Hide and Seek

A day has passed. The nurse came in to check on James' vital.

"Hey, can I ask you a question?" asked James.

"Yes, what do you need?"

"Do you have any idea how to defeat a person who is a Master Exorcist?"

The nurse thought for a moment.

"Using Soul of course. That's the only way you can defeat them."

Soul. That word again. Lily never really explain to him. He wondered why.

"And what is that? What is Soul?"

"Oh, you don't know? Hmm." The nurse looked at his state. His bandaged head and bruised torso.

"No wonder you are in such a state."

The nurse looked around to check if there is anyone in the room.

"Hey," she lowered her voice. "I am not supposed to help you but there's a way for you to practice Soul."

"What is it?" James whispered back.

"As for now, close your eyes and take deep breaths. Make sure to clear your mind. You have to meditate. And Focus."

"That's it? Meditate and focus?" The two of them were so close to each other that if anyone enters the room now they might think they are having a scandal.

"That's what we are taught in the beginning when using Soul. Try it. That's all I can help you. The rest you really have to figure it yourself."

"But what thing should I focus on?"

"Anything. You can focus on yourself or the surroundings. Just breath and clear your mind. Tap deep into your inner self and be perceptive."

"Alright. Thanks."

The nurse left.

"So breath and focus."

James closed his eyes and started to take a series of deep breaths.

"Breath and focus." He repeated the chant in his mind.

"Breath and focus."

And he fell asleep.

….

….

"Sister Maria!"

"Yes?"

"What are you cooking today," asked the children.

"You want to guess?"

"Is it chicken?"

"No."

"Is it beef?"

"No."

"Then what is it?"

"Human intestine."

James opened his eyes.

"What kind of dream is that?"

James looked at the clock hanging by the wall. It's already 11 pm. The sky was already dark.

"So, I have one day left. But I think my body is not completely healed yet." James tried to move a bit to see if the pain is still there.

"Yup, definitely not healed."

As he laid on the bed, absentmindedly staring at the ceiling. His ears twitched at an abnormality he detected. He could hear a faint sound coming from above.

"Oh shit!"

James quickly rolled to the side of his bed and fell from the bed. Just then, the ceiling collapsed and a man was diving straight towards the bed.

The fell trigger a series of pain all over James body but before James could sit there and whine about it. He quickly stood up and ran towards the door and out to the open corridor.

"Where are you going, newcomer! Come and face me like a real man!" shouted the man.

"Nope. No thank you."

James was running but the pain had slowed him down. However, he knew that if he stopped now, he will be dead.

James ran past many rooms and he chose one to hide inside it. He closed his eyes and took many deep breaths to calm his beating heart as well as to let his body adapt to the pain he was feeling.

Thud…Thud…thud... running footstep of the big man around the corridor. The footstep got louder and louder, and it stopped just right in front of the room James was hiding in.

The doorknob turned loudly and the door was slammed down.

"Jeez, he could have just done that in the first place. Why bother turning the doorknob."

But James was hiding inside the wardrobe. So the man didn't see him straight away. The man was quiet. Then, a punch came through the wooden wardrobe and sent James flying out from the back of the wardrobe and slammed into the brick wall behind.

"Shit! Now my chest!"

As James was too much in pain to be able to move, he could not stand up. The man gave his stomach another kick and James fell unconscious. Again.

….

….

….

James opened his eyes to find himself under a ceiling with wood planks being nailed on it to cover the hole. James felt his body had become as stiff as a board because he could not bend his body without being in excruciating pain.

"Jeez…how am I still alive. It is almost unnatural. The healer in this church must be a master. At the same time, I think whoever this person is must be a sadist if he has the ability to completely heal my injuries. Or else, why would he heal me to a point where I can regain consciousness and not die but still can feel the lingering pain from it."

James didn't even know what to say anymore. But what he knows for sure are these things: The big man is a monster and never for a moment think he is safe. And one more, never trust Lily again.