Greg checked the time, wishing for the day’s activities to end. Once a month they sat together with the entire orphanage and most of the neighbors to sit down and hear Priest Damon preach about whatever topic he fancied for the day. The man stood at the front reading occasionally from an old book of parables and partially inspirational quotes.

Next to Greg were Brad, Wilson, and Taylor. They too were only partially engaged in the material. It was almost worse when Damon was on the stand compared to O’Brian. The continued discussions of suffering and punishment just brought back the previous day’s memories of extra work. His gaze shifted to the wall behind the priests and the sides. Ornamental candles lit the room even with the light being cast through the arched windows. Fractal art shattered the light allowing it to suffuse the room.

As he sat he was glad that he only had to sit for one hour of this repeating topic for the day. For the children of the orphanage, this was their hour. The previous one had a different section of the city visit if they were so inclined to and the next hour would have others of the city listen in. While it could be boring at times Greg was glad he could tune it out if he tried, didn’t get called on to answer questions, and best of all on these days he had fewer chores. It was truly a blessing at times.

Though due to the mandatory attendance for his kind this speech and ones much like it were well ingrained in his mind. Damon continued his speech with an occasional eye to check if the orphanage was at a minimum pretending to listen. New arrivals quickly learned the rules and the customs required while in the church building.

Damon's voice rose as he continued his sermon, his eyes scanning the room to ensure he held the attention of his audience. "And so, my brothers and sisters, we must remember that in this world, good shall always triumph over evil. Those who walk the righteous path will be uplifted, while those who stray into darkness will face the consequences of their actions." He paused for a moment, allowing his words to sink in before continuing. "Retribution is not a matter of cruelty, but rather a necessary step in maintaining the balance of our world. When the wicked are punished, it serves as a reminder to all that there are consequences for our choices. It is through this process that we can ensure the good in this world is protected and allowed to flourish."

Damon's gaze settled on the orphans, his expression shifting slightly as he addressed them directly. "You, my young friends, have a unique opportunity to shape the world around you. Despite the hardships you have faced, you have the power to choose the path of righteousness. By embracing the lessons taught within these walls, and by striving to be kind, compassionate, and just, you can become beacons of hope in a world that often seems shrouded in darkness. Even when you are more prone to sin than most," His eyes lingered on the orphans, and the other adults in the pews naturally hovered their eyes over them.

He turned his attention back to the congregation as a whole, his voice growing more impassioned with each word. "We must not be content to simply sit idle while evil takes root. It is our duty, as members of this community, to actively seek out and confront wickedness wherever it may hide. Whether it be through small acts of kindness or grand gestures of bravery, we all have a part to play in the eternal struggle between good and evil."

Greg grew irritated at the words. In between the speech the other children hung their heads and whispered to each other. They were careful to go unnoticed. He joined in with the gossip as it reached him.

“What is the latest news?”

“Some of the older girls have heard word of a wedding next month of one of the orphanage’s graduates. Though I don’t have all the details,” said Taylor. “There are whisperings of the schedule of events for next week and trading of chores. Do you need to trade anything because of your arm?”

“My arm has been sore since, but it works. I would need to see the schedule before committing to any trades. Thanks though.”

Damon's voice grew louder, his hands gesturing emphatically as he drove his point home. "Remember, my brothers and sisters, that the path of righteousness is not always easy. There will be times when you are tested when the temptation to stray into darkness will be strong. But it is in these moments that your true character will be revealed. Will you succumb to the allure of evil, or will you stand firm in your convictions, knowing that your actions have consequences not just for yourself, but for all those around you?"

"Let us go forth from this place with the knowledge that we are not alone in our fight against evil. Together, we can create a world where goodness and justice reign supreme. It is through our collective efforts that we can ensure a brighter future for all,” Priest Damon continued. The words seemingly coming to a close opened up a new avenue of discussion and new topics for him to touch on. At this point, Greg tuned out again.

“How much longer is going to be talking?” asked Greg.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Maybe twenty more minutes,” Wilson answered. “ That is his average, but he might seed time for Priest Grant to speak. Though he could always go over that.”

“Great. He’s got to introduce the new guy every time. We’ve got to do something about this situation.”

“What? Sitting in church?”

“No. Kinda, but also Priest Damon in general. Things need to change. He needs to go. I just don’t know exactly how we can do that.”

“I’ve considered this already and I don’t know what to try that other orphans before us haven’t tried,” said Taylor. “He always catches them before it happens, and they get discarded, or it only works halfway, and the orphans get a beating before getting thrown out.

