Karen landed outside her church around 9:30am or so, startling a few families, who watched her fly up and land.  Karen smiled and waved.  “Sorry!  I hope I didn’t scare any of you!”

 

“Do we know you, young lady?”  One of the parishioners asked.  I didn’t remember her name, but I had seen her at the church before – she and her family came every week.  I think her name was… Brenda, maybe?

 

“Um, yes.  I sing in the choir, and sometimes help out with the Church suppers.  Ever since that event that let me fly, I look different.” 

 

“If I may ask, who were you?”

 

“Um… Kevin Castle.”

 

She looked startled, and a bit unsure of herself, but her husband – think his name was Brad – stepped in.  “How are you doing, Kevin?  It must have been a rather traumatic change.”

 

“Thanks for asking…”

 

“Brad.  Brad Mascovitch”

 

“Thanks for asking, Mr. Mascovitch.  It was traumatizing at the time, but over the past several days I’ve gotten used to it.  I was trans before, so this is like a gift from god in heaven, and I intend to thank him for it.  I hope my presence isn’t going to cause you or your family any discomfort?”

 

“No, it shouldn’t.” he replied.

 

“I’m just worried about the dangerous ones – the Emerged that hurt people.”  Mrs. Mascovitch said.  “I think it’s amazing some  people have super powers now – but I am concerned about all the people that turned into animals or monsters.  Are they dangerous?”

 

“Well, ma’am, I’ve been working with the MRT and the RCMP for the past few days, and several of my team mates are animal-hybrids.  I’d say that most of us are just normal citizens who are trying to make do with our mutations – and the ones that are dangerous were dangerous before too – we just couldn’t see it, then.  Try not to let preconceived notions affect your judgment, and take every person on their own merits, I think is the best way to go.”

 

“That’s good advice, I think.” Mr. Mascovitch replied.  “It was nice meeting you, Kevin.”

 

“Please, I’m going by Karen now.  Karen Castle.”

 

“Karen then.  It was nice meeting you.”  Brad guided his family into the church, and their mood seemed less apprehensive and more relaxed as they went.

 

I followed, and inside I saw some of the young ushers – some teenagers who helped by handing out the package of notes that told about today’s service.  I took one, and one of them – I think his name was Brody – asked me if it was my first time here.

 

“No, I’ve been before many times.  I got changed in the Emergence.  Could you tell me where Father Donovan is?  I’d like to talk to him.”

 

Brody looked a little surprised, but recovered quickly.  “He’s in the main temple, getting the sermon ready.”  He pointed into the church, and I saw Father Donovan.

 

“Thanks…”

 

“Brody.”

 

“Thanks Brody.”  I smiled, and headed past – and tried to ignore the young man whispering to his partner about my looks, or his wondering who I used to be.  Sometimes super hearing isn’t as cool as it sounds… You end up hearing what a lot of people are saying about you, and it isn’t always nice.

 

“Excuse me, Father Donovan?”  I began.  “Could I talk to you for a moment, if you can spare the time?”  Father Donovan was a portly man with silver brown hair, his ecclesiastical robes showing his rank and status.  He was not quite tall, not quite short – just average, a good, kind man in his fifties.

 

“Of course, my child.  Do I know you?”

 

“Yes.  I… I used to be Kevin Castle.  Now I’m going by Karen.”

 

“Oh my!  Are you alright?  Your change must have been very traumatic.”

 

“Actually, I’m fine.  I like my change.  I was more worried I wouldn’t be welcome here anymore, because of my change.”

 

He listened, and thought for a moment before speaking.  “Karen, I don’t profess to understand what caused the Emergence, or why people changed as they did.  What I do know is that Jesus commanded us to love our neighbors as ourselves, and went even so far as to live amongst the poor, the beggars, the outcasts, prostitutes and lepers.  If we, as Christians, turned away from the Emerged, then in my opinion, we would be turning also away from God.  If it helps you any, that is the subject of today’s sermon.”

               

                “Actually, it does Father.  I feel relieved.  I hope the rest of the congregation feels the same.”

 

                “As do I, Miss Castle.  As do I.  Will you be taking your place in the choir today?”

