Surviving Prague Excerpt 9

The Hollow Man    |     The Hollow Man Series, International Espionage​

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The blind priest ran his fingers along the sleeve of Sílený’s coat.

“I’m not military. I’ve sent them away,” he said.

Several seconds passed before Sílený realized the old man had backed away from the door. He pushed the thick wooden portal open enough to slip through into a dark foyer. Closing the door quietly he slid the locking bolt home.

The bulky curtains had been left open. Sílený saw the priest was already praying in a front pew; head dropped, talking to his hands. He walked toward the figure of a crucified man hanging on a wall behind the altar.

What a funny notion it was to worship an imaginary super human, he thought. A being with the capacity to save worlds that never seemed to answer the smallest cry for salvation on this swirling rock. Not feed one starving child. Not heal one sick man. Not even allow these meek minions to inherit this insignificant ball of shit called Earth as they were promised. And yet they prayed on and on to the being that caused all of their pain in the first place.

Yes, these pathetic believers recited many stories which they called miracles. Really just coincidences and normal outcomes with or without the hallelujah and not one real promise kept so far.

Sílený kneeled on the wooden footrest a row behind the cleric, folded his arms and leaned his elbows on the seatback in front. He listened to the Latin prayer on the lips of the old man. He didn’t understand the words but they sounded sincere, almost poetic.

The holy man’s head swiveled upright slowly and he crossed himself. He made no move to stand or otherwise acknowledge his visitor. His knees balanced a frail body while he fingered the cross around his neck.

“What a curious religion you have, father,” Sílený said. “You speak to your mystery comrade, yet he doesn’t answer.”

“God answers all prayers for the penitent,” he replied without turning around.

“You are penitent, Friar Tuck. What does he tell you?”

“He has answered my prayer and is calling me home soon.”

He will be seeing you sooner than you think old man. Sílený lifted the knife from an inside pocket. The blade glinted in the candlelight as he moved it around. Beautiful, he thought. There was no better weapon in the world to witness death face to face.

“What is it you seek here, my son?”

“Where is the American?”