Next to Godliness

Ressurection

     Later that day, you made your way towards Father Paul's house with Sturge, and Wade and Dolly Scarborough. Beverly had invited the four of you to talk about funding or something, possibly some sort of surprise or gift for Father Paul. You looked around and kind of wondered why you were apart of the group that was invited, Sturge was basically Beverly's right hand man, and Wade was the mayor,  and you were just there? Anxiety built up inside you a little bit thinking maybe Beverly knew, or had some sort of other motive for inviting you here, but you couldn't decline the offer. It had been kind of obvious that you and Father Paul were friends, like you'd spend time at public events or talk to each other out in the open, hopefully that was all it seemed like.
Hopefully Sheriff Hassan kept his mouth shut. Praying nobody else saw you sneak out of his room this morning as well, and nobody else saw you go in.

       It was around 6:00 at night, slightly dark but still light enough to see. You had left John's house only a few hours ago, around 3:00 maybe, he had things to do and you couldn't just stay in his room all day. But now here you were, going back to his house again, this time with company sadly. You each stepped through the mucky grass towards the church, then behind it. Beverly pushed her way in front of everyone and opened the front door for the rest of you, and shut it behind herself. You made it a point to say thank you when you walked in, because if you didn't you know she would remember that and never let it go. You wiped your feet off in front of the door and stepped aside for beverly to do the same, but noticed something was off. John wasn't here, the four of you were in his house and he didn't know.
"Bev," You turned and asked her, "Where's John?"
Beverly only stood confused, everyone else just as quiet and unsure as her.
"Father, where's Father Paul?" Holy cow, you just made the worst mistake you could have. In front of everyone. You don't call a priest by his name, especially if you know him like you do, and are trying to hide the secret that you are.
"Oh right!" Beverly began to explain for much longer than needed, as usual.

In summary you were here to discuss funding, and even arrange something nice for John.
Father Paul.
You tried to force yourself to remember, it had been such a habit for you to call him by his name that it just felt wrong to say Father Paul. But you had to, if you didn't want him to loose his job.
Beverly had planned it so he would be at the AA meeting right now as we would have time to discuss it alone.

       Beverly had sat each of you down at Johns table, and each of you listened to her quietly. Basically it was about funding, she invited The mayor and his wife over for the money, and Sturge and yourself for the work/ideas.
"Mr. Scarborough, I'm sure your aware that your family is the most prepared, money wise, to donate to our needs here at the church. I was hoping that you would help pitch in for something nice for our new priest, since he has been doing such amazing things for us, you of all people should know.
"Yes Ms. Keane." Wade responded, nodding his head, knowing that he and everyone else in the room knew exactly what she meant.
"Wonderful. And (Y/N), I know that you are probably Father Paul's closest friend here, as he has taken a possible fatherly-mentor position for you, i'm assuming?" All you could do was nod, "I was hoping you would help us figure out what we would do for him."
"I would love to." You nodded and smiled in agreement with Bev, praying that she was being sincere and didn't mean anything condescending like she normally would.

       "Perfect, well if we have it all figured out then we should be on our way-" Beverly was cut off before she could finish by a loud bang at the door as it opened. John had waddled through, pale and confused, leaning against anything he could to hold himself up.
"Father? Are you alright?" Beverly asked and walked towards John for reassurance.
He continued to stumble his way inside and quickly but stiffly fell to the floor.
Each of you gasped, shocked by the large man on the floor, and by how he got there. He lay seizing as Bev and Dolly scream, him shaking and foaming at the mouth. Wade and Sturge quickly got closer to him to try and help him from the floor, but both a little to frightened to intervene.

       Helplessly he shook harder and harder, and as he did the foam spewing from his mouth turned to blood, and began frothing and leaking onto the rug below him. You sobbed as you bent down towards him, and held his hands as the life drained from his face. Tears fell from your eyes and splattered on his now lifeless body as you cried, not for his sake but for your own selfish reasons of missing him.

      Suddenly he stopped shaking and held still, his head lay limp, and his eyes rolled back. A blood stain forming on the carpet as you cry holding his still-warm hand in yours.
"Father?" Wade whispered as he stuck his fingers below johns jaw, checking for a pulse. Dolly gasped when he pulled his fingers away and dropped his head down. Beverly fell to her knees crying in her palms, as you all reside in a room with a dead man. Not only a dead man, but a dead man that you love. Each of you silent and in shock as he lay lifeless on the floor, the feeling of the room sunk with each waking moment.

    Wait.
After only seconds of his heart stopping, it's started once again, his eyes shot open, and his body shot back up. Feeling better than ever, new, fresh, perky, free, and young. Screams filled the room as he sat up again, alive again.

Gods will, brought him back.