“Please,” Father Baek said kindly. “The storms in this part of the country can get horrible. I’d rather the two of you be here rather than out there. Please don’t think of yourselves as burdens. The church and I are happy to help.” Another big smile flickered over his face before he added, “Oh! And I’m so sorry! I’ve been rude.” He chuckled to himself, his shoulders vibrating with mirth. “You will have to forgive this old man. At times, my age shows more than I hope it would. What are your names?”
“L-Laylee,” I introduced on a whim. I had no idea where the name came from, but it seemed like a good one to use. I was smart enough to introduce myself as “Laylee,” but when it came to his own name, true to his personality, Eclipse did not adhere to the same plan.
“I’m Eclipse,” he said proudly and resolutely, not even deigning to use an alias. Considering the situation though, it wasn’t crucial for him to use an alias. He had absolutely no history here; I was the one who had to be very careful.
“Eclipse,” Father Baek repeated slowly. Another soft chuckle arose from him, rolling over me with its warmth. If I ever truly had a home, I imagined that this was what home would feel like—warm, assuring, and comforting. “What a unique name.”
“I’m a unique person,” Eclipse supplied simply. To my surprise, he seemed to have become very amused with Father Baek and his contagious kindness.
Father Baek grinned knowingly. “I imagine it must be difficult for your loved ones and friends to come up with a nickname for you.”
Eclipse laughed, genuinely laughed in the manner that he only did with the kids at Sanctuary and with me. His amusement for Father Baek appeared to have crossed over into sincere endearment.
“You’re right, Father. People, especially my brothers, have had a hard time with coming up with any nickname for me. The best anyone can come up with is ‘Lips’ and this nickname wasn’t one that my brothers wanted to use.”
Father Baek chuckled, turning to me. “Do you have a nickname for your husband, Laylee?”
A smile played around the corners of my lips. Although it felt odd for Eclipse to be addressed as my “husband,” I pushed past the odd emotions it elicited. I playfully eyed Eclipse, as only an adoring wife could to her husband, and said, “Ashtray.”
A confused laugh permeated from Father Baek. His friendly eyes traveled from me to Eclipse. “Ashtray?”
“I smoke a lot,” Eclipse explained, warmth reverberating in his voice. “She started to call me that after I gave her a nickname that pokes fun of her height. It was her way of calling me ‘Asshole’ without using the actual word.”
“Eclipse!” I hissed in outrage.
I was shocked that Eclipse would use such a blasphemous word with a man of God in our presence. I was sure that Father Baek would kick us out of the cathedral for the sheer audacity of Eclipse. However, what occurred next was surprising and astonishing to me. Instead of saying that he was offended or even acting like he was uncomfortable—because one could easily tell that Father Baek had never cursed in his life—he simply steered the conversation along without making either of us feel like we had “sinned” in front of him.
“What nickname did you give her?”
Eclipse grinned faintly. I realized now that he was purposely trying to push Father Baek’s buttons. He was also surprised that Father Baek was being so cool with us.
“Teacup,” he answered, his tone of voice at its warmest when he shared the endearment he had given to me.
“Ah yes,” Father Baek murmured, as if it all made sense to him now. A playful glint sparkled in his eyes. “No wonder she calls you an Ashtray.”
Eclipse and I gaped at Father Baek for a stupid second. Did he really just say what we thought we heard him say?
The three of us stared at one another for a long stretch of silence before our shoulders began to shake.
Soon after, a flood of unfiltered laughter erupted from our chests.
“Hahahahahaha!”
The sound of our boisterous laughter echoed through the garden, combating with the storm. For a fleeting moment, it took away all my misery. I hadn’t laughed in such a carefree manner in a long time and I knew it was the same for Eclipse. What a surprise it was to be having this much fun with a priest.
After regaining our composure, Father Baek graciously asked us something that would solidify our relationship with him forever.
“Would the two of you like some ice cream?”
