The Black ChapelChapter 5: The Ledger*
October 9th, 2021 – 11:03 AMMaria's Apartment – East Albany
Maria hadn't slept. The symbol from the vestment hovered in her mind like a watermark on reality. The phrase kept echoing: Blood for faith. Silence for life.
She opened her laptop and searched every diocese document she had access to — sermons, retirement records, pension logs. She wasn't looking for names anymore. She was looking for gaps. Priests with missing end dates. Discrepancies between retirement and death certificates. Quiet exits.
She found twelve.
Every single one had been assigned to St. Irenaeus Chapel in their final year.
Ten were marked deceased.
Two had no death certificates.
And one, the earliest entry, was listed as simply:
"Transferred – Location Withheld"Name: Father Lucien GrathStatus: UnknownYear: 1968
She wrote the name down on a yellow pad, circled it twice.
Then, her phone buzzed.
Unknown Number.
This time, she answered.
A male voice, ragged and whispering: "You need to see the ledger. They keep it at the seminary archives — the old wing. Basement level. No digital copy. No security, just locks."
"Who is this?"
"They called it 'The Book of Keys.' It's not just who died. It's who chose."
The line went dead.
Three hours later, she and Renner were inside the abandoned lower level of the old St. Ignatius Seminary, once used to train clergy for the northeastern diocese. Now condemned — but Renner still had keys.
The walls were mold-black and bleeding chalk. Dust covered every surface. The lights flickered with the indecision of dying wires.
They reached the sub-basement. A rusted file cabinet stood against the far wall.
Renner pulled out a crowbar again. "These records aren't just forgotten. They were meant to rot."
The drawer gave with a shriek of protest.
Inside was a thick, leather-bound volume wrapped in red cloth.
Maria opened it slowly. The first page was blank.
The second page wasn't.
Liber Clavium — The Book of KeysInitiated: 1951, Sanctioned by His Holiness — Eyes OnlyCategory: Sacrament XIII
Maria's fingers trembled.
Names filled the next thirty pages. Columns: Priest, Assigned Chapel, Crime, Sacrifice Approved By, Execution Date.
There were dozens. Each one marked in a red cross.
At the bottom of the last page:
Pending Review — M. VescariRecommendation: Silence.
She dropped the book.
Renner stared at the page, then at her. "They're watching you."
"No," Maria whispered. "They've already decided."
Meanwhile, in the Black Chapel, three candles were lit in the sanctuary.
The book sat on a stone altar.
A hand reached into frame — gloved in black silk — and turned a page.
Next Sacrament: Maria Vescari.Mass Scheduled: October 13th.