Natalya Vasilyev had never felt particularly lucky. A cloud of misfortune seemed to hang over her since birth. She was born under the reign of the Soviet Republic during the same year that Joseph Stalin died. Her parents had wanted a boy and their disappointment in having a girl set the standard by which they treated Natalya for the time she was in their care.
Her father was a wealthy and well-regarded member of the Communist Party, having come of age during the Bolshevik Revolution and proclaimed himself a proud Leninist. Her mother played the role of the dutiful housewife, coming from a family that was also connected to the Communist Party. They had hoped to birth a boy who would serve under the banner of the USSR and make the family proud. Instead, after multiple failed attempts, the Vasilyevs gave birth to only one child.
They were deeply suspicious people and Natalya’s birth, coming just a few months after the death of Chairman Stalin, led to the child being considered a bad omen. Her father was convinced that had the baby been born while Stalin lived, it would have been a boy. Her mother never pushed back on the idea and so that cloud of misfortune formed and dimmed the view of their daughter.
From the moment of her birth, the Vasilyevs distanced themselves from their only child. They hired a nanny to watch after Natalya both day and night and began consulting with other party members on boarding schools to send her to once she came of age.
The only family members who took any interest in the girl were her grandparents. Natalya’s grandmother had been the one to suggest the name Natalya, meaning Christmas or return of Christ. She was a strict Orthodox Christian and brought Natalya with her to church ever since she was old enough to bottle feed. Her grandfather could be considered agnostic but he deferred to his wife on matters of religion. He dutifully attended service every Sunday with his wife and their grandchild though he did not adhere to the tenants of the faith like his wife did. His attendance was more political than it was religious as the USSR under Stalin had sought to use the church to rally support for the Russian government during the second World War. The party faithful could often be found in the same pews and Natalya’s grandfather never missed an opportunity to network for both himself and his son.
When Natalya was five years old, Nikita Khruschev forced the closure of thousands of Orthodox churches and the Vasilyevs promptly discontinued their attendance in deference to the Chairman of the Soviet Union. Natalya’s grandmother agonized over the inability to continue raising her granddaughter with the guidance of the Church and she called a family dinner to discuss her plans for Natalya.
“I want Natalya to go to a convent,” the old woman stated as the family sat around the long wooden table, food laid out across it. A fire roared behind the chair of Natalya’s father, warming the room. He looked at his mother with an unreadable stare. Above him hung a portrait of Joseph Stalin.
“There is one in Estonia, in Puhtitsa. They have not offended the Party,” she said.
“Chairman Khruschev is no friend of the Orthodox Church,” Natalya’s father said.
“But he is no enemy of this convent, son,” His mother countered.
There was a long silence, the crackle of the fire being the only noise in the room.
“They will take her?” the father asked, handing his plate to his wife to fill with food.
“Yes, I have been in contact with the Archbishop through mail. They have indicated they will take in the child.”
Natalya’s father looked to his wife who gave him a slight nod before dropping eye contact and focusing on piling food onto his plate. He thought in silence for a moment more before looking back to his mother,
“You will be responsible for the transport of the child,” he said. Natalya’s grandmother agreed with a smile.
By the end of the week, Natalya’s belongings had been gathered and her grandmother took her hand and they left the house. They were driven by the family’s chauffeur to the train station where they boarded and embarked for Estonia. Another driver picked up Natalya from the train station and drove her to the convent. Her grandmother did not say a single word the entire ride and only hugged her granddaughter upon their parting. Natalya, at only eight years old, did not understand that she would not be returning home.
The driver pulled up to the convent in Puhtitsa and he opened the door for the young girl sitting in the backseat. She smiled at him and stepped out of the car as he opened the trunk and began to gather her things.
“Hello dear Natalya, I am Sister Kadri, welcome to the convent.” A woman greeted the child. She had a kind face and she knelt down to be eye level with the young girl. Natalya smiled at her,
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Sister Kadri,” she said and curtsied as she had been taught to do by her nanny.
“You are well spoken, child. It is a pleasure to have you join us. Come, I will show you your living quarters. Brother Aigar will bring your belongings in and I will have a habit made for you to wear.”
Sister Kadri stood up and held out her hand. Natalya took it and walked along with the nun as she was shown around the small convent. There were no other children but Natalya had become used to being alone. The other adults at the convent seemed enthusiastic and inviting and Natalya felt a feeling she hadn’t felt before. It would be years before she realized that the feeling was belonging.
Within her first week, Natalya had taken to the convent as if she had lived there her entire life. She was enraptured with the teachings of Sister Kadri and reveled in the chores that were assigned to her. Whereas most children would grumble about stacking firewood or washing clothes, Natalya took to each task with a sense of wonderment. She approached the bible studies and etiquette classes with the same enthusiasm. The adults in the convent were quickly taken with the child and, when her parents did not return for her during the holidays, they decided to formally induct her. She would no longer be the child in their care but rather Sister Natalya, member of the Puhtitsa Convent.
For five years, Natalya lived at the convent without incident. One of the nuns, Sister Kidra, grew close with the child and would take the girl with her as she did her chores. When Natalya was nine years old, a black ram wandered into the farmhouse and took up residence. Sister Kadri and Natalya had encountered it on an early June morning when they went together to feed the livestock. The morning had been uncharacteristically cold and the dew had turned to frost on the grass. Sister Kadri noticed that the livestock did not greet her and Sister Natalya as they approached the farmhouse, carrying bales of hay and bags of grain in a wheelbarrow. She had initially chalked it up to the cold. As she pushed open the doors to the barn, she felt a sense of unease and noticed Natalya tense up as well. The child grabbed her hand and they walked in together. Sister Kadri noticed the sheep huddled together in the corner of their pen and the cows had backed themselves against the furthest walls of their enclosures. In the middle of the barn lay the black ram. Its fur was as dark as pitch and on its head sat thick curled horns the color of ash. It stood up when Natalya entered the barn and looked at the Sisters with its yellow eyes. A deep bleat erupted from its mouth and Natalya flinched, hiding behind Sister Kadri.
