The Calling

First Light (Chapter 1)

    Through the howling wind blowing into his room, the alarm buzzed. James turned around and switched it off, all while his eyes were closed. The daily routine of doing so familiarized him with the device and he knew what would happen next. As much as he wanted to stay in bed, he had to go to work. Although ‘work’ wasn’t conventional since James was a 25 year old Catholic priest. It wasn’t the early first mass of the day that bothered him though. What upset him was the fact that he had to do it for just for a handful of old-timers who very soon would meet the grave - or as he thought. Waking up from his warm bed was what he hated most. Turning on the shower with one-eye shut only reminded him that he should have gone to bed earlier. He would actually, if it wasn’t for the rules of Father Thomas. Thomas was the only other priest at the church. He set the rules in the church and outside it, the people of the village were far too naïve to decide things themselves. Thomas liked the grip he had over the people, although he wasn’t a wicked old man as one would think. James liked him and looked up to him as a father - a literal one.

     After stepping out of the shower into the freezing room, James had a glance at his well-toned body. He was a young man that took much pride in working out and keeping fit, but since being posted at this village in Northern Ireland, he had no need to show it off. People never did care for his looks as much as he wished they’d do. He did know that joining the priesthood wasn’t the profession that would get people drooling over his body, but the priesthood was his lifetime dream. James grew up going to church everyday with his strictly religious family and so God and such played a very important role in his life. But since leaving London far behind, Drumaness made him rethink his decision. He always imagined himself a priest at the fancy cathedral in London, Manchester or Belfast; it was now nothing as he hoped. Since serving a village of just over 200 mostly senior citizens, it made him question himself over his decisions.

   With no time for breakfast, James hurried down the road wearing his normal black attire looking somewhat scruffy than usual though. Being busy giving lessons at the local comprehensive school also meant he had no time to shave - something he didn’t like. But on this chilly morning, it was the least of what bothered him. After the mass, James had to visit a hospital in a nearby village by bus. He didn’t like travelling by bus; it always meant awkward conversations about explaining to inquisitive fellow passengers that he was a Catholic priest. They often ask him why he even considered being a priest; a fashion set was where he belonged given his blue eyes and dark blond choppy hair. He usually shirked the comments off, but deep within he wondered if he had a chance. He knew he did.

    Entering the church from the side entrance and into the sacristy, he found Elizabeth looking gloomy. She was the church’s keeper who was posted here 35 years ago - 10 years before James had even taken his first breath of life. He liked her though as she was a jolly old woman. Jolly old people in this village were like unicorns; very rare to come across but totally loved when found.

   ‘Father James!’ she said in excitement, ‘You’re early!’‘Not so’, he replied in a hurried tone indicating it was few minutes until 5 o’clock. ‘Had a good rest?’ she asked again as James put on his cassock. He smiled and she knew he hadn’t. She left him alone in the room in order to ring the church bell at the hour. James sieved through the wardrobe and found a white chasuble he hadn’t worn in a while. White chasubles only made him look more pleasing to the eyes, since his blue eyes and golden-brown hair complimented them very well. He stared at himself once more in the mirror, a thought of himself working as a fashion model went through his mind - quite unholy, but he couldn’t help himself. With such good looks, the morbid congregation he would now meet didn’t deserve him. As the bell rang aloud, James entered the altar. Looking out from the higher ground, he stared at the people that stood before him. He could literally count them on his fingers - not more than 8. For eight people or so, he had to wake up at such an ungodly hour. He smiled to hide his regret and then began the service.