Bat's in the Belfry Webcomic

SWEET SORROW
Part II
by Eric Alexander

Elsie walked in through the doorway and into the main hall. Wes led her to the right and into
what must have been some kind of sitting room, but had since become where he kept all of his
stereo equipment. He motioned for Elsie to take a seat. She did so, sitting in an easy chair
while Wes sat on the sofa adjacent to her. Wes took note of the fact that the last person to sit
in that chair was Greta... and the last time she had been crying. It had been right after Elsie
had left.

Wes had no idea what to say. The situation was awkward. Why had Elsie come here and where had
she been since she left the apartment? He decided it would be best to simply wait for Elsie to
begin. After all, she had come to him.

She began by bursting into tears.

“Hey, don’t do that,” Wes began. “It’s okay. Just... just calm down. Look... um... would you
like a glass of water and maybe some tissue?”

Elsie nodded as she sniffled.

“Okay,” Wes replied. “I’ll be right back.”

Wes took the opportunity to give Elsie some time to calm herself and when he returned with the
items she accepted them with a weak smile.

“So, uhm...” Wes said, nervously. “What brings you out here?” It sounded stupid and he felt like
an idiot. He wished he’d said something else, but Elsie answered him soon enough.

“I don’t know where else to go,” she said, sorrow tinging her voice. “I can’t go home and I can’t
go back to Greta.” Her voice started rising in pitch as the tears began flowing again. “I don’t
even really know you and yet you’re the only person I felt like I could talk to ”

“It’s okay,” Wes assured her, placing his hand on her shoulder. “Whatever it is, I’ll try to
help, alright? You can trust me.”

That stopped the tears and she wiped her face with a tissue.

“I know,” she replied, looking at him with shining, watery eyes. “Even though I only got to meet
you when taking you home on Sunday, there was something about you.” She seemed to struggle to put
her feelings into words and simply smiled instead. “Just something...”

Her eyes looked down to the cross necklace hanging on his chest. Wes turned his attention to it
as well and then looked back up.

“Why do you wear this?” she asked him.

“It’s... well...” Wes stammered. “It’s special to me.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s what I believe. I mean... I’m a Christian and, well...” Wes looked down at the floor, his
voice becoming softer. “Sometimes it’s only been my faith that’s seen me through. When times
have been hard and when things seem their darkest... It’s like the only thing I have that gives me
hope.”

Elsie nodded and sniffled slightly.

“I know what you mean. I’m a Christian, too... but...” Now it was her turn to look away. “I
haven’t really been to church in a long time and I’m not even sure that I have any faith left in
me. It seems like my prayers never get answered and I just don’t seem to know what I even believe
anymore.”

Wes shifted uncomfortably. “So, why come to me? I mean... I’m glad you did, but...”

“Wes,” Elsie said, shifting her gaze to look directly at him, “what did Greta tell you about why I
left?”

“Nothing,” Wes blinked. “Nothing... I tried to ask her about everything and she just said that it
was all her fault and that you’d fallen in love with the wrong person. Then she just didn’t want
to talk anymore about it. She’s tried to deal with it on her own and she’s put up a good front
about it, but after losing her job the next day and...”

“She what?” Elsie blurted out.

“Yeah, she lost her job on Monday and they didn’t even tell her why. She tried to clock in but
her access card wouldn’t work and then her supervisor just met her at the door with all of her
things boxed up. They wouldn’t give her an explanation or anything and told her they’d mail her
check to her.”

“Oh, Greta.” Elsie shook her head. “I can’t believe they’d do that to her. And to not even tell
her why? That burns me up... those... oh ” Elsie stopped herself and an expression of shock
crossed her face. “How’s she going to make rent? I thought she might have enough time to find a
roommate and... Oh, no... what have I done?”

“I don’t know, Elsie. What happened? Why did you leave? Greta was really scared about her
situation. She thought she’d have to move back home. She may even still have to... I don’t know.
What made you leave?”

Elsie struggled with her emotions, but managed to continue. “It’s complicated, Wes. But if Greta
didn’t tell you anything then I ought to start with who I fell in love with.”

“Okay,” Wes nodded.

“Just tell me you’ll try and understand if I tell you, okay?”

