33 The Price of Being a Good Man

The eternal lamp shone on the side of the altar - a faint light in the twilight of the evening church. Piotr, kneeling before the altar, did not even notice that dusk had already fallen. He was too absorbed in his prayers and thoughts.

Lately, he had only asked for one thing in his private prayers - support for his cousin. Although he believed in the mercy and protection of the Most High, he could not get rid of the feeling of anxiety. He could not stop thinking about Adam, making him feel guilty for neglecting his service to God. His heart was torn between the love due to man and the Creator. Sometimes he thought that the Almighty, who had so many devoted, loving followers, would go a few days without him, while Adam, who had only him, might lose his last friend along with him.