@imperaptorr

                    she doesn’t acknowledge diego staring at her. his gaze felt heavy, but she continued to ignore it, choosing to focus on the fire in front of her instead. hot pants figured sooner or later if the other had something to say, he’d spill it. and if not, well...perhaps it just wasn’t important. hot pants simply didn’t care enough to ask.

                       the majority of the night was spent in silence up to this point. and just as she suspected, diego had been the one to break the silent barrier between them, still with minimum reaction from hot pant’s side. all she did was shift in her seat a little, her expression hardening. it could have been as if she did not hear him at all, but hot pants knew very well she couldn’t play that off here. there was no denying that the nun knew what he was referring to. though, this was just another conversation she’d rather avoid altogether.

                   of course, that was to be expected. as much as he loved Silver Bullet, even the jockey knew that something would’ve to be done about it. there was no way that a horse could stay indoors, at a church. he was pretty sure it was considered disrespectful, even under such circumstances. Diego wasn’t going to argue with the nun, who was already doing more for him that he had originally asked for. a change of clothes would be nice.

                         he gives her a nod before turning to his horse and holds its head between his hands, bringing their foreheads together while he whispers. “——i’m sorry mate, but you will do better there. i promise.”

                         as if the horse understood what he was saying, its head slightly moved up and down in a sign of acknowledgement. Diego offered it a small smile that was quick to vanish, once he turned around to face his saviour. he wasn’t about to protest with anything she said if that meant being warm by the end of the night. his whole body was shaking by now—it felt as if someone had injected cold water into his bloodstream. it chilled him to the very bone.

           “——as long as it’s safe, it’s fine by me… we both need some rest.”  

                                                there was a relief that crossed her before glancing around quickly. “ --- i will get umbrellas for both of us first. please wait for me here. ” hot pants took off immediately after that, heading towards the back where the priests and servers usually got ready before mass. in the one of the closets were a few umbrellas kept for emergencies such as these-- there were always those days where it rained unexpectedly. the umbrellas themselves were rather small, but it would have to do for now. what mattered was minimizing how much gust and rain would hit them while they traveled to the barn.

                  perhaps, there was a god that was merciful and was willing to give him a second chance through redemption; by listening to his prayers and guiding him towards her in a town where no soul or could be heard or seen. Diego remained close to Silver Bullet, placing a hand on the horse’s neck as it neighed when the stranger approached—a clear sign of distrust. not that the jockey could blame it.

                        cyan eyes with a glint of gold in them focused on the woman walking towards them, wearing a white attire from head to toes that was characteristic to a nun. she must’ve been…praying or something, if she was by herself. one of the things that caught the jockey’s attention was her youthful appearance. when one thought of the word ‘nun’, it was typical to imagine an older woman preaching about god and whatnot. why someone in their apparent twenties ( ? ) would waste their live living a convent, was a mystery to him. however, he was nonetheless. anything was better than having to spend another second under the damn rain.

                 “——i-i’m seeking for refuge… i couldn’t find a bloody soul outside.” Diego hadn’t realized until now the way his body quivered from how cold it was; his drenched clothes adding to that. he hated that he stuttered, as he saw it as a sign of weakness. was this place always so damn cold? he could see a few candles lit near the altar from where he was standing. maybe if he got a little closer…

                    his train of thoughts was interrupted by the sound of another thunder, startling Silver Bullet who continued to move away from the two of them. the jockey was certain that even his horse was becoming aware of the changes in his body and honestly… he was just as scared, even if he kept it well hid from others. the way his skin of his hand started to peel off, was anything but normal.

                  Diego hushed his horse before offering a quiet apology to the nun, hoping she’d understand their predicament and at least, allow them to stay until the storm was over. else… his options were pretty scarce.

                 “——i know this is no place for a horse, but i couldn’t just leave it there… i take full responsibility of whatever happens because of it. just… please, allow us to stay for the night.”

                                  ah, a traveler that got caught in the unsuspected storm. he wouldn’t be the first, nor last person to seek refuge here. hot pants was used to this by now, her stern expression changing to something more of concern. the stranger had a horse with him as well, both dripping from the rain. she eyed the drops of water that fell from them unto the ground---something she realizes that she should have to mop. but first, she had to attend to those in need. that was her job, after all.

                                 “ --- of course. ” all were welcomed to the house of god, especially when in need for protection. the storm was only getting more aggressive, staying outside any longer could prove to be fatal. anything could go wrong. at least indoors, they were safe. “ it is not safe to stay out long in such weather...however... ” her brows furrowed, shifting her glance over to the horse.

                he dreaded the idea of taking a break as it was, essentially, a way of stalling from getting where he wanted—somewhere safe and away from that lunatic. the changes in his body, allowed him to continue his journey without the need of food or sleep for long periods of time, but even a monster like him had limitations.

                    the jockey was stubborn, as he was determinate. not that it would make things any easier for him; mother nature didn’t favour him that day. the heavy rain made it almost impossible to see and Silver Bullet refused to go any further when the sky was basically falling. at the first rumble of a thunder, he knew that he’d need to hide before exhausting his horse.

                  unfortunately for him, the town that he came across seemed to be empty. no trace of a soul could be found. it was as if fate wanted to punish him for playing part in a man’s plan to play GOD. as if he hadn’t suffered enough by that foolish decision he had taken; his vision was affected greatly by the virus that modified his DNA, making it difficult to distinguish one building from another as slits had now replaced round pupils. 

               this was a ghost town. the sound of a bell not so far from where he was, felt like a saving grace. perhaps, a chance to redeem himself? not that he believed in a higher power or anything like that…

        “——hey! is anyone there?!” he hopped off his horse and shouted upon forcing the doors of the cathedral open, barely being able to register his own words over the sound of rain drops hitting against the pavement. even the sound of Silver Bullet’s horseshoes were lost in the chaos that unfolded outside. Diego held onto the reins of his horse as he stepped inside with hesitation, searching for sign that there was someone that could help. this was no place for a horse or for the beast that he had become.

@metanoeiin​

                                       as always, in contrast to her companions, her prayers were silent. she could hear the mumbling graces of the nun besides her, praying for salvation, for the sins of humanity. it wasn’t supposed to, but it was disrupting her own thoughts. her prayers being completely different than the others. while they prayed for everyone, hot pants prayed for herself, for her gravest sin to be forgiven. it was a secret that she had kept with her always, never telling a soul, hence her silence. 

                                      the death of her brother, despite being declared as “accidental” was anything but that. she was the reason her brother no longer roamed this earth. thanks to her selfishness, she failed as an older sibling, and as a person under the eyes of God. growing up, she couldn’t bare herself to say the truth of what had happened that morning. her family merely mistook her behavior as only grief, when it was so much more deeper than that.

                                      lightening struck nearby, startling the nuns inside the church. in unison, save for hot pants, they immediately rose up, scattering about to return to the convent to avoid the upcoming storm before it got too aggressive. 

                                     she remained kneeled, alone. the winds picked up, howling against the glass windows, almost angrily. closing her eyes, she continued to ignore the sounds of mother nature’s wrath, returning to her silent conversation with God. it did not last, however. sometimes there were things that couldn’t be ignored, like the door crashing open and a booming voice that echoed within the church walls, penetrating her thoughts. this time she stood up, trying to get a glimpse of the man entering--perhaps seeking shelter from the nasty weather. 

hot pants:     brb searching for my patience