Black Lotus by K'wan

Author:K'wan
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: ebook, book
Publisher: Akashic Books
Published: 2014-04-02T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 8

Kahllah felt a chill run down her back when she crossed the threshold of the church. She had been raised in an Islamic home until she was captured by the slavers. Those men worshiped no God, and in those days the only thing Kahllah could find the strength to pray for was death. Her adopted father was a man of God . . . a Christian, and religion was a big deal in his house so Kahllah had embraced his faith. She’d been a member of this church’s congregation since she was a teenager, and had spent many Sundays praying in their halls, though she still felt out of place. She navigated the carpeted aisle and stood before the stained glass mural of Jesus that dominated the wall behind the pew. She had loved it since the first time she saw it and could stare at it for hours. Something about it gave her peace.

Tearing her eyes away from the mural, she walked over to the confessional box. A man was coming out with an expression on his face that said he had just unloaded a heavy burden. She couldn’t help but to wonder what sins he’d whispered. Was he a good man or an evil one? Would heaven be his last stop or hell? It was a game she and her friends at church would play when they were kids. They would watch the people coming out of the confessional and try to guess how deep their sins went.

Kahllah placed her green knapsack on the floor outside the confessional and stepped in. The booth smelled of musk and old wood. When she heard the screen to the adjoining window slide free, she crossed herself and laid down her burdens.

“Forgive me father for I have sinned,” she began.

“How long has it been since your last confession?” the priest on the other side asked.

“One hundred and eighty-two days,” Kahllah said shamefully.

“Why so long?”

Kahllah shrugged. “I guess I’ve just been busy with work.”

“So, you’re saying that there isn’t enough room in your life for your career and your God?”

“No, I’m not saying that,” Kahllah assured him. “In a sense, my work is for God. What I do helps a lot of people.”

“A shepherd of lost souls,” the priest said.

“I’ve never really looked at it like that, but it sounds about right. I encounter more than my share of lost souls . . . Sometimes it feels like too many.”

“The Lord never heaps more on us than we can handle.”

“I know, but sometimes it can be overwhelming. My best friend says I’m trying to save the world all by myself. I just wanna help those who can’t help themselves,” Kahllah told him.

“None but the Lord can save the world, but we can all do our parts to help the process along. Tell me, have you been doing your part?”

“Yes . . .”

“I detect some uncertainty within you.”

“Father, I bust my ass from sunup to sunup for my cause. I’m not complaining, because

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.