Ch.16d The House of God (Lawrence & William)

[Philulhu]

Friday March 13th, 1931 6.25pm
Church of the Hallowed Souls, Coast Road, Johnson Bayou, Cameron Parish, Louisiana

The sun was setting behind them as Lawrence and William strolled up to the church. The building had a reddish-pink hue this evening, as the sky promised more settled weather in the morning. In the meantime, a breeze tugged at their clothes and threatened to send hats spinning down the road.

Are you doing anything before going into the church?

[Mr. Handy]

William holds his hat securely on his head as he approaches the church.

I can't think of anything.

[Bullfrog]

Lawrence follows, absent-mindedly feeling for the gun at his hip to make sure it's still there. It was Jerry's, once, the poor bastard; Lawrence had always suspected he was a firebug, but an instinct to set problems on fire was clearly one of the few things the brothers shared.

[Philulhu]

Entering the church, Lawrence and William found it was already busy, with people sat chatting in the pews. For all it was a Friday night, the church was almost half-full. Mrs Hebert sat on her own near the front, talking to an older couple. Bart Bordeaux was by the door, greeting people as they entered, whilst his son was in a gaggle of other young folks, who sat near the back, swapping baseball cards.

A trio of neatly dressed young woman sat halfway down, talking among themselves, while Father Daigle and Father Ortega stood in hushed conversation by the altar. On seeing them, Father Ortega approached down the aisle, hand held out in greeting. ”Welcome to our humble church,” he said, with a slightly brittle smile. “Please have a seat, we’ll be starting shortly.” And he waved to some of the seats in the front rows which were currently empty.

[Mr. Handy]

I thought we had arranged for at least one of us to hide in the vestry so as not to be seen and recognized. Also, we wouldn't be able to surreptitiously see who is sitting in the seat in question if we're seated in the front, as people would notice us looking back. We'd have to be behind the seat with the carving.

[Philulhu]

So you did. Damn.

So, who’s hiding in the vestry and who’s in the church?

[Bullfrog]

I think Lawrence will be seated in the church.

[Mr. Handy]

Okay, then I'll hide in the vestry.

[Philulhu]

There was a strange sound, a bit like ’fwip, fwip, fwip…’ and an awkwardly smiling Father Ortega pointed from seats in the front pews to Lawrence and William. ”Yltrohs gnitrats eb ll’ew, taes a evah esaelp,” he said. The smile dropped from his face, and he pulled his hand away. “Hcruch elbmuh rou ot emoclew.”

He walked away backwards and turned to talk to one of the parishioners. At the same time, Lawrence and William also found themselves moving backwards, reversing the aisle, briefly stopping to hand over bibles to Bart Bordeaux, before leaving the church and hurrying back to Mrs Hebert’s house, under a sky that lightened the closer they got to their lodgings…

Inspired by this, obviously… https://youtu.be/5-iZT3O2TKE?si=mpTXddNLwE3NdBHT

Entering the church, Lawrence found it was already getting busy, with people sat chatting in the pews. For all it was a Friday night, the church was almost half-full. Mrs Hebert sat on her own near the front, talking to an older couple. Bart Bordeaux was by the door, greeting people as they entered, whilst his son was in a gaggle of other young folks, who sat at the back, swapping baseball cards.

A trio of neatly dressed young woman sat halfway down, talking among themselves, while Father Daigle and Father Ortega stood in hushed conversation by the altar. On seeing Lawrence, Father Ortega nodded to his fellow cleric and approached down the aisle, hand held out in greeting. ”Welcome to our humble church,” he said, with a slightly brittle smile. “Please have a seat, we’ll be starting shortly.”

The row with the carving was empty, but the back row on the opposite side was taken up by Ephraim Bordeaux and his friends. The pews in front of them were currently unoccupied, however.

—- —- —-

As William let himself into the vestry, Father Daigle was just closing the door into the main body of the church. He briefly saw a number of parishioners but the door closed too quickly for him to determine if anyone was sat near the carving.

As Father Ortega had said earlier, the vestry was rather on the small side and William realised he’d have to hide behind the door or risk being seen. ”Don’t worry, I’ll leave it ajar when I go out so you should be able to see what’s happening,” said Father Daigle.

[Mr. Handy]

William nods. He'll keep an eye out for anyone sitting near the carving, as well as for anyone paying undue attention to Lawrence.

I immediately thought of that scene.

[Philulhu]

William heard the starting strains of the church organ and Father Daigle slipped out of the vestry, leaving the door slightly ajar as promised.

The music played for a few minutes before Father Ortega made his way to the lecture to begin the service. As he began to speak, the latch to the church door was carefully lifted and someone let themselves into the church.

Spot hidden, please.

[Mr. Handy]

William gets a good look.

Spot Hidden roll (64% skill) in the vestry:
d%

[Bullfrog]

Lawrence towering over his fellow churchgoers, keeps his eyes peeled.

Spot Hidden 30%: 1d100

[Philulhu]

Although he craned his neck, the people sitting alongside Lawrence on his pew, and those in the row behind, stopped him getting a good look at the latecomer.

From his vantage point at the front, however, William had a much clearer view, albeit through a crack in the door…

A brown-haired man entered the church, quickly snatching off the cap he wore and blinking through his large glasses. He was dressed like a working man, with denim dungarees and chambray shirt, over which he wore a sports coat. Reverend Ortega looked up at the man as he entered, and he bowed his head and quickly took a seat on the back row.

[Mr. Handy]

William keeps an eye on the late arrival.

[Bullfrog]

Lawrence opts to not make a spectacle of looking at whoever just entered, instead trying his best to look natural while he carefully watches the pew with the carving.

[Philulhu]

The man sat with his shoulders hunched and head down, while Reverend Ortega continued with the service.

[Mr. Handy]

William watches him carefully, especially checking to see if he tries to carve anything.

[Philulhu]

Father Ortega delivered his sermon with obvious enthusiasm, with Father Daigle’s assistance.

In the rear pew, the latecomer sat with his head down, whether in prayer of something else, it wasn’t clear.

At the end of the service, Father Ortega started to make his way to the back of the church so he could say goodbye to his parishioners as they made their way home. By the time he was half way down the aisle, the man was on his feet and out of the door, pulling a hat down sharply over his ears as he stepped out into the night air.

[Mr. Handy]

William signals to Lawrence to follow the man.