The Fine Print: Daniel Knauf and HBO own Carnivale and, unfortunately, Justin and Iris.

Minutes Like Hours

By twinb80

Chapter Two: Cold and Lonely

Iris sat at her vanity table running a brush through her hair. She smiled to herself as she recalled the scene earlier that night at the Temple Of Jericho. Justin had given yet another wonderful speech to the people gathered there. His strong voice had echoed out across the tent and across the airwaves. The people gathered there had stood and cheered at his words. Iris's heart had swelled with pride. For it was her brother and no other man that the people had come to see and hear. These people had been tossed aside by others who did not want to see their poverty. Who did not want to see the saddened and worn down looks or the faces or hear the children cry out in hunger. No one had wanted to help them, only Justin had. Justin and herself had reached out to these people and they were rewarded back with pure devotion. For they were lost sheep and had found the promise land in Justin as their shepherd.Even Norman had been enthralled with Justin's message.

Iris frowned.

Norman.

Norman was going to be a problem and Iris did not welcome this thought at all. She continued to brush her hair as she recalled the day's events. Bishop McNaughton had stopped by to say a few words to Justin and had ended up staying for breakfast. As he was leaving Iris heard Norman fall out of his bed and had gone to help him. The movements of Iris's brush became erratic as she remembered how she had told Norman that she would not be left behind in the wake of Justin's new path. And for expressing that thought out loud Norman had with one glance thrown her past out at her. Iris slammed her hairbrush down onto the vanity table. She stood up and began pacing her room and with each thought she became madder. How dare he throw her past out like that. Especially after everything she and Justin had done for him. They had brought him here to live with them like any good children would do for their guardian. Justin had even made special arrangements so that Norman would not feel left out in the services at the Temple of Jericho. How dare he throw her past in her face. Her past was her own business and no one else's. She answered to no one and especially not to a person who had played such a part in it. Iris suddenly stopped pacing and sat down upon her bed. She wrapped her arms around herself as she reluctantly allowed past memories to come back to her. Memories of a time in her life that she had tried so hard in vain to forget suddenly came rushing back over her.