Tainted Love

11- Take me to church

I soon get to the part of the tunnel I want to reach. There is a ladder to the side of the train tracks, and I know it will lead me to a manhole in the small village.

I still look back one last time to make sure the coast is clear, before climbing up the ladder and reaching the surface through the manhole. There is no one on the streets at this time of the night but I still need to be careful.

I am aware everyone knows each other in this small village. Having a stranger wandering around at night is highly suspicious and I don’t want to draw attention.

Sneaking around the dark village, as there aren’t even any streetlights, I soon reach the tiny church. It’s not much to look at really, but it is the house of God.

I carefully open the front door and silently enter, closing it behind me as quietly as possible.

“Hello Alana”

I almost jump out of my own skin, thinking I have just been busted, but when I turn around in a cold sweat, I notice it is just Alma.

“Oh… You nearly scared me to death” I say, and she chuckles.

“You are in the right place to die, either way” She answers in her thick accent that I can’t quite place. I always assumed she is Arabic, but her soul is so old, I am not even sure the country existed when she died.

Yes, Alma is a ghost. A very old one at that. She likes to stay at this church and has never asked for my help, no matter how hard I tried to offer it.

After trying to help her for so long, I finally gave up and started enjoying her company every time I came to this church. I like to think she enjoys my company too.

“It is a bit late to attend service” She says. “Unless you want to wait through the night until the sun rises”

“Actually, I am here for another reason” I say.

“Oh, I see” She says. “Another lost soul needs your help”

“Yes” I confirm. “But I am having some trouble with this one. I was hoping I could call out for him here”

“What is his name?” She asks. “Perhaps I can help”

“His name is Aiden….” I pause while I try to remember his last name. “Carson? I think it was Carson”

“I see” She says, closing her eyes in deep thought. “I can sense that he gave you something. A… ring?”

“Yes” I nod. “I’m always amazed how you manage to guess correctly”

“It is not guessing, dear” She tells me with a smile, her deep brown eyes glistening. “I am a seer after all”

“I wish I had that ability too” I admit. “It would certainly help me a lot with these lost souls”

“It is not all flowers, dear” She says, turning around while looking around the small church. Her long black hair which almost reaches her knees waving around as she turns. “There is much suffering that comes associated with this ability. Knowing what’s to come is not a gift at all, it is a curse”

“You never did tell me how you died, Alma” I say. “I know you don’t really wish to move on, and I suppose I can understand, but… A part of me tells me that there is something you need from me”

She turns back around and presents me with her beautiful smile.

“There is indeed, but it can wait” She says. “How about we try to call out to this Aiden Carson, now, hm?”

“Sure” I answer, a bit disappointed that she won’t fully trust me.

We both close our eyes and I feel Alma’s specter hands on mine. It is always a strange feeling when spirits like her try to touch me.

“Aiden Carson” I call out and, sure enough, I feel a breeze go by me. “I need to ask you a few questions”

“What, wasn’t the ring enough?” I hear a young boy’s voice say and when I open my eyes again, he is right in front of me in his human form with a cocky smile.

Used to this kind of interaction, I continue.

“I know you want to help your old friend Lucas” I say. “But I don’t fully understand what you want me to do”

“The other ghosts told me you were quite sharp” Aiden says. “I’m starting to have some doubts”

“There is no need to insult, young man” Alma interferes. “Alana clearly is doing her best to help you”

“I’m not the one who needs help” Aiden replies. “Lucas has been looking like sh*t lately. I know he took it very hard when I died, but it’s not his fault. Heck, it’s not even Amelia’s fault. Sh*t just happens and I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time”

“So, you want me to tell him that” I deduce.

“Of course!” Aiden says. “That and that he and Charlotte have to come back together. I was so happy for him when they started dating. I can’t believe he would throw it all away for some stupid guilt. They looked good together”

“So that’s why you gave me the ring” I understand. “You want them to come back together. But I don’t know if I can do that. That is all up to Mr. Lucas, not me. I can’t force him to go back into a relationship he doesn’t to be”

“Lucas only broke up with her because Charlotte is being the bigger person and finally forgave Amelia for what happened 20 years ago” Aiden explains. “Lucas is just being a moron”

“Alright, I think I get it” I say. “But I’m still not sure how I can help Mr. Lucas move on. He even completely refused that you are still here”

“Of course he did” Aiden says. “He knows how I am. Heck, the only reason I stayed was because of him. I wanted to see how he turned out after the mess that caused my death. I was just about to leave when he went down a drain and started shutting everyone off”

“Right… I’ll see what I can do” I say. “I’ll talk to him”

“Thanks” Aiden says with a toothy smile. “And please don’t call me again. This place is creepy. I never liked churches, but I guess it’s a hidden rule that ghosts have to come when called at holy grounds”

“I won’t” I say. “I promise”

“Good” He says. “And good luck with Lucas. I know he can be a hardhead sometimes”

“I know” I say, remembering some stories Yara told me about her dad.

He smiles once again before vanishing before my eyes.

“I suppose you have to go now” Alma says.

“Yeah” I say. “It’s getting pretty late, and I don’t want anyone to get worried about me. I did sneak out”

I know Yara covered for me as soon as she noticed I was gone. She has done this many times before and I always do the same for her when she needs to, so I’m not really too worried that people will notice I sneaked out.