Sister Kadri stared at the ram and the ram met her gaze, locking onto her with its square pupils. It let out another bleat and then lowered its head. Sister Kadri pushed the wheelbarrow in front of her and Natalya before opening the barn door and stepping back into the outdoors, pushing Natalya out first. The ram hit the wheelbarrow, tossing it aside and charged again as Sister Kadri slammed the door shut and fastened the padlock. The door shook as the ram’s horns made contact but it held firm.
“Sister Natalya, please go get Brother Aigar,” Sister Kadri said,
“Are you coming with me?” Natalya asked and Sister Kadri shook her head,
“No, you know the convent and I will make sure this door holds,” she replied. Natalya nodded and ran towards the main building to find Brother Aigar. She found him in the mess hall, seated with some of the other priests.
“Brother Aigar, Sister Kadri and I need help at the barn. There’s an odd ram in there.” Natalya said breathlessly. Brother Aigar looked at her quizzically,
“A strange ram?” he asked. Natalya nodded and gulped in a deep breath,
“It’s all black and it charged at us when we went in to feed the other animals. Sister Kadri is keeping watch over the door to make sure it doesn’t escape.”
“Ok my child, let’s go.”
Brother Aigar stood up from the table and walked ahead towards the barn with Natalya following behind him. As they exited the convent, they heard a loud crashing sound and Sister Kidra scream. Brother Aigar broke into a sprint and Natalya rushed to keep up with him. They found Sister Kidra on the ground with the barn door pinning her down. The hinges were hanging uselessly and wood splinters covered the ground. The ram was gone and the sheep and cattle were in an uproar.
“Help me, Sister Natalya,” Brother Aigar said, grabbing the top half of the door and lifting. Natalya grabbed another part of the door and pushed up as hard as she could. Together they lifted the door just enough that Sister Kidra was able to move out from under the heavy slab of wood. Natalya and Brother Aigar dropped the door and Brother Aigar crouched down beside Sister Kidra.
“The ram burst through the door,” Sister Kidra said. She winced while trying to sit up before easing herself back onto the ground.
“I think something is broken,” she groaned.
“Sister Natalya, wait here with Sister Kidra and I will go get help to bring her inside,” Brother Aigar instructed before standing up and running back to the convent.
Natalya held Sister Kidra’s hand. The horrible bleating of the ram came from the treeline and both Sister Kidra and Natalya directed their attention towards it. The ram stood there, pawing at the ground with its head down. It then began to gallop towards Kidra and Natalya.
“Natalya, go!” Sister Kidra yelled, wincing again as shooting pain erupted from her side.
“I’m not leaving you!” Natalya cried, trying to pull up from the ground.
The ram was getting closer and its bleating now sounded like a growl, deep and unnatural. Sister Kidra sat up and then pushed Natalya back with all the strength she could muster.
The girl flew backwards and landed on the hard ground inside the barn. She gasped for air as her breath was forced from her lungs on impact. She stared at the ceiling of the barn as her vision swam.
“Kidra!”
She could hear Brother Aigar yelling Sister Kidra’s name but everything sounded far away. Her head hurt and she wanted to just close her eyes. A shadow crossed over her as she started to drift off. She looked back up and saw the ram standing over her, its yellow eyes locked onto hers. She felt her heart beat faster. The ram leaned down, its chin hair brushing against her neck and its thick horns pressing into her forehead. She tried to scream but no sound came from her throat.
Soon child
Natalya’s eyes widened. She could have sworn that the ram had just spoken to her but she hadn’t seen its mouth move. The ram reared back its head and suddenly a rope was around its neck. The noise that came from the animal was unlike Natalya had ever heard before. It shrieked with a level of fury that was almost human. Natalya scrambled backwards from under the goat and watched as it was pulled out of the barn by Brother Aigar. Behind him she could see two nuns carrying Sister Kidra to the main hall. Her eyes were wide as she watched Brother Aigar struggle with the ram before he eventually wrestled it to the ground and tied its legs with the rope. The animal continued to thrash and flail against its restraints but eventually it became tired and went silent, lying on the ground and breathing heavily.
Natalya stood up and brushed the dirt from her clothes. She walked out of the barn and approached Brother Aigar who was staring down at the mysterious black ram. The sun had begun to rise and the sky was painted in hues of orange and yellow. The ram’s dark fur seemed to absorb the light. Its fur was darker than any goat or animal that Natalya had ever seen and she felt a mix of curiosity and fear as she looked down at the beast.
“Are you alright, Sister Natalya?” Brother Aigar asked.
“Yes, I am fine. Thank you, Brother Aigar,” Natalya responded, still staring at the ram. She looked back at Brother Aigar, “Is Sister Kidra going to be okay?”
“Yes, she is being seen by Sister Maria and we will get her to a hospital. The ram seemed to be after you. It ran into the barn when Sister Kidra pushed you back.” Brother Aigar replied.
Natalya looked back at the ram again and wondered why the strange beast was after her. She thought about how it had seemed to speak to her. She looked back at Brother Aigar and considered telling him about what she had heard, but she decided against it. He wouldn’t believe her anyway.
“You should go see Sister Maria as well, Sister Natalya. I will handle this.” Brother Aigar said, gently pushing Natalya away from the ram.
She walked towards the main hall, looking back over her shoulder one last time at the ram. It was looking back at her. She froze and the two stared at each other. She felt her heart begin to pound again. Then the ram’s lips peeled back from its teeth in an expression that could almost be described as a smile. The two rows of white squares glinted in the sunlight over the reddish pink gums, starkly contrasting the dark fur of the animal. It was an unsettling image and Natalya broke eye contact and began to walk quickly towards the main hall.
Soon child.
Sister Maria held the door into the main hall for Natalya, looking over the girl as she walked in.
“You’re walking well so no broken bones. Pull back your sleeves, Sister Natalya,” Sister Maria ordered. Natalya rolled back the sleeves of her habit and showed her arms to Sister Maria. The nun gently held Natalya’s wrists and examined the girl’s arms for any bruises or signs of sprain. She firmly pressed down the length of Natalya’s forearm and watched for any indication of pain in her face. Once she was satisfied that there were no injuries on the girl’s arms, she had Natalya turn around and held a stethoscope between her shoulder blades to listen to her breathing.
“Are you in any pain, Sister Natalya?” she asked. Natalya shook her head and Sister Maria smiled,
“Oh the resilience of children. Very well. Sister Kidra has been taken to the hospital but she should recover soon. Do not worry, child. Would you like to take the rest of today to spend in prayer and meditation or shall we proceed to our bible study?”
