TW: Kidnapping, assault, uncomfy culty vibes. These points will continue throughout the novel. Also unedited.
Chapter 15:
Absolutum dominium
That final month quickly passed, full of days of packing and preparing for Luca, who had already placed most of his important items into boxes, labeling them with masking tape and a marker. Some times were packed away in Felix’s storage space for Luca, knowing he would not need them at the college. In order to help Luca, Felix took the packages Luca prepared and put them away for him, making it far easier for Luca to pack the last of his meagre belongings away.
Those items, however, were never packed away in the first place, but instead set aside for Luca’s inevitable stay within the orphanage. A shed had been prepared by Felix and his followers not long after Luca’s journey back to the orphanage, keeping the small building hidden away from Luca long enough to store his items. They were neatly stacked and arranged by Felix himself, taking care to make sure the items never grew dusty, as if they had never been put in storage at all.
Unfortunately for Luca, he was unaware of the items being hidden away, stored away as if they had never been packed in the first place.
The sky was still tinged with orange as Luca opened his eyes, feeling a weight still tugging behind his lids. A strange feeling welled in Luca’s chest the morning he woke up. It felt almost like a strange tightness, keeping him grounded in place as he lifted his back off of the bed, rubbing his left shoulder with a strange expression on his face.
Why… why do I have such a bad feeling? Luca thought to himself, standing up from the bed with a frown. He dressed slowly, yawning into his hand as he placed his dirty clothes into his packed suitcase, setting them aside to be washed when he arrived at the college dormitory.
Strangely, Felix was nowhere to be found in the morning, neither was Ms. Lowell. Luca could only eat breakfast on his own, having missed the children’s meal time by only a short few minutes. Thankfully, the food items were still prepared in the kitchen, and a plate of warm oatmeal and fruit was resting on the counter, covered with plastic wrap and adorned with a single note with his name, most likely written by Ms. Lowell.
Gratefully, he could only take the food and eat in the dining room, his eyes wandering over the empty hall with a finality that made him almost sombre. Only the sound of his metal spoon scraping against the plastic bowl accompanied him. Feeling somewhat lonely, Luca lifted his phone and sifted through his contacts until he saw his mother’s name, the last call having been only two days ago.
He pressed the call button, attempting to call her again with no response, only the chime of a full voicemail before the phone hung up automatically.
That’s strange. Luca stood up, finishing the last of his overcooked brown sugar oatmeal as he emptied the last of the contents into the trash, placing his dirty plates on the dish trays inside the kitchen. After removing the plates, Luca called her phone again, but there was still no answer even after six rings. She would never miss my calls like this, even if she was in the shower. She made a point of answering the phone whenever he called, and having heard her toneless voicemail, he felt a surge of panic.
“I should talk to Felix first. He’ll know what to do.” Luca held his shoulders in a soothing gesture, his phone still resting in his right hand. As he lifted his finger to dial, he heard the sound of the dining room door open, and Felix stood in the doorway, panting as he stared towards Luca, his face lightening in relief.
“Good morning.” Luca began, staring at Felix with a raised brow. “What happened to you? Did something happen this morning?”
Felix smiled and shook his head. “Nothing much, I just had to run an errand early this morning.”
“Where is Ms. Lowell? I haven’t seen her all morning.” Luca asked, looking around the dining room with a smile. “That, and the kids. It’s really quiet this morning. What, did everyone go on a field trip without me?” He laughed, patting Felix’s shoulder.
“They’re probably busy at the moment. I think Ms. Lowell was giving them a lecture in the play room, most likely about sharing again.” Felix said noncommittally, shrugging his shoulders lightly as he savoured the heat of Luca’s palm. “Anyway, you have to leave soon, don’t you? I’ll call you a cab.”
Felix stepped away for only a moment, holding his phone with a smile as he spoke to someone in a quiet voice, speaking the address of the orphanage in a slow tone before he ended the call. Turning to face Luca again, Felix said, “I forgot to tell you. Paul was here earlier to do some small repairs. I had him help me take care of the rest of your luggage. It’s already outside.”
“Really, you two didn’t have to do that…” There was not much luggage with him, and rather than feeling flattered, Luca felt weird, as if his items had been tainted.
“Anyway,” Felix said ambiguously, staring at the smiling Luca with a gentle, hidden smile. “The taxi should be here shortly. Why don’t I hold your bag?”
Luca shook his head. “That’s alright. It isn’t that heavy.”
What’s up with Felix? He’s acting strange. Luca thought to himself, seeing Felix in an almost happy mood as he walked towards the front of the road with him. I thought he’d be more upset that I’m leaving more than anything. Did something good happen today?
