The Omega Existence

Chapter 25

Ben had insisted on bringing them all here. They had experienced enough issues with being separated. Besides, if he was truly going to return to God, he wanted to do so in the same manner he had been taught, and he would share the gifts of God amongst his small flock.

Luckily, Andrew had mastered whatever it was he did when he warped. It seemed to sap his energy each time, yet he was confident in taking them to St Michael’s church and back. Ben was glad they didn’t have to traverse the streets and risk running into any more evil decrepit creatures. St Michael’s, his former church, it had once stood as a beacon of God’s light, it’s halls filled with clergymen three times daily for mass. Now, the halls were eerily quiet, fans spun overhead, squeaking as they rocked methodically back and forth.

Entering just inside the church’s closed doors. They slowly walked down the aisle, passed over fifty rows of long wooden seats occasionally bearing a bible that had been left on the chair instead of being returned to their home in the church’s office.

The hall was tiled, and their footsteps echoed through the church as they approached the altar. Ben stopped half way to gaze upon the large wooden effigy of the Lord Jesus Christ’s crucifixion. Two of the chains that it had once hung from had been severed, each one dangled from behind the hands of the Lord. The cross now hung from one remaining chain, swinging slowly upside down, declaring the truth of the world that lay beyond these closed doors. 

“We need to get it down.” Ben declared as they all looked up at the disturbing sight.

“What about the rest of it?” Sarah asked.

Ben didn’t realise until she mentioned it, but as he took a closer look around he could see every cross in the building had been turned upside down or mutilated, pictures were stained in a mysterious black ink that seemed to bubble as if it were alive, archaic glass windows were shattered, carvings of the cross turned upside down. The head of the mother Mary’s statue had been shattered, leaving the left half of her face still intact.

Ben sighed, “just do what you can, turn all the crosses back up and then help me get this down here,” he said pointing at the large cross hanging just above the altar. God would not look here if they didn’t at least try to make the place decent.

“Just don’t touch that black stuff. I have no idea what it is, but just looking at it gives me chills.” Ben added as the others spread through the church, twisting around statues.

Ben made his way past the marbled altar covered in the purple colours of lent, Ben thought it strangely appropriate, despite the months that had passed since lent. Passing through a small hallway to the left, and rushing past two small offices on his left, he moved through to the end of the hall and opened the door to the once familiar Bishop’s office.

The room hadn’t changed a bit, except for the mess of books that littered the floor joining the torn shreds of what were once beautiful robes that would usually hang in the wardrobe to his left. No matter, he didn’t need them. He went to the opposite end of the office where a small door led to the tiny makeshift kitchen. Above the small sink was a built in locker. The gold latch had a beautifully designed cross which functioned as the handle and lock. It had been mutilated as every other cross or crucifix had been, but the indentures still revealed the markings of the cross clearly enough.

Whatever had destroyed the cross had also destroyed the latch to the small locker, Ben was jubilant when he discovered they had left the small glass bottles of blessed wine, holy water, and silver case filled with bread. He quickly placed them on the silver tray stored in the sink and rushed back outside to join the others.

The main wooden statue of the crucifixion above the altar was by far the hardest task. Both Ben and Andrew struggled to lift it up enough for Sarah to undo the chain’s lock around the base of the cross. As soon as they heard the chink of the chain being released from its catch they both quickly lowered it to the ground, almost dropping it as it reached just inches from the ground. The resounding thud echoed throughout the hall, and they all shared a moment of panic while they listened for anyone nearby who may have heard the sound and thought it worth checking on.