Judas Dies At The End: The Souls We Choose To Be

Plague

Delilah knocks on our front door at ten a.m. Though when I open it she doesn't seem too happy to see me. When she enters the house she takes a seat on the couch without saying a word.

My Mom walks in from the hallway, still in her pajamas. She says hi to Delilah and Delilah smiles in response. My mother then looks at me and asks me a question I don't hear. Delilah's eyes widen, her eyes fixed on me. I then realize it must've been a serious question.

"I'm sorry?" I say to my Mom.

"You can still see him, can't you?" My Mom asks.

"See who?"

"Don't play dumb with me. I know my son. Where is he now?"

I look around the room.

"In the kitchen. Watching us," I tell them.

Silence falls between us.

"Does this mean I'm going back to the hospital?" I ask.

Delilah looks at my Mom, waiting for an answer. But before my Mom can give one she says, "Judas is sane, isn't he? He's not a danger to himself or anyone else around him. So I don't think it's a problem, is it?"

My Mom glances at Delilah and smiles.

"I couldn't put Judas through that again," My Mom says, "I don't know what it means for him to be going through what he's going through but maybe it's not a bad thing, you know? God has a funny way of using people."

"Right..." Delilah says.

"Well we better get going," I say, "It's a long drive there and I like to get a head start for parking."

The Town of Hawkins doesn't have a church so we have to go to the next town over, Willow Creek, to go to church every Sunday. I usually go alone, but today I have Delilah in the passenger seat and my mother in the back. Though, something is off about Delilah. She's been off ever since she got to my house. I want to ask her about it, but I'd rather do it in private.

The roads are practically empty on the drive there. So it's just us, empty winding roads, tall pine trees, and towering rocking walls as we drive. I always enjoy this drive to church. Sometimes I take it just to clear my head.

When we arrive, there are a few other cars that have beaten us. There are people gathered around the front entrance of the church, all smiling and conversing with one another. When we get out of the car, a familiar, red-eyed, red-haired woman approaches us.

"Judy, D. The pleasure is mine," Lucy says, bowing to us. She's dressed in all red, with a red and black checkered skirt and thigh-high red socks.

"Didn't know you went to this church," I say.

She ignores me and notices my mom, "Who's this beautiful heroine?" Lucy asks pushing past me.

I nudge Delilah on the shoulder to get her attention.

"Mind if we talk before the sermon starts?" I ask.

"Sure," she says.

The church is right in the middle of town, so we start to take a walk around the small town of Willow Creek.

"I'm sorry I'm so out of it," she says right out the gate.

"That's what I wanted to talk about. Are you okay?"

"I mean, I guess I should be okay. It's not like anybody here is causing me harm."

"But something about them is bothering you?"