Don followed Sister Rose as she led him through the church's narrow stone corridor, the air cool and damp, like the walls themselves were absorbing the morning chill.
The path was lined with old wooden doors, each one simple and unadorned, adding to the ancient feel of the place. But Don barely noticed the details; his focus was entirely on Sister Rose, her figure moving gracefully ahead of him.
They soon ca to a stop in front of a door, and Sister Rose turned to him, her green eyes catching the dim light as she spoke softly. "In here."
She opened the door, revealing a pantry of sorts. Despite the old stone walls and wooden shelves, there were modern appliances scattered throughout, like a large but outdated refrigerator humming quietly in the corner. The room was much colder than the hallway, likely to keep the stored food from spoiling.
Sister Rose stepped inside first, placing the packages of food on one of the many shelves. Don followed suit, his breath visible in the cold air as he set the food down next to hers.
After doing so, he turned to leave, ready to get out of the unsettling cold and her presence, and said, "If that's all, I'll be going."
But just as he moved, Sister Rose suddenly shifted to stand in front of him, blocking his exit. Her voice, soft and almost musical, filled the room. "So soon? You haven't even given the chance to say thank you."
Her hand lifted toward his face, as if to caress his cheek, her fingers inches away from his skin. But sothing in Don's instincts scread at him to avoid any physical contact.
He backed away slightly, his back bumping against the counter behind him. "It's fine, really," he said, trying to sound casual. "But I should get going before my mother starts looking for ."
Sister Rose didn't press further. She rely stepped aside, her eerie smile never faltering. "Of course, that is probably for the best. Thank you again, and may the Lord watch over you."
Don gave a brief nod, not wanting to linger. "You too." He moved around her and left the cold room.
As the door closed behind him, he heard her mutter sothing under her breath, though her voice seed to echo oddly in the hallway. "It seems fortune truly is on my side. I'll be seeing you soon, child. An example shall still be made."
Don frowned deeply as he continued walking, his superhuman hearing picking up every word clearly. He didn't like the sound of that, not one bit. 'What the hell does she an by that?' he thought, his pace quickening toward the exit.
Once back outside, instead of heading straight into the church, Don veered off toward the car park.
He slipped into the car, taking a mont to breathe in the stillness before pulling out his phone. **Tap, tap, tap.** His fingers flew across the screen as he sent Gary a quick ssage: *I need you to look into Sister Rose from St. Michael's Church and her background.*
He sighed heavily after sending the text, his eyes drifting back to the church entrance. I better stay close to the others... just in case.' Sothing about Sister Rose didn't sit right with him, and he wasn't about to take any chances, especially with his family involved.
With a deep breath, he exited the car and made his way back to the church.
———
The service passed uneventfully, a long, drawn-out affair that Don barely paid attention to. His mind kept wandering back to Sister Rose and her cryptic words. But for now, there was nothing he could do but sit through it.
He kept his expression neutral, not wanting to raise suspicion, but the nagging sense of unease never left him.
As the service ca to a close, Don and his family joined the crowd of people filing out of the church.
At the entrance, the pastor and Sister Rose stood side by side, shaking hands and wishing the congregation well. The pastor's kind, wrinkled face lit up with each departing family, while Sister Rose stood there, smiling, her captivating green eyes following everyone as they passed.
When it was Don and his family's turn, the pastor greeted them warmly. "Did you all enjoy the service?"
Samantha smiled and nodded. "Yes, we did. We'll be sure to co more as a family."
The pastor bead. "I'm happy to hear that, and thank you again for the food. May the Lord bless you many tis over."
Just as they were about to leave, Sister Rose spoke up, stopping them in their tracks. "A mont, please," she said, her eyes locking onto Don. "Would you happen to be free this evening? I could use a bit of help arranging the pantry."
Don felt a surge of irritation at her persistence, but he masked it quickly. "I can't," he replied, rubbing the back of his head as though embarrassed. "I have to prepare for school tomorrow."
Sister Rose tilted her head slightly, her smile never wavering. "A sha," she said softly, her eyes flicking to Samantha. "Perhaps you could help instead?"
Samantha, caught off guard, smiled awkwardly but nodded. "Oh, uh, no problem. I'd be happy to help."
"Wonderful," Sister Rose replied, her gaze lingering on Don for just a second longer before she added, "Have a good day."
As they walked away, Don's face darkened into a frown. 'She's after sothing,' he thought, his mind working quickly. 'For whatever reason, she wants for sothing... and now she's trying to use my family to get to it. Big mistake.'
———
After returning ho, Don imdiately headed to his room, shutting the door behind him with a soft **click**. He pulled out his phone, quickly checking for any ssages from Gary. Sure enough, there was a reply waiting for him.
