Vulnerable / Jacob Seed

Chapter 2

The rest of the baby shower was awkward to say the least. You and Nick had isolated yourselves in the direct opposite corner of the room to whom you learned were the 'Seed family'. Nick had given you a rundown of each of the members, making idle comments about John eyeing off his plane in the hangar before the party.

"Ya'know, Kim thought that we could make nice with them fuckin' peggies over there by invitin' them to this thing, but they brought watery macn'cheese! Who the hell does that?!"

Of course Nick had kept you very much entertained but you could feel the eyes of the Seed family burn into you with every breath. If you knew any better, you'd say they were furious but the humbled look on Joseph's face spoke otherwise; instead he seemed pleased. His eyes screamed for you to turn back to them, to give them your utmost attention so as to guide you back to God; but you were far too stubborn to do so.

The days following the shower had gone ridiculously to plan, you were back into your routine and frankly out of milk.

The trip to Fall's End was mind numbing, despite how breathtaking the Montana scenery was. At each billboard your eyes would flicker upward, catching the movements of little men as they plastered on the same sign. A picture of John with outspread hands and a welcoming to Eden's Gate. The propaganda was far too cultish for your taste and so you continued driving; past preachers at every hole in the road with the same message for you; 'Praise be to the Father'. They all dressed remotely similar and each adorned the same culty logo on their forehead; the combination of a Jewish Star and the Cross of Jesus Christ. By the time you had reached the corner store on the end block of Fall's End, you'd forgotten you'd even needed milk.

The sun had hit the centre of the sky and for a moment you bathed in it. Allowing your eyes to flutter shut, you felt the warm sunlight on your skin and like honey you melted into it. Walking into the store had made you stiff, every man and woman inside were people you knew once but it seemed no longer. They were all dressed like the preachers on the roadside, their eyes glazed over in a green hugh as their eyes followed you through the store. The place looked like it had been ransacked and you presumed it was all due to whatever kind of movement the Seeds were running.

The shop owner looked displeased with all the business which you found odd, yet as you watched a man stroll through the double doors with a full trolley and no inclination to pay for it, you understood why.

Just get the milk and go.

The freezer aisle had been just as ransacked as the rest of the store; only a few cartons of milk remaining at the back of the centre shelf. Your fingers dug through the cartons, searching for one of the newest date before you felt a presence behind you. On your hands and knees, you turned your head to the side slightly to see an all too familiar face now; one you had grown to know too quickly for your liking.

John Seed.

"Well good morning Miss Cooper, what a delight to see you here. I don't suppose you've reconsidered my brother's offer?" John was charming but the closeness of his body to yours as you stood had caught you off guard. Even with the freezer door open, you could feel the warmth radiate off his body, smell the expensive cologne on his collar. He offered you a confronting grin before offering you a hand; the hand of opportunity, of knowledge, of imprisonment and slavery. You were no pushover.

"No more than last time. It seems I have not been clear enough with your family. I don't care about your religion or your Messiah; I care about my business so if you don't get out of my face, we may have a problem here" The Seeds inclination to turn you over was feeling like harassment. John tutted at you like a child.

"Greed has overtaken you and if you're not careful it will consume your soul. Now I can cleanse you of that sin, it won't be easy and it will be painful but it will be worth it"

It seemed the Seeds were thick skulled too. You felt your eyes roll back slightly in impatience, you didn't have time for this.

"Then it shall consume me" You smiled, offering the best of your pearly whites before sidestepping John and taking your carton to the counter. You could feel him behind you, closing in with every second that went by but you refused to turn around or pick up your pace; you weren't going to be bullied into a cult. As you laid the carton on the counter, your fingers sifted through your purse for some small coins but withdrew as you felt the hot breath of John in your ear.

"Then you shall die" He was gone not even a moment after, it was as if he and his devout followers had suddenly been whisked up into thin air. With all the craziness going on; maybe they had.

"These fuckin' peggies. They've been robbing me blind" The shop owner was furious as he scanned your carton, bagging it up quickly for you as he flipped the OPEN sign over. You felt your eyebrows furrow in confusion.

"Peggies?" You were unfamiliar with the term. You had heard Nick say it to you before but he was too caught up in his rant for you to question him.

"P.E.G. Project at Eden's Gate. I'm surprised you didn't already know Miss Cooper" You felt the right side of your lip tug downwards as your eyes following the shopkeeper's hands.

"I don't get to leave the farm very often, sometimes it's like I don't even live on this planet. I feel like with everything going on; I've had my head in the sand. How long has this been going on?"

The shopkeeper's chin tilted upwards in thought.

"The Seeds have been here for a few months now but it's only been starting to get bad recently. They've had an influx of followers and they're starting to get forceful with me. I'm not sure when I'll be opening next, it doesn't seem to be worth it anymore when they're robbing me right in front of my eyes!" The man's southern accent was fairly prominent and you wondered if he'd regretted moving here in the first place. The Treasure state held so much promise, and now held even more fear.

"Maybe we should all disappear for a while" The man muttered.