He was a book worm surrounded by birds of prey who waited to swoop the moment he emerged from his habitat. A child of solitude searching to find his way and survive in an overcrowded toxic world full of anger and hate. He knew they called it the law of the jungle, survival at all costs, who was he to judge, perhaps if he could not protect himself he did not deserve to exist.
His safe haven was the local church, four hundred years old, infused with centuries of prayer, incense and the smell of the beeswax from the votive stand remembering the spirits of loved ones long since passed. Here he could forget that other world and all its troubles, here his world was complete as he breathed in the same air as all the church goers that had gone before him.
He regretfully left the church building and crossed the bombed ruins to access the road leading to his house. His mind was still withdrawn from the world, walking in a dreamlike state, not noticing his environment. He suddenly felt a huge weight on his back which sent him crashing to the floor, the raptors had arrived in the shape of the Reagan brothers. He was now face down in the ruins with one Reagan slapping the side of his head while the other Reagan kicked him in the side. He did not utter a sound just curled into a fetal position while trying to protect his head with his arms. He ignored the pain but did not judge them, just wondered why they were doing this, what possible satisfaction they could get from this. The Reagan’s screaming at him with frustration
“ fight back you little turd”,
but he was oblivious to their screams.
He was suddenly alone, how long ago had the Reagan’s left, he hadn’t noticed. He rose painfully to his feet clutching his bruised ribs and staggered towards home. It cost him a great deal of pain to climb the stairs to his bedroom and thankfully collapse on his bed.
He returned again and again to the safety of the church constantly wary of the Reagan brothers. It was here that he read the notice on the bulletin board proclaiming there would be a retreat next weekend for boys to determine if they had a discernment for the priesthood.
Fifteen years later he was ordained a priest to serve the poor in London’s East End while the Reagan brothers served 30 years for armed robbery. God does have a plan for us.
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