Sin of Lust

CHAPTER 44

"Sorry, Nunna. Sorry sister Blanche." They apologize with their head bowed.

“That’s good to hear then.” Blanche ruffled their hairs. “Now, go on and dig in.”

The nuns can see how the faces of the children lightens up from the sight of those simple things. All of them are laughing, and smiling and their face are covered with small grins of happiness.

"If it’s just… if it's just a normal family. Then we could love each other. We could have played all day and till the sun finally rest. No one will be able to stop us from seeing each other every day. And this moment, will never have to end." Mary Jane said to herself as she stares on the faces of all of them.

"Nunna? Aren't you going to eat? Your food is getting cold now." Blanche said as she shoves a whole bread in her mouth.

"I will eat, but please refrain yourself from eating big pieces else you will choke on your own." she warned her before taking a spoonful of Blanche's favorite dish. "This is so delicious. This is just a simple dish but I've never tried it in my entire life." She mumbled under her breath with this small smile on her lips.

"You haven't tried this before, Nunna?" Blanche asks with her mouth full of food.

"Don't speak when your mouth is full." The older nun laughs at her.

"Oops, sorry about that, I totally forgot."

"Just kidding. Come on. Do everything that you will enjoy. Just for tonight... let’s enjoy this tonight." She sighed as she can still picture the child in her.

"Nunna, Dean is not stopping at all!" Lino yelled from his seat as Dean wipes an icing on his face. "Back off, Dean-- I am not going to--" Lino was cut off when all of a sudden Dean shoved a meat in his mouth.

"Then eat! I can't see you eating anything. That's why I have to show you how to eat." Dean laugh out loud.

The night is filled with laughter and so much noise of joy. As if that moment will forever last. Until the very day that they are waiting for so long has arrived. The sole reason why they why they did everything in the first place.

"This is it..." Mildred said in a low and heavy tone. "Let's get it done."

Blanche, Stephen, and Lino nod their heads in agreement. "Tonight. We will do it."

"Is everything you need already prepared?" Blanche asked in concern.

"Don't worry about it, sister. We all got it prepared." Mildred gave her a big thumbs up to which she only replied with a firm smile.

“Yeah, and I’ve sneak in some molotovs just in case.” Stephen said with a thumbs up.

"OK. Then go ahead. Proceed to your positions." And the three children nodded in confirmation as they went to each of their designated quarters in order to easily guide the children.

And in the middle of it all, Mary Jane is singing the lullaby she's been singing all this time. The song her heart yearns to sing for all of those who were gone.

"Dear my child, my lullaby. Here’s a song for you. Don’t you cry when you ever feel scared, I want you to look up and see the sky above. Love, can I hold your hand one last time, please let me do. Let me hold you so tight where you can dream. So, hold me tight one more time but don’t kiss me goodbye. We will see each other at the end of night sky. With every lie I am crumbling and dying inside I want to steal you away from the night. But the world is against me, I cannot fight. Only in my dreams, you’ll be in my arms~" her lips are curved up in a most beautiful smile she can muster, yet her heart is weeping. Her cries were her children’s lullaby yet their goodbyes are her requiem.

"Nunna, why are you still awake?" Blanche, ask her as she saw her in the common room, looking at each of the drawings all the children has been drawn for her, the pictures of their family. From the very first one to the very last one.

"Oh. It's just you Blanche." Mary Jane looked at her from her shoulders but not fully turning on her. "I was just looking at the pictures of our family from the perspective of my children. Look at this..." She pointed to the picture drawn by Estella. "Stella draw this for you, actually she said to me that she wanted to be like you. She wanted to be the one who cares, just like how you care for her, isn't that amazing? To care for someone else."

Blanche felt something tags her heart, since she can’t think of anything admirable about herself. She never sees herself as something important and high, something that someone will find it beautiful. But there she is, standing in front of the drawing of a child who looked up to her.

“I’m sorry, Istella. I’m sure I am not the one you wanted to be…” Blanche thought to herself. But her frown immediately became a curious glance when she saw another drawing on the wall.

"What is that, Nunna?" she asked as she pointed on the picture beside Istella’s drawing that contains an image of a woman holding a giant bladeless cross and there are lots of children behind her while in front of her there are people lying on the ground without limbs and head, and they are bathing on the red liquid that seems to be blood. "I think this is quite brutal for a child to draw." She commented as she carefully scanned picture. “Oops, that’s not what I meant…I mean she has a… talent.”

"Uh, yes. That was drawn by colleen. That was quite of a story actually." Mary Jane told her. "Do you want me to tell you a story?"

"OK, if it's not much. Please go ahead."

And then Mary Jane started, "Colleen was one of the children here in the orphanage before Max, Rani, and others came here, before you even came back.”

