The Stranger

By Lauren

He had short brown hair, spiky like a porcupine- and jade eyes. His skin shown like copper in the golden sunlight. Within his hand, he carried a simple back bag. It was the contents of the bag that would truly shock the people around him; that is, if they could see. He double checked that he had everything- a brown whip, a Bible, a pack of condoms, a wooden cross, a rosary and a blood stained knife.

Check.

He had everything.

He glanced up towards a billboard of orange, scrolling numbers. He had to be sure that the train to the Vatican would be on time.

12:15 p.m. was the time of arrival. Everything would be in place by then.

He glanced around him. No one appeared suspicious, but he would have to be on guard. He pulled the brown material of a padre’s robe tightly around him. Sauntering over to a nearby café, he took a seat next to a blonde haired woman. He had some time to kill before the train arrived. Noticing the woman giving him a strange look, he smiled towards her warmly and began to speak.

“How do you do? What is your name? Are you waiting?”

“For what?”

“The train, of course.”

“Yes,” she replied. Noticing his robes, she asked him what brought into his holy career.

“A number of things. Do you believe in God? In redemption?”

“Of course.”

It was just what he wanted to hear. Maybe he would be redeemed for what he had done, and for what he was about to do. Afraid that he would speak too much, he excused himself and headed to the men’s bathroom. Once inside, he checked his bag for a third time. Realizing the knife was covered with blood stains, he tried to inconspicuously wash it off within the toilet. It didn’t seem to work.

He laughed to himself. If this blood couldn’t even be washed off a knife, how could it be cleansed from his soul?

Then again, who believed in heaven and hell any ways?

Putting away his things, the man left the bathroom and soon boarded the train.

The Vatican would be in for a surprise tonight. All chaos would reign on Earth once again. Doomsday would soon be upon them, all ushered in by a simple man in brown robes. Ironic- I think not.