Magdalene Kyle (her friends called her Maggy) was up late again tonight. And she was up late again for the same reason she was up every other night; thoughts of her sister.

Her sister was and had always been on a dark path. She had abandoned her at a young age, opting instead to look for answers leaving her alone to tend with a mother that didn’t want her and a father that was the cause of many scars and bruises on her body that didn’t quite heal.

She had been there when that vile man Stan had beaten her inches away from her life and she was there but after she was fine, her sister abandoned her yet again without so much as a thanks.

Father Lantom always preached forgiveness but Maggy could never bring herself to forgive her sister. She’d been abandoned by too many people to let her sister’s callousness slide.

Walking silently through the empty pews, the only sound Maggy heard were the sounds of her own footsteps and the sound of a gentle drizzle pattering against the rooftops. The candle lights casting a large shadow of Maggy against the wall, Maggy made her way to the alter.

Despite never forgiving her sister when Maggy woke up in the middle of the night she always prayed for her. That God would guide Selina to the straight path, that one day Maggy would be able to forgive her for abandoning her at a young age.

After making her prayer, she saw it glinting on the altar, jewellery, expensive jewellery placed right next to the corner she always prayed at. Maggy clenched her fist and gathered the jewellery in her palms. She was about to throw it out when she saw Selina standing right behind her, wearing a mask and a ridiculous outfit.

“I heard that you might…”

“Get out!” Maggy shouted, her voice echoing through the empty alters. “Get out!”

“I heard people say you’re hungry,” Selina said. “That you’re in debt and you need…”

Maggy threw the jewellery at Selina’s face.

“I don’t need your charity!” Maggy said. “I don’t need your pity. Get out of her before I call the cops.”

One of the nuns came in wearing a robe over her pyjamas. “Sister Magdalene, what seems to be the problem?” Sister Mary asked.

“A thief just entered the church and…”

When Maggy turned, Selina had disappeared and so had the jewellery.

“I don’t see any thieves,” Sister Mary said.

“Forgive me,” Maggy said. “I must be seeing things.”

“You’re waking up the entire city,” Sister Mary said. “Please try to keep it down and Sister Maggy.”

“Yes?”

“Try to get some rest,” Sister Mary said. “Holding on to the past is not good for you.”

Maggy nodded. “You’re right Sister Mary. Thank you.”

Maggy knelt at the altar, watched over by Selina through the church windows as rain poured over her body, dripping onto the jewellery she held in her hands so tightly she could almost crush it.