บท 19: Want to , have to , need to ... be whole

The Reverend father walked slowly around his office , his territory , his central domain . It was a nice place , although a bit drab , was what Serena would have thought .

But Henric didn't think any of these thoughts . He sat meekly in the chair that the Reverend father had told him to sit in . It was the only thing he had said in the last five minutes .

" Sister Cali has been asking about you , child Henric ." The Reverend father said and it snapped the boy's attention . He'd never heard the Reverend father say his name .

" Are you pleased to hear this ? " The Reverend father asked him , turning around . His voice was deep yet had a slight wheezh , probably from the cold days .

" Yes , father ." Henric said looking at the table and not at him , he had not been permitted to look at the Reverend father's face yet .

" Three letters . " The Reverend father continued , " Very thoughtful and sincere they are . Would you like to see them ? "

" If you would permit me , father . " Henric answered again .

It was quite tragic for everyone , the way the Reverend father was treated by them . He was seen as the most holy man in the orphanage and yet he received worldy pleasure and comfort readily . Where the sisters slept in rooms like cells and so did the boys , the Reverend father had his own bedroom . It was luxurious , with silk blankets and pillows and lamps .

Yet no one grumbled for this . Or when the Reverend father recieved delicious food daily , except when fasting , no complained . No one but the Reverend father had ever sat down with a loaf of bread for breakfast . The consensus being ; he was holy , he deserved the best .

He was slightly above medium height , with waining grey hair , slightly dark curls , meaning he was a distinguished figure . He had an aura of spiritual superiority around him and it drew focus from everyone who met him . At fifty two years , he was still robust and handsome enough to be admired by the old nuns .

But he had , like any man , flaws . One being he was a very self-absorbed man . He only ever acted on something if it affected him or his image . When Elma was continuously complained of by the other nuns , he did nothing . It was only when she showed outright disrespect and contempt at him, that he grew angry and fired her . He only did what he wanted and only for himself or for how he wanted to be seen . He was far from the perfect image that the people of Pearl orphanage thought he was .

But no one knew that .

" Of course , child Henric . " Reverend father said facing him with a smile , " I remember Sister Cali speaking of you before leaving . Asking for my consent to let you be allowed to go outside our holy place . "

" Thank you for permitting me , father . " Henric said as the Reverend father walked up and sat down on his chair . He opened a drawer and started looking for something .

" Have some tea , child Henric . " He said pointing to the cup in Henric's hands and the boy nodded his head and took a long sip .

" Here they are . All three letters ." The Reverend father said taking out three crumpled envelopes of creamy white .

" Thank you , father ." Henric said looking up at him and he quickly looked down . A small wave of dizzyness came over him but he ignored it as soon as the Reverend father started talking .

" You were the boy she found on the steps as a baby , true ? " The Reverend father asked , " Now , look at you . Nearly nineteen years if I am correct ."

" Yes , father . I will be departed the coming year . " Henric said and the Reverend father nodded his head and took a sip of his tea .

" Will you get married and start your own family or join the cleric ? " He asked the boy .

" I am not sure yet father . But I believe I would like to join the cleric and become a priest . " Henric said honestly , sipping more tea and the old man smiled .

" What about adoption ? Have you lost hope ? " The Reverend father asked and Henric put a hand on his head briefly as he felt suddenly faint .

" N-oo ... I mean yes , father ." He answered , " I no longer believe in someone coming to adopt me . I have my own family here , so it does not matter ."

" Really ? " The Reverend father asked finishing his tea and placing the empty cup down .

" Yes , my brothers , the sisters and yourself . All those I've known my life are my family ." Henric said softly .

" And God too , we must never forget him . " The Reverend father said and Henric nodded his head which now felt heavy .

His whole body felt heavy infact , like it was made of stone . Henric felt a darkness creep into the edge of his eyes . He couldn't fight it and his body soon succumbed to it , slumping on the chair .

Reverend father Agner got up and looked intently at the boy . After seeing that he was truly passed out , he went and locked his office door from the inside . No one would disturb him , and if they tried he'd merely tell them to leave .