“But how much of that is old bedtime tales meant to scare us and what is the reality?” asked Greg.

“Don’t forget them,” said Brad who leaned in. He glanced over to the older kids. One still had reddish skin from Ash’s cooking.

“They are a problem as well but can be dealt with later,” said Taylor. “They are a secondary issue. He is the source. Removing him will fix most of the secondary issues. We can handle whatever happens after together.”

“Can we even handle the current issues?” asked Greg.

“Unless you want to continue with more ‘extra work’ then change will be required,” said Wilson.

Greg, Brad, Wilson, and Taylor huddled together, their whispers growing more urgent as they discussed their plans to overthrow Priest Damon's reign of terror. The weight of their shared experiences and the desire for change hung heavy in the air between them.

"I'm tired of living in fear," Greg confessed, his voice trembling slightly. "Every day, I wake up wondering if today will be the day I make a mistake and face his wrath."

Brad placed a comforting hand on Greg's shoulder. "You're not alone in that feeling, Greg. We've all been there, and it's time we put an end to it."

Wilson nodded, his eyes filled with a mix of determination and apprehension. "But how do we even begin? Damon seems untouchable like he's got the whole town wrapped around his finger."

Taylor leaned in, her voice barely above a whisper. "We start by gathering information. We watch him, listen to the rumors, and see if we can find any cracks in his armor. People have moved on from the orphanage and may be willing to help. They could have what we need and the power to help."

"And what if we do find something?" Brad asked, his brow furrowed. "How do we use it against him without putting ourselves at risk?"

Greg's mind raced with possibilities. "We could try to get the information to someone who has the power to do something about it. Could we use Priest Grant? Who would he side with? Or someone in town we can meet?"

"That's a good idea," Taylor agreed. "But we need to be careful about who we trust. Priest Damon has a lot of influence, and we don't want word getting back to him."

Wilson's eyes widened as a thought struck him. "What about the upcoming wedding? If one of the orphanage's graduates is getting married, there will be a lot of people coming in from out of town. Maybe we could find an ally among them. They could have the reach we are looking for."

Brad nodded, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "That could work. We could try to get close to some of the guests and see if they've heard anything about Damon or the orphanage."

"It's a start," Greg said, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "But we need to be smart about it. We can't let anyone suspect what we're up to. We also need a surefire way to convince them and bring them to our cause."

“Or push them into the role regardless,” said Wilson.

The group fell silent for a moment, each of them lost in their own thoughts. The task ahead seemed daunting, but the prospect of finally being free from Priest Damon's tyranny was too tempting to ignore.

"I'm scared," Taylor admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "But I'm also tired of living like this. I want to feel safe, to know that I won't be punished for simply existing."

Brad reached out and took Taylor's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "We're all scared, Taylor. But we're in this together. We'll watch out for each other and find a way to make things right."

They settled back down in their seats. Priest Damon seemed not to have noticed them. The speech seemed like it was coming to an end. Even the regular church goers felt the length. Soon he wrapped up allowing the doors to be opened and the meeting to end. People gathered in groups afterward to chat about recent events or interesting days. Slowly everyone funneled out of the building. The first was the orphanage children. They bounced out of their seat at the chimes marking the hour and the end of the meeting.

Brad and the others shifted to get out of their seats and angled to get out quickly. Priest Damon’s eyes shifted with a smile growing on his face. He looked directly at Taylor.

“I would hope that my sermons would be more informative to someone like yourself. Alas, I cannot force you to listen to the will of your superiors. I will however require you. Each of you to put in more effort. Luckily, the hedges have already been trimmed at the park. Tomorrow, however, will require your attention for the construction of our home. It is nearing the end I hear. I hope you can come to enjoy construction.”

Taylor looked back to the others at those words. She didn’t show her reaction on her face and hoped the others hadn’t as well. Priest Damon just moved on to the next group after his pronouncement.

Greg, Brad, Wilson, and Taylor left the church, their minds focused on their future. As they walked back to the orphanage, they kept their voices low, not wanting to draw any unwanted attention.

"We need to be careful," Greg warned. "Priest Damon could already suspect something. We can't give him any more reason to watch us closely."

Taylor nodded, her eyes darting around to ensure no one was within earshot. "There is not much we can do until that wedding. We can try meeting some adults for information early but there is a lot of planning to be done before the event.”

“Then for now we shelve it. Let's try and stay out of his eye in the future,” said Wilson. “You weren’t stuck with military training and then extra work. If I only have to every do it one more time then that would be great.”