Absolution

Absolution:

The boy noticed that the pastor had slipped pennies into the tongue of his brown loafers. The congregation crowded around the boy. Some whispering, others screaming, crying out. They put hands on the boy. Clutched him tightly. Some spoke in tongues, turbulent, with passion and anger. The pastor shook the boy. Stomped. Begged the lord:

“Heavenly Father!” There was howling from the crowd. “We give you this boy today!Take this boy and fill him with your Spirit Dear God. Save this boy! Hallelujah!”

He continued but the boy drowned it out. He was terrified. He managed a broken whimper. The crowd held him. They demanded his salvation. They suffocated the boy. His innocence evaporated into tears that lost their grip. They fell from his face and landed on the pastor’s loafers. The pennies, wet, shined back at the boy. The crowd took the boys tears as divine possession. As absolution. The congregation backed off. They thanked God as they petted him. The boy wiped the tears from his face, bent down and picked up a penny that had slipped from the pastor’s loafers.

Later that day Jon snuck out of the house and went to the little store across the street. He bought an atomic fire ball and rolled it around his mouth until his tongue burnt and his spit turned red.