 

                “I think I’d best sit it out today – I haven’t studied or practiced the women’s notes at all, and I don’t even know my range yet.  I’ll need to practice.”

 

                “Alright, then.  If I see the others, I’ll let them know.”

 

                Relieved for the moment, I went and found a comfortable pew with a decent view, and sat down.  Slowly, I watched the church fill up, and saw Mrs. Cotter, the organist come out and start playing some lovely music.  I also saw many usual faces – and many strange ones as well… Newcomers, probably concerned about the religious ramifications of the Emergence, as well as parishioners who might have changed into non-human forms.  There were about a half dozen animal human hybrids in the church by the time the service began.

 

                We began with the hymn “How Great Thou Art”, and I paid close attention to the ladies part this time.  It was higher – obviously – and trilled rather than playing sonorous sounds.  I could see I was going to have to seriously change the way and style in which I sung if I was going to stay in the Choir. 

 

When the Hymn ended, Father Donovan began to speak. 

 

“Welcome, all to St. Matthews.  I see a lot of new faces today – and I suppose that is to be expected.  I think the matter on every persons mind today is the amazing and frightening events of earlier this week – the Emergence.  I’d like to address a little on that topic right now.  I expect a lot of you are confused, and afraid over what the Emergence means.  Is it God’s wrath, or a sign of his displeasure?  Is it something unrelated to God – or part of his mysterious plan?  I think the message we must take from the bible is that we should not give into fear and wrath.  Instead, we should look to scripture to see what, if anything, the bible says about these strange and wondrous events.” 

 

“I would also like to state that St. Matthews, for as long as I am the head priest here, will not turn away the Emerged, nor keep them from the mercy of God and the fellowship of their brethren and sistren.  We are all children of God, even if some of us look very different now.”

 

“Different, in the bible, is not necessarily bad.  Jesus walked amongst the outcasts – the minorities of his day – the lepers, the prostitutes, the poor and abandoned.  It should be no different than we are expected to do.  Make no bones about it, this Emergence did create a new minority - one not based on the color of one’s skin or what country they came from, but one of pure chance.  Any one of you could have become Emerged – but some did not.  Was this the hand of God, or pure chance?  I believe God has a purpose for us – and I do not believe he would forsake us.  Perhaps, in this time of divisiveness, it is his way of saying ‘we are all equal, no matter what we look like.’”

 

“I know some Emerged are using their supernatural powers and abilities to hurt people.  We’ve seen it on the TV across the country, and across the world.  The world is in crisis.  And yet, in every country of the world, good hearted people who have special abilities have risen up to protect their fellow men and women.  These champions often get little respect, and earn only fear from their governments – but I’m glad to say we here in Canada have taken a different route.  The Prime Minister’s Metahuman Response Team idea I think is a good one – and it lets us all know that most of the Emerged are good people.  I have nothing but respect for these brave people who have chosen to put themselves and their lives on the line to protect us.”

 

“But should we forget the Emerged who have no powers, who are simply citizens?  I think not.  I applaud them – for they will bear the brunt of the ire that the rest of us, scared of the horrific powers of the criminal Emerged, will inflict upon them – because in the end, I fear humanity may paint the Emerged all with the same brush.  As Christians, it is our duty to remember that the common Emerged is no different than the common man, except in the way they look.  We are all children of god, and in the end we must listen to the teachings of Jesus.”

 

“Love thy neighbor, and do unto them as you would have them do unto you.  These are not mere words.  They speak to the heart of Christianity.  A Christian is one who welcomes the stranger, who cares for his neighbors.  There is no limit to the neighbors – it doesn’t say ‘not if they’re black or Hispanic, not if they’re Somali or Jamaican’, and it doesn’t say ‘not if they’re Emerged,’ either.  Jesus expects us to love everyone, and show them through our own action how to live a godly life.  I urge everyone to think on this as I begin my Sermon today.”

  

Father Donovan took a moment, and grabbed a sip of water.  “Please turn to page 137 in your Hymn book, and we will begin “Guide me now O Great Redeemer.”  As he spoke, Mrs. Cotter began playing the church organ, and people began to sing.  The choir had taken their seats behind Mrs. Cotter and began to sing the familiar refrain.

