Freedom

You must escape

Britannia has seen Cecelia in her dreams a lot more recently. She learned a lot more about the church and its teachings, and began to hate Stanley, William and her parents. She didn't like using the word hate as she knew it was a strong word, but that's how she felt. Right now it was night, and all she wanted to do was go to sleep. So that's what she did. Once she was asleep and in her dreams, she saw her. She saw Cecelia in her same spot, standing in front of the now bare tree like she always did. The tree used to have leaves on it, but now most of them have fallen off and were becoming one with the muddy ground. "Hello Britannia! How are you?" She stayed silent and just sat on the ground. The tall girl didn't question her but instead took a seat next to her. "Are you feeling alright? Ususally you return my greetings.." She nodded her head. "Yes I'm fine. Just a bit tired. Of everyone and everything." Cecelia frowned. "Oh.. let's get on with our history lesson, shall we?" They talked about the ceremonies a bit more, before the topic was changed. Cecelia could tell Britannia wasn't listening too much, so she thought she should be a bit more direct with her.

"I think I should tell you this as nicely as I can," She began. "You need to escape that place. I know I told you that a lot, but this time I want you to hear me out. We can make a plan, I'll help you. But if you stay in that church and that Hell any longer, I'm scared of what may happen to you." She confessed, but Britannia wasn't completly buying it yet. "I.... I don't know.." Was all she could whisper. Cecelia wrapped her long arms around Britannia, and hugged her. "Shhh..... don't think too much on it. Just listen to me. I would never lead you wrong, now would I?" The teen girl shook her head. "No you wouldn't..." She smiled. "Exactly. Now can you please make me a promise...?" She nodded her head. "Please promise me you will make a choice soon. I'm not saying today or right now, but soon." She looked down at the ground before muttering her reply. "Deal..." Cecelia stood up and offered Britannia a hand, which she gladly accepted. The tall girl was leading her through the garden, past the tree and towards the entrance. They were looking out at the vast sea of trees beyond them. This seemed to be the only clearing where there were not a bunch of trees. Instead, this area had a muddy ground and a single tree that looked dead unlike the rest. Once they reached the entrance, she stopped walking. "Do you see the vast sea of trees out there?" Cecelia asked, and she nodded her head. "Well each tree represents a person in your community. Who attends the weekly meetings and worships William. Each one of those trees represents someone who has murdered someone else, beleving it was to go to Paradise. Now you understand that's not the case, right?" Britannia was too focused on staring at the trees that she didn't hear her comment. To get her attention she tapped her shoulder gently. "Did you hear me, Britannia?" She shook her head. "No I didn't, sorry... I was too busy thinking about what you said.." She confessed and the spirit chuckled. "It's alright. I asked if you understand that the members of the church who murder don't go to Paradise, right?" "Oh yeah I do.... and it makes me hate them more. I used to never use such a strong word like hate, but there's nothing else I could use to describe my feelings for them." Britannia began to walk towards the sea of trees, and then into it.

Cecelia was following from behind, and was concerned for her. "Britannia, wait up! You don't know where you are going!" Cecelia ran after the young girl, who could run fast. She ended up teleporting in front of her, and Britannia ran into her body. She was sent backwards, and landed on her bottom. "Are you alright?! I told you to wait for me..." She stood up and dusted her clothes off. They were slightly muddy, but nothing too bad. "Yes, and i'm sorry... I just wanted to look at the trees better..." She muttered as she walked up to one of them and ran her tan fingers across its trunk. There was.... some weird symbols carved into it. "What are these symbols, Cecelia?" Cecelia stood next to her, and touched it gently. "Oh those symbols mean someone's name and what they did. This one...." She touched the tree next to the one Britannia touched. "This one reads... Margaret Fogwater, died in 198X. She beat someone to death to try and get a higher spot in Paradise, but it doesn't work like that..." Cecelia said, and it all began to make sense to her. "So all of these people participated in the torture...? Did they at least get into Paradise?" She smiled sadly. "No they didn't. They went to Hell instead. They are going to be tortured for all of eternity, and never see the light of day again.." Britannia frowned. "But.... but they didn't know any better..." She was cut off by Cecelia. "They didn't, but they never escaped the church and never left when they had the chance to.." She was trying to manipulate Britannia into making her mind up right now, but she didn't want to. If she didn't make a choice now, she would force her to very shortly. And if she tried not to do what Cecelia wanted, then she would show her what happens when you disobey a demon. Oh, and she never told Britannia she was a demon. She thought she would wait and show her once she got into hell.

Cecelia touched her shoulder. "Make up your mind very shortly and let me know." Before squeezing Britannia's shoulder and she woke up.