5.

Darkness falls and she ... will take me by the hand ... lead me to some twilight land ... where all the love is grey ... and I can't find my way ... without her as my guide ...

Figuring out a place in the world is not easy, no matter what one's heart say and especially no matter what is told by others. Simply liking or not liking, believing, or not believing, does very little either way despite how other wisely large that may feel. Backing oneself can really tune in on a kind of confidence.

Her heart was created for darkness and that heart has leaned towards darkness at times in the past. Her instinct is to fight, go against that with which she was created for. There have been times she has acted one way or the other and has been perfectly fine with both once it worked in her favour. Still, she has to find her exact part, find how much give and take she needs to part with and to exactly what she feels fine with.

No, she will not totally give into the dark, and to fight for light against such odds seems an almighty task, though again, she would not be alone. Fight against eight sisters, six apparently guaranteed to fight back, one apparently unsure, and another having a change of heart (or hearts) herself.

The one that sticks with her, Nancy Ellis, Majella Smith is aware of who Nancy Ellis is and is not so silly as to be unaware of what the future may or may not hold and anything may happen at any given moment. At times, it might work out in a format of better the devil you know ... use it how you see fit and possibly to your own advantage.

The other, Charlotte Allen wants to bring warning of a certain Arthur Billingsworth. Majella Smith needs no warning of Arthur Billingsworth for she knows all about him and of the fact he has wormed his way in with her sister, still, Charlotte feels a need to intervene. Majella is aware of this need in her sister.

It is the twenty second day of May 2019 and this is quite the significant day. It had seemed inevitable that Lisa Smith would marry a certain Arthur Billingsworth and as the day went on, confusion grew. Lisa is at the church without her sister feeling that Majella's dislike for spaces of hallowed ground is just an excuse not to show when Lisa herself should know better, she does know better, still, as far as she is concerned, she feels her sister should at least make a showing on a day like this.

Less than a year prior to this day, Lisa made a dress from scratch for her sister to wear at a Ball not knowing exactly what this Ball was to be all about so since Lisa's own big day has arrived Majella could at the very least make an appearance. Thing is, Majella is making an appearance ... elsewhere.

In the very room where a Ball took place twilight has come to visit. That dull evening sky has it dark but not so dark that one cannot see where one is going within a space where additional lighting has not granted anyone or anything its company. She is there, contemplating all there is and all there could be. He is there too and not in the other place he had sworn to be. She cannot see him, she does not need to, to know he is there.

'Why are you here? ...' he calls out, his voice echoes out in a room much too large for two, '... when you should be at your sisters' side on her wedding day ...'

'I could ask the same of you as you are the one, she intends to marry though I already know you are incapable of love, you do not have one loving bone in your body ...'

'Now, now, that's not very nice now, is it?'

'Neither are you ...'

'Ho ... ho ... a battle of words now, is it?'

He steps out into a clearing, there is no need to hide his presence once he has revealed he is here. She already knew of his presence; thus, is why she is where she currently is.

'You are not marrying my sister ...'

'Oh, I fully intend to marry your sister, I just have something to do right here first.'

'What ... kill me? Sorry to disappoint but that is not going to happen.'

'Of course, it is, though for the sake of indulgence ... tell me why it will not for I know you cannot foresee your own death, so I'd like to hear the reasoning for your confidence.'

'There are a number of reasons why I will not be dying any time soon. I have been made aware of a future that has happened once already, and it so happens to not be very nice. I am going to ensure things go very differently ... how does this sound ... one of us actually is about to die and as it will go, it will not be me.'

'Ha ... you are funny ...'

'I wouldn't laugh if I were you. Death, your death, for you will not be funny. I have already seen how you will die, and it will be at my hands ...'

'... You don't have it in you ...'

'Indeed, I do, I am a daughter of darkness after all, and your life will not be the first one I will have taken. Have to hand it to daddy dearest ... have you kill me ... judgement will see me enter the gates of Heaven where my very presence will unintentionally destroy it ... handing victory to Satan ... clever plan. I have never been good with Hallowed ground ... doesn't matter if it is on this world or the next ... I will not pass and never will never pass those gates.'

'Satan does not control me ... I do whatever I will ... I am here of my own free will ...'

'Is that so? Then do yourself a favour right now and leave this place. Go far away and never come in contact with my family again ... do this and you may keep your life.'

'I told you, I am marrying your sister.'

'You do not love my sister and we both know this ...'

'She is with child ... my child ... I will not be going anywhere, and you will not kill the father of your sister's unborn child ...'

'I don't believe you ...'

'If you spoke more often with you blood family, you would know what I say is true.'

A temper begins to grow. Majella Smith reaches her arms out allowing the palms of her hands to face upwards. The rage brings it all the quicker ... a fireball raises above each hand, illumination is strong, almost blinding, a heat is intense. Someone else is here. That someone else quickly maneuvers herself between Majella Smith and Arthur Billingsworth.

'Majella ... don't do this ...'

'Get out of the way Nancy, these aren't for you.'

'They are not for Arthur either ... Majella, calm yourself ... please ...'

The fireballs do ease but not completely.

'Do it ...' speaks a voice of one who has come up along Majella's right side, 'do it now' speaks the same voice, only now it is along Majella's left side, another daughter of darkness has arrived, both parts of her, and her words do light a fire in Majella, so to speak.

The fireballs intensify for a moment but then Majella considers Charlotte's words then backs down.