"Mornings have always been dreadful. Mornings sounds like mourning. Heh. I've been morning quite a lot." I say as i take my notebook. "A trusty and weary thing accompanied me through hardship and time. Longer then most friends i suppose." I flip through the pages and talk to my trusted companion. "Weird things are happening i confess with a sigh. I don't know if you remember but there have been weird things happening."
I do not remember no. my companion answers with a slight smile.
Reassured I continue. "Well many things make me mourn as i said before like the moment you were brought to my church long ago. For you a lifetime" a chuckle escapes my throat. "And I mourned day and night since none of your siblings survived. But that is just one Example. Granny bone broth is another one." My heart is heavy and with empty eyes a woeful smile creeps across. "We never knew her real name really but she helped out often enough. There was nothing much to do in her old age so she came here and helped the sick and poor and had a truly fantastic bone broth. She was quite proud aswell. She said her late daughter gave her that recipe. And it was good I have to tell you. "
"You talk a lot about the bone broth." My companion says and I feel a teasing tone.
"Well it was truly divine. But that has lost most of its meaning in recent times. To end the story she went on one of her usual walks to get some herbs close to our little town. She walked further than normal and I think she didn't want to return. Well her time was nigh anyway. As you know with the two in the back room I've guided more than just a few in their last hours. But that is what a priest is supposed to do. Or that is what I think I am supposed to do. "
"But you have also done some good and happy things. I know you organized some public snowball fights or slipping slides. The smile on the kids faces is unforgettable even for me." The companion says to… I think remind me of the good and bad sides of life.
"Yes yes. I say I know life has ups and down and the lord has chosen the path we should embark on. And I know that my path is just like any other. That's kinda what the cross is all about." A smile of a smart ass enlightens my face. "But I didn't want to lay all my life's burden on you dear Camilla. I called you here to talk to you about the reason we have to leave. And I mourn of what will befall the people here and everywhere if we don't." I stop her from talking as i hold my hand in a stopping motion.
Clearing my throat as I retrieve my hand. "We live a good life right now. The last time our faith had such a revival must have been the time after our lords death. But it is not because our lord returned but because he had sent a message. The message of peace and power. Delivered through John the XV. The day was wondereous. The world rejoiced. In it's changing tides. But it rejoiced. And I did too. As did everyone who bears the cross. The day of change was before you received your gift. It was before anyone received their gift.
The story goes that the pope drove through the Vatican and cleaned and kissed the feet of those society deemed unworthy. The unloved and targeted. And he kneeled before them washed their feet with care and kissed them before saying a prayer for each and everyone. These souls forgotten cried out of joy as simultaneously smoke rose from the pope. The smoke was clear it smelled like meat but looked like vapor. This vapor started to rise from the street below and the people around. First the pope then the people standing in line to get their feet washed. As the vapor turned darker did the people respond in question of what is happening. Since now the pope was like a pot of myrrh and incense he started to look around in panic. He didn't scream as he ran around dousing the cleaning water on himself disregarding the filth accumulated within. As that did not bring him any closer to extinguishing his smoking body. He turned to one of those he cleaned moments before, and whispered. It hurts.
It was picked up by the microphone so yeah. That was the moment panic broke out in the crowd they ran and screamed and thought maybe an assassination or something. But at the next moment. The ground began to shake. Wifi turned useless and technology seemed unfunctional. And the pope the man chosen by our lord lit up. He burned and screamed for five minutes. Five minutes of horror as some people near him were burned just from being near him. The people wondered what was going on as the flame who used to be the pope wailed and ran leaving a black residue on the ground. He couldn't run very fast. Since his legs and muscles burned into a crisp. It was shocking and it became even more so as he stood up. The flames grew brighter and a person could be seen from within. Well some parts at least. With a shocking roar the flame erupted and yelled: halt. Some stood others ran, those that ran fell and got blisters in the process. Our lord has sent a message the flame continued. The world is changing and it will continue to do so. This pope has been enlightened and sent news of the new age. The flame flew into the air and proclaimed the good news. And the people rejoiced once more.
We believed. "
I stop as I fall into thought reminiscing about the day it happened.
"A person exploding into flames is hardly something exciting constin." Camilla says joking about what happened. "I've lived for a short while but I know that I myself am quite the irregularity. And we saw a short while ago a guy pass through who could eat tons at once. And his stomach was barely expanding he ate like two horses. I wish I could do that.
And why do we have to leave. "
"My dear Camilla" i say after a while. "You know too little and there is too little time. We partied for quite some time after the event." I laugh a little. "You can't even imagine how many confessions I had to listen to after those festivities. But yes gifts have been bestowed. And things are being taken. The new pope the person who burned and lit up, flagro the first, is the first of those gifted. And his message has been known around the world even the new parts. The Christian lord shall return. And power has been gifted to flagro the first to fight for the lords will. Our will. And the book has foretold that once our lord returns he will do with a sword. So the things flagro has done since his enlightenment should be excused. But there has been no signs of our lord. No Iesus, yesus or Jesus has come on a flighing horse with a blazing sword." My voice grows louder then I wanted. "A man was lit aflame and does things no heathen dreams of. All so in the righteous name of our lord. And the worst part my dear Camilla" I add as my tone becomes soft. "The people believe, they take up arms and do as the flaming man says. But as our prophet got enlightened so have others. Hundreds of prophets have gotten powers. And suddenly not only them even these who have nothing to do with anything have gained gifts beyond comprehension."
"But what can we do? "Camilla asks as she jumps from her seat and sits next to my stool. Laying her snout on my leg. "And why do we have to leave?" Her begging eyes reach me as I almost drop my notebook.
"The path our righteous folk walk on has no clear end. If it'll stop on our holy land or continue to the aquarim or genai. The path is laced with bloodshed and that would be fine if proclaimed by our lord. But the lord has not returned no army of angels as come to wipe the heathens of the earth. So that flaming man is a poser. A liar. And he poisons the hearts of millions of good people. So I need to make the people realize. I need them to see the truth. To return to christian pacifism and await our savior.
And I can't properly protect myself so I would need you." I add shyly after my heroic proclamation.
"You thought a long while about that monologue huh." Camilla says teasingly finding my eyes with hers as my face grows uncomfortably red.
"I wanted to convince you" I stutter. As my eyes wander away from her. " I couldn't leave without my trusted companion." I stand up and put my notebook on the table.
I grab some stuff from the kitchen and as I return I see her standing on the table examining my notebook.
"It's sooo interesting your monologue has been written down exactly like you've told me. If I see correctly here even stands exclamations for sighing or being -"
"Stop" I interject panicked. "Let an old man plan before departing his post for the final time."
"Why final" she asks with a mischievous smile.
As she circles around me.
I sigh. "I've learned a lot from granny bone broth. Not her recipe but I think I also know that I will not return. And I would mourn if this was the last time I'd get to see my companion." I say as I kneel Infront of my friend. The ears stand up and my hands find her furry head.
"Can I be sure that I will have my wolf accompany me in my final moments?"
I ask incredibly soft and sincere if I do say so myself.
"I will follow for sometime." She answers happily. "I never wanted to stay here long anyway. But that was mostly because the priest was a bum." She says it seem like loosing herself in thoughts at the end.
"Quite harsh on your foster father" I say as I stand back up and ready some bags. Preparing for our departure.