Skye City: The Darkness of Emmilyn

A New Star

We near the centre of Murtyn village, following oil lamps up a hillside street, and approaching the temple which is surrounded by a wall with triangular top bricks. Unlike most temples, this one is not old and crumbling; the brickwork is bright, sharp and clean, apart from thin patches of moss. Nelson places a hand on the wall and jumps into the temple grounds.

'How do you expect me to do that? It's too high.' I look at the wall which I probably could climb, but I would rather not look like an idiot. Plus, I feel tipsy so I would rather use the gate.

'Don't be daft. This is the only way in. Give me your hand.' Nelson reaches over the wall and I stare into those arrogant, dark, yet sparkly eyes, grudgingly taking his firm hand. I place one foot against the wall, then push up and over, gasping as I land on grass far quicker than expected. Nelson steadies me as I stumble.

'Er, thanks, you're pretty strong, actually,' I mutter and Nelson smirks, making me regret the comment.

'Come this way. The back door's usually open because this is a quiet village and they have nothing worth stealing anyways.'

Nelson and I head over the short grass and onto a path of small grey slabs which leads into a courtyard. I stare up at the temple which now seems so imposing, glorious even, standing way taller than the three-storey mansion. The white walls contain lines of orange bricks which guide my eyes to three pointed roofs. A bell tower rises from the central roof with a Samarian star at the top.

'Are you sure we won't get caught?' I whisper as Nelson pushes a hefty wooden door with fancy hinges which is way bigger than your typical 'back door'. And I cringe because the village is so quiet, a passer-by might hear the creaking.

'Don't think so. It's normally empty at night,' Nelson says.

'Normally? This reminds me of the dumb things my brother does.' I point a suspicious finger at Nelson in the arched doorway. 'Oh no, you're not like him, are you? One Arturo is quite enough.'

'Dunno, never met him. What's he like?' Nelson shrugs.

'Arrogant, annoying, reckless... Thinks he knows everything but knows nothing.'

'The total opposite of me, then.' Nelson laughs and I breathe a sigh of relief. 'I really do know everything.'

Rolling my eyes, I follow Mr Know-It-All into the temple and he closes the tall and creaky door, plunging us into darkness. Almost every object is hidden by shadow now, but moonlight is creeping through stained-glass windows which bear gory images of the prophet's execution. The light paints patterns across indistinct surfaces like stretched and broken reflections. The voids between are unnerving and I cannot shake the feeling we are being watched.

'This place isn't haunted, is it? I know it's only like twenty years old, but it's cre–'

'Oh my Goddess, don't tell me you believe in ghosts?' Nelson sniggers.

'I don't believe in ghosts. I happen to know they're real. I've seen one with my own eyes. My friends and I did a ouiji board. The glass flew off the table and smashed into tiny little shards, then a ghost appeared right in front of us. It whispered something.'

'Ouija.'

'What?' I rest against the back of a long wooden bench.

'It's ouija, not ouiji... So what did it whisper?' Nelson says.

'I don't know. I couldn't hear. It was quiet,' I say.

'So the ghost wanted to send you a message, but didn't bother letting you hear... Argh! What's that?' Nelson points to a pitch-dark corner of the temple and I jump, grabbing his shoulder as I glimpse a tall weird thing, possibly a candle-stand. I hope.