Chapter XXXIII:

Something wasn’t right. I had that feeling when the priest stared at me.

“Are you really him?” I asked.

“What are you talking about?” the priest asked. I stared at him.

“I have to get home,” I said.

“I can’t let you do that,” he said.

“I’m fine,” I lied. “I need to go home.” He shook his head.

“No, you’re not,” he said. “Let me help you.” I shook my head as I started to get out of his bed. He grabbed onto my wrist. I tried to pull him away.

“Let me go,” I said. “Please let me go.”

“Just come back to bed,” he said.

“No!” I shouted. He said my name.

“Who are you?!” I asked. “Who are you?!” The old man looked so confused when I asked him.

“What are you talking about?” he asked. “Of course I am me. Why wouldn’t I be?” I shook my head as I started to tremble.

“I’m still in the woods, aren’t I?” I asked. “You didn’t exercise me, did you?”

“Of course I did,” the priest said.

“You’re lying!” I shouted. “Get me out of this forest! Get me out! Get me out!” I started backing away to the door. I didn’t see the priest’s face anyway. I kept seeing Luna’s face.

“Get away from me, you devil woman!” I shouted. The priest called out to me as he reached out his hand.

“Stay away from me!” I shouted. I ran out of the priest’s room as fast as I could. He tried to chase after me and grab my wrist. I was already far ahead of him.

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I didn’t know how long I was running. All I knew was that I had to go home. Elizabeth could be in danger because of me. What if they already got to her? I forced those thoughts from my head as I kept moving. I didn’t know if the “priest” was still following me. I didn’t bother to look back. How could she get into that church that easily? It wasn’t possible. It shouldn’t be possible.

Her laughter echoed around me.

“You won’t make it time,” I could hear her saying.

I covered my ears and kept running. I wasn’t going to let her get to me. I just had to get home. I couldn’t get out of the forest. Everywhere I went, I saw nothing but black, dead trees. When did this start surrounding me? Please go away. Please go away!

By the time I made it back home, I collapsed at the door, panting. I tried to reach up for the door, but my arm dropped to the ground. Luna was laughing at my back. Still, I couldn’t give up. I needed to see my wife.

“Elizabeth!” I shouted as loud as I could. “Elizabeth, it’s me! Please let me in!” The silence made my stomach drop. I tried not to think of the worst. I forced myself to reach for the door. I finally managed to turn the knob and push it open. The smell of blood made me fear the worst.

I pushed myself to my feet and dragged myself into my house. The moonlight from the windows led my eyes towards the kitchen. Against my better judgement, I ran to the doorway. The color drained from my face when I saw my wife’s body on the floor. Her neck had been snapped so badly that it hung to the side. Her eyes looked so empty. She looked like she was about to cook something with that wooden spoon in her hand. My wife probably didn’t see her attacker coming.

I sank down to the floor and began sobbing violently.

“I’m so sorry, son,” I heard behind me. I turned to see the priest standing inches away. He looked horrified at first. I rose to my feet.

“You did this, didn’t you?” I asked. The old man gave me a confused look.

“What are you talking about?” he asked. The rage boiled up inside me.

“You killed her,” I said in a trembling voice. The priest tilted his head.

“Are you feeling ill?” he asked. “Come back to the church with me.”

“No!” I shouted. I don’t remember what happened after that. Being me yelling at the priest and calming down, I saw the color red. When everything got quiet, I looked around. I backed away when I saw blood on the floor. The priest’s body lay feet away from me. My screaming filled the early morning hours.