The air was cold and dark. Soaring high stone walls met 100 feet above the floor to form a ceiling. Stones, so hard and so unmovable that they hadn't been moved in 500 years. A few pale beams of light entered through the mosaic windows high above. The long benches were from wood darkened to a black from the years. A sole candle flicked its flame with the drafts of the room to light up the tormented, barely naked, bleeding body on the cross.
A sound of dull shoes and a heavy body carried through the cavernous, empty interior. The sound echoed back around the loud bearing pillars. And the dragging sound of a robe muted out the little sounds of echo after their eights reverberation. A burden loosened itself in a sigh from a big belly. The rings of the confession booth curtain rubbed against the wooden rod as they were pulled apart.
"Aye!" a sharp scream pierced through the dignified, timeless space. "That was sharp! It burns. Oh, it burns! What was that?"
"It must have been an old nail, father," said a sensuous, female voice. There was a little snicker in her tone like it was a jest.
"Hoo! You are early dear! Usually, nobody comes at all to confession. You must have been waiting," said the father searching for the nail in his seat.
"Do you know why that is?" asked the unknown woman pointedly.
"Religion is fading. The TV corrupts the youth," answered the father ready to go into a fist-shaking outbreak.
"No, father. This church was never meant to be popular. Who would build such a huge church next to a hamlet of 50 people in a swampland? Even if all the people within 50 miles at the time of its building would have huddled in here, it would be empty," lectured the female voice with an icily steady rhythm.
"That's true," said the father dumbfounded.
"This church was built over one of the seven gates of hell. Its purpose is to seal hell closed. If you knew, you would take your vows more seriously," continued the unknown woman.
"My dear, what brings you here?" asked the father trying to assert himself with a stern voice.
"I will have sinned, father," said the woman in a hushed and moist voice.
"What is your sin, child?" asked the priest, falling into his routine.
"Adultery," said the unknown woman.
"With whom did you commit adultery?" asked the priest.