“Okay.”

Elsie took a deep breath and let out a sigh.

“Greta.”

Wes felt himself go tense and his mouth flapped open and shut a few times before he could speak.
“Uh, well... I, uh... You, uhm...”

“Yes, Wes. I fell in love with Greta.”

Shock quickly passed and Wes began putting things together, trying to get his thoughts in order.
He now felt ten times more nervous than he had during the entire encounter thus far.

“Are... are you telling me you’re... gay?”

Elsie looked down at the floor and shook her head. “I don’t know. I don’t know what I am. I
just know how I started feeling.”

“Well,” Wes continued to stammer. “I mean, as a Christian, I...”

“I know, Wes. I haven’t been to church in a long time, but I know what the Bible says.” Her eyes
closed tightly in frustration. “But it doesn’t stop how I feel.” The conversation sank into
silence for a moment. Then...

“So that’s why you left,” Wes mused aloud.

“No,” Elsie laughed ruefully. “That’s not it... at least, not entirely.”

Wes shook his head in confusion. “I don’t understand, then. What else happened?”

“To answer that,” Elsie sighed, heavily, “I have to tell you about this.” She raised her upper
lip to display her fangs, only one was missing... the one on her left side. “This happened in
high school. Todd Edges did it. Punched me right in the mouth and broke it.”

“Good gravy,” Wes whispered. “Some guy broke your tooth? Why?”

“I was at a party... Greta and I both were. Todd was my boyfriend. He had a habit of... losing
control when he got angry. We’d been going out for a few months and he’d roughed me up a few
times before that night, but nothing too bad, really. I... I guess I didn’t have the sense to
realize what was going on. I just kept going back to him.” Her gaze shifted to the window, where
it almost appeared she was looking through it into the past.

“Greta was trying to keep tabs on me, but Todd got me alone and he snuck a few wine coolers with
us. Like I said, I didn’t have the sense to realize what was going on. I was being stupid. He
started wanting to make out, but... well, it started to get out of hand real quick. By the time I
realized what was happening, I told him to stop, but... he wouldn’t listen. I started to get
scared. I tried to get him off me. Finally, I just... punched him. I wasn’t even thinking, I
just did it.”

Wes simply sat and listened as Elsie continued.

“That made him mad. Real mad. I tried to apologize, but before I knew it, he punched me back.
Hard. I saw a flash when he hit me and it hurt like nothing I’d ever felt before.”

Tears began flowing down her face and Wes handed her another tissue.

“Greta must’ve heard the shouting and all because she came busting through the door and when she
saw me...” Sobs were mingled with her words. “She... she grabbed a cloth to stop the bleeding and
then she went off on Todd. I just cried while she ran him out of the room.”

“I can’t believe he did that to you,” Wes replied, still reeling from the tale. “What did you do
about it?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?” Wes almost came up off of his seat.

“It wasn’t that easy,” she replied. “I couldn’t really prove anything and besides... mom wouldn’t
back me up. You see, my dad treated my mom like that until she finally made him leave. She
always warned me about Todd and she would always get upset when she’d find out that he’d
mistreated me. By the time this happened... she figured I’d gotten exactly what had been coming
for a long time. She said she’d been trying to warn me and maybe this would ‘teach me a lesson.’”

“Your own mother?” Wes asked in disbelief. “That’s harsh. I can’t believe she’d do that to you.”

“Well, she did,” Elsie sobbed, “but she was right. It taught me a lesson, alright. I swore I’d
never let anybody take advantage of me like that again. I never had the fang replaced, either. I
wanted to make sure I never forgot that night.”

Wes swallowed hard as Elsie took a moment to compose herself.

“That’s just awful,” Wes finally managed to say. “I’m so sorry, Elsie.” He sat pondering for
awhile, not sure what to say next. Some moments passed and then somewhat sheepishly... “So, what
does that have to do with why you left the apartment? I don’t understand what...”