As the pair walked through the dining room and towards the main hall, Felix took Luca on a detour, moving them away from the classroom spaces and back towards the side halls facing the fields to the side of the building. Just out of view, Luca could see traces of the newly constructed fences in view, the tips of the barbed wire barely visible at a distance.
“What do you think of the fences?” Felix asked suddenly.
Staring up, Luca looked at the tip of the fence, feeling strange about the new change. “I don’t know how I feel yet. It’s almost like it’s trying to keep something in rather than out, I guess.” Luca pondered, turning to face Felix. “What do you think?”
“I think it will be a wonderful addition to keep the town safe.” There was a hum from the other side, and Felix replied directly, “I’m hopeful it will keep dangerous animals out of the area.”
“I hope so too.” Luca added, nodding his head in understanding.
The pair walked slowly, as if reminiscing about the last of their time together. Luca felt bittersweet, knowing he would be leaving his best friend behind, but he knew of Felix’s attachment to him, and he understood how hard of a time he was having, sending him off again like this. For that reason, Luca let Felix walk him around the space, discussing the last of the new renovations to the centre as they walked towards the main doors, where the cab would be waiting shortly.
Having not yet seen even a trace of Ms. Lowell or Heidi at the front desk, Luca became worried. The reception desk was oddly empty, the lights off and no trace of a person to be seen. It was unusual, too strange to be ignored even. If Heidi were not there, Ms. Lowell would man the desk herself, but today, it was completely empty.
What is going on today? A strange feeling began to wash over Luca, suddenly throwing a heavy chill down his spine as he turned to look back at the orphanage, the place looking far too quiet than normal. “Before I go, I want to say goodbye to Ms. Lowell. Can you call her for me?”
“I’m sure she’ll be out here in just a moment.” Felix replied in a soft tone.
No, something’s not right. With his heart gradually beginning to thud louder and louder, Luca looked down the road for any trace of a taxi, but he was met with only the silence of the empty dirt road. Nearly twenty minutes had passed since Felix had called the taxi, but there was no one in sight. The longer he stood, waiting near the road, the more Luca felt his heart fall, until he turned to confront Felix, his hands trembling.
“Felix, stop screwing with me. I know you think this is some kind of joke, but-” Luca spat out a sigh, tapping his finger against his thigh, “I really need to leave. If I’m late, I could miss my first class! Just call the taxi and I’ll get out of here. It’s not like I won’t see you again.”
Oddly, Felix lifted his right hand holding it as his arm was bent in an L shape, as if waving for someone. Luca paused, finding the movement strange, until he realised what was happening.
“What is this?” Luca asked, staring towards the villagers with horror. “What sick type of joke is this?”
As if on cue, a group of villagers from the two began to walk from behind the buildings, approaching the two men in a circular formation. Luca’s figure spun, his head moving from side to side as more familiar faces began to encircle the pair, until he was nearly separated from the road by the strange group. As they stood, they stared forward at Luca with a strange sense of devotion, as if they were doing something important.
“You aren’t going anywhere, Luca.” He reached forward and grabbed Luca’s right arm, his eyes falling on the bag in Luca’s hands, as if he wanted to pry even the thought of separation from the other man’s mind.
Feeling Felix’s increasingly strengthening grip, Luca laughed initially, his eyes falling on Felix’s hands with a joking glance. “What are you talking about, Felix?” He let out a light laugh, a smile on his face as he set down the bag he had been holding in his other hand. “Of course I have to go. I have to go to school.”
He felt a sense of pity, seeing how poorly Felix was taking the news, but the more he stared at Felix, attempting to wiggle his arm out of his grasp, he could only feel the hand tighten further, to the point of pain.
“Felix, that hurts. Let go.” By now, Luca was aware Felix was not joking. His eyes darkened on him, fixed on his departing figure like a target, watching his every move and facial expression, reading him like a book. Luca stared forward at Felix with a look of confusion, which quickly morphed into fear. “Felix!”
Felix stared down at Luca’s wrist before he lifted his other hand and grabbed the strap of the duffle bag, reaching just below Luca’s hands as he clenched his hand and suddenly pulled, nearly dragging Luca forward, ripping the duffle bag strap in the process. The item fell to the ground with a thump, and before Luca could lunge to grab it, Felix quickly kicked the bag to the group of villagers to the side, preventing him from retrieving his items.
“What’s wrong with you, Felix?” Luca shouted, staring at the man with an incredulous expression. “Quit joking around!”
“Come on. It’s time to go back inside.” As if Felix ignored his words, he placed his hand on Luca’s back, attempting to steer him back inside the orphanage, but before he could, Luca gritted his teeth and slapped his arm away, stepping away from the man he once considered a friend with a blackened expression.
