Chapter Text
Today is like any other Saturday morning in December. The earths surface is covered in a thick layer of snow and it’s freezing cold, even inside. Personally, I don’t mind the cold. Summers on the other hand are my worst enemies due to the amount of layered clothes I like to wear. That’s basically also a reason why winter is my favourite season, together with spring. All of nature’s life starts to bloom in spring, baby animals get born and thousands of flowers open up. Well, I mean, of course there’s a lot of flowers during summer, but the heat burns me alive. Just- don’t come with arguments why summer is good, you can’t convince me it’s not the worst season out there.
Just because of me liking the cold, I always plant some seeds of flowers that grow in the winter. My personal favourites are Crocuses and Snowdrops (Galanthus). Last year I planted a few of those somewhere in the woods here on the church grounds. I didn’t write down where, so it would be a fun activity to try and search for them. So that is exactly what I’m going to do today. Just a fun little scavenger hunt for flowers, nothing more really.
I wake up to the churches bells, the ones the ring for the morning prayers. For me, it’s a nice alarm clock. I stopped praying years ago, still don’t regret it. I hop out of bed and get greeted to the freezing cold. I quickly change into my warm and comfy clothes and start my daily routine.
At first I examine all my plants, and water those who are thirsty. After that I make some food for myself, just a simple sandwich to start the day with. Together with my sandwich, I also make a cup of mint tea, my personal favourite. After finishing my breakfast, I don’t hesitate long before grabbing my journal and head outside. My journal is full of information about all of the plants in the woods. I like to write down Information I gather while hiking through the woods, even if it’s just one sentence. That’s why I keep it on me at all times. I hope to examine some of the winter-premium plants that I’ve planted. I’ve been searching for one for a week now, without much luck. I’m checking the eastern parts of the woods today, well, atleast a bit of it.
Slowly i make my way through the woods, admiring every single detail of it. The birds are chirping loud, the crunchy noise of the snow under my feet and the sound of the wind passing through the trees is absolutely worth waking up so early for. The sky looks very cloudy though. I hope it isn’t going to snow right now. Don’t get me wrong, I love snow, but I don’t like walking through falling snow. Ruins the vibes.
After about half an hour of aimlessly strolling, I see a bunch of purple dots in the distance. Those must be the Grape Hyacinths that I planted. I speed up my walking phase a bit and head towards them, and indeed, it are the ones that I planted. I kneel down to take a closer look at them. They look absolutely stunning. I pull out my journal and start making a sketch of them.
As I’m sketching the Hyacinths, I notice figure wander through the forest, coming from out the church grounds. Must be another student, I assume. They look as if they’re searching for something specific, also, why are they barely wearing any warm clothing? It’s like -5 degrees out here, that isn’t healthy, not even for the cults doing. I close my journal and decide to walk towards them, maybe help them with their search so they can get back indoors faster. The closer I come, the clearer the figure becomes. I don’t think I have seen this student before, they don’t look familiar to any of the other students, from who I know exactly how they look like. Who the hell goes outside on such a cold day as this on barefoot and without a jacket? Is this person insane? Then I notice something even weirder. Is that… a tail? It looks a bit like the Spawns logo… it’s probably just a new accessory or something.
Suddenly, a loud noise comes from underneath my foot. I was so intrigued by this stranger that I accidentally stepped on a branch. The stranger turns around in a split second and falls backwards, looking terrified. They grab a small stick from the ground and hold it up to me, as if they’re wielding a sword.
“Worry not stranger. I simply came here to bring you guidance, as these woods are as known to me as my own cabin. Fear not, I’m a friend, not a foe. May I offer you my hand, to help you?” I say, coming closer and reaching out my hand to help them off the ground. “Are you sure you’re not… going to hurt me…?” How much is there to bet on them being one of Amarah’s students? No offence, but they look dumb as hell. How much nonsense has Amarah been feeding them, all I know is that he has not been teaching them basic survival skills. Or how to put on shoes I suppose. “Why would I? I have no reason to harm you, stranger.” I see them doubting for a moment, then they reach for my hand that I had reached out. I help them up.
“It’s pleasant to meet you here on such a beautiful day, stranger. The names Azure, may I ask for yours?” “My name is Two Time.” Even their name sounds dumb. Who the hell names their child Two Time? Whatever. They can’t do anything about their name, so I should not be the one to judge. I examine them a little more now that they’re nearby. Why are they only wearing the cults shirt, it’s way too cold for that… I need answers.
“Well tell me, Two Time, what are you seeking here, without any warm clothes? Are you not cold?” “I just need some wood for the fireplace indoors… Amarah told me to go get some here.” “And you went, without enough coverage?” “I thought the temperature was the same outside as inside, plus I don’t really have any other clothes besides these.” I’m starting to feel bad for them. I mean, I’m kind of overdressed anyways. I take off my scarf and cloak and put them on Two Time. “That should keep you warm for a bit. I’ll help you collect your wood, afterwards I would like my clothes back though.”
