Warrior Nun: Margo

"Fear no evil: Psalm 23:4"

Mother superior lagged behind as Margo and Lilith approached the six-foot-tall iron gate made of twisted black rods that surrounded the ecclesiastical-stone church. The latch to the gate was rotted but lifted with ease and swung open. They trudged up the narrow-pebbled path leading to the church which seamlessly blended into the grass that grew thick and coarse. The red door to the church was scratched and dented with chipped paint; it creaked as Lilith nudged it open. The sunlight shone through the heavily cracked stained-glass windows casting an eerie mist on the dusty alter. Cobwebs hung on every surface and their footsteps echoed on the cracked stone floor.

"Ugh this looks like something out of a horror movie," Margo said looking around.

"There are worst things," Lilith replied.

"We're not seriously going to train in here," she chuckled nervously, "I mean c'mon."

"You heard mother superior. We're training in here and I'm in charge," she said looking over her shoulder, "Now, attack me."

"What?"

"Attack me," she said sternly turning to face her.

"I'm not attacking you."

"Fine. I'll attack you," she smirked.

Lilith charged at Margo with menacing eyes. She leaped like a panther over her before landing and squaring up. In that frozen moment, Margo tried to read Lilith's face, but she was unreadable and showed no fear. Lilith's fist slammed into Margo's face and then immediately ploughed her fist into Margo's stomach.

"What the hell!" Margo said crouching over.

"Get up and fight. I won't hit you while you're down," Lilith sneered.

Margo rubbed her cheek and stood up tall raising her fist. Margo hadn't been in a street fight since the 7th grade and even then, it wasn't this brutal. She sighed deeply trying to read Lilith's body language and anticipate her next attack. Lilith struck Margo again, this time with a round-house kick. Blood poured from Margo's mouth as she hit the ground. She held her body against the cracked stone floor hoping it would cause Lilith to stop attacking her; instead, she steadily kicked her.

"Get up and fight!" she yelled repeatedly kicking her, "Is that all you got?"

"Lilith," mother superior shouted from the doorway of the church, "Enough!"

Lilith backed away from Margo with ease. Margo lay in a fetal position; her body ached all over as blood poured from her face. Mother superior walked over to Margo to examine her and then turned sharply at Lilith.

"You're supposed to teach her," she snapped.

"I am," Lilith growled.

"No. You are trying to show her that you are better," she sighed, "You are always too arrogant," she continued standing.

"I—I'm just trying to prepare her for the evil that is coming!"

"You can't beat the fear out of her to make her ready."

"I can if I tried—"

"Not another word. That's enough for today, get her cleaned up."

Lilith helped Margo up and assisted her to the bathrooms down the hall. The bathroom was bare and reeked of urine. The light was bright and flickered constantly. In the corner was an old laundry bin with towels. Lilith walked over and grabbed one to help clean Margo's wounds. Margo stood against the ceramic tiled wall bruised and winded.

"I want you to know, I take no pleasure in beating you," Lilith said wiping Margo's bruised head.

"Oh really," she coughed, "I couldn't tell. You could have gone a little easier on me."

"Sorry," she looked away ashamed, "Sometimes I can't control what's happening to me. It's like a part of me knows that we are on the same team but then the other part of me--"

Lilith starred at Margo blankly. Margo could feel the tension and intensity in her tone. Lilith was going through an internal battle. Whatever was inside of her was evil and she was struggling to keep it in.

"I just don't want you to fear me, "Lilith continued shaking off her emotions.

"No time to fear you. There are worst things, right?" Margo smiled.