Deliver Us From EvilChapter Two
It hadn't felt like long before Kimberley was being awoken by Silas. Opening her eyes she noticed that it was still dark outside, she looked at the clock. 12:47. She had been asleep barely half an hour. Silas left quickly, asking her to meet him in the car. He seemed on edge, almost excited, and she was none the wiser as to why. She was starting to get tired of being kept in the dark. Gathering her thoughts she quickly dressed and left to meet him.
"Where are we going?" she asked, studying him as they drove. He was quivering slightly but it was impossible to tell why. His face was poised, eyes hard and lips pursed into a thin line. It was a strange feeling for her not to be able to read him. Over the years it had become something she had prided herself in. Her life had been spent mostly watching, like an outsider, examining peoples movements and their facial expressions as they spoke. She had become increasingly skilled at reading people, especially Silas. This trip was beginning to irritate her. Never would she refuse Silas of a little familiar company so far away from their home, but it would be nice to be told something.
"We are going to the Church of Saint Sulpice." he stated calmly. Kimberley's eyes widened slightly. The Saint Sulpice? She had dreamed of visiting it for years. Ever since her father had brought her some pictures from his last trip. In the daylight it was a beautiful place to be, her father had said that it was far more beautiful than any of the photographs could dream to be. Remembering the rest of the night, Kimberley's amazed expression quickly faded. She wouldn't be joining Silas in the church, she would be left in the car to wait as usual. Slumping back in her seat she turned her gaze out of her window watching the world fly by. The rain had all but stopped now, leaving behind a slick sheen over the trees and paving's.
Silas glanced over to the girl next to him, eyeing her dejected expression. When he had mentioned the church he expected her to be happy and excited. He had seen the photos her father had taken for her and he understood why she liked that place so much. It was beautiful. Hand crafted stone statues and marble obelisks glinting in the sunlight shining down from countless windows, all stained with every colour imaginable. Those were her favourite part, the windows.
Pulling up outside the church, Silas paused for a moment. He knew just how much she wanted to see the church so why should he deny her that? She deserved that much, and more. Thinking carefully he contemplated just how much he would tell her.
"Kimberley," he began, pulling her out of her daydreaming. "We have been asked to come to this church in order to collect something," So far so good, he thought. He was doing well to keep out any details.
"What are you collecting?" she asked, making sure to clearly say 'you' and not 'we'. This wasn't a matter for both of them and frankly she was confused as to why he was telling her anything at all. Silas gave her a nervous look. He wasn't going to answer that question. "Why are you telling me this Silas? I thought I wasn't to be told anything." He looked rather uncomfortable as she said this. She was right, he wasn't meant to. It was by his own request that he wasn't meant to. But he really wanted her to see the church.
"I don't intend on telling you.. Everything," he stated, "But I would like you to accompany me inside the church, I know you have been wanting to see it for some time." On hearing this Kimberley's eyes lit up. Did he really mean it? He was still rather nervous about his request but on seeing her reaction any feelings Silas had of regret washed away. She deserved something like this after her trip with him. He knew how secluded he had made himself, but he would never tell her why he did. He did it so that she would not understand. So that she wouldn't guess what was going through his mind, what he was being forced to do. Though his hands were far from the cleanest the idea of murder made Silas uneasy. Murder was sin, unforgivable, but The Teacher was a persuasive man. Silas' sin would be easily forgiven by God because it was for the greater good. As long as he purged his sins he would be forgiven and all would be good. Even though this had made him feel slightly at ease he couldn't bring himself to tell Kimberley, forcing him to keep her in the dark. He felt like a monster every time he looked at her innocent face after killing the priory members. But this was the wish of his father, of Bishop Aringarosa. He would never go against him.
They had parked a fair distance away from the church, in a secluded car park a couple of blocks away. Silas dreaded the walk to the church as he stepped out of the car, the cilice gnawing deeper into his thigh. The night air was cool, helping to soothe the sting in the wounds on his back. Pain is good.
As they walked, Kimberley noticed Silas' limp. She had read in books and had been told by her father of the more extreme methods in which some of the Opus Dei members indulged themselves in. It was not an idea she understood at all. The God she knew would never ask her to harm herself in any way. Forgiveness is God's greatest gift, he didn't want suffering, only peace. The idea of anyone thinking they needed to harm themselves in order to appease God made her heart ache and her body shake. Her reaction hadn't gone unnoticed by Silas. He stopped in front of her, placing a hand on each of her shoulders, bringing his face down level to hers.
"Muñequita, why do you seem so frightened?" he asked softly. Not frightened, angry, she thought. She quickly shook her head, removing the thoughts. "You are fine," he beamed, "I won't let anything happen to my little doll." his smile radiated and she couldn't help but smile back. She thought back to the day that they had first properly met.
