Shallows Creek: Requiem Of The Guilty

The Fathers Resolve

Night has fallen again on the sleepy hamlet of Shallows Creek the murderer still at large waiting in the darkness for their next victim. In a more modest manor then the first, we see an older gentlemen sitting in his parlor, his study filled with all manner of musical instruments from violins to pianos the parlor had an almost warm homely feeling to it. The older gentleman sat slumped in the large cushioned chair, his eyes a dull blue were once upon a time in his youth vibrant and full but now almost lifeless, graying dark hair framed his thin face. Adjusting himself in this chair he looked over to the flickering candle which sat upon a small table next to his chair, his mind begins to wander about how brightly his life used to shine but slowly like this candle that has diminished and will soon be snuffed out gone in an instant. A sudden knock on his door shakes him from his thoughts.

"Yes come in." The man calls to the person knocking.

The heavy wooden door to the parlor creaks open ever so slowly, in the door stood a man clothed in a white priest robe with a gentle look on his face.

"Father Fredrick I am so happy you could come to visit!" The man know standing up from his chair goes to greet the Father at the door.

"It is good to see you as well Henry, you look thin are you well?" Fredrick asks with concern in his voice.

"I’m tired is all, it has been a hard few months on me I thank you for your concern tho".

The two move deeper into the parlor and sit down as they continue chatting as if they were old friends catching up from a long absence Henry's demeanor begins to change to a more solemn mood he begins to speak.

"Father you have taken up the mantle of your predecessor, you must think of us as monsters." Henry saying this with his head resting in his hands.

"No my child no matter your deeds I know it was a necessity for the greater good." Fredrick places his hand on Henry's shoulder gently trying to comfort the man with empty words. But Henry knows there is no absolution, no forgiveness for his crimes. Benedict I am so sorry, this thought crosses his mind over and over as he stares emptily at the hard wood floor. He picks his head up from his hands, eye’s watering and stares at Fredrick’s face which is now cold and devoid of emotion.

"You need to get a hold of yourself, I will not let you ruin my predecessors work over a crisis of conscience!" Fredrick’s tone now changed from gentle to harsh almost shouting.

"But what of Ronald and the others they are all dead, killed by those we have wronged what choice do I have but to admit my sin and die with some hope of absolution."

Father Fredrick’s face is now twisted in anger as he begins to shout at Henry.

"Ronald was a foolish man and a deviant with no control, I had thought you would be more levelheaded then him but it seems I was wrong!" Fredrick’s gentle demeanor all but gone as he shouts at this thin broken man before him.

"If you wish for absolution so badly complete your prayers and put an end to this nonsense!" Fredrick quickly snaps up from his chair, turning his back to Henry he continues to speak.

"I will be leaving you now by tomorrow hopefully you will have pushed this nonsense out of your mind." Fredrick makes his exit from the parlor while Henry is still sitting motionless in his chair with nothing but his own thoughts for comfort. Fredrick still in the manor briskly walks down the hall heading to the front doorway, the hall is very well kept but almost barren say for a few paintings on the walls, with almost no dirt on the floors and beige colored walls it was dreadfully boring to say the least. As Fredrick continues down the hall he see’s something which makes him give pause for a moment, he stops dead in his tracks and turns to face the wall. He stares at this black space of wall and finds something odd the coloring does not much the surrounding walls it’s shading was just a tad bit lighter, he places his hand upon the cold wall rubbing back and forth feeling the uneven patch he then looks down to see small shavings on the floor, reaching down he picks them up into his left hand sifting the shavings through his fingers. He shakes his head and drops the shavings this is no time to worry this must just be a shoddy repair job as the father walks away, a shift in the wall occurs then some small flakes of the wall begin to fall to the floor below but this goes unnoticed by Fredrick, he makes his way to the door. As Fredrick walks through the door he is met by two quite stoat and gruff looking men each garbed in dark cloaks and bowler hats.

"I want you two to stay close to Henry tonight, I do not want that aging musician to leave this manor am I understood." "If you see him or anyone else attempt to enter or leave you know what must be done." The two cloaked men nod almost in unison at Fredrick’s words and shuffle off to different points of the manor to keep watch. With that the father begins to walk down the cobbled walkways of Shallows Creek with no light save the oil lamps to light his way. He pauses in the road and looks up to the starless sky above he stands there motionless for a time alone with his thoughts.

Much has been sacrificed for us to get to this point I can not let anything stand in our way.