a flash story by David G Shrock

Grunting, Sebastian Rhemus hefted the lectern. Even in his big grasp, the oak structure swung like an anvil and clomped onto the floor with a sound of authority.

“Is it centered?”

Sebastian peered over the lectern at the old man standing in the aisle between the pews. Using the man as a reference, Sebastian checked the alignment. “Yes, Father Young.”

Walking the aisle, Father Young waved his cane tapping pews. In his other hand, he held a lantern, the flame inside swirling. Tapping a pew, he stopped. Swinging the lantern around, he faced the wood bench and tapped.

Noticing the pew out of position, Sebastian stepped around the lectern and off the dais, boots thudding on the floor. Everyone expected a giant to help with lifting and reaching. While his father was away he was the biggest man in town.

“Margaret will throw a fit, you know,” said Father Young. He tapped the errant pew. “Everything has to be perfect for her wedding.”

Lifting the pew, Sebastian moved it into position, leg scraping the floor.

“Careful, boy.” Father Young raised the lantern.

Looking at the old man, Sebastian watched the reflection of the flame swirling within the black painted spectacles. He imagined colorless orbs hiding behind the dark lenses. Did the dead eyes see anything at all? Taking the lantern, he lowered the light watching the shadows creep up over the chasms making up the worn old face.

“I have one more task for you.” The old man smiled, the lengthening shadows twisting his face sinister.

Sebastian smiled even if unseen by the blind man. He recalled his father mentioning that a good priest was highly empathic. And Father Young was a good priest; nobody could mask their feelings from him.

Lifting his cane, Father Young pointed at the back corner of the nave. “There on the table,” he said. Lowering the cane, he tapped the floor as he walked. “Found it by the door this morning.”

Setting the lantern on the table, Sebastian looked the box over. Yellow parchment, folded on the sides, hugged the box. Across the top faded print spelled his name.

Looking at Father Young, Sebastian found a straight face. Why did someone deliver the package to the church? Everyone knew the Rhemus house stood at the edge of town.

“Well.” Father Young tapped his cane on the floor. “Don’t hold us in suspense.”

Slipping knife from belt, Sebastian set the blade to the parchment. Glancing over, he watched the lantern light blazing on the dark spectacles. The priest hid his own emotions well, and the dark glasses made reading his face impossible.

“My father isn’t coming back,” said Sebastian. Pressing the blade, he cut into the parchment. The world was a dangerous place, and sometimes travelers never returned.

Always dreading this day, Sebastian slowly ripped the parchment. He had expected a wood box with fancy carvings bearing his father’s possessions. A flimsy package covered in parchment seemed a sacrilege. And delivered home, not left on the church doorstep. Tossing the parchment aside, he removed the lid.

A revolver rested in a cradle of straw.

“Your father was a hunter.”

Sebastian felt the dead eyes burning into him. A chill spilled down his back, and sweat poured from his head.

Father Young clenched his teeth. “A killer.”

Reaching into the box, Sebastian touched the hardwood handle, the cold steel barrel.

Tumbling out of the old weathered hand, bullets jingled onto the table bouncing against the package. “He murdered more than a dozen of my kind.”

Sebastian watched the face harden. The old man lifted the spectacles. Instead of white orbs, Sebastian found golden jewels bursting with dark currents radiating from the center. He stood frozen, staring at the strange eyes.

“Only one question,” said Father Young. “Are you a child of God or your father’s son?”

Glancing over at the bullets, the gun, Sebastian shook his head. What did his father hunt? Men with strange eyes? Looking back at the priest, he studied the gold orbs. They appeared menacing.

Father Young stood strong, gripping the cane like a weapon.

Listening to his own beating heart, Sebastian stared, uncertain about any of this. He saw inside the strong creature, the frail Father Young, the old man that always looked after the town, the same man planning to conduct a wedding in a few hours. How could anyone take a life based on a rumor or a strange pair of eyes? He doubted his father ever did.

Realizing he had made his decision, he took in a deep breath calming his heart. Looking around, he noticed he stood alone. On the table, beside the bullets, an envelope waited.

Opening it, Sebastian found a letter of recommendation from Father Young for admission to university. A prize, it seemed.

At Margaret’s wedding, another priest presided in Father Young’s absence. Everybody had questions, and a few had their own ideas about where Father Young had gone. Sebastian simply shrugged whenever someone asked him. He knew the town had seen the last of Father Young.

The Rhemus house was short two giants. University called.