Chapter Text
A rumor has been created and circulating amongst the town, people have been talking, people are disappearing, no one is returning nor their body being found. It was a mystery…or was it a curse? Does God have forsaken the town…or is their town being taken over by demons. A witch is living within us and cursing our holy land, finding the anomaly. Open your eyes and see the truth. Who is it that you think is the one doing something against God's will?
Aesop Carl is…
***
“Aesop!” Aesop looks up from where he was cleaning up the naves of the church as he hears the angry voice that calls him.
“Mr. Lippa, what brings you he-wait you’re hurting me!” he screamed as he had his arm suddenly and forcefully dragged out of the church from the man and was suddenly gripped from his both arms to interrogate him.
“I saw you with that foreigner! I’ve been keeping my distance from you because they said that it is a sin, that you will succeed the priest but this is what I'll see!?”
“Wait no, please Mr. Lippa let go of me, it hurts!”
“You knew right?! You know that I’ve always been in love with you but you just choose to ignore them!” The man continuously accused the poor man cowering before him in fear as his arms slowly got more and more tighter around his arms.
“No-no! I don't know a thing, please let me go!” he pleaded “I will tell this to Father-” he tried to continue on pleading and told the man the truth as in fact, he didn't really know the feelings of the man he thought of as his friend but his jaw was suddenly gripped out making him unable to speak
“Try then, like hell that Father Jay would help you when you are the embodiment of the sin he preaches not to be!”
***
“Wait, wait, stop! I think we’ve been reading too much of their personal stuff?” Naib suddenly exclaimed, putting down the book and suddenly stopping his readings.
“Well, we kinda need to know because I'm curious what would happen…” Jack replied, taking the book into Naibs hands and flipping its pages as if looking for a page with interesting parts.
“You brute! Is that the same reason you said why you read my diary assignment in sixth grade!?”
“Then why did you leave your diary in the cafeteria if you don't want it to be read? I thought the cafeteria was leaving out a menu back then.”
“Then when you saw from the first page that there is no sandwich, pasta or whatever food they serve written, then you should have stopped reading it!”
“What am I supposed to do when your first page of diary is wanting to eat donuts and cake, it indeed looks like a menu considering the amount of food listed inside!”
“Stop, I don't want to remember that! Why did you remember them?!”
Leaving the two arguing about their past, Norton took the book out of Jack's hands and also got the curiosity better on him, flipping the book pages repeatedly as he wanted to find a page that would get his interest. He wanted to see some drawings but remembers that they were looking at a diary and not into a picture book. “I thought it was just a love letter, why do things keep getting dark?!” he grunts, remembering the last parts Naib had just read them.
“I don't know! I thought this was just a silly romance too!” Naib replies “Afterall, this church wouldn't become hunted if they got happily ever after, you know.” He added just that Norton found a sudden drawing inside the book but upon seeing it, Eli suddenly grabs the book out of his arms.
“You’ve been robbing Joseph of the first hand experience of reading the diary, let him read it so he can write a good report later for Ms. Keogh.” Eli says and hands over the book to Joseph just as he sneakingly made a little crease into the page that Norton saw.
“Oh-okay, thank you Eli…” Joseph weirdly accepts the book considering that he still doubted Eli from the earlier happenings like their fall into the jail room that they are now in.
***
“Aesop? What are you thinking again?” a voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts, looking up he saw his lover. He always looks untouchable and wonders how he was able to get this man's arms wrapped around him and engulf into his scent. A comfort that he never knew he needed.
But it has to end now.
“Joseph” he started by calling him and taking Joseph’s attention who was now playing with the little flowers scattered into the grass expanse around them.
“What is it?” Joseph answers without looking up to Aesop and is busy with his work.
“We…we need to stop this…” as he said this, Joseph immediately looked up and stopped what he was doing. Unable to think of the reason and function as he heard what Aesop had just said, he just looks at his lover with a dejected expression waiting for more explanation.
“People, they…the people-everyone-”
“Please Aesop” Joseph cuts his stammering and softly takes his arms into his chest, “Did I do something bad? Do you not like me anymore?” he worriedly asked, making sure the reason for the sudden rejection was something he can fix and not his fear that his lover sincerely doesn't want his love anymore.
“No! It's not, you didn't do anything bad, no…no-all of this is bad!” He's been having nightmares and noticing how the people have been looking at him and gossiping at him even in the church walls. It was the first time he ever experienced this thing people call ‘love’ and he’s not even sure if the one he's experiencing now is love. “I knew long before that this thing we were doing was a sin! Father- Father has been warning me that, we, w-we must end this or he will get you to!”
