Children of the Clergy

Season 1 | Episode 8 | Possession

His mind flashed with a red light and his eyes flew open.

Papa Nihil jumped as Secondo began to cough again. He'd been slipping in and out of consciousness all night and into the next day. He gasped and took a sharp breath in through his dried mouth.

Papa ran over to him and held onto his hand, "It's alright, child. I'm here." He gestured for the first nurse in the room to get him a glass of water and for the second to go get Primo and Terzo from their quarters. The second rushed out. He took the glass from the other and nodded in thanks. Carefully, he held it up to Secondo's lips.

Papa Nihil rubbed his back soothingly, "It's alright. Take it easy, child. Small sips. You've been out for a while and clearly don't have much energy left."

Secondo allowed the cold liquid to flow down his throat, although he was too weak to have protested against it anyway. It felt good to have something else to focus on then his pounding head. He tried to drink as much of it as he could, but some still slipped back out and dribbled down his chin.

Papa took the glass away from his mouth once it was done and handed it back to the nurse, who placed it into the sink. He sighed, stroking the small boy's back again. Completely out of energy, Second slumped back down to rest his head on Papa's chest as he petted him gently.

Papa Nihil turned his head to see the nurse starting to mix up a potion that would help Secondo get his energy back. He smiled, watching her collect the herbs she needed. Suddenly fully awake, Secondo shot up and stared at the door intensely.

"Take it easy." Papa Nihil took into account his alert reaction, "Child, is something wrong?"

Primo and Terzo bursted into the room a second later, turning to Secondo who collapsed into Papa's arms again. The swift changes in his physical state confused Papa Nihil. One moment he was completely out of contact with the world, the next, he was awake and alert, then he was back to having little to no energy left again. What was going on?

"Brother, are you alright now!?" Primo questioned. His ghouls slithered in behind him.

Terzo smiled up at Secondo, "Fratellone!" It took Papa a moment to remember that Terzo hadn't actually been there when it had all gone down, and most likely hadn't been told what had happened yet either. As far as he was aware, Secondo just fell unconscious for no apparent reason.

Papa Nihil reached down and patted Terzo on the head, "He's a little too tired right now, figlio. Maybe Primo can explain to you what happened instead." Terzo smiled up at him and turned to Primo expectantly, who sighed and leaned forward to place a hand on Secondo's shoulder.

"How is your head?" Primo asked, rubbing his shoulder soothingly. Secondo blinked slowly, lifting his hand and tilting it from side to side to hint that it wasn't too bad anymore but still wasn't perfect either. Papa chuckled caressing his cheek kindly. He smiled into the touch, allowing it to begin gently lulling him to sleep.

The nurse that was still in the room brought over the finished potion in a glass bowl for Secondo to drink out of. She stood beside the bed he was resting on and held the potion up to his lips, slowly pouring it down his throat. He swallowed and went back to resting his head on Papa Nihil's chest. The nurse dropped the bowl into the sink with the glass and patted his back gently. Primo smiled, glad that Secondo would be alright. Terzo tilted his head, still not educated on what a potion even was yet and clearly unsure on what was so good about Secondo having a drink. Papa chuckled again, amused by his confusion.

The happiness was short lived though, as Secondo suddenly started coughing again and clutched his chest in pain. Papa Nihil held onto him tighter as he lurched forwards, choking on an invisible source. Primo turned as his ghouls began to growl, backing away from the bed. They stared at him with fear and hatred, "Aren't the mask suppose to keep them controlled? How are they acting like this?"