I am a ghost.

Raising his bloody hands to pray, he watched the raindrops caress his fingers, turning them white again. As the droplets fell harder across his back and shoulders, he could feel his body disappearing bit by bit into the mist.

Kneeling on the wet grass, he could feel a warm stream of blood flowing from the bullet wound below his ribs. Still, he stared straight ahead.

The mist had settled low on Kensington Gardens as Silas limped into a quiet hollow out of sight.

The fog made it look like heaven here.

The fog was swirling around him now, and Silas felt so light that he was sure the wisps would carry him away. Closing his eyes, he said a final prayer.

A breeze rustled past him, carrying the damp, earthy scent of new life. With every living cell in his broken body, Silas prayed. He prayed for forgiveness. He prayed for mercy. And, above all, he prayed for his mentor… Bishop Aringarosa… that the Lord would not take him before his time. He has so much work left to do.

From somewhere in the mist, the voice of Manuel Aringarosa whispered to him.

Silas's pain at last began to fade, and he knew the bishop was right.

Our Lord is a good and merciful God.