Fake Me To Church

Chapter 22.1 - Their Lies Were Botching God

- AHMED -

I was still as a statue as Sam and Steven disappeared under the shroud of the night darkness. Silence, stillness, pure and utter emptiness drifted all around. I drew breaths against the bereft heaviness that seemed to weigh on me more and more the longer I sat in the backseat of Sam's car.

The leather sank beneath me, content with being displaced, with cushioning the load of my uneasiness as my eyes glanced back and forth, left to right. I was terrified to move and yet horrified to stay still—ice cold and sweating all at once.

I exhaled another breath, just as the sound of a nightmarish, screeching cry erupted with fright and ripped through the spooky silence surrounding me.

I gasped, jumped in terror at the agonizing wail, collapsing to the seat as fear gripped me from all sides.

Anna...that must've been Anna, I thought, trembling.

I sat numb, covering my head with both hands as I ducked against the seat cushions. And if Anna's in danger...then Sam, Steven—

I shut my eyes, shook my head. I have to wait for Prudence. She's almost here, and she'll know what to do. I looked up to peek out either back-seat window, hoping Prudence or Charity or some police officer would be standing there, staring back at me with courage, assurance, something—but there was no one, nothing but the darkly imposing figures of trees shadowed by nighttime gloom.

Steven and Sam can do this, I tried to convince myself. They're big guys; there's no way Lane or Alice could—

Another scream, this time deeper.

Sam! I felt my heart jump inside my chest.

My teeth were chattering together, my arms and legs unbearably cold as wintry chills breezed beyond the car's unlocked doors.

I can't...

I gulped hard, wrapped myself in my arms.

But they could...die...

More shivers.

More shaking.

I felt ashamed for being so scared—but how could I be anything else? How could I? I'd never been so afraid in my life, never so close to death, never so unsure of anything...

That's not true, echoed a still, small whisper inside my head.

I gasped. "Wh-who said that?"

You've faced fear that's greater—and you've overcome it.

I swallowed, felt my throat spasm as a surge of memories began rushing through my brain—

Mornings of rest and awakening Fajr, daily pronouncements of willing gratitude, sunset-striped evenings of sweat and basketball, warm meals of pure joy and infinite laughter, bedtime tales of people far away so unlike myself, a knock at the door of my home...my heart—a little black Book claiming words of life?

I shuddered.

There was fear, yet you refused it.

I felt my lips as they began to quiver, my eyes as they welled with tears.

"God," I begged. "I can't d—"

But you can.

I froze.

Could it be?

Shuddering, my arm reached for the door.

Click!