Torn

Already lost

When we approach we see children playing in the school's garden. Some are freely running around, playing chase, while others inspect the flowers that are sprouting out of every free spot in the ground. Yellow daisies, greens ivory, blues blossoms, red roses, and even some particular-looking flowers the youthful-looking, tall teacher is picking by the lake which lays a few meters away from the chapel's entry.


Mark trudges in, the students who are inside instantly turning to face him, one kid quickly closes his book. Mark and Ian don't seem to notice it as they are overwhelmed by the students who wander toward them. 'No questions?' Ian asks bewildered, yet the students remain silent, staring at their high priests.


I glance around the chapel, a few wooden chairs, benches, and bookshelves take up the ground space, children's drawings and example posters hang on the wall as high as the ceiling. I step towards the slender kid with short-shaven bright blond hair.

'Hi.' I say while I give him a warm smile.

Silence.
'I'm sky and you are?'I ask kindly.

'What do u want?'He replies with a snarl.
 'Nothing, just friendly conversation.'I answer. The kid sighs in annoyance.
'So.... what are you reading?' I ask carefully. 'None of your buss–'

 'Jeremy! Mind your manners!.' Ian growls, furiously.

Jeremy groans and rests his head on the table, his book slips out of his hands landing on the floor. Jeremy tries to snatch it, yet fails as it flies towards Mark.

'Now I'm curious too...' Mark snickers, his smile instantly fades once he reads the text on the cover. He glances at Jeremy and raises his eyebrow. Jeremy glances away, his once angry attitude shifts to a frightened one. His body language is small, he pulls on the elastic on his wrist. 'Explain.' Mark orders, seriously.

The teacher wanders into the building, making a small bow to Mark and Ian before he kindly nods at me. The tall man furrows his brow, then walks past the many benches to reach Mark who is leaning against the teacher's desk, reading into the book.

Mark glances from the book up at the teacher, his eyes deadly serious. 'Be honest, Orris, Is this a book of your curriculum?'. Orris gently takes the book out of Mark's hands to inspect it, before Orris turns a sickly white. 'No, sir, ask the other students, we were just learning about.'The other students fill in the gap, talking all at once while they stare pleading from Orris to Mark.

'Herbal healing, my lord.' 'The flowers.' 'The fuzz flower, high priests' 'Look, nutritional flowers!'

Ian gets a book from one of the students, noticing the same book on the other benches as well. 'I got it from home, grandpa... It was in the attic.' The other students gasp for air, their eyes wide. Orris glares at Jeremy, then glances at the other students. 'Early lunch break, kiddo's. Just don't adventure too far.'

The students calmly walk outside, staring at Jeremy. One ginger, chubby girl mouths an apology to Mark before she steps out of the chapel. Once the other students are out, Mark moves the tip of his finger, and the door slams shut, falling in its lock. The light fades, and the atmosphere changes. Mark slowly raises and steps toward Jeremy, Jeremy glances at the floor once more.

'You found it in your parent's attic, I see...' Mark mentions, his tone stripped of his normal kindness. Jeremy, visibly uncomfortable, swallows hard. 'Underneath a lot of other crap, and dust.' Jeremy mentions. 'And what made you open it? Curiosity, interest perhaps?' Mark asks while he circles around Jeremy, like a shark, does its prey. Silence.

'It must be curiosity. The kids these days... Right, High priest? .... Lord?.'Orris mentions, protecting Jeremy. Ian glances from Orris to Jeremy. 'We can never be too careful.'Ian mentions.

'I don't get the dismay, after all, it's a form of power...' Jeremy states after a moment of silence. 'You're dating an undead chick too...' Jeremy adds.

Orris's eyes expel a deathly fright, quickly steps towards Jeremy as Mark does the same. Red light escapes out of mark's hands, underneath the service mark is clearly furious, yet he retains his anger using it to change the room into a black, empty oblivion.

'They who harvest from the dead will find nothing more as total obliteration. Not only from yourself but also from the things you touch and the things you hold dear. ' Mark states.

'Which means you already lost, when you start, leaving a gaping hole in something that can grow out to be so powerful. If you only take wise choices.' Ian adds, his voice echoing in the darkness.

'Magic comes from within, something organic, powerful emotions, not from decay. The trick is to control one, or multiple to summon the strength inside you. That's why our High priests are mighty, as they are in peace with all of them.'Orris lectures.

'I will give you a moment to let that sink in.' Mark states Orris jerks his head to Mark yet it is too late. We are back in the chapel again, while Mark takes a small bottle outside of his pocket, wrenching in some black mist.

'Release him in an hour, not a moment earlier, no second later.' Mark mentions as he hands the bottle to Orris. 'An h-hour? ...High priest, do you really think this is necessary, he is just curious, he doesn't mean any harm.'

Mark glances a moment at Orris. 'Curiosity kills the cat, or could, in this case, kill more than just a cat.... So yes, I'm certain. An hour would suit perfectly.'Mark replies, slightly offended before we leave the chapel.