Levana's POV
After the last song, we filed into a line amidst the collective applause of the church and made our way to the side rooms to take off our choir robes. After changing quickly, I rushed back through the isle and squeezed my way past proud parents until I found my grandmother waiting patiently sipping hot cocoa. A wide smile erupted upon my lips as I hugged her tightly.
"What did you think Grandma? Was it worth the wait?" She nodded happily and patted the seat beside her. I scanned the crowd before sitting down, excited to go home. "Who was that girl with you? One of your old piano students? I'm assuming she left...?" Grandmother absent-mindedly ran her hand through my wavy hair and hummed in response.
"No, actually, but her mother used to attend Academy with me, so I have no doubt that she plays well."
"Her mother? But that would make her mother as old as you! And she was around my age." I scanned the crowd once more before my Grandmother abruptly pulled my hands into her lap and squeezed them. My head snapped to hers, my heart stilling in my chest at her serious expression. Her arthritis-swollen hand shakily rose to her neck where her silver locket rested like a permanent aspect of her body. It was always there, and now removing it made my stomach clench unnaturally. I watched silently as she slowly drew it over her head before prying it open to reveal an old grainy photo of a raven-haired schoolgirl holding hands with a much younger version of my grandmother.
"To my Most Beloved friend, from Hecate." Grandmother read, the words reflecting showing their diamond-cut tombs. I timidly drew the locket into my palm and traced the young woman's features, immediately seeing the resemblance. It sat like a silent bird on her brow-line and apricot-rounded lips. Her eyes seemed brighter than the girl who was here earlier; lively-er or maybe I was mistaking that for her wide smile. Something in my chest felt a twinge of pain as I fixated on her smile, her ashen cheeks arched in beautiful crescendos that collected on the edge of her chin like it was harboring a secret finale that you might be graced to hear if she whispered it to you. Her smile dulled as the smudged grain of the photo faded from my mind and bloomed to life in vivid color.
Smoke, ash, and embers- something in her tense form on the pew made me think that maybe the entire building was about to collapse. She seemed beautifully out of place from the gold, reds, purples, blues, and whites of the church- maybe that was because it was so old- but something told me that'd she'd fit better someplace even older. Someplace of ancient poetry that housed bullet-tongued adders and coin-eyed eagles. I rolled her image around my mind like she was a puzzle piece that I would have to place lest she would constantly be on the forefront of my mind. How was it that her mother was at the academy the same time as my grandmother, but she seemed to be my age? Why have I never seen her around town before?
"Why don't you keep the locket, Lea? Something to pass down. I'll say it's an early Christmas present." Protests gathered at the back of my throat but she persisted- her shaky hands taking the locket and gently pulling it over my head onto my neck.
"Oh hush darling, I want you to have it, and I want you to keep it. A little momento. To my Most Beloved granddaughter." She echoed, her face soft again as she pulled me into a tight hug and planted a painted kiss on my cheek. A light laugh erupted from my chest as I kissed her back and sat beside her for a little while longer before helping to clean up after service.
Once the choir robes were all gathered in a laundry bin, I set it by Mrs. Vilkas and sat beside her as she finished up a phone call with her sister and released an exhausted sigh.
"Thank you Levana," She hummed. "My sister is stuck in a wheelchair for awhile due to an accident, which was why she didn't come if you were wondering. This day is going to be so long- I have to get medicine and wash all these robes." Her head rested in her palms as she continued mumbling more to herself than me, but I nodded like I was listening none the less. Her hunched over shoulders and barely open eyes made me inclined to sit back in the seat with her and let her enjoy the small moments of peace only church could offer.
After a few silent moments, her back straightened and she drew in a long, paced breath. Her slender frame reminded me of a weeping willow tree, her wispy blonde hair like drooping branches. I found myself inclined to prolong that peace- and since it was the season of giving, I was sure my grandmother wouldn't mind my being home late. My eyes flickered to the large cross above the podium as my decision solidified in my mind.
"Would you like some help Mrs. Vilkas? I could come over and do the laundry for you before going home." She smiled faintly and nodded.