“So, that means, Colleen is older than them…”

“She said, she’s always seeing a woman coming back.... She's always saying that someone will indeed come back. Every day, she's always telling me a story of how a woman saved her siblings from deadly woman." She then traced the drawing with her fingertips. "This is quite disturbing for me actually because I have never let them see any cruel novels or images, yet somehow she managed to do something like this and as you see. This is very vivid."

"That Colleen... that child. Was she...?"

The older nun simply said yes with slight bobbing off her head. "Even though she's drawing all of those images from her imagination, I can still think that an ordinary child will be able to see something like this."

"So that means, she has a gift?"

"That's what I thought. So too."

"So that's why she... Was gone?" Blanche’s another question was answered with a simple nod once again.

"That's probably what happened... I think the child has a gift and Ester learned about her powers. that's why he immediately sent her out of here.

"Please tell me more about that child."

Mary Jane started to tell the story again.

"This started when she turns 8 years old. She's coming to me in the middle of the night, crying and saying ‘someone is coming, someone is coming’ repeatedly said those words while sobbing, however, I thought this was just a bad dream. A nightmare. So, I told her to go back to sleep and this will be over by morning. And so that's what she did. But her nightmares didn't stop. As the time goes on her dreams became vivid. And that's where I learned that she has a gift."

In the same night were Mary Jane thought everything will never went wrong, one of her children came banging her bedroom’s door that immediately sent her up from her laying position. “What the hell is that?”

“Nunna!” the tiny voice of a child keeps yelling and its seemingly small fists keeps banging the door. “Nunna!” the voice cried.

Mary Jane instantly went to open the door only to reveal a child crying and wailing while rubbing the tears from her eyes and her night dress is soaked with sweat but the child keeps calling her, over and over, “Nunna!”

“Oh my god, Colleen… what happened?” the nun crouched down to her level and wipe the tears from her cheeks, “what happened, what’s wrong, huh? Tell Nunna all about it.” She caressed her cheeks.

The woman let the girl in in her bedroom and let the child’s cry die down, “Here, drink this, it will help you calm down.” She handed her a bottle of water. “Can you tell me now, what happened?”

With a last hiccup, Colleen proceeded to reply, “I dreamed about the mayor… she was a monster and she ate all my other siblings.”

Mary Jane listened carefully from the fact that there’s a spitting similarity with the reality and her dreams. “What happened next?”

“Mayor ate my sibling so they never came send any letter to us even though they promised. But there’s another woman, another woman that has the same dress as you. It’s the same dress, but I know she’s not you.”

“And what that woman did?”

“She was here before and she came back and she protected them…”

“Protected who?”

“All of them…” Colleen simply stated, she can’t even specify who will be save. “There were many people, it was like the mayor’s many, many soldiers, they want to get them, but that woman is protecting them so no one gets hurt.”

“And you… Nunna… I don’t see you that night with them… you were fighting those soldiers with your sword made of red liquid! You easily slice them all! And you won, but… I didn’t see you with them.”

Mary Jane was a little confuse and curious on what she was saying and because of that, she got curious, “Where did the good woman took your siblings?”

“She took them beyond the woods, beyond the wall, and beyond the forest as if she’s a guide, a guardian angel!”

“So, the children escape?”

“I guess? Because they learned mayor is a monster that’s why they get away from her?”

“I see…” Mary Jane mumbled, “what else did you see?”

“I don’t see us there…”

“Us?”

“Yeah, I don’t see me, Dimming, and Minson… we were not there.” She spoke, “where were we? I don’t know…”

Colleen’s eyes are becoming heavy for her eyelids are blinking too slow and is close to closing, “Do want to sleep by my side tonight?” she asked her.

“Really?! Yeah!” the child hoped on the bed and they snuggle together till the child finally drift off, but all night Mary Jane is thinking that dream.

"But one night, everything just went so fast. She came on me to my bedroom again. But this time, she's not crying. So, I guess there's just something bothering her. But I was wrong. She spoke to me as if she's another person. And told me 'Someone will come back and all will end’ she then handed me the picture of that..." She pointed to the drawing on the wall. “I felt all the hair in my body stood up when she spoke to me.”

“What was she like back then?”

“It was like I was talking to someone that is not from here, something like a celestial spirit. Her wordings are far from being her, she’s speaking in a very old and archaic yet I was still able to understand her. And for the last time, she told me… A spider will weave its way.”

Blanche just stood beside her and listen to her story, yet she couldn’t believe that something like this is actually going to happen.

"Do you think that is a prophecy?" Blanche asks from curiosity.

