While Timmy was still deep in prayer, more prairie dogs started to come out of the burrow.
“Hey guys!” Julie said to Sammy and Timmy.
“Shhhhh…” Sammy said mockingly, “Father Dear is having a sacred moment over here”
“I can still hear you” Timmy said, opening his eyes “Ah, now I can start my day”
“You still doing that Timmy? You must be like, literally the only one left” Julie said, “I sometimes get the urge, but then I´m like ‘Why bother’” Julie said.
“You should go with that urge, Julie. It´ll make you feel good” Timmy said.
Julie and Sammy just looked at each other. They then turned to Timmy and in unison said “Nah!”
“Let´s go to work, guys?” Sammy said.
“Let´s” Timmy and Julie answered.
* * * * * *
Back at the town hall, people were slowly filling the rows of foldable chairs. The back row was already occupied by sleeping seniors.
When everyone was seated, Judge banged the table with his hammer. “I hope everybody had a good lunch and your bellies are full. We got business to attend to. Let´s spitball some ideas”
Mary Ann stood and said “We could hold a prayer vigil at night around their holes and sing hymns. Maybe we can reinstill the Lord in them beautiful critters.
“All right, I like that” Judge said with a smile while simultaneously making and avoiding eye contact with her.
“I know the solution” Rick said as he stood up. He made his way to the front of the congregation as to address it head on, “We killed em off once and we can kill em again. It ain´t natural they ain´t praying. They´s prairie dogs. Pray is in they name. Maybe God didn´t want them back. Maybe it was a mistake and this is a sign it ain´t Godly”
The crowd was murmuring. Mary Ann stood up, “Surely you don´t mean that” she paused, “besides we spent a lot of money already to bring them back”
“We done spent a lot of money in Vietnam and that don´t mean we should have gone on being there and it sure don´t mean it was right” Rick answered.
“Rick, not everything is about Vietnam and killing” Mary Ann said.
“Well, that´s my idea” Rick said as he started for his seat again.
“Thank you Rick, anybody else?” Judge asked. Nobody stirred. “So we got prayin and killin. I ain´t one for killin, so…
“Suit yourself” Rick said with a sneer, “Ya´ll do what ya´ll gotta do, I´m gonna do what I´s gotta do”
A hand rose meekly from the middle of the room.
“Please stand up, Saul” Judge asked.
Saul obliged and nervously started, “This phenomenon has only been observed in reintroduced Cynomys, or prairie dogs if you will, correct?”
“Quit using them big words” Rick interjected.
Judge shot Rick a reprimanding look and turned to Saul, “Please Saul, go on”
“Yes, you see, native Cynomys across the region still pray in majority numbers. Only the reintroduced ones do not. I believe, if we could introduce some native Cynomys to our Cynomys’ town, they might get them to pray”
Some scattered applause erupted from the crowd. “That´s smart!” someone yelled. Rick just sat there with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face.
By Ryan 
“We could hold a prayer vigil at night around their holes and sing hymns.”
Now there’s a spiritual approach.
Your writing range continues to diversify, well.
Thanks Eric! I’m loving this story.