Sin of the Saint

CHAPTER THREE: SATOKO CHIAKI AND THE TORN VEIL

Liv's parents had been supportive of her request to change schools and expressed that it would be good for her to change her environment. But Liv's intentions were not so cut-and-dry.

She needed answers.

And that was the sole reason behind her request to transfer schools. Charity's letter had created more questions rather than providing her any real closure. If anything, Liv began to question if Charity's death were faked in some kind of elaborate setup to make Liv believe she was losing her mind, though she knew that Charity wouldn't do something like that.

If not for Liv's perpetual numbness from her friend's death and funeral, she would have been more shocked at the contents of the letter her friend had left for her. But now, since she did appear to have a pair of wings on her shoulder blades just as her friend had stated, she didn't have it in her to deny the reality she now faced. Doing as her friend asked, and seeing her old guidance counselor, would be the only thing that could confirm her mental state.

In fact, if she met this Ms. Chiaki and it turned out that Liv was, in fact, insane, then that would actually be a relief. Insanity is something that can at least be treated.

But stopping the Apocalypse? That sounded like a much bigger problem than Liv could handle.

So, as she walked through the halls of St. John's Private High School the day before her classes there began, she clutched her friend's final letter and searched for the one woman who could supposedly help her:

Ms. Satoko Chiaki.

Liv pulled the office door open and addressed the first lady she saw at the desk, "I'm looking for Ms. Chiaki...she's my new guidance counselor. I'm supposed to start here tomorrow and was hoping to speak with her."

The lady looked up at her from beyond her half-moon glasses, and though she had many wrinkles, she did not smile. She took one thin, freckled hand and pointed to the very back corner of the office, to a door with no light on behind it.

"Is...she in?" Liv asked hesitantly.

"She's always in," the lady said, and returned her bird-like nose towards her computer screen. "Head straight back."

"Thank you," Liv said quietly, then made her way around the long office desk and down to Ms. Chiaki's office door. She knocked softly, "Ms. Chiaki?"

"Come in," a sharp voice said from behind her.

Liv tugged the door open and stepped into the dimly lit room. A Himalayan rock salt lamp as well as two paper lamps were the only things to give light to the room, making it glow a soft orange.

Two boys—built nearly the same, even down to their olive skin, brown hair and green eye colors—turned from the desk to face Liv. Neither of them sat, but had their hands pressed to the desk, overlooking the rather young and beautiful Japanese woman sitting there. She held a large black fan concealing the bottom half of her face.

"You must be Olivia Yves," the woman said from behind the fan.

"Y...yeah," Liv said, looking between the two large boys.

"Sit, please," she said, then stood up and placed one hand on each of the boys' shoulders. She addressed them, "It will be alright—head back to class. I'll deal with it."

"Yes, Ms. Chiaki," the one on the right said, then turned to the other boy. "Come on, Auden."

The two boys left, and Liv became curious as she took a seat across the woman's desk. They were obviously twins, but why were they in this dark office looming over this woman? Each of their faces had been so intense when looking at Liv...what happened?