"I think so. Everything was just like what she said. Someone will come back. And it was you." Mary Jane came face to face with her. "I think she's speaking of you. When she told me the prophecy."

"I… I don't understand..."

"I know that you understand it so well, look at that woman…” she pointed to the woman in drawing. “She holds Luxuria. One of the seven deadly sins. The god of lust. And he is a weapon. That is similar to that drawing."

Blanche darted her eyes from Mary Jane’s eyes to the picture and back to her face, "Do you really think so?"

"Yes, I am sure… I just remember this a while ago but… just look the children behind that woman holding the cross, go ahead and count them one by one…” the older nun instructed her to which she eventually did. And after counting, she realized that the children are 25. Same as the same number of their current number.

"Do you think this is just a coincidence?"

" I don't think so. Blanche just looks at the features of each of the children, Colleen doesn't know some of them especially Ladi, Choi, Max, and all of the children who are below 8 years old. And the most peculiar thing is this look at the child that is being carried by the seemingly Mildred.”

Blanche immediately looks at the location where she can find Mildred holding a child.”

"That is Mila. She just arrived, but look at her drawing everyone in this room right now is complete in that drawing even though she doesn't even know some of them."

"But wait, look at that." She then pointed her finger on the other figure with severe head lying beside the woman, who is holding a cross. "What is that? It looks like...It's like." She can't even finish what she's saying because she's afraid that what's her thinking is true and will happen in the future.

" I think... I think that's me." She smiled bitterly.

"Oh no. No, no, no, no, no. That is a big no."

"Even if you say no if it's written by the destiny, then it will be so..." Mary Jane spoke, as if she just accepted her fate. There was an abundant silence in between them while Blanche process everything she just learned, but Mary Jane shook her head to clear her mind.

For she wanted to be the last moments of her life to be as beautiful as the smiling faces of her children, and because of this, she continued reminiscing the rest of the paintings, “And this one was drawn by Dimming, he said he wanted to be as smart as Lino. He wanted to defeat him in every way possible,” Mary Jane caressed the image of a seemingly small kid on top of supposed Lino. “He was… they were just so beautiful…”

There was an abundance silent between them until Mary Jane continued, "But now he's gone. He's nowhere to be found. And this is all my fault because I didn't fight for them. Now I will no longer run. I will face every one of them. Tonight, I will fight for you."

"Fight for us. What are you talking about? Nunna, we are not going to fight anyone. We are going to be a silent as possible. So, no one will know we are leaving. No one will have to know."

"No, Blanche, war will occur and no one can stop it. This is why I'm here."

"What?" Blanche trailed, "What are you--" She wasn't even finished what she's going to say when all of a sudden, she smells something like gasoline. "Nunna, what is that? Did you smell it? It smells like gasoline."

"Yes, I can smell it. It smells like the... future."

"What the hell are you talking about? Nanna? Stop that!" Blanche was taken aback when Mary Jane finally turned to face her holding a single lit match.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!" she tried to stop her and get the match away from her hand. However, Mary Jane is quick on her feet and managed to dodge her advancement.

"I'm sorry, Blanche, but you have to go now."

"You will burn this down? Are you planning to kill yourself?"

"Don't worry about me. Blanche. I will not kill myself here. I won't let that happen."

"You better sure that."

Mary Jane let out a gentle laugh since she can remember Blanche when she was young, she's still the same, concerned yet fearful child she is until now. "You really are the same. You haven't changed after all these years."

"Of course, I am. Why would I change?"

"Just go and take the children with you. Make sure that no one will stop you from here."

"You got it. Nunna, we should follow us, OK? After this, make sure you follow us, you know where you can find us." Mary Jane didn't respond anything. She just left a small smile, a gentle smile that she usually wears as she watches Blanche’s back while she run away.

"Goodbye, my children." She whispered those words on the wind, hoping that the message will reach the hearts of her children.

Blanche did what she ought to do. She takes all the children and ran through the forest. While they are in the middle of the forest. Fire broke out in the house in just instant.

"The house is burning!" Pand exclaimed, pointing to the direction of the house.

"Yes, that has to happen." Lino stated. "Now we will just wait here till Nunna arrive."

They waited there for as long as they can, but is their mother hasn't arrived yet. All of them starts to get worried and so, Blanche tells the children. "Go without me. I will come back for you, OK? Just go."

"How we are going to live? You know, we're not going to!" Mildred insisted.

"Please just go I can... I can handle myself. And we we'll be on your side before you know it."

“We will wait for you here…” Mildred told her with unwavering resolve.

“No, I will meet you behind the wall. I promise. Now go!” she told them before running away.

“But—” Mildred was cut off when Lino pulled her from there and started to run.