●●●
Father Baek was the embodiment of the type of priest you’d expect a man of God to be.
He was kind, extremely charming, exceptionally friendly, and absolutely loveable. Honestly, if you managed to get the Demon of Lust and a Source of Evil smitten and in the palm of your hands, hanging onto your every word, then you were truly amazing.
Father Baek was seated in the middle of a bench in the courtyard while Eclipse and I sat on either side of him, both vying for his attention like children. As we ate our ice cream cones and stared out into the courtyard, Eclipse and I genuinely bonded with Father Baek. It was probably too forward of me to admit, but I completely fell in love with him—just as I knew Eclipse had.
It was strange and concurrently heartwarming to see Eclipse and Father Baek get along so well. Initially, I assumed that Eclipse was faking it and enacting his plan to gain Father Baek’s trust. To my surprise, by the time we got our ice cream from the mini-fridge and settled onto the bench, I was floored at the genuine bond that Eclipse had formed with him. I was surprised by the bond I was creating with Father Baek as well.
Within reason, we nearly told him everything about ourselves.
Eclipse shared with Father Baek about his failed ambition (overthrowing the monarchy in Hell). He substituted the truth by saying that he attempted to initiate a corporate takeover of his father’s businesses, but failed to do so. He shared that he had been cut off from the family inheritance and that he was now trying to find another ambition in life (which was to convert me into a Demon and find Genesis’ items). For myself, I confided in Father Baek about my studies in college, my sudden need to find myself (the missing piece of my soul), and the overwhelming changes in my life now that I had found my soul mate (a Guardian Demon who was protecting me from every other powerful entity in the world).
I had no idea why we confided in him so much. Perhaps it was because we were in the middle of nowhere and Father Baek was the first kind soul we had met on this long and difficult trip. Perhaps it was because he was a man of integrity and we trusted him to keep our secrets. Or perhaps it was because he was a stranger that we knew we’d likely never meet again, but it felt nice to sit there and pour our emotions out to him.
“So what’s your story, Father?” we asked excitedly.
I smiled attentively as he answered our questions about how he became a priest, what some of the challenges were, and why he loved it so much. Vague images of my father sitting on this very bench played in my mind, reminding me of a time when I sat there alongside him while he hung out with Father Baek. There were a million possible reasons as to why we liked him so much, but at that particular second, I realized it was because he was the only link to my past. He didn’t remember me, but I remembered snippets of him. It felt incredible to finally meet someone from my past; it felt incredible to finally be around someone who had such a link to my family.
“When did you two get married?” he asked moments later, finishing the last bite of his ice cream and bringing the attention back to us.
“A few weeks ago,” Eclipse replied, glancing at me with an entertained glint in his eyes. He was more than enjoying the fact that someone out there truly believed we were married. “We’re newlyweds.”
Father Baek’s eyes gleamed with warmth. “What made you pop the question?”
Eclipse heaved a ponderous sigh. Finishing the last of his ice cream, he poignantly said, “I realized that my existence is meaningless without her. I can’t live without her.”
Father
Baek chuckled in approval at Eclipse’s “romantic” answer while I rolled my eyes because I knew the literal meaning behind it. His existence was dependent upon mine. If I died, then he was coming right along with me. There was no romanticism behind it—it was literally our reality.
When he saw me roll my eyes, Eclipse winked charmingly before turning back to Father Baek, who had just finished laughing when he casually asked, “What brings the two of you to Serenity?”
It was only after he posed this question that Eclipse and I were subtly reminded that we did not come here to bond with Father Baek. We came here to find out more about my family—about my past. This simple question from him was enough to knock me off my cloud and bring me back to reality.
“Father,” Eclipse began carefully, his face regretful that he had to move this conversation along. He also realized that he could no longer waste time bonding with Father Baek. He had to get down to business. “This may seem like an odd question, but did you know the Hwangs?”
