Sing Halleluiah

“It’s always a pleasure to see you, Mr. Strex” The priest replied with a cool smile, lines of tension pulling their shoulders taught. “And if you’d like to wait in my office, I can speak about whatever you wish when I’m done with my duties here.” The priest never enjoyed these conversations; Strex kept insisting that they knew the true will of the Creator, and when they went against doctrine there was always a fight.

Diego was not a patient man, nor did he like being shunted aside like some pestering child. But there were still two people behind him, and now was not the time to draw his weapon. With a glare, he turned away from the priest and went to go sulk in their office until they deigned to speak with him. Asshole.

The priest let Diego sit for a good forty-five minutes before entering the office, tea service in hand. “How can I best serve our corporate overlords today?” The priest asked, setting the tray down and settling into the visitors chair. If Diego was going to behave like a child having a power trip by sitting in their chair, the holy priest wasn’t going to protest.

The priest nodded along, serving Diego before making their own cup of tea. That seemed - shockingly reasonable for a demand from the CEO. “I’m doing all I can, you know. Conversion takes time and patience.” They sat back in the chair and regarded the other man calmly. “A /reeducation/ scandal is hardly my concern, seeing as the Church is only loosely affiliated with Strex Corp, and my only job is to preach the good word.”

Open

“Would you like to use the phone to call for a tow truck?” The priest was suspicious of this girl, and didn’t want her staying the night. They would let her, of course, if there was no other option. But only if no one would come get her. “There’s a landline in the kitchen. I doubt that the storm has knocked it out.”

“Uh…thanks.” She said, taking another step inside. “…So why are you being all welcoming after not wanting me here?” She asked, now wondering if this was a trap.

“I don’t want you here.” The priest replied simply. “I don’t trust you or your story, but there’s no point in not helping you get to safety.” They led her to the kitchen, where the pastel yellow wall paper seemed to repel the darkness of the hallway. They gestured to the phone, across the room, and let her see for herself if there was a dial tone that would allow her to call out.  

Evan was tired. She was so tired, she missed her dad and her best friend, and this desert scared her. It was so much different from her home. Maybe she might fit in more, but it wasn’t worth it if she didn’t have her family. “I just… I wanted to see if there was a way for me to go home. I just woke up here, and I don’t know how I got here or even where here is..” She sighed desperately, looking at her feet. She hated bothering people, but she didn’t know where to turn at this point. She needed help.

“You’re safe, to start.” The priest replied soothingly, guiding the girl into the kitchen. “But until I know where your ‘home’ is I can’t help you get there.” They pushed her gently into a chair and moved to put the kettle on. “Do you drink green tea? We’re not currently allowed caffeine, so unless you /want/ decaf it’s all I can offer as far as hot beverages go.”

Evan bit her lip. “Green tea sounds great,” she said softly, looking into her lap. “I don’t feel safe. I listened to the radio a few times and… It feels like there’s always something here that’s going to be the end of the world..” She looked up, “I feel like.. I feel like I might fit in better than I did at home, with some time, but.. I feel like I could die literally any time here for who knows why. And my dad and my best friend are back where I came from..”

“I’m from Bar Harbour, Maine,” she explained, cheeks heating a bit and changing to a pinkish color. She had always been known to ramble, especially when she was in a more… Negative mood. “And what kind of commitments? I really appreciate that you’re considering letting me stay…” She kept her eyes down as she took a small sip of the tea. Of course she burned her mouth, but it was a small price to pay for the way it began to calm her down. Tea and other hot drinks always made her feel better, even in the worst of times.

Evan was tired. She was so tired, she missed her dad and her best friend, and this desert scared her. It was so much different from her home. Maybe she might fit in more, but it wasn’t worth it if she didn’t have her family. “I just… I wanted to see if there was a way for me to go home. I just woke up here, and I don’t know how I got here or even where here is..” She sighed desperately, looking at her feet. She hated bothering people, but she didn’t know where to turn at this point. She needed help.

“You’re safe, to start.” The priest replied soothingly, guiding the girl into the kitchen. “But until I know where your ‘home’ is I can’t help you get there.” They pushed her gently into a chair and moved to put the kettle on. “Do you drink green tea? We’re not currently allowed caffeine, so unless you /want/ decaf it’s all I can offer as far as hot beverages go.”

Evan bit her lip. “Green tea sounds great,” she said softly, looking into her lap. “I don’t feel safe. I listened to the radio a few times and… It feels like there’s always something here that’s going to be the end of the world..” She looked up, “I feel like.. I feel like I might fit in better than I did at home, with some time, but.. I feel like I could die literally any time here for who knows why. And my dad and my best friend are back where I came from..”

Eula took a deep breath. She was indeed spoaking wet from the storm raging outside, and this was the nearest structure that she had found, admittedly from the split second of life, it was extremely impressive. “Why not..?” The radio host asked before sneezing into her sleeve.

“You should never go out in a storm, they represent the wrath of the Smiling God.” The answer was simple as the priest crossed the room, concerned look flitting across their face. “And in the morning the sun will burn away the sin that the water has collected, and leave the land purified. But I suppose, if you didn’t know that, you’re not here to discuss the Smiling God.”

“Ohhh…” Eula replied looking towards the source of the voice. “No, I just though that this was the closest shelter.” She explained to them. The host then took a deep breath. “Look, uh, not gonna say anything about that, but uh, can I stay until the storm passes? Just star gazing, the night is beautiful. .. What do you think uh, what do I call you?”

