The Chapel

Chapter 6:

"The second?" Ally asked, turning to me again. She laughed, "No way. He doesn't even believe in God!"

"Well..." the man trailed off.

Ally rolled her eyes, "You're impossible. So, Maxwell Higgins? What's your talent? Why'd he chose you?"

It was a moment or two before I realized they were waiting for me to respond. "Uh, what? I don't..."

"See," said Ally. "He's useless." She began to walk back to her pew to grab her things.

"Oh Ally," the man said. He turned to me, "You'll get used to her. Working with Ally has its perks, you know?"

"Perks? What are you talking about? I don't even know you." I was very confused.

"Right, right. I should explain some things. Do you believe in God, Maxwell?" He waited for an answer, but I was distracted. My eyes were on the paintings of the supposed savior, which filled the walls of the chapel.

"Ah, I see." The homeless man said. "You know," he said walking forward to be by my side. "These pictures—pretty good. I just wished they had painted my good side."

I stared at him.

He looked back to me and gave me an odd look. "Well, you know! Everyone has a good side. Mine's my right. They painted my left. How would you like it if someone immortalized you in paint and they happened to paint your bad side?" He chuckled. "Of course, I forgive them, but..."

"I have literally no idea what you're talking about," I said blankly.

"Of course, you don't. You're hopeless." Ally said.

"Ally," the man tried to stop her.

"Fine," she said. "I'll leave the room; let you do what you need to do. Afterwards Denny's?"

"Denny's?" I asked because, well, she brought up Denny's in a chapel.

"Absolutely," the man grinned. Ally touched his shoulder as she passed him.

"Oh, and just so you know, Maxwell. If you so much as touch him—"

"I think he gets it, Ally," the man said.

"I'm just saying—"

"Go, Ally."

"Fine." She slammed the door behind her.

The man sighed and sat down in a pew to his right. "Join me, Maxwell. I want to talk to you."