Two Evenings Later

“James! James! Wake up! There’s somebody moving around out there! A few somebodies. They ran between the hedges. I saw motion more than once.”

I run to Ronnie’s side and squint through the space left between the boards on the large front window. Sure enough, after a couple moments, I catch motion as well. At least two figures are partially hidden in the hedges near the front of the store. Possibly a third, a few feet away, in some underbrush.

“See ‘em?” Ronnie asks in a husky voice.

“Yeah, I see ‘em.” I respond—while simultaneously reaching for my gun. “Wake the others. If they haven’t got up already!”

A rattling noise at the door causes me to whirl on my heels. Ronnie is halfway across the room and hears it too. He turns and takes a step in my direction. And then, the whole world explodes. A large blast knocks me off of my feet. I hit the floor hard and roll onto my side. Ronnie is slumped against the counter, his head lulling over his right shoulder.

The front of the store is a smoldering hole, where there was once a door and window. A second canister rolls into the doorway, bouncing among the debris left from the first explosion. I climb to my feet—ignoring my injuries, and hurl myself at the unconscious Ronnie. I knock him as far from the counter as possible and roll—pulling him with me. The second explosion goes off mere seconds later.

Suddenly, Carla and Pamela are beside me—dragging me into the hallway. Anthony, Zach, and Deidre are moving Ronnie.

“Did you see anyone out back?” I ask between gasps.

“No. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t there.” Carla responds with a shaking voice. “Obviously, Ronnie didn’t see them until the last minute. I think they’re wearing tactical gear. Do you really think it’s the Reverend doing this? I mean, would he do something like this? For what? Do you think it’s someone else?”

“I don’t know what the Reverend is capable of. But after the other day, I think we can say it’s highly probable it’s his people.”

A few moments later, we get our answer. Several men enter the store, armed with assault rifles, and sporting tactical gear. A smoke canister proceeds them, nearly incapacitating our entire group. Only Ronnie, who is just coming around—and has the reflexes of a rabbit, has the sense to place something over his nose.

The armed men stroll into the hallway and motion for us to get up and follow them. We do so, while struggling against the smoke choking our throats and disrupting our vision. Once outside, we are reintroduced to their Supreme Leader; Reverend Cox.

Reverend Cox is adorned in what I can only assume is garb taken from another house of worship or a costume shop. The opulence is so over the top that I almost laugh in his face. The Reverend’s new bright purple robe, with gold trim, is far too large and nearly touches the ground. Making him look like

an elf imitating a full-sized man—and failing miserably. Two large bulges, on either shoulder, hide his otherwise slender frame. The matching headdress atop his head makes the whole outfit just that much more outlandish. Like a villain out of a comic book or cheesy hero flick. I am grateful for the smoke in my throat if simply to hide the true nature of my amused coughs.

“Hello, James.” The reverend intones. Even his voice is now deep and exaggerated. Like a caricature of a TV villain. “I’m sorry to have to do this, but you left me no choice. God will not be mocked. His will….Will always be done. And you all must come with us.”

Ronnie glares at the reverend and drops the wrinkled shirt from in front of his nose.

“Like hell, we are! THIS is the Reverend Cox? This comic book wannabe? James we should have…”

With a motion I almost didn’t see, Cox signals to one of his men. Ronnie’s head erupts with a spurt of blood. A large portion of his skull disappearing as the bullet enters and then just as swiftly exits the other side. Deidre screams as Ronnie’s body falls against her. She moves away and the body falls heavily to the ground. The rest of our small group stares at Ronnie’s lifeless body in disbelief. Anthony crawls toward his twin brother and screams his name loudly over and over. He cradles Ronnie’s bleeding head on his lap. The reverend makes yet another almost imperceptible motion towards his men.

“God will not be mocked!” Cox states with a cruel laugh. “Everett!”

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A tall figure, dressed in camouflage tactical gear, steps forward. In military style, Everett snaps his heels together.

“Everett, separate the men from the women. Search the men for any weapons and chain them in the shed. The women go to the showers. Do not harm them in any way. If they attempt to run, subdue them by whatever gentler means you can. We’ll take care of the rest of the details later. Let’s go! The body stays here!”

After the Reverend’s violent reaction to Ronnie’s jeers, no one puts up a fight. Forming a single-file line, and heading towards town, we are sandwiched in by Ronnie’s murderers—as his body lies alone on the ground.

Around 6:30 P.M.

Anthony has been silent the entire day, his shoulders bobbing up and down with sobs. Zach has only muttered a series of small phrases—mostly about regrets. For my part, I have spent the entire day trying to loosen my chains—hurling occasional curse words at no one in particular. We are jarred from our various states by a key jangling in the lock on the shed.

