Guardian Angel

1 Harley's Repentance

"Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned," she whispered, her head bent in shame to her knees. Her nose was filled with the smell of mahogany wood and incense which she found addicting. It was one of her favorite smells, but she didn't bask in it or try to fill her nose with the smell. She was too ashamed at what she had done and her eyes burned with tears.

"What have you done, child?" her priest asked from the other side of the wooden barred window.

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, the old wooden chair creaking under her weight, "I've used God's name in vein and went behind people's backs at work to get what I want. I know this is a sin, Father," she added quickly, "And I ask His forgiveness through you."

"Why did you commit the sin of Greed?"

"I...," she chose his words carefully, "Wanted," the word was sour, "More money, more power over my fellow coworkers," her voice shook as she admitted her wrong doing, "Oh, Father," she begged and if she could she would have got down on her knees, "Please forgive me," she grasped at the gothic cross hanging around her neck, the metal cutting into her flesh on her neck.

"My daughter," the priest responded with a voice so calm it was as if he had heard this over and over again, "Calm. You will be forgiven in His eyes. You are a respected member of this church and have done good in God's name."

"You said 'will.' What do I need to do to receive His forgiveness?" she asked, hope sparkling in her eyes.

"Travel to the West, to the City of Sin. There you shall find your forgiveness."

"The City of Sin?" It seemed almost ironic for God to want her to go there since she committed a sin. Did He want her to commit more sins and fall from Her good grace?

"Yes, my daughter," the priest said, "You will know it when you see," the next sentence though had a hint of humor it that even she had to smile at, "If I remember correctly, you have quite the knack of the paranormal and a history of it."

"Yes, I do," her mind flashed to her childhood house and the exorcist that took place there, scaring her for life. She wasn't sure what that had to do with anything, though.

"Will you go?"

"Since it is God's will, I will," she responded.

"Good," she could hear the smile in her priest voice, "Now, join me, daughter, in the Lord's Prayer."

She lowered her head, her hands folding in on themselves, and closed her eyes. She repeated the prayer with the priest, the same one she had memorized since she was a little girl and could say in her sleep, "Our Father who art in heaven," her voice was calm, all her passion for forgiveness echoed in her words, "Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven," she took a breath and continued the prayer, "Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil," Oddly enough, she could feel some unknown force covering her like some clear shell, "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever."

"Amen," the priest finished.

She took another breath and opened her eyes, "Amen."

"I wish you luck, my daughter," and then the red velvet curtain in front of her was pulled back signaling her time to leave.

"Thank you, Father," she said and stood up from the wooden chair and exited the Confession Booth, placing the metal cross back into its place within her shirt. She hissed quietly when the cold metal hit her warm skin.

Her eyes connected with the altar sitting about twenty five pews in front of her. It was covered in the purple cloth symbolizing the Easter Season. Golden plates sat on top with two, large, golden candle sticks flanking it. The church was large and her footsteps echoed on the smooth marble floors. Stain glass glowed in the decorative arches surrounding the pews and a large chandelier hung from the ceiling, electric lights burning bright. She walked toward the front doors, dark wood with even darker metal. Suddenly, the entrance opened up and a medium height man walked in, his dark hair stripped with silver of old age. Her eyebrows furrowed together in confusion as his eyes narrowed in on the white, clerical collar around the man's neck.

The man froze in his spot before her, "Harley? What are you doing here?"

Harley looked back at him to the Confession booth, but it stood silently and was completely dark, and then back at the priest she thought she was talking to just moments before, "But-... I thought-...."

"I didn't know you were coming today," her priest said as he walked around Harley and to the basin of holy water behind her. He dipped two fingers in and made the sign of the cross on his chest before turning to look back at Harley, "Do you want to confess today, Harley?" She was still frozen to her spot as her mind whirled as to what had just taken place. Her mouth bobbed up and down as she tried to form words. Her priest burst into laughter, "I understand. Besides, a woman like you probably has so many sins to confess," His words were out of pure sarcasm, "Well, I wish you a good day, Harley."

Harley sighed, her spirit coming back to earth, "Uh... yea... have a good day," and she walked out the wooden doors in a daze state. Walking down the stairs, she found herself turning around to look up at the church. What, in God's name, happened?