Stella Maris (The Legendary Rosaries)

by Marita A. Hansen

  “Now, that is one serious hottie,” Nicky muttered. “Like Johnny Depp and Rob Lowe had a love child. Not that they could have one, because you know—” she jabbed two of her fingers together like she was sword fighting, “—men don’t have the right equipment, well, they do, but they still need a woman.”

  I snorted out a laugh so loud that the remaining stragglers turned to look at me. Nicky had a bad habit of saying the stupidest things. I’d told her more than once that her mum must’ve dropped her on her head as a baby. Her reply was usually a resounding Nope! that I was the one with the brain damage, hence why she had to spell things out for me.

  “State the obvious, why don’t cha, Einstein,” I said, still smiling. “Maybe you and Stephen are suited, after all. Though, don’t let your mum go near the principal, she’d squash him.”

  Nicky’s eyes went wide. “That’s a horrible thing to say about my mum.”

  I grimaced, having spoken without thought, something I had a bad habit of doing. “Crap, sorry, you know I didn’t mean it,” I said, feeling guilty as hell, Nicky’s mum really nice. I just wished that my brain would vet things before it let me speak.

  Janet called out my name, saving me from having to grovel, because Nicky looked really pissed off with me.

  Janet closed the distance between us, giving Nicky a cursory glance. “Nicky, can you please wait outside. I need to have a quick chat with Catherine.”

  Nicky nodded and exited the room, leaving me alone with Janet.

  Janet held out a package for me to take. “I’ve been asked to give you this at the beginning of your spiritual journey.”

  I took the package, thinking she had the weirdest way of speaking. “Thanks. Who’s it from?”

  “I wasn’t told. The church office lady just passed on the message for me to give it to you. She also said to make sure you open it in private. It’s a special gift, only for your eyes.”

  Intrigued, I thanked her and left, catching up with Nicky out the front of the school. The sky was now a wicked black, night having waved its magic wand, vanquishing the sun, along with the moon, only the stars sparkling in the sky.

  “What did Janet want?” Nicky asked, shivering a little, her gypsy-like top too thin for the autumn night.

  I lifted the wrapped package up. “She gave me this.”

  “What’s in it?”

  “Don’t know.”

  “Well, open it then,” she said, looking like a child on Christmas morning, our mini argument already forgotten. She was never one to hold grudges, unlike me, who held them until death do us part.

  “I’m supposed to open it at home,” I answered.

  “What difference does it make if you open it now?”

  “Probably none, but Janet said I should, and since it’s going to bug you...” I smiled, elbowing her, “I’m going to wait.”

  Nicky screwed up her pixie nose. “Don’t be mean.”

  “Nah, just following the rules.” I kicked off, heading across the lawn to Nicky’s mother’s car.

  Nicky ran after me. “But you never follow the rules and I dare you to open it now.”

  “Nope, that’s not a dare, that’s you being nosey. And by the way, why did you lie about us not being allowed to bring our parents?”

  She pulled a face. “You know what my mum’s like, she embarrasses the hell out of me. She interrupts constantly, not to mention she’s megaphone loud. And if your mum knew she could come, she would’ve said something to mine, then I would’ve gotten into trouble for lying. And it’s not like they need to be here, it wasn’t compulsory. Anyway, from next week onwards they’re not allowed to come, so...”

  I held up my hand, cutting her off before she went on for another ten minutes. “You could’ve just said she embarrasses you and stop there. I don’t need the extended, one-hour version.”

  She huffed at me. “Why am I even your friend?”

  “Because you love me and my atrocious taste in guys.”

  She smirked. “Yeah, I do, especially the guys part. Stephen!” She clamped a hand over her mouth, obviously not meaning to yell out my ex’s name. Her eyes snapped to where Stephen was. Her mentally-challenged Romeo was climbing into the car he’d come in, not appearing to have heard her shout his name.

  She exhaled loudly. “That was close.” She did a little skip, then continued towards her mum’s car, jumping into the front seat.

