Purgatory was never a place Sina liked but he knew there was nowhere else to go. Leaning against the DJ booth he looked through the throng of people and saw Joni sitting on the far side of the bar talking to her husband.

When Cody looked up he caught Sina's eye.

Soon Joni followed suit. She arched her head up, her blonde ponytail swaying. When she saw it was Sina, she rolled her eyes and looked back at her husband.

Sina eyed the California-blonde hair. He remembered when it used to be blue with pink tips. Joni, though he never liked her, was actually fun back then when Sina and her were both too drunk or too high to recall that they weren't friends. Vanilla, Sina mouthed just before Cody's gaze returned to his wife. "Worse than vanilla," he grumbled to himself. "She's toast. Burnt dry toast with nothing on top. No butter. No honey. Simply dried toast." With a mocking roll of his own eyes, Sina pushed himself off the booth and decided he was going to walk up to Joni and tell her just how vanilla and toast-like she was. Yet three footsteps in, Sina saw her plant a kiss on Cody's cheek and then get up to leave. "Oh, you just wait until next time." Crossing his arms he watched her and her Cali girl hair exit Purgatory.

A flicker of the neon lights outside entered as Joni left. The rogue light sparkled momentarily on a dropped penny that Sina was able to see even at that distance. Ain't good luck to anyone who picks it up here, Sina thought. So he turned his back on the penny and headed to the bar.

Saturday night brought in quite a crowd yet Sina couldn't remember the last time he danced on a Saturday. Not since that mer-freak came to poison the place.

He needed a few drinks. Enough to forget the world. But no amount would be enough to forget that as of tomorrow he'd be homeless once again. Aunt May's bus arrived in Heaven at six AM. Cookie would be driving to the station to pick her up. It would take half an hour there and back. Sina had already packed up his stuff ready to leave at stupid o'clock before May came waltzing back home in a huff about all the money she lost. If she were to see Sina there, he'd be the one she would blame for her bad luck. I'm a penny on the floor of Purgatory. Sina frowned and stopped a few feet away from the bar to watch Cody filling beer from the tap.

Everyone sitting at the bar had their back to Cody and was watching the stage so Sina's gaze followed theirs. Ariel (or Quentin as he had once told Sina with a casual toss of his perfect hair and an arrogant brow lift as he looked Sina up and down) had clambered up the stripper's pole. Once at the top, he clasped his legs around it and arched so far back it looked unnatural. All that long mermaid hair sparkled with glitter. Under the lights he was awe-inspiring to everyone looking – everyone but one dark-haired, non-glittery, scowling Sina.

Turning his attention back to the bar, Sina scowled. He wanted to grab Ariel by the hair and personally shove him into the beer mug Cody had just filled. Jealousy gnawed at him. It began in his heart then migrated to his brain before it occupied every part of him. "I hope you fucking fall."

As he marched towards the bar, Sina wished he could erase the world. The following wish was that Cody might have some more coke on him. But just as Sina made his way through the cluster of drunks holding their lukewarm drinks, Sina spotted him.

Father Caleb Hill sat on one of the stools but Sina was able to see his profile perfectly. Underneath the pitiful fluorescent lights, the preacher looked ethereal. There was a glow to him Sina could not pinpoint. Like he was something more than human. More than man. Ain't nothing special about him you fool. You're just crushing. A vile little voice in the back of Sina's brain taunted and wouldn't let up. He's God's bitch. That's the other one you hate. Remember? Batting his palm against his head, Sina whispered, "Shut the hell up."

As if the preacher had heard him, Caleb turned around. His gaze fell upon Sina and did not falter.

In that split second, Sina felt as if he was no longer in Purgatory. There were no drunken fools, no mermaid-haired strippers, no need for drugs. A sweet serenity brushed by him like a cat. It curled around and warmed him.

Father Caleb smiled. "Hey. Glad to see I was wrong."

"Huh?" Sina neared Cal but stood a safe few feet away.

The corners of Father Cal's lips curled up a touch higher. "You didn't catch your death."

Sina shrugged childishly. "That's because I didn't run fast enough."

When Father Cal chuckled, Sina found himself torn between wanting to take off and stay.

"You didn't tell me your name last time."

"No. I didn't." Sina glanced in the direction of the bar.

Cody was wildly gesturing to the preacher and mouthed Is it Sunday already?

Ignoring Cody, Sina shifted his attention back to Cal and spoke, "My name's Sina. It's kinda like sinner."

"Not a name one easily forgets." Caleb reached around to the bar a second after Cody had stopped gesturing and took hold of his glass. "But you're wrong, it doesn't sound like sinner to me."

Sina wanted to ask what it sounded like to him but instead, he squinted at the transparent liquid Father Caleb had brought to his grasp. "Are you drinking water?"

"Gin."

"You don't appear like a gin guy."

