Sasha and the Mysterious Priest

        “Let me run over the briefing for you,” Nikolai said as the truck approached the country side house. “We’re going to arrest a man who is an enemy to Communist Russia. He himself may not look like much. He’s a young priest, accompanied by an old blind woman and a mute girl. But the priest has killed seven of our men, and he must be captured or killed before he leaves on a ship on Sunday to Finland.”

It was true. Nikolai remembered the news on the radio when he heard that seven soldiers—one of them, his best friend by the name of Boris—were killed by a priest. Sasha hadn't known the details, but now that he did, he was ready to get his revenge.

The truck came to a sudden stop. Sasha poked his head outside and noticed a small countryside house. The harsh northern wind hit his face as he jumped down, and he pulled his  coat closer. “This place doesn’t look like anything special,” he noted.

“Appearances can be deceiving,” Nikolai replied. He pulled off his rifle from his shoulder and led the way to the house. Sasha followed him carefully, having his gun ready. It was a short walk, and when Nikolai pounded on the door, a small girl opened it immediately. Her eyes widened when she saw them, but she didn’t say a thing.

“Where is Father Vladimir?” Nikolai asked.

“Over here!” Father Vladimir shouted back. “Just give me a few moments…one more stroke…done!” He ran back to the door, holding a small painting in his hand. “I was almost done with my icon here…what do you think of it?” Nikolai glared at the man intensely. Sasha looked at it closer, and it seemed to be a rough draft of a young woman sitting on a couch looking toward a man with wings holding a long stick. …Quite an imagination. “Well, it isn’t finished yet,” Father Vladimir explains. “But, it’s getting—”

“Mr. Vladimir!” Nikolai interrupts. “You are being arrested for treason against the country and for murdering seven of our comrades!” Nikolai grabbed him by the shoulder, pulling him outside.

“Well, alright, if that’s the way you want it…but that means there will surely be a long trip ahead of us. We should eat first. Natasha!” Father Vladimir called through the doorway. “Set two more plates for these two gentlemen!” 

“What are you doing?” Nikolai asked as Father Vladimir slipped from his grip and entered back into the house. “Come back here!”

Sasha gripped the man by the arm again. “You are a criminal of the country. We have no time to eat.”

“Criminal?” Father Vladimir asked quietly. “Since when was I a criminal?”

“Ever since you slaughtered seven of my friends!” Nikolai shouted, pointing his rifle at Father Vladimir’s stomach.

Father Vladimir shook his head sadly. “Natasha, get your grandmother.” Natasha left the room wordlessly, her eyes wild in fright. “I’m afraid you are mistaken. I do remember seven men a few weeks ago, but all I did was pour water on their heads. And then they left.”

“Exactly!” Nikolai continued. “Because you drew them into your superstitious faith, we had to execute them!”

Sasha stopped, suddenly filled with doubt. “Nikolai…what?”

Nikolai paused. “He…baptized them. And then I was ordered to shoot them. But it was still his fault that they died!”

“But that doesn’t make him the murderer! Which also means…” he turned and pointed his pistol at Nikolai. “You killed Boris!”

Nikolai glared at Sasha. “And what is that to you?” he asked coldly.

Sasha grinded his teeth together. “Get down, Father!” he shouted. He rammed himself into Nikolai’s chest, turning the guns away. They both toppled onto the hard wooden floor, fighting with their fists. “Hey—girl—get into the truck outside!” Sasha managed to shout. Natasha quickly left the room by a different way, too startled and scared to think of anything else. Father Vladimir went into a different room, getting his painting and a large bag, as well.

“You fool!” shouted Nikolai. “You can’t—let him get—away!”

“He’s innocent!” Sasha shouted back. He rolled away and pulled out his pistol and shot two times. He heard Nikolai cry out, but he didn’t wait to see where he had hit. He ran outside and joined the others in the truck.  “Alright, where to?” he asked urgently.

“There are some things which I need at the church…” Father Vladimir explained. “It’s not a far drive from here. It should only take a few days.”

“A few days?!” Sasha shouted as he began to drive away. “We don’t have time for that.”

“But our ship leaves on Sunday morning. Also, I want you to come with us.”

Sasha stopped. “Me?” he asked, incredulous.

“Yes. Please. I could teach you some things. But first, the last few days I am in Russia I want to spend in a church. Besides, there are plenty of hiding places in there we could go in if people follow us, and we can barricade the doors.”

“That won’t do much against an artillery shell,” Sasha muttered under his breath. 

“What’d you say?” the old, blind lady asked, who sat behind them.

“Nothing important,” Sasha said out loud. “I’ll take you all to the church. I’ll keep watch while you do…whatever you do.”

“Thank you,” Father Vladimir said. It wasn’t a long drive to the church, and it was very peaceful compared to Nikolai's harsh betrayal. But Sasha couldn’t help thinking about his choice. Now that he was a traitor, he would be followed wherever he went. And if he continued to follow this priest around, Sasha would only be putting him in more danger. As well as the priest putting Sasha in danger.  But Sasha didn’t say a word as they approached the small, wooden church.