He turned to the boy who was sleeping soundly on the chair and a leering smile spread across his face .

*******

Henric opened his eyes and saw blackness . A dark black nothingness around , with him and the chair as the focal point . And as soon as he woke and saw it, he started to fall .

Although to call it falling would be inaccurate . He just felt a blow of air from below as if he was falling . The darkness didn't move , it was like falling in a starless universe or a bottomless pit .

Henric held the chair tightly as he felt like he was falling to the depths of the underworld . He looked around for something to hold on to , to stop himself but he found nothing . Finally he closed his eyes and started to pray for help . Which was when the faces appeared .

They came from the darkness , white and blank faces , like masks . They seemed to fall down along with him , forming a circle around him , outlining the pit he was plummeting through . But Henric still had his eyes closed and would never have seen them if not for the sound they made to make him open his eyes .

What he heard and saw was horrible .

Each face was crying out , caught in the very middle of a wail . The eyes were vacant and so was the mouths of them all , which only added to their horror . And the sound . It sounded like the wailing cries of a thousand people , crying and pleading . Henric shut his eyes and screamed .

Then there was silence .

It came abruptly and took a moment to filter through the boys frazzled nerves . Henric , still not trusting what was happening , whatever it was , kept his eyes closed for nearly ten minutes . After a while where nothing happened and he realised he was no longer falling , he opened his eyes . Then his eyes widened .

Henric sat on his chair in a strange place . The sky above was black , with wisps of aquamarine clouds moving like water and the ground was flat and lapis lazuli blue . It was a clear as glass and he could see his reflection in its surface . It reached around to the horizon , completely flat and clear .

He slowly turned around and looked to see if anything else frightening would happen but nothing did .

" Hello ? Is anyone here ? " He yelled but no one answered his call .

After a moment he placed his foot down onto the ground to test it . His foot went and then touched something solid . Henric looked at his foot , and saw it was fine . He got off the chair very slowly until he stood by himself .

" Want to , "

Henric's ears bristled at the whisper he heard . It sounded like it was right next to his ear . He quickly turned around , expecting something to be there but there was nothing .

" Have to , "

Henric turned around again but found nothing there still . Where was that voice coming from ? Had he gone insane ? Where even was he ?

" Need to , "

The voice said softly next to him and he frowned in confusion .

" Need to what ? " He asked outloud .

" BE FREE ! BE FREE ! BE FREE ! "

Henric covered his ears as the voice shouted all around him , nearly making him wince .

" And be ... whole ." The voice said next to him and he felt a light breath on his ear . He turned around and saw ... his mirror . It sat on the chair facing him with its reflective surface . Except now , a crack was on it .

" Help me ."

Henric couldn't believe his ears when he heard the voice again . It seemed to be coming from his mirror .

" Help you ."

" What ? " He asked moving towards it .

" Free me ! " The voice shouted and Henric drew back . Slowly cracks started to form on the mirror until it was a broken mess of fractaled glass .

" Free me ! " The voice said behind the glass .

" Please , I beg of you to stop ! " Henric shouted .

" Please help me . " A voice said to his ear and then he felt a like breath on his ear . Then the lips of a person brushed him .

" HELP ME ! "

******

Henric awoke with a start . He felt a hand on his chest and lips on his ears , warm lips . Quickly he recoiled and got up from the chair , moving away from the person who had touched him .

When he saw who it was he was stunned .

" Reverend father ... what were you doing ? " He asked the older man who looked back at him in confusion .

Reverend father Agner , stood next to Henric's now vacant chair . He had his pants unbuckled and his shirt collar was open to show a bit of his chest . His face held a look of utter confusion .

" How are you - "

Reverend father Agner's words were cut short . See , during the time when father Agner had been leering and taking possession of Henric's unconscious body , a storm had been brewing outside .

He had ignored it , his main focus being on the object of his desire . But if he had paid attention , he would have noticed the storm growing stronger unnaturally , second by second .

Finally the storm got his attention , after Henry awoke . Because just as father Agner was about to ask how Henric had fought off the sedative , something happened ;

All the windows imploded into his office .