This is a story that I published in Italian some years ago and now I want to publish in English.
Leave a review! If you want, leave suggestions on how to improve, even with regard to writing in English linga, which is not my first language.
Year MCCLVII
Night had come when Amos recognized from afar his destination of him.
He had been walking for days, crossing the meadows and mountains that separated the seminary from the Benedictine monastery of San Michele where he would begin his experience of him as a novice.
The abbey was isolated from the outside world.
It stood majestically on a rock and dominated the woods and snow-covered mountains of the nearby Alps.
It was a colossal and immense structure, enclosed by large defensive walls, had two high towers at the two corners of the building; from the outside you could also see the bell tower with its eight bells.
During the journey he continued to think about what the rector of the seminary where he studied had said to him in their last dialogues; he had tried to dissuade him in every way, telling him of dark events that happened there.
But Amos, he was determined to go because his dear cousin had died in mysterious circumstances after living in that monastery for a few years.
When he reached his destination, he knocked several times and finally the old squeaky door opened.
He was greeted by a very old monk.
"Good evening, traveler" - he looked at him suspiciously - "What brings you here?"
Amos replied: "Good evening, sir. I am a novice and a few weeks ago I had sent a letter to the abbot of this monastery asking him if I could have experience here".
"Oh yes, now I remember that the abbot told me about you, telling me that you should come here one of these days" - informed him the monk, making a smile showing his few damaged teeth - "Come with me to the abbot".
Amos was frightened by the monk’s smile, reminding him of an evil smile.
They passed through two cloisters before reaching the abbot; he was disturbed by the dark atmosphere and silence that reigned in that place; he shivered.
As soon as she met him, she was frightened by the horrible appearance of his abbot: he was an old man, stocky, bald, if you did not count the few gray hairs and with a mouth almost completely toothless.
"Excellency, this boy is the novice we should host in the next few weeks" - said the monk.
"Thank you Thomas" - answered the superior, with a low and husky voice - "You can go back to your work, I accompany him".
The abbot asked him why he had decided to become a monk.
After the interview, the abbot accompanied him to the guest houseguesthouse.
Along the way Amos asked him if he could know the history of the monastery, from its origins, but the abbot answered harshly, that he should not ask questions and should not be curious.
In addition, it was absolutely forbidden to visit some places that would show him in the following days.
Amos, left alone, laid down beside him the bag that contained all his things of him next; after saying his prayers about him and fell asleep.
In the middle of the night he woke up because he heard a strange noise: it was very similar to hasty steps coming from outside.
Then the silence returned and he believed he had a nightmare.
The next day, after morning prayers, the abbot called Amos to his office:
"Well, now I explain the rules and the work you have to do" - continued the abbot - "you must remember two basic rules: you must not enter the basement of the library and do not leave the cell at night, even if there are noises, because they can come from vagrants and thieves who sometimes go around the abbey, while other times they are generated by the structure, which is very old and some parts can creak".
Then they went to visit the rooms of the monastery.
They finally visited the scriptorium; the abbot said, "The scriptorium is where you will work with these monks. This is your desk. If you need books you have to ask the librarian monk, because only he has free access to books".
He copied and decorated texts all day long in strict silence, using the small light of candles, as the environment was rather dark.
After supper and evening prayer he retired to his cell and fell asleep.
The next two nights had been quiet.
On the third night he heard footsteps of men, but when he tried to open the door to check out, he noticed, with concern, that it was locked from the outside.
So, he realized something was wrong and decided it was time to act.
The next night he pretended to go to sleep, but hid in an attic near the library.
Suddenly, suddenly, he saw that all the monks were heading towards the basement of the library.
Their faces, lit by torches, had a wicked and cruel expression.
He knew the risks he was taking but decided to follow them anyway, trying not to be seen.
As he walked down the steep stairs of the library, he heard a terrifying scream from a man.
The scene he saw was frightening; the monks were around an altar and were about to kill a beggar in the name of Satan.
They were a sect that, in the name of the devil, wanted to cleanse humanity from all the poor and beggars who they considered harmful for the whole society.
He knew that his cousin had discovered them and was killed.
The monks soon discovered it, but he, still terrified, fled quickly and managed to escape.
Year MCCLX
It had been three years since he had escaped from the monastery.
Now he was a guest of a famous monastery in Tuscany.
He devoted himself with care and love to his main tasks as a monk, but on the first day of autumn, a strange traveler handed him an envelope.
Inside there was a page of a book and on it was represented a monstrous figure and the Latin writing "Infernum".
He knew they had found him and he knew he would never be safe.