Just that Sinner

20

By the time the sunrises Lydia and Meagan finally finished digging the hole and can eat breakfast. Just like every other morning they recite the prayer and rules given to them.
Everything has stayed the same, except a thing is missing, more like someone is missing...

Caleb.

The atmosphere is thick with suspicion like something terribly wrong has taken place, more so than usual. Meagan and Lydia both wanted to tell him that they finished the hole for the well but he was nowhere to be seen. They each had the burning question in their minds, "Where did he go?" Everyone did, but no one dares to ask or says a word on the matter.
It's taking everything in them not to ask because it's "against the rules to ask about missing people." Everyone is feeling the she same way, Father Albert notices as well as Jedidiah.
The grumpy Jedidiah notices the girls being on edge and whispers to them, "I know who you are looking for and I have been instructed to take you to him after you get rest but you mustn't tell the others." He tells them.
Lydia and Meagan nod their heads "Yes" and continue eating breakfast and drinking about a gallon of water since they didn't get any while out working.
"Father Albert, may we get some rest now?" Lydia asks as everyone starts to leave the table.
"Yes, you may my dear children." He says before kissing the two girls on the top of their heads.
Meagan goes to find her mother, "Mother, I'm awfully tired but I feel like I need to go minister to the girl across the road. She's been here far too long to not be a part of us." She tells him, hoping it'll work.
"Of course, go ask Father Albert first though." Her mom replies with a smile.
"Excuse me, Father Albert I am sorry to bother you, but may I go minister to the girl across the road? I'm very tired but feel like the Lord is calling me to help." She asks, trying her best to sound truthful.
"Yes, you may. May the lord be with you." He says and kisses her cheek, making her cringe.
Meagan smiles and nods her head to say thank you before scurrying out of the house and across the road. In the past, she truly wanted to mister to her friend Amethyst but now, now it is different. She is starting to hope Amethyst never gets pulled into this mess that is her life. Meagan makes it to Amethyst's house,
She aggressively starts knocking on the door and a very frantic Amethyst answers.
"Are you okay?" Amethyst asks before hugging her and dragging her into the house.
Meagan starts to cry, "Not really, I'm so tired I didn't get to eat or drink until the well was dug and now Caleb is missing and I'm just so scared." She tells her friend.
"Here, come with me to my room," Amethyst tells her.
The two girls go and sit on Amethyst's bed, Meagan notices the clothing scattered around and feels jealous. While Amethyst gets to wear whatever she wants, Meagan has to wear a long-sleeved pastel-colored ankle-length dress. She feels bad for feeling jealous but she can't help it, she can't stop herself from wondering how she would look in those clothes. She wonders if she would look as pretty as Amethyst does right now. Meagan is caught staring and blushes when Amethyst calls her out, "What are you looking at silly?" Amethyst asks her."Nothing, I just haven't seen clothes like yours before." Meagan answers. It's true. She's never seen anyone wear a tank top and shorts."Really? Wow." Amethyst replies, not knowing what else to say. In the silence, Meagan's eyes linger upon the rainbow flag in Amethyst's room, "I like the rainbow, a reminder that God will never flood the earth again." She says with a smile. Amethyst giggles, "No, no. It's a pride flag." She tells her."What's that?" Meagan asks."Well, it's a flag to say that it's okay for girls to like girls and boys to like boys." Amethyst explains making Meagan's eyes widen."It's okay? I thought it was a sin." Meagan asks."Some people think so, but it's all lies. I like girls and I'm not evil." Amethyst tells her."Oh, I thought I was going to hell for those thoughts." Meagan replies."Wait, you like girls too?" Amethyst basically shouts in excitement."Yeah, I think so, don't tell anyone please don't tell!" Meagan answers."I'm so proud of you for telling me!" Amethyst says then hugs her friend."How do I know for sure though?" Meagan asks."Well, if I asked you to be my girlfriend what would you say?" Amethyst asks her."I'd say yes but only if Father Albert didn't know." She answers."Will you be mine then?" Amethyst asks."Yes." Meagan answers with a smile. The two girls hug and then spend the rest of the day watching movies and wishing they could be a star someday. Meagan soon drifts off to sleep, exhausted from her work and Amethyst just holds her until she falls asleep as well. They both forget about the fact that Meagan needed to be back home. For the fight time in a long time, Meagan doesn't have nightmares. She feels safe in Amethyst's arms and doesn't feel the need to be scared. It's the safety she was told she would find within God and Father Albert but instead, she finds it in the embrace of another girl. She dreams of the two having a life together and finally being happy and free, she doesn't know it but Amethyst is dreaming of the same thing. They both have different lives and different struggles but none of that matters to them right now. All that matters to them in this moment is each other, the differences between them can't and won't keep them apart. Well, at least that's what they want to believe. Father Albert starts to get suspicious as the hour's tick by but tries his best not to lose his temper and have trust in his servant.