  I climbed into the back, saying hi to her mum, again feeling guilty for commenting on her weight to Nicky. Giving me a big smile, Mrs. Taylor backed the station wagon out and headed for the exit, getting me back home in record time. Before I knew it, I was jumping out of the car and waving goodbye to them.

  Since my parents were still out, I let myself into the house and raced up the staircase to my bedroom, aching to see what was inside the package. I shut my door and sat down on my bed, peeling away the wrapping, revealing a beautifully crafted wooden jewellery box. It was decorated with Catholic imagery. On the front of the box, towards the left-hand side, the Annunciation was expertly carved into the wood, the workmanship so fine it looked almost drawn, and if it wasn’t for the deep grooves I would’ve believed it was. I touched the curves and lines that represented the Angel Gabriel, God’s messenger who had appeared to the Virgin Mary, announcing that she was to be the Mother of Christ. Another depiction of Mary was carved next to it, with Saint Elizabeth greeting her, their veils smooth beneath my touch. Next was the birth of Christ. All around the box were images of Mary’s and Jesus’ life and death, representing the Joyous, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries.

  I opened the lid and removed some stuffing, letting out a gasp at what I saw beneath it. Resting on a padded enclosure shone the most stunning piece of jewellery I’d ever seen. Gently lifting the long strand out, I stared at the blue rosary with awe. Multiple precious stones of various shapes and sizes were strung together by a long silver chain. I ran my fingers over their smooth surfaces, yelping as something bit into the pad of my finger. I dropped the rosary onto the floor, then quickly swept it back up, worried that I’d damaged it. I checked all the beads, relieved to find they were all right. I stopped on a bright-blue star, which was significantly bigger than the other stones. It had tiny flecks inside, looking almost like minute schools of fish swimming through the stone.

  Wanting to know who it was from, I placed the beads on my bed and removed the white note slipped down the side of the box. A handwritten scrawl asked me to visit Sister Cecile on Sunday at one o’clock. I frowned, wondering why the headmistress from my old primary school wanted to see me. And why she’d given me the rosary, because she’d never liked me. I hadn’t seen her since my sister’s funeral. She’d been close to Vesna, not me. My twin had been everyone’s favourite, her personality much more amenable than mine.

  Not sure I wanted to see the nun again, I put the rosary back into the box and slipped it underneath my bed. Within seconds, I was changing into my nightie and jumping into bed, falling asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

  Chapter 2

  A scream jolted me awake. I shot up in bed, still dazed from sleep. Darkness surrounded me, not even a peep of light coming through the curtains. I glanced to see what time it was, but couldn’t find my neon clock. Muffled sounds came from the other side of the wall, drawing my attention to it. I slipped out of bed and placed my ear to the wall. It felt cold and rough, nothing like my smooth wallpaper. Confused, I ran a hand over the surface, touching stone, not the floral print I knew should be there.

  Talking started up. I couldn’t hear what was being said, other than it didn’t sound like my parents, which made no sense, considering I had no other siblings.

  I headed for the door, wondering whether my parents had brought some visitors home. I opened the door quietly and peeked around the corner, what I saw freezing me. At the other end of the passage was a massive stained-glass image of the Virgin Mary standing on a crystal-blue sea. She was clutching a blue rosary in one hand and cradling a star
in the other, the moonlight from outside illuminating her. My stunned gaze moved to the Virgin’s face, transfixed by what appeared to be tears running down her glassy cheeks.

  The sound of sobbing pulled my attention away from the glass Madonna. I remained still for a few heartbeats, still stunned by my surroundings. The sobbing picked up, some no’s thrown in. Although confused and scared, I ventured forward, following the sobs to the next room. I stopped in front of a heavy wooden door, so different from what should be there. I placed a hand on the doorknob, wondering whether I was dreaming, though the cold metal in my hand felt real.

  Almost scared to make a sound, I turned the knob and pushed the door open a fraction, peering through the gap, what I saw shocking me. Lying on top of a woman was a priest, his hitched-up robes revealing far too much. He was holding the woman’s hands down, forcing himself onto her.

  I flung the door open fully and screamed, “Get off her!” horrified by what I was seeing.

