Seth Astill: Church without the pope

Big delievery news

"So, what would it be," Seth asked looking at the arms master.

"Weaponless, bare hands" Jack declared and took his position in the middle of the room.

"You in a mood to taste dust" Seth taunted and took his position.

Jack didn't reply and stood there, they stared at each other for some time. Jack was the first one to move and attack, he launched himself forward and swung his arm.

Seth quickly defended it and swung at Jack's head with his other arm, Jack ducked down to avoid it. Seth as if expecting the move swiped his legs, Jack saw it too late and was put off balance by it. He was thrown back with a thud.

"Good move," Jack said getting up and again, taking his position.

Jack again was the first to attack he ran forward and swung his fist directly at his face, Seth quickly blocked it with both his hands. Jack smiled and quickly swung his other hand to punch at Seth's exposed stomach.

He was too late to realize the trap, Seth quickly side-stepped the punch and turning around kicked at the calf point of Jack's leg.

The leg gave away and Jack fell down on his knees.

"Man, how do you even think of such tactics," Jack said with a groan as he took Seth's offered hand to get up, Seth shrugged at his comment and again took the position.

"Enough, I am done," Jack said and went to the rack area to take support.

"Okay, this was so easy, I didn't even break any sweat," Seth said going to stand beside him.

"whatever......" Jack said nonchalantly ".....out with it now"

"What?" Seth asked not understanding.

"I can see that you are hiding something. you didn't tell us everything about your trip, did you"

"How did you...." Seth asked, then held himself, after all this was Jack ".... Yep you are right"

"What is it, spill out, did something bad happen back there"

"No, nothing bad just something that bothered me" Seth confessed.

"What," Jack asked slowly all his attention on Seth now.

Sighing Seth finally told him about the mystery of the haunted church and how he thinks that it was some ruse by Mr. Sieben.

"Hmmm... so, you want to find out who is behind it?" Jack asked after Seth finished speaking.

"Yep," Seth agreed.

"May I ask why? What makes you so curious about this. You already think that this all a hoax, right....." he said and Seth nodded ".....then what do you want to learn more?"

"I want to learn why.... why did they start the rumor" Seth stated persistently.

"What will you get by knowing that?" Jack asked raising his eyebrows.

Seth had no answer for this so he just shrugged, Jack looked at Seth for some time before releasing a huge sigh.

"If you want to really dig in deep then who am I to stop you but, what I want to know is why didn't you tell us about this before?"

"I don't know, I thought that you might laugh at me" Seth explained.

"Laugh at you for what"

"Nothing, forget it I told you now right," Seth said. Jack didn't push him any further.

"Are you both done?" Niharika asked coming in she had two glasses in her hand "I see you are done" she said seeing them both talking at the back, coming towards them she handed them each a glass.

"What's this" Seth asked and shaking it experimentally.

"Your favorites......." she said with a smile. ".....dew with more gas"

"I don't think I will have one now, sorry Nat," Seth said and handed it back "I will go now night," he said to them and made his way out of the room to the bedroom above.

The next day he woke up and directly went down to the gathering room, he saw that Yash, Jack, and only his uncle were in the room.

"Morning all of you" Seth greeted them and made his way towards them.

"Morning chum" Yash greeted and waved to him "here I have bought the food," he said offering him the brown grease bag.

Seth opened the bag to find sandwiches and a cup of coffee. He took out one sandwich and started munching.

"What were you all talking about?" Seth asked looking at them.

"Nothing much, there's going to be a delivery soon, we were talking about it" Jack informed.

"Can I come too?" Seth asked looking at them hopefully, keeping his sandwich down.

Jack and his uncle looked at each other uncertainly.

It's not like he hasn't accompanied them before. He had been with them two or three times but, this time he had his college and after what happened last time they were not so keen on letting him go with them.

"Hmmm... hey when is your college starting from," his uncle asked turning to face him.

"From tomorrow, why," Seth said a little slowly.

"How, do you plan to come then?" Jack asked.

"I will bunk the class like I used to," Seth said, understanding what they were getting at.

"Seth I know how much you want to come with us but, you've to understand that you have a bright future you don't have to get yourself involve into all this" his uncle tried to explain.

"If, all this is because of the last time?" he said stringently. Both the men looked down ".....I knew it," he said and got up to leave.

"You coming," he asked, turning to Yash as he reached the doors.

Yash nodded and quickly went beside him, they got out from there and came out of the construction area.

They took the path that went towards the highway this time rather than the day before.

"Here," Yash said taking out the packet of food that he had left there in the anger " I picked it up for you"

"I am not hungry," Seth said looking away.

"Comon, you are eating this..... for me. How do you expect me to have a girlfriend if you don't spoil your physique a bit. They all swoon over you, you know that right"

"Uh huh," Seth said still looking at the skies thinking something.

"Then here, eat it," Yash said forcing the pack in his hands.

"Fine," Seth said smiling and taking the pack.

"Good, now tell me how many in Èze," he asked wriggling his eyebrows.

"Nought...oun," Seth said while eating.

"You must be kidding me"

"Nope I am perfectly serious," Seth said gulping down the food.

"What about Xeni, you were living with her right"

"It's Xenia and no, there wasn't anything between us" Seth stated taking out another sandwich.

"Looks like she must have a better boy than you," Yash said giving him a side glance.

"Nope, she had no boyfriend," Seth said throwing the bag away.

"You are making this up, I know that"

"No way"

"Yes way, you are jealous," Yash said with a teasing smile.

"Who says, I ain't jealous of anybody," Seth said simply, he knew that Yash was just messing he didn't mean any of that.

"Okay," Yash said and they turned around to go back to the building.

"So, are you going with them to take the delivery," Seth asked turning serious.

"Er- yes"

"But, you never go with them to take the deliveries," Seth said astonished.

"Yep, though I am going this time because the order is bigger, your uncle said that extra hands would be helpful" Yash explained.

"Then why can't I come," Seth asked sounding like a child.

"You have to understand bro, your uncle loves you a lot. He wouldn't want to drag you in something that can be dangerous for you and also there's the matter of your parents"

"What about them?"

"What will they say, if they find out that their son is dealing in such things"

"They would never know" Seth protested.

"Still it is always better to be safe rather than sorry, I am sorry"

"No need to be it's not your fault," Seth said.

They walked all the way back and reached the construction site, Yash went inside but, stopped as he saw that Seth wasn't beside him anymore. He turned to look at Seth standing at the entrance.

"Why did you stop?"

"Nothing, I will be off to home now. Meet you soon" Seth said with a two-finger salute.

"Seth........" Yash shouted to stop him but, Seth went away, he climbed up the bus that had stopped at the signal.