Providence, Somewhere

Fall Cleaning

Overcast.

The threat of rain loomed over the town, even as they went to pick up their vehicles and resume their jobs for the day, if they had any.

The little Lamb was now one of them. They walked to the Church, almost directly south of the Town Hall, near the Clinic where they eventually saw Acht and Danny unload the briefcase that contained Baymax. Such a large thing compressed into a tiny package.

Looking away from the clinic nearby, the Lamb's attention was drawn to the Church. It almost seemed like a small cathedral, fitting for a town placed in the middle of nowhere. The stonework and glasswork looked sturdy yet grandiose; an appearance that they weren't quite used to. It seemed clear this place venerated some other deity, Stepping off the sidewalk onto the path towards its doors made their Crown act up, with it slithering off their head, around their arm, and forming into a sword.

They snorted. Sometimes it was wary about protecting its Master, even when the need was uncalled for. They shook their head, heading forward with a bit of caution.

Opening the doors, they were met with a cloud of dust and now-disturbed cobwebs; a musty, dry smell lingered. Not a soul was inside, and both Crown and Lamb knew it. Whoever was here previously had left the place vacant, and whatever deity was here is no longer venerated.

The sword became a broom in the Lamb's hooves. It was time they got to work.

Clouds of dust and small mounds of dirt piled up within minutes of the diligent Lamb's work. They started from the altar, disturbing the grime and revealing the glazed wood underneath. Aisles and nave were also tidied up, with every nook and cranny looking as neat as possible. Outside went the grime, and in the span of a few hours, they were done. Every area remained spotless, new as if it were just built and installed.

The broom became a Crown again. Outside, the scent of damp earth lay lightly. The clouds of dust disappeared, and the grime of ages long gone became darker with the falling rain dampening everything around.

With a happy sigh, they walked back inside, leaving the doors wide open just in case anyone wanted to come in as they explored the rest of the place.

A spiral staircase on the left led into an office, just as dusty as the rest of the place was. Many books and artefacts were left behind, either on shelves or inside boxes. It seemed like there were many, many other faiths this church housed.

The Lamb grabbed a crucifix out of a box, curiously inspecting it. What religion would use imagery of crucifixes, they thought? Narinder, maybe?

The Crown glanced down at them, as much as an eye atop a head can glance down at its owner. That couldn't possibly be the case; Narinder couldn't have made it, could he? No, he couldn't have; they'd have sensed him otherwise.

It snaked around their arm again, forming a dagger instead of a sword this time. They flicked their ear; someone definitely showed up.

They made their way down, back to the main area of the church. It felt different this time, as if there was a presence around. A soul, perhaps, haunting this very location. Perhaps that's why the Crown got defensive. Something must've gotten disturbed. Not a problem, the Lamb thought. They'd drive it away, whatever it was, just like the other Bishops. Just like any interloper that stands in their way.

They didn't know what gave them the idea to wave the crucifix around, but something definitely reappeared in the aisle, thrown back a few feet.

It was a boy, no, a man. Snow-white hair and green eyes, wearing a black-and-white jumpsuit. Yet he was there, but at the same time he wasn't. The Lamb saw that.