She was a young girl when they met. No older than thirteen. Her father back then was just a young priest, trying to build a small church within their home in Spain. It was a slow and tiring process which she could see taking its toll on her father, reflecting in his face. He was always tired but he persevered. This church was important to him, Kimberley admired his determination. A man not too much older than herself had been left on the doorstep of their unfinished church. He was extremely sick and dangerously near death. Over the next few days her father had paid doctors to see him and eventually her father and herself cared for the sick man alone once he had begun to show signs of improvement. When he had first been brought in Kimberley had been intrigued by the mans appearance. His skin was pale, even in comparison to her own which she had always considered to be the palest, and his hair was whiter than anything she had ever seen before. Her father had caught her stealing glimpses into the sick mans room a few times and eventually explained to her why he was so different. She found it fascinating, wishing her own curly hair was as white as his. She was awoken from sleep late at night. She sat up with a start, not being used to being awoken so suddenly. Looking over at her dresser she saw her headphones which her father had removed not long before. There was shouting coming from down the hallway, she could hear things being broken and the frightened voice of her father. Without thinking she jumped from her bed, running quickly to find her father. When she found him he was lay motionless on the floor, blood pouring profusely from his face. A tall, hulking man was stood over his unconscious body. Kimberley stopped dead, a few feet behind the stranger, terrified. This man had hurt her father and was now stood in her home. Her mind flickered to the sick man, she prayed he never left his room for fear of him being hurt also. As she came to a halt the man turned quick on his heel, his eyes dark and menacing, glaring at her. He quickly advanced on her, grabbing her by her hair with large, strong hands, dragging her to the spot next to her father. He squatted in front of the trembling girl, taking her face in one rough hand."Listen to me, little girl," he spat, his gruff voice scraping over each syllable. "You are not to make a sound until I have left or else you will join him on the floor, do you understand me?" as he said this he tightened his grip on her face, pulling her gaze to her father. She couldn't tell if he was breathing or not. She began to panic. Her eyes shifted from one thing to another, not daring to look this man in the face or back at her father. She felt like she was back with her mother. She couldn't speak, she couldn't think, she could only tremble, powerless to stop whatever was going to happen next. As she looked around her eyes fell onto the mans hand at his side. In it she could see he was clutching the cheques her father had scraped together to help build the church. Immediately without thinking she threw her hands up into the mans face, pushing him away as hard as she could, she could feel blood dripping down her hands. He wasn't going to ruin her fathers church. Not after all he had done. The man yelled, an unearthly yell loud enough to wake the heavens. Composing himself he quickly grasped the girl up in his arms, tossing her forcefully across the room. She hit the floor with a loud thud, multiple cracks echoing from her chest. Kimberley couldn't help but let a scream escape her lips, her body ached severely all over. Desperately, she tried to crawl to her fathers side before a heavy boot slammed onto her arm, stopping her in her tracks. She let out another scream.
"You're going to pay for that" You little RAMERA!" he cried, striking her in her stomach with his other, just as heavy, boot. Trying feebly to get back on her feet Kimberley noticed a white figure behind the hulking man. It was the sick man. He's going to be killed, she thought. As the hulking man turned towards the pale figure she tried grasping at his leg to pull him away. It was no use, her strength had all but depleted. She felt helpless, ashamed that she hadn't done anything to help her father or the sick man. Within a matter of seconds a familiar yell echoed through the small church before the hulking man fell to the ground. The sick man was quickly at her side, lifting her up, checking for injury. She must have seemed terrified because the man embraced her, gently so not to hurt her even more. He whispered softly to her,
"Everything is going to alright now Muñequita. I am here now, you won't be hurt again."
Silas was still looking her, his face mirroring her worried expression. She quickly poised herself.
"I'm just cold Silas, promise." she said, sealed with a smile. He immediately relaxed and carried on towards the church. Promise, he thought to himself. The way she said it made him smile. She promised about even the smallest things. Silas' knock on the Church door was answered by an elderly lady who introduced herself as Sister Sandrine. She seemed slightly uneasy but Kimberley put that down to the absurd hour at which she was to show them the church. She made idle chat with Silas about the church as Kimberley wandered on her own, taking in the sights. Even without the sunlight it was a beautiful place, she was glad Silas had let her come along. Silas quickly ushered the Sister to leave, apologising for troubling her and saying he would let himself out. The Sister wavered for a moment but retreated, bidding them goodnight, after a warm smile from Kimberley. Silently, Kimberley sat herself down on a bench at the front of the church, head down and eyes shut, so as not to disturb Silas. Silas knelt silently, waiting until he was sure the Sister was gone.