“I would like to do our bible study today please, Sister Maria,” Natalya replied. Sister Maria smiled warmly and patted Natalya’s shoulder tenderly,
“You are a truly remarkable girl, Sister Natalya.”
The pair departed to one of the smaller rooms and Sister Maria began to read from the book of Samuel. Natalya diligently took notes and listened as Sister Maria read through the recounting of the battles between the Philistines and the Israelis, the power struggles between Samuel, Saul, and David, and the well known story of David and Goliath. There was one part that Natalya took particular interest in.
Towards the end of the first book of Samuel, there is a recounting of Saul and the Witch of Endor. Saul had become anxious about the upcoming battle with the Philistines who now had David in their ranks but he found himself unable to receive guidance from the Lord. He had driven out all the witches and practitioners of magic but there remained one in Endor. Saul sought out the witch and promised to spare her. In return, she summoned the spirit of Samuel who foretold the Philistines’ victory and the death of Saul and his sons. The spirit’s prophecy would be fulfilled thus ending the first book of Samuel.
Natalya raised her hand as Sister Maria finished reading that passage. Sister Maria, having grown used to the inquiring mind of the child, slid a slip of paper between the pages and shut the Bible, setting it to the side.
“Yes, Sister Natalya?”
“Witches are real?” Natalya asked. Sister Maria sighed and looked at the girl. Natalya was young but she was perceptive and highly intelligent. Maria knew that there was no use shielding the child from the truth, especially after her encounter that morning.
“Yes, they are. And demons too,” Sister Maria replied. Natalya’s eyes widened and she scribbled something down in her notebook.
“And they have powers? Like the one who brought back Samuel from the dead?”
“She didn’t bring back Samuel from the dead, she summoned his spirit. Samuel was still dead.” Sister Maria corrected Natalya. “But yes, they have powers. Powers that are drawn from Hell. Which is why we must remain vigilant in our faith.”
“How do we know if someone is a witch?” Natalya asked.
“Those of us who are attuned to the divine should be able to tell. Do you know that feeling when you can sense someone looking at you even though you don’t see them doing it?” Sister Maria asked the child though she herself was uncertain of her answer.
“Ohhh, but how do you know if you’re in tune with the divine?”
Sister Maria gently chuckled at Natalya’s misunderstanding of the word ‘attune.’
“Attuned, not in tune. Though you’re close. Attuned means connected with. There are levels of connection. We seek connection through prayer and having our prayer answered but you will learn that there are deeper connections. Mother Mary was attuned to the divine in that they directly spoke with her and she gave birth to our Savior. Many of the saints were connected with the divine in that they could directly commune with the Lord. Some, like John the Baptist, could even perform miracles.” Sister Maria said. She watched Natalya diligently take notes and smiled.
“Are there people who are witches but don’t get their powers from Hell?” Natalya asked.
“Well like I said, some of the saints could perform miracles. I think that is comparable.”
“How does a saint know they can do that?”
Sister Maria thought for a moment. Natalya’s questions carried the wonder of a child but also the astuteness of a scholar. They were simple but the questions went straight to the heart of the philosophy of their faith.
“I don’t know, my child. I would think that the Lord would give them some sort of sign, whether that be a feeling or through direct communication, but I cannot say for certain.” She replied after a few minutes. Natalya nodded and scribbled down some more notes. “I think that concludes our bible study for today. Shall we walk together to the chapel and pray?” Sister Maria asked as she stood up from her chair. Natalya stood as well and she tucked her notebook into her satchel.
As she prayed at the altar in the chapel, Natalya thought over her lesson with Sister Maria. She prayed for understanding and connection with the divine. For a brief moment, she felt a strange tingling in her palms. The feeling radiated to her fingertips and stopped when she separated her hands and opened her eyes. She inspected her palms and saw nothing out of the ordinary. She glanced over at Sister Maria who still had her head bowed in prayer and her eyes shut. Natalya bowed her head again and pressed her palms together once more, fingertips pointed to the ceiling.
Brother Aigar died that night. He was found by Brother Jaakob when he didn’t make it to the mess hall for breakfast. The coroner had come and collected his body as the other members of the convent watched silently. Natalya watched as the body covered in the white sheet was rolled into the back of a black hearse. She used the sleeves of the habit to dry her eyes and Sister Maria pulled her close, wrapping her arm around Natalya’s shoulders.
“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.”
Natalya listened as Brother Ivan read from First Thessalonians at the wake of Brother Aigar two weeks after his passing. Every member of the convent had gathered in the chapel except for Sister Kidra who was still at the hospital.
The coroner’s autopsy reported a blood clot had moved to Brother Aigar’s heart causing a heart attack. There was internal damage to a blood vessel which caused the clot in Brother Aigar’s chest. It likely happened during his struggle with the black ram.
Sister Maria broke the news gently to Natalya the day the report came in. She stressed that Natalya did not cause Brother Aigar’s death and that it was a circumstance out of anyone’s control. Natalya cried so hard her sides ached. Sister Maria held her close for hours, fighting back her own tears.
“Why did you tell her that?” Sister Kidra asked.
Sister Maria sat in the chair beside Sister Kidra’s hospital bed. She looked at Kidra, sitting up in the hospital bed with bandages wrapped around her torso. Kidra’s hair was knotted and tangled as if it hadn’t been washed for days. Dressed in only a hospital robe, she looked fragile and small.
“The child is special, Kidra,” Sister Maria said and Kidra winced as she straightened up and turned her body to fully face Maria.
“It’s only a broken rib, I’ll heal.” Kidra said in response to Maria’s look of concern. “But what do you mean special?”
“There is documentation within the Church and from other churches, including the Vatican, that tell of the coming times of tribulation. There are said to be people who bear the power of the divine like the saints of old who will resist the powers of Hell.” Sister Maria began.
“You mean the Virtuous Ones? You think Natalya is one of them?” Sister Kidra asked incredulously. Maria shrugged and shook her head,
“I don’t know, Kidra. But she has a certain quality to her that borders on divinity. And how can the events of the last few weeks be explained? Our convent has always been quiet. We have never been under such duress as we are now. Even when Khruschev came after our faith we endured. But that beast, Kidra? There is no rational explanation for it.”
