Disclaimer: The characters, settings etc belong to Joss Wheedon, Mutant Enemy et al. Am not making money, just having fun.
To Every Thing A Season
Part One
Cameron Barnes shrugged off his work clothes, then stepped into the shower; letting out a sigh of relief as the water hit him. He’d been in Sunnydale seven weeks now and this Minnesota native was still getting used to the heat. Much refreshed he ran some gel through his hair, and changed into the faded sweats he’d habitually worn when training with rest of his college football team, and now couldn’t bring himself to part with.
Heading into the kitchen, Cameron cranked up the stereo, grabbed a beer from the fridge and switched his laptop on. It was Friday night and he was looking forward to an extra long email session so he could catch up with whatever it was his buds were doing right now. Grinning he clicked open the first message titled ‘Mom to Number One Son’, but before he could read a word the doorbell rang.
‘It’s never just nine to five with you is it?’ He asked the painting of Jesus hanging on the wall.
Then with a smile the priest went to open the door.
********************
Giles sincerely hoped that he hadn’t allowed the surprise that he’d felt when the door opened to register on his face. Chapel had been compulsory at school but in the decades since then he’d only attended for purely social reasons; weddings, christenings, and out of regrettable necessity, funerals. And so it was that in his mind the church remained the preserve of those of his father’s generation or men older than that. Now he was face to face with a priest only a few years older than the young people he willingly allowed to dominate his life.
‘Father Barnes?’
‘That’s me, man. C’mon in.’
He even spoke like them, that happy-go-lucky abbreviated speech expressed in a tone that often made statements sound like a question. Still, this chap was a priest and that took serious intellectual and emotional application. It wasn’t his fault that he had youth on his side, anymore than it was Giles’ that he envied him.
********************
Cameron led his guest into the kitchen, turned the music down and gestured towards a chair, but the man merely glanced at it.
‘You are…?’
‘Giles. Rupert Giles. Good t-to meet you.’
He stepped forward, so they could shake hands.
‘Right, yeah. Do you want a drink?’
Cameron followed his new acquaintance’s gaze.
‘Share a beer?’
His question was answered with a nod and a deft catch when a can was tossed in the right direction. They drank in companionable silence for a while.
*******************
So you’re Rupert Giles, thought Cameron. He had been told about the Englishman long before coming to Sunnydale. His predecessor, Father Hansford had given him some sketchy details about what made this place such a unique challenge - among them was the provision of Holy Water to one Rupert Giles. This highly unusual request had the full backing of the church hierarchy.
‘It helps to think of them as being on our side,’ Father Hansford had said.
‘Them?’
‘There’s a whole group. They are out there at night, you’ll understand once you’ve been here a while.’
It had been less than two months but Cameron was beginning to gain a sense that something was dreadfully wrong in this community. There was fear, anger, too many burials and a deafening silence as to the cause. He’d been looking forward to meeting the man who was supposed to be on his team, because not many people seemed to be.
‘You’re here to pick up some water, I guess?’
No answer. Cameron took in the bruised face, pale features and bloodshot pupils.
‘How can I help?’
Giles sighed heavily, wincing as he did so.
‘I’m here to…I-I was looking for for some advice on how to…’
He closed his eyes as if the words were hurting.
‘I’m here to arrange a funeral.’
|
|
|
|
Rave
Barbie Girl (Becca)
biscuit07
Filmtheory (Jim)
Malice (Jess)
MebbtheScribe (MichaelB)
Reset (Allie)
Shay (Marrisa)
somnambulist29 (Shea)
Stephanie Loss
Wendyness (Wendy)
Questions?Contact Us
|
|
All stories on this site have been archived with the authors' consent. Do not copy these stories for your own uses without the express consent of the author themselves. Buffy the Vampire Slayer TM and Angel TM are © UPN, WB, Fox and its related entities. All photos on the site are © UPN, Fox, Warner Bros, and/or their respective owners. No profits are being made by use of these images.
Powered with the assitance of eFiction.
|
|
|
