When the sun was about to hide behind hills she went to the church. On her way Lucy was crossing the lake, to enjoy the summer evening breeze.
In the water she saw a man and his little daughter playing with unusual liveliness. They were happy, laughing as if no one was watching.
At that moment Lucy was struck by sadness and loneliness — she wished it was her, playing with her father. Jealousy and envy of the happiness she had lost ate her mind. Tears blurred her sight. The man and his child slowly faded from her eyes; their moment of joy became unclear.
On her way, she tried to calm herself, but couldn't stop crying.
The church door was slightly open. She pushed it carefully with one hand. With an unpleasant creak, it opened wide. Inside was silence; only candle flames sometimes hissed. They were the only source of light.
She saw no one. Only Nicholas, sitting with his back to the door, reading something.
Every step she took forward echoed in the large space. The distance between them grew shorter, her steps firmer.
—"Mhm?" He turned, expecting her arrival.
She stopped, startled, as if caught in some crime.
—"Um… I didn't mean to bother you," she stared at what he was reading.
—"It's the Bible," he quickly hid it.
—"I've heard of it, but never had a chance to read it."
—"I've never managed to read it all either. That's why I return to it sometimes," he glanced at the book in his hands, "do you want to look?"
She nodded silently and sat next to him on the bench.
He laid the book on the table. It was big, heavy, and looked old.
—"It has been through a lot…," she stroked the damaged cover of the Bible.
—"God speaks through the Bible in a special way," he explained, watching her hand moving through the book's cover, "we also call it 'Holy Scripture,' because it holds God's word."
She looked at him and listened with interest.
She wanted to pull her hand away, but without looking, her hand brushed against his.
—"Do you really believe in this?!" she jumped, like something stung her.
He coughed awkwardly.
—"Believe in what?" He looked at her, confused.
—"There's no proof…!" "I mean… you know… I'm talking about God…," she lowered her voice, afraid the question would offend him.
—"The Bible is proof," he said firmly.
He opened the first page: "Yes, in these words God Himself speaks to us," he read for her.
She walked around the bench, thinking aloud: "My mother always told me not to break God's laws and to take care of myself, for He will love me and protect me."
—"God?" he watched her.
—"Yes," she quickly took the book from his hands, searching and reading between the lines.
—"Here!" she suddenly cried. She sat in front of him with the book.
—"And God created man… in His own image… in the image of God He created him…," she read slowly, giving meaning to every word.
Nicholas listened calmly, watching her fingers move across the words. Though he knew almost the whole book by heart, he lost himself in her voice.
—"Why would He create us, if He didn't love Himself?" she finished, looking into Nicholas's eyes with deep curiosity.
The air filled with a strange mix of tension and calm. Silence grew heavy. Breathing grew louder. They said nothing, and neither wanted to move.
—"In Him… was life… and the life was the light of men…," she continued.
—"The light shines in the darkness… and the darkness has not overcome it…"
She felt the touch of his hand — warm and gentle on her skin.
—"If darkness did not overcome God…," she looked at his hand. She didn't resist.
With slow movements, he kissed her wrist, along her arm.
—"…why should it… overcome us…," she whispered, drawing out the moment.
He took the book and set it aside. His eyes waited for her. His look drew her in, but she wasn't sure what he wanted.
She climbed onto the table that divided them. He pulled her cheeks to his with a strong hand. The space between them closed. She pressed her lips to his. The warm kiss burned her heart; her lips softened. The moment turned into a dream.
She clung to his broad shoulders, lifting herself into his arms. Carefully but firmly, he held her waist and set her slim body on his knees. Gently, without hurry, he unbuttoned her shirt. His lips moved from her neck down to her chest with measured but passionate touch.
She closed her eyes in quiet pleasure, so he couldn't read her feelings. With every sigh, she melted in his arms. Her smooth hands sank into his embrace.
Crack! The door behind them slowly opened with a creaking sound. The moment Lucy heard the sudden movement, she froze.
— "M? What is it?…" Nicholas asked worriedly when he saw Lucy trembling.
— "I… I think…" She leaned closer to him, so only he could hear her words. "I think I see someone…" She cautiously stared at the doors in front of her. A thin line of light spilled through a narrow crack, and in that light, devoured by shadows, stood a tall figure.
— "What? Where?" Shocked by the dreadful fear etched on Lucy's face, Nicholas quickly turned around.
— "Where? Lucy, I don't see anyone…" He looked behind him, where the dark silhouette had been standing just a moment ago. "Lucy?" His voice softened with concern. "It might just be the wind or something."
— "Oh… but… but I really did see someone…" she whispered, still staring hypnotically at the spot. "I don't know…"
— "Hey, Lucy, are you alright?" He gently took her ice-cold wrists and pulled her slightly out of his embrace.
— "A… am… yes, yes… never mind," she murmured, as if suddenly regaining her senses.
— "You know what, let's move to another place," he said as he stood and took her hand.
Lucy obediently agreed and followed him.
Moonlight filled the tiny "room." The only light came through the window, falling on the young lady's untouched face.
She snuggled on his chest, listening to his calm breath beneath her. He played with her soft hair.
Under the cruel moon, their closeness grew loose. Lucy liked to gaze carelessly at his large cross. She wanted to touch it. Nicholas quickly stopped her and covered it with his hand. She fell silent and pulled back.
—"I must go. It's late," she said, offended, picking up her dress from the floor.
—"You won't get asleep anyway, it's already morning" he tried to sound careless.
—"Mh," she muttered, pulling her dress over her legs.
He watched her with interest.
She started searching through the closet and every corner.
—"What are you looking for?"
—"I lost my scarf," she avoided his eyes, running around.
—"It's not there!" he suddenly shouted, as she reached for a small drawer.
She froze.
—"How do you know it's not?" She kept going.
—"You must not!" he shouted every time she came near the drawer. "I know it's not there. It's not your business."
She stood, confused.
—"Why are you so angry?" She didn't understand.
—"I told you…"
Before he could finish, she opened the drawer.
Her eyes fell on an old, worn book. It was ugly, scratched and torn, repelling her with its look.
Under thick dust, on the leather cover, was carved a five-pointed star — an upside-down pentagram, made with five straight strokes. The color of the crimson mark was so vivid and real, it seemed like blood.
Beneath it were strange letters in a language she didn't understand. Nothing else.
Nicholas jumped from the bed, furious, came toward confused Lucie, and slammed the drawer shut.
Frightened by the sound, she blinked.
—"Why don't you listen?!" His face burned red as he shouted.
—"I…" her words broke. She couldn't defend herself.
—"Your scarf is not there, see?!"
She said nothing, waiting for him to calm down.
—"Aaaaah!" He paced around, shaken. Finally he sat on the bed.
—"Sorry…" she whispered, frozen in place.
He covered his face with his hands.
—"I thought it was…" she was afraid to name the word again.
He sighed.
—"Doesn't matter. It's nothing now."
—"Really?…"
—"Yes. And you won't tell anyone what you saw. Right?"
She felt the pressure of his piercing look.
—"No…"
—"Good! Found your scarf?" His face shifted again.
—"Nicholas… wait."
—"What now?"
—"I won't tell anyone… but I can't forget… I know what I saw…" she spoke carefully.
—"So…"
She cut him off: "I want to know. I want to know what it was…"
For a moment, they were silent.
—"I…" she began.
—"Fine," he said at once, calmly, and took out the book.