  The priest’s head whipped around to me, making me gasp. It was Christopher’s grandfather, but younger. Yet that wasn’t what shocked me.

  He had bright red eyes.

  He pushed off the woman, his red eyes narrowing at me. Something within them flickered, like a flame ready to ignite a fire. Then he lunged at me. I screamed and took off, running down the hallway, which seemed to have grown significantly. It was much longer than the one in my home, with no soft carpet beneath my feet or floral paper decorating the walls. Just cold and barren, the stone floor freezing.

  I glanced back, spotting the red-eyed priest standing outside the room, his flowing black cassock now sweeping his ankles. It was different from the robes that the priests wore at my church, much older in style, only the white collar the same.

  Reprebus raised his hand and started chanting over a red rosary in his other hand. Without warning, I was yanked back a few feet and spun around to face him, an unseen force compelling me against my will. I tried to move away, but all my limbs locked into place. It was as though I’d looked into Medusa’s eyes, the supernatural force turning me to stone.

  He lifted his hand higher. A red mark was at its centre, reminding me of Christ’s bloodied hands after he’d been nailed to the cross. The mark grew in size, flickering into a flame. Words similar to Italian started falling from his lips. As he said the last word, a fireball erupted from his hand, shooting straight at me.

  I screamed and frantically tried to rip myself free, my body still locked in place. The fireball grew closer, the heat only seconds away from searing my flesh. Unable to escape, or even lift my hands to shield my face, I screamed again, knowing I was dead.

  But nothing happened.

  No burning pain, only warmth.

  The fireball had stopped a few inches away from my face, frozen in space, not even a flicker of movement. My stunned gaze swept past it, landing on the woman from the bedroom. Now dressed in a nun’s habit, she was standing in the doorway, glaring at Reprebus. She looked a bit like me, or more accurately my mum, the resemblance uncanny. Just a younger version, with sharper cheekbones. I hadn’t noticed the resemblance when she’d been under Reprebus, his freaky eyes having demanded my attention, but now... Whoever she was, she was clearly related to me.

  The nun continued chanting in the language that Reprebus had spoken. Like me, he appeared frozen to the spot. But unlike me, he slowly started moving, almost as though he was thawing out. Then his left hand lit up in flame, a fireball forming in the palm of his hand. I let out a high-pitched scream as he threw it at the nun. She flung up her arms to protect herself, but the flames engulfed her, taking hold of her clothes and hair, ripping into her flesh. My scream turned into hers, the sound piercing.

  Without warning, the stained-glass behind them exploded, almost as if her scream had shattered it. But instead of just glass spraying over them, a great wave of water came bursting through the window. It swept Reprebus and the burning nun up in a massive wave of glass and water, hurtling them towards me.

  Instinctively, I turned to run, the ghostly hold finally freeing me. I screamed as the wave ploughed into me, knocking me onto my front. I curled up into a ball and covered my face as the broken shards of glass bit into my flesh.

  Then it ceased as quickly as it had started.

  I stopped screaming and opened my eyes, finding myself lying on my bed. Confused and disorientated, I turned to my curtains. The early morning sunlight was breaking through the slit, its warm rays dancing across my legs. Unable to process the abrupt change, I glanced around my room, not noticing anything out of the ordinary. The wallpaper was as it should be—smooth and floral. And while I was drenched, it was with sweat, not water. Yet my ears still echoed my screams. I looked at my vanity mirror, seeing my terrified gaze reflected back at me. It was smooth and undamaged, with not one cut on my face.

  My door flew open, Mum bursting into my room. She was dressed in her nightie and dressing gown, with a serious case of bed hair.

  “What’s wrong, Catherine?” she asked, heading for me, her expression worried. “I heard screaming.”

  “I had a nightmare.” I breathed out. “Just a nightmare.”

  Chapter 3

  I zipped down Highwick Park hill on my skateboard, the gorgeous view making me forget about my freaky nightmare. In the distance, Auckland Harbour glistened under the bright New Zealand sunlight like a finely polished sapphire. Behind it sat the twin peaks of Rangitoto Island, the dormant volcano tucked up asleep under a blanket of greenery.

