Chapter 9

Chapter 9

 

The sky finally turns black giving life to the glowing moon in the sky with the speckled stars dotted as far as the eye can see. Matius flies towards the church noticing the glass window panels shinning with different coloured light. He closes his eyes absorbing the night, the calmness it excites him. He focuses back at the church as he glides down towards it under the cover of night. Gently he lands on the short grass of the church garden, folding his wings in. Inside Matius can hear the melodic sound of people walking inside, their footsteps echoing inside the large church. Calmly he presses himself against the church wall heading towards the front door, raising his hood over his face in disguise. Carefully he gently pushes the wooden oak door slowly as it creaks with age. Silently Matius enters. Respectfully he silently closes the large door behind him before turning towards the large religious hall.

  Up front there are rows of seats directly ahead with pillars both sides leading up to the altar, with red carpeting decorating the floor. Up far ahead is the statue of Jesus tied to the cross. Several candles are lit on pillars, their flames flicker in harmony. Matius nervously makes his way down towards the altar slowly, glancing up towards the roofing of the church, he then looks back down stepping down some steps passing some of the sitting people deep in prayer. As he continues walking an old coated women turns towards him.
  He quickly turns his head away avoiding more eye contact. He moves closer towards the altar, looking to the statue. Respectively Matius drops to his knees looking up to the gold statue of Jesus, immediately lowering his head in respect.

 

Matius stays at the church past midnight as people leave as the minutes tick away. Left on his own Matius raises his hood down before bowing down. “Please... If you can hear me I’m in need of your wisdom and guidance. I feel lost… betrayed and I don’t know what to do”. He looks back up at the statue expecting a response, “Look I know if you’re busy but I am in need of some direction, I need to redeem myself”. Without an answer Matius sadly lowers his head in silence.
  As he does this some door open on the side of the hall as a vicar walks inside, carrying a torch. “Hello is someone there?”, the vicar aware of an intruder shinning his torch in the shadow, “Show yourself!”. Matius instantly heads to the left hand side hiding behind a pillar as the vicar makes his way towards the altar, shinning his torch. He looks at the statue of Jesus noticing something in the reflection. “Reveal yourself”, the vicars demands his voice echoing through the church hall. Realising he has not much choice Matius moves away from the pillar sheepishly, raising his eyes up. The vicar raises his torch illuminating Matius face in chock, his eyes widen. “My god, so you exist after all”. Matius makes a more towards the priest before the priest in a panic grabs a cross from his waist pocket, holding it against Matius in defence. “Keep away you abomination!”, the vicar blasts holding out the cross backing away as he does so. Matius continues to walk towards him moving away from the shadows.

  The vicar’s eyes then look down to Matius’s chest noticing the silver cross hanging around Matius’s neck. Defensively he looks back at Matius. “where did you get that?” the vicar demands. Matius looks down at the necklace, gripping it in the process, “Eva, my friend passed it down to me in order for me to find my salvation”. The Vicar bemused looks at Matius, “Strange for you to be looking for such a thing with your appearance. Still I cannot argue for this is a church of god after all and if you are looking for salvation…then you will find it here”. Matius calmed turns to the church entrance. “Just what happens here?” Matius remarks showing his fascination. “It’s a place where those with faith go and where those who have sinned to repent”. Matius gives a smile, heads towards the front door. “Will I see you again stranger?”, the vicar questions. “Of course, don’t worry about that”, Matius replies near the door. “Before you go, what is your name stranger?” , the vicar questions as Matius’s hand on the door. Slowly Matius turns towards the vicar. “My name is Matius”. “Well Matius I bid you good luck friend. Let god be on your side”. Matius gives a smile before shutting the church doors.

The next couple of days at the turn of midnight Matius heads to the church in the cover of night, entering the church in secret and praying for salvation to the statue. The vicar watching from his window, his impressions of Matius  start to change as the days pass. One day Matius is praying to the statue in silence, the vicar watching from his window curiously smiling to his dedication.
  The next day Matius goes to the church, going to the altar once more, kneeling before Christ once more. (Matius gives a speech) “Why do you not answer my prayers?!” Matius demands shouting at the cold statue of Christ. In anger he knocks down a gold pillar, rolling around on the polished floor. His senses are suddenly interrupted by loud banging from behind him as the church doors shake. Wakened from the situation he suddenly heads for the shadows in protection. Another loud bang as, Matius can hear noises outside muffled.

