Hellbound

Chapter Two

"Come on Poppy! Lets go" mum squeals from the living room, the excitement in her voice noticeable as I hear her rush around the house, gathering her belongings and her bag.

I breathe in a shuttering breath as the panic rises in my chest. Today is the day I find out who my Darling is. Or was. My brand aches at the thought or is that my heart? I don't know; all I know is that all the answers to my questions since I turned eighteen are going to be answered today.

Placing my hand over my brand, I rub away the ache. I take deep breathes in and out as I glance at the park across the street, watching the usual Darlings and their children run around happily.

What if he's alive? And breathing and wondering where I am? My stomach erupts in butterflies at the thought but sinks again when I realise that would mean breaking it to West, having him lose someone close to him again.

"Poppy!" mum shouts, her impatience getting the best of her.

"Coming!" I shout back as I grab a jacket and my bag that holds all of my identification inside. My shoes click along the floor as I meet mum at the front door.

"You got everything?" she asks.

"Yeah" I breathe out, my hands slightly shaking.

"Hey" mum grabs my cheeks with her hands "everything will be fine, either way it goes" she says softly "look at your father and I" she smiles. She does her best to sell the idea of her and dad having a perfect marriage.

I give her a nod, mirroring her smile.

"Lets go" she says, locking the front door behind us.

*

The church looms in the distance, the cross above the front entrance shines in the sun. There's not many people around, the shops on the other side of the street have a few people meandering around but the church seems to be empty.

"Do you want me to come with you?" mum asks as she pats my leg when she notices the anxiousness on my face.

"No" I give her a weak smile "it's okay" I take a deep breath before opening the car door.

"Good luck, hunny" she says as I close the door.

The wind is cold on my face, it whips my hair around my head in a cyclone, getting caught in my mouth and hitting me in the eyes. My skin rises in goosebumps from the cold. Or nerves, I don't know.

The door to the church swings in the wind as it lies barely open for anyone to walk in. I walk up the steps before bringing my hand to the door and knocking on it. The wooden door sounds hollow to my touch as I push it open and stick my head around the corner.

"Hello?" I call out, my voice echoing in the empty church.

I hear a bang somewhere within, making me jump before a priest comes out from behind a door off to the left.

"Hello dear, come in" he waves me in. I step into the church and close the door behind me. The preist walks smoothly, almost like he's walking on air as his older face holds wisdom along with a few wrinkles.

"What's your name, dear?"

"Poppy" I reply.

"Nice to meet you, Poppy, I'm Preist Simons" he smiles as his airy voice carries across the room.

"Nice to meet you" I give a tight smile back to him.

He clears his throat as he waves me further into the church. "What can I do for you?" he asks.

My eyes glance past him to the book that lies open on the stand underneath the coloured pane windows. The sun shines in through the window, lighting up the book.