Sister Kidra was silent. She knew that Sister Maria was right, that the events that were unfolding at the convent were inexplicable and sudden.
“What did Brother Aigar do with it?” she asked.
“It got away. When he was trying to move it, it headbutted him squarely in the chest and he let go of the rope. The beast was able to shake itself free while Brother Aigar tried to catch his breath,” Sister Maria responded. Kidra’s face fell as she realized what Maria just said,
“That was the moment that led to his death.” she whispered.
“Yes.”
Silence fell over the room, punctuated only by the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor keeping track of Kidra’s pulse. Sister Maria stood up and walked over to Sister Kidra to give her a gentle hug farewell.
“I will be back unless you get to the convent before I can make it back,” Maria said with a sympathetic smile.
“Let us pray that this is your last trip here, Sister Maria,” Kidra responded. The two joined hands and uttered a quick prayer for healing. Then Sister Maria left for the train to return to the convent.
Sister Kidra was discharged from the hospital the following week and she returned to the convent in good spirits. Sister Maria organized a small homecoming party and the mess hall was filled with light and music that night as the members of the convent sang praises and gave their thanks for the return of their Sister.
Natalya celebrated with the others in the convent though she felt a pang of guilt every time she saw Sister Kidra wince and grab her side. Underneath the joy in the mess hall, she sensed the current of sadness. They had welcomed home Sister Kidra but Brother Aigar would never return. The room contained an emptiness that could not be filled despite the lively music and laughter. Natalya felt that emptiness within her too. She quietly slipped out of the mess hall and stood outside, looking up at the stars.
It was a warm, clear night and the stars shone brightly. Natalya’s birthday was approaching as the summer came to its end. She would soon be eleven, coming up on her teenage years. She sat on the grass and stared at the stars taken with their beauty. Her mind wandered as she gazed into the sky. She reflected on the loss of Brother Aigar, the return of Sister Kidra, and her lessons with Sister Maria. She breathed in the fresh summer air and let it fill her lungs. She began to exhale and then something caught her eye.
Standing at the treeline was a man. He was dressed in a dark red suit and he held a lit cigarette in his hand. He took a drag and then tossed it to the ground, squashing its flame with the tip of his shoe. Natalya watched him with curiosity and then she felt her heart skip a beat as the black ram walked into view and stood next to the man. Natalya stood up and watched the pair. The man waved and then turned around, walking back into the forest. The ram lingered for a moment longer but then turned and followed the man.
“Sister Natalya, are you alright?” a voice called from behind her. Natalya turned and saw Sister Kidra standing there with a look of concern on her face. Natalya hesitated as competing thoughts ran through her mind. She wanted to keep Sister Kidra safe and telling her the ram was still at the convent could keep her from doing anything that put her in danger. However, if Sister Kidra decided to put Natalya’s safety over her own as Natalya expected she might, telling Sister Kidra about the ram would put her in danger.
“Yes, I’m just tired,” Natalya responded with a forced smile. Sister Kidra walked over to her and grabbed her hand. Natalya looked up at Sister Kidra and saw the tears in her eyes,
“I know how you feel. I’ll walk you to the living quarters,” Sister Kidra said. There was an unspoken understanding between the two of them. Natalya knew Sister Kidra felt the absence of Brother Aigar as strongly as she did. Maybe the same level of guilt too.
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The pair walked hand in hand to the living quarters and said good night before parting. Sister Kidra went down the hall to her room and Natalya pushed open the door to her own. She settled into bed and said a prayer, asking for both forgiveness and peace. She turned off the lamp, plunging the room into darkness, and laid her head on her pillow. She fell into an uneasy sleep.
The air reeked of smoke and Natalya could see seven meteors landing simultaneously across the world. She recognized some of the locations; the White House, Wall Street, the Holy City, the Burj Khalifa, the Kremlin, but others she did not. She saw palm trees aflame over roiling seas and massive skyscrapers that reached for the sky like metal fingers cut down to the ground.
Her viewpoint shifted. She was now standing in front of the Kremlin, staring up at the imposing building. It was impossible to tell if the gray flecks falling from the sky were snow or ash. The doors to the building swung open and out walked the man in the red suit. He walked with a swagger and a lit cigarette in his hand. Despite the dim sky, he wore a pair of dark sunglasses, obscuring his eyes. There was a smirk on his face as he took a drag. Beside him was the black ram and behind him were two shadowy silhouettes. The ram charged at Natalya and she fell backwards.
The ground swallowed her in, pulling her into darkness. The gray skies disappeared into tall rectangular windows overlooking a city street. Stars shone above and the moon cast a single beam across the marble floors. A girl sat on them staring at something ahead of her. Natalya could hear a voice but she did not understand the words. She turned around, following the girl’s line of vision. A man in a green suit sat perched on the corner of a wooden desk. He had dark eyes with no pupil and a fox-like grin, devious and tempting. He raised an eyebrow and looked directly at Natalya. She took a step back and fell through the floor once more.
Now she found herself inside a church but it felt different. The holy ground had been defiled and she saw a pool of blood underneath the pews. At the altar stood a woman in purple robes with a look of pure hatred on her face. She lifted her arm and pointed directly at Natalya. Two shadows descended on either side of her and Natalya felt them pulling her limbs in different directions. There was a burst of golden light and now Natalya was lying on warm sands.
She heard the gentle lapping of waves at the shore and the calls of seagulls. At one end of the beach she saw the outline of two people walking hand in hand and at the other she saw a woman in a regal gown with dried flowers forming a crown on her head. All around her were shadowy servants, their forms melding together into one mass in the distance making it impossible for Natalya to determine the number of them. She watched one break away and sprint at the couple at the other end of the beach. She tried to scream but no sound came from her throat. She watched one half of the couple get pulled away by the shadow. As Natalya started to run towards them, a wave crashed over her and pulled her into the depths.
She found herself in a tall building looking down at fire and smoke below. There was a growl from beside her and she turned to see a man in a gold suit with a black hound beside him. Both the man and his dog were looking down at something on the street. She followed their line of sight and saw a girl walking towards the building. Natalya stepped forward and pounded on the glass to try and get the girl’s attention. The glass shattered beneath her fist and she fell, hurtling towards the ground below.
