The Believing- Chapter 4

Chapter 4- An Apparition

February 16th, 1878.

He was later told that he had been unconscious for several days and that it had been a miracle that he had lived at all, considering the amount of blood he had lost.

But during that time he had faded in and out of consciousness and had been plagued by horrific visions of people dying the most cruel and painful of deaths.

Depraved sexual images rose up from these visions and he had no will to resist them. Instead he seemed to embrace them and making them his own

Now conscious, with the fever gone, he found the whole experience extremely unsettling and he could not shake off the feeling that his mind had been probed and violated most savagely by a dark force he did not as yet understand, but he knew it source was of the purest evil and it made him shudder deep down inside for he feared he might now be a changed man.... and not for the better.

A week later, when he was well enough, he dressed and was preparing to leave the cleric quarters where he was being cared for and go to meet the Cardinal of the Parish to explain the dark events of that night.

He was in surprisingly good spirits, he had managed to sleep the night before undisturbed and he felt much more positive on what promised, judging from the view from his bedroom window, to be a fine and most sunny day.

When one of the young novice nuns entered his room. "Begging your pardon Father" she said in a hushed, unsure voice that was both endearing and strangely attractive.

"Mother Janine will be along shortly to take you to your meeting with the Cardinal"

He thanked her for this information and went back to collecting his papers together. It was a few moments before he realised she was still there. He looked up, she caught his gaze and half turned away, blushing as she did so.

It was then he became aware of how young and pretty she was despite the unflattering rough wool habit she wearing. He could not help himself and he let his eyes roam up and down her, even despite the unflattering cut of the cloth it could still not quite hide her obvious curves and her young pert breasts that strained pleasingly against the coarse material.

All the time she just stood there as if inviting him to gaze upon her, for the way he was looking at her it was obvious what he was thinking. Maybe it had been his recent 'illness' that was making him so wanton, he should have been feeling contempt at his obvious growing erection, instead he took pleasure in it's swelling beauty.

In response the young novice hand crossed between her legs and gentle forced the material against herself as she rubbed up and down, smiling all the time as she started to openly pleasure herself in front of him. He was transfixed, mesmerised, captured by the lust and desire that was now enveloped him.

Then the spell was broken by nearby harsh footsteps on hard stone floors. The nun giggled and merrily fled the room, literally moments later the elderly Sister Superior entered the room.

She frowned at him, sensing his confusion " Father Worcester, is everything alright? I have come to take you to the Cardinal offices"

"Thank you Mother Janine, one of your sisters said just now to expect you, if you do not mind waiting for a moment I am nearly ready."

At this seemingly innocent remark the Mother Superior seemed uncomfortable, sensing this he could not help but enquire what the matter was?

She seemed uncomfortable with answering "Father Worcester....." her voice faltered for a moment "I am Mother Madelina...... Mother Janine died nearly 70 years ago... in a fire". Again her voice faltered "How did you come by that name?"

He was surprised how much importance she was putting on the question.

"Why the young novice nun who came in just before you arrived told me so, you must have seen her in the hallway as she left moments before you arrived.....".

His words trailed off as she seemed to be dismissing what he was saying by shaking her head ever so slowly. Then she spoke in a low, calm voice, choosing her words most careful.

"All the novices have been at Mid-morning Mass for the last hour and I never saw anyone leave your room.....".

He was going to protest, as he felt it was she who was in fact mistaken, that a novice nun had indeed visited him,. But then she added in a much softer, almost conciliatory tone.

"Father you could easily have been mistaken, you have been feverish of late and a mind can play tricks on itself when like that?"

He pondered on this for a moment. He thought that what she was saying was possible, though he was adamant this had not been the case in this instance. But the more he thought about it, the more unreal it was suddenly becoming.

The Sister was obviously growing impatient and judging by the dour expression on her face she was seeing the whole thing as a unwarranted distract and was now making up her mind to move things along.

"Begging your pardon Father, but we really must get a move on, otherwise you will be late for your meeting with the Cardinal."

And with that she gently, in a well practised manner, ushered him out of the room and off to his meeting with the Cardinal.