Mary: A Cry for Help

Posted on Fri May 28th, 2021 @ 3:12pm by Watch Leader Frederick Hollywood
Edited on on Fri May 28th, 2021 @ 6:35pm

Mission: The Factions
Location: Saint Leo, Florida
Timeline: 1899

A long time ago in Saint Leo’s Abbey tucked away quietly near Lake Jovita in Florida young Mary cried out in her bed. Ever since she was a small girl she cried out every night hoping someone would hear her. It was only in recent months that the tone of these pleas had changed. With her father gone the nuns no longer treated her as a guest and they seemed to have no intention of either making her a nun or sending her away to a real boarding school back in Germany. They would scold her and beat her for any wrong doing imagined or otherwise. At first Mary believed she had done something wrong, but soon it became clear that the Sisters were just trying to make her into some kind of servant or worse. Mary had even tried pleading with the Abbot on the one occasion she had seen him. His answers were anything but hopeful. He simply expressed to her that a girl like her was lucky to not be on the streets. Later she would receive another beating for bothering a man of his high station. This time personally at the hands of The Mother Superior. So again this night before going to sleep she kneeled beside her bed and with her hands pressed firmly together cried out. “Please can someone, anyone hear me. Can someone Help me!”

-----

“Aryel, I have a weird problem to ask you about.” Frederick asked his holographic friend as he rubbed a finger in his ear.

The golden skinned avatar appeared in the room ready to help as always, “Yes my Lorde?”

“I’m not really sure. I might have an earworm or maybe I'm losing my mind. I keep hearing a voice that sounds like someone praying.” Although it could be quite a few things Lorde figured that was enough for his companion to get started with.

After scanning Frederick extensively the small woman's eyes lit up. “My Lorde you had a very small temporal fissure in you. I believe that is the source of what you are hearing.”

“Can you track down where it is coming from?” If he didn’t figure out a way to remedy this he might genuinely go mad.

-----

Saint Leo’s Abbey in 1899. Lorde had decided to make this trip invisible just in case he popped up in front of locals. Instead he appeared in an old growth forest. He used his scanners to track down the source of the temporal anomaly, luckily it was also coming from a mutant so his devices had an easier time keeping track.

Once he made it to the Romanesque styled church he made his way around to the window closest to the signal. Looking through the open window he could see a blonde girl in a white floor length night dress. He wondered if that was somewhat miserable to wear given it was Florida in the summer. Suddenly the voice in his head became louder, as though it was now being directed right at him. Lorde flew through the window and stood by the door before dropping his spell that kept him from being seen. “Can I help you Miss?”

Mary almost screamed. She could only imagine one sort of creature that would answer her summons looking like this. “Are you the Devil?”

Frederick waved his hands in denial. “Oh my, People have called me all sorts of things. While I am sure some of them call me the Devil I assure you that I am not. Besides, you are the one that asked for my help right?”

Mary nodded. While his explanation seemed lacking. What position was she in to argue? It seemed like living here was already like hell.

Lorde smiled and sat on the other side of the bed from the girl still kneeling on the floor by the window. “So what is the problem. I heard you ask for help, but I didn’t hear why.”

Unfortunately to Mary that meant this man was likely no angel of God. What he was still remained unclear. “Well my father died while on a ship bound for Cuba. He was trying to start a small business that would also raise money for a church that would be built there. After that the Nuns here began to treat me horribly. Even though I am almost sure my father left them a trust for my care.”

Lorde sighed she was telling the truth there was no denying that. “I know it might be prying but how did they mistreat you?”

The young girl looked away from him wondering if this was part of the price she would have to pay. “Well they hit me all the time. Whether or not I do something wrong. They talk to me in the most horrible ways you can imagine. They have even locked me in closets. I fear they have worse yet in store for me.”

The madman’s jaw clenched. One way or another he would make sure this did not happen again. “So if you could do anything you imagine, what would you hope would happen on this night?”

Mary looked into the blonde man's face. He seemed so sincere asking something so fantastical. “Well I guess I would like to go back home to Germany to what little family I have left.”

Frederick raised an eyebrow. “Hmm.. what if I offered you a life far grander than all that.” After all, in a few years Germany would be enveloped in the first World War. Her king would be beaten just in time to usher in the Great Depression. What if you could go to school in a magical city just up the road from a magical castle that is also known as the happiest place on Earth?” It just didn’t seem right to dump her in another hell.

Mary had never pictured herself in some kind of fairy tale. Of course this man could just be leading her on, but this was a chance she was willing to take rather than her only two other viable options, suicide or a life on the streets. “That sounds lovely.”

Lorde smiled widely in a toothy grin and held out his hand to the young Lady. “Well my dear just take my hand and you will see a world of pure imagination.

Once Mary took his hand she was transported to the main office in Lorde’s new city in the present with a message that arrived at the same time for Aryel. “Take good care of her in case I don’t show up right away.”

-----

Back in the past Lorde had another piece of unfinished business to take care of. He left the young girls room and walked down the hallway using his scanners.

The first room he came to that was occupied seemed like the occupant was sleeping. He destroyed the door with a beam from his gauntlet.

The woman inside sat up and screamed. “Who are you!”

“Oh that won’t matter where you're going sister.” Lorde fired and in the blink of an eye nothing remained of the nun but ash. One good thing about the woman screaming was many of the sisters had started to come out into the hallway. It made his job much easier. Burning all the nuns down on his way to the Mother Superior’s room.

Sister Gabriele came out of her room. When she saw the strange blonde man she became enraged. “How dare you violate this house of God?”

“Reverend Mother, let’s be honest. This hasn’t really been a house of God for a while has it? Don’t worry I am sure with your sacrifice it will be someday again.” Frederick pointed a finger at the woman and she fell to the ground writhing in pain. He grabbed the old nun by the leg and dragged her into the cathedral. “You will be like a scarecrow, do you understand? I am almost sure after today, no nuns will run this place.”

The flashing lights from the Abbey had drawn the Monsignor. When he entered the chapple what he saw caused him to fall ill. Mother Superior Gabriele was hanging from the large cross above the sanctuary.

Father Stephan first saw the old priest and took his hand. “What is the matter, Monsignor?”

The Abbot pointed back at the doors. “Do as I say and don’t look, just walk out. I will join you shortly. Contact the Judge and let him know something terrible has happened.”

-----

Frederick reappeared back in the present. “So Aryel, Did I miss anything?”

The lady of light made a face. “You were only gone a moment but I did as you asked and I showed her the city.”

Lorde’s eyes widened. “And?”

Aryel pointed just behind her lord. “I am very sorry I had no idea she would react that way.”

Frederick turned around. On the ground just by the window Mary was lying unconscious. “You did make sure she was okay right?”

The small woman nodded. “Yes Sir, she simply fainted. I believe the shock was just too much for her.”

“Ah well let her sleep.” Lorde said as he picked the girl up and teleported into a bedroom. “When she wakes up we can have banana splits for breakfast. Doesn’t that sound good, Aryel?”

The golden girl shook her head. “No it doesn’t...”

Before his assistant could finish, Lorde added, “You just say that because you can’t have a banana split.”

FIN

Frederick Hollywood
Lorde
The Findelian Watch