Caleb lifted his drink a touch. "I'm not a huge fan of anything alcoholic, to be honest." The gin inside looked untouched.

"Million dollar question padre. Why the fuck are you in a strip club? You're not drinking. You weren't ogling the goodies on him." He gestured to the stripper. "Did you lose your way to church? Tried to follow breadcrumbs instead of pebbles and ended up in Purgatory instead of Saint Whoever-She-Was?"

Clasping the glass with both hands, Caleb hunched down and rested his forearms on his legs. "I'm new to Heaven. I heard the good people of this town come here and I thought I'd come by and try to meet some. Maybe see if anyone would be interested in coming to service this Sunday at Saint Agatha's. You see, there were only a handful of folk last week. I know this is a God-fearing place –"

"Was," Sina cut him off sharply. "Not no more. Few fear God in Heaven and those who honestly do aren't wanted in Saint Whatever-You-Said-Her-Name-Is. This town is tarnished. It's poisoned. Wagging tongues and little brains have become religion. God. The Devil. They're all dead here, padre."

Raising a brow at Sina's comment, Caleb had a nagging suspicion he was speaking of Mr. Johnson and Delores Cullen and her minions. "I don't believe that," Caleb said softly.

"People here wanna get down on their knees but it sure as hell ain't to pray no more." When Father Cal blanched, Sina understood he was being a prick. Softening his tone, he asked, "Have you spoken to anyone about coming to your church?"

Caleb nodded. "Yes. About seven or eight men."

"Any of them said they'd come next week?"

Cal looked around towards the faces he'd spoken to earlier. A few said they would pass by but by the way they were now drinking, he doubted they'd be sober by Tuesday let alone tomorrow morning. "I'll just keep trying." Sighing, his shoulders hunched as though he was a deflated balloon.

Sina took a step closer to him. "You're whipping a dead horse." When he drew in a breath, it wasn't just the gin he smelled. He smelled Caleb's spicy aftershave, the musky soap he used, and even his shampoo. When Sina touched his lashes, it was a second longer than a blink. Bliss.

"What about you, Sina?" Caleb asked, tugging Sina out of his momentary moment of serenity...and insanity.

"Oh, you're not asking me to come to church." Sina's brows knitted.

"I am."

Fuck no! "I don't do church."

"Do you not believe?"

"That's not the issue. I know there is a God. I know there is a Devil. I just hate them both."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

Father Caleb ran his thumb along the glass and Sina saw the way droplets of moisture clung to his skin. He was paler than most preachers Sina had ever seen. His hair was darker. And his eyes –

"I wish I could help you in that matter, Sina. Change your mind."

Sina's gaze stormed up to Father Cal's face. "My mind won't ever change. And I don't need your help on finding my faith or any shit like that. I need help elsewhere."

"On what?"

"A place to stay. I've been kicked out of my apartment. Been sleeping at a friend's but as of tomorrow morning I've got nowhere to go."

When Cal remained silent, Sina huffed. "Yah, but you can only help with religion things, not real-life things, huh?"

"No. I was simply thinking. My house had two bedrooms. I live alone. I'll make you an offer. You can stay with me until you find a place of your own but in return, I would like you to come to church."

Sina's eyes went wide. "I'm not even going to reply to that." He's insane! Does he think he can do this? Sina shook his head. "Good luck in your hunt for parishioners." Turning to leave, he felt tears burning.

"Wait!" Caleb set his drink down so quickly that it sloshed over his fingers and the bar. Rushing toward Sina he grabbed his wrist before Sina disappeared into the crowd.

"What? Ain't happening."

"Once, just once."

"No."

Seeing the fury on Sina's face, Caleb let go and apologized. "I didn't realize you were so opposed. I have no ill intentions and I'm not going to push my faith on you. I'm really sorry."

Between the beats of silence between them, the music was welcoming. Sina usually hated every song the DJ played on the weekends. It was often loud and angry and full of vulgarities but by some stroke of luck, Sina found himself calming down.

"I'm an asshole," Sina uttered.

"So am I sometimes."

Sina shrugged.

"You still need a place? No strings attached,"

Sina nodded.

"It's Father Luke's old place. Near the church. The small white house with a forest for a backyard. Know it?"

"Yah."

"Come over tomorrow anytime. I'll leave the door unlocked."

"You trust me?"

"Do I need a reason not to?"

Sina shook his head. "I don't steal. I don't break things."

"I don't have anything worth stealing or breaking anyway."

"See you tomorrow then?"

"Of course."

"Hey padre."

"Yah?"

"Thanks." 

Sina watched the preacher leave. When the door of Purgatory had closed, Sina headed towards the exit where the penny still lay. He knelt and reached for it. Fingers curled around the coin. Letting it nest in his palm, Sina stood and headed back to the bar. 

words: 1897