Resistance

Chapter Twenty-Two

            “Open it.” I move a few inches closer until our arms are brushing each other.

            Jagger takes a small breath and opens the black book, creating an old odor in the air. His fingers lightly brush the yellowing pages before he looks down at what passage he’s come across.

            I squint, trying to read the words but they’re all blurred. I can’t tell if it’s from just waking up in the dark or my concussion, so my best guess is a mix of the two.

            “What one is it?” I wonder.

            “Matthew 27:51-53,” Jagger says. “And behold the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.”

            A frown forms on my lips. “It sounds like fate is making some kind of joke.”

            “A mean joke.”

            “A very, very mean joke,” I reply, slamming the bible shut. I feel a smile creeping its way up my mouth but I don’t show it to Jagger.  “That was a practice one.”

            Slowly, I open the bible to a random page and get Jagger to read it for me. Though he’s reading the bible, something I’m not sure if I’ve ever read before, he doesn’t sound like he’s reading what’s in front of him.

            “John 1:3. All things were made through him. And without him was not any thing made that was made.”

            I stare blankly down at the blurred ink before closing the book. “Fate sounds like he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”

            After Cole wakes up he and Jagger begin to scout where to head to next and estimate how long it will take to get us to whatever tunnel will drive us to the military base. With time to myself, I decide that I need to go spend time with Jack. We haven’t had a moment alone since we sat on the ground watching his pistol spin and with the recent events, I’m worried about him.

            I also need to apologize for slapping him across the face.

            Each step squeaks on the twisting staircase up to the top of the church. I think I expected some kind of attic to be up here, and on the way there is a door to what must be it, but I know that’s not where Jack is. Continuing on, the air becomes a little colder and a little fresher compared to the mustiness of the church. It also grows darker until the only light is from two small rectangles coming from the edges of a wooden trap door in the ceiling.

            I grab a circular, cold metal handle and shove it upwards. It makes a creaking sound mixed with the sound of metal groaning and the wooden door suddenly is replaced by the dark morning sky.

            I set it down gently and blink a few times in the fresh air. It’s dark out but still lighter than it was on the staircase.

            The wind whips my hair past me and into my face. It’s strong up here and when I crawl onto the stone flooring of the square I’m in, it becomes worse. Looking around, I see that I’m at the very top of the church. A large, metal bell hangs in front of me, rocking gently in the wind but not daring to even make the quietest of sounds.

            For whatever reason the wind and height makes me nervous to stand so I crawl across the cold stone. My knees protest the rough, hard ground as they scrape against them but I still don’t stand up. I work my way around the right of the square, trying to get past the bell. When I reach the far corner, I see Jack.