First Prayer - written

[awhitecrow]

[The words are written carefully, and he takes his time in penning it all.

Jonathan Hollom writes from the safety of the room he is staying in at House Seven. Like a few days ago-- and every day after-- he made breakfast for the women of the house early in the morning, covered it to keep it warm and to prevent anything from getting into it, then retreated back to his room.]

Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly,
And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.
For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.
Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.
The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.
I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.
...
I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.
Jonah, Chapter 2, verses 1-7, 9.

This place, with its houses and food and wings, must be a gift from God. There is still evil here, so it is not Paradise, but there are no lakes of fire. It is not eternal darkness. So it is not Hell.

It must, then, be a kind of Purgatory. A place for souls to prove their worth, to earn their redemption or damnation.

Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.
Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.
Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.
Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O Lord.
Psalms, Chapter 37, verses 4-7

I was brought here with nowhere else to go, and I begged the Lord for hope and for His help, for the strength and courage only He can give.

But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.
Psalms, Chapter 66, verses 19-20

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as [it is] in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Comments

[written]

[simplestgift]

[Where did this come from? Kennedy stares for a while, stricken utterly mute. He rereads, mulls, and goes back and forth about this. A few minutes later, he scribbles a reply.]

Amen.

[written]

[awhitecrow]

[So others here really can read what he writes in his own book. He'd heard it, certainly, but actually seeing it is another thing entirely.

Still, the word makes him smile a little to himself.

He knows it's strange to say, but only two words come to mind, so he writes them.]

Thank you.

[written]

[simplestgift]

[It takes a while, but the same handwriting appears about twenty minutes later after Kennedy has digested this.]

I do not believe this to be Purgatory, Father. Not when people come and go and live their lives as normal when they do go.

[written]

[awhitecrow]

[Father? Oh dear. No, no. Must correct that quickly.]

Forgive me. I am no man of the cloth. I just [but the sentence cuts off. No excuses are acceptable.] I apologise.

I [a pause in the writing] have not been here long, and I only know what I have read and what little I have been told. If my impressions of this place are incorrect, forgive me.

[So used to apologies. They come easily, and he goes through his mind to think of everything he might need to ask pardon for with what he wrote.]

[written]

[simplestgift]

No need to apologise. I understand fully. I made the same mistakes.

If you are no man of the cloth, perhaps you should be. We have nothing closer, here.

Video

[relictusdeus]

Deliver us from evil, indeed~. [A low chuckle - and then he bares his teeth in a curious little smile, half-absently touching one of the unhealed wounds the Malnosso dealt him during his abduction.] ...Amen.

Video

[awhitecrow]

[That sound... He knew enough to be wary of that sound. But if he could hear the man, could he be heard?

If so, all he says is:] Amen.

Video

[relictusdeus]

A most rousing written sermon... any more, and I fear you shall move me to tears.

[Unnaturally white, fierce-looking eyes are leveled on the screen.]

Video

[awhitecrow]

[He's sure it's not meant as a compliment, but he manages to make himself speak.]

Thank you, sir.

[ action? ]

[herotypical]

[ it's early. just about perhaps a moment or two after finding that covered meal.

she knocks on her new housemate's door. ]

[ action! ]

[awhitecrow]

[Jonathan looks up and puts his book aside, under the worn copy of the King James Bible he found in the library.]

Come in.

[ fabulous! ]

[herotypical]

[ she nudges the door open with a tentative peek inside. ]

H-hi? Good morning? [ green eyes and blonde hair appear around the door's edge. she doesn't quite step inside. ]

[ action ]

[awhitecrow]

[He quickly got to his feet, pulling his shoulders back and bowing his head politely.]

Good morning, ma'am.

[Voice]

[rather_be_surfing]

[Derek wasn't expecting to see anything like this at all in his journal. Sure, he knew about Wolfwood, who really wasn't quite the right religion. He'd spoken with the likes of Amaterasu. And there were the spirits.

but never once since he'd been here...

Derek swallows hard a few times before he pulls the book over and turns on the microphone. His voice is quiet, almost a whisper.]

...you're a priest?

[Voice]

[awhitecrow]

N-no. I... I'm sorry. I... didn't think. It seems I have given that impression, and I apologise.

[Voice]

[rather_be_surfing]

No, man, it's all right. Was just surprised to see the scripture this morning. Think even the devout here pretty much keep it to themselves.

Got a friend like you; if you didn't know any better, you'd think he was a Padre as well.

New in town?

[Voice]

[awhitecrow]

I am, sir. I arrived a week ago.

written

[consultmybooks]

[...well, this is odd. And it would be even odder if he knew just where the man was staying at the moment.

Even so, Jonathon has caught his attention. This has recently become an issue very dear to Giles' heart.]

"Purgatory" is a good word. For some, at least.

I wonder how you explain the souls that deserve heaven as they are.

written

[awhitecrow]

It is not my place to question the placement of a soul by God.

Re: written

[consultmybooks]

It isn't necessarily "questioning". Or at least, I've never seen it that way. I suppose you might think differently.

written

[awhitecrow]

God does as He will, for His reasons. I cannot hope to understand them.

[action]

[theoniongirl]

[Unfortunately for Hollom, locking himself in his room doesn't necessarily mean he'll be forgotten.

Jilly lets Buffy check on him in the morning, but that afternoon there will be another light knock on his door]

[action]

[awhitecrow]

[Throughout the early part of the day, Jonathan Hollom stirs out of his room rarely. He goes once for something small to eat and once more to make tea.

He still has the cup and saucer in his room from it when the knock comes.

Jonathan puts the small piece of paper he has, ripped from a corner of the Journal, on the page he was reading. Back to his Bible, now that a sermon was written.

He opens the door a moment later and politely ducks his head and steps back.]

Come in. Please.

[action]

[theoniongirl]

[It's not food she's bearing. Tucked under one arm, she'd gathered a stack of books for their unassuming house guest. He hadn't given her much to go off of, speaking rarely unless spoken to and often circumventing their company at all, but she'd sought clues. If he wasn't one to talk...maybe he'd enjoy something else.]

I have...well, I can't say a gift, because they're public property and not really mine to give at all...but I picked up some extra books while I was at the library. I don't know if you'd be interested, but you're welcome to any that catch your eye.

[it was a small collection, smattered with poetry and childrens' stories and some of the shorter bits of classical literature. He'd told them little of his past, but she figured he'd be more comfortable with something that wasn't quite so...modern.]

[action]

[awhitecrow]

They're a gift all the same. [He's not arguing with her, but...

It was more consideration than most gave him, even after four months on a ship with him. And this woman had only known him for days.] Thank you.

[He approaches the books, gently moving them to look at all the titles. Most of what could be considered classic literature? He looks at with no familiarity of the titles. They'll be new to him, certainly.

He looks up and offers Jilly a small smile and ducks his head briefly.]

Thank you.