 

                As the Hymn’s strains ended, I heard something that made my blood run cold: the cocking of firearms, and nearby too.  I tried not to panic, and zeroed in on them – 6 people, several guns – inside the church!  Before I could react, five men and one woman strode down the church aisle.  They were armed with handguns, and at least two weapons that looked like assault rifles.  They were dressed in military fatigues, and some had white power tattoos and swastikas tattooed on their bodies.  In my heart I knew what was about to happen.  I couldn’t let it happen.

 

                One of the intruders fired off a burst of automatic gunfire at the ceiling, causing tiny bits of plaster and debris to rain down.  “Shut the fuck up and listen, or we open fire!”

 

                The parishioners cringed in fear, and I quietly looked for a way I could deal with them… I would need my speed for sure – but there were so many people here!  I tried to think if there was a way to reduce the number of possible targets.  Dammit!

 

                “Give us the freaks, and we’ll leave.”  Said one of the assholes.  “They’re abominations, and they need to be cleansed.  Give us the freaks, or everyone here dies!” 

 

                Father Donovan stood.  “Please!  This is a house of God!”

 

                “Yeah, well God isn’t here right now to take out the trash, so I guess he left it up to us, father.”  Said another.

                The other four skinheads – for lack of a better term at the moment – started rounding up the four or five Emerged in the crowd – an older stork woman, who looked very frail, a hedgehog boy about fourteen, a rather attractive snake woman of indeterminate age, and two cat girls who looked like twins, maybe in their teens too.  All of them were terrified, as were their families as they dragged them away at gunpoint.  Soon they were all arrayed, held captive, their wrists tied with zip-ties.  I had to make my move.

 

                “Wait.”  I said, standing up.  “You forgot me.  I Emerged.  I used to be a man.  If you take them, then take me too.”  Maybe if I could lure them outside the church?

 

                “What?  Do you want to die then too?”  One of the skinheads called out.

 

                “I’d rather die than live in a world where scum like you are in charge.”

 

                A gasp ran through the crowd, and the skinheads nodded.  One of them – the woman – said “Grab the tranny freak, if he wants to die we’ll do him too.”

 

                Two men came forward, and grabbed me roughly, wrenching my arms behind me and zip tying my wrists.  It would have really hurt, too, if I hadn’t had my impervious stamina.  One of them punched me, and I gasped, caught off guard, as the air whooshed from my lungs.  “Get over there, bitch!”

 

                I meekly hobbled over to the others, and stood with them.  They looked scared – their hearts were racing,  some were crying.  I wanted to reassure them, but I couldn’t – not yet. 

 

                The armed intruders dragged us out of the church at gunpoint, until we were lined up outside St. Matthews.

One of them asked the woman “Do we do them here?”

 

                She nodded, and the men raised their rifles and pistols, arrayed in a rough firing line, like a firing squad.  The others cried out, and begged for mercy.  I could see there was none to be had.  I could also see the hate and disgust on the skinheads faces.  There would be no mercy for us today.

 

                It was time.  As they aimed, I snapped the zip-ties on my wrists like they were threads, and used my powerful breath to blow them back – and the five of them screamed as they were flung through the air, across the quiet street and into a half-dozen parked cars.  The skinheads smashed into the cars, breaking glass and bending steel, and the air was filled with the sound of car alarms, and a couple of gunshots as one of them pulled the trigger reflexively, stitching a row of bullets into a tree near us.

 

                The other Emerged dove for the ground and tried to hide or run, and I turned to the last skinhead – the woman in charge.  “You’re under arrest for attempted murder, lady.  Surrender now and I won’t harm you.  I’m an RCMP officer.”

 

                The woman snarled “No, what you are, is dead!” and burst into flames.  She looked like a literal fire elemental but still possessed a corporeal body, and lifted off the ground.  She could fly – and from the fire she was summoning, it looked like she had other powers as well.   

 

I was fighting with a super-powered skinhead. Wonderful.