"That would be much appreciated Levana. I'm inviting some of the girls from choir over for holiday dinner tonight. Why don't you stay for dinner then? I could drive you back to your Grandma's afterwards."
"That sounds like fun, just let me ask her real quick." I nodded before finding my grandmother talking to the priest about something. It was strange to see him in his civilian clothes- some days it was hard to remember that he was also a simple man. She took one look at my face before saying 'yes' to whatever it was I wanted as long as I got home by ten P.M., the priest already stepping in and offering her a ride home. I thanked her before running back to Mrs. Vilkas and helping her load her laundry into her old truck, the radio softened by the static that corrupted the frequency. The drive to her house was quiet and comfortable, though maybe only because we were both so tired.
Eventually we turned down a long dirt drive to a colonial house that rested on the past remnants of what used to be lavender fields. Once inside her country-styled home I quickly set to work and began the first load of laundry before joining her sister in the living room to watch TV as I waited for it to finish. It was nice to be out of Grandma's house for a little bit, and I found myself entranced with the high vaulted ceilings and large furniture. Mrs. Vilkas' sister slept most the time, her head bruised roughly and her arm in a cast. She was awake for brief moments where we chatted about random things. She was definitely more talkative than Mrs. Vilkas, but that also made it more fun to hang out with her. At some point she even pulled out a bunch of permanent markers and asked me to make her cast beautiful, which I gladly did. At around 5 P.M. Mrs.Vilkas called her house phone and asked me to set the table with the materials in one of the cabinets. By the time I was done making the table and had finished the last load of laundry, Mrs.Vilkas returned with the medicine and the other girls as we all gathered around the dinning room table and held hands, our heads bowed obediently.
"Levana, would you lead us in the Lord's Prayer tonight?" Mrs. Vilkas smiled, a long shadow cast across her bent face, one eye peeking open. I nodded and sucked in a slow breath before squeezing the two hands in my grasp.
"Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever." My grip lessened as I let out the breath I was holding. "Amen."
"Amen." Everyone echoed, our hands collectively slipping back into our laps as we looked up and greeted one another. Mrs. Vilkas quickly got up and poured everyone iced teas, telling us she had a roast in the oven that she needed help dishing out. Another girl volunteered and got up, her name slipping my mind, but her mildness prevailing. At some point in the night, the details began to haze and time felt as though it had shifted. The lighting in the room felt harsh and hot like the boiling desert sun, it stung my eyes like needles as it reflected off the silverware and ceramic plates. The conversation had shifted from light-hearted banter to something... else. I struggled to focus and found myself looking at the clock, ready to go home. My hand found the locket at the base of my neck and held it between my fingers as my mind wandered back to the girl earlier today, the questions slowly growing in number and piling beneath my skin. Hecate was an interesting name for someone back in Grandma's day. I wonder what her name was. Hannah? No, I don't think someone with the name Hecate would name their daughter Hannah. Victoria? Her features reappeared in my mind- her almond eyes and button nose, her hollow skin and troubled brow. No, she wasn't regal enough to be a Victoria.
"Levana, what about you?" My blood froze and I smiled awkwardly.
"Could you repeat what you said? I didn't quite hear you." Mrs. Vilkas nodded and set down her glass of tea.
"Yes, I said: If God made an army, and gave you unprecedented power and strength, would you enlist with him?" All eyes flickered to me, my stomach tensing slightly from the attention. My throat suddenly felt hollow as an answer was caught in the back of my throat.
"L-like Angels? If I could become an Angel?"
Mrs. Vilkas chuckled and shook her head.
"No darling, an army- complete with epic battles between Heaven and Hell. Battles that happen everyday without our knowing it- the constant onslaught between good and evil. Would you enlist?" The answer seemed like an easy one- of course I wanted good to prevail over evil, who wouldn't? But as I looked to the eyes around the room, to Mrs. Vilkas in particular, I knew the answer meant something more to them. Something different, perhaps. Would I join an army on God's behalf? I looked down to my plate- to the half eaten roast and potatoes. The question shifted in my mind as I pushed the food around with my fork; would denying God's army mean denying him, himself?