“Of course you did” Alma says with a smile. “I’ll see you again some other time, then.

“Bye, Alma” I say and open the front door to leave but before I can exit, an excruciating pain assaults my head and I have to hold it tightly, hoping the pain will ease.

But it doesn’t.

It just keeps getting stronger and I can’t help myself from letting out a scream.

There is rumbling and I feel myself tremble. The noise is so loud inside my head. It is as if there is an earthquake happening inside my head and a million voices are trying to talk at the same time. I can’t hold on anymore.

Just as I am about to give up and drop to the floor, it stops just as suddenly as it started.

I open my eyes, not even realizing I had closed them in the first place, and look around in astonishment.

It wasn’t just in my head.

The earthquake really happened. The church didn’t get destroyed, but it is clear there was an earthquake just now by how everything is either on the floor or collapsed.

What truly takes me aback is the number of lost souls now suddenly in front of me. They don’t seem to be able to see me but there are so many of them gathered here. And they all look so very confused.

I try to talk to them, but they can’t hear me.

“Alana!” I hear a familiar voice and as if scared by the voice, all souls suddenly flee in great distress.

They run through the walls of the church in disarray and, before long, the church is empty again. Not even Alma is here anymore.

I gasp when I suddenly feel a hand on my shoulder and am about to break free and run away when I recognize the familiar voice.

“Alana!” Claus says. “Are you alright?”

“Claus?” I ask, still a bit dazed by what just happened.

“We have to go back now” He tells me with such urgency that manages to focus my mind again.

“What happened?” I ask. “Wait, weren’t you fighting before? How did you sneak out?”

“The alarm ringed” He tells me. “The Organization is close by. We have to go before they find us”

I simply nod while he holds my hand and half drags me out of the village. I know we have to avoid the tunnel as it is too risky. If the Organization finds any evidence of it, it will lead them straight to the Academy. But that also means we can’t immediately go back there either. We are stuck out here to fend for ourselves until the Organization leaves the premises.

“Where are we going?” I ask him as we run.

“I know a place” He says. “Trust me”

“How did you find me?” I ask him while we continue running, now reaching the mountains.

“I noticed you sneaked out when I couldn’t find you anywhere after the alarm sounded and they sent everyone to their rooms” He says, helping me climb a steep part of our path. “I know Yara’s excuses way too well”

“Yes, but how did you know I was at the church?” I ask.

“Where else would you be?” He asks back. He does have a point. Every time I sneak out on my own it is to go to church.

“What about the earthquake?” I ask. “Is everyone alright?”

“What earthquake?” He asks and I stop for a moment.

Did I imagine it? No, it was way too real. The pain was way too real for it to just be my imagination. And all those souls…

“Alana, we have to go!” Claus shouts, pulling me by the hand again.

I know if he turned into a wolf, he could run way faster than me. He is just staying in this form for my sake.

“Turn” I tell him.

“What?” He asks me.

“I can ride you in wolf form” I explain. “We will be faster that way”

“Are you sure?” He asks me and I nod. “Ok…”

Not wasting any time, he turns into his wolf form, and I immediately climb him, trying very hard not to hurt him or pull his fur too tightly.

He starts running as soon as he is sure I am secure. I can’t even see around us with the speed he is running. It’s all just a big blur. I have to lay down closer to him and hold his fur more firmly so as not to fall.

I don’t even know where he is taking me, but I trust he knows what he is doing. It is too dangerous for us to be outside, so I assume he is going towards a hidden cave. We can wait until there is no danger there.

There is a silent whistle only wolves can hear that usually resounds together with the alarm. It will let us know when it is safe to return. I know we will get further punishment for being outside during a time like this, but right now I am not preoccupied with that.

I just want us to be safe.

It is all so sudden that I can’t even comprehend what is going on at first.

All I hear is a whimper and before I know it, I am rolling on the hard floor.

“Claus!” I shout when I realize he fell and dropped me in the process. He is not too far away from me.

I quickly get up and go to his side, only to notice he has been hit by a tranquilizer dart. My heart beats even faster than before and my breath gets caught in my throat when I realize what this means.

It doesn’t take much time for them to come out from their hiding spot to examine their prey.

“Well well well” A coarse voice says. I don’t have the courage to look up from Claus just yet. “What do we have here? I guess our informant was right. There ARE supernaturals living here”

It is when I hear their footsteps getting closer that I fight back my panic and stand up to face them. I have no weapon in me, and my magic is nearly useless in a fight, but I have to try to protect Claus. He hasn’t moved an inch since he got hit with the dart.

There are three of them, which is a good sign. Usually, they hunt in larger numbers. One of them is a middle-aged woman with grey hair and a rough look. She is too muscular for her age and her arms are covered with tattoos.

The two men beside her resemble her in some traits so I assume they must be related.

“Look, boys” The woman says in her coarse voice. “The wolf has a girlfriend”

“I’ll bet she’s a shapeshifter” One of the men says.

“Or a witch” The other says.

“Let’s find out, shall we” The woman says, pointing her g*n at me.

I can’t help but freeze again. There is nothing I can do against a g*n. They are too close for me to try to run away, and I can’t leave Claus behind.

I have no chance.