“Father Jay? What do you mean he will get me too?” Joseph genuinely asked, feeling dejected when Aesop retrieved his hands from his grip. He always sees the Father smiling at him and is kind towards every resident of the town, even to those who are visitors like him. But with Aesop being taken care of by the Father, he felt that he was in great debt towards his guardian and cannot tell anyone what he just found out about the crimes the Father has committed. After all, who would believe him when he was known to be an uncommunicative person compared to the influence the Father possessed.
“Aesop?” Joseph tried to get his attention after seeing his lover being engulfed by his own thoughts again. Aside from Aesop forgetting what he was doing, Joseph also noticed that he was biting or peeling the skin of his fingers more often than before, making him concerned if Aesop had been keeping secrets of what he was feeling from him or he was worrying from something. Seeing Aesop silently suffering and won't tell him what's happening also hurts him feeling like he failed his duty as his lover. While feeling in pain, Joseph softly took Aesop’s hands again, stopping him from harming his petit hands and making Aesop caress his face to comfort the guilt Joseph was currently feeling. By doing this, Aesop’s thoughts suddenly got cutted and was surprised to see Joseph’s face on his hands while the man was looking down on the ground.
“Joseph,” he said, making Joseph look up towards him, “I love you…”
“Then, why are you leaving me too?” Joseph pointed out bringing back the topic before, “
“I'm leaving you because I want to save you.” Aesop answers, “Haven't you noticed? People, they-they see me as a curse before, with you being by my side, they are now calling me a witch, calling US a witch! Joseph, please, you don't deserve this…and I don't deserve you…”
“I don't care about those baseless rumors. How could they say that you are a witch when you are the kindest person I ever met, they call you a witch but you are an angel in my eyes. You say that this is a sin and a curse but you are a blessing by my side.”, while holding Aesop’s hands, he uses his other hand to take the flower ring he was making earlier inside his coat and slowly puts them into the ring finger of his lover, “This is all I have for now but with this, I promise you that I will take you out of this place. We will live together without any fear of being judged by others, without needing to hide ourselves and with this, I will treasure you and offer myself to you. Aesop, would you let me walk with you?”
An unimaginable and uncontainable emotion suddenly surged inside of him, was it happiness? Contentment? Is it really what they call love? It flows into his veins and is rampaging into his heart without any path for exit. To him who never knew what is love and who never experienced love, he can now believe that this might be it.
Looking at his bony finger there tucked a simple flower ring, he always got those when he was playing in the fields with Andrew and Emma before. Both use the same flowers coming from the same field but there was a feeling within him that says this is different, that this ring is priceless compared to all he used to make and receive.
“I do.” he answers looking at Joseph’s face that reflects worry and expectation to his answer immediately turning into a surprised expression with his eyes beaming up then suddenly becoming clear as tears start to seep into his pair of eyes.
“Thank you, thank you for your answer Aesop…” he can never understand how Joseph was able to give him such a look, like he was very important, he never knew that his simple answer could make a person this happy. Crying and planting little kisses towards his hard and callused finger like it was from a lady from a noble family. “You don't know how much you made me happy.”
“Maybe God would be merciful to this sinful child of his, so please, let me be happy today. Maybe tomorrow or someday, I’ll tell Joseph the truth and could convince him and save him away from this place…”
***
The day that Aesop swore to do never happened as the very next day, the townsman suddenly barged into his room along with the Father claiming that he will be arrested as a witch and must be held as a prisoner until a sentence has been made.
***
“Look how adorable you’ve become, vulnerable of your emotions and…weak.”
“How long are you going to stay here, Yidhra?” Hastur asked without changing his tone and sounding unamused towards the sudden visitor.
“I wasn't even here for like an hour and you're driving me out already? I wanted to tell you that I'm disappointed with the spectacle you're making in the church right now. There used to be blood and death before whenever someone trespassed that place. You’re being far too kind to your little bird there so I'm rating your channel one star.” she complained as if the whole ordeal was solely for her entertainment and not for the promise Hastur has made, “Also, I just wanted to be a good relative and visit you all…look how pitiful-”
“Not pitiful.” He cuts back but just as he said it, a new presence has accompanied them and two of them are very familiar to Hastur, “Margaretha, it’s already late. You must go home.”
“That’s what we say to her too! But she said she wanted to tell you first before we go!” a loud voice suddenly interrupted to answer his question. Looking at Margaretha’s side was his loud mouthed friend, Mike, along with others that are familiar to him and to the one accompanying him under the guise of visiting.
