Father Ronaldo preached to the villagers who passed by in front of the church. Sister Lupe watched in silence. She was in awe at the level of piety Father Ronaldo displayed. It was hard to imagine that this was the same man who made love to her in the alleyway all those weeks ago. The way his fingers touched every inch of her body. Holding her down as he thrusted himself into her. She felt a gnawing pain grow between her legs. She wanted him again.

The thought of Father Ronaldo holding her down and taking what he wants aroused her. It was like a young man on the night of his wedding taking his virgin wife to bed and becoming consumed by lust. It was all she ever wanted and more.

A small crowd began to form. At its height fifteen people have come together to hear Father Ronaldo's speech.

"Everyone! I am here to bring you the good word. Our Goddess has revealed to us the signs of the end times. It is with a heavy heart but one filled with hope, that I say to you that that day is near! Many years ago our prophet Gonzalo, peace be upon him, was given a vision. A vision of a woman who was split into what we now know as our world. A woman who was so filled with love for the life she carried that she used her body to create the world. Gave up her consciousness to give us individuality." Said Father Ronaldo.

He turned to Sister Lupe for a moment. Their eyes met. She felt her heart skip. The pain between her legs intensified to where she can feel the wetness beginning to leak. She brushed off all further thoughts that could excite her. They were on duty. She nodded and he smiled. A sign that he was doing good work.

"You see, our prophet saw the creation of us! But he also saw the end. And he wrote down his testament for those that would open their hearts and believe."

There was murmuring amongst the crowd. The smile on Sister Lupe fell as the crowd began to lose disinterest. She felt a wave of sadness and shame. Here they were preaching the truth for all to hear and they chose to ignore it. It was baffling. Sister Lupe looked at Father Ronaldo, expecting to see a similar expression that she had. But to her surprise Father Ronaldo was not saddened by the flock's refusal to listen. His face turned red and he was ready to explode.

"Prophet Gonzalo in his latter days mentioned the coming of a boy with the power of the rainbow." Father Ronaldo shouted.

The crowd remained frozen in place. Father Ronaldo's words have caught their ears.

"This boy, this zapojin, will be the death of us all. Fathers will kill sons, sons will kill fathers. What was once good will be bad. This was all written by our prophet hundreds of years ago to warn us of the incoming doom. Do not go looking for riches by looking for the zapojin. Instead give yourself to our Goddess Toderauno. For if you believe and serve you will gain wealth and majesty in the next life."

Many nodded to Father Ronaldo's words. Many others refused to listen any further. Choosing to leave and continue their manhunt for the boy. Sister Lupe was happy to welcome her new brothers and sisters to the flock. She prayed and hugged many of them. The feeling of glee and love overtook her and she began to tear up. Then in the corner of her eye she noticed the look on Father Ronaldo.

It was like a demon had manifested itself into the handsome man. His face was twirled in a snarl as he looked at those that ignored his message. Sister Lupe for the first time in her life felt afraid of the man she loved since childhood.

"Infidels. All of you who turn away from prophet Gonzalo's message, peace be upon him. May the goddess have mercy on your souls as you have your scalps cut off and your bodies burned!"

The crowd that rejected Father Ronaldo's message turned towards the father. They were aroused by Ronaldo's words.

"What did you say?" Said one of the citizens.

"He said we're going to have our scalps ripped from us and burned. Who the hell does he think he is?" Said another citizen.

Their frustration soon turned to anger. A few of the citizens grabbed rocks from the ground.

"You will all burn if you don't accept our goddess Toderauno."

"Tell us father, will your goddess save you from this?" Said one of the citizens as he threw a rock at Father Ronaldo grazing him on the cheek.

Soon more and more began throwing rocks at the priest. It was like a shower of rocks raining down at him. When one rock missed its target there were two more to take its place. The father ran from the crowd. Sister Lupe tried to make her way towards him but the crowd was too thick to move through them. They chased after him leaving Sister Lupe alone with the new converts.

Her heart was filled with grief and worry for her lover. He wouldn't be the first preacher they would stone. Many up-start beliefs would be preached through the lower districts. None of them achieved the level of success that the church of Toderauno achieved. Sister Lupe knew why. It was because those other religions and their messengers were not of the true faith. They did not preach of the goddess or her infinite mercy. They were infidels and infidels were deserving of death.

Her heart sank. Her mind returned to Ronaldo and the crowd that had chased him down. She didn't know what to do. If she gave chase now she would not catch up until it was all too late and she couldn't leave the new believers all by themselves. They would think they were abandoned and feel betrayed by the church and her grace. She glanced at the closest new convert. An older man with graying side hair and the deepest brown colored eyes she's ever seen.

Stolen story; please report.

He too seemed worried for Father Ronaldo. Or perhaps it was a worry that he may have converted too hastily. That the crowd may come after them next. Sister Lupe had to be strong. For the sake of Father Ronaldo and the goddess. For father Ronaldo. If he, god forbid, were to die then it would be up to her to continue spreading the word.

