07:05

before he can argue, there's a knock at the door.

quinn rarely gets guests in the rectory.

when he opens the door, he's irritated
to find the church secretary on his doorstep.

she produces something from her coat pocket:
a standard sized commercial envelope.

his name is scrawled on the front.

30 minutes pass. quinn begins to feel like he's being played.

he decides to leave.

making his way down the sidewalk, he chastizes himself for being so stupid.

fear thrums in his chest. someone knows he's in trouble. he has no choice but to act soon.

there's the gentle sound of fabric rising and the
soft whistle of something heavy slicing the air.

his legs collapse underneath him and his thoughts are replaced with an explosion of pain.

the ground swells up to meet him as his limbs fly helplessly in front of him.

he knows that he's seen this man before.

before he can think, the world slides away and is replaced with darkness.

incomprehensible pain ebbs and throbs through the blackness.

the reverend feels himself being pulled and the earth
returns in flashes of synthetic carpet and withered paneling.

through the spinning and the pounding he hears the sound of a heavy wood door grating against its hinges. the smell of earth and mildew pull him further into consciousness.