Fredrick's heart raced as he navigated the winding roads, his GPS leading him deeper into the Los Angeles wilderness. The sun had long since dipped below the horizon, casting a dark, ominous shadow over the landscape. His mind was a jumble of fears and doubts, the mysterious messages that put him on this road haunting his thoughts.
He glanced down at the recorder in his pocket, a small bulge that offered a semblance of security. His fingers drummed against the steering wheel as he followed the directions, the voice on the GPS growing more detached with each passing mile. The city lights had long since faded, replaced by an inky blackness that seemed to swallow everything in its path.
Fredrick's thoughts drifted to his family, and the message he had queued up on his desktop – a message to his father, containing the coordinates Carina sent him. He had also shared his live location with the device, just in case he was taken someplace else. It was a desperate attempt to leave a trail, just in case things went awry.
As the miles flew by, the landscape shifted from urban to rural, the roads becoming increasingly narrow. Fredrick's anxiety spiked with each passing moment, his eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of life.
The GPS announced his arrival, and he slowed the car to a stop, his heart pounding in his chest. He gazed out at the surrounding, his expression contorted in confusion and fear. The darkness seemed to swallow everything, leaving only an eerie silence in its wake. Fredrick's eyes strained to pierce the gloom, but there was nobody in sight.
He finally garnered the courage to step out of his vehicle. The air outside washed over his skin, cold and icy. As he walked towards the cathedral, the crunch of gravel beneath his feet echoed through the stillness. His skin crawled with unease, but something propelled him forward.
"Well, this isn't creepy at all," he muttered to himself, his voice laced with sarcasm. He tried to laugh at his joke, but it caught in his throat. His eyes was fixed on the entrance, where the massive wooden door seemed to loom over him like a sentinel.
As he approached, the door creaked and groaned, swinging open slowly. Fredrick didn't think his heart beat could go any faster, but it did, "Okay… that's not weird." He tried to tell himself it was the wind, but he knew it was a lie.
Steeling himself, he stepped across the threshold, his footsteps echoing off the vaulted ceiling. The interior was musty and decaying, once-beautiful stained glasses now dim and faded. The air was stale and heavy, filled with the scent of old books.
He felt like an intruder, a trespasser in a place that was both beautiful and terrifying. His eyes scanned the shadows, "Carina?" he called out.
The silence that followed was oppressive. "I'm here, alone…" his voice grew louder, but the only response was the wind whispering through the empty hall like a mournful sigh.
Fredrick's eyes narrowed, scanning the empty pews as he managed a deep breath. "What am I doing here?" He willed his legs to turn around and carry him, out of the hall, but they remained in place. He could feel eyes on him – he was being watched, he was sure of it.
And then, without warning, the silence was broken.
"Greetings Shomer," Carina said, her voice low and melodious. "We have been waiting for you."
Fredrick turned around with so much speed, he almost fell. As he steadied himself, his eyes fell on Carina and the tattooed man. They were by the door, kneeling. Fredrick's eyes widened at the sight of them bowing to him, their movements synchronized. "What's going on? Why are you bowing and who is Shomer?"
"We bow in reverence to our guardian priest," the tattooed man replied as they got to their feet.
"Guardian what?" Fredrick shifted his gaze to Carina, "What sort of joke is this? You think any of this is funny? The texts, the note you left in my hotel room… and why couldn't I remember either of your faces? Are you guys even humans? Why the hell were you invisible in the CCTV footages? And what in creation's name did you do to my neck?" His eyes burned with anger. He had more questions, but these were the ones that bugged him the most.
Carina and the tattooed man immediately went back on their knees. "We apologize for giving you a fright, guardian."
"We will answer what we must if you would just stay calm." Carina added, head bowed.
Fredrick took two steps back, looking between the both of them. Why did they keep bowing to him, and why did they seem scared of him?
"First of all, could the both of you please stand? Believe it or not, but your kneeling makes this situation all the more creepy and awkward."
Fredrick waited for them to stand before proceeding. "Now, can I get the answers to my questions?"
Carina and the tattooed man exchanged glances, like they were communicating in silence. Fredrick was about to say something else when the tattooed man began.
"I am called Oded. You are Shomer, our guardian priest…"
"Our? Who is 'our'?" Fredrick didn't want to interrupt him, but he wanted to make sure he was following.
"An ancient tribe of people called Shiveti HaLevanah."
"Shive… what?"
"It means the moon tribe." Carina supplied.
"So, what has that got to do with me?"
"You are from a bloodline of priests of the moon tribe. And you are the first true priest that has been born in the last 500 years. That was why we had to take your blood."
Fredrick's hand went to his neck impulsively, softly caressing the place where the needle mark was with his thumb. "What did you do with my blood?" He asked, his voice terrified.
"A ritual," Oded supplied, his voice deep and resonant. "One that was necessary to awaken your true nature, as a priest."
Fredrick's tummy did a flip-flap. He was dealing with religiously obsessed people. How did people still believe in that sort of mumo jumbo bullshit in the 21st century? "What is there not to believe? Didn't you see them become invisible?" A voice in his head queried.
Fredrick took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. "Okay… So, you guys think I am some sort of priest… what am I supposed to do for you?"
"With time, guardian, you will learn of your duties."
"What about Stacey? And the dreams she's been having? And that weird tattoo on her hand? Are you guys also responsible for that?"
Carina and Oded stayed quiet.
"I thought you said you would give me answers?" Fredrick demanded.
"We shall answer what we must, guardian. Some answers, you are not ready for."
"I'll take that as a 'yes' then."
"All you see is not as they appear, guardian." Oded started to speak, but Fredrick cut him.
"Yeah, whatever." He asked them some more questions. Most, they left unanswered, and the few they did, they answered slowly, revealing little. They spoke in riddles, their words clouded with mystery.
As the conversation continued, Fredrick's frustration grew. He felt like he was unraveling a thread, only to find more threads hidden beneath. He was only grateful for one thing – they didn't seem to want to hurt him.
"Listen, I feel crept out… but honored that you guys think… uhh… highly of me." Fredrick said, for lack of better words. "However, I am no priest, and I do not want to be. So, could you please find someone as scrupulous as you and dump this priest thing on him? I'd like for things to go back to being normal again in my life." He was about to move when he remembered Stacey. "Also, please stop bothering Stacey too. You're making our parents force marriage down our throats and it is very…"
"You must not marry the chosen one!" Carina shrieked, unable to conceal the fear in her voice.
"Stacey? Chosen one? What does that mean?"
"We must leave now." Oded responded, ignoring his question. "We will see you again when the time is right, guardian."
"Wait, what did she mean by that statement? Why can't I marry Stacey?"
"When the time is right, all will be revealed. For now, the recorder in your pocket must already have more than enough information."
Fredrick's eyes looked like they would pop out of their sockets. "How did you…?"
"It doesn't matter, guardian. The recorder will be empty the second you step out of here. Bear our warning in mind – not all you see is as they seem. Beware of the darkness that follows."
With that, Oded and Carina dissolved into the shadows.
Fredrick quickly ran out the door and into the car. He took out the recorder in his pocket to transfer the recording to his phone, but true to what Oded said, it was empty. All he heard was a disturbing crackling sound like a broken record played on repeat.
"Shomer…" he muttered, his head reeling with all he just learned.