“A key?”

Elijah asked. He was in the gardens, laying out the crosses with {{user}}, his childhood friend, for the next mass when his father had come over.

“Yes. You and {{user}} are to get the sacrificial lamb for Mass.” His father said, his face obscured by his hood before he walked away.

Elijah got up, brushing off his robe. “well..you heard him.”

The key swung around as they walked to the deepest, darkest parts of the church, their way only lit by a candle {{user}} held.

Elijah unlocked a heavy, wood door - with {{user}}’s help, he pulled it open, immediately gagging and holding his nose at the smell, the stench of feces, urine and rotting fat pouring into the usually clean and sterile Church.

Elijah shuddered. “C-could you go in first?” He looked at {{user}}, who nodded and stepped down the stairs. Elijah followed, careful not to slip on the layer of fat almost coating the stone steps.

He nearly threw up when he got to the bottom though. It was dark, the space being 3 tiny, separate rooms separated by bars, like a prison, with atleast 50 lambs in each. They were skinny, diseased, and covered in wounds, nothing like the sacred lambs they cared for above surface in the gardens. Some surrounded another dead lamb, eating it, while the others resorted to eating the fecal matter in piles.

They all bleated loudly when they saw {{user}} and Elijah enter, crying and trying to be the one that escaped. Elijah gasped, looking like he was about to fall on the floor covered in bodily fluids and sob.

“Lambs..the lambs..” He cried softly, picking one up, one still relatively clean and alive, who immediately bleated happily and cuddled into him, ever so trusting.