His Tears, Her Demons

Chapter Two: Heaven Before Hell

We stopped once we heard a clap of thunder from outside. We both faced one of the windows." It's just a bit of thunder.", Adrian casually said. I gasped and jumped a little once a bolt of lightning struck outside. I blushed once I realized that I got a little closer to Adrian.

We both looked into each other's eyes. I blushed at how close we were to each other. I could've sworn that I could feel the coldness coming from his body. His golden eyes were like an abyss to my soul that I couldn't help but fall into. Realizing how long I had been staring at him, I pulled myself away from his body enough to give us both a small distance from each other." Sorry, I am a little afraid of the lightning.", I told him.

" That's alright, I understand. I used to be scared of them too.", he smiled. I was still blushing but I gave him a soft smile in return.

Another lightning struck, I gasped and looked out the window with a look of panic on my face. The rain had gotten heavier outside. My expression then changed from panic to a mixture of surprise and confusion when a strong arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me into Adrian's muscular chest. I leaned my head back slightly to see him with my slightly widened eyes. He looked at me with his eyes half-closed while the rest of his face was more gentle." I will stay until the storm stops.", he told me before placing a hand on my cheek," So you don't have to be scared."

I smiled up at him and then stared back at the fire. I felt safe within his arms. Not long after, I fell asleep.

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I woke up once the ray of sun hit my eyes, through my window. I tiredly sat up and stretched my arms. I looked around and found myself in my bedroom wearing the same clothes from yesterday. I turned and saw a piece of paper with my name written on it. I reached over to grab it. I looked at the other side of the paper and read what it said:

" Storm went on until dawn. I carried you to your room to be more comfortable while you slept. I am sorry for not bidding you an adieu before I left. I will see you tomorrow. - A"

I smiled after reading the note, thinking it was kind of him to stay for that long and for taking the liberty to carry me to my room. I then set the note aside rather than tore it to shreds or place it in a fire. I then got out of bed and began to start my daily routine of the day.

At nightfall, I was just making myself some vegetable soup for dinner. The night was much calmer than yesterday night. I began to relax and felt safe in the surroundings.

I ate my soup slowly since it was still hot. I took a few sips of my tea since that was still hot as well.

Knock. Knock.

I looked at my door, wondering who would come here at this time of night." Adrian, is that you?", I asked the person outside the door. I had no answer, only two more knocks.

Knock. Knock.

I got off my chair and walked to my door." Yes?", I asked, cracking the door enough to see who it was. A tall, middle-aged man in a black tunic, wearing a cross around his neck looked down at me. I gasped a bit and my eyes filled with fright. It was one of the priests of the church. 'How did they find me?', I wondered.

" Sorry to disturb you, ma'am.", he said calmly and apathetically," May we come in?". He had a look in his eye that made me feel weak, and not in a way women would when with someone with great adoration. More like in an uneasy, vulnerable, and frightful kind of weak.

" Um... Yes, do come in.", I answered nervously, opening the door wide enough for him and two other priests to enter. They were equally tall as the first priest but appeared to be much younger and seemingly much stronger. Once they entered, I shut the door for them.

" Would any of you like some tea or some food?", I offered them in an uneasy tone. They all looked around my home like they were searching for something." No, but thank you.", one of the younger priests answered.

" Alright... Um... May I ask what brings you all here this late at night?", I asked them. One of the younger priests grabbed one of the books and opened its pages, he didn't seem like he was reading them. The other younger priest observed the many plants that were by my flameless hearth. " Just looking around, seeing if there is anything peculiar around.", the older priest answered, stroking one of my plants.

" Peculiar, Father?", I said to him," No, I have not.". He looked at me with a cold suspicion in his eyes. It made me feel more uneasy than before. I began to hold myself because of it and averted my eyes from him.

" What is your name, my daughter?", the older priest asked.

" My name? It's Cristine, Father.", I answered, still averting my gaze from him.

" Cristine? What a pretty name.", he responded in a suspiciously unsettling tone.

" Thank you.", I responded nervously. I heard his heavy footsteps come towards my direction." So tell me, Cristine, do you have faith in God?", he asked.

" I...um... I am not sure, perhaps.", I answered him, foolishly. Priests normally hate those who either don't believe in God or aren't sure of the answer. I felt myself panicking inside, feeling that I was likely in more danger than I thought.

" I see.", he answered simply in a deep tone. My heart began to pound rapidly and my mind grew heavy, unsure of what would happen next. I gasped as I felt a strong grip on my arm and was pulled from where I was standing. I screamed a bit when I was tossed to the ground in front of the hearth. I landed on my side. I tried to get up but then the two younger priests held me to the ground. One of them pulled me by the hair and forced me to look up at the older priest. He looked down at me as if I was his greatest enemy, which was likely what he thought of me. He then turned his head and looked to his right, looking at my potted orchid flower. He took three steps towards it and stared at it with disgust. He then simply pushed it off the table and the pot shattered. He then stepped on the orchid, crushing it as though it was an ant. I stared at the now squashed flower with sorrow, mourning for one of nature's beautiful creations." Filthy weed.", he commented then looked at the rest of the plants with more disgust." Filthy, devilish weeds all around this place.", he continued.

" They're not devilish or filthy. They're one of the loveliest things ever to grow on this world.", I told him. I winced when the grip of my hair became tighter. The priest only continued to smash and kill all of my lovely plants. He then began tormenting me saying that I either confess or to be brought to the stake and burned as a witch. Every time I denied being a witch, the older priest would either slap me or punch me. This was the most torturous moment of my life so far.

" Stop it!", I then shouted. A fire then lit up all around my house, starting from my hearth. My windows shattered, and glass was practically flying everywhere. I felt the priests let go of me and walk away from me. One of them screamed in agony from shards of glass sinking into his skin, one of the shards managed to get one of his eyes. Tears streamed from my eyes as I held myself." She's a witch! An unholy witch! Run!", one of the priests shouted. My eyelids then began to grow heavy, sweat began to stream from my body from the rising heat around me.

My vision began to get blurry and the noises began to fade. I blinked a few times and after each blink, I could've sworn I saw the priests fighting off something or someone rather than just leaving like they wanted to. I then blacked out.