Page 15 of For I Have Sinned

“No—I—” I attempt to get the words out to explain why I’m running like a crazy person through the halls of a church, but I can’t because of my labored breathing, which won’t calm down because of the fear rolling through my body.

“Celine, you are alright.” Sister Alice’s calming voice sounds from beside me.

I turn my head to the left to look at her, then at Father Keaton, who is now standing on my right. He is blocking the only path to the exit, and the hope of getting out of here deflates. When I bring my eyes back to Sister Alice, she is staring at me with sympathy.

“Everything will be okay.” She reassures me.

“No, it won’t,” I say, tears brimming in my eyes.

She nods, giving me a pitiful smile. “Come. Let me show you to your room.”

I drop my eyes to the carpet, accepting defeat, and wipe away a stray tear before stepping towards her. They aren’t going to let me out of here. Not after I basically signed my life away.

My heart continues to race as I walk at Sister Alice’s side, and the air is so quiet around us that I’m sure she can hear how loud my heart is pounding in my chest. We turn the corner by the chapel, passing by the courtyard, and continuing on until we get to another turn.

“How long will I be here?” I ask as we approach a wide staircase.

“Until your mother sees a change in you. She is only worried about your well-being,” she explains while we climb the steps. “Your parents will visit once a week.”

Lovely.

I think I’m worried about my mother’s well-being if she were able to hand me over like this without batting an eye.

“And if I don’t change?”

“Then that is for her to decide.”

When we reach the top of the landing and stop a few feet down, she opens a door, and my eyes grow wide.

It is a small room, with old hardwood floors and beige walls. As I walk into the room, I am met with a worn-down dresser to my left that fills the entire length of the wall. On top of it sits an alarm clock with the time glowing red, and a few candles next to it.

To the right is a bed, hidden behind a curtain, and when I pull back the fabric, I’m met with a twin-size bed and a photo of Jesus hanging on the wall above it. Dropping the curtain, I look to the far side of the room. There is a window, and when I walk over to it to take in the view, I find myself in the courtyard. At least I have a pretty view in my jail cell.

“There are gowns in the dresser that you are expected to wear. If you’d like, after you change, we can wash your belongings for you.”

I clench my teeth tightly and inhale a deep breath before I turn to her. “That’s okay.”

Her head dips in understanding. “Lunch is over, but I will have someone bring you up a plate of food. Dinner will be at six. I will be back up here before then to escort you down.”

Sister Alice dismisses herself, leaving me alone in the silent room. A teardrop escapes and rolls down my face, and I don’t bother wiping this one away because I know it would be pointless. More will fall, and I will welcome them.

My mind is racing at the predicament I am in. How could my parents do something like this? If I want out of this place, it won’t be by walking through the front door on my own terms.

My brain gets bombarded with a million thoughts about the situation until it finally settles on an idea. Maybe I can pretend like I have found a relationship with God. If my mother believes that I’ve accepted God into my life, she will allow me to leave this place.

I’ll have to act my ass off to get out of here, because if I don’t prove to my parents that I have changed, then there’s no way for me to leave.

Chapter 6

Celine

After I finish crying all the tears I can shed, I remember I still have my phone. Wiping the wetness off my cheek, I fish my phone out of my purse, which has been sitting on the dresser ever since Sister Alice left me.

The screen displays a text from the group chat asking if we want to have a movie night. My heart aches because I won’t be able to. I need to tell them what is going on?

Me

Can we do a three-way call?