Wetness

Suddenly exposed to the cold of the night without any protection, her sweat-covered body began to shiver. Rudely awakened from her sleep, Magdalena opened her eyes in a huff. It was the middle of the night and she felt cheated out of her already limited hours of rest.

At the same time, she was aware that something was wrong. Not okay at all. Her heart was still pounding in her throat and incomprehensible echoes of her dream reverberated through her waking mind. She knew she had been dreaming, but she couldn't hold on to any images. Gradually, however, reality seeped into her consciousness.

Seeking warmth, she wrapped her arms around her upper body. Where had her nightgown gone? Even though it was thin, it would have been a welcome protection against the icy cold that was making her shiver at that moment. Looking around, she discovered it crumpled up in a heap in the corner of the room. Unconsciously, she must have taken it off in her sleep and thrown it away. Magdalena shook her head at herself. She didn't know herself like this.

She was even more confused by the extensive wetness between her legs. Surely it wasn't her time of the month? In the dim light, she realized that it wasn't blood and dismissed the idea that her period might have started unusually early. She hadn't accidentally wet herself, had she?

Scrutinizing, she ran a hand through the thick bush of dark frizzy hair that was shiny with moisture and stuck to her skin. Uh! How sensitive she was! The first touch whipped through her abdomen like an electric shock and Magdalena couldn't suppress a moan. Her nipples stood up big and hard. But that was just an understandable reaction to the cold, wasn't it? She quickly pulled her fingers back and brought them to her nose. No, she was relieved to discover that the clear liquid wetting her fingertips did not smell of urine. Instead, the intense scent brought back vague memories of nights long forgotten, when she lay alone in bed at her parents' house and began to explore her own body.

She noticed how her pulse quickened again at these thoughts. It had been beautiful what she had discovered back then, young and curious. Even more than her mind, her body remembered the sweet happiness it had experienced and the mellow satisfaction that had followed. Now, however, guilt flooded the nun. These feelings and desires belonged to a previous life, long before she had taken her vows. There was no place for any of that here and now.

Sighing, she pushed herself up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She had to get up, pick up her shirt from the floor and get dressed properly again. But she was still hesitant to put the soles of her feet on the cold stone slabs. A chill ran through her again. What was wrong with her?

She wanted to calm down. Whatever had stirred her up and woken her up prematurely was over. It had just been a bad dream. But was it really a bad dream? Magdalena hadn't felt any fear. Yes, she was shaken up. But it didn't seem to have been a typical nightmare. That would feel different. She felt more of an urgent expectation and unfulfilled desire. But for the life of her, she couldn't imagine what she was missing. She had everything she had ever wanted. Her life was in order. Her faith was unshakeable. This was the anchor that gave her stability and strength.

Gratitude flooded her and she wanted to say a short prayer. She looked up at the ceiling.

And she froze. The words stuck in her throat.

She was not alone in her cell. Something was sitting on top of the simple locker where she kept her few belongings, looking down at her with shimmering eyes. Was it just a trick of the pale moonlight or did the creature's pupils glow from within?

What was it?