“Father Felix-” The small group of townspeople around Felix looked affronted by Luca’s actions. They stared at the young man with shock and dismay, as if he had spit on the crucifix itself.
Felix raised his hand, “It’s fine. I’m taking care of the situation now.” He stared forward, his gaze full of weight as he said nothing, only staring through Luca as if he were a pane of glass, “Let’s take your bags and go back inside, Luca. There’s no need to leave.” He reached his hand forward, his palm facing up, suggesting Luca to take his hand.
“What about Ms. Lowell? Did you do something to her?” Luca’s eyes were narrowed, his anger palpable as he stared towards Felix with a look of disgust, his lip rolled back in a repulsed fashion. “You can’t do this, Felix. We’re family. This isn’t how you treat family!”
Felix’s hand remained raised in the air, awaiting the hand it had long since been waiting for. “Don’t worry about Ms. Lowell. She is fine.” His words were flat, full of disinterest, and the more Luca heard, the more unsafe he began to feel, unable to help the woman that had helped raise him.
“This isn’t like you, Felix. No-” Luca stepped back, his face falling as the realisation that he would not leave this place set in. “I’m not staying here. This isn’t funny, Felix. Quit f-fucking with me!” His lip trembled, his teeth nearly chattering in fear.
Everyone was aware Felix was serious, and as much as Luca wanted to wish it was, he was well aware each word carried its weight in gold. Felix would not let him leave here. The place that had fostered him since childhood, the place he found friends, family, and safety was stained by a sense of distrust and danger. The place he once considered a place to come back to, a place to lay his head down at night no longer existed. It was swallowed away by a creature, by something foreign to Luca, something he did not recognize.
He felt his cellphone in his pocket, brushing his fingers against the cracked glass. If he were to tap the power button ten times in a row, it would signal for emergency services. It would take far too long for them to arrive to save him now, but at least he could attempt to stall until they came to save him.
Felix looked at Luca with a heavy glimpse of pity, as if Luca was the only one here that misunderstood his loving intentions towards him. The gaze was cold, piercing, like a heavy blow to the back of the head.
“No-” Luca shouted, stepping back again and again, his hand resting in his pocket, hastily pressing the power button in frantic succession. “I’m leaving, now-”
Just as Luca was about to press his cellphone for the tenth time, attempting to activate the SOS function, he felt a heavy hand pry his arm out and away from his pocket, leaving him trapped in Felix’s iron embrace, chained at the wrists like a prisoner. Cold sweat poured down his back, and the originally warm weather only made Luca feel more and more cold, and the slight breeze in the air made his body tremble, filled with shivers of fear. Pain radiated from his wrist, making him groan in pain.
“I didn’t want to hurt you, Luca, but you refuse to listen to me.” Felix whispered, his eyes blank, freezing cold as he stared at Luca unwaveringly, holding the other man’s phone in his right hand, next to his head.
“Felix!” Luca gritted his teeth, holding his wrist where Felix had just grabbed it. The growing pain only worsened and sharply stung, “Give it back!” Luca commanded, gritting his teeth, baring his fangs towards the man he once knew as his childhood friend.
Felix stared at Luca with a pitiful frown, as if the other man’s words hurt his heart. “Don’t allow the devil into your heart, Luca. You cannot let him win. The Lord is your saviour.”
“There is no devil in my heart, Felix.” Luca’s hands were clenched, his nails digging into his palms as his hands trembled, fear and anger overtaking his heart. “What you are doing is wrong. Do not use the Lord’s name for your own delusions, Felix!”
A circle of gasps sounded aloud as one person stepped forward. “How dare y-” One of the villagers spoke, but Felix only raised his hand wordlessly, and the group fell silent.
“Brother Luca’s heart has been led astray. We cannot allow one of our herd to become lost.” Felix’s voice was full of pity, his eyes narrowed slightly as he spoke to the gathered crowd, directing them with his gentle voice. “We must save him from the devil’s hands and deliver him into the Lord’s care-”
“What the fuck is wrong with you all!” Luca shouted, his eyes wide in horror as he stepped back, disgust filling his heart. “This… this isn’t normal, Felix. What the hell is going on with you?” He laughed twice, hoping the words uttered from his friend’s mouth were only a joke, but the surrounding villagers assured him the situation was far from the joke he had hoped.
Felix smiled, opening his arms with a sweet, angelic smile. “Let us cleanse Brother Luca’s heart.” He stared at Luca, his eyes predatory. “Restrain him.”