“I know,” Elsie interrupted, waving a hand to show Wes that she didn’t mind the question. “You
see, Greta and I had been best friends since high school and when we later joined up with Brent
and Ramana’s band we ended up moving to Carlson’s Corners and getting an apartment. It was
sometime after the band split up and everybody moved back home that my feelings for Greta started
to develop. I don’t know if they were there all along and only started to come to the surface, or
if I was so lonely after the band broke up and all that I started looking at her differently... I
just don’t know. But I never told Greta... I knew she didn’t feel that way about me and never
would. I guess it started to become some kind of fantasy and I kept it that way for awhile, but
eventually...”

Elsie shook her head, excusing herself while she summoned the strength to share the next part.
Something that had eaten away at her for too long now and needed to be released. She took a deep
breath.

“Well, Greta has always had some problems with sinus infections. With a snout like hers, those
things kind of hit her hard,” Elsie managed a weak laugh. Wes complied with a sympathetic laugh,
but the joke fell flat almost as soon as it had been made. “Well, she’d gotten a case of it not
too long ago and she was worried it would keep her up all night and she needed to be at work the
next day. They were really strict about sick days and all, and Greta wasn’t planning on going to
the doctor, so she needed some cold medicine to help knock her out. I encouraged her to get it,
too... but not for the right reasons. After she’d taken it that night, she passed out on the
couch. And then... and then...”

Elsie began crying.

“It’s okay, Elsie,” Wes interjected. “It’s okay, just take your time.”

“I didn’t mean anything wrong,” she wailed. “I just... oh, Wes...”

Wes rushed to Elsie’s side and held her. It took some time before Wes’ mind managed to process
everything he’d just been told. “Oh...” he whispered. “Oh, my goodness... Elsie... did... did
you...” He couldn’t bring himself to say anything more.

“No,” Elsie sniffled. “No, I didn’t. I stopped myself... I...” She began crying afresh. “After
everything that had happened to me... After this...” She pointed to her missing fang. “After
everything I’ve spent my whole life fighting against... I was becoming what I hated most ”

Wes held her tight then. It was all he could think to do. His uncle’s final words to him kept
running through his mind. I have to go... but you're needed here. There are people here who need
you. I don't know how, but I just know it.

“Um, Elsie,” Wes said, after a time. “When things get really confusing and I’m scared or worried
or just don’t know what to do... I pray. Would... would you like to pray with me?” Elsie nodded.
Wes stood up and held out his hand. “Come on,” he said, as she placed her hand in his. He led
her through the house to the back door.

“There’s a place I would go to when I was kid,” Wes said as they walked outside into the backyard. The
sky was blue and the sun was shining. White clouds were scattered across the sky. The yard was
a rich green that stretches over the rolling hills beyond. “It’s a little meadow down the hill.
Sound good?”

Elsie nodded.

“Good. Have you ever been flying before?”

“Flying?” she asked, confused. “You mean on a plane?”

“No,” Wes snickered. “I mean, like this.”

Suddenly bat wings sprouted from Wes’ back and Elsie’s eyes went wide.

“H-how did you...” she began.

“Never mind that,” Wes replied, holding out his arms. “Want to go up? I’ll fly us there.”

“Are you sure? I mean... I won’t be too heavy?”

“You’ll be fine,” Wes assured her, smiling. “Come on.”

Wes lifted Elsie into his arms. She placed her arms around his neck and the next thing she knew
they were flying. Wes’ wings flapped quickly as they rose higher and then slowed as they flew and
glided along. It was amazing. Time seemed to slip away as she looked down at the countryside
below and she was overcome by a feeling she hadn’t felt in a long time. Freedom. As if all the
troubles in her life were suddenly far away, just like the land beneath them. The wind rushed
through her hair and she relished the feel of it on her face. Soon they reached their destination
and Wes landed in a meadow filled with flowers.

“Well, this is it,” he said. “Just like I remember it.”

“It’s beautiful.”

Wes knelt down on one knee and motioned for Elsie to kneel, too. She stooped down on her knees
and Wes placed an arm around her, lending her support. She returned the gesture as their heads
inclined toward each other, Wes’ forehead touching the side of her head as he began to pray aloud.
It had been far too long since Elsie had engaged in prayer and it felt cleansing and new. It was
a prayer for guidance, help... and forgiveness. Tears began flowing from Elsie’s eyes and when
Wes had finished the prayer, she noticed that he had been crying, too.

“Thank you, Wes.”