Sasha was unimpressed by the sight of it. He felt no pride looking at the architecture, and Sasha could detect nothing even remotely suspicious about it.  He followed Father Vladimir, the mute girl and the blind woman to the front doors. He opened them quietly, and when he did… Light beamed in every direction. Every inch of the walls were decorated with icons or flowers, and chandeliers hung on each side of the ceiling. A grand wall of icons stood at the end of the church, with four figures prominently displayed. Light drifted in through the stained glass windows, adding to the church’s brightness. In the center of the ceiling, a man holding a closed book glared down into the church, staring deep into Sasha’s soul with a sense of compassion—but also justice. Sasha was never a very religious person, being raised in the Communist state, but he saw nothing wrong about the idea of it, either. Sasha shook his head, bringing himself back to the present. He quickly closed and barred the doors behind him, leaving them locked in the church.

He turned to Father Vladimir. “Now, what exactly did you want here?” But instead of answering, Father Vladimir walked up to the altar, lit a match, and began lighting all of the candles in the church. And there were hundreds of them. Even with the mute girl helping, it still took an enormous time to light every single one. Sasha found the process the most tedious thing ever.  When Father Vladimir came up to him again, he put a small rope into Sasha’s hands, and curled his fingers over the rope. “The prayer is simple. Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

Sasha smiled, then began to laugh. “Sorry, I’m not a—”

“Say it!” commanded Father Vladimir. Sasha stared at the priest in the eyes, taken aback by his first harsh words to him. Sasha looked between the rope in his hands and at the painted face on the ceiling, the man’s eyes staring into his own. So Sasha bagan reciting the prayer. Over, and over, and over again. When Father Vladimir was finished with the candles, he dressed himself in a red vestment and walked up to the altar. He prostrated himself on the ground three times, then began singing a beautiful melody.

“Is this all the priest wanted?” Sasha mumbled to himself. “To sing?” But then again, Sasha couldn’t help but notice how beautiful the singing was. Even with the priest’s lone voice, it echoed and bounced off the walls, fading until a new set of notes were sung. And though he couldn’t hear anything else, Sasha wouldn’t have been surprised if the painted figures on the walls began singing with Father Vladimir, as well. This is how the rest of the day went. Prayer after prayer after prayer. The girl and the blind woman stood at the first pew, while Sasha remained at a distance. After the services were finally done, Father Vladimir sat down on one of the benches in silence.  The next two days went in the same fashion, all the while Sasha saying nothing. They took breaks to eat, even though the food was scarce in the church. He stood watch, day and night, thinking of places where he could hide. He looked out of one of the windows, his mind blank with solutions. Then he looked back into the church overflowing with light, and at the man painted on the ceiling. 

On Saturday night, just before midnight, Father Vladimir came up to Sasha and smiled. “We’re leaving soon. I just want to thank you for everything that you’ve done for us. You’ll come with us, right?” Sasha stared at the priest. “Wait…I want to ask you one question.”

“Of course,” Father Vladimir said kindly.

“Why…why did you stay here?” Sasha blurted out. “Why didn’t you hide in a cave, or something more secluded?”

“Because I care for Russia. And I know that God does, as well. He will take care of everything, I know it. And I also know this. I am no politician, no warrior. Physically, I can do nothing to help this country. That is why I pray. Because God is our King, and he will crush his enemies. All we have to do is trust him.” At that moment, a harsh knock rapped at the door. 

Sasha looked out the window and saw five soldiers standing outside, rifles in their hands. “It’s time to go!” he whispered. “Is there another exit?”

“There is, at the back,” Father Vladimir whispered back. The girl and the blind woman came up behind him, all of their things packed.  A knock sounded at the door, louder this time. A voice bellowed outside. “Open up! Or we’ll open it ourselves!”

"Come, Sasha!" Father Vladimir motioned toward the exit.

“No,” Sasha said.

“Say again?” Father Vladimir asked.

“I’ll delay them. I’m sorry, but after everything you’ve shown me…I can’t just leave now. Even if they burn this place to the ground, I’ll happily die with it. But thank you.” Father Vladimir nodded and went to the back end of the church, went through a door, and disappeared behind it. Sasha took a deep breath. He looked up at the icon again of the man. “No…God and Man…isn’t that what those Catholics teach?” The door burst open, and five soldiers entered the church, their rifles aimed for Sasha’s chest. At the head of the group was Nikolai, his arm wrapped in a sling. But he still carried a pistol with his other hand. “You didn’t finish your job of killing me.”

“That wasn’t my job to begin with,” Sasha retorted.

“If you tell us where the priest is, we’ll let you join us again,” Nikolai promised.

“I never wanted to be a part of a country where loyalty was based on killing innocent priests.” Sasha knelt on the ground, and looked at the icon of Christ. 

Lord, Jesus Christ…

A bullet grazed his temple.

Son…of God…

Another pierced his chest.

Have mercy…on me…a sinner…

A clock tolled midnight. And at that moment, though Nikolai was oblivious, the walls were singing with Father Vladimir, the mute girl, the blind woman, and Sasha.