Chapter Five

Collins’ POV

“ Take this, all of you, and drink of it, for this is my body which will be given up for you”, Nuel said during the mass, and as he raised the circular wafer; or host as we usually called it, the bell was rang: a way of announcing to the people that Christ was descending upon the gifts in spirit.

He placed it back in the altar, covering it with a purificator before genuflecting before it.

“ And on the night he was betrayed”, he continued as I stared at him, wondering if the man I was staring at was really the Nuel I had sex with just yesterday, “ he took the chalice, and giving thanks, he gave it to his disciples saying, take this, all of you, and drink of it, for this is the chalice of my blood, the blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in remembrance of me”, he said, and as he raised the chalice, the storm outside increased, causing a faint lightning that was followed up by a roaring thunder.

The bell was allowed to stop, not unless the celebrating priest brought down the sacred specie, and so the bell went on ringing for like a minute since Nuel seemed to have been struck with paralysis while raising the chalice.

I could've bet that everyone was questioning why the chalice was still elevated, and even the stares from people made that obvious.

He seemed to snap out of whatever it was that was wrong with him; his temporary paralysis or whatever, finally bringing down the chalice and genuflecting.

“ The mystery of faith”, he said and we all responded to it as the mass went on as usual.

“ Praise be to Jesus”, father Cyprian said to the congregation after the distribution of the Holy Communion.

“ Both now and forever”, everyone responded, smiling.

“ I wouldn't like to waste much of our time so I'll go straight to hitting the hammer right on the nail”, he said as little murmurs arose from the congregation.

Nuel was sitting at the sedelia in all his glory, watching everything that was unfolding.

But then, who even said that he was Nuel? I mean, people do have doppelgangers. This new priest must probably be Nuel's doppelganger, not Nuel. Yes, that made more sense.

Actually, it didn't. I was trying to find a way to tell myself that what was happening wasn't actually true.

“ We all know that the diocese”, father Cyprian continued, “ reposted every one of their priests just last week, and to that effect, together with the fact that I need to retire and take things slowly”, everyone started laughing at how he had mimicked s possible old woman, “ father Emmanuel here, was sent to become the . new parish priest. Hence, he is now your full time parish priest. A round of applause for him please”, father Cyprian said, and the congregation cheered in happiness for him.

He stood up to address them, smiling from one ear to the other, “ praise be to our Lord Jesus Christ”, he said.

“ Both now and forever”, the congregation responded, still smiling like teenage girls that were being fingered in the pussy.

“ My name is father Emmanuel Mcman. I have been posted to this parish community as part of my apostolate, making it that this parish community has now become my family”, the people cheered are how heartwarming and eloquent he was. “ I know that with God on our side, that we will definitely bring the good news we possess to the whole world. I look forward to working with you”, he said and the people cheered again.

After we dismissed the mass, he and father Cyprian stood at the door way, greeting people as they went home.

I was still very confused. Nuel was a priest? He never mentioned it to me all along, and he allowed me to get intimate with him when he knew too well that he was a priest. What the fuck?

I quickly went home after the mass, not wanting to cross paths with him or anything. Mom had made pasta, and by the time I got to the house, all that remained were scrape offs from the bottom of the pot. That was what you get for having four siblings who didn't care so much about going to church. Before you get back from church, they've already eaten to their full, leaving the rejected part of the food for you.

Not that my siblings were atheists or anything. They believe in God, just that they weren't the type who found it super important to always attend mass.

I had no choice but to settle for what I had, and after taking my siesta and doing some things, I got a text from Nuel as I was about to go for evening prayer.

“ We need to talk”, his text read.

Damn right about needing to talk.