The Rise and Falling Out of Saint Leslie of Security Read Online Free PDF

grief or gratitude overwhelming her. Soon her belly would be sucked clean and she would be like an empty gourd, but for the knowledge that her unborn had been blessed by the mortal hand of the Lord. Leslie watched this girl for a long time.
    "It is. Do you see her? Saint Leslie—"
    The voice sounded too close. Leslie half turned. Nearly a dozen young women had ventured closer to her. One of them reached out with a fleshy, sagging arm and nearly touched her shoulder.
    "I'm not here to socialize,” Leslie said. “Please back away."
    "Leslie!"
    As the others nudged her, the fat woman stumbled still closer. Her creased, sausage fingers gripped Leslie's arm. Immediately, Leslie yanked Gun from under her summer jacket. She poked the barrel into the flesh of the lurching woman's side, where it caught in the light fabric of her bright dress. Leslie heard a rip as the woman fell against her companions, squealing. Her face contorted in surprise, then fear.
    Leslie raised Gun high so they all would see it. Awkwardly, they backed away. As Leslie watched their betrayed faces retreat, she wondered if the vision crews had caught the commotion. When she looked up, she saw at least one had—he stood a few yards away, his green glowing eyes fixed on her.
    She vaguely heard the voices of the women: “You know, she's a lot darker than on vision. Is she black?"
    "Leave it to a nigger to pull a gun on you."
    "Even if she is going to be a saint."
    She felt her heart sinking as Gun buzzed. She held it in front of her. “Leslie here."
    "It's me,” the sector coordinator said. “Caught a little motion. How's your area?"
    "Yes, a little problem a moment ago, but it's over."
    "Good. Father Washington is on his way out."
    Leslie nodded absently, then quietly laughed at herself. “I'm ready if you are.” Then she put Gun away. Shortly, two flag bearers appeared on the porch of the great ziggurat and each stood by a large column. The Speaker of the House, corpulent and balding, followed them. He led the pilgrims in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. His voice cracked out across the lawn through enormous speakers. When the pledge was finished he introduced the Presidential Procession. Gun buzzed again.
    "Don't forget to watch for Atheists, Leslie,” the coordinator joked.
    "You just worry about your own area."
    "You looked a little too absorbed in the ceremony."
    "Well, best you look for Atheists instead of watching me, honey. I'm doing fine."
    "Wish I could say the same, really. We just had a couple of anti-abortionists climbing the fence."
    She glanced back up at the porch. More flags, Presidential Aides, the President Himself, and in the background, several more agents and two guards. Washington was a tall, chunky man with thick silver hair and eyes that seemed bright even from a distance. One of his aides whispered into his ear, motioning in Leslie's direction. She looked away, shivering. There was something about him that made the invisible tentacles of her head mem coil around her thoughts. She didn't know why.
    The coordinator was right—she was too engrossed in the ceremony. A fine saint she would make if, on her promotion day, she allowed Father Washington to be blown away by some heretic Evildoer. She tried to ignore the speeches and blessings that followed, like a good Guard. But something went cold in her and she dwelled on the incident with the ugly woman who had touched her. Even when she overheard the blanketing blessings—to solace mothers and their unborn across all the United States who were unable to take part in this season's pilgrimage—she could not temper the cold. She thought about her fight with Tom, again.
    An Atheist. An unborn.
    After Washington's final address, when the drum and bugle corps began to sound out Taps , the coordinator called her a final time. “Word's come down from behind the columns that Father Washington would like a word with you when you're done. They'll send an Agent down to escort you.” He