This story was for someone in particular, and to a particular theme, so forgive the somewhat clichΓ©d setting and unimaginative sequence of events.
This story is set in a catholic school. If you feel you may be offended by what you may perceive to be a blasphemous text, please do not continue. All characters are over the age of eighteen.
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She was standing in what was usually called the 'Old Hall', which sat towards the back of the school grounds. Over the years the church school had grown, with each generation or two adding a new building so that the estate was now a sprawl of mismatched structures.
The Old Hall was rarely used, and only opened up for indoor sports should the weather be bad. Or, should a teacher need a particularly grim place to hold detention for unruly students.
She didn't know why she was here, but it certainly wasn't for physical education. The thought made her swallow nervously as she pondered what she'd done wrong to land her in trouble.
In the centre on the hall was a desk and chair, and only one. Assuming that the chair was for her, she sat down on the hard seat and looked about the hall.
The floor which was covered in dark green marble slabs about the size and shape of a brick, were almost black in the dim light that leaked through the window blinds. They gave way to a dark wood that panelled the lower walls, above which, a faded white paint disappeared into the shadowy beamed ceiling.
She shuddered at being alone here in the semi dark, and also at the cold. It was always chilly here as the building had no heating whatsoever, making it particularly uncomfortable in winter or as the evening cooled.
She was flicking through the bible that sat on her desk (mostly out of boredom than any desire to read it), when she heard the crunch of steps on gravel approaching the hall. They stopped outside, then the heavy oak door swung inwards and the footsteps entered.
She wanted to look back to see who had demanded her presence here, but she hesitated in fear and paused too long. Not wanting to seem as though she was being insolent by refusing to greet the newcomer, she pretended to be absorbed in bible study. This didn't work for long as she heard the heavy door creak as it was allowed to close freely, the weight crashing back into its frame with a colossal crash.
As she had been straining her ears for clues as to who was standing behind her, she almost hopped out of her chair in shock at the noise. It made her throw her head round to see what was happening, and as her eyes adjusted to the gloom she saw a tall figure dressed in clothes as black as his name. His shoes glinted in the dim light as he paced towards her, the soles clicking on the marble floor. His legs were long in his neat trousers and ended at the thick black belt about his waist. The only thing that wasn't in black was the crisp white dog collar at his neck; that and his white skin.
Realising that she was now looking into his eyes, she turned away quickly and lowered them to the bible on her desk.
From behind her, too close behind her in her opinion, she heard words spoken in his deep voice.
'Do you know why you're here?'
'No..' she replied, then cleared her throat and said 'No father'.
'This is an institution for the holy. A place of learning and instruction. Those that enter these walls learn the law of god, and apply it in what they do in life. Some of the priests believe in the purity and innocence of those that study in these halls, but there are a few of us who are wiser and no an evil child when we see one. We know a sinner when we see one, and we know how to treat a sinner' He said, biting the last word.
She didn't know why she was being told this and she still didn't know why she was here, so she stayed quiet and kept her eyes lowered modestly. Perhaps by maintaining a respectful posture she could avoid whatever she was being punished for.
'Are you a child of god my dear, or that of his Dark Angel?'
Having been brought up by a family of mixed ethnicity and beliefs, she couldn't find it within her to call herself a child of god, for she didn't really know if she was. So instead she replied 'I'm not a sinner!' rather more forcefully than she meant to.
He paused for a second, then took her words to be a confirmation that she was a child of god and so asked-
'If that is the case, Quote: Peter 2:13-14'.
Her heart sank and she felt her heart start to beat faster again. She knew she didn't know that.
She had tried hard to read the bible, mostly because the nuns were never lax in caning her for not knowing the scripture. She still had red welts across her buttocks from the last time that she'd been caught out for not knowing a particular verse.
She closed her eyes and willed herself to remember, but was cut off by his voice as he started to pace behind her.
'Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.'
He said, his voice ringing with zealous thunder. When he was finished, he bent to her ear and hissed 'Do you know what that means?'