Small flash fics dedicated to the characters and relationships of the Midnight Mass miniseries, written with the help of the special words of Writober 2021 ♥
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(Erin Greene) •••
With her elbows resting on that porch, there is her dull body looking for a foothold to cling to. She holds a cup of hot tea in her fingers - little Erin loves it! , her father always said - and exchanges a smile with Leeza, as she passes her house, hand in hand with Warren Flynn and almost tacitly asks her to keep that secret; it's late at night, and they run away from Crockett, looking for a shelter where they can share those first kisses that know everything, but also nothing.
She did it too, with Riley, when they were kids. She smiles at that memory, but has a bitter note that gets stuck in her throat.
She asked herself many questions, since things started to change on that island - indeed, when people started to change, to improve - even her and, now, the world has literally collapsed on her; it feels heavy exactly as if it had fallen on top of Crockett itself, disintegrating it.
Erin feels so empty she doesn't even have the strength to think. Yet the mind always swirls around that thought, that one thought, which until yesterday gave her only and only immense joy.
He lost it - no, it never was, it never existed. Little foot has never been in her tummy, from what they say, yet she has seen him ... she has greeted him so many times, during the ultrasounds that Sarah gave her. She smiled at him in a genuine way and maybe he, who knows, even reciprocated. Yet now it is not there, it does not exist, it has disappeared into thin air as if God had decided that she was no longer worthy to carry that gift in her womb. As if, of all the inhabitants of Crockett, she deserved more than anyone to suffer.
He thinks of Beverly Kaine, and wonders, with a slight note of cruelty, why that bitch never gets anything wrong. Because, to that unclean being, everything always goes damn well. Is it really what she preaches, faith in God? Looking at everyone smugly, giving judgments - as he did with her, practically calling her a whore just because she got pregnant, but with no man around -, kissing the new priest's ass, poisoning Joe Collie's dog - because Erin knows, oh if she knows, that bastard was the one who poisoned him.
She sighs; she bends over his hands and represses his tears; they are filled with anger, sadness, resentment and pain but, above all, they are full of weariness, yet it pushes them back down when she sees him arrive from afar. His melancholy eyes as always, but wearing the same energy that has always given her to each of their encounters, since they were children.
She called him, told him she needs him ... that she needs the one person, there in Crockett, who has always tried to understand her and be by her side, even if only in silence.
Riley never left her alone, not even when their paths parted and they ran off to the mainland.
Father Paul says that God works in mysteriou ways, and perhaps he is right. This is why he allowed both of them to return to that island. Perhaps to meet again and be alone again - together , as before.
She loves him, maybe she has always loved him and, she knows, he feels the same. But between them it is so difficult to let that veil fall that covers the sincerity of such a strong feeling and maybe, then, at least for now, that's okay.
"I tried to come here as soon as possible," he says, climbing the stairs that separate him from the porch, his hands tucked into his jacket, as always.
Erin smiles, but behind that gesture there is almost the desire to slowly die in Riley's arms.
A tear falls. "Thanks."
The End
Notes:
What a wonderful character Erin Greene ♥ I loved her, I loved her speech on death which, compared to Riley's, is a light of hope. I loved the final monologue as he saves everyone's life, tearing the vampire's wings (Father Paul would say he's an angel, but that's senile dementia, we know).
In short, as always Kate Siegel manages to make me fall in love with her characters. She had succeeded with Theo, had succeeded with Viola, had succeeded with Maddie in Hush. Well ... what to say.
I hope you liked this short story (which is longer than the other two) and that, yes, I also sent Riley and Erin and I would have loved to see them quail ...
Until next time, I don't know who will be, but there will be!
