The Father
The loaves-and-fishes event was a hit. People were eating and laughing together, chatting and playing games. Sometimes this place really did feel like paradise.
He took in a deep breath of the cool fall air. As he did, his nose detected a hint of smoke. Had someone left a fire going in the forge? Lit the fireplace in the manna hall? It didn’t seem likely. The men were careful and everyone was outside tonight.
That’s when he saw it.
At the top of the hill outside the compound, orange flames flickered. The grass on the side of the road was on fire.
Damn!
The last thing he needed was the fire coming close to the compound and his people being forced to evacuate. Being off-site might provide Juliette and Luke a chance to run away. It might also mean that Officer Luz would return and spot Juliette and Luke among the throng, realize the two hadn’t been in the church the day she and the detective had questioned the members.
Zeke hurried over and pointed up the hill. “You see that? The brush caught fire.”
By then, several other members of the group had spotted the flames, too. They’d forgotten their meals and stood, watching the flames and murmuring.
Jeb rushed over, too. “Should we do something? Maybe get the hoses ready?”
Emmanuel stood, ready to rush to the church office and call 911 from the only phone in the refuge. But before he could move or respond to his men, he heard the wail of distant sirens. The fire department sure had responded quickly. Good. They should have the fire extinguished in minutes and the People of Peace could return to their meal.
“No need to worry!” he called, motioning for the group to retake their seats. “It’s just a small grass fire and, as you can hear, firefighters are on their way. We’re safe here. Let’s not let it spoil our good time.”
The murmurs ceased and everyone took their seats again like the dutiful flock they were. He wondered how many of them would have gone up the hill and run through the flames if he’d told them to do it, that it would purify their souls. Hell, he was half tempted to find out.