Work Visa

UNFINISHED WORK IN PROGRESS

Julia had lost her fiance, her best friend, and her job all on the same day. Her boss had told her she was being ‘let go’ because the company was downsizing, but for the past week she had been working extra hours training a new hire that was fresh out of college. It appeared that her trainee wasn’t meant to be an addition to the company, but was there to take her place. Probably because they could pay her half the salary. Julia had come home from work early, since she was no longer employed, to find her fiance and her best friend together on her couch.

Julia had kicked them both out on the spot. The jerk had come by the next day to pack up his things. Julia hid with her laptop at a nearby coffee house to avoid having to see him. She ordered drinks and snacks throughout the day to keep the staff happy and flipped through online ads looking for a temporary job.

She needed something that could get her through the next three months until the lease ran out on their apartment. She didn’t have much left in her savings, and she would need a large chunk of it to cover the expenses of moving, so when she saw a help wanted ad for a night shift at a local church she jumped on the opportunity. She didn’t want to spend the night alone in the apartment anyway.

Julia’s life was totally upended and she needed time to think things through and figure out where to go from here. She could feel the edges of depression starting to creep in as she furiously pushed away her emotions. It was just too much to deal with right now.

***

That evening the pastor met her on the steps of the church. It was practically a landmark in her city. Sandwiched between skyscrapers, the building looked completely out of place but still managed to maintain its regal stature. It was built out of stone in the Gothic Revival style and it towered over them with a sharp gable roof and large stained glass windows. The inside lights glowed warmly through the many colorful depictions.

Julia was nervous about meeting him. She didn’t consider herself particularly religious and she hadn’t been to a service since she was a child, but the older man’s gentle demeanor and friendly voice soon put her at ease. It helped that he was dressed in street clothes: a pair of blue jeans and a simple gray shirt. The only thing that gave away his spiritual profession was the white clerical collar around his neck.

The pastor led her up the stone stairs and towards two enormous wooden doors. They were intricately carved with scenes from a garden. They also bore the scars of a recent vigorous scrubbing. He frowned and waved a hand at the marks.

“As I mentioned on the phone, we’ve been having a bit of a problem with vandalism lately. This church was originally built in the 1920s. It was a Presbyterian church back then. We are nondenominational now, but we’ve done our best to maintain the original exterior. There have been a few renovations over the years of course, but we’ve always tried to stay as true to its original form and fixtures as possible.” He paused and Julia noticed he looked exhausted.

“It has been exceedingly difficult, and expensive, to clean the spray paint off the building. Several of our more affluent congregation members have been generous enough to provide funding for a night watchman...er lady.” He gestured towards her and smiled tiredly. “I just can’t do it anymore.”

The pastor held the door open and motioned for her to go in ahead of him. He followed behind and continued. “We’ve also had some strange occurrences inside, although no paint, thank goodness.”

Julia turned around, with an alarmed look. “What happened inside?” The pastor had only mentioned spray paint on the phone. The thought that she might come face to face with one of the vandals on the inside worried her. She fingered the key chain pepper spray in her pocket.

The pastor noticed her apprehension and quickly responded. “Oh no, I don’t think it has anything to do with the criminals. Most likely some stray animals. No permanent damage has been done. It's just odd, some mornings I come in and find mud tracked on the floor, fur covering the cushions. We found a loose window in the basement and secured it. We think they might have been getting in through there.”

The pastor smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry. You’ll be locked up tight and we have a nice security system set up now. Come, I will show you.”

Julia followed him out of the small entry room and into the main part of the church. She looked around marveling at its beautiful interior. They passed down the middle of two perfectly straight rows of pews. The dark wood was polished to a lustrous shine. Clean, tan cushions covered the seats. More wooden carvings of vines and flowers decorated the walls around the stained glass windows. Behind her a large balcony overlooked the services.

The pastor led her to the front of the church and then through a doorway to the side of the stage. A wide set of stairs led down into the basement. The subterranean room was enormous, taking up the entire footprint of the church above it. It had been finished with the same heavy duty carpeting found in hotel hallways and the walls were painted a flat white. At regular intervals near the low ceiling egress windows gave a narrow glimpse of the grass. The walls were lined with stacked chairs and folding tables.

The pastor gave her a brief tour. Off the main room there was a decently sized kitchen filled with pots and pans large enough to cook for a crowd. Faded, fake flowers in identical glass vases covered one countertop along with a tall stack of folded, plastic tablecloths.