Dorothea Gift of God

she was only too aware that her own conception had been maculate it had been not been a virginal birth and yet a blessed gift from God her mother a whore in the town’s creep joint father a loose unknown alcoholic desperado a blasphemous union had sprouted its seeds outcast she was left on the door step of grace a castaway waif wrapped in a ragged blanket of hope or utter dejection her only worldly possessions a bent crucifix and threadbare rosary beads they washed away sins of her profane forbears clothed the product of sacrilegious irreverence found a wet nurse to feed her insatiable mouth baptized the foundling Dorothea the gift of God she never once strayed from the path of redemption and joined the order of indestructible faith and vowed to serve in the habit of monastic duty nursed many an abandoned orphan in her care never doubted her mission in the convent of love and was given the privilege to name baby twins chose Theodore and Mathew from her kind heart every day she rose early for morning prayers in the sacristy of devotion included Mother Superior and Baby Lord Jesus in unshakeable orison never took the message of resurrection in vain and fostered the Godsend ‘by decree of the Father Son and Holy Spirit I promise to further the calling’ the sun rose every day and set as it should for moons to turn and spell light from celestial waxing and waning never loosing track of duty and care one day though she found Theodore and Mathew curled up in a corner unable to speak for they had pledged to stay silent in a covenant from hell she gave them crayons and paper and they finally drew a High Priest who wielded a scepter sprung from his loins towering over the siblings they started to weep and uttered that everything had been their fault ‘sister we transgressed and must be punished in just hell and beyond’ Dorothea called upon justice and atonement but was exorcised in return for her conscience ‘we don’t need a scandal for his heaven’s sake forgive those who trespass by rule of the cross’ God’s guidance disappeared that very same night behind high priory walls as she went into the cloister’s kitchen to sharpen revenge and a fine blade she cut the clergyman’s throat and with it the orphanage’s umbilical chord and felt that she had recompensed for her ancestor’s unabated malfeasance sure in the knowledge that she had held a true present from God in her hands when she turned the rosary pearls in her hands she walked into confinement 21st May 2020