The Church

Theo woke suddenly, the shriek of spinning tires beaconing him from his rest as it ceased with the chorus of crunching metal plastic and glass as something quite obviously crashed outside.

Slowly stepping from his bed the elderly man shook his head and reached for the light, its flashing into existence pausing him for mere seconds as he donned his slippers and house coat. Unexpected backing echoing across the yard.

Shaking his head Theo waved his woken peers to come along, their out of the way home not usually visited so late in the night.

Descending the step of the bungalow slowly and sure footed Theo was followed by two others. Fred, a man only 10 years Theo's junior shook his black streaked grey haired head as he instructed the man behind him, Matthew a man in his early thirties to go make some tea and prepare something small for their unexpected but likely fateful guests.

“So, crisis of faith. The bar closed and the police tried to pull them over.” Fred remarked lightheartedly, recalling a tale he and Theo were once told by a pair of a drunk drivers looking for sanctuary.

As Theo opened the door to the shaded yard there was no sign of the car as Theo walked steadily and securely out into the dark.

Hands casually in his pockets Theo was so thoroughly sure of life at his age he was sure nothing would be unexpected by him.

Her could hear the loud, unintelligible shouting and clear banging on the front door of Our Lady of Sorrows. Approaching the end of his walk the car came into view, its headlights fading as they gave up what life they had left in their timer.

Looking the car over Theo shook his head.

“Well, they’re obviously in a rush to see us.” Fred remarked nodding at the mangled yellow beetle, and its skid marks indicating the lose of control of the vehicle as it sped into the parking lot off the street.

But something else didn’t feel right, Theo gazing both way along the street before the parish lot.

“HAAAEEELLLPPP!” The shout echoed hollowly across the tree lined lot, and likely beyond to the cemetary.

“AND HOW MIGHT WE HELP YOU.” Fred shouted drawing a silence from the panicked gathering with his bellowing voice. “In this our house of god. Don’t mind us, we’re merely their neighbours.”

Fred always prided himself on his levity of faith. Something the distressed people before them obviously didn’t appreciate.

“Is anyone hurt?” Fred then asked of those gathered as their obviously impassioned words were muttered at a hushed volume with dramatic gestures and point.

“THEY’RE GOING TO THINK, WE’RE CRAZY.” Fred couldn’t help but smile at the overheard heated exchange as he almost finished climbing the first steps to the doors where he delivered and dismissed mass through out the week.

“Its okay. The skeptics think we’re all crazy for having a sky friend.” Fred jokingly fake whispered, his hand gesturing up as he was unable to perceive the seriousness with which their audience was gathered.

“We need sanctuary. Blessings, salvation.” One rather sober stern looking man demanded, his voice brutish and heavy with an accent his companions wouldn’t have even recognized early in the night when he was more conscious of how he spoke. The other people with him standing silently as Fred examined them.

Their clothes were obvious indicators of their attendance at an upscale affair, although the dishevelled appearance conveyed panic and disorder, but could it just be from the car crashing here?

“I couldn’t think of anywhere else that could be safe from them. Please, you need let us in.”

Theo finally put it together. The question that was evading him. The church sat along a ravine lined road, a golf course beyond the creek across the road from it, a cemetery lurking behind it beyond which another creek weaved.

The darkened street was trimmed along one side by street lights, their glow interspersed by flashes of red and blue, he could only surmise that police cars were parked up the road both ways, lights lit as if they were responding to some call.

“What exactly is it that troubles you?” Theo asked gently, wondering just what would draw that attention yet give it cause to keep such distance.

A woman shook, obviously torn on how to reply as some of the other conversed in hushed tones. “FUCKING BAT WINGED DEVILS!” The shaking woman blurted out angrily before becoming withdrawn again, whimpering to herself. “Literally, fucking, bat winged, devils…” She repeated under her breath staring off into the distance at the sidewalk she was crouched upon.

Shocked by the sudden and harsh statement Theo looked to Fred, their eyes even in the dim illumination of the churches exterior at night conveyed the desire to question the sanity of the reply, to reach out for medical and mental help services.

But now wasn’t the time for that. There would be time for that later.

“Come, let us get you in from the dark.” Theo remarked turning and waving for the cars occupants to follow as the more coherent of them looked at him strangely as he tried to guide them away from the front doors to the church.

With a deep sigh Fred shook his head. “There is no key to open these door from out here.” Trying not to smirk at the dumbfounded looks between the people, the doors and towards the priest. Fred watched as Theo lead on, old, tired, and ultimately not wasting time explaining the simplest of details. “There’s a side door down into the basement assembly hall. Come, let’s get out of the cold. Anyone need help?”

Fred felt strangely perturbed by the fearful glances and withdrawn body language as the people shuffled by. Including the girl still muttering about fucking winged devils.

In the assembly hall some blankets and pillows were pulled from storage and offered, alongside some camping cots the Scouts and Guides used. Matthew had laid out some tea and biscuits quickly and haphazardly before joining in unpacking the supplies from their storage closets.

Theo noted how strange the people behaved. He had seen traumatic shock before, on several humanitarian aid missions. But the one exhibited by his guests was underlain with an edge of paranoia. The dread and fear of sleeping thick enough in the air to make the foggiest of days in the cemetery feel clear.

Strangest of all, where usual survivors took comfort in those they escaped with, these ones seemed to space apart in the assemble hall, and keep watch on one another as if it were some strange standoff.

After settling them all in, pointing out the washrooms, providing some snacks, and bottled water, Theo lead Fred upstairs.

“Fred, I need you to do me a favour. Check the news to see if we can find out what they’ve been through. If you get no answers there call the authorities.” Theo requested as they walked up a side aisle and back into chambers where Father Theo grabbed a spare coat he often forgot there.

“Of course, may I ask where you’re off to at this hour?” Fred replied nodding towards the jacket slung over Theo's arm.