They look at me for a moment. They have those big, dumb looking eyes, together with heterochromia, one eye fully black, the other fully white. They too have the same sort of Spawn accessory on both sides of their head, looking as headwings. Now that I see them from closer, it looks like they’re made out of bones. Their hair is greasy, messy and it looks like they cut it themselves. I just take their look as an ‘okay Azure I will give ur awesome clothes back’ and drag them to my cabin, as I have a few stacks of wood over there.
The first few minutes of the walk back to my cabin were filled with silence. It looks like they aren’t a conversation starter. I haven’t talked with someone from out the cult ever since I got banned from it, it wouldn’t hurt to ask them a few questions about it… right? I also want to know what’s up with that tail of theirs. It looks so realistic, there’s no way the church would have that kind of money for anyone. Now a way to start a conversation without sounding like a total weirdo… hm…
“You know, as someone who roams around the church continuously, I have never seen you around here before. Are you perhaps new to this place, a new worshipper of the Spawn?” “No, I was born here, under Spawns blessing.” That’s odd. If they were here ever since their birth, why have I never seen them before? They must’ve noticed my questionable look, and gave an immediate answer on my non asked question. “My mentor Amarah kept me away from the other members. Told me I was too fragile to be going out as I’ve been blessed by the Spawn since birth. He is like a father figure to me. I only was allowed to leave my room 2 months ago, but this is my first time outdoors.” Remind me how much money I bet again- this do explains why they are basically walking outside half naked. But locked in a room? For how long? Spawns blessing? Could they be.. that child… the child Sam and Amarah argued over non stop. I need to know more.
“Did you… perhaps, also knew someone named Samuel, Sam for short?” “Oh yes! He was the second and only other person I interacted with in my room. He stopped showing up 3 years ago. Amarah forbid contact with him, he called him insane for not understanding how special I am.” So it is them. This is the closest I’ve been to discovering something new of what happened in months- maybe if I can get close with them, I could discover what happened that night. If it’s true what they’re saying, they’re basically Amarah’s child, who knows what kind of information I could get out of them. Except one detail is not fully placed right… “May I ask why you were so protected by your mentor? You keep emphasising that you’re Spawns blessing, but in what way exactly?”
Two Time reaches their hand up to the side of their head where the bone-looking headwing is sticking out and wipes the hair around it away. It seems like that it’s coming from right underneath their skin- is it not an accessory..? Were they… born with them? I’ve never seen such a thing before, I- I didn’t know that was even possible. Does that mean that… their tail is real too? I take a glance at it and, it indeed is moving slightly. Just swinging, like how a cat would swing their tail when it’s comfortable. “Does it.. hurt to have them..?” “Not really.” They replied, while putting their hand down again. “Only if someone touches them, they’re very sensitive. They have the same shape as the holy Spawn, that’s why Amarah told me I got sent by it.” I do see Amarah’s decision here. I too, would be very protective of someone with unnatural things.
But I have to agree with Sam on this too, they have no skills with the actual world. Trusting someone you just met with all that information, how dangerous is that? Besides maybe getting some information, I could teach them the basics of life too? It wouldn’t hurt to have a new buddy to talk with. Well except that new buddy would literally be Amarah’s child! They can’t do anything about that though… I’ll just see where this goes, my cabin isn’t far from here.
After about 2 more minutes of walking we arrive at my cabin. I grab a few logs from the side and try handing them to Two Time, who can barely hold on to two of them- holy hell they’re weak. I decide to grab a few other logs and walk with them to the church to drop them off.
“Thank you for helping me, kind sir. Oh wait, you need your cloak and scarf back, hold up-” “don’t worry about it, friend,” I respond, “you know where my cabin lays now. Visit me again some day, and return my clothes then. I’ll be waiting for you.” I wave them goodbye and start heading back to my cabin. “I will come to visit you! Thank you for helping me Azure!” I look back to the church that was once my shelter to see Two Time waving me goodbye too. I give them a warm smile and turn back around to continue the walk to my cabin.
I have to admit, they do are a creature of a being. I’ve never met someone as them before, even though they’re really next level stupid. I hope they do return my scarf and cloak one day, they are my favourites, but I needed a reason for them to return to my cabin, as I can’t enter the church anymore. Born with headwings and a tail… and I thought I saw it all. I really don’t have any other explanation then that they’re actually a blessing from the Spawn, the shapes match perfectly. I probably shouldn’t pay too much attention towards that.
Once I’m back in my cabin I decide to lay on my bed and stare at the ceiling for a moment, processing what had happened this morning. I had made a new friend, in a span of 2 years, someone to hang out with. I finally wouldn’t be all alone again. Just thinking about some company makes me happy, although my main goal is still to get some information out of them of what happened to Sam that night. But I guess it wouldn’t hurt to actually have a friend now.. right?
Perhaps… the Spawn is real anyways.