She landed on a table piled high with food. At the head of it sat a grotesque man with a large mouth and an even larger stomach that protruded from beneath his shirt. He was gorging himself on some sort of meat. His shirt was stained with various sauces and grease. He took a bite and pulled back on the sinewy meat, snapping the tendon from the bone. He belched louder and threw the half eaten food to the ground. He slammed his fists on the table and bellowed. Natalya rolled off the table and found herself falling again.
Now she was on a light blue couch in an office that was vaguely familiar but she couldn’t place it. Behind an imposing desk sat a man in a deep blue suit with a look of amusement on his face. He was moving pieces on a chess board. He looked up at Natalya and smiled,
Not yet.
Natalya woke up with a start. She was drenched in sweat and her heart was racing. The strange warm tingling feeling was back. Yellow sunlight was beginning to peek through the blinds in her room. Natalya shakily got out of her bed and pulled one of her habits out of the dresser, changing out of her nightgown and into her daily clothes.
Sister Maria listened intently as Natalya told her about the dream she had. Sister Maria occasionally jotted notes down on a notepad. When Natalya finished recounting the strange sequence of events that had played through her mind, she looked at Sister Maria expectantly.
“You look at me as if I have the answers, Sister Natalya,” Sister Maria said. “I am sorry to disappoint you. I have only theories.”
Natalya considered what she was about to say,
“I saw the ram again last night,” she said, eliciting a gasp from Sister Maria. “And the man that was with it in my dream. He was here.” she paused, “At the convent.”
“Why didn’t you tell me last night, Natalya?” Sister Maria asked sternly, but the quaver in her voice exposed her true feelings.
“I didn’t want to worry Sister Kidra and put her in danger again.”
Sister Maria’s expression softened,
“You didn’t put her in danger the first time, child. I will handle this then to ease your concerns.” She said reassuringly. She stood up, “I need to speak with the Archbishop, please tend to your duties for the day.”
“But I…” Natalya began but Sister Maria shook her head,
“Sister Natalya, please.”
“Yes, Sister Maria” Natalya replied dejectedly.
Maria followed behind Natalya before leaving the main hall and walking to the Archbishop’s quarters. She looked behind her to ensure that Natalya had not followed before knocking on the door. Archbishop Alexey opened the door,
“Sister Maria, come in,” he said warmly, stepping to the side to allow her to enter. Maria entered and waited for the Archbishop to close the door.
“Archbishop, I believe that Sister Natalya is no longer safe in our care,” She said and the Archbishop frowned,
“Shall we sit?” He asked, pulling out a chair at the small dining table in the center of the room. Sister Maria nodded and took the seat, thanking the Archbishop. He wandered over to the gas stove and grabbed the kettle from off the range. He began filling it from the sink before placing it back on the range and grabbing a small matchbox from a drawer. He turned the knob to release gas and ignited it with a lit match, heating the kettle. He looked back at Sister Maria,
“Tea?” he asked.
“No thank you, your Holiness.” She replied. Archbishop Alexey pulled two mugs from the cupboard anyway and dropped a sachet of black tea into each as the kettle began to whistle. He poured the hot water into the mugs and passed one to Sister Maria before sitting opposite of her at the table.
“Thank you, Archbishop. As I was saying, I do not believe that Sister Natalya is safe here. The child told me today that she saw the black ram again, the same one that injured Sister Kidra and led to Brother Aigar’s passing,” Sister Maria began.
“The ram cannot harm Sister Natalya so long as we keep an eye on her. She has been relieved of her duties tending to the livestock.” He said. Sister Maria shook her head,
“Father, she had a dream,” she said. The Archbishop raised an eyebrow and lifted his mug to take a sip of the tea, raising it towards Sister Maria inviting her to continue. Sister Maria pulled out her notepad and recounted the child’s dream to the Archbishop. His face darkened and he stopped drinking his tea as Sister Maria talked. His eyebrows furrowed and his eyes narrowed. When Sister Maria finished, she looked at him and he nodded slowly. Before he could speak again, she added,
“She saw one of the men from her dream, the one at the Kremlin in the red suit, here at the convent with the ram last night.”
The Archbishop stood up and began to pace the room. He did not say anything for a few minutes before he finally stopped and looked at Sister Maria,
“Do you believe that she is one of the Seven?” He asked. Sister Maria reflected on his question and her time with the child,
“I do, Father.”
“Then we must get her somewhere she will be safe. It should be outside of the Orthodox Church but within holy ground. I will task you with finding a place for her. In the meantime, I believe it is time that you begin lessons on Revelations and the times of tribulation with the child,” the Archbishop instructed.
“Yes, Archbishop.”
Sister Maria began identifying locations that could take in Natalya and allow her to continue her education. She sent letters and made calls to other monasteries and convents. She even sent a letter to the Vatican but it went unanswered. On the day of Natalya’s eleventh birthday, Sister Maria received a letter from a monastery in Sicily.
Dear Sister Maria,
I have received your letter regarding the blessed child and the leadership of the monastery is interested in providing the level of education requested. As a diocese of the Catholic Church, we are somewhat separate from the Orthodox Church but we also have access to resources within the larger Church, including the Vatican. Our network is such that we can provide sanctuary for the child in our monastery and beyond if needed. Our monastery is inhabited solely by men who have taken the vow of chastity which I believe will act as a shield for the girl by making this an unlikely location for her to be. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours Truly,
Brother Salvatore
Sister Maria brought the letter to the Archbishop and he began arranging for them to visit the monastery within the next few months. In the meantime, he wrote a letter to the monastery and to the head of the Orthodox Church to inform them of the convent’s decision.
Natalya noticed Sister Maria’s level of joy but she assumed that it was related to the celebration of her eleventh birthday. The convent celebrated in the mess hall with a cake and some modest gifts such as a personalized bible that bore Natalya’s name on the inside cover and a green leather bound journal and calligraphy pens. Natalya happily clapped along that night as the other Brothers and Sisters of the convent sang happy birthday to her.
On a brisk February morning, Sister Maria braved the snow to get to the train station and depart for Italy where she would board the ferry to visit the monastery in Sicily. The Archbishop had come down with the flu and was unable to join her as originally planned but he had urged her to continue alone. She had told Natalya that she was visiting a monastery but she did not reveal her reasons to the child. Archbishop Alexey had believed it best to inform the girl only once the plans were set and Sister Maria agreed. The only other person in the convent who knew the true nature of Sister Maria’s visit was Sister Kidra who had promised to safeguard their secret.