 

 Suddenly the doors finally burst open as torchlight immediately fills the entrance as people in swat gear bust inside.  Torch light invades the shadows illuminating it with light inside. Matius quickly hides undercover behind a pillar as they spread out. One of them moves ahead signalling orders to the others, all of them move out moving through the church. As one of the police signals the Vicar opens the door in anger, moving towards the swat man. “What the hell is going on there?” the vicar blasts shinning his torchlight. “We have had reports that the winged creature has been sighted around this area. Near your church”, one of the swat men declares. “Return back to your room sir. Let us handle this” The vicar in anger grips the soldiers uniform, “This is a place of god. You have no right to be here!” The soldier shrugs the vicar’s hand respectfully, “Sorry Sir but we need to check this church, please let us continue our search”
  The Vicar backs away quickly spotting Matius high above giving him a glance to head upward. Noticing this Matius quickly flys up to the church roofing. (The swat team continues to look for Matius but to avail. Matius returns to his place of hiding.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deep in an alley several of the same men who assaulted Eva group together talking in the silence of the night. One of them smokes cigarettes as his friends look to the sky nervously. Man this sucks”, one of the men moans”, kicking around a bag of rubbish in the alley wearing a leather jacket. “Oh why don’t you just shut up!” one of them shouts with several piercings, “at least you’re not in my position! You try living with drunk parents!” One of the men gives a chuckle, “I’ve heard your mum could be the new Playboy model...” Several of the men bursts out laughing. “Yer real funny”, the man with piercings utters looking towards him, “at least my mum isn’t obese” he answers back silencing him.
  The bulky man folds his arms looking up to the sky, “I still can’t believe we missed out on that women. Damn we were so close”. One of the skinny men blows his cigarette turning towards him, “who is this dame you’re talking about“. One of the men leans back against the wall, “we had our eyes on this brunette, and prettiest thing I’ve seen in awhile. Women these days just plaster themselves in make up, it’s puts me off”. The bulky man gives a little smile, “I’ve never been with a girl before, not even during high school”. Several of chuckle one turning towards him, “I can see why not, that women wouldn’t even go near you, whatever her name is...”

 

“Her name’s Eva”

 

They all turn around seeing their leader behind them by a broken window from an abandoned building. He drops down approaching them with authority. “How do you know this?” The leather guy mentions, agitated. “I had a friend give me the details about her.  And this is her father”. From behind him he passes over a scrupled piece of newspaper cutting with her father doing charity work. “Her father is a wealthy man, rich enough to do give money to local charity’s. And down below, is where he lives”. All of them start looking through the newspaper eagerly. The man with the piercings gives a smile of glee,  “man this guy must be loaded!”. The man with the leather jacket looks frozen at the newspaper, “Damn…Just imagine what we could do with that kind of money”. Exactly”, the leader proclaims, “Which brings another idea into my mind” the leader responds. The bulky one questions raises his head up, “So, errr what’s the plan?”.
  The leader walks between them, “Simple we either A, break into his home kidnap his daughter and demand a random or… B we break into his home and demand his money”. Many of his men look at him in surprise before lowering their heads.  “Sounds like a plan”, the bulky one smiling, “two birds with one stone. “That’s not a bad idea… but it’s risky”, the man with the piercings points out, “How is he going to know we’re serious?” The leader unveils a handgun from his jacket pocket, with the safety still on looking at his group. “S**t... is that for real?”, the man with the jacket exclaims moving towards it. The leader gives a cocky smile, feeling the barrel. “Yer I had a friend get me a fake gun licence I.d and only got this two days ago.  It’s not much though but it’s enough to deliver the message”.
  The man with the piercings looks at the gun doubtfully, “not being funny or anything but that’s too dangerous. I’m no killer and neither are you”, looking the leader in the eyes. “It’s only a tool to be used man”, the leader complains moving it about, “I’m not gonna kill anyone with it”. “Yer sure, say that when you have the gun in your hand, in that house”, he replies in sarcasm (piercings),  “What then? You kill someone, it’s a trip straight to jail mate. Even if you don’t, the pressure will be all on you” The leader looks at his friend thinking it over  in annoyance the leader lowers his head, “alright a week from tomorrow… we make our move!”.

Author's Note

ignore grammar problems