Page 76 of Sin & Fall

I have to pry her hand off me, she’s holding on that tight. She stands there unmoving, staring at the Fathers.

“Don’t look at them. They’ll be dead soon. Put your clothes back on and we can leave.”

She gives me another shaky nod, and I end up having to help her dress. Once she’s ready, I take hold of her hand and lead her out of the back exit.

It’s deathly quiet outside compared to the cacophonous groans of suffering that echo inside.

“What’s your name?” I ask the girl as we hurry across the grass to the dormitories.

“Eliza.”

We reach the doors, and I ask, “Do you have family outside of here?”

“Yeah, my dad.”

“Is he better than here?”

“I think so. He has a drinking problem, but he’s never hurt me.” She swallows loudly. Her eyes welling with more tears. “Were they really going to…to…”

“Rape you? Yes. That’s what they do. You’re lucky they hadn’t already?—”

She sobs, and I stop.

“How old are you?”

“Seventeen.”

A bitter taste floods my mouth, and I swallow it back along with the memories that try to assault me.

“Just be careful when you’re on the outside. All those sick things the Fathers were about to do to you, all men are capable of them. Don’t let your guard down.”

We reach the bottom of the stairwell to the girls’ dorms. Before I can place my foot on the first step, a faint light appears at the end of the hall.

“Shit,” I whisper. “Get behind me and stay quiet.”

I press both our bodies into the wall, but we’ve already been spotted.

“Who’s there?” A sharp female voice cuts through the thick, stagnant air. I recognize it, but can’t quite place who it belongs to.

“Answer me!” she snaps out. I push Eliza out of sight into the stairwell and step into the light.

“Y-you? You’re not meant to be here!”

“Rebekah…” I start off slow. I really don’t want to have to hurt her, but I will if I have to.

“Do the Fathers know you’re here? I’ll tell them myself.” She takes a step, but then hesitates.

“They’re a bit tied up at the minute.”

She wets her lips nervously, her grip tightening on the lantern she’s holding. “I’ll tell them in the morning then. You can wait in the study. I’ll sit with you to make sure you’re not getting up to no good. I have a feeling you haven’t changed at all.” She turns her nose up and looks me up and down.

“Seems neither have you,” I scoff. “Why are you up this late anyway? Looking for more girls to snitch on?”

She lifts her head high and smiles smugly at me. “I’m a trusted member of this church, and it’s my night to patrol.”

They patrol the place now?

I suppose it makes sense. After a death and a missing girl, they probablylocked the place down harder than ever. Still, it wasn’t enough to keep me out.