August 8, 2016She lived under vows of obedience, poverty, and chastity. Somewhere in her past she decided to dedicate herself to an ascetic existence, choosing to leave the talons of a tempestuous life of sin for the solace of the convent. Contemplation and the cloistered conduct of meditation and prayer for the salvation of others had become her sole purpose. The needy, the poor, the uneducated, and the ill lay heavy upon her heart. Nights of coiled dissonance plagued her pillow, sweat and panting, feral and furious lack of sleep fueled her fire to right the many world’s wrongs. Her knees callous from so much appeal.
“Sister Levia, will you run into the city this afternoon to gather some books from the library, please?”
“Are you sure it is a good idea, Sister Underwood?”
“Sister Agatha is sick, you know that. God help her. Poor thing–she hasn’t touched a crumb in three days. I am sure you can do this for her while she rests up.”
“It’s just that I haven’t left these gates in so long. I fear…that…well…”
“Fear not, for He who is greater is in you, than him who is in the world, Levia! I mean, honestly, everybody thinks you’re just the silliest thing not leaving this place from time to time like some rat in a cage. For the Lord’s sake, we have Sisters here who are dying to leave, if for a moment, at the drop of a bible. Besides, you can wear a pair of shoes from the hundreds you have hidden away.”
“You’re right, Sister Underwood. Forgive my hesitance. It…it’s just been so long, that’s all. I believe I have lost all sense of direction. It’s silly, I know. I’m sure it will all come back to me. And I was told to throw them away, but I can’t. You won’t tell, will you?”
“Like riding a bike, Sister. Believe me, like riding a bike. And of course I won’t tell. Here is the list of the books we need. Make sure you get all of them.”
“Yes, Sister.”
“And Levia…”
“Yes, Sister?”
“Be vigilant–”
“–For the enemy, the Devil, roams around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”
“Correct. I am sending you to a place of great temptation, but I believe you are strong enough after all these years. Now, hurry along, Sister. The bus will take you straight there. Just tell the driver where you are headed and I’m sure he will assist you to the best of his abilities.”
“Yes, Sister.”
“Hello, I am Sister Levia and I am looking for the books on this list. Do you think you can help me?”
“Do you not know how to…Okay, lets see. Mhmm, Mhmm, okay. Follow me, Sister I will show you how this works. The library is a big place, so stay close. If you think you have the hang of it, then you can give it a try yourself. Sound like a deal?”
“Yes, that sounds great. You are too kind. Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it, Levia.”
“How did you know my name?”
“You said it when you first came in.”
“Oh, silly me. I am sorry. I am just so nervous. I haven’t been into the city in quite some time.”
“How long has it been?”
“Oh, gee…let me think…years…,” she said softly gazing at the patterned floor as she firmly rubbed her rosary.”
“You have such a pretty face, Levia. You remind me of an aunt I had.”
“Oh, thank you. ‘Had’?”
“She passed away a few years back.”
“I am sorry to hear that.”
“It was some time ago. But thank you. She was so sweet. Huge heart. Truly a wonderful woman.”
“I am sorry for your loss. Tell me about her.”
“You really want to know about her?”
“Of course.”
“Well, she took me in when I was a kid. Took me off the streets. My parents were young. Who knows what they were getting into.”
“You poor thing.”
“Yeah. She was good that way. At times she was a bit challenging, though.”
“How do you mean?”
“She had her ways.”
“You can trust in me. Oh, just listen to me, I don’t even know your name.”
“Thomas.”
“What a lovely name.”
“Thank you.”
“You are welcome. Sorry, go on.”
“She worked hard. Always cleaning and cooking. She did it all in heels and red lipstick. And she was up before the sun every morning, it seemed.”
“She didn’t seem so bad.”
“Well…” he said as he ceased walking.
“Trust me, Thomas. I am here for you,” she said as she reached for his hand in the middle of a million books. “You can tell me anything you want. I will never repeat it.”
“I don’t know if it is appropriate, Sister,” he said staring into her eyes warmly on the verge of tears.
“The Lord knows who we are and what we’ve done. There is not a single thing on earth he has not seen nor will make him blush. He has seen it all, young man.”
“You remind me so much of her.”
“What about me reminds you of her? Here lets sit in that corner table at the end over there and talk all about it.”
The isles were empty and quiet. The books stared apathetically as they hovered slowly by. Her garb caressed the floor behind her as he followed every step.
She turned and smiled at him reaching for his hand and sat slowly waiting him to do likewise.
“Now, Thomas, take your time and tell me what’s troubling you about your aunt.”
“Are you sure it is okay?”
“Absolutely.”
“This is a little hard for me.”
“Take your time, son.”
“We would have dinner like most families– together. And she would stare at me.”
“With compassion.”
“No. With hate.”
“I am sure you were mistaken.”
“No, just listen to the rest, please.”
“I’m sorry, go on.”
“She would stare with venom in here eyes. I think she resented me for having the responsibility of caring for me. I would catch her all the time as she blew on her hot soup staring at me from across the table.”
“You poor thing.”
“That’s how it started.”
“I’m listening.”
“I was eleven when I first moved in. What I am about to tell you took place when I was sixteen.”
“Please, proceed.”
“She asked me about my dirty problem.”
“What problem?”
“I would have these sex dreams all night. I couldn’t help it. But every morning I would wake up with a cold wet mess in my underpants.”
“You poor thing.”
“She asked me what I was doing to soil my underwear. I would simply lower my head in shame and wouldn’t say a word.”
“Of course.”
“But then I noticed something. She had begun to stand outside my bedroom door in the middle of the night. To listen.”
“Listen?”
“Yeah. I imagine it was to see if I was sneaking in a girl or something.”
“Oh, right.”
“Well, it got weird after a while.”
“How’s so?”
“After a few nights of that she started breathing heavily outside my bedroom. I could see her shadow from under the door.”
“What did you see?”
“I saw movement. Slow and fast then slow again.”
“Yes…go on.”
“I got excited from it. I am sorry, but it’s true. The idea of her right outside my door would make me start sweating. I felt my heart wanting to explode. My toes would tingle.”
“What you are describing is more common than you think, dear.”
“No. That’s not all.”
“There’s more?”
“Yes.”
“Well, let’s hear the rest of it. Take your time.”
“One night I gently got off the bed and walked towards the door. I even held my breath. I could hear her out there. Breathing heavy. Slippery sounds.”
“What did you do?”
“I opened the door. I couldn’t resist.”
“Oh, Lord, what did you see?!”
“I saw…”
“Yes?”
“I saw a six-foot centipede standing outside my door. It’s legs waving back and forth. It’s body moved like a wave up and down. It was hissing my name over and over again.”
“You what?!”
“I swear, Sister. It’s all true. They sent me away, you know. To some asylum or help center or something.”
“Oh, you poor child. What you saw was Our Lady of Scutigera Coleoptrata.”
“No, the doctors told me I had suffered some kind of episode or delusion. They gave me some medication and said it would take the hallucinations away.”
“No medicine can take it away, Thomas. Science cannot see what you have been chosen to see.”
“I don’t know what to believe. I don’t trust my eyes. And never have since.”
“Allow me,” she said as she lifted her dress and spread her legs apart. A long, black and red centipede was wrapped around her leg starting from her ankle and halfway disappearing into her vagina. “You see?”
“Yes, I see. I see and I want to follow.”
“All must follow. Come, I will show you the way.”
∞
