Children of the Clergy

Season 2 | Episode 11 | Shared misery

Secondo sat at his desk in his room, staring over at the cage. Fire was currently on duty but the kit seemed more occupied with Water than he did with him. The young boy watched as he snugged up to the cold metal bars, wining and calling out to his pack mate. But it was no use. Water continued to screech and scratch at his skin, tumbling around on the floor. By now, injuries coated his entire weak form and his uniform was in shambles, torn and hanging off his body in places.

Secondo pitied Fire for his desperation. The poor kit clearly couldn't understand why his pack mate was in so much pain and wouldn't respond to his calls. Eventually he just slumped down against the cage, whimpering and quietly sobbing as the fear and the anguish from Water cascaded through their pack bond.

The infected kit's emotions were taking a toll on all of Secondo's ghouls and it was making it much harder for them to behave. Earth had already gotten a fair few beatings from Seestor and the other higher Clergy members for his lack of impulse control as a result of it.

A sudden scream came from the door and Secondo whipped his head round to see Terzo stood there, a look of pure terror on his face. He was staring at Water who only seemed to get worse the longer the small boy serveryed him.

Secondo stood abruptly. "Brother, I promise he's not-" Terzo ran out slamming the door behind him. "Terzo!" Secondo called after him, following him out of the room.

He hurried over to the fretting boy, trying his best to calm him down and explain what was happening to Water. "It is just a disease, he will be alright. He will not hurt anyone."

"Why was he so hurt!?"

"The...The scratching is just an impulse. He will not do that to anyone else. He-"

"Why have you not told anyone yet!?"

"Terzo, he-"

"He could have hurt you! Why is he still-"

"Frattelo!"

Terzo stopped suddenly, staring up at him in disbelief. Secondo rarely addressed his younger brother in Italian anymore. It had started with him trying to help Terzo learn English better but the habbit had just stuck, even after he was fluent.

"If you tell anyone about this, they will kill him." Secondo continued, taking his younger brothers hands into his own and kneeling down in front of him. "Both his pack and I will feel the loss and I will never forgive myself if I have the responsibility of his death forever prying at my mind."

Terzo whimpered again, wrapping his arms around Secondo as he began to sob.

So much effort had been put into helping Terzo overcome his fear of ghouls, but that single sight of Water in his cage had surely undone all of that. Secondo strocked his brother's hair gently, trying to sooth him and convince him that Water wasn't going to hurt anyone but nothing seemed to be working. Until the disease was cured, Terzo was going to be scared of his own home, endlessly terrified by the concept of living in the same place as a ghoul in that condition.

The small boy continued to sob for a while longer, clinging onto his older brother's poncho and burying his face into his chest.

Secondo winced, suddenly feeling a spike of pain from the untreated gash on his leg. Terzo backed away, glancing up at him and tilting his head in confusion. He peered down, noticing the slight stain of blood on his brother's trousers and standing abruptly. He stared at the covered injury, a look of horror on his face. "What did that?"

Secondo stood carefully, trying to calm him. "Terzo, it is alright. I am not hurt badly." He spoke slowly, holding his hands out in front of him while trying to creep closer to his younger brother.