Naomi! This is horrible!" Azmaria shrieked. Sister Naomi sat on her bed. "When did it start?" She asked.
"A few minutes ago." Naomi replied. "This would be the first time since…"
"Since two years ago…" Azmaria finished. "Sister Naomi this is really bad! We have to do something!"
"There's nothing we can do…it's not as if the astral line has been disturbed…I have not been in contact with anything that would cause this…two years ago, when the astral line had become unstable, it had cause my stigmata…it had awoken something deep within my body…and when the chaos of the astral line had died down, my stigmata had as well. Don't you think the astral line would have been disturbed to bring this about? "
"This is all part of judgment day…isn't it?" Azmaria asked. Naomi shrugged.
"It might be…and if it is…there Is nothing we can do."
"You will have to tell Sister Kate immediately!" Azmaria stated.
"I don't think that would be such a great idea…she has enough things to worry about…one more sign of the apocalypse isn't going to do her any good…accept perhaps give her grey hairs…" Naomi replied rubbing her wrists gently.
"But Naomi…" Azmaria started again.
"Listen Az, don't worry about it, I could fully take care of myself, I don't need other people worrying about me as well. That would make the situation as many times worse as there are extra people. Wouldn't you agree?"
"Well…I guess so…but…"
"Then don't worry about it ok…everything's jake…I just need to get a little rest is all. I'll see you in a few hours for breakfast ok?" Sister Naomi said with a smile.
"Oh…ok…" Azmaria replied. She walked out of the room and shut the door. She tiptoed back into her room and slid her robe and slippers off, hopping back into bed. She pulled the covers over head and tried to forget about what had just happened.
Sister Naomi walked down to the main dinning area to find all of her friends already sitting and eating, everyone chatting and gossiping about what they think the order will do when they find more proof of this apocalypse. Naomi sat down with a smile and was greeted by a lot of confused faces.
"What took you so long sleepy head?" One of the sisters asked shoving a sausage into her mouth.
"Well…I guess I didn't get much sleep last night…has anyone read the paper this morning?"
"Yeah nothing new…just the depression again…it's so depressing…"
"Duh! That's why it's called the depression, Marry!"
"Well at least the order is doing all they can to help the people…even the other branches are doing the same." Sister Naomi said carefully sliding her fingers around her glass of orange juice.
"My only fear is that the order will soon be swiped away with the rest of the people…Sister Kate is even more stressed than usual since this whole thing started, and it isn't that pretty. She's been trying to get the board to give us more people because half of us are on the streets helping the people, and the other half are fighting the demons...but the board keeps saying they will transfer more people over here when they feel its necessary…I guess there are other branches of the Magdalene order that need the recruits more then we do…and with Father Remington gone…"
"Marry stop being so depressing!"
"Well this is a depression…DUH!"
Sister Naomi smiled.
"Sister Naomi? Sister Kate wants to see you in her office right now please." Came a squeaky voice behind her. Naomi turned around and saw Sister Theresa, only fifteen years old, and incredibly adorable, but when you get her mad, you can expect to get capped in the leg with a gospel or two.
"Thank you very much Sister." Naomi replied. She stood up and walked toward the hallway that lead to the stairs. When she reached the stairs, she placed her hand on the railing and looked up. At the top of the staircase, Naomi saw the silhouette of what seemed to be a man. As she began to climb the stairs, she realized it was the elder.
"Hello Sister Naomi, quite a lovely morning isn't it?" He greeted her.
"It is unusually bright outside now that you mention it." Sister Naomi said reaching the top of the stairs and walking over to the window.
"Well I must be off; I have a lot to get done." The elder stated before walking off." Naomi stood there for a couple of minutes.
"Well I wonder what he's up too…" She thought out loud. She then remembered Sister Kate was waiting for her. As she reached the door knob, the door swung open, almost hitting her. Sister Naomi jumped back with a gasp.
Azmaria stepped out of the room and looked at Sister Naomi. "Uh oh…I'm so terribly sorry Sister Naomi, are you alright?" She asked.
"I'm fine Azmaria…but something tells me I'm not going to be because someone can't keep a secret." She said poking Azmaria's nose. Azmaria blushed.
"Oh gee…I'm really sorry Sister Naomi!" Azmaria squeaked. "It's just I'm so worried! I don't want you to be in trouble if Sister Kate found out a few weeks from now…and you could be putting your life in jeopardy…and…"
"Sister Azmaria, that's enough, I would like to have a word with Sister Naomi now please…" Sister Kate called form inside her office.
"Yes Ma'am!" Azmaria said.