Two men, no longer in tactical gear, enter the shed. A third stands by the door, weapon at the ready. He offers a brief explanation in a drawl which reminds me a little of Texas.

“Now, we’re gonna go see the Reverend. He’s gonna explain to you fellas how we do things around here.

If ya don’t wanna end up like your young friend back at the store—when the Reverend speaks, I suggest you listen. Now, come on.”

We are unchained and led to a large clearing. In the center of the clearing stands a large pyre surrounded by about three dozen men and women. From the looks of it, a fire has been lit fairly recently.

Beside the pyre; Deidre, Carla, Pamela, and four other women are lined up. Each woman is dressed completely in white—from the floral bands on their heads, to the dresses they wear, and the shoes upon their feet. Reverend Cox is perched on a wooden throne several feet to their right. He glares in our direction as we are led into the clearing. With rifles trained at our backs, we stand and face Reverend Cox.

“One of these does not belong, and another is of inferior stock!” The Reverend’s voice booms in the still summer air. “The Lord did command that we should offer him our first and our best fruits. So that we may be blessed. I am the Lord’s servant. I will do what is expected of me. Let the evil be put away from us! Linton! Everett! Cordale! Start the funeral fire!”

Pointing his finger at first Carla and then Deidre, Cox yells another command.

“Lead them to their places, Sojourner!”

A tall slender woman moves from the group and grabs both Carla and Deidre by one arm. It is at this point that I realize the women are restrained by ropes tied around their wrists. Carla attempts to pull away; but the woman named Sojourner reaches into a fold in her dress and retrieves a taser. She sticks it into Carla’s side and a small convulsion courses through Carla’s body. Not enough to drop her to her knees, but enough to weaken any resistance she might give. The man named Linton binds Carla to the pyre first. Sojourner keeps Deidre rooted nearby. Reverend Cox begins his condemnation of Carla.

“Adultery is a sin against God! As it was for Jezebel, it shall be for all adulteresses.”

“What are you talking about?” Carla screams in her defense. “I’ve never cheated on my husband! I swear! I’ve never cheated! I’m not an adulteress! You can’t do this! I never cheated!”

Reverend Cox points an accusing finger in the direction of the pyre.

“And a liar! Despite witnesses, and evidence to the contrary….You lie. But the Lord’s fire shall cleanse you. Cordale, we will hear no more of her lies. Light the fire.”

At this point, I am moved to action. I yell in Cox’s direction.

“You speak of witnesses! Who are these witnesses? Why do we not hear and see the evidence? What you are doing is murder!”

I am shocked when Tiffany steps forward. Her right eye sports an old bruise and the corner is scabbed over. Her mouth hangs at a strange angle on one side.

“I am a witness to her adultery! I saw her try to bed a married man…While she is also married. She tried to kiss James the night before I ran away from the store. Her sin did offend me. So I came here. To receive salvation. She is an adulteress and a liar. She must be cleansed—so that her soul may be saved. It’s the only way.”

I yell Tiffany’s name and nearly leap in her direction. The lie so incenses me that I forget the assault rifle aimed at my back. I remember when the barrel is rammed so hard into the back of my neck that I crumble to the ground.

“You can’t do this!” Carla screams again—as Cordale prepares to light the wood beneath the pyre. “She’s a liar! I never did those things! You made her say them! You made her! Just look at her face! She’s been beaten! You made her say those things! You’re an animal! You don’t speak for God!”

Cordale backhands Carla across her face, rocking her head back and against the pole she is tied to.

“Shut up, adulteress! How dare you insult the Reverend?!”

Reverend Cox smiles evilly and places both hands on his lap. The rings on his fingers catch the glint of the nearly setting sun.

“Let her speak, Cordale. For it will be the last time. Her words will condemn her. Repentance is the keep to salvation. Without it, you are damned forever. But confess your sins….And the Lord is swift to forgive. Repent….And serve The Lord.”

“I will never repent of a sin which was never mine to repent! You can go to hell!” Carla screams.

The Reverend jumps angrily to his feet and growls at Carla.

“NO! YOU CAN GO TO HELL! Cordale, the fire!”

As I lie on the ground, a pistol rammed into my back, Cordale lights the wood surrounding the pyre. I look away as the flames reach Carla and she screams in anguish. My eyes fall on Deputy Wheeler. He is staring straight ahead with a vacant stare. Tiffany is fixated on the fire with a look of glee plastered on her face. Almost everyone there seems to be gloating to one degree or another. All of them enjoying the sight of Carla’s flesh burning, and the sounds of her tortured screams. I remember the evidence of a fire I had seen before the burning and shudder. This is not the first time someone has been murdered here. Glancing at Deidre, I know it won’t be the last.