Dancing Priest

Author and Novelist Glynn Young

Characters

A Street Conversation

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“No one’s home,” said an elderly woman standing on the porch next door. “She left early this morning with a suitcase, so she must have been going out of town. Robert and his chum left a little while ago. They should be in school at this time of day.”

Michael said a short prayer of thanks for busybodies. “Did you see which way they went?”

The woman nodded. “To your right, likely for the square at the end of the block. Do I know you? You sound familiar but my eyesight isn’t the best.”

     — From Dancing Prophet

Photograph by Cristian Newman via Unsplash. Used with permission.

Reality Sinks In

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Arrival at Heathrow Dancing King

I try to remember when the reality of what had happened to us finally sunk in. I had a glimpse when I saw thousands camped out at the hospital, praying for Mike’s survival. And on the plane to London, I saw the looks of deference as we walked through the cabin to greet passengers. But I knew for sure when we walked into the terminal at Heathrow, with the archbishop and the prime minister waiting for us, almost surrounded by television, flash cameras, and mobiles held high to get a shot of the new royal family.

Us.

  • Sarah Kent-Hughes, Dancing King 

Photo: British Airways plane at Heathrow Airport.

Crisis at the Hospital

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A Light Shining surgery hospital

Scott knelt before Sarah in the emergency room.

“Sarah,” he said, “Michael’s going into surgery. It’s likely to take a long time. His injuries are serious but he’s hanging on. And I’m not going to mislead you. It’s bad. He’s been shot near his heart and in his shoulder, near where it joins with his arm. His left lung collapsed, and they almost caught it too late. But they caught it. He’s lost a lot of blood.”

“Scott,” Sarah said to her brother, “please save Mike.” She began to cry in great sobbing breaths.

– From A Light Shining

Photograph by Piron Guillaume via Unsplash. Used with permission.

A meeting at the dorm lobby

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DP Michael Sarah dorm lobby

As Michael entered the dorm lobby with his bike and backpack, the housemaster stopped him. “Mr. Kent, you’ve got a visitor. She’s been waiting a good two hours.”

It was Sarah Hughes.

She stood, clutching a large artist portfolio. He stood still, gripping the bike, as she walked to him.

“I came to tell you how sorry I am,” she said. “After my outburst yesterday, I felt terrible and tried to apologize, but you were gone. I said terrible things, and there was no excuse. If you can’t forgive me, I understand. I just want to die. I felt so badly I couldn’t sleep last night—” Tears rolled down her cheeks. A few students stopped to watch, and the housemaster was definitely captivated.

“Would you like a coffee?” Michael said.

Photograph by Milan Popovic via Unsplash. Used with permission.

“He will not let go.”

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Dancing Prophet Martin Land quotation

Canon Martin Land powered on his mobile, punching in a number he knew by heart.

“It’s Land,” he said. “I was watching the press conference.”

“I saw it as well.”

“The king’s involved,” Land said. “He could use this to further his reform cause.”

“You don’t know Michael. He will not use something like this. But if he thinks there is something bigger here, something worse than one boy at a London church, he will not let go.”

Photograph by Nikola Knezevic via Unsplash. Used with permission.

“It’s about who you are, who you are as a person”

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Dancing King quotation Zena Chatwick

“Josh,” Zena said, “there’s something in Michael that speaks to you, and I suspect speaks deeply. He thinks the world of you, but it’s about who you are. He’s grateful for what you’ve done and what you can do, but it’s more about you as a person. He likes you, Josh. You’re not used to having someone who simply likes you as a friend.” She paused. “And you may have to ask yourself what your new faith means in the context of government politics.”

Photograph by Dominik Vanyi via Unsplash. Used with permission.