Sister Maria boarded the train. It was two hours late upon its arrival and the station offered little refuge from the cold. Maria found a seat and rubbed her palms together to try and regain feeling in her hands. A man sat next to her but she paid him no mind. She opened her bible and read on the journey, reviewing the lessons in Revelations that she had gone over with Natalya.
The child had taken to the new teachings as Sister Maria knew she would. She asked many questions on what the book meant for the future and how it related to her dreams. Maria had taught her about the times of tribulation and the horsemen of the apocalypse. She read the passages regarding signs of the rapture. There had been additional lessons for Natalya with Archbishop Alexey that even Maria was not privy to. Maria hoped to complete the lessons with Natalya before she departed the convent. There had been no further incidents since Natalya’s dream and the urgency to relocate her had decreased.
The lights on the train flickered and Maria looked up from her readings. It was then that she noticed the train car was completely empty except for her and the man seated beside her. She started to look back at the pages of the book when the deep red color of the man’s sleeve caught her eye. She looked at him for the first time since he had boarded the train and her heart dropped.
He wore a fitted crimson suit with dark stone cufflinks shaped like serpents. In his breast pocket was a silver cigarette holder and on his face were dark lens sunglasses. Though she had never seen him before, she knew this was the man Natalya had seen at the convent and in her dream. He had not turned to face her yet and she scrutinized him for a moment longer, noticing the veinless pale skin and the angular cheekbones and jawline. He had a dark goatee that gave him an almost goatlike appearance. The train began to slow to a stop though no announcement came through the intercom. The lights flickered once again.
Maria carefully closed her bible and slid it into her satchel. She bowed her head and clasped her hands, closing her eyes as she began to silently pray. She opened her eyes as the train stopped. The man was gone.
Shaken, Maria stood and walked towards the connecting door of the cars. She slid it open and entered a new train car which had a few other passengers. She sat in an empty seat and kept her head up. The train was still. Maria tried to calm herself, taking deep breaths and slowly releasing them. Her heart rate slowed back to normal.
Nearly half an hour passed and the train still did not move. Maria decided to walk to the front of the train and ask the driver about the delay. She walked through the train cars and made it to the front of the train.
“Hello?” she called into the cab. There was no answer. She walked in and saw the driver sitting, facing forward. No one else was in the cab. She tapped him on his shoulder.
The man turned to face her and she recoiled. On his face was the dark sunglasses over the pale veinless skin and dark goatee. He lowered his sunglasses, looking at her with red eyes with oblong pupils.
“Hello, Sister.”
The monastery called Archbishop Alexey to inform him that Sister Maria never arrived. Several of the priests went to the train station and inquired about the train she was scheduled to take. They were told that it had departed after a small delay and arrived at its destination earlier that week. The conductor recalled a nun boarding the train and, after he was shown a picture of Sister Maria, he confirmed that it was her. The driver who had been scheduled to meet Sister Maria had left after the train did not pull into the station an hour after its scheduled arrival, unaware of the delay. Sister Maria had simply vanished.
Archbishop Alexey met with Sister Kidra privately.
“Sister Maria is dead,” he said. Kidra gasped and covered her mouth to muffle the sob that came from her throat.
“How do you know?” she asked.
“Here.” Archbishop Alexey handed her a letter that had been folded and tucked in an envelope that remained unsealed. Kidra slid the paper from the envelope and unfolded it to see Sister Maria’s handwriting,
Strange omens have followed me since the confirmation of my trip to the Sicilian monastery. In late December, three crows in rapid succession flew against my window, dying instantly. As I walked outside to inspect them, I heard the bleating of the black ram and saw it watching from the treeline. I returned inside and prayed and when I ventured outdoors again both the beast and the ravens were gone.
I have had frightful dreams of fire and brimstone. In each one I see a black horse with fire coming from its mouth. Atop its back sits a shadowy mastery with a whip. I can feel the searing lashes against my skin and I have woken to marks along my back.
The final omen is one that I believe portends my death. As I write this, I am due to travel to the monastery in the morning. Tonight, as I settled into bed, there were three knocks against my wall. The crucifix that hangs above my bed fell from the wall and struck a portion of my mattress. When I compared how it landed to the usual way in which I sleep, it aligned with my heart. The crucifix landed upside down. I pray that I am mistaken and this was a coincidence, however, if you are reading this now, it was not.
Archbishop Alexey, I ask that you share this letter with Sister Kidra and that the pair of you follow through with my plans to move Natalya to the monastery. Do this expeditiously. Prepare two cars to journey into Concessa. Clean them both with Holy Water and line the trunks with salt. Both cars shall make the journey and one shall contain the child. Upon arrival, both cars are to take ferries to Sicily but they are not to be the same ferries. The one without Natalya should depart before the other. Natalya must not be dressed in her habit for the journey nor should the sister who escorts her to the monastery. Dress in secular wear.
There is every possibility that this plan does not work but I beseech you to try. The child must be kept safe.
Peace be with you,
Sister Maria
Tears rolled down Sister Kidra’s cheeks as she finished reading the letter. She folded it again and slid it back into the envelope, holding it out to return to the Archbishop but he held up his hand.
“You should keep it,” he said. Sister Kidra thanked him.
“Will we follow her wishes?” she asked.
“Yes, we shall,” he replied.
On an early spring morning in April, Sister Maria’s plan to transport Natalya to the Sicilian monastery was put into motion. Two cars, washed with Holy Water and their trunks lined with salt, sat outside of the chapel where Sister Kidra and Natalya had been in prayer all morning. Sister Kidra and Natalya both were dressed in long skirts and white short sleeve button up blouses. Natalya’s hair was held back in a braided bun that Sister Kidra tucked a small white blossom in. There was a driver in each car and Sister Kidra entered one while Natalya entered the other. Sister Kidra had briefed Natalya on the plan and shown her Sister Maria’s letter. Instinctively, Natalya had known that Sister Maria was gone but she had hoped that she was wrong. Now she sat in the backseat with the weight of her grief. It was crushing.
