Safe and Sound [Devimega AU]

Chapter 2

THE STRANGE NOISE, whatever it was, was making Karamatsu a bit paranoid. Inside the church was something like a whispering that really put him on edge. Perhaps he was just hearing things? That could be but highly unlikely.

Maybe those visions were coming back? When he was younger, there was a time when he thought he saw an angel warning him of the future. He told his friend, but those claims were perceived as "a little bit childish" and brushed away with an unconvinced laugh. But these thing made him want to join a position in the church.

Of course, he devoted most his time to god and praising the lord and praying. But something seemed off in the house of god recently. Karamatsu felt as though there was another presence even when he was alone. He wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing but. . .

It made him uneasy.

As much as he would rather be on his own for a bit, he found himself leading more sessions as more people found themselves visiting the closest church in hopes it would somehow save them from any diseases, such as the bubonic plague that would later be called the black death.

One night, as the moonlight shined through the windows, Karamatsu was alone kneeling. Then he felt it. The young priest turned his head around. There was no one. No, that wasn't right. There was a transparent light by the doorway. Could it be a demon? The clergy member assured himself it definitely was not. Whatever it was, it was seriously freaking him out. Like, a lot. It wasn't until he had to leave and take the only exit through that door, he realized the light had been coming from confessional. Perhaps somebody and came in late? It was well past midnight. "Hello? Is somebody in there?"

No reply.

Karamatsu stepped inside the wooden structure. A figure on the other side was kneeling in a praying position. Based and what he saw, the fact that someone came in late at night was the least of his concerns. It was the fact that a transparent being, and it looked as if somebody had taken candles and jammed them onto his head. There weren't candles just candles on his head, but also close on his body. They seemed to have to effect on reality though.

"Forgive me father, for I have sinned," the person spoke. Despite such a strange turn of events, Karamatsu attempted to be casual. The mystery person continued to speak. "I've hurt people in my life. And now I have paid the price. It's far too late now, I only now realize that. I've had enough. I'm selfish and weak. I'm a horrible person. . ." Even more unexpectedly was that the person that came off as ghost like began to break down in tears.

"Y-you don't seem like a horrible person," said Karamatsu. He hadn't had somebody cry in the confessional before and was at a loss of what to do. He would have comforted the ghost, if not for the wall between them. Rather than appearing as assured, the ghost screamed. Very loudly, Karamatsu almost fell over ad the ghost backed away. The ghost had screamed right after Karamatsu spoke. Perhaps he did not know someone was actually there or was aware of his unstable existence?

"I-I'm so sorry for frightening you," apologized Karamatsu. "No, no, no, it's just, I didn't know you could sense my presence," said the ghost in reply worryingly. Karamatsu chuckled. "I've been sensing the presence of something or someone else for a bit. I was worried at first that it might be a demon, but I was thankfully wrong." The ghost flinched slightly upon hearing "demon." Then Karamatsu asked him," What is your name? Mine is Karamatsu and I'm the priest here."

The ghost sent him a look and hummed. "Todomatsu."

Karamatsu nodded. "I see, I see. What brings you here, Todomatsu?" Todomatsu shrugged. "I'm not really. . . Sure. Yeah, I don't know. But um, I think I can remember something about being here before I had died," he answered. "May I. . . Hear how you died?" asked the other male. Todomatsu looked at him. ". . Okay."