The Robe Wearing Cult

“Knights of Saint Christopher, we, the sisters of Saint Agatha, welcome you all.”

     The hall reverberated with Mother Renata’s voice. We were all summoned to welcome these so-called knights, even Granny, the old crook the convent adopted, was imperatively told to attend. I was at the back corner of the row, but I could still see them. 

    The knights stood in the middle of the hall. They were frozen in place, and separated into two columns while their sovereign was few distance up front. Though the knights were slightly bowed, their leader was standing tall with his chin up high. He was very intimidating.  

     I had so many questions, who were they? Who was Saint Christopher? Did the man know that red wasn’t his color? But I had to shut my mouth, or my curiosity would lead me into trouble, again.

     Mother Renata halted as the man on the red robe started walking towards her. His every step echoed as he used his staff to guide him forward. When he finally stood beside her, Mother Renata did not flinch, even a bit. He was bigger and taller, but it seemed that he was not intimidating enough to scare the mother of the convent.

     “Do you want to say something, father?” Mother Renata asked. She partly moved aside to welcome him.

     “If I may, Mother Renata.” But he already walked across her as if he didn’t need her permission.

      “Our dearest sisters, we our truly in depth to you for welcoming us in your humble home. Saint Christopher was a friend of your Saint Agatha, and that makes us brothers and sisters to one another.”

     “We hope to help your convent as it is the sole mission of the sons of Saint Christopher… helping those who are destitute, ailing, and lost.” he continued.

   

Did he just said our convent was lost? I was preventing myself from being impertinent, when Mother Renata calmly raised her voice.

     “We appreciate your help, Father, but no one in this convent is destitute, ailing, or lost.” She genuinely looked at him.

     But his eyes ablaze as he turned to her, “Oh, we don’t mean to offend but for how long?”.

    “I assure you that will never happen, but you are still welcome to stay in our home. Like you said, we are basically family… And we take care of family.”

     “We deeply appreciate that, mother.” He never once smiled as he walked back his place.

     Mother Renata continued her deliverance as if nothing happened. But I had an eye for atypical so even from afar, I noticed that her sleeves were trembling. Was she actually scared the whole time? Was she just putting a face?

     The afternoon that day, I was back at the stable to continue my chores. I could not stop thinking about what happened that I almost forked myself. I had to stop, or I would completely mutilate my body.

     There were lots of scattered bundles of straw in the stable so I sat on one of them. My rear sunk, and the horses kept complaining, but I was drowning on my own whys to even care.

     And then everything went pitch black. I could sense a cloth over my head. I tried peeling it, but there was not enough air inside that I forgot to put force on my fingers. I panicked for the thought of the robe-wearing cult starting to cleanse the convent of its bad seeds scared me. I am definitely the bad seed.

     When the cloth loosened a bit, I sneakily roamed my hand to get ahold of the fork on the ground. Got it. I stood, and repeatedly slashed my weapon around, hoping it would hit my captor. First rule of kidnapping, always make sure that there is no any type of weapon within your victim’s grasps.

     “Stop, stop, stop. For the love of Saint Agatha, Tilly, stop.” Someone loudly demanded.

     I halted for I knew what was happening. I freed myself of the cloth, and glared at my amateur abductors. I sighed as the thought of the cult cleared out.

     I reminded myself that it was just the girls messing around, so I tugged a smile, “That… was actually good, but you forgot to toss this.” I kept patting the fork on my palm, I felt a sting so I stopped, and threw it aside. 

   “You have to take away anything that can be a weapon for your victim.” I continued, crossing my arms.

   

“Seriously? You almost killed us with your magic fork, psycho.” The tall girl said, laughing as she walked closer.

     “But I didn’t, and it’s your fault for jumping on me on broad daylight, unprepared.” I pointed, and then a caramel-skinned girl approached us, and said, “I told you it won’t work.” 

     “It almost did and it was one of the best tricks we had. Did we startle you?” The tall girl asked, her eyes pleading for a yes. “Did we?” The other girl added.

     “Maybe.”  More than maybe. I grinned as they slapped hands for the recognition.

     A soft giggle caught my attention as a little girl jumped out from behind a tower of straws. She wore a dress identical to mine, they all were, but she wore a flower crown on top of her wimple. She ran with her arms opened, and I extended mine as she moved closer. I could smell lilac, freesia, and honeysuckle, her favorite, as we tightly embraced. 

     “How are you my little peanut?” I asked as I carried her.

     Her hands danced that translated to, I am fine. She again giggled as I gently poked her nose with mine. A motion we always shared to show our affection.

     I made this for you. She signed, and then she placed the crown on top of my head.

     “Oh, thank you, princess, but this crown suits you most.” She laughed as I disguised my voice with a princely tone.

     Can I feed the horses? She gestured.

     “Of course, peanut.”

     The little girl ran towards them as I placed her down. She clasped a mouthful of straw on both of her hands, and started feeding Rufus. She waved blissfully at the other girls to join her, and so they did.

     When she noticed that I was only watching them, she led me to the stalls, and she gestured, come on Tilly.

     I grab a lot of straw. But instead of putting it in the mouth of the horses, I showered it over their heads. They were all startled. I ran as fast as I could, away from them, but they chased me with haste. I did not notice who, but someone tackled me, and we all laughed as they buried me on straws.   

     I was completely embedded, but I still heard the moving carriages outdoor, are they leaving?

     But to my surprise, it was the opposite. “There are more coming.” Someone said.

     I rushed to the door. Even from afar, I could still see the set of newly arrived carriages and there were twenty more men. If this continued, there would be more of them than us in no time. Is this how they would claim us? By number then by force?

     I hurried to conceal us from the outside. The door of the stable was thrice the size of a regular aperture, so it took the four of us to fully close it. Even the little one strived.

     All of us were catching our breaths, when I noticed that the little girl was shaking violently, and I felt that I was too, so I wrapped my arms around her, to comfort her and to hide mine.

     “It’s okay, it’s okay, they won’t hurt us. I promise.” I caressed her back.

     “Why are they here Tilly?” The tall girl asked.

I don’t know.

     “Are they really going to live in our convent?” the caramel-skinned girl turned at me. I don’t know. I was just clueless and scared as they were.

     Those people were the outsiders, the trespasser, and this was our home. If anyone should be cowering it should be them, but why am I shaking? Why am I bothered? My eyes wondered around my sisters. They were afraid too, and the least I could do for them was to pretend that I was not. 

     I knelt in front of the little girl, Edith. Do not be afraid, I am here to protect you, I signed. I knew that Agnes, the tall girl, and Fatma, the caramel-skinned girl, comprehended it as they stood beside me, clinging to one another. Fear and worry left their faces. I knew that they sincerely believed me for I did too.