They flew back to Belfry Manor and when they had returned to the sitting room, Elsie’s demeanor
became downcast again.

“What do I do now? I can’t go back to the apartment. I can’t face Greta. And I can’t go home,
either. I told mom about how I felt about Greta and she doesn’t even want me in the house
anymore.”

“She doesn’t want you in the house?” Wes exclaimed.

“No,” Elsie shook her head. “I don’t have anywhere to go now. And I don’t know... I’m still
confused about everything that’s been happening to me. With the way I feel and... just
everything.”

Wes looked around him at the manor, but he knew that wasn’t the answer. Having Greta stay the
night when she had been feeling down was one thing, but letting Elsie stay for awhile wouldn’t do
anything to promote an appearance of virtue. Besides, it would be guaranteed that she and Greta
would run into each other and that’s exactly what Elsie wanted to avoid.

“Well, I wish I had more answers for you,” Wes replied. “I can’t really relate to what you’re
feeling and...” Suddenly Wes stopped and his eyes went wide as an eager smile crossed his face.

“Wait I’ve got it ”

“What?”

“There’s a church near my hometown that runs a sort of camp every so often for Christians who are
struggling with the exact same feelings and things that you’re going through. I don’t know when
it’s supposed to be or if it’s coming up soon, but...”

“I don’t know,” Elsie frowned. “I don’t need a bunch of people telling me I’m going to Hell, Wes.
I got that at home.”

“Elsie,” Wes replied, concern crossing his features. “I’d never do that to you. Nobody has the
right to tell you you’re going to Hell. The Bible tells us to look for sin in our lives and
encourage each other against it, but no one gets to decide who’s going where in the afterlife
except for God.” He paused. “These are people who are asking the same questions you are and want
to follow the Bible. Maybe this could help.”

“But I couldn’t afford some kind of camp thing, anyway. I...”

“Just let me call them, okay?”

“Okay.”

Wes returned some time later, a broad smile on his face. “Well, I called them and it turns out
the camp is going on this week. I spoke with the guy who’s been organizing it and he said that
not only could you come if you wanted, but that you could come free of charge. It runs all week
and after that, they may have a family with a spare bedroom that’d be willing to put you up until
you can get on your feet again.”

“I... well...” Elsie stammered. “Really? I don’t know... I...”

Wes simply waited in silence. It was her decision.

“Yes,” she said. “I think I’d like to go.”

Wes walked Elsie to her car and Elsie hugged him a final time before leaving.

“So, you understand the directions and everything?” Wes asked.

“Yes. Thank you, Wes. I can’t thank you enough.”

Wes nodded, smiling. Elsie got inside the car and with a final wave, drove off.

EPILOGUE

Elsie walked across the campground, having just deposited her belongings in the cabin. She’d met
a few people and they were nice enough, but she still felt lost and confused. She wasn’t sure she
would fit in here. She coming in late to this week-long event and even though everyone seemed
friendly, she felt like an outsider. Not only that, but she wasn’t sure she would have anything
in common with anyone. There was a break between scheduled activities from the afternoon and
those that would take place in the evening and Elsie just sort of wandered as she explored her
surroundings.

Finally, she decided to grab her guitar and find a nice, quiet place to play. As she walked
across the open trail between the log buildings, she thought she could hear a guitar playing
somewhere in the distance. Following the sound, she eventually located its source.

Sitting under a tree was a feline with long blond hair and an acoustic guitar. He glanced up as
Elsie approached.

“Hey,” she said.

“Hey.”

“Mind if I join you?”

“No,” he shrugged. “You play?”

“Yeah,” Elsie said, sitting down on the ground. “Used to be in a band for awhile.”

“Same here. What did you play?”

“Lead. You?”

“Rhythm.”

“That’s cool.”

They sat in silence for a bit.

“I feel kinda weird,” Elsie confessed.

“You just got here, right? I haven’t seen you before.”

“Yeah. I, uh... well, it’s a long story.”

“Same here,” the other feline laughed. “My name’s Nicky. And you’re...”

“Elsie.”

“Good to meet you, Elsie.”

Another bout of silence... and then...

“So, uh, Elsie... know any songs we can play?”

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