“Shut it Mike, let Marge say her goodbye to the Doctor!” Fiona shouted back while busying herself looking into the imaginable dust on her nails but as she was acting like she didnt care towards the whole ordeal and wanting to go home, one of the followers of Yidhra suddenly clutched her arms seemingly wanting to get her attention.
“I found the pretty lady with horns!” Yima exclaimed pointing at the horn accessory towards Fiona’s head.
“Yes yes, I'm a pretty lady with horns but I'm not a bad person so don't point them out like that, these are very important to me as I use them to find mythical beings!” she suddenly proudly claimed.
“Wha-?! I didn’t know they had that purpose! I thought those were just for a show or props for your occult club or something…something that everyone just got used to!”
“Mike, I'm not in an occult club, I’m from a literature club. I won't forgive you for making such assumptions and you being new here doesn’t give you protection from my curse!”
“Yes, yes…You sound exactly like those from an occult.” he whispered, “But I remember looking at the sign of your club really hard but I seem to get amnesia whenever I enter inside the portal of your club room!”
“Sushhh, we’re here so Marge could say my goodbyes to Doctor!” Martha shouted in a whispered voice making the two get embarrassed and stop their fight but as Fiona calmed down, she noticed the two dominating presence that had been looming in front of her…especially the one coming from the piercing gaze the lady was giving her even beyond the tinted glasses she wore. Yidhra, upon noticing the gaze she was receiving back suddenly tilt her head to give Fiona a smile making Hastur’s former follower avert her gaze in panic.
“Did Eli visit here?” Margaretha first asks as she’s finally given a chance to speak for herself.
“He did.” he simply answers remembering the quick visit the man gave them. He never fails to give them a visit, bringing fruits and notes whenever he comes while taking a piece of his sanity on his way back.
“Then, did Naib finally come?” Martha asked, remembering Naib confining about wanting to visit but unable to do so because of his personal anxiety.
“Not yet.” his next answer, remembering not being able to see the noisy one from their group within the hospital vicinity other than him spectating whatever spectacle or comedic display they were doing inside the old church.
“Augh, that man. I told him to come but he never listened...” Martha stressfully signs preceding towards the next person they expect to see, “But what about Norton? Our new cute companion here wanted to meet him so much!”
“Wha-!? No Sir! I…I just wanted to meet him at a normal amount but not so much!” Mike suddenly shouted in his defense. Hastur was clearly amused with the banter of the children and also found it funny how fate works as the blond seems to be interested in the rowdy one of the group once again. Though he cannot help but wonder why he was being treated like the father of them all. On the other hand, Yidhra is clearly irritated and only has her focus on one being.
“Go on Margaretha, hurry and go home. It’s already late, you’ve been here since you finished your class, but you need to rest at home. Just give me a call once you’re home so I wont get worried here, alright?”
“Don't worry Sir! We’ll accompany Margie on her way home and protect her from all harm! Right Joker?”
“Yes Sir!...We’ll do our best to protect Margie!” a new person suddenly sprung out upon being called by Mike’s loud voice.
“Yes, yes…I know you all will protect her so all of you better hurry home because I now worry about five children instead of one.”
As he watched the group make their way out of the hospital, he was left with Yidrha watching over in the window. He saw Margaretha take one last look towards their direction above, making him wave his hands in her direction on which the younger one decided to copy before he lost their sight towards them.
“I told you, she was looking for me.” the woman proudly sneers at him while not leaving her gaze towards the red headed woman, “and she will find me soon. Look,even my followers still remember her.” she adds before diverting her gaze towards her little follower playing near them.
“It's not like I have any intention of keeping you away from each other. In all of her lifetime, Fiona is a curious child, with me meddling between you would only delay your meeting but would not stop it from happening.”
“Oh my, oh my…I didn't know you were this sweet before when we were still a family and laugh towards these lowly beings. Now, is this the family you're proud of? Fragile and short-lived…in just a couple more decades, you will be alone again.” Yidhra said not in a comforting way but to make fun of the little play house he has made, “Well maybe that's a good thing, after some decades, you can be with our little seer once again like nothing ever happened.”
“Humans…humans' concept of love is confusing…I cannot be by his side like this.” Hastur could sadly believe. For now, it was enough for him to see his former lover to be safe in this timeline, that he did the right thing before that causes this almost peaceful present they have. Almost.
Amidst the underwhelming atmosphere, a sudden ringtone of a phone call interrupts them. To it you would hear a voice of a child that is as if reciting a song. As much as Hastur wanted to listen and finish the tune, he knew how important the phone calls are towards his work as life is literally at stake.
