Chapter 45

850words2026-01-19 04:20

Amelia sat in the finest nightwear she had, her blond hair brushed back and held neatly, if she was going to die she would die elegantly. The events of the past months ran through her mind, her family was the villain. They had ruined the lives of all their children and she hated them , she could not go anywhere and she felt like the voices I her head were growing louder. There was nothing more to life, she was tired and it was not going to get better she knew. She had gone through all she had last night, stroking each of them and saying goodbye to them. She wanted to write a note, but there would be no need, she climbed on her bed, lay in the middle and adjusted her cloth. Her hands shook as she brought the blade up to her wrist, but there was no turning back. The scream of the maid that entered her chambers that morning notified the household.

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Philip looked at himself in a small mirror in his cabin, his beards this past few months had grown more than usual, and the eye bags under his eyes made hi look five times his age. The ship rocked more violently than usual and he knew there was a storm. There was knock on the door and Philip opened it , "Sir, we are approaching a storm and the waves are massive". Philip nodded, this was not new to him, ‘prepare the men, this is going to be one hell of a night".

The man nodded and scurried away. Philip waked up to the deck, men flew everywhere, knotting ropes , cutting ropes, all around he saw men fighting to see another day. Travelers had been sent to the lower deck and the captain of the ship was a strong-willed man holding down his own. Philip walked up to him and took over the wheel

"Handle the men Oscar, you know what to do'. The man nodded ‘Aye Sir, do ye reckon you will be fine on y're own". Philp nodded as the man left to tend to orders. The made it through the storm and Philip walked round the ship nodding to greetings from the few men awake and listening to the snores of the ones asleep, he was tired but he knew even if he closed his eyes, sleep would elude him.

Entering his cabin, he looked at the pile of letters sitting on his desk, he had refused to read any letter from home but there was one that looked unfamiliar, walking up to it, he stroked it before tearing it open and the message in it was clear as day, Amelia was dead, buried last week, she took her own life. Shock rattled through him and his hands shook as he sat down. Tears fell down his face, all this way his fault, he picked a woman over his family and all for what, she ran away and left him with no explanation, anger coursed through him, if only he knew that ball the weeks of searching for her would amount to nothing , he would not have embarked on such wasted course.

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Rained poured hard and fast as Moses drove up the stone looking church. It was dark and the storm came unexpectedly. the walls of the church had a gloomy look and the church bells that chimed created a ghostly feel to it. Moses felt like he was in the chapter of a bad horror novel, quickly he knocked on the doors of the church and it was opened. The sister that opened the door, nodded at him but said nothing and he knew she was failing her oath of silence.

"I need father Alex he said, please get him", she nodded and left. As Moses watched the statue of Jesus and Mary, he prayed silently that he would save her.

"Moses, it has been a while", Moses turned to Father Alex, "Father, yes it has been a while, I need your help". The man nodded and gestured for him to sit.

"What has happened Moses". Moses took down his hat, "The demon his back, he got to their daughter and she has given souls". The man nodded understanding what had happened. "She has already given souls Moses, so there is no turning back, the only thing she can do mow is fight against the will of the devil".

Slipping a rosary from his robe, he passed it to Moses, give this to her, tell he to be with it at all times and believe when praying with it, lest it be nothing more than an artifact". I will be praying for her, and you should too, together our faiths could help against the will of the unholy one".

Moses nodded and thanked the man, just as he was about to open the door, Father Alex said "Moses, do not be ignorant of the wiles of the devil, drive safe and pray brother". Moses nodded and with a slight bow put his hat on.