The light that once lit Father Baek’s eyes extinguished at the reminder of my family. I could feel my heart drop right along with it. Right away, the companionable vibe between the three of us took a dramatic and tense turn. Though he tried not to act like it affected him too much, the strain in his voice was too palpable.
“The Hwangs?”
Eclipse nodded, his eyes gentle but pressing. “Did you know them?”
Father Baek appeared reluctant to answer. “Yes, but—”
“Can you tell us anything about them?” Eclipse interjected at once, already sensing that Father Baek was trying to close off the conversation.
Father Baek shook his head slowly, guilt and dread filling his eyes. “It . . . it is not my place to speak about them. I can’t.”
“Father, we just moved into their home,” Eclipse blurted out, bringing our lies to another level in order to get Father Baek to cooperate. Eclipse liked Father Baek, but he liked his own existence more. If Father Baek showed strain, then it must mean that he knew something. And this in itself was the fire Eclipse needed to bring out the elaborate lies.
Father Baek’s eyes broadened as thunder boomed in the background.
“What?” He looked baffled. He was clearly recalling us telling him that we were newlyweds traveling through the city. “But you said—”
“There’s something wrong with that house,” Eclipse went on, utilizing his persuasive skills. Urgency undulated in his voice. “We didn’t get the opportunity to tour it before we bought it, but last night when we first moved in, we knew something was wrong.” He looked at me, his eyes feigning a husband-like concern. “As soon as we walked in, Laylee here started to feel unwell. She thinks there is something wrong with the house, but I’m not so sure. I brought her here in hopes of being able to talk to you and calm her down. I want to help her find out the history about the home before we fully decide if we want to live there or not.”
Eclipse regarded him, his eyes filled with desperation.
“Please, Father. My wife is the most curious creature in the world. We heard through the grapevine that there is something wrong with that house. However, no one would tell us why. Laylee is now deathly afraid of it. She won’t be able to rest well until she gets her questions about the home answered. And I would greatly appreciate it if you could help me help her.”
Father Baek looked conflicted between his duties to keep things private and the obvious attachment he had already formed for us. He assessed my quiet state. I said nothing to him because I was too overwhelmed by the emotions in his eyes to say anything. From his expression, I knew it pained him to have to bring this up. Regardless, as if feeling the unspoken plea in my desperate eyes, he set his reservations aside and finally opened the door for us.
“There . . . there was a murder there fifteen years ago.”
Eclipse and I feigned shock. “A murder?”
“With the exception of one,” he went on, the disquiet becoming more prominent in his voice. Around us in the courtyard, rain started to descend more heavily. “The whole family died. Both the mother and father and their oldest daughter and son.”
“The six-year-old murderer,” Eclipse whispered, faking ignorance. “That was where it took place?”
Father Baek nodded, strain infusing his dim eyes.
I could sense it in Eclipse’s hesitant expression that he knew this next question could be the one to end things tonight. But because we truly had to find out about my family’s past, he took a chance and asked it anyway.
“Was there something off about the family that could’ve been the cause of something like this?”
“I’m sorry,” Father Baek, as anticipated, dismissed. He had already shared too much. He didn’t plan on crossing the line any further. “I cannot say anymore.”
Eclipse nodded. Although he looked profoundly disappointed, he maintained composure. “My apologies. I understand.”
His voice was considerate, but I knew how Eclipse’s mind worked. He was already formulating alternatives on how he should pry this information out of Father Baek.
“I’m sure the two of you need to rest,” Father Baek said wearily, rising from his seat with a polite smile. The disconcertedness within him was blatant. “I’ll let the both of you rest now.”
Bestowing us with a gracious smile, he bid good night to us and eventually left us sitting there, staring after him.
It was only when he disappeared that I returned my gaze to Eclipse.
“That went well,” I muttered sarcastically.