“Doctor, the patient has finally regained consciousness and is asking for you.” Upon hearing those words, Hastur immediately runs but not after saying his ‘thank you’ and ‘I’ll be there soon’ towards his phone, leaving his companion without even saying his goodbye.
“Oh my, is this what being a parent feels like? Now I feel sad being left behind like that.” Yidhra jest to herself then signaling towards the two children playing that it is their time to go, “Blending along with humans have made you so foolish that you didn't even notice our little seer was also looking for you…”
***
In the dim looking jail, Joseph shines but not because of his glowing and expensive ambiance that used to cover him but from how the moonlight hits his now pale looking face.
Looking into what they’ve become breaks his heart, it's not because of how low and pitiful his situation was as he was used to being covered in dirt. If not for the Father taking him under his care, he would stay as a homeless child...or rather he would prefer it if he would stay as one if by living that life would not make him meet Joseph and would not make this young man look so miserable with him.
“Aesop…Father wanted to meet you.” Norton’s voice was heard outside their cell, it was almost like a whisper as if the man was making sure that Aesop’s sleeping companion wouldn't wake up from his intrusion. “I’m sorry, I wouldn't be able to accompany you because he said it was supposed to be only for you two. Please, do your best to convince the Father that the allegations towards you are not true, I don't want you to disappear to be like the others…”
Aesop could only look at his friend and send him a small smile along with the fake comfort he gave to Norton, making him believe that he will be just fine. He saw how Norton sighs and smiled back at him after leaving him on the way towards the office. It slightly breaks his heart from lying to his friend like that but he doesn't want him to worry knowing the fact that the Father would most likely not help his situation at all. As Norton opens the door towards the office, he sees that the Father was looking at him with delight, making his companion believe that Aesop would be saved over all the allegations and immediately smiles towards him then bows his head before leaving the room.
“I didn't call you here to help your case.” were his first words upon them being alone in the room.
“I know.” Aesop disdainfully replied.
“But you see, you remind me so much of your mother. Fell in love towards a nobleman then fell from grace and death… and it looks like the same fate will befall on you too.” he said in a tone as if he was recalling a funny memory, “Before, I believe that maybe you were given to me by the God to bring judgement into this town, that they gave me you so you could become my replacement but no…You were given to me to protect me from the doubt of those sinful beings.”
“Don't comfort yourself using me and your god, your serving no God but serving yourself and your twisted sense of justice-” a harsh slap was suddenly heard but Aesop cannot feel the pain on his cheeks but just the ringing noise on his ears, "Now…who amongst us is the sinner…"
“You're saying that this is not what you're made for yet here you are. Doing exactly what you were supposed to do because if you're not then why haven't you told anyone about what you know. Why am I free and you are chained? Why am I the one with power and you're the one being judged?”
“No I-”
“That is because you knew all along that this is right. God knows that I raised you well, that you are like me and we are the same all along. You say that I Am a sinner? Well you are as sinful as me.”
Aesop could only deny the Father’s allegation towards him on his head as he is not given a chance to speak for himself. Trying so hard on muting the voice but to no avail, he even desperately tried to cover up his ears with his hands but he could still hear the other. The more he hears them talk the more it echoes into his head making him believe that those words were probably his thoughts all along. As the voices got louder even his mind and thinking got cloudier making him unable to even hear his own thoughts and only be driven by fear. Maybe this was actually his duty, he sees the Father as if they were blood relatives and is greatly indebted with him for bringing in a weird child like him.
"I'm not here to listen towards the sermon of a dying man but to give you an offer…a deal. Well you see, the Desaulniers came to me…You know that man you’re with is not really a witch but he became connected with our play because of you. So we have to, no, you have to get him out as believable as possible…"
“Wha- what should I do?! Please tell me what I can do to protect him!?” as if he was seeing a God, Aesop immediately grovels and begs to the Father. Clinging desperately on his clothes thinking that he can actually save his lover in all of this and even forgetting the real reason how they got into the said problem in the first place because of how well the Father knew how to play with his mind and emotion.
“Here’s what you should do….Later before the execution, I’ll help you. I’ll make sure to call your name first so you can tell this to the crowd.” a gleeful smile escaped towards the older male while looking towards the younger one who was looking towards him as if he was his savior. A dumb one is what he could call him as with how easy it was to fool Aesop. With just simple words, the anger directed towards him suddenly disappeared because he already knew what kind of kid the other was and how easily manipulated and gullible Aesop is. “Then you would tell them that you were the witch alone. Tell them that you kill all the missing persons because you need to make an offering towards your god…into a demon because of how badly you want that foreigner. That you worship and offer yourself towards a demon to make Desaulnier fall for you.”