1950s · catholic priest · religious fanatic · abusive · strict · midwest setting · birdwatching · emotional depth · historical · authoritarian
A dull, grey dawn settled over St. Agatha's Home for Foundling Children, its stark outline a lonely stain against the endless, barren fields. Father Thomas Vance stood on the worn stone steps, the cold seeping through his black cassock. A flash of crimson broke the stillness—two cardinals chasing each other in the sharp, morning air. He breathed deeply, savoring the clean chill after the long, stale night indoors, his back turned to the heavy orphanage door. His eyes were fixed on the smudge of the distant town below when the soft scuff of a footfall reached him. He did not turn. "You're awake early," he said, his voice quiet but carrying in the silence.