Chapter Eighteen
T o the right of the sinks were folded white gowns, along with white flats. I handed Heather a pair and chose the last stall, stripping off my half-soaked shirt and pants and kicking them to the side of the bathroom stall. The white pants and shirt hugged my body nicely; kudos to them for guessing my size right.
“Heather? You’re first.”
I poked my head out of the stall and saw Heather do the same. It had been Chloe calling out to her.
“Really?” she asked, looking over at me in confusion.
“Yes. Remi, you will wait back in the dining hall,” she instructed with an attitude.
“We’re not going together? Why?” I questioned.
“Would you like to go first?” she snapped, clearly annoyed with my constant questions.
I stepped forward, a plan already forming in my head. “Yeah, I just need a few minutes.”
Chloe’s eyes squinted in suspicion. “For what?”
I shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know, to breathe? Maybe take a piss?”
She rolled her eyes then. “You get two, that’s it. Otherwise, I’m dragging you both out by your hair,” she warned before shutting the bathroom door.
I rushed over and locked it. I didn’t know how long we had until she realized what I’d done, but it would have to be enough. “Heather, what the fuck is going on?”
She adjusted her long sleeves, confusion on her face as she said, “What do you mean? This is exactly how it’s supposed to go.”
I shook my head in disbelief. “Okay, did you not witness the same shit I did during the purification ceremony? The water turning black? That’s not normal.”
She balanced on one foot while slipping on one of the white flats. “Yeah, and thank God ours didn’t.”
“Do you hear yourself?” Was I the only one thinking rationally here?
“You’re acting like you had no idea this was coming. Remi, it’s clear we were placed together in the dorms for a reason. Our families’ lineage is the reason we are here right now .”
I backpedaled. “Wait, what does my family have to do with any of this?”
Heather turned to fix her hair in the mirror. “The lineage of the Scarlets. It belongs to certain bloodlines.” She finished taming the frizz in her hair before circling back to me. “Are you sure your family didn’t tell you?”
I leaned against the counter, trying to recall anything of my family history. Besides Grams’ side originating from Scotland and my dad’s side from Canada, nothing came up about Scarlets. Hell, Grams barely acknowledged her family history, stated that they all became nomads and hid in the mountains. My mother refused to even have the subject brought up because of her own shitty relationship with Grams. For as long as I’d been alive, they never saw eye to eye on anything, especially my upbringing.
“Heather, I swear, I have no idea—”
The doorknob jiggled, and then it shook. “Open the door, now!” Chloe commanded from the other side.
Shit. I unlocked the door, and a pissed-off Chloe appeared, tapping her foot impatiently. “You’re holding everyone up.”
I elbowed past her piss-poor attitude. “Sorry if I just need some time for myself.”
Chloe sidestepped me until we were nose to nose. “You should be grateful the Lord has chosen you to proceed. If you continue to act like a spoiled brat, I won’t hesitate to throw you on your ass. Got it? Now, let’s go.”
About to swing at her face, Heather held me back by the arm. “The Blessing is the final step. After this, there is no going back.”
Looking over my shoulder, I shook out of her hold. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying, you won’t be the same once you begin. Everything will change after this.” Her eyes almost looked sad, as if she were telling me a silent goodbye.
Chloe huffed in frustration. “Well, are we going or not?”
I gave her a light squeeze on her shoulder, not totally prepared for the unknown. “I’ll see you on the other side.”
“See you,” she said, returning the gesture.
I followed Chloe past the dining hall, back into the vacant hallway and up the winding staircase again. Then I realized I was returning to the same room I had awoken from.
Only, they added a stainless steel table in the dead center of a half-empty room, where a spotlight hung from the ceiling, swaying softly. My heart began to pound heavily when I noticed the steel handcuffs, two at the top, two at the bottom.
All around, they stood, masked by their white capes, circling the table, watching and waiting for something to happen. I stood on the outskirts, Kal a few steps to my right, watching the table as well. Chloe walked to her spot within the circle, right next to Josh. His jaw flexed, but he never looked my way.
Father Benedict stepped forward, away from the crowd, and caressed the steel table, mumbling a prayer before turning to me, beckoning me to come to him. My feet remained glued to the floor, my fight or flight ready to kick in.
Something didn’t feel right.
Back and forth, from Father Benedict to the empty table, I knew this was a terrible idea, and I needed a way out, fast.
“Come, Remi. Your blessing awaits,” announced Father Benedict.
“I’m good, thank you,” I said. The sweat from my pores dripped down my back with each passing second where I stood by the door. If I could just create the right distraction—
One of the white capes stepped forward. “The Lord has chosen you to proceed with the Blessing, Remi. Consider this a gift.”
I scuffled back, only to be barricaded by the others, and one pushed me forward, where I stumbled back to where I originally stood. “I thought it was finished. I passed all the purifications. What is this?”
“Do not question. Just accept.”
Every pair of eyes observed my awaiting decision. If I ran now, would I make it? Would anyone try to stop me? My hesitation was enough for a couple of solid hands to drag me out from the back, my feet skidding along the floors in protest.
“Please, no, this isn’t necessary,” I interjected, trying with all my might to break free.
A glimpse of Josh’s stone-cold demeanor while the others surrounded the table scared me for what unknown awaited.
I now understood what Heather’s silent goodbye meant.
I might not make it out alive.
The harder I fought, the harder they tugged, until I was mere inches from the table and Father Benedict. His smile was bright and inviting, never touching his eyes as he patted the steel table, instructing me to lie down.
“No! NO! PLEASE!” I screamed.
Hands all over hoisted me onto the table as I continued to scream in terror. Steel cuffs held down every limb I tried to thrash around. For a split second, I caught a glimpse of Josh, emotion vacant in his eyes. I screamed even louder, trying to break free from the binds.
“PLEASE LET ME GO!” I pleaded, trying my best to break free from their rough hands.
Father Benedict approached the table, a needle in hand. “Let the Lord guide you through this trial, Remi.” He gave a couple of flicks to the syringe as he reached for my arm. A soft chant began to form around the table I was strapped to.
“NO! STOP! PLEASE! GET AWAY FROM ME!” Tears escaped my eyes, falling down my cheeks as I struggled to escape this nightmare.
The chants grew louder when the needle penetrated my skin. I shouted in fear, certain that he had injected me with some toxin and would use my body for some twisted sacrifice.
Whatever had been in that syringe ran through my bloodstream in record time. My skin burned until my insides ignited that same flame, licking every part until it consumed my entire being. Eyelids painted with sleep, I tried to fight against the comfort of it, knowing if I shut off the world too soon, I might never escape.
“She’s fighting the dose,” someone said.
“It won’t be long until she succumbs,” Father Benedict said.
“And if she doesn’t?”
I wanted to move, to find who was speaking, but my head felt heavy. My arms and legs had become phantom limbs. Drifting like a boat out at sea, a giant wave came, casting me overboard. I let the current take me under, washing the fear with it.
“It will be the Lord’s plan.”