"Its ok Azmaria, I'll take it from here…I guess your right, it was dumb of me not to tell her." Sister Naomi said walking inside and closing the door. Azmaria stood outside looking through the keyhole.
"And what do we have here?" Came a deep voice. Azmaria jumped back away from the keyhole, and looked up.
"AH!...um...hello…Father…"
"Ewan…" The man said placing a hand on Azmaria's head. "Now tell me Azmaria, what could possibly be so interesting as to give you the urge to eves drop hm?" Ewan asked with a little smile on his face.
"um…well…what are you doing here sir?" Azmaria asked trying to change the subject.
"I must meet with Sister Kate." Ewan stated. He knocked on the door. Sister Kate's voice chimed to come in.
"I will see you later then Azmaria." Ewan replied with a friendly yet empty smile. He walked into the office and shut the door.
"Ewan?" Sister Kate asked in disbelief.
Ewan looked around and saw Sister Naomi sitting in the chair across from Sister Kate's desk. "Well hello Sister Naomi, what brings you here?"
"Actually Ewan I was going to ask you the same thing?" Sister Kate said pointing to another chair.
"Well actually Sister Kate if I have been interrupting something I will simply wait outside…" Ewan said turning to leave. Before he could, the bloody bandages on the desk caught his attention, and he soon realized what this meeting was about.
"Oh…perhaps…I shall stay then…" Ewan said sitting down.
"It happened just last night." Sister Kate stated. Ewan looked at Sister Naomi's bare wrists. The bleeding still had not stopped.
"This hasn't happened since two years ago…and Joshua is not getting any better. He's getting worse…that is why I am here…Sister Naomi's Stigmata is just pushing my theories further. Joshua has been getting dreams about his past, and has woken up thinking he is still in his dreams until he realizes where he is. He has been talking in his sleep about Rosette and the others. Something is causing all of this to happen." Ewan stated very seriously.
"I don't understand…nothing seems out of the ordinary...accept for all this." Sister Kate said.
"Maybe…The beginning of the end will start off like this…maybe…me and Joshua...and all the others like us...maybe we will be the ones who will bring the apocalypse…"
"If so, there must be something triggering this…you can't all just start acting up like this without a cause…" Ewan replied.
Sister Kate sighed. I suppose we shall just have to wait some more, and see where this bring us." She replied removing her glasses. "Sister Naomi, you are dismissed." She said.
Sister Naomi stood up and headed for the door. "I must be on my way as well Sister Kate, Joshua is still by himself." Ewan said also standing up. "Please excuse me." He added. He followed Sister Naomi out the door.
Sister Kate stood up and walked over to her window, just behind her desk. For an Apocalypse to be coming, and a lot of signs pointing to it, it sure was a nice day.
"Sister Naomi…" Ewan said stopping her in the hallway. Naomi looked to him. "If…anything…" Ewan couldn't seem to get what he wanted to say out of his mouth. Even so, Sister Naomi knew exactly what he was trying to say.
"I will keep you updated on everything." She said with a smile.
"Uh………thank you…" Ewan replied. He didn't want to make it seem like he wanted to become involved, but he couldn't help it. The people he loved and care about put themselves in danger all the time, and not knowing what is happening with them drives his tortured soul mad.
Ewan arrived home to find Joshua still asleep in his bed. He headed for the kitchen and made himself a cup of coffee, and stared out the window.
"What is going on…" He said out loud.
"…Ewan…Where is…Sister…"
Ewan spun around to find Joshua leaning against himself against a wall to hold his frail body from falling. He was covered in sweat, and he was a pale as chowder.
"Joshua…" Ewan said running over to him before he could fall over. He caught him under the arm with his shoulder and helped him back to his room. "Joshua must stay in bed." He said helping him back into bed.
"How come….Sister…Naomi is not here…?" He asked.
"I'm afraid she is sick as well Joshua." Ewan replied. "Now, you must stay in here and get some rest. I'll go cook some lunch for you."
Joshua lay there in bed, staring out the window. It was so nice a sunny outside, and gave him a little bit of happiness, but he was forced to lay there, now thinking that perhaps he had gotten Sister Naomi sick as well.
Ewan walked back into the kitchen, and began to boil a pot of water. He walked over to the table and grabbed the newspaper to read another headline about the depression.
"The world as we know it is ending right now in front of us, weather we realize it or not.
I made a mistake Lord Joshua, one I should not have. No matter, I will simply just correct it, and when I do, you along with others will perish!
I don't understand? Why are you saying such mean things? And why…do you seem so familiar? Next episode: A Shadow's Wings!