The Forsaken

Chapter Six - A Better Place

“You can do nothing to stop her, Gwen. The Mother Superior will never believe you or Douglas.” Raven keeps his voice low as they make their way toward the Mother Superior’s office, looking about the halls suspiciously as if expecting Sister Whitmore to jump out from behind a bookcase or appear suddenly to stop them at any moment.

“Why not? If Douglas says it happened she has to listen. Why would anybody lie about something like that?” Gwen turns to him, incredulous, yet continues walking toward her destination, not swayed from her task. “She can’t know about this, I’m sure. I don’t like Mother Sullivan but she’s honest and she believes in what they’re doing here. If someone’s hurting one of the children she has to protect them; even from one of her closest friends.”

They turn the last corner into the main hall, half a dozen offices line the wall. At the far end is the Mother Superior’s office itself.

Raven shakes his head emphatically. “She’ll never believe it of Sister Whitmore, and she’ll never believe it coming from you or Douglas. Neither of you are her favorites, you know?”

“I have to try, Raven,” Gwen replies, solemnly. Raven hangs back as Gwen approaches Mother Sullivan’s office and raps on the door.

A moment later, Sister Bernard, Mother Sullivan’s current attendant, opens the door.

“What is it, child?”

“I have something to tell the Mother. It’s very important.” Sister Bernard looks over her shoulder back into the room, sharing a whispered exchange with the Mother, then turns back to Gwen.

“You may come in, Marianne.” She opens the door wide. Within, Raven sees the Mother sitting at her desk with a weary look on her face. Gwen pauses and turns to Raven, a question in her green eyes.

Raven instantly shakes his head and backs away. “I’ll wait here for you.” Gwen nods, resigned, then, enters the office straight back as fearless as a warrior going into battle. Sister Bernard closes the door behind them, leaving Raven alone in the hall to await the outcome.

Ten minutes later, Raven hears raised voices within. In the next moment, the door to the office swings open. A very indignant Gwen is hulled by the collar out of the Mother Superior’s office by the pale-faced Sister Bernard, her ashen countenance in stark contrast to her black habit. The usually mellow Nun gives him a tight-lipped glare as she and Gwen pass him down the hall. Raven stays back, wanting to follow Gwen but afraid to anger the Nun further. However, in his hesitation, he’s caught in front of the open door of Mother Superior’s office and he catches a glimpse of the imposing woman’s face before she slams the door shut.

Scared out of his wits, he hurries away down the hall after Gwen, only he never catches sight of her or Sister Bernard. At once, he goes to Gwen’s room in the attic but finds it empty. After wandering the halls a while, the bell for the midday meal tolls and he makes his way to the dining hall. Gwen isn’t there. Raven settles down at their table to wait. After the food is blessed and served he eats dispassionately, eyes constantly glancing at the doors for Gwen’s entrance but she never comes. With a hallow feeling in his gut, he goes about his afternoon classes without her, only to worry about her all throughout the day when she still doesn’t appear.

Only late that night when he sneaks up to Gwen’s room does he finally find out what happened in that office.

He knocks at the door softly, not wanting to wake anyone. Suddenly, the door swings open all its own to reveal Gwen sitting on her bed in her pajamas with a notebook in her lap and a bible lying open beside her.

“Come on in.” Gwen waves him in. Raven takes at seat cross-legged on the floor, his face turned up to her expectantly.

Gwen ignores him and goes back to writing something vigorously on her notepad.