800 words

Consecrate

            Patrick Lanigan was on the run. He had escaped from prison where he had been incarcerated for shooting two men in their home. Why this happened no one knows, because he never told and the victims can’t. Another strange thing about Patrick was that he was very religious. He thought of himself as a man of God. In fact, in another life, he had been Father Lanigan of the Roman Catholic Church, but that was no more.

            God had freed Patrick from the horrors of that sinner’s hold so that he could resume his duties to God. Patrick knew that he could not return to his previous life yet. The pagan government was chasing him because they didn’t understand what he had to do and he could not explain to them why. He knew what they considered him, a convict, con for short, and nothing more. He was part of the same group of scum that he had been trapped with. Yet he was smarter, and much more capable of escaping and getting away. “God is on my side,” he said to himself.

            When Patrick first got out he knew that the first thing he would need is money. He had money, but it was in a bank twenty miles away. Patrick made it to the rode and managed to hitch a ride to the bank. The man who gave him the ride was a lawyer in town named Tom Miller. As they talked on the way into town Tom was delighted to hear that Patrick was a priest and not one of the normal low-lives that roamed the highway. “I don’t normally pick up hitchhikers,” Tom said, “but I got this strange feeling when I saw you and had to pull over.”. He also explained that he himself was a regular at the local church service every Sunday. Patrick did not recognize Tom but believed him none the less. As Tom told Patrick about his life, Patrick debated whether he should tell Tom the truth or not. He decided he had no choice; he would not sin now. “Tom,” Patrick said, “I have just escaped from prison, with the help of God, for murdering two sinners.” “My goodness!” exclaimed Tom. And then it dawned on him, “What did these two sinners do that you needed to kill them?” Patrick told him. “They deserved it Patrick. The government knows what those two men do, DID, is very wrong.” “I will help you Patrick, because I understand what you did and why you did it,” replied Tom.”  “Thank you, my son.”