Even Satan used to be an Angel | A Ghost Fanfiction

9. Those who ate salted bread, are now dead

My thoughts were keeping me awake that night. I didn't want to leave the church, I loved being here. There had to be a way to prove that I was innocent.

It was early in the morning when I heard a knock on my door. I was still dressed in my pyjamas, but I opened up anyway. Papa was standing in the doorway, he had a serious look on his face. ''Oh, I suppose that the odds indeed weren't in my favor?'' I guessed. Papa nodded. ''Yes, The Clergy voted that we should kick you out. I told them that I would take care of it. However, since I am the only one in The Clergy who has some common sense apparantly, I am not going to let that happen. Follow me, mio amico.'' ''But I'm still in my pyjama's. I can't leave my room without a nice outfit on!'' I tried to argue. Papa grabbed me by the sleeve of my pyjama and pulled me out of my room. ''I don't care, I'm going to give you a new outfit anyways. Also, can you just be quiet for a few minutes until we arrive at our destination?''

There was no one else in the halls of the church this early in the morning, and it gave me an eerie feeling. After silently walking through the halls with my bare feet on the cold stone, we finally arrived at the tailor's workplace. Martha sat behind one of the desks, like she was expecting us to be there.

''What are we doing here? What's happening?'' I asked, confused, but glad that I was allowed to talk again. Papa closed the door behind us. ''Martha told me that you 2 have already met each other. She told me that she really likes you and that you're very talented. So she agreed to go along with my plan.'' ''What's the plan?'' I asked. Martha's lips curled into a smile. ''We're going to dress you up like a ghoul, so you can live in the church without The Clergy knowing about it.''

I must admit, the plan wasn't ideal. I had just found myself and now I had to pretend to be someone else again? But I'd do anything just so I could continue to live here.

I took a deep breath. ''Okay, good plan.'' ''I'll pretend that I've just summoned a new water ghoul, because there's still a room free in the water-tower. And then you become a guard ghoul with Rain. I've already informed him about the situation.'' Papa said. I shrugged my shoulders. ''Okay, Rain is a very nice ghoul, I like being his friend. He lets me talk for hours and hours and he just listens. Well, at least I hope he does.''

''Here, wear this.'' Martha said, while she handed me some pitch black ghoul clothes, including a grucifix on top of the pile of clothing. I stood behind the folding screen that was in the corner of the room while I took off my pyjamas and put the ghoul clothing on. Papa had a satisfied look on his face when I showed him the outfit. ''Here, these shoes go with it.'' He said, while he gave me a pair of shoes that looked like they were made in the 1920's. After I put them on, Martha gave me the last piece of the outfit: the mask. Papa and Martha both looked at me for a few seconds after I put it on. ''And...? How do I look?'' I asked them, while I turned around. Papa smiled. ''Just like all of the other ghouls. And remember, only Rain can know that it's you.''

''Understood. I've got 1 question for you though.'' I said. ''Hm?'' ''Are there more humans in the church who pretend to be ghouls?'' Papa let out a nervous chuckle. ''You're getting too curious now. Why don't you go to the water-tower, huh?'' He quickly changed the subject to avoid answering my question. ''Okay, and... Thank you, thank you both so much, sweethearts.''

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I looked through the holes of my mask in dining hall to find Rain. Everyone was having breakfast right now, and none of them can know that it was me. When I found Rain, who was sitting alone at a table, I sat down next to him to eat my breakfast.

''Hey Rain, Papa told me that he's already informed you about the situation?'' ''Oh, uh, yes.'' The shy ghoul said, and he took another bite of bread. I also took a bite out of my bread. It tasted different than all of the other bread I've tasted before here in the church. Rain let out a small laugh when he saw my facial expression after I took that bite. ''Us ghouls can't eat salt, so they give us salt-free bread. You know, because we wouldn't even be able to escape out of a circle of salt. So we definitely shouldn't eat it, as the saying goes: "those who ate salted bread, are now dead".'' I laughed. ''That makes sense, I suppose you can't eat garlick either?'' Rain shook his head. ''Definitely not.''

Suddenly, I spotted Aether in the dining hall. And he saw us too. ''Shit, Aether isn't supposed to know...'' I whispered, but before Rain could answer, Aether already sat down next to us. ''Good morning! This is a ghoul I haven't seen before. I'm Aether! Oh and Rain, I'm so proud of you for making a new friend on your own!''

I shook Aether's hand. ''I'm, R- uh,'' Rain interrupted before I could finish my sentence. ''His name is River.'' Aether stared into my eyes, the only part of my body that wasn't covered. ''No he isn't.'' He said. ''That's just Roy in a ghoul mask!'' ''Shh! Quiet! You aren't supposed to know that!'' I said, somewhat disappointed that Aether saw right through my disguise. Aether nodded, ''okay then, welcome to the church, River. May I ask why you're here?''

I took a breath before I started talking really quickly. ''Dewdrop and I sneaked into mister Robertson's room to find proof that he is evil. And guessed what, he is, Dew was right! But then Dew accidently touched a bible, and I took pictures of it. But then mister Robertson caught us and destroyed the evidence! Also, Dew is in the hospital wing on some heavy painkillers right now, but don't worry, he'll be fine. Oh, and Robertson tried to frame me. The Clergy believed him and they voted that I should be kicked out of the church. But luckily for me, Papa stepped in and gave me the ghoul outfit so I can still live here, I just have to pretend to be a ghoul. Oh and I've got a question; how are we going to stop mister Robertson?''

Aether was completely silent after I was done talking. Finally, after a few seconds of trying to process all of the information I just gave him, he started to talk. ''So let me get this straight... First of all... You sneaked into someone else's room.'' He sighed, ''I knew that Dewdrop wouldn't be a good influence on you! Secondly, you find evidence. Then, you get caught.'' ''Yes, that's literally what I just told you.'' ''And then you get framed while Dewdrop is in the hospital wing because he touched a bible?'' He shuddered by the thought of even touching a bible. ''I know,'' Rain said, ''that was also my reaction when Papa told me that. It must be one of the most painful things for a ghoul.'' Aether nodded in agreement. ''Yes, but being touched by a crucifix must still be worse than that.''