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He turned around and looked at the shrine that stood fraht It was as if God had cast a spotlight on it, and it lifted Tow-​Truck Eddie’s heart and made his soul soar with joy

He crossed the room and knelt in front of the shrine, bowed his head, and prayed for a long ties fro that he offered up to his Father Outside, birds sang in the dogwood trees and Tow-​Truck Eddie thought it was the sweetest thing he had ever heard, like the singing of angels

He crossed himself and then reached down for the little mallet and struck the tiny Sanctus bell seven tih sently around the room Then he reached forward to the sht It was made from the knotty pine that had formerly been his entertainment center, but Tow-​Truck Eddie’s skillful hands--the hands of a carpenter, he reminded hi of pointless value to an object that was most holy He pulled the doors open, reached inside, and removed the vessels of the Eucharist and placed them on the credence built onto the side of the aain crossing himself He took the paten and placed it on the top of the ambry, which was to be his altar He had not had time to procure official vessels, and so his paten was a heavy white porcelain dinner plate that he had washed seven ti it withtrophy he’d won nearly twenty-​five years ago Into it he poured pure water froht at the Wawa for just this purpose; Tow-​Truck Eddie did not believe in alcoholic spirits of any kind, not even wine Finally he lifted the ciborium It was only a Tupperware container, but it would have to do until he could obtain the real thing He pried the lid off and reht He raised it to his nose and filled his nostrils with the scent It was extraordinary

He set it down on the paten and took the knife he had prepared specially for thisyou," he said aloud, addressing the whole world, "my blood was shed and my body broken by mine enemies My blood became your wine and my body became your bread and each of you fed upon me to keep alive the New Covenant Now I er shall you drink of my blood or eat of my flesh, but of your blood shall I drink, and of your flesh shall I eat In this way, the Son of Glory shall know his place, and in this way shall the righteous know their Lord Today, in your hearing, I declare hteous and unyielding Sword of God Today, I accept the offering of this man as beast and man, as unholy and holy Today is the first Holy Coh!"

Tow-​Truck Eddie carved a thin slice of the Eucharist and held it up even as he lowered his eyes in hu minutes, and then he raised his head and put the Eucharist into his mouth and ate it When he had eaten, he took the cup, and after he had blessed it, he drank

Instantly the poithin hiht of a thousand suns in his brain, and he cried out in sheer joy and wonder Tears ran down his face and his face cruainst the floor, thanking God

It took a long tireat was his joy, so overwhel was the moment When he did, he sat for a while andback tears Then he took a freshly laundered white towel and began cleaning the communion vessels Last of all, he lifted the Eucharist and returned it to the container Tow-​Truck Eddie was surprised at how large it was, and how heavy, though it was a bit lighter since he had washed all of the Baptizer’s blood off it He sealed the human heart in the container and returned it to the ah of it to last hi; if it came to that he would simply find another There were always sinners out there

After a while Tow-​Truck Eddie got up and dressed for his part-​time job

6

The big cop looked mildly down at him, and then frohen he saw the bruises on Mike’s face "Did you get the number of the truck?"

Mike blinked "What?"

"The Mack truck that did that to your face, kid"

"Oh," said Mike, and he forced a fake grin, "I, uh, fell off my bike Rolled down a hill over some rocks"

"And then what? A Mack truck fall on you?"

"It looks a lot worse than it feels," Mike lied "Hardly feel it"

"Okay," said the cop, a knowing skepticislossy black nameplate that read GOLUB "So what can I do for you?"

Mike nodded at the hospital entrance "I just want to go in"

"To see whom?"

"Huh?"

"Increased security, kiddo Haven’t you been watching the news?"

"Oh Yeah Uh, I’m here to see Mr Crow Malcolm Crow"

"What’s your name?"

"Mike Sweeney"

Golub consulted a clipboard and then shook his head "Nope Not on the list, kiddo"

"List? What list?"

"The list of people who are allowed to see Mr Crow You, o buzz off" His s