Palace of Wolves

Chapter 11 -- At the Church

I lay on my bed staring at the royal blue ceiling. I really needed to paint it. I didn’t want to unpack to much before I redecorated the room so most of my boxes were still in the corner of the room. I walked up to one box and looked through it through sheer boredom. One of the things I found was my jewellery box; I opened it. Most of the contents where cheap jewellery –necklaces with plastic beads and knotted friendship bracelets but, when I stuck my hand in it felt like something stung me.

“Silver,” I muttered as I kissed my fingers.

Using the fabric of my school tie to protect my still throbbing fingers I tried to fish the painful object out. It was the necklace my parents had bought me for my communion in church; a simple silver cross on a chain. Looking at it I had  a thought. Maybe there was other things that repelled werewolves. I had little knowledge of myths but I knew that religious objects repelled some creatures –I couldn’t remember what though. I needed to test something.

I pulled a piece of paper out of my pocket. At lunchtime I had exchanged some contact information with the others in M&Co. as Patrick would call them, or rather they had given their details to me –my mobile was still smashed and lost somewhere in Egypt.

“Mum, Dad. I want to go out for a couple of hours just now. Is that okay?” I yelled as I went to the landline phone.

“Okay dear,” replied Dad. “Be back before eight though. “

“Thanks.” I dialled the number into the phone and waited for the recipient to answer.

“Hello? Who is this?”

“It’s me, Sandra,”

“Oh good. Why are you calling me?”

“I need some help with something Dora. Can you find me a church?”

*

“I like that you’re diving straight into the social stuff here Sandra.” Said Dora when we met up, “but what on earth are we doing in front of a church.” Asked Dora when we met at the closest chapel.

“It’s just like I said on the phone. I need to test something.” I announced as I faced the brick building –simple and modern as churches went. The two glass doors led into a semi lit room of pews and altars.

“Why did you ask me anyway? Why not Patrick?”

“Two reasons. One, I don’t have Patrick’s phone number. And two, even if I did, it’s not something I can tell him about.”

“Oh, wolfy business then?”

“Yeah wolfy business.”

I noticed Dora had changed since school. She still wore shorts –trying to soak up the last sun of summer— but she wore a new t-shirt with the words I Am a Sinner plastered on the front.

“Do you really think that’s an appropriate top?”

“It’s just a song title.”

“I know, it’s Gibbous Moon right? But still—”

“My god! You have good music taste.”

“Actually, my friend Josie does. I just get told to listen to it.”

“Oh, anyway we’ve got business to do. Churchy, Wolfy business. What the hell is going on in your mind actually Sandra? This is so weird.”

“I just need to do this. I have to walk into the church.”

I pushed open the doors. I felt the cold, still air inside waft into my face. What would happen next, I did not know. I remembered Meera’s locket burning my skin and the sting of the silver cross. Was it only the fact that cross was silver that hurt me, or was there something unholy about me; about that beast stirring deep within me? I took the first step in. Nothing happened. I heard the soft tap of my trainer connecting with the worn, moss green carpet but that was all. I didn’t know what I had expected to happen. I fully entered the building, Dora followed.