Vulnerable / Jacob Seed

Chapter 4

The centralised Church of Eden's Gate was the most simple structure you'd ever seen. No bell towers, no welcoming mat; simply just a building in order to congregate. Your path to the church had been outlined with chain link fences and cultists galore, blowing fire from blow torches and leashing untrained beasts. The beasts snapped and snarled at you as their holders did little to show the certainty of Eden's Gate's love which like others, had been shoved down your throat.

Approaching the double wooden doors, already opened wide enough for your entrance, did you see that every pew was filled with the dancing minds of what seemed to be devoted adherents. The night had approached quietly and stood over you with an overpowering grace, as if forcing you into the light of the flames scattered around the man himself; Joseph Seed.

Upon entering the Church, you felt uncomfortable, automatically on the spot. Every eye drew to you, like a moth to a flame; quite obviously your goal hadn't been to blend in, but the simple floral piece you wore was not eye catching, instead you had thought them to be bored. Yet as your eyes trailed upwards, they met with the three infamous heralds and the man himself; each offering you a grin of some sort. Your eyes drew immediately to the taller man; of whom you'd sold multiple collections of trinkets to. Jacob Seed. His eyes danced over you and his lip twitched with what you presumed was uncertainty; yet never left your figure as you made space on the edge of the back pew.

Eventually once the sermon had begun, his unnerving stare left you and focused in on his brother, however failing to keep attention as he continued to glance at your small frame hiding behind the man in front of you.

Combinations of the New Testament, Torah and Qur'an spilled from the man of the hour, all in what seemed to be a swift blend of lecturing. You almost felt your eyes roll into the back of your head with boredom; but the ferocity in his voice screamed panic.

"Please join me now" Joseph led the hymn of 'Amazing Grace' of which the adherents knew word by word of; their mouth echoing the same notes and unmatched tones of their Father.

Just as the sermon reached its climax and Joseph was now pacing on the smaller stage; you heard the dogs begin to bark again, only this time it was accompanied with the outraged declarations of riled adherents. The doors at the centre of the Church opened and the moonlight poured onto Joseph through the custom Eden's Gate window behind him. The shirtless man peered upwards through his yellow framed glasses and immediately you had felt a presence by your side. Looking up, did you see the badges of the law, on what seemed to be the last straw; the last string of hope.

"Something is coming. You can feel it can't you? That we are creeping towards the edge-"

They executed a steady walk down the aisle as if practicing the role of a nauseous bride. Weapons holstered, you felt the tension stretch as Joseph's loyal church goers grew rowdy.

"-and there will be a reckoning" You felt your breathing pick up as you watch both the men in front and beside you stand with the ferocity of a wild cat, fighting for its basic primal survival; and sitting among the beasts while the police moved towards their father did the world fall silent. All you could hear was a steady ring echo through your ears, eyes matching with the man now stood to the left of his brother, watching you idly despite the oncoming threat. They dared you to leave, to run, almost condemning you if you didn't.

You felt your breath quicken as the screams reemerged, as Joseph stirred on the crowd. You felt your anxiousness emerge.

"-to take me away from you!" They grew louder, surrounding the man with a fleshy bullet proof vest.

"God will not let them take me. Go, go." The adherents filed out, hands melted together in a praying motion as they filtered out into the moonlight. You wish you could follow them because now Jacob's eyes were sorely on you. You wanted to move, pleaded with your body silently to do so and yet you were frozen; out of fear, morality, weakness.

"I saw when the lamb opened the first seal-" Jacob's arms were crossed now, almost mockingly towards the authority before him. Your eyes gazed the individuals of whom you had desperately tried to reach the night before; the Sheriff and two unidentified men.

"-and hell followed with him"Joseph's eyes met yours for what seemed like moments at a time, in reality it was only a second.  Cuffs were slapped around the father's outstretched wrists and you felt yourself shudder, as if the cold metal was over your own.

The man was being led from his own church and your heart leapt with anxiousness; the heralds now not only eyeing the father, but you. You were here for the same reasons as the police. For answers, for justice.

They knew what was coming, they knew the lengths an opposition would go to; and you were not faithful. John's hands clenched in fury, Faith's once graceful smile twitched with zealous and Jacob watched you with an empty and fascinated gaze; as if your appearance tonight had struck the match of  what seemed to be the beginning of the end. You had read enough of their book to know that this 'opening' was the beginning of their ruthless collapse; and perhaps your pursuit to pick a fight had landed you in a vulnerable position.

Joseph's voice rang out through church but in what seemed to be a whisper; it flooded your ears and filled your body with dread.

"Sometimes the best thing to do is to walk away"