JOB’S HOUSE.
AND THE LORD SAID TO SATAN, HAVE YOU CONSIDERED MY SERVANT JOB, THAT THERE IS NONE LIKE HIM ON THE EARTH, A BLAMELESS AND UPRIGHT MAN, WHO FEARS GOD AND TURNS AWAY FROM EVIL?
in the winter of 2015, a christmas mass took place inside what used to be “laura’s diner”. the abandoned building, just a few minutes walk from the grant teton mall, was hollowed out and redecorated, in what was the combination of over a year of work. in the makeshift pulpit was a woman many in the community had met before. some knew her from before the infection, as a vocal community member handing leaflets upon entrance of the church. some knew her from the very first few months, making the dangerous trek to the same church as before, now hosting moments of silent prayer for those left outside the quickly rising qz walls, some knew her from the preaching she did inside her living quarters, once the church was occupied by fedra for storage. in that christmas, a goal was reached.
the pews were stolen from abandoned churches. the space was small, but fit many. quickly, the empty corners started piling up in boxes, labeled containers, bookshelves too. during events, the pews were leaned against the walls and tables took their place, or even empty space for dancing and mingling. the windows were not boarded up, but the door quickly gained a thick lock. where a menu used to be, was a cross.
job’s house, as it was both known in the community and self-referred as by marseline well, was inspired by that very biblical lesson - it is a place of gratefulness, humility and perseverance. the world has ended, but the mission to god never ends, and they shall overcome this suffering. marseline well preached that all the time. but it was not just faith that lead to job’s house. community aid was a component from the very beginning. clothes are mended and traded back and forth. the bookshelves are accessible to the community. a few days a week, young children may come in to learn how to read, write, and religious studies. once a month, from the first month onward, devotees reunite spared resources and make a community meal. the children put on plays during christmas, and birthdays, baptisms, weddings and funerals take place inside those walls.
when alexei volkov’s uprising took place, the church became even more secure in the community, due to marseline’s daughter-in-law’s position as an enforcer, and the amount of other high ranking people who frequent it. after all, soldiers still pray. it is understood that inside job’s house, without interfering or even getting within volkov’s radar, marseline well could do as she pleased. the portion of idaho falls residents affected by her is not even that significant, but rather a devout core group of families and the wandering seekers. however, that peace comes with a prize the priest was more than willing to pay.
andreas, who had commanded worship in idaho falls right next to marseline well, before the end of the world, commented once on the ration shortages during a particularly tumultuous summer. he held hands around a long dinner table, watery soup in the middle, and quoted directly from the book of job. “the lord gave, and the lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the lord.” but not all of it was scripture. “but this lord has a name, and we should not forget that. the one man who decides if we live or starve in the sun, but his disciples stay full-” andreas was never allowed to finish. marseline gave a single look to some of the taller and bigger devotees, and they escorted the old priest out. he was never allowed back into service or any community activity, and it was said he feared facing marseline far too much to even come in for silent prayer. there is a clear rule inside job’s house: treason is met with exile. after all, the leader has been generous and they don’t want any troubles.
in 2031, marseline well passed away, and eyes turned to her son, who had been expectedly active in job’s house. since then, not much has changed. the leader died during a potential turning point that never got fully turned, as the church adapted to the new needs of the world. the baseline as well as iconography was and is still catholic, but the ways of service slowly blended over the years, much to the excitement or dismay of some churchgoers. even the faith, itself, has become far more mixed, bringing in elements from various others. archie well kept that model without ever adding onto it. whilst marseline well had an iron fist, archie is respected and liked, but none of his gazes command a room. there have been questions about the future of job’s house, especially as it grows in members and itches at the seams.
nowadays, church is always open. during the day, members have roles and schedules, taking shifts to simply upkeep and protect the space. people come and go to pray in silence, listen to preaching, the reading of scripture, return a book and take a coat, drop the children off for school. during the night, those with the keys often do come in too and leave the door unlocked behind them during the duration of whatever brings them there. it is not hard to ask to come into job’s house, nor is it to find it, as one of the few nearby buildings with clear upkeep, and the small wooden board over the entry door, spelling out the name of the holy sanctuary.
job’s house was mostly spared from the terrible storm of may of 2044, safe for a few broken windows. in the aftermath, it is a place of mourning, aid collecting, hope, and perhaps even fear of more divine retribution.
