Eve

Part VIII

She opened her eyes sleepily, realizing she was still inside Abigail’s room. Fragments of the evening prior came back to her slowly; trying to ease her worries, her friend had insisted they lie down on her bed and try rest. There, they had fallen asleep. Now under the thick wool blanket, Eve delicately unwrapped the other nun’s arm from around her waist and slid off the bed silently, not wanting to wake Abigail up. Once standing, Eve exited the room noiselessly. What she needed, Abigail could not provide. She walked to her room swiftly, leering into the still gloom remains of the night surrounding her.  Once inside her room, Eve slipped on her winter coat and exchanged her shoes for her boots. As she reached for the top drawer of her nightstand, she noticed Father David’s set of keys resting on top, forgotten. She stared at it a moment, reflecting. These were not hers, if she took them, she would be stealing. Yet, with it in her possession, she would have access to all the rooms on the convent grounds. Eve slowly looked up at Jesus on His crucifix, silently pleading for an answer. She knew well the Lord would have never considered theft; it was a sin. However, had not Luke spoken of Him forgiving the bandit crucified next to Him? Had he not granted him the entrance to Paradise? Had the Lord not said, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise." Slowly, she reached out her hand for the keys, but as her fingers touched their metal, a vivid burning sensation jolted through her body. She took a step back, ogling the keys, then turned and looked at the crucifix gratefully. 

-Thank you. She whispered appreciatively. I am your obedient servant my Lord. 

Turning her attention once more to the nightstand, she opened the top drawer and pulled out her cilice garter. She lifted the bottom of her habit, exposing her scarred, scratched, bruised right thigh, sliding the garter around her leg and strapping it tightly, until its sharp teeth sank into her skin, until the blood started dripping from the cuts and down the length of her pale leg. She dropped her habit back down, hiding the self-infliction and exited her room. In the large windows, the moon still shown, creating a dreary atmosphere as Eve rapidly made her way to the convent’s large doors. 

    In the cold of the night, the snow producing crackling noise under the weight of her feet, she walked for several minutes before reaching the cliffside beyond the cemetery. As she arrived near the edge, she stopped, noticing the creature standing firm near the end of the escarpment, its back turned to her. She admired it a moment, noticing how lofty and burly its body had become. Now wearing a long, black cloak, it resembled an ethereal Grim Reaper. Though she knew the proper response to such a sight should have been fright and flee, her enthrallment with the creature only grew stronger inside her bosom.  

-Nightmares my pretty flower? The creature asked softly as Eve continued walking towards it. 

-Yes. Eve replied silently, reaching its side. 

She gazed down at the waves splashing on the rockslide below. Lingeringly, she lifted her sadden, inquisitive eyes and looked at it.

-Who was she? Eve asked mutely, not expecting an answer. 

It remained mute. A silence, present yet not uncomfortable, fell upon them, Eve’s eyes now watching the water below as it swayed back and forth from the sea to the shore. The first glimpse of the morning dawn pierced the cloudy skies on the horizon. Eve turned to the creature once more, quivering a bit.

-I should return inside. She whispered but remained where she stood.

The creature finally detached its bright eyes from the morning light and looked at her as she sat down in the snow, her stare still on it. It tilted its head slightly as Eve reached her hand out and took its hand in hers. A content smile appeared on the corner of its lips as it sat down beside her, still holding her hand dotingly.