Henry Clark liked reading the announcements to the congregation every Sunday morning. It almost made him feel like a reporter, keeping folks informed of all the goings on in Rusty Creek. Not that much of anything ever happened in Rusty Creek, but when it did, he made sure everyone knew about it.

Henry was also the coordinator of the visitation committee, and as such it was his duty to round up volunteers to go and spend time with the town’s many shut-ins. In Rusty Creek, folks looked after their elders, and Henry took pride in that. ‘Sides, he was closer to being old than he wasn’t, and he wanted to be treated right when got there himself.

When he arrived five minutes late to the church Monday afternoon, he was disappointed to find only three cars in the parking lot. They belonged to Levi Miller, Randy and Maddie Brooks and…