FALLEN - Nephilim Arise Series

Chapter Three

The streets were quiet as Nathan drove through town. His hands still shook from the recent attack. It didn’t make sense. The time it took to reach Redemption from the Pass flew by in his desperate attempt to reach home. 

When he first moved here to serve as Senior Pastor at Destiny Center, it reminded him of a town he’d seen in a Thomas Kinkade painting. Quaint and picturesque with white-picket fences, barking dogs, English gardens and the friendliest neighbors a person could ask for. 

He noticed the lights on the walnut tree in the center park were dark, which was strange. Transplanted in the early 1900’s, parties and town meetings were hosted beneath its extended branches and thick trunk. Throughout the year, it would be lit up with white lights strewn throughout its limbs which would shine for miles. The lights were never out. 

He had proposed under that tree.

Nathan pulled into the parking lot outside of the small Second Chances cafe. When he’d first moved here he couldn’t get over the names of the streets, stores and even the churches. Everything was tied back to Redemption.  He shook his head. Everything, since time began was tied back to the concept of redemption.

Despite the late hour, he hoped Jack, the owner of the cafe or his feisty wife, Kate, would take pity on him and serve him a piece of the homemade apple crumb pie he knew would be waiting for him. Kate saved him a piece every night.

Or maybe Kate baked him a special cake. If anyone would remember, it’d be her. This year, he was okay if someone remembered.

When he pulled on the door, he was surprised to find it locked. He tapped on the glass with his knuckles and waited for Kate to lift her head from the counter she was wiping down. When she motioned with her hand for him to come in, he pulled on the handle again. With brows raised, Kate walked out from behind the counter.

“Are you just now getting back?” Kate held the door open for him. 

Nathan nodded. 

“You shouldn’t stay there so long. Surrounding yourself with death won’t help you live—” Her lips pursed at Nathan’s glare but she didn’t finish her sentence. As much as he would hated it, he would have walked out if she had.

He placed his hand on her back as they walked towards the bar stools. He wouldn’t say it, but he could show her he wasn’t upset. Besides, he didn’t like to see the dark circles under her eyes and he knew he was probably the cause of them today. Her unraveled silver hair escaped from her carefully coiled bun and wisps of curly hair fluffed all over her head. The sound of her shuffled feet filled the diner as she grabbed a half-full pot of coffee.

Lukewarm and old was better than the sludge he made at home. 

Nathan sat on one of the ripped red leather stools at the counter and glanced around. He nodded at Basil and the other man who sat with him in a booth nursing cups of coffee. Jack raised his cup as a salute to Nathan. The other man in the booth sat motionless with his head turned, looking out the window, not moving or making a sound. 

Setting the cup of coffee down in front of him, Kate rested her elbows on the counter and gestured to the men.

“Well, Rev, we’ve got an old grump who won’t go home,” Kate said in a stage whisper. “Basil there has been playing with his cold cup of coffee for over an hour now.”

“Coffee?” Nathan twisted his head to look at the old man. “Bay, are you sick?”

“Watch the dark. That’s when they get you,” Bay grumbled as he scooted out of the booth. He placed a bill on the counter and dragged his feet over to the door.