“This is what happens when we bond with someone as opposed to torturing them for answers.” Eclipse’s jaw locked and after several more stretches of silence, he shook his head. An interrogation wasn’t over until Eclipse said it was over. “This isn’t going to work. We’ve come too far to go home empty-handed.” He glanced at me quickly, determination present in his brown eyes. “I’ll be back. I’m going to go find him.”
“Don’t hurt him,” I said to Eclipse, even though I knew the last thing he wanted to do was harm Father Baek.
A muscle leapt in his jaw. “Let’s hope he won’t give me a reason to.”
And on that cheerful comment, Eclipse left, and I was suddenly left all alone in that quiet and somber courtyard.
“If there is a Demon in all of us, then I will show you yours.”
13: Mysterious Ways
Plunk.
Plunk.
Plunk.
As I watched the rain merge with the fountain water, my mind started to journey back to my family. I thought about the crime scene photos, the possible scenarios that could have taken place when I killed them, and how my life ended up after I was sent to the mental hospital and was forced to grow up alone.
Waves upon waves of memories inundated my mind. Feeling suffocated by it all, I rose from the bench. I didn’t know what came over me. Instead of sitting there and waiting for Eclipse to come back, I began to walk down the hall until I reached the double doors that led into the cathedral.
After taking in a deep breath, I walked in.
The electricity was off, the storm was still brewing, and there were candles laying on various surfaces in the cathedral. Though I felt uncomfortable, a part of me also felt at peace. I walked down the aisle, passed the empty pews, and kept my gaze on the altar before me. My eyes moved over the crucifix and the heavenly images on the walls. The thunderstorm outside gradually became faded background music, only making itself known when a clap of thunder and lightning flashed through the sky, illuminating the world beneath it and flickering within the cathedral through its stained glass.
I took a seat at the end of a pew and stared at the altar.
My thoughts wandered back to my family. I thought about what I did to them and what they (and I) would’ve been like if they were still alive. Despite my own subconscious instructing me not to, I went further with these somber thoughts. I wondered how often I came to this church with them, I wondered about all the prayers that we
re answered and ignored here, and I wondered about the life that I stole from my family—that because of me, they would never have the chance to come here to pray again. I did not feel guilty about killing them, but in many ways, I felt unsettled. Then, I did something I hadn’t done in a long time: I thought about God and my views on him . . .
I slowly felt my world revert back to when I was growing up in the mental institution—back to the most miserable time of my life. My throat closed up as the emotions welled up inside me, urging me to stop thinking about such despondent things. It was all too late. The dam had been opened and now, I had to deal with the mental destruction to come.
Squeak.
I heard the wet rubber soles of someone’s footsteps moving over the tiles and approaching me in the darkness. I did not turn around, for I already knew who it was.
“When I was younger, all that I believed in was God,” I finally breathed out, unveiling a truth that I had never shared with anyone.
I continued to stare brokenly at the altar while Father Baek sat down beside me, gazing at me like he could understand my pain. He remained quiet as I went on, emotions filling my normally void heart.
“I knew that I wasn’t normal—that I was disturbed. I knew that there was something wrong with me, something inside me that I couldn’t control. Even when I was a child who knew nothing, all I knew was God and all I knew was that he was the only one who could save me.”
I gazed at the crucifix, feeling tears glaze my eyes as all the suppressed childhood pain came rushing back to me.
“I prayed to him every single day,” I spoke in agony, recalling all the memories of me kneeling in front of my bed in the mental hospital, tears cloaking my young eyes while I sought God’s help. “‘Please save me, Lord. Please help me. I need your guidance because I am losing this battle. I am losing and I need to be saved.’” My eyes hardened. “Every single day I would call for him and every single day, I would go to sleep, drowning my pillow with tears because he had yet to answer my prayers. I lost hope every night, but every morning, I would wake up with renewed hope. He cannot abandon me; he loves me. He’s supposed to love all his children so he cannot abandon me. So I kept praying. I kept hope alive because I trusted that he would save me. That’s what he is supposed to do. He’s supposed to save lost souls.”