Hello all, here is my second Squints one-shot. It has been quite a while since I have posted anything at all, but that is because my computer had to be restored. I didn't have any of my files backed up, so all my documents were erased. It's a bit later than Christmas, but it's still here! Thank you for reading, please review with any suggestions or criticism.
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Squints turned quickly from the alley she had been heading towards to get out of the biting wind. There was a ruckus down the street that had caught her attention; it looked as if the bulls were trying to chase down several boys, but there were patches of ice everywhere, and one of the coppers slipped just as he was barreling past the church. This caused him to fly right into the manger scene, scattering Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus and a few livestock. He angrily got up, sliding around as he did, and took off without giving a second glance to the wreckage.
She stood where she was looking on for a minute, but nobody seemed to care about what had happened. Slowly (or as slow as one can be in the busy streets), she made her way over to the church. When Squints got to the lawn, she bent down and began reassembling the scene. As she was almost finished, a priest stomped his way towards her, bellowing and threatening her for the damage he thought she caused. Given no chance to explain, she ran away before he called the coppers.
"Pft, priests."
When one has no place to go around Christmastime, they tend to do some serious thinking and wandering, or get plastered drunk. The second wasn't really an option, so Squints found herself back at the church. Something pushed her to go inside, so she hesitantly - and quite reluctantly - went up to the doors and eased them open. When she didn't see the sour man who had shooed her away earlier, she stepped inside. One foot after the other, she made her way to the front. As she neared it, she saw a clergyman- she guessed that he would be a deacon -kneeling in prayer. At that point she figured that it was best to leave while she had the chance to do so on her own two feet. But something stayed her, and she heard his prayer...
"Dear Lord, I beg your forgiveness for being so weak of faith, but why must this be my way? I miss her, she is so far from me... My separation from her hurts my heart. I do not know how she is doing, I cannot ease her pain any more than leaving so long ago has. This-" He turned his head suddenly, and saw that he was not alone. Standing abruptly, he looked at her with a frown.
"Is there something you require, or do you enjoy witnessing my pain?" He walked towards her, and she saw the shine in his eyes from tears held back.
"No, I don't, I'll leave-" The look in her eyes was not one of pleasure, but one of pain and sympathy. This confused him, so he held up his hand for her to stop.
"Sit for a while, warm yourself."
It was her turn to be confused.
"...Sir?"
"Am I right that it is cold outside?"
"Well, yeah..."
"Then you must sit. Who am I to turn a child of God from His house?"
"Thank ya kindly sir, but I am used to the cold if ya'd ratha me leave."
"Why would you think that?"
"You were in prayer, sir, and I interrupted ya."
"I was in prayer, but I don't think that you meant to stop me."
"No, I didn't." He led her to sit in a pew, and to her surprise, sat down to her left. She shifted uncomfortably, not sure what to do.
"Do you not want me to be so close?"
"That's not it, I just- it's a bit uncommon for a man o' God to concern hisself with... people like me."
"Is it now?"
"Well, in my experience..."
"I see."
"Sorry, sir."
"For?"
"Upsettin' ya. I didn't mean to get in the middle of your, affairs."
"Ah yes, well I guess I should know not to pray aloud." Again came the urging to say something, so she opened her mouth and out came words she didn't plan on saying.
"I know..."
"You know what?"
"I know how it feels to leave everything behind, to only be able to watch from a distance as they suffer because there's nothing more to do than you have already done." His eyes widened as she said this, but then it occurred to him that she may be saying this as a jab towards him. Later he would realize that by the way she said it, there was no way that that was the case.
"You think you know what I have gone through?"
"Not you exactly, but-"
"I showed kindness to you against my better judgement, only for you to play a joke on me?"
"It is no joke! You do not know my life, or what I have and have not gone through! This is how it works: because you count yourself a man of God it means that nobody else is as good. You look down your noses and shake your heads at us dirty sinners, but you know what? You are no better than the rest of us." This gave the man pause, for he knew that it was true. "I have lost much for love, do not think otherwise." She expected for him to kick her out after that little outburst. But instead, he continued the conversation.
"I apologize, you are right. But I have as well, and it is a sore subject to broach. For one so young, you have gone through much, am I correct?"
"Well, it's how things are, I'm bettah off den many."
"Why can't you go back home?"
"They- it's how it's gotta be for my family."
"Are you sure? If you are in pain, then how much more so must they be?"
"It just hasta be like dat. But what 'bout you? If ya don't wanna do dis, why're you here?"
"This is the path that God has laid out for me, and it is one that I must follow." After a moment of thought, she spoke with given wisdom.
"Are you sure? If He has a path planned for you, even if you don't want to do it, He will fill it with joy. You are His child, and He knows what is best for you. Perhaps this isn't it."
"You! You're that rat who I chased away earlier! Why are you here? Get out! Daniel, get that child out of here now." The priest had walked into the sanctuary and saw her. His face got red with indignation at the sight, but instead of running she stood up and gave him what for.
"If you had given this rat time to explain, she would have told you that she was not doing anything wrong, but picking up after a careless man who slipped and didn't bother to fix what he messed up. Your actions are the polar opposite of what the man you should be trying to emulate would have done."
"How dare you!"
"No, how dare YOU. It is a shame that men like you give Christianity the name that it now has. And I believe dis is where I take my leave, see ya lata mistah!"
With that she ran out of the church, a slight smile on her face as she locked eyes with the man who got more from one conversation with a young streetrat than two years of mentorship under a schooled man.
Once she got a couple of blocks away, Squints slowed to a walk, an idea forming in her mind. It would take a bit of figuring out, but the first step was acquiring paper, something to write with and an envelope. It might have cost a few coins, but it was nothing knowing that the ones she held dearest in her heart would have a more Merry Christmas.
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(Author's Note)
Although Squints was at first meant to be a one-shot character, she is developing to be a lot more in my head. I will be developing her backstory more, so there may in the meantime be some things that are possibly a tad bit confusing, hopefully not too much though. Thank you again for reading, and lastly have a blessed 2014!