VICKY

book five

On a grim Wednesday morning, Vicky stands before a disciplinary committee, she was summoned in relation to the sexual abuse allegation levelled against reverend father Nicolas. A charge which was properly articulated and sent in a letter to the bishop of the diocese. Its a joint committee consisting of seven reverend fathers and two reverend sisters.
The bishop, father Pius sits as the chairperson of the committee. They sit separately in a hall made of glass walls and perfectly decorated with red roses and white Lily's .

"Shame! - shame on you sister. May the lord have mercy on your blasphemous soul" said father Pius. A man in his sixties, dark skinned with two tribal marks; one running from the tip of his lips to the rare end of his ear lobe and another running from the same tip to the apex part of his ear, forming an acute angle on both sides of his face.
"you miserable thing, seeking for undue attention, shame ! -,"
"but father, you have not given me a chance to speak" said Vicky cutting him short.
" And what exactly do you have to say? " demanded father Pius* with his arms folded* "you expect us, the ambassador of Christ to sit and listen to your scandalous words?". *he takes a deep breath* "You are a demon sister Vicky ,I guess that explains the scars on your face. This church was created to fight and destroy your kind. " *he takes out a white envelope from his briefcase*
"I don't have time to waste here, uhh - take this" he hands her the envelope
"I have a meeting with the Mayor in two hours time, you are too insignificant to upset me this morning" *he points at the envelope* " that contains a letter from your sisterhood approved by me, expelling you from the sisterhood of Nuns.

"Holy father! " Vicky exclaimed "what have I done wrong?.I took a vow to protect the church, why am I being punished unjustly? You all know father Nicolas is guilty, I attached copies of the photographs to the letter I sent to you, Holy father
" This woman is mad! " exclaimed father Pius *standing on his feet* " I stand on the authority of the church to declare; that if another ear should hear about this particular matter, you will die a painful death and I will ensure that you are denied access in the heavenly realm.
Now, get out!
"father please"
"get out of my sight! " he exclaimed.

The following day, the entire school stands in front of Sister Vicky's office; not saying a thing, just standing there, one thousand girls, standing under the Sun, which was bright and extremely hot. The line runs from the chapel to the gate of the dorm which is on the right hand side from Vicky's office.
"what's going on here? "asked father Nicolas with a* vicious look on his face* while coming into the school compound. The girls continue to stand totally ignoring him.
"hello?? Am I talking to myself?", Father Nicolas still didn't get a reply.
Then suddenly,  "sister Vicky we love you" said a girl who was standing at the back of the line.
"who said that? " father Nicolas demanded *looking nervously at the girls* "Now, will you return to your dorm at once!" they stood there still ignoring him.

Sister Vicky open's the door, standing beside her is the school secretary who supervised her while she parked her things.
"Sister Vicky we love you" screamed the girls while they applauded her .

"Hey! Will you stop that !" father Nicolas exclaimed *with both eye brows raised* , he turns to address Vicky.
" Please be fast with whatever it is you are doing here, and leave us immediately"
"sure" said Vicky in a meek manner.

" Sister Vicky we love you", said another girl within the crowd . Father Nicolas turns back in a furious rage.
" The next person to make that statement will have a serious problem with me ".

" Sister Vicky we love you".
" What? Have you girls lost it? In fact, you all should kneel down". There is a silent pause, the girls remain standing in defiance and open rebellion.
" Are you brats deaf? Get on your kneels!" he exclaimed *the veins on his neck are now visible and the atmosphere is getting tense*. The girls are still standing and starring at the father.
"good bye " said *Vicky while walking away*.
The girls follow her from behind.
The father drew back a pace and stood glaring at the girls.
"where do you think you are going to? Make one move towards that gate " he threaten. But his efforts proved abortive. Father Nicolas realising that he was loosing control, gives the nearest girl to him a resounding slap *OoooPWaaa- -pwaaa*, and the race began, all one thousand girls running towards the school gate in full speed. To avoid a stampede, father Nicolas moves to higher ground ; from where he rained curses on his staff and Henry the security guard for deliberately leaving the gate open.
Within seconds they were all outside the school gate in their white mini gown. The girls in front of the line led the procession behind Sister Vicky.
Vicky stops to address them, she was dangerously near to tears, but tried really hard to maintain a firm stance in front of the girls.
"I am overwhelmed by your love, and I do not know whether we shall cross paths again, but all I do know is that , the battle has just begun, and I must win - I must win , I must win this battle for you all and our God! But you must return back to your dorm and be good girls for me as you have always been , Okay? Good bye."

The girls begin to hold hands while they watched Sister Vicky from behind as she rode her bicycle on the dirt road . Suddenly ,a pulpy girl in front starts a Hymn , while others join , one after the other.
"Hail Mary, Full of Grace
Thy Lord is with you,
Blessed are thee among women and
Blessed is Thy Fruit of your Womb, Jesus".
They sang the chorus till Sister Vicky was out of sight.