Eve

XII

Gabriella pulled the hood of her long, black wool cloak up to protect her neck from the cold remains of the slow dying winter, the wind a reminder that though the snow had started melting away from the branches of the trees, spring had not quite won the battle yet. Slowly, she pulled out Father David’s set of keys from her pocket as she walked up to the large, iron gates nested inside the tall stone wall that sheltered the convent from the outside world. Soon, the wee chime of a key turning inside a locket resonated, then a click; the large metallic door of the gate swung opened. Gabriella observed the paved street outside a moment, her hearts trepidations filled with an overwhelming sensation she had never previously felt inside the confinement of the nunnery; freedom.  She could not prevent a large smile from spreading on her lips as her simple, humble black shoe touched the cement of the pavement outside the walls. As her second feet posed itself on the grounds of liberty, she lifted her hand and seized her rosary, slipped it over her head and without a second thought, extended her hand and dropped the object of devotion on the ground inside the walls.  

    Outside the convent, the sun shone brightly, melting away the snow slowly. Spring would come soon, taking away the remains of winter and its coldness. The trees would spruce back to life, leaves would furnish their branches, the grass would return to its vivid shade of green. The stiffness, stillness of wintertime would yield its place to warmer weather, melting away the layers of ice covering the ocean’s shore at the bottom of the hillside. It had taken Father David and the caretaker an hour to dig the grave for Mother Superior. It had been no easy task; though the frigid weather of winter slowly gave away to the more clement climates of spring, the soil was still frostbitten. The two men had shoveled dirt until a rectangle hole with dimensions large enough to welcome the deceased abbess’s body scarred the ground, like a gaping mouth ready to swallow its prey. At first, the caretaker had been hesitant to help in the endeavor, wanting to wash his hands of the events that had taken place that morning. However, Father David, having the gift of Gab and with convincing words, had explained to him the consequences of authorities discovering what had happened, planting the seed of fear, webbing a treed of dread in his heart.  The rigor mortis had made it difficult for the priest and the caretaker to carry Mother Superior’s motionless body outside of the convent. Through much struggle and difficulties however, they had succeed in bring her to the improvised grave and had laid her to rest, Eve observing from afar the whole ordeal. Shoveling half-frozen soil back into the whole they had taken it from, slowly the nun’s body disappeared under layers upon layers of brown dirt. Once the pit had transformed into a small lump of recently turned soil, the priest had turned to the nun kneeling before Father Roberto’s grave, her eyes closed, her hands folded in prayers. Silently, he made his way to her as the caretaker wiped his hands on his overalls and walked away back to the convent, shaking his head grimly. 

-It is done. The priest said gravely, disrupting Eve in her prayers. 

She tilted her head to gaze at him, tears in her eyes, unfolding her hands.

-Some will wonder. There might be gossips. She replied silently, melancholically. They will search for Gabriella. 

-Mother Superior was at a respectable age. Her heart might have failed her. The priest said sternly as he extending his hand to her.

Gently, she slid her palm across his, taking his hand in hers. She slowly stood up, the woe remaining in her gaze. 

-Kathrin knows. Eve murmured miserably.

-I will speak with her. Worry not Evie, all will be well. I promise. Father David replied seriously, looking at her lovingly. Come. Let us head back inside the convent. I need to wash up and tend to my bruises with cautious care.