My eyes opened and I felt completely rested just as I did every morning. Growing up, I'd always heard people complain that they woke up feeling tired or that they just couldn't get to sleep. Not me. I always fell right to sleep and awoke at the same time every morning feeling fresh and pumped.

I pulled my legs out of the covers and stood. I didn't yawn or stretch but walked over to the cracked mirror on the far side of my room. There was a crack in the ceiling in the room behind the chapel where I was grateful to live. I did not fret over the hole but actually used its sunlight every morning to look at the face God had given me.

At first, I couldn't believe what my eyes were showing but after rubbing them for a few seconds the image still remained.

Two lumps on each side of my head. My heart began to race as I carefully ran my finger over both of them. Pain flooded my brain and I pulled my hand back.

"What the fuck are these?" I said out loud. Then, I quickly added, "Sorry, my God."

Were these tumors? Was I going to die? How was I going to go out in public with these? Better yet, how I was going to do my sermon! I couldn't ask dad, no. I couldn't worry him. Well, it didn't really matter anyway. He'd been gone for about three weeks now on a mission trip to the three neighboring kingdoms, leaving me with the morning sermons.

I looked back into the mirror, and, ignoring the lumps, gazed into my own face.

My black hair was getting long and perhaps it was time to take a trip to the local barber. The light blue of my eyes seemed like this morning they were even bluer than usual. So blue, that they radiated a light of their own. Wait, were they?

I shook my head and stepped away from the mirror. I must have hit my head on the headboard while I slept. Ya, maybe that was it. Anyways, I didn't have time to stress over it. I had to feed the chickens, grab their eggs, and make breakfast for the needy.

I put my Servant of God robe over my shoulders and walked out of my room and into the chapel. I thanked the Lord that these robes came with hoods as I pulled mine over my head. Light flooded in through the stain glass windows and onto the floor. Why was it so damn hot in here? It was winter for God's sake! But still, I was burning up.

I had the temptation to drop my robe, but that would be a slight against the Almighty. To be nude in his home... it just sounded silly.

I walked out of the side door and was met not only by hungry chickens but hungry orphans. The dirty-faced boys and girls held out their palms waiting for their morning egg and a slice of bread. Some were even jumping up and down!

"Now, now! Let me finish my morning chores! I can't feed you, children, just yet, but first I must feed the chickens. They are what gives us breakfast in the first place!"

I stepped out into the yard and, upon seeing me, the chickens did what I had never seen them do before. They fled.

The orphans watched with me as the chickens practically fell over themselves trying to get as far away from me as possible. Feathers filled the air and fell like rain onto all of us.

"Well, that was strange, huh?" I asked the little ones.

Each of them turned slowly towards me, their eyes wide in fear. Their begging hands dropped to their sides and they too backed away from me.

One, in particular, an orphan boy I had come to enjoy speaking with, pointed at me and whispered something.

"What was that, Jonni? I couldn't hear you."

He whispered again, taking another step back.

"What has gotten into you?" I asked him, putting my hands on my waist.

This time he spoke a little louder. "Evil..."

"Now that is quite enough!" I took a step forward and the orphans did as the chickens, except without all the feathers.

I watched as every living being, beings that had depended on me daily to feed them, ran away from me. Like, like I was some sort of monster...

But was I?