Paragomania

[11]

You didn't like your dad, for many reasons. Being crazy, abandoning you and your mother (to your knowledge), never reaching out, never sending letters, starting a weird doomsday cult in your name. Most dads send out birthday cards. Not yours, though. No, yours makes a whole-ass cult in your name. Splendid.

Ainsley let Father Carlisle draw you away. Ainsley's mind was always preoccupied. When was he going to get you alone next? He loved seeing you, he loved feeling you. The taste of your skin and the scent of your sweat permeated through his mind every moment of every day. It was never enough.

The knowledge that he would have to send you away, to let you go mingle with the others hurt him inside. He wanted this alone time to last forever. But off you went.

Ainsley supposed he should go find Kalaya. He hadn't seen her around in a while, but he had so much he needed to tell her. Plus, he needed her to retwist his locs. As Ainsley walked to the fields, he didn't see her. He went to the fire pit where some people where cooking their midday meal. It smelled delicious, but Kalaya wasn't among them.

Ainsley was getting anxious now. Something bad happened, he could feel it. Kalaya wasn't anywhere. He rushed to her home, where she lived with her father and sister. Ainsley knocked on the door twice before the door opened. Kalaya's father stared down at Ainsley with sad eyes.

"Seth," Ainsley started, "Have you seen Kalaya anywhere?" He shook his head slowly.

"I haven't seen her in weeks," he mumbled. "I spoke to the Paragon, but they didn't help. I can't find my baby girl anywhere." He looked to be on the verge of tears. Before Ainsley could do anything to comfort him, the man slammed the door.

Kalaya was gone. How? How had Ainsley not noticed his best friend missing for weeks?

He trekked around the whole compound looking for her for hours. She was nowhere. He asked seven different people. No one had seen her. Ainsley's heart was pounding in his chest. Could she have run off with that lover she mentioned? There's no way. Ainsley never even knew who it was, only that it was an older man.

Caleb suddenly tapped Ainsley on the shoulder, making him jolt out of his hazed worry.

"Caleb, have you seen Kalaya?" Caleb furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head.

"No, but the Paragon would like to see you in the worship room." Ainsley cocked his head to the side.

"Worship room?"

Ainsley entered the big house and went down the hall. What had once been a large room to store food in was now cleared out, but had what looked like a stage to the wall opposite the door. There were pieces of wood strewn about, and above the altar was hanging a large wooden circle with what looked to be a star above it. You stood in front of the altar, waiting for your guard.

"YN?" he asked, looking around. You turned to look at him.

"Dad said they're making this so people can worship better in the winter," you said with a rather disappointed sigh. "Like, I want people to be inside for the winter time, but... I don't know. It all seems over the top. Why not just let people inside?" You leaned against the wooden altar as Ainsley approached.

"Well, you deserve all the worship," he murmured with a cheeky smile. You smirked back. And pushed yourself up onto the altar so you could sit.

"It's kinda creepy, don't you think? I feel like they're going to end up crucifying me on that thing." You motioned to the wooden circle. "It's just.... It's just weird. We needed the food storage space, not another place for dad to act like I'm some angel." Ainsley stepped between your thighs, setting his hands on your sides as he leaned close to you.