The Choice

Chapter Three

A few minutes later, the two stood in front of the beautiful church.

Ichimatsu couldn't help but feel a bit intimidated by its large size. It reminded him so much of the orphanage, but somehow he knew he would be safe with Karamatsu.

Karamatsu pushed open the heavy door and led the murderer inside.

"Please, if you will," Karamatsu said, holding out his hand. "give me your knife."

Ichimatsu sighed and pulled the knife out of his pocket, handing it to Karamatsu.

"Thank you!" the man exclaimed. "It pleases me that you are already showing respect in the house of the Lord our Savior."

"So dumb.." Ichimatsu muttered as Karamatsu walked out of the huge auditorium they were in with the knife in his hand.

Looking around, Ichimatsu saw images of what looked like the same Man on each stained glass window, only in each scene, the Man looked like He was suffering more and more from the people around Him.

"This place is weird..." Ichimatsu thought as he looked at the three sections of pews that surrounded a huge stage with a piano and a podium on it.

Only a few moments later did Karamatsu come running back into the auditorium, folded clothing in his arms.

"My boy," he said calmly as he approached Ichimatsu. "I am not sure if these will fit you, but it's the best thing I could find. My apologies."

Just as Ichimatsu was about to take the clothing from Karamatsu, the priest said, "And if you don't mind, you might feel better if you cleaned up a bit first. I'll lead you to the back bathroom so you may wash your hands and face. You must start your new life in the cleanest way possible, if you understand what I mean."

Moments later, Ichimatsu found the priest helping him wash his face, scrubbing soap on it, cleansing it as well as he could.

"I'm not a little kid..." Ichimatsu muttered. "I can wash my face myself..."

"My boy," Karamatsu said, laughing a little as he began to help Ichimatsu rinse the soap off of his face. "I can only imagine how good it feels to have someone there for you."

"He completely ignored what I said.." Ichimatsu thought, wiping his face off with the small, but soft white towel that Karamatsu had handed to him. "He's the strangest person I've ever met...but he hasn't called me filth yet...so I suppose he's better than the rest..."

"Now, my boy, you must wash your hands. Though this will not cleanse you spiritually, it will cleanse you physically. Personal hygiene is very important! We must protect our bodies, for it is where our souls dwell. Our souls are never at peace when our bodies have committed great sin. Sometimes washing your hands is all you need to make your soul come alive again." Karamatsu said, pumping some soap from a bottle into Ichimatsu's hands.

The smell coming from the soap was very clean smelling, but also somewhat comforting to Ichimatsu.

Taking a deep sniff, Ichimatsu enjoyed its scent until Karamatsu instructed him to scrub his hands and nails together while hot water poured out of the bathroom faucet.

"I see you are enjoying the scent of sea berries," Karamatsu said, pulling a travel brush out of a cabinet from above the sink. "I have to say, that is my favorite soap scent that was ever created! The sea berries have such a soothing scent, I often rub sea berry lotion on my arms hands before I take my nightly rest."

"Why the heck would someone keep a brush in a church...isn't that a bit gross..." Ichimatsu thought, staring at his hands once all of the soap was gone. He had to admit, he was already feeling a bit better now that his face and hands were clean.

"You may be wondering," Karamatsu laughed, "why there's a brush in a random cabinet. Well, young man, this brush has never been used. I keep many emergency supplies here at this church in hope, that I will one day be able to care for a lost child. I've been waiting for this day for many years."

Karamatsu gently ran the brush through Ichimatsu's hair, getting all of the tangles out of it, one at a time. He did each and every little thing with such care, Ichimatsu could have sworn that this man was more than just a clergyman. But, sadly, he wasn't.

And after Karamatsu had finally convinced Ichimatsu to bathe in the church's shower which was for emergencies only, he had begun to feel so much better.

Though his hair was dripping wet, once Ichimatsu put on the outfit Karamatsu had found for him, he felt like a completely new person.

Even the clothes fit perfectly. Everything just seemed so right.

Ichimatsu exited the bathroom (after having towel dried his hair a bit) and went to find Karamatsu.

There was a very comforting smell coming from one of the back rooms of the church, and when Ichimatsu opened up the door to the room, he found himself in the middle of a huge kitchen.

Karamatsu, who had just finished cooking "cheeseburger soup", as he had called it, smiled kindly at Ichimatsu and gave him a bowl of it.

Ichimatsu and Karamatsu sat down in a room off from the kitchen and ate their meal together.

"This is the first time I've ever had a meal this good..." Ichimatsu thought, eating his soup faster than Karamatsu had ever seen someone eat.

"Ichimatsu," Karamatsu said suddenly, breaking the silence that had been with them since they began eating. "please know that I will always love you as my friend. You matter very much to me. I will do anything and everything to keep you out of harm's way. But most of all, remember that God loves you very very much."

Ichimatsu wasn't sure how to even respond. He dropped his spoon in his bowl, beginning to cry. Not once in his life had he ever been told that he was loved, let alone that his existence meant something to someone.

"Now, now, my boy," Karamatsu said, resting his hand on the boy's shoulder, looking into his eyes, smiling. "I do not want you to hold back any of your feelings, understand? Please do not ever think that you cannot cry. You are in a very safe place, and crying is allowed. Do not hold back anymore."

And at that, Ichimatsu began to cry even harder. He had never expected that such a terrible beginning to his day could have ended in such a different way.