SISTER MARY

11

                  ANOTHER PROBLEM

                           ~~~°°°~~~

"I need you to contact my mother, let her know what happened. I have to go."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm pretty sure the news must have gone round, it isn't safe for you if I stay anyways, they should be after me already."

"Wait, so where are you going?" Martha asked.

"I don't know yet... I will come see you in few days time." Mary moved to walk out. "The Tarum...Do you know how I get my powers back?"

"I don't know... If I get any information, I'll come find you." Mary nodded her head and walked out, ignoring the eyes that were on her.  For a moment she had forgotten that she had entered in the prophetess office as a mad woman. She faked a smile. "Praise Jesus, I have been saved."

"Hallelujah!" Everyone chorused.

~~~

Ikechukwu gave a sigh of relief when he saw Mary walking out of the church gates. He stood up and walked over to her quickly. "Finally, for a minute I thought you had left me."

Mary smirked. "What? Did you miss me?" she wiggled her eyebrows, her eyes twinkling.

Ikechukwu frowned and avoided her gaze. "I didn't. Also, I have gone viral."

She raised a questioning eyebrow. "What do you mean 'viral'?"

"I mean I am all over the news, the news of a witch kidnapping me has gone all-"

"Hey, don't call me a witch, those bitches are lower creatures."

"Then what are you?"

"Something better. Are you worried that you are all over the internet?"

"Shouldn't I be? I just denied two students who had recognised me as the missing person. What happens when I am spotted by someone that actually knows me?"

"Well, you are free to go, I don't need you anymore."

"No way."

"What?"

"Do you know how hard it has been for me to not freak out about this whole thing, meeting you has turned my life upside-down and inside-out. I'm not living till you get your powers and help clean this mess... And also if you promise not to come back for me."

"Well,  I'm sorry but I don't have my powers to help you, not like I would if I did...Listen, I have hurt lot and lot of both humans and demons, if the news spreads that Mary has lot her powers, they are all gonna come after me and you don't want to be beside me when that happens, trust me... No scratch that, don't trust me, even I don't trust myself."

"Well, it means I'm not exactly safe too, according to that ugly beast earlier, he came for me and you were just a bonus. What if he comes for me again? If not him, someone else who has spotted me with you? Right now you are the least I trust on earth, but I'm sticking with you."

Mary sighed rubbing the worry brows on her forehead, at the moment all she wished was to turn back the hands of time and just strive to get her vacation the normal way and not using the Tarum as a shortcut. "Fine, it's your life anyways, let's go."

~~~

It was dark now, Ikechukwu and Mary had taken shelter in an uncompleted building. It was a two story building and looked like it had been abandoned for years, they stayed at the ground floor, where it would be easier to escape if any trouble found their way to them.

They had lit a small fire which they used to keep themselves warm. Mary pulled her knees to her chest, hugging herself, she gave a heavy sigh and her mind went to her 'sweet bed'. She turned to look at Ikechukwu, he rested his head on the wall, his eyes closed, head raised up to the ceiling.

"How are you even comfortable?" She huffed and hugged herself tighter. "We should have checked in at that hotel down the street."

Ikechukwu opened his eyes and looked at her. "We don't have any money to check in, my face is already over the news, we don't want to draw attention."

"You know you should be grateful, I made you popular."

Ikechukwu sent her a stoned look. "Popular? I'm popular for all the reasons someone wouldn't want to be popular."

Mary snorted. "Wrong reasons, right reasons, still popular." Ikechukwu sighed and rolled his eyes.

Mary huffed loudly, the air was cold and didn't spare her in any way. Her teeth clattered due to the cold and she felt she was going to die more from the cold, than from those who may be after her.

"I would come close to you so we could share body heat," Ikechukwu said his eyes still closed. "But then, my cheek is still healing from your slap."

She eyed him. "Good...and I don't need your heat, I don't feel cold."

"OK, suit yourself." He adjusted to a more comfortable position and relaxed.

Mary didn't move till she heard Ikechukwu's light breathing signalling he was asleep. Biting her lips, with an unsure look on her face, she moved slowly to him.

"I thought you said you didn't need my heat." Mary almost jumped out of her skin when she heard his voice.

"I thought you were asleep?" She whispered. He didn't say a word and just pulled her closer.  "For someone who is scared of me, you seem pretty comfortable," she muttered.

"Oh, you still scare me. But I am choosing to remain sane and just move on." he told her. Not saying another word, she relaxed in his hold, it didn't stop the cold, but it was way better.

Hours later, a clang from somewhere in the building made the duo jump up from their sleep in shock. The wood had burnt out, so the fire was out leaving them in darkness.

"What was that?" Ikechukwu asked in a hushed tone. Mary didn't reply as she didn't know what it was, she grabbed Ikechukwu's hand.

"Come on, we have to move, it isn't safe here," she said. Ikechukwu nodded his head, held tight to her hands as they slowly got up and made their way out of the room, thankful for the moonlight which aided.

Just as they stepped out, Mary spotted a faint light moving, it was casted on the wall and got brighter with each second, she could also hear the faint steps of someone approaching, someone else had entered the building.

"Someone's coming," she whispered to Ikechukwu. "We can't go through here."

Ikechukwu cursed under his breath. "Fuck, what do we do now?"

•••

I know this chapter is short and I know I didn't update last week, I have been really busy but I'll try to update often.

Kindly leave encouraging comments and votes will be appreciated.

Thanks for reading, stay safe.