“Let’s go! We should listen to sister; I know she will come back. So, hurry up, before the reinforcement come.” Lino said in almost one breath, and the rest follow of them.

"Mayor, mayor, one of the orphanages is burning!" It's one off. The security guards rushed towards the mayor's office, slamming the door in the process before he tells the news.

"What?!" Esther immediately stood up from her seat with a loud thud ask the chair behind her fell on the floor, “Don’t go shouting in the corridor, you piece of sh*t! can’t you see I’m busy!”

“I’m sorry mayor, but one of the orphanages is burning.”

"What the actual—what orphanage is that?"

"The fourth orphanage, where Mary Jane is working."

With the given information, her eyes immediately sharpened, "Where are the children?" she growled.

"We don't know, ma'am. We haven't sent any man to confirm. One of the people in town just arrived and tell us what happen."

“What the kind if f*ckery is that?! you believe everyone’s saying? Go and find out. Don't just stand there and do nothing! You f*cking idiots! And make sure that the items are safe!" she yelled to him to which the guard immediately responded by rushing away from her and gave orders to the men under his authority. “I am telling you! No item should be damage!” she threw the papers on the ground, but this was immediately picked up by Carmelle.

"Yes, boss!"

Most of the of the mayor's men went to the orphanage that's currently burning to the ground. They are still far but they can see from a distance that the house is burning bright.

“Faster, move, move, move!” Cadill urged the driver to go faster. “Hit that horse faster!”

“This is the fastest we can go, sir!”

“Are you talking back to me now?!” the horse and carriage immediately stop. “What’s going on?! Is your horse getting insane?!”

“No, sir! This is the closest we can go. The horse of afraid of scorching heat.”

They stop at a distant where they can see but not feel the heat of the fire. Cadill grits his teeth, “This is bad, we can’t go in, but we have to make sure that the kids are safe.”

“You, go there and check the children!"

"What? No, I can't do that. The fire is too big for me!"

“I will go…” said by a man.

“Realk?” Cadill trailed.

“My power is the most suitable in this situation.” The person named Realk smirk smugly and cover himself

“My power is the most suitable in this situation.” The person named Realk, he smirk very smugly, as he covered himself with a bubble protecting him from the fire. "I will be going now. Wait for me, OK?"

Realk went in the burning house. He then decided to survey the perimeters, but he didn't find anyone. So, this gave him a thought that they are still inside the house. "Shit... are they trapped inside?" he asks himself as he grits his teeth from the thought of going in. "Are they that dumb that they didn't run away outside when the fire is just starting?"

Realk can't do anything but to go inside, since the house is made of rubles and stones those didn't easily burn down. However, the ceiling is made of wood and that is what he should look out for. "Sh*t, even inside my bubble, the heat is still penetrating." He grumbled under his breath before deciding to put another bubble around himself just to make sure that he will not feel the heat anymore.

And then he decided to go in. He scanned every room of the house, but he still couldn't find anyone. All he just found are pieces of woods burning and all the furniture are turning ashes.

"They are not even here. Where are they?" he groaned as he feels a single bullet of sweat cascading on the side of his face. He was too focused on finding the rest of them, but he didn't realize that a debris is going to fall on him. Luckily, the bubble protected him. And that's when he saw a person laying under the broken table, and then he realized that it was Mary Jane. He immediately went to her side, but because of the fire, he wasn't able to get outside of his bubble. So instead, he just surrounded her with his power, making sure that she will not receive any more damage.

And that's when he decided to go outside, because the fire is getting bigger and bigger and the heat is getting unbearable for him. Outside he saw the same people who were waiting for him. And they immediately went to his side to check up on him. And there they saw Mary Jane in the bubble.

"Where are the children?" Cadill asked in a haste, clearly not bothered if the woman is fine or not.

"I couldn't find them inside. I wasn't able to go any further because the fire is too big." Realk groaned.

"What the hell? I thought you were good at this?!" Cadill hollered on his face, "You're nothing but being a lump of s**t! you bubble minded!" he trash talked him.

"The hell my ass off! then you go in there. Let's see who's going to get insane first my bubble mind or your sh*tty bones!" Realk hollered.

Cadill knew that he can't go inside using his powers because he will just turn into bones and ashes. So, the only thing he could do is to detect it and clenched his jaw, "Is there anyone out there who can go inside and check if the children are still alive?"

But none of them responded.

"I will triple your salary for a month!" he shouted at them because he was still desperate to get the shipments because the mayor will surely kill him if he wasn't able to retrieve anything. Yet no one responded to his offer.

"Are you on going to stand there and do nothing?!" He screamed on their very face. But then she became silent when he saw Mary Jane getting up, and he immediately and grabbed her neck, "Where are they?" He's simply stated.