“Reverend is fine.” They replied, tilting their head in confusion. “You were - star gazing? In cloudy weather? I’m afraid I don’t quiet follow.” The priest stepped to the side to allow Eula to pass, leading her to the room where they kept donated items. Once there they found a pair of soft clothes that looked like they might fit, and passed them off. “There are empty rooms in the attic, you can stay there until the morning and pay for your lodging in chores tomorrow.”

“It’s always a pleasure to see you, Mr. Strex” The priest replied with a cool smile, lines of tension pulling their shoulders taught. “And if you’d like to wait in my office, I can speak about whatever you wish when I’m done with my duties here.” The priest never enjoyed these conversations; Strex kept insisting that they knew the true will of the Creator, and when they went against doctrine there was always a fight.

Diego was not a patient man, nor did he like being shunted aside like some pestering child. But there were still two people behind him, and now was not the time to draw his weapon. With a glare, he turned away from the priest and went to go sulk in their office until they deigned to speak with him. Asshole.

The priest let Diego sit for a good forty-five minutes before entering the office, tea service in hand. “How can I best serve our corporate overlords today?” The priest asked, setting the tray down and settling into the visitors chair. If Diego was going to behave like a child having a power trip by sitting in their chair, the holy priest wasn’t going to protest.

Open

“Would you like to use the phone to call for a tow truck?” The priest was suspicious of this girl, and didn’t want her staying the night. They would let her, of course, if there was no other option. But only if no one would come get her. “There’s a landline in the kitchen. I doubt that the storm has knocked it out.”

“Actually, I had a question, but I suppose that could be asked while I help,” Divina said politely, carefully kneeling beside the priest. This probably wasn’t the best thing to do in a pencil skirt, but it would have been rude to just stand around and watch.

“What sort of question?” There were many directions this conversation could go. A deep, theological conversation about the foundation of belief (although that is not where they expected it to be heading). A conversation about practice, and the best way to salvation. Or even a conversation about what would be in next weeks sermon. They sat back on their heels and wiped their face, leaving a smudge of dirt trailing down their cheek.

“I feel like this is going to be a silly question,” she admitted, looking away from them for a moment, “But do people like- like me… People artificially grown in a lab- do we have souls? Are people like me still blessed by the Smiling God?” That was more than one question, but it had been something that had bothered Divina for a long time. She genuinely wondered what the Smiling God thought of bioengineered beings.

“It’s not silly at all. I would be more worried if you weren’t concerned about your potential to reach salvation.” The priest looked up at the clear sky with a smile before resuming their work. It was a good day for such conversations - the clear sky meant the Creator was smiling down upon them. “I assume you’re worried because the Church maintains the stance that biomachines can’t contain the blessing of the Smiling God?”

“I’m not a biomachine, though. I’m a genetic clone, but I suppose that could be put into a similar category. Both are artificially created life,” Divina said. Honestly, she was starting to get worried now. Everything about this conversation was starting to rub her the wrong way. “What about my son though? He was conceived by a ah- blessing as a wedding gift… Would he be able to receive salvation. We had him baptized when he was a few weeks old.”

“It’s always a pleasure to see you, Mr. Strex” The priest replied with a cool smile, lines of tension pulling their shoulders taught. “And if you’d like to wait in my office, I can speak about whatever you wish when I’m done with my duties here.” The priest never enjoyed these conversations; Strex kept insisting that they knew the true will of the Creator, and when they went against doctrine there was always a fight.

“Actually, I had a question, but I suppose that could be asked while I help,” Divina said politely, carefully kneeling beside the priest. This probably wasn’t the best thing to do in a pencil skirt, but it would have been rude to just stand around and watch.

“What sort of question?” There were many directions this conversation could go. A deep, theological conversation about the foundation of belief (although that is not where they expected it to be heading). A conversation about practice, and the best way to salvation. Or even a conversation about what would be in next weeks sermon. They sat back on their heels and wiped their face, leaving a smudge of dirt trailing down their cheek.

“I feel like this is going to be a silly question,” she admitted, looking away from them for a moment, “But do people like- like me… People artificially grown in a lab- do we have souls? Are people like me still blessed by the Smiling God?” That was more than one question, but it had been something that had bothered Divina for a long time. She genuinely wondered what the Smiling God thought of bioengineered beings.

“It’s not silly at all. I would be more worried if you weren’t concerned about your potential to reach salvation.” The priest looked up at the clear sky with a smile before resuming their work. It was a good day for such conversations - the clear sky meant the Creator was smiling down upon them. “I assume you’re worried because the Church maintains the stance that biomachines can’t contain the blessing of the Smiling God?”

Evan was tired. She was so tired, she missed her dad and her best friend, and this desert scared her. It was so much different from her home. Maybe she might fit in more, but it wasn’t worth it if she didn’t have her family. “I just… I wanted to see if there was a way for me to go home. I just woke up here, and I don’t know how I got here or even where here is..” She sighed desperately, looking at her feet. She hated bothering people, but she didn’t know where to turn at this point. She needed help.

“You’re safe, to start.” The priest replied soothingly, guiding the girl into the kitchen. “But until I know where your ‘home’ is I can’t help you get there.” They pushed her gently into a chair and moved to put the kettle on. “Do you drink green tea? We’re not currently allowed caffeine, so unless you /want/ decaf it’s all I can offer as far as hot beverages go.”