Thankfully, Finn chose not to delve into the topic about Eli's past. Despite the man's roguish looks, Eli realized that the other had a gentle heart somewhere within. Father had always told him that everyone, no matter how bad, had a little good inside. Eli could feel himself smiling as he tried to remember Father. "Not at all," he replied. "Father is a very strong man. He doesn't take any nonsense and wholly dedicates himself to God. I admire him." He sighed, feeling his stomach twist with sudden loneliness. Eli already missed listening to his Father reciting prayer in his deep resounding voice. He quickly shook himself out of those dreadful thoughts, paling at Finn's next question.

"Ah." Women. To Eli, women were frightening to say the least. He partly blamed Sister Nancy and her infamous punishments that included her deadly birch rod. He could still feel the burning pain across his buttocks and legs. God, he wasn't even sorry to hear that Sister Nancy had died falling down a flight of stairs. Eli grimaced, muttering a string of incomprehensible words under his breath as he clasped his hands together. Father had told him to never think 'those' kind of poisonous thoughts again when Eli confessed to feeling happy after Sister's funeral. [i]"I apologize Sister Nancy. I hope you are guiding me from Heaven. You taught me many things."[/i]

After a brief moment, he looked up at Finn, his cheeks flushed. "Priests can marry. I'm not interested. I mean, yes I'm interested. I just. I don't." Eli stumbled over his words, growling to himself as he rubbed his forehead. It wasn't like his fellow brothers committed themselves to celibacy. There were several rare occasions where they would huddle together at the dead of night and talk about the female anatomy. But looking back at it now, Eli would always excuse himself and go back to bed.

"God is more important to me," he concluded. Yes, that sounded about right. He sniffled, timidly glancing at Finn before glancing away. "I pray that you'll see your family soon. You'll be able to leave this god-forsaken town once everyone sees you've changed."