The journey to Cossina was long but uneventful. Kidra was filled with apprehension at the beginning of the trip but it faded as the hours passed. They stopped only once, other than to refuel, in Czechoslovakia to change drivers and continue the trip. Archbishop Alexey had advised against splitting the trip into multiple days as he worried that it would place Kidra and Natalya in danger.
When they reached Cossina, Sister Kidra exited the car she had traveled in and it boarded the ferry to Sicily. She waited with Natalya by the car for the next ferry to arrive and shuttle them across the channel to the island.
“How are you doing?” she asked. Natalya shrugged and Kidra pulled her into a hug. The embrace overwhelmed Natalya and she broke down into tears, burying her face in Kidra’s shirt and sobbing. Kidra held her close. “It’ll be ok.” She said to console the young girl but she wasn’t convinced by her own words. She held Natalya at arm’s length and looked at the girl. Natalya’s face was red and the tears had left streaks on her cheeks. She wiped them with the back of her hand and looked at Kidra with watery eyes.
“You’re special, Natalya. There is going to be a day when you see how special, but we have to make sure we get you to that day,” Sister Kidra said. She stared at Natalya, searching the girl’s face for understanding.
“Ok,” Natalya said. Her voice was thick with emotion but Kidra heard the resolve in that simple answer. She knew then that Natalya would be fine, everything would be okay.
The blast of the ferry’s horn sounded through the port and Kidra hugged Natalya once more before opening the door to the backseat. Natalya got into the car and Sister Kidra slid in beside her. The driver boarded the ferry and the pair rode quietly across the channel to the island of Sicily.
The rest of the journey remained uneventful and as night fell, they reached the monastery. Natalya stood by the car as the driver gathered her luggage and handed it off to one of the priests who had been waiting for their arrival. The stone monastery loomed imposingly over her and she felt both a sense of awe and apprehension. It was completely opposite of the small brick buildings that spread across the rolling hills of the convent.
“Welcome to the monastery,” a priest said brightly. “I am Brother Vespucci.”
The priest introduced himself in Russian and Kidra was impressed by their thoroughness in preparing for Natalya’s arrival. She felt a stab of grief as she recognized this was all because of Sister Maria and her frequent correspondence with the monastery. She gently pushed Natalya forward to introduce herself,
“Thank you, Brother Vespucci. I am Sister Natalya,” the girl said. Brother Vespucci smiled,
“We are happy to have you, please come in.” He gestured to the door of the monastery before looking at Sister Kidra, “Will you be joining us?” he asked. Natalya looked at Sister Kidra and Kidra could see the pleading in the child’s eyes but she knew that would only delay the inevitable. She sighed and walked forward, kneeling on the ground so that she was level with Natalya,
“This is where we say goodbye,” she said and Natalya began to cry again, shaking her head,
“Not yet, please Sister Kidra,” she begged and Kidra felt as though her heart was being pulled from her chest. She hugged the girl close and kissed the top of her head,
“This is not goodbye, it is only see you later. I’ll write to you every day and if you ever need me, just call.” Kidra said. Natalya clung to her and Kidra had to gently remove her. She stood up and said goodbye one last time. Natalya watched her board the ferry and they shared one last wave before it departed.
“Come, my child. Let me show you around the monastery,” Brother Vespucci said and Natalya nodded and followed behind him quietly as they entered the monastery. As she crossed the threshold of the building, she felt a jolt like an electric shock. She looked up from the ground and her eyes were drawn to a dark corner. She could feel a presence within the walls of the monastery. Something evil lurked here.
“Sister Natalya, are you coming?” Brother Vespucci asked. Natalya turned her head and saw him standing some yards down the hall. She nodded and hurried after him. She felt as though the thing she had sensed was watching her. Whatever it was had noticed her.
Brother Vespucci’s tour concluded with him showing Natalya her room. As he turned to leave, Natalya spoke for the first time since parting from Sister Kidra.
“Brother Vespucci?” she called, catching the priest off guard. He turned and smiled at her,
“Yes, Sister Natalya?” he asked. She took a breath, thinking about how to tell him about the ominous feeling she’d had since arriving. An idea occurred to her,
“Did something bad happen here?” she asked. The color drained from Brother Vespucci’s face. He became convinced of the child’s divine abilities in that moment. He walked back into the room and shut the door behind him and sat in the chair in the corner of the room. Natalya sat on the bed and waited.
Brother Vespucci told her of Brother Enzo and the night that he had left the monastery. He also told her of the night that the Romano family home had been burnt to the ground and people slaughtered by supernatural means. Finally, he informed her of the Vatican’s hunt for Enzo Romano that had spanned the greater part of the last decade. When he finished, Natalya nodded with a sagelike understanding beyond her years.
“He’s here in the monastery,” she said flatly. Brother Vespucci stood up abruptly and left the room. Natalya waited for him to return. When he did, he was followed by two other priests.
“Sister Natalya, these are our Brothers, Brother Cosentino and Brother Sabella, they are priests sanctioned by the Vatican to perform exorcisms and to identify demonic energy and expel it. I would like you to inform them of your suspicions and they will guard your door tonight,” Brother Vespucci explained. He stayed in the room to act as an interpreter for the two priests who did not speak either Russian or Estonian.
Natalya told them of her feelings since entering the monastery and she told them about the events at the convent that had led to her move. She gave them details about the mysterious man in the red suit and his black ram and she told them of her dream. Once she had finished, she answered some of their questions and then they took their places outside her door.
Natalya couldn’t sleep that night. Outside her room, she heard the priests speaking in hushed tones. She couldn’t understand what they were saying as they spoke in Italian, a language she would have to familiarize herself with. She stayed awake and she searched for the evil entity within the walls of the monastery. She knew it was searching for her too.
The room chilled and Natalya knew it was near. The shadows cast by the lamp in her room seemed to lengthen and darken, stretching along the walls. The light now seemed to be resisting the shadows rather than casting them. She felt a pair of eyes watching her and she turned to the corner of her room where she felt them from,
“There you are,” she said. Though it was an empty corner of the room, Natalya was able to see through the shadows to where the connection originated from. She saw the man in dark robes staring at her and she saw his look of shock and confusion when she spoke to him. He vanished and the room brightened, the shadows returning to normal. Natalya spent the remainder of the night in prayer and reflection.