She gathered all the new believers, said a prayer for their spiritual journeys, instructed them on their next steps and sent them on their way. When all was said and done she felt a little better. But her worry could only be quelled by knowing Ronaldo's fate. Maybe he got away, she thought. He knew the city just as well as anyone else. Perhaps he found a way to lose the crowd. Perhaps. Perhaps. Perhaps.

When the last of the new disciples left she noticed an old man standing a few feet away from her. Nothing about him was out of the ordinary but she felt something from the man. A strange sense of familiarity. Her curiosity peaked. As she walked up to the man a gentle wind breezed through. She was close enough to see the pupil in his eyes. All she needed was to think of what to say.

"Excuse me. Were you here for the sermon?" She asked gently.

He didn't say a word at first. His eyes seemed to stare into the distance. Then the old man let out a sigh as if disappointed. "That father is a fool sister. He's going to get himself killed one of these days."

She was taken aback. Offended almost for Father Ronaldo. But it was to be expected. The good book does say many will reject those who preach. "You judged him too hastily Don…"

The old man locked eyes with hers. The first thing she noticed were his bright caramel eyes. A strange combination with his darker skin. But then she noticed something much more curious. There was next to little of that cloudy gray in his eyes. It was like he had the eyes of a young man. He was certainly blessed indeed.

"You are young and in love. So you decide not to see." He said.

Now she was offended.

"I beg your pardon?"

The old man did not break eye contact. Instead his face seemed to say, are you really going to try and hide it? Which angered her even more.

"I am a sister of the church. We take an oath to remain chaste for the rest of our lives."

"I don't remember saying you weren't being celibate. Having feelings for someone and fucking them are two different things."

She was too shocked for words. He was right, he did not say she wasn't being celibate. Only that she had feelings. Calm down Lupe calm down she told herself. She fixed her hair before resuming the conversation.

"What do you mean I'm in love and I choose not to see?" She asked. Trying to seem calm and collected.

The old man placed his hand on his forehead. Blocking out the sun from his eyes. "I was here during the sermon. I listened to that man's words. But more importantly, I saw you. The way you looked at that man was not a look that a woman uses on just anyone." He said.

"How would a simple glance tell you if a woman is in love? I find it hard to believe that it's that simple don."

"I lived a long life, sister. I experienced much and gained enough wisdom to know that the way you looked at him shows you love him. Perhaps more." Said the old man.

Her rage continued to build up. All of his words were true but stung like needles. She tried to think of words to counter his claims. Anything but none came to mind. The truth indeed hurts, she thought.

"There's nothing wrong about loving someone, sister. But beware, that man may lead you to a road where you meet a sudden end. Do not waste the opportunity I've given you. You have the potential to do so much good." He said.

She raised a brow. "Opportunity? What opportunity?

"So quick are the young ones to forget." He chuckled. Then he locked eyes again. "It was nice seeing you again Guadalupe." He said as he began walking away.

The man's body seemed old and fragile but he walked like a much younger man. It caught her by surprise. By the time she collected herself the old man had disappeared behind a corner. A moment passed and there was the soft gentle breeze again. Even that felt familiar to her.

Ronaldo! She thought.

The whole situation with the old man faded from thought as the status of father Ronaldo was front and center in her mind. She rushed towards the direction where the crowd had chased father Ronaldo to. She ran as fast as her two legs could carry her. She took the time to look through every alley that father Ronaldo could've used to hide. When that failed she asked the passing citizens who were doing their evening shopping.

Eventually a young shop owner with dark skin pointed her towards the hilltop. A small village riddled with crime. She did not understand why father Ronaldo would take such a route. Everyone knew the hilltop area was riddled with lowlifes and thieves. Then it hit her. That was why. The reason why she was hesitant to go look for him towards the hilltop was the reason he chose it. Because many would hesitate.

Would it be worth the effort to chase a man through a den of degenerates to stone a man? Especially after a recent robbery took place in the city center? No. She took a deep breath before taking the first step towards the hilltop. It didn't take much longer shouting his name before she heard that familiar voice. Raspy and winded but it was definitely him. Ronaldo.

When she arrived he was covered in trash and rotting leftovers. Sister Lupe scanned him up and down. When she saw that he was more or less ok she couldn't stop herself from hugging him.

"Maybe I should get chased more often." He said.

"Please don't." She resisted a chuckle. "I won't come looking for you again." She said as he hugged her back. The two embraced one another and the worry she felt for him left her. Replaced with a soothing sensation of peace.

As they refused to let go of one another the words of the old man echoed in sister Lupe's head. She shook her head. Refusing to believe this man would bring her harm. For his embrace brought her peace. Then the soft gentle breeze left. And the two clergymen were left alone.