Standing up from his seat on the pew, he is handed a white candle with a small flickering flame coming from the top.  As he moves the candle in front of his face, the multitudes of people around him fade into shadows and the choir’s song seems to drift off into the distance as his mind begins to drift back to memories of the day.

In the light of his candle, he still sees his friend's face and remembers the laughter they had shared.  He remembers how they could sit and talk about nothing for hours on end, as if they had actually shared a long term relationship, yet had only known each other for a few months.  Now that friend was gone, lost in an uprising that happens all too often in the mafioso world that they chose to call home.

Then he hears the scream of defiance.  Seeing her end coming and rallying her crew around her, she stood defiantly to her beliefs to the bitter end.  And as the doors were smashed open and bullets began to take down her crew, one by one, her scream in defiance would forever be etched in his memory.

Only by luck had he survived the night.  He had never considered himself to be lucky.  And now, living with the memories of so many lost and knowing he would never get to say goodbye, except for a final, torturous visit to their funeral in the coming days, maybe he wasn’t lucky after all.

Feeling a hand rest on his shoulder, he is startled and breaks his stare away from the candle light.  Still seeing the white light etched in his sight, he blinks as he looks in the direction of the person who touched him.  As his eyes adjust, he sees the Deacon standing there with a concerned look.  Looking around in confusion, he realizes that he is standing alone.  Gone are all the worshipers and the choir.  He still hears their voices out in the hallway as everyone has left.

The Deacon squeezes his shoulder again and simply says “Son, everything will be fine.  But it’s time to go home.”  With that, the Deacon blows out the candle and gently takes the holder from his hand.  Turning, the man walks between pews toward an open doorway and a new beginning.