  As the footpath curved into Sumner Street, I swerved to my right, cutting across the road. Using my front foot, I pushed the nose of the skateboard down and slid my other foot back, lifting the board up to clear the small rise between the road and the adjacent footpath. Within seconds, I was zipping down the hill once more, like a surfer riding concrete waves. Ever since I’d watched Back to the Future over three years ago, I’d been addicted to skateboarding. My dad had built me a skateboard ramp out the back of our house, something I absolutely loved. But I loved speeding down hills even more, feeling the wind in my face and looking out over Agnaru’s stunning view.

  A boy shot out from a gated property. I swerved to my left, narrowly avoiding colliding with him. He was dressed in my school’s green and grey uniform. In contrast, I was in mufti. The seniors were allowed to wear whatever they liked, which for me today was a pair of jean shorts over black tights that were holier than the Pope. I was also wearing my favourite shirt, a faded black Led Zeppelin T with the Swan Song logo. Although the image was of Icarus—the mythological character who’d flown too close to the sun—it always reminded me of a fallen angel.

  I lost sight of the junior as I continued moving at the speed of Catherine, nearing the next side road in no time. As I drew closer, I glanced both ways to make sure it was clear of cars, then swerved right. I slowed down as I entered the road, the tarmac a touch bumpy. A loud horn blasted at me, taking me completely by surprise. Losing my balance, I tumbled off my skateboard, yelling out as I hit the tarmac. I rolled over, the road grazing my flesh. I pushed up into a sitting position, wincing at the abrasions, some bleeding.

  Doors slammed, pulling my attention away from my injuries. I looked up, seeing a turquoise Valiant inches away from my face, its fender practically in my grill. I instantly recognised the car. My ex ran around the bonnet, his expression panicked. It changed to relief once his violet eyes landed on me. Their unusual colour was what had originally attracted me to him, plus he was hot, just an empty vessel that I’d much rather smash with a fist than kiss.

  “Shit, sorry, Cathy, I didn’t mean to make you fall off.” He bobbed down in front of me, gently touching my scraped leg. “Are you all right?”

  I smacked his hand off me. “Don’t touch me!” Pushing to my feet, I picked up my skateboard, the front wheels twisted. “You wrecked my skateboard,” I snapped, more concerned with it than my injuries.

  He rose up, his mane of blond hair tumbling over his broad shoulders. “Hey,
it wasn’t all my fault. You were speeding.”

  “More like you were speeding, arsehole!”

  His guilty expression quickly morphed into one of annoyance. But before he could retaliate with his own flurry of words, or more likely, trip over his limited vocabulary, a male voice cut him off.

  “You’re right, he was speeding.”

  I turned to the source of the voice. It was the hooded boy from last night. Christopher headed for me from the passenger side of the car, wearing another hoodie, just minus the trench coat. It was a well-worn black sweatshirt with the sleeves cut off, displaying arms covered with flame tattoos. He came to a stop in front of me, his chocolate-brown eyes landing on my skateboard. He reached for it.

  I whipped it back. “What are you doing?!”

  Christopher raised his eyebrow at me in the same way he’d done the night before. But this time it didn’t have any effect on me, my anger whitewashing my attraction for him. Instead, I glared at him, furious my skateboard was wrecked.

  “I was going to fix your board,” he said.

  “How? The rod’s bent.”

  He held out his hand again. “Let me show you.”

  “Yeah, so you can wreck it some more,” I spat, knowing it was unfair to blame him. Stephen was the one at fault, but I was too angry to think rationally.

  Knowing I needed to leave before I totally lost my temper, I turned to go. But before I could take a step, Christopher grabbed my arm, his hand landing on one of my scrapes.

  Yelping, I jerked free from his grip and spun around on him. “Don’t ever touch me again!” I yelled, raising the skateboard, this close to hitting him with it. I was usually chill, but when I did lose my temper, it was epic. Atomic bomb proportions.

  Christopher’s hands shot up as though I was pointing a gun at him. He took a step back, his expression a touch stunned. “Whoa, calm down, bella, I didn’t mean anything by it. I was just going to offer you a ride to school.”