Chapter 8

I must have finally lost consciousness, because I awoke amid a pile of dead bodies. I was buried under two of the blood covered bodies of the boys. I was weak, tired and sore, but I managed to pull myself from beneath the pile. It was a dark catacomb located under the church, dimly lit by oil lamps on the wall. I stammered to get up on my feet and looked upon the pile of dead. I counted the bodies and deduced that I had been the sole survivor of this nefarious night.

I lay down under the light of an oil lamp, trying to take it all in. As I lay here in this dilapidated dark catacomb, I looked back at all the things I've seen and done. I decided that this was to be my last night in this place, this monastery. If I was to have any chance of living, this would be an opportune time for escape, as they must have thought me dead too.

I built up enough energy to pick myself back to my feet and grabbed the oil lamp I had been lying under. Trying to gain my bearings, I walked to look down each of the two tunnels leading into the catacomb. I chose the more well lit of the two. It looked as if daylight was showing at the end of the one I was walking down and seemed as though I walked a mile down the dark, damp tunnel. Reaching the opening, my eyes squinted from the light of the day. I knew I was not safe yet, not until I was completely off the church grounds. In the distance, I could see the large ash tree where I had placed little Alice's body. The tree had grown immensely since then to provide her a beautiful shaded area. I fell to my knees weeping. I needed to say goodbye one last time and make a promise to her of vengeance upon everyone who had played a role in the life choices made for us. I would avenge her.

"Victoria!", I yelled to the heavens.