She reported her encounter to Brother Vespucci the next morning and he told her that a priest had been found wandering in the catacombs with no recollection of how he ended up there. Brothers Cosentino and Sabella were searching the catacombs as they spoke, seeking the fallen priest who had returned to the monastery’s walls.
“Am I safe here?” Natalya asked.
“You are, Sister Natalya. Brother Cosentino and Brother Sabella are well versed in these types of matters and I have faith that they will manage to expel the evil within our walls. I will not let you be harmed so long as you are with us,” Brother Vespucci replied. “But I do believe it is time that you learn more about these terrible forces. Come with me.”
He led her to the monastery’s library. The room was filled with bookshelves that stretched from the floor to the ceiling. Each one was packed with various books and journals pertaining to the work of the Church. Brother Vespucci began pulling tomes from the shelves and handing them to Natalya, stacking them in her arms. Some were field journals and some were published books on the supernatural. None of them had been available to her at the convent.
“Ah, this one is especially relevant,” Brother Vespucci remarked and he stacked a final book on top of the pile in Natalya’s arms. She strained to read the cover as it was nearly eye-level. She was just able to make it out,
The Virtuous Seven: Counters to the Forces of Darkness
“What are the virtuous seven?” She asked. Brother Vespucci grabbed the top half of the stack of books to relieve the weight from Natalya’s arms,
“You are aware of the seven deadly sins, right?” he asked.
“Yes, Brother Vespucci,” She replied.
“The virtues are their counters, for example the Virtue of Patience tempers the sin of Wrath. The Virtue of Selflessness tempers the sin of Greed. There are seven to counter seven sins. However, the Virtuous Seven does not refer just to those attributes. It refers to people who embody the divine nature of those attributes and serve as guards against the powers of Hell. There is much debate within the Church as to whether those virtues are present in humanity at large or whether they will manifest in singular instances.”
“Are people who have these virtues like the saints?” Natalya asked, recalling her conversation with Sister Maria.
“Some in the Church believe so, yes.” Brother Vespucci replied, “But it is also believed that the extent of the Virtuous Seven’s abilities will not be revealed until the times of tribulation. That book covers it more in depth and we can discuss it as you read through it.”
Natalya walked over to a chair in the library and set the books down on the floor. Brother Vespucci did the same and, as he did so, the book on the Virtuous Seven fell to the floor. Its spine hit the floor first and it fell open to a page. Natalya bent down to pick it up and her attention was immediately drawn to the words printed on the page. She slowly stepped back, her eyes glued to the book, and sat in the chair.
There is a general consensus that the abilities of the Virtues will manifest only under extraordinary means. However, there is another theory. The Virtuous may unlock their power simply through realization of it within them. Unusual moments and extraordinary circumstances may serve as guidance to the abilities of the Virtuous but they need not be the cause.
If this theory is correct, then it can be reasonably assumed that the Virtuous need not appear only in the Times of Tribulation. Though the appearance of the Virtuous may serve as an omen of the Times, they need not only manifest during them. Likewise, it can be assumed that the Virtuous will be able to recognize and hone their abilities, allowing them to counter demonic forces and the influences of Hell, even when those influences are born of a Vice that the Virtuous does not serve as the counter to. In this manner, it is possible that the Saints of old were merely embodiments of the divine virtues.
As Natalya read, the radiating and electric warm feeling spread through her body. It was the same feeling she had felt in the chapel after the incident with the ram and the night she had dreamed of the seven meteors. For the first time, she began to understand that feeling.
The search of the catacombs was unsuccessful but Natalya sensed a shift in the energy of the malevolent presence. He was becoming cornered and desperate. Natalya was convinced that he would make a move within the week. She spent her days close to Brother Vespucci, reassured by his presence. Sleep was harder to come by and she often found herself drowsing while in the library. She remained vigilant and read all through the night, seeking to understand more about her abilities and the events that unfolded around her. There was a sense of urgency instilled in her that came from the feeling of being hunted by the witch in the walls.
Natalya had begun to drift off when she noticed the shadows deepening. The light from her lamp wavered. She got out of the bed and gently tapped on the door to her room. There was a knock back letting her know that Brother Cosentino and Brother Sabella were still outside. She focused, thinking on her readings, and then she locked eyes with the entity. A man emerged from out of the shadows and fell to the floor. The look on his face as he stared at Natalya told her that he had not intended to reveal himself. He hit the ground with a loud thud and then her door burst open.
“Enzo,” Brother Cosentino whispered in disbelief. He and Brother Sabella pinned the man to the ground as Natalya watched. The man struggled against the two priests but they bound him with leather chains and wrapped a wet blindfold around his eyes. He shrieked as the fabric touched his skin.
Brother Vespucci came running down the hall with the commotion having woken him from his sleep. He stared at the man in disbelief and looked at Natalya with the same level of incredulity. He spoke to the other priests in Italian and they dragged the man down the hallway and out of the monastery. His flailing and screaming had woken nearly everyone else in the building and they watched as their former brother was hauled out of the monastery. The halls were filled with excited and confused chatter.
“Are you alright, Sister Natalya?” Brother Vespucci asked.
“Yes, I am,” she replied, “I think I’ll be able to sleep now.”
Brother Vespucci noticed the dark circles underneath her eyes and he felt a pang of guilt. The child may be safe but he had played no role in keeping her that way. The words of Sister Maria played through his head,
The child is special. I must have your word that you will protect her at all costs.
“Would you like to change rooms?” Brother Vespucci asked.
“No, I can be comfortable here now.” She answered.
Brother Vespucci nodded and turned to leave,
“Brother Vespucci,” Natalya said and he turned to look at her, “You did everything you could do. I am safe here.”
Brother Vespucci felt a weight slide off his shoulders. He was too tired and relieved to question how the child was able to read his emotions in such a manner. He smiled at her and shut the door behind him.
Natalya said a prayer, thanking the Lord for her safety and for the revelations that had come to her. She turned off the lamp and settled into bed. For the first time since she arrived at the monastery, she fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning, Brother Vespucci called a meeting with the monastery leadership. He told them everything that had happened, explaining the situation during the night and informing them of his conversations with Sister Natalya. After that day, they privately referred to the child not as Sister Natalya, but as Saint Natalya.