Changing Appalachia

4

  Jesse sipped his usual morning coffee as he watched the Sunday morning news on the television in the kitchen. The weather called for some rain, there was a few news stories about crime. He glanced down at the plate Jo set in front of him and nodded approvingly. The smell of bacon and eggs filled the house and called Elijah from his deep slumber, he had come home exhausted from the club.

"Oh what the hell?"Jo muttered, staring at the small TV screen, dishrag absently squeezed in her hand.

"Mm?" Jesse looked up to see what intrigued her. There on the morning news was his brother, standing behind a reporter in his best suit, "Jody! What the hell is he doing?"

The pretty female reporter explained that there was a revival setting up in an abandoned parking lot in the town next to Blaid, which was mostly human, and how everyone was invited. "Come out and join Jody Jacobs for some old time praise and worship here in Rune Mountain. Do you have anything for the people, Mister Jacobs?"

Jody nodded, gesturing to the large blue tent that was being put up behind him, "I want to invite everyone out. If you're tired of weak pastors and soft congregations, come out and see us and hear the real word! We will give it to you straight with no sugar coating."

"For those that can't come out, you can watch live on social media, come find Pastor Jody online or in person," the lady said with a curt nod.

Jesse turned off the TV and turned to his breakfast. "That damn fool is trying to build his own religion."

"I'm worried," Elijah said from the hallway door where he had been watching. "If he gets a platform and followers who knows what might happen, uncle."

"I think he's just blowing off steam. I wouldn't worry too much, but I won't be attending." Jesse chuckled and went back to eating. Jo and Elijah exchanged glances, both wishing that Jesse would take this more seriously.

*

The crowd that showed up for the pop-up revival was more than Jody expected. He recognized a few faces among them from his old church, but most were new faces from Rune Mountain. Behind the elevated stage that had been hastily built for this purpose, Jody paced. This was going far better than he thought, he dabbed sweat off his brow with a handkerchief. Cathy was with him but she had gone to sit down in the back of the stage. He ran through his mind all the things he wanted to say, trying to calm his nerves.

The cool spring breeze cooled the sweat on Jody's face as he took the stage, the anxiety melted away, replaced by fervor and conviction. Slipping his glasses on, Jody opened his bible on the podium. "I am going to tell you all right now that some of you ain't gonna like what I have to say, and that's fine. You've been spoon fed this soft pansy bullshit by pastors who mean well but don't have a clue. I am here to fix that."

To his surprise a cheer went up and launched him into his sermon. Cathy looked around the crowd, her eyes studying the faces that surrounded them. The enthusiasm slightly frightened her, never had he had an audience this size. The energy that rippled among them gave her a bad feeling.

"I said God, strike anyone in here whose heart is impure, who lusts after these unnatural abominations!" Jody yelled into the microphone, causing the speaker to emit a shrill sound. "And God as my witness, the gentleman fell over and grabbed his chest. My brother took him to the hospital. I am telling you, friends, we have to stand up now and do what's right."

Jody paused, his eyes wide, almost crazed as the realization hit him that he had a crowd three times that of his old church listening to him, cheering, and agreeing. The feeling inside his chest he mistook for the feeling of spirit flowing through him, urging him forward.