Confessions of an Orchid Flower

Chapter 1: Lily is Mine

"For-forgive me f-father, for I... I have sinned," Matilda Ashburn said, her voice soft and coming out in a low murmur.

"Speak up my child," the priest said, his voice rugged and stiff.

Matilda cleared her throat. "Forgive me Father Arnold, for I have sinned."

"And what is this sin you speak of?"

"I-I cheated on my husband." Her voice was quivering, and she looked like she was about to cry.

The priest stayed quiet for a minute.

"Thou shalt not commit adultery," he said quickly, his angry tone taking Matilda by utter surprise. "Do you not know that this is a major major sin? Are you unaware of the 10 commandments?"

"I'm..I'm s-sorry!" Matilda blurted out, finally breaking down and crying.

"My child, my poor poor child. Do you know our Lord is forgiving?"

"Father?"

"Step into the light my child," the priest whispered. "And come closer."

Matilda stood up and walked towards the priest.

"Good girl, that's your road to repentance right there," he said, extending his arms.

"Father, I..."

"Call me daddy," he said.

"Pardon?" Matilda said, confused.

"You want your forgiveness, don't you?"

Matilda half nodded, half shook her head, as she stopped in her tracks. She was hesitating.

"You want our Lord's forgiveness, don't you?" the priest repeated, interrupting her thoughts.

"But Father..."

"Shhhh," he said, as he cupped her face between his hands. "Don't be afraid my dear child. God loves all his children."

She stared at the Minister's dark gray eyes, which seemed to stare right into her soul; hungry for her. Uncertainty and fear took over her like a sudden wave and she knew that this priest was no more than a foul man, taking advantage of women by prying on their fragile state of minds.  

He reached in to kiss her and immediately, Matilda pushed him back, surprising not only him but herself as well.

"Father, I'm sorry, but I can't!"

"You can't? You CAN'T? You stupid girl!"

He drew out a gun and aimed it at her head.

"Father!" Matilda screamed.

"Then hell is where you'll end up you filthy slut," he said, pulling the trigger.

BANG!

He shot her right in the forehead, the sound of the gun resonating across the church walls. Matilda crumbled on the floor, blood oozing down her face.

It only took a few seconds for Father Arnold to realize what he's done. His hands began trembling.

"Oh no, I didn't mean for this to happen!"

He sat next to Matilda's lifeless body and started sobbing, the gun still in his hand.

He looked up at the glass ceiling; paintings of the Creation of Adam and The Last Supper were depicted neatly across the stained glass. "Oh Heavenly Father, forgive me."

He raised the gun and placed it inside his mouth. Seconds later, a second gunshot went off in the church that night. He lay next to Matilda, a pool of blood surrounding them both. The silence was interrupted by a deafening organ that sounded like a death march. The lights went out and the camera panned out, focusing on the two dead bodies lying in the pool of blood.