Meet at Sunrise

Trinity looked at the clock. It was currently about 4:30 am so sunrise wouldn't happen until another two hours. She snorted at his demand. "Yeah, as if that's gonna happen!"

She walked to her father's room and peering into the room she could see that he was sound asleep. Not wanting to wake him, she decided to take a walk outside around the garden to clear her head.

Their groundskeeper loved flowers, and he always made sure that there were always flowers planted around the church throughout the year. It gave a more homey feel for the community members and not so much of a medieval vibe.

Being here always helped to calm Trinity's nerves and clear her mind, as there was just something about connecting with nature that she loved.

After about an hour of roaming through the garden, Trinity spotted an elderly lady who was exiting the back doors of the church and heading towards one of the garden benches. She walked up beside her and spoke softly so she didn't startle her, "It is pretty early to be out by yourself. Do you mind if I join you?"

The old lady looked up and smiled at Trinity before recognizing who she was. "Oh yes, of course my dear! I always enjoy waking up early and watching the sun rise over the horizon." She grabbed hold of her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "How are you feeling? It must have been an awful experience when that demon possessed you! Are you doing ok?"

Trinity sat down beside the old lady and shook her head. "Honestly, I don't even remember it. I remember being inside the church and the demon flying inside. Him looking at me and turning into a mist, and then nothing. Anything that happened after that is all a blank. The next thing I remember is waking up in my bed."

She bit on her lower lip nervously before finally asking the old lady. "Do you know what happened?"

The old lady patted Trinity's hand. "I guess it's a good thing that you don't remember. You must have been so traumatized that your mind blocked it out! It's ok. Although, there is one detail you might need to be aware of."

Trinity cocked her head to the side, confused. "What might that be?"

The old lady turned in her seat to angle closer in her direction. "Do you remember what you said or did, when the demon left your body?"

Trinity tried to remember what happened when the demon left her body, but she couldn't recall it from her memory. Finally, she shook her head. "No, nothing at all." She bit her lip once more from worry, as she remembered what the demon boy had spoken to her just an hour ago. He seemed overjoyed and ecstatic about something she had done.

The old lady nodded and continued on with what she was explaining. "There might be some people who will accuse you of being in league with the demon. Some might even question how pure your soul might be, or that it has been tainted and corrupted by evil."

Trinity gasped at her comment. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. She was a well known and beloved member of the community. Everyone knew how faithful she was to the church. She would often hold fundraisers to help out local charities and help with donations to where things were needed most. It didn't make any sense to her how people might suddenly think differently of her due to something that was out of her control.

She opened her mouth and struggled to find the words for her question. "That... that's impossible! Who... I mean, why would anyone think that?" A feeling of dread spread over her mind. "What did I do?"

The old lady squeezed Trinity's hand once more, in her attempts to calm her. "When the demon left your body, you spoke in his language and muttered a spell of some sort that apparently helped him. When the angel tried-"

"Wait," Trinity interrupted. "Angel?" she asked in shock. "An actual angel showed up? Here!" Her eyes were wide in shock and excitement.

The old lady laughed. "Yes, I guess you wouldn't remember that part if you do not recall anything that happened after the possession. Yes, there is an angel who is staying here now. She was given a room on the top floor of the church, overlooking the front of the church; but no one is to disturb her."

Trinity nodded. "Good to know!"

The old lady continued on from where she left off. "Anyways, when the angel tried to stop the spell, you spoke another incantation that barricaded the angel against the wall, while you continued on and finished the first spell."

The old lady hesitated before continuing on, barely believing what she was about to say next, even though she had witnessed it herself. "A light materialized in the palm of your hand, which you shot towards the demon who seemed to willingly accept whatever the spell was designed to do."

Trinity was shaking her head in denial while the old lady was explaining what she had done. "No, no, no, no! I couldn't have done that! I wouldn't!" Trinity was breathing rapidly, having trouble catching her breath. Everything around her began to swim in a circle as she quickly became dizzy.

"Breathe, my child! Breathe!" she started rubbing her back, while continuing to hold her hand tight. "Whatever he did while he possessed you, he forced you to help him. Don't let anyone try to tell you otherwise. But you deserve to know what others might think."

Trinity looked up at the old lady, giving a shaky nod of her head. "Thank you, ma'am!"

"Call me Pamela!" the old lady smiled, as she withdrew her hands back now that Trinity was beginning to calm down.

"It's nice to meet you Pamela! I'm Trinity!" she smiled back.

But Trinity's mind was still swarming with worry. She still recalled what the demon had told her in her room. He had been so happy about the incantation she had performed on someone, only to find out that the 'someone' was against an angel. She groaned aloud at the realization of what people might think.

"What did the incantation that he force me to say, do to him?" Trinity asked.

Pamela shook her head. "No one knows. He flew off directly after. But he was smiling when you hit him with the light, and the angel seemed worried. I can't imagine that it was anything good."

Trinity looked down at the ground in defeat. "The angel must be so angry with me! I can't imagine what she must think! She must think I am a major disappointment. The daughter of a priest, who gets possessed and can't fight him off, and ends up helping him without knowing it." A single tear escaped from her eye, and fell down her cheek.

"No, no. Of course not!" Pamela insisted. "She was telling people that they shouldn't blame you for what he made you do. She doesn't blame you at all. You are human, and he is a demon. Do not blame yourself."

Trinity nodded, but couldn't find the words on what to reply back. The problem was, she did blame herself. If only she would have fought back harder, maybe things would have been different. Maybe then, the demon wouldn't have won.

'Maybe the angel can help teach me to fight him off next time he tries something,' Trinity thought to herself.

"I should probably be going," Trinity spoke up, finally making her decision. "It was nice speaking with you, and thank you for informing me on what happened, and for the warning!" Trinity gave a half smile, even though that was the last thing she wanted to do at the moment.

Pamela nodded as she readjusted her seat on the bench. "You be safe and take care of yourself. Remember, don't let anyone tell you that you did anything wrong. I would have liked to see any of them do any better if they were in your position."

Trinity stood up and bowed to Pamela. "Thank you so much."

Trinity turned and walked into the church. She brushed her fingertips along the stone wall as she walked up each floor of steps until she reached the top floor of the church.

Although Pamela had told her that the angel was given a room at the front of the church, she felt a strong desire to head to the back side of the church first. Maybe she could get one last look at the garden again before she met with the angel.

Everything was still so quiet in the church, as most everyone was still asleep.

She walked towards the french doors leading out to the terrace that overlooked the garden, and as she neared the doors, out from the shadows walked the demon boy whom she met in her room earlier. She froze in her tracks.

The demon boy grinned his devilishly handsome grin. "I told you that you would meet up with me before sunrise!"