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[pere_callahan]

Callahan never did figure out who that Stephen King fella was, but he wasn't terribly surprised when his books started showing up on the bookshelf one afternoon. Row after row of titles he didn't recognize: Carrie, Pet Cemetery, The Shining, The Stand... and nestled in between, about a dozen different copies of 'Salem's Lot, which just made the

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[godpleaseheal]

I could not immediately tell what had upset him, but I could tell it had something to do with the Stephen King novel in his hands. Privately I mused that it could be a result of the writing, but perhaps it had to do with the content. After all, he was an American horror novelist.

Moving closer to him, I cleared my throat and smiled politely. "Are you all right?"

[pere_callahan]

Callahan looked up, recognizing the man who had arrived in the church not long ago. "I've been better," he said truthfully. "Have you ever had a mirror held up and not liked what you saw?"

[godpleaseheal]

I thought about it and shook my head. I do not think I have ever disliked what I was and although I missed being fully angelic, I did not feel ashamed of my decisions. "I can imagine what that would be like, but I have not experienced it myself."

[pere_callahan]

"Count yourself lucky then, my boy. Though I suppose I should feel grateful to be able to look back and think that I have come so far. But in some ways you cannot escape what you once were." He gestured to the pages of the book in front of him, and then read aloud from the pages near the beginning, from that poor boy's funeral.

"But Callahan seemed nice enough for a Pope-lover; his funerals were calm and comforting and always short. Ryerson doubted if Callahan had gotten all those red and broken veins in his cheeks and around his nose from praying, but if Callahan did a little drinking, who was to blame him? The way the world was, it was a wonder all those preachers didn't end up in looney-bins."

He shook his head and sighed. "I always wondered if anyone noticed. But honestly, how could they not? And I'm sorry, I you have caught me at a moment of intense introspection, I don't mean to be dumping my confession upon you."