Up you go!

With the Rosary hanging from my chest, covered beneath the sweaty dark robes that had witnessed the vertiginous scene a few minutes earlier, I walked towards the sacred places.

A lot of the Sisters were already there. Some stared at me, some others smiled and said "hello" as I passed by. I couldn't tell if they were being nice like this morning, or if they somehow knew the debacle in which my soul had lately become engrossed. Perhaps the fact that I was hanging out with Helen before made them think I was now one of the "cool girls".

In any way, Sister Naomi made a gesture for me to sit by her side and Mother made her appearance behind the pulpit. The Chapel was crowded and we were at the back, but still we could see and hear everything perfectly.

Mother Superior: As is customary, tonight we celebrate Christmas Eve Mass. Apart from pagan customs and rites, we must remember that the Lord's path is full of penance, and that his birth and work are no excuse to evade the sacredness of this date and give ourselves up to enjoyment!

Her tone and mannerisms were so straight-laced that they seemed to be designed with a ruler. Father stood by her side with a blank stare. Helen sat a couple of benches away from me, too busy chatting and giggling with her friends to pay attention to Mother's discourse. Almost the rest of the Sisters seemed as disengaged as her. I couldn't help but feel a little bad for Mother.

???: Pssst... Pssst!

I turned around to where the sound was coming from. It was Adele, one of Helen's friends who was trying to grab my attention. She handed me a crumpled paper with something written on it.

"Hey, some of us girls will be sneaking to the back of the Chapel to have a real Christmas party. You should join us. Just follow us when you see we're leaving!"

This unexpected invitation surely took me by surprise. Maybe it was true and I was becoming one of the popular girls. Who knows...

Mother Superior: And remember. You may seem lost and confused, or perhaps you feel very self-confident right now. In any case, one thing is sure: we're human. We make mistakes... But we can also be forgiven. Our souls search for peace, even if the anxious body sometimes decides to take shortcuts that deviate from the path!

I couldn't help but notice her voice was cracking underneath her hard shell. The Sisters didn't seem to notice it at all. Their attention was far away from Mother's speech. This was very unusual.

Mother Superior: Hold the Lord in high esteem, but also hold in high esteem the power of your will, for it'll be the earthly mechanism that will guide your flesh towards the promised land, where your soul will find its new home for all eternity!

She was anguished. For a moment, I could sense how confused and scared she really was. There was something strange happening to her, to the Convent... To all of us.

Helen and her friends stood up.