Before Luca could speak, the villagers began to circle him, leaving no room to escape. As the people surrounded his trembling figure, their steps rang out on the gravel driveway, echoing in his ears like bells. Luca grasped his chest, his head turning as he moved his body away from Felix, his head shaking rapidly, repeatedly saying aloud. “Don’t touch me… don’t touch me!”
Luca was strong, but Felix was much stronger. The hands gripping his wrists were like iron chains, and the more he attempted to struggle against the sudden grip, the more it tightened, until he let out a groan of pain. His wrists felt like they would break, and he could see the skin growing red under the heavy restraint.
“I don’t want to hurt you, Luca, but you won’t listen to me.” Luca’s eyes widened, tears brimming in his eyes as he stared at the other man’s flat expression, his eyes full of pity. “All I want to do is keep you safe. You must let the Lord in.”
“The lord would never condone this behaviour!” Luca shouted, fear growing in his chest.
There was no response from the people around them, and they only continued to circle him like an injured prey, waiting for the opportune moment to strike.
A wave of helplessness filled Luca’s heart, bringing him back to the very moment he had been lost in the winter woods many years ago. He froze still, the villagers only an arm’s reach away from his figure as he fell rigidly still, his eyes glassy, blank, as he relived the nightmare of the past again and again, this time, it even haunted his consciousness, rendering him unable to fight back.
“Luca-”
Finding his voice, Luca spoke disjointedly, his voice hoarse.“No… no Felix. I-I’m leaving this town. I-I can’t… I-” Luca, pushing away Felix’s loosened grip, began to hyperventilate. Luca’s breath caught in his throat as he held his chest, his breaths short, ragged, and choking, as if he could not breathe entirely, as if his throat had closed in on itself, falling into a stage of disbelief.
“Luca? Luca!” Watching as Luca fell to his knees, his breathing in disarray, Felix quickly moved to Luca’s side, cradling him in his arms as he gently patted his back with a dark expression on his face. He yelled for a doctor as Luca wheezed aloud in his arms, tears streaking his face as his hands fell limply at his sides, his face pale and full of cold sweat.
Black spots began to fill Luca’s vision, and soon, he began to sway back and forth, losing the strength to hold himself upright as he stood in his usual t-shirt and jeans. As he attempted to hold up his head, growing heavier and heavier by the second, Felix gently raised his hand and supported Luca’s neck and torso in his embrace, his bare fingers brushing against the back of Luca’s neck as he said, “Luca, it’s okay, take a deep breath.” His voice was faintly trembling, as if he were afraid to lose him. “Stay with me, Luca. Don’t close you-”
Luca leaned into the once-familiar embrace with an expression of loss, his eyes glassy and hazy as he stared up at the man in front of him, the shadow of the sun resting behind him, making it difficult to see his face. He could only squint, attempting to make out the expression of the person he once considered a friend, the person that did not want to let him go.
Why, why is this happening? When did you change, Felix? Luca’s eyes began to slowly slide shut, two strings of tears sliding down either side of his cheeks as his head fell back into Felix’s waiting palm, his face flushed red and eerily pale, like a corpse.
Wet streaks stained his face like cracks, leaving the other man to lift his hand and brush away the lines of moisture with the back of his hand, gently caressing the skin under his palm, using his knuckles to brush away the remains of his surging emotions.
“Luca must be tired.” Felix smiled as he lowered Luca’s unconscious body, allowing him to use his free arm to lift the other man by under his legs. “I will take him inside to allow him to rest. Send the physician as soon as possible.”
“Yes, Father Felix.” The surrounding villagers stood still, their eyes blank like empty slates, standing still as sculptures. As Felix spoke, their stiff bodies regained their life-like movements, causing them to bow their heads in pious devotion, their pupils glazed over as if they were zombies.
Only Paul spoke in a low voice, full of respect, “I shall secure the town, Father Felix.”
Felix smiled, carrying Luca in his arms, his most precious being. “Perfect. Let me know as soon as the town is secured. Report any problems to me immediately.”
“Of course.” Paul bowed his head again, his placid smile eerie.
As Luca’s figure disappeared into the orphanage, the gathered villagers quickly dispersed, moving like puppets drawn on strings. Their preparations had finally taken fruit. It was time to establish the depiction of heaven they had awaited for years. That beautiful utopia they had always dreamed of, finally coming to light under Felix’s ardent leadership.
The time was nigh. The last preparations were already made, and soon, nothing could harm their approaching happiness.
…
Y'all were waiting for this, I knew it. I hope you all enjoy the next few chapter, regardless of how long it takes me to finish them!! Thank you all for your continued patience.
EDIT: 4/1/24: Still working on the next chapter, just hitting severe writer's block/ lack of time!