"I..." I closed my mouth. This wasn't a hard question, I told myself. Stop overthinking.
"Yes." I sighed. It was the correct answer, but it didn't feel right. "I would serve in his army, but I would only do what was right. You can't destroy evil with evil, and if his army was unholy then it wouldn't be in the hands of God, but the Devil." The knot in my stomach unclenched as the answer slowly felt less bitter on my tongue and more palatable, as it should have been from the beginning. Mrs. Vilkas clapped abruptly, a wide smile blooming across her lips.
"Beautifully said darling, don't you think girls?" Everyone nodded and murmured in agreement, the air of the room relaxing.
"In celebration of tonight's choir performance and the season of Christ and his Army, let's have a toast. I have a special drink I made while I was traveling in Israel some years ago, and I'd like you all to try some." She abruptly got up and walked from the room before returning shortly with a wine bottle in hand with no label, the outside covered in a thick layer of dust.
"It's wine that I made following an ancient Israeli recipe. In the bible it is called 'Oinos', and is said to be the same type that was drank by King David. I wanted to pour you all a little bit just to try it- it is nothing like anything you will ever taste. It's made with grapes and apples." She leaned over my shoulder with a wine glass and poured a very small amount into it, her vine like hair brushing against my shoulder. She poured everyone else a small bit as well before going back to her seat.
"And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit, Ephesians 5:18." She proclaimed, raising her own glass. "Just as a holy army is not drunk on power, but is filled with God's Will."
We all timidly raised our glasses and agreed before downing the wine, it's flavor nothing like the communion wine we were used to. A sweet, flowery taste bloomed on the tip of my tongue, the wine smooth and slightly thick. I found myself smiling as I set down my empty glass- she was right, it was like nothing I had ever had.
"Pretty good, right? Surprisingly sweet for an ancient wine. Here, a little more won't hurt." She laughed callously as she began to pour another sliver of wine into our glasses, the other girls excited and asking for the recipe to make for their parents. The laughter and the merriment in the room abruptly stopped as the girl from earlier began to cough violently, her hand desperately snagging her napkin as she hacked into it. The room stilled as she leaned back, her once rose colored cheeks now a pale grey and her eyes blankly staring out across the table. Thick silence enveloped the room as we all looked at her- our breaths collectively held tightly.
"Ellen?" One of the girls asked, her hand timidly reaching for her limp one. A scream erupted from her throat as she abruptly pulled back her hand and started moaning uncontrollably- murmured words belching from her throat as she backed away and shook her head frantically.
"She's so cold, she's so cold, so cold," She sobbed. "My God I think she's dead!" As the words left her throat, violent coughs erupted across the table as more girls suddenly paled and wheezed weakly, some clutching their napkins weakly as blood sprang from the back of their throats and seeped through their clenched teeth. My stomach clenched and flipped painfully as I abruptly stood up from my seat. Everything began to blur as the bright lights of the room started to blot out my vision and an icy numbness seized my limbs. My heartbeat echoed in my ears as each sound suddenly intensified and shattered my bones into splinters.
"I can-n't breath." Was it my voice? Someone else's? It barely sounded like a voice. Screams, glass breaking, objects falling to the ground with a dull thud. Everything was blotted out by the bright light and stark cold that was ripping through my insides. My warm organs and veins felt like their were being smothered and extinguished- a cold presence infecting every part of me- no, destroying me. Was this how I was going to die? My grip on reality had long ago vanished- my perception of the world left only to the sounds which bounced off the walls. Heavy footsteps shook the ground beneath me, and though I couldn't see anything, I could sense it was drawing near- like a lion prowling for its prey. A warmth bloomed across my face and rubbed it tenderly- was someone trying to see if I was dead?
My insides shook, though I couldn't even tell if I was crying. I could barely feel anything.
"I asked if you would join God's Army." A silky voice cooed. The melting heat left my face as the footsteps faded into chaotic echoes which chiseled knotted holes into my skull.
"I didn't tell you if He would want you."