chapter 5

 It was Monday and I was already dreading for the week to be over. Though I didn’t love school, it was a relief from home and the stuff going on outside these walls. I wore a navy blue hoodie and jeans on this late, chilly September day. Even though the school building was warm I kept the hoodie on. People would probably find that weird but since the bruises that John had caused me were still very visible I had to cover up. The only good thing that seemed to be happening was that he was leaving mother alone. Maybe the baby would make it, but then what would happen to it? I highly doubted john would want it around the house. He had something planned and it was nothing good, I was sure of it.

“Settle down everyone” The AP literature teacher came in with that look of worry that made her look like a skittish cat. She had moved here from the city and someone broke into her car on her first day. Ever since then she has been scared and cautious.

“We have a new student” she said the words that always sent everyone into silence. Whenever a new student came it was important because they could be a new member to any number of groups in the school. If the new kid joined your group it gave leverage over the other groups. Yet, there were those few who were like me and didn’t like to choose a group and just stayed to themselves.

All eyes turned to the door where she walked in. This was the first time I laid eyes on Jane. She was tall and lean with short blonde brown hair and the most amazing blue eyes I had ever seen. Actually I had never seen anyone with natural blue eyes before that moment and I was captivated.

“This is Jane Andrews every one please makes her feel welcome" it was strange that she didn't act embarrassed or awkward as she stood there in front of the class. Well everyone was different and maybe she didn't feel awkward or embarrassed easily.

"You can take a seat there next to Nora. Nora please raise your hand." Nora sat a couple of rows behind me. She was a rather chubby girl with short mop top brown hair and pale skin that she tried to make look darker with spray on tan but it only made her look like a carrot. I smirked as I watched her lift her hand and revealed a patch of skin that she had missed and was white.

“Could everyone please take out your notes from yesterday?" the teacher asked in a small, timid voice.

I sighed as everyone began to have their own conversations and ignore her. At least I could hear her and still learn something in this class.

The class was pretty much uneventful as we mostly took notes and got a heads up on an assignment we were going to have later that week.

"Adel please stay after class if you can" I raised my brow in question and she cringe as if I were about to have a tantrum.

“Sure” I shrugged and went back to writing down notes. She probably wanted to ask for a favor since she was too frightened to ask anyone else. It was strange how if you’re quiet some people take it as you being harmless.

At the end of class I stood before the teacher’s desk waiting for her to stop looking around frantically as if a ghost might pop out somewhere.

“You wanted to see me?” she nodded and handed me a piece of paper with shaky hands.

“He told me to give this to you. I did not read it but understand I had nothing to do with this letter.” Her voice was just as shaky as she was and she looked on the verge of tears. I only nodded and headed out the door, a feeling of apprehension clutching my heart.

In my next class I sat in the back and ignored the teacher. The folded letter was on my desk and I starred at it not really wanting to open it. I had a pretty good hunch as to who ‘He’ was. There was no point in putting it off any longer.

It read-

Hello my pet it seems you have not come to terms of being mine. I was not at all too happy with what happened yesterday. I will not soften things for you; when I want something I get it and I want you. You will be mine and nothing and no one will get in the way of that. I have already taken care of that intrusive father once and for all. Anyone else who gets in my way will end up the same so I would suggest you keep your distance from people my pet.

-Scott-

I couldn’t breathe as I finished reading the letter. Oh god no, he couldn’t mean what he said. Not the father, he couldn’t have. Suddenly, I stood in the middle of class, knocking my chair over and drawing the attention of everyone in the room.

“Mrs. Peston is something wrong?” my teacher asked as he noticed the look of pure shock and horror on my face. But I didn’t hear him or even notice he was walking towards me, all I knew was that I had to see Father Charles. Not waiting for the teacher to get to me, I sprinted for the door. He called me back and yelled about rules or what not but I didn’t care.

My lungs stung as if I had been breathing in pieces of sand paper. I still ran up the church steps and went on a frantic search for father Charles.

“Father, Father are you here?!” I went to his office on the second floor but found it locked and dark. No one was at church during this time of day and maybe that was why I couldn’t find him. He was probably out somewhere making a house call. Scott must have just wanted to scare me. I mean he wasn’t as demonic as to murder someone, much less a priest, was he?

Well while I was here I decided to go down to the chapel and have some alone time. It was always so peaceful here when I walked down the aisle just enjoying the feeling. The glass windows showed holy events from the past and it made me wonder about how much suffering people had to go through until they finally met their goal.

The light that came from the early morning sun was colored by the glass and made splotches of color appear all around. That’s when I noticed the single light beam shining on the altar. The light always seemed to do that as if indicating it wanted everyone’s attention directed there. Squinting, I noticed a piece of cloth was dropped behind the altar. It was probably accidently dropped after the service.

After respectfully bowing in front of the altar, I walked up and stopped, instantly frozen in place. There next to the piece of cloth was a hand. Quickly, I closed my eyes willing this to be a nightmare. But when I opened my eyes and saw that the hand was still there I took a deep breath and finally stepped behind the altar completely.

A scream was lodged in my throat as my eyes met those of the dead Father Charles. Tears stung my eyes as I took in his bloodied form. Falling to my knees, I cried and put my hand over his eyes to close them. He had been stabbed repeatedly in the abdomen and beaten; I couldn’t tell if it was in that order or not. I didn’t care how, it was the why that I wanted to know. But I already knew the answer to that; he had stood up for me and he had gotten this as a reward.

“Damn you Scott. Damn you”. In the church; he had killed the father in his own church at the altar.

“Police department, how can I help you?” the man on the other end of the phone sounded bored. It enraged me more that the police had let this happen even though I knew deep down they could not have stopped this since they had no authority in church.

“I’m calling from the church. Father Charles…he’s dead, murdered.” My voice hitched as I said the words and I clutched Father Charles’ robe.

“Are you completely sure?” The officer at the other end of the phone line asked in a professional tone.

How could anyone lie about something like this?

“His dead body is lying right in front of me! How is that not enough proof?” I knew I shouldn’t take this all out on someone who didn’t have anything to do with it. “Please just get here” with that I hung up the phone and leaned back against the altar. What would happen now?