*It's strange, but I can't seem to find anything on that woman. Either she's really good at covering her tracks or she's a ghost in every sense of the word. May I ask how you ca to et her?*
Don frowned at the ssage, feeling a knot form in his stomach. He quickly typed out a reply, explaining the odd behavior Sister Rose had displayed at the church and how she stirred a strange, unnatural desire within him.
The mont he hit send, he leaned back against his bed, staring at the ceiling. 'How do I stop Samantha from going to the church this evening?' The thought swirled in his head as he mulled over possible excuses.
After a few monts, an idea clicked into place—'Sumr.'
Without wasting ti, Don stood up and changed out of his church clothes into sothing more casual. He headed to Sumr's room, knocking at her door. **Thud, thud.**
From inside, Sumr's muffled voice called out, "Who's there?"
"It's ," Don answered, listening to the faint sound of shuffling on the other side of the door. A few seconds later, the door opened, revealing Sumr. She was still wearing the sa top from earlier but had swapped her jeans for a pair of her usual booty shorts.
She raised an eyebrow, leaning against the doorfra. "What is it?" she asked.
Without answering, Don stepped inside. Sumr's eyes widened slightly, and she threw up her hands. "Hey, I never said you could co in!"
"I don't have ti to argue with you," Don said, his voice serious.
Sumr picked up on his tone imdiately, her expression shifting from annoyance to concern. "Is sothing wrong?" she asked, taking a step closer to him.
Don sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know yet. Rember that nun from church? Didn't she seem a bit... off to you?"
Sumr's brow furrowed as she thought back on it. She shrugged. "I guess? Why?"
Don explained quickly, "I think might be dangerous, and I need your help to stop mom from going back to the church in the evening."
Sumr crossed her arms, her skepticism clear.
"And why should I help you?" she asked, her voice teasing.
Don narrowed his eyes, feigning annoyance. "It's fine," he muttered, turning to leave. "I just thought you'd care enough to help."
Sumr's eyes widened, guilt washing over her face. Before Don could reach the door, she grabbed his hand. "Wait! I was just kidding... geez."
Seeing Don's seriousness made Sumr feel selfish. She could see that this wasn't so joke—Don was genuinely worried, and it had to do with their mom.
Sure, Don could have easily sent Winter to handle things, but him coming to her for help was his way of showing trust. He needed to know if she'd be willing to help him even if for only a small part. If she couldn't even handle this then he would know early that it's pointless to consider her help in graver matters.
Don turned back to her, his expression firm. "This isn't sothing to joke about. Mom could really be in danger. I'm coming to you because I trust you with this. If I'm wrong, no harm done, but if I'm right, we save her from a potentially dangerous situation."
This was the first ti Don had co to Sumr with sothing this serious. It wasn't just teasing or light banter—this was real, and the stakes were high. Sumr bit her lip slightly, her arms still crossed as she tried to process everything.
"Don't you think you're being a bit... paranoid? I an, I know the nun is weird, but—"
"Either you believe or you don't, Sumr," Don interrupted, his gaze unwavering.
Sumr hesitated, her lips pressing into a thin line before she sighed. "I believe you... geez." She huffed, unfolding her arms. "So, what do you want to do exactly? Pretend to be sick?"
Don thought for a mont, then shook his head. "No, you're too old for her to take care of you just because you're sick. Tell her you want to talk to her about sothing that's been bothering you, have a deep talk—just keep her busy. In case that doesn't work, I'll make sure her car doesn't start."
Sumr's eyes widened, her eyebrows raising in surprise. "Wow, you're really being serious. Is the nun, like, an undercover supervillain or sothing?"
Don wanted to sigh, but instead, he nodded and just went with it. "Now you're starting to use your head. I'm leaving this to you. I'll tell Mom that I've gone to Donald's place and we went out sowhere if she asks."
Sumr nodded but hesitated, avoiding Don's gaze as a hint of worry flickered across her face. "But... what if it's too dangerous for you?"
Don placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, his voice calm but confident. "I only want to confirm my suspicions. If she's really dangerous, I'll report her to the agency. Besides, I'll take Winter with , just to be safe."
Sumr still seed unsure, her concern evident. But she finally nodded. "Alright... just be careful."
Don gave her a soft smile. "Trust , Sumr. If things do go south, I won't be on the losing end."
Sumr's cheeks flushed slightly as she looked away, crossing her arms again. "Don't say stuff like that, dummy. It's bad luck." She paused for a mont, then added quietly, "But... be safe, yeah?"
Don's smile softened, and he gave her a quick nod before turning to leave her room. "I will."
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