The church, by way of its silent priest sitting devotedly in the front pews, possessed a calm that could have even felt unnatural.

More unnatural than that, however, was the way that said priest’s head was lowered in what might have appeared to be contemplation over his bible – but his eyes were closed, and Malachi was asleep.

Thankfully the creak of the door was a sound he knew well, and he was jostled from his slumber with a lift of his head. He closed his (new) bible and set it aside, casting a glance to the man that had entered the church.

“Good afternoon,” Malachi greeted, and left it there, in case the man merely came to pray.