"You there, boy," Percy Montgomery called out. Jedidiah stopped in his tracks, as if on command. "The Devil is dancing in your eyes. You him in. Jesus Christ can cleanse the devil. You just have to let me in," Percy stepped down from the box he had been preaching on.
He stared in Jedidiah's eyes and paralyzed him with fear. In his mind Jedediah had let the devil in. He had shot his father, maybe killed him. Left his sister there to bear both the wrath and the burden alone. The devil had been inside him, but Jedediah was a new man. He had found work, and a place to live without his father's abusive hand guiding him through punches and slaps.
Still, he was empty inside. Jedediah had no goals in life. The other men would talk about building their own stores one day. Maybe becoming lawmen. Jedediah had no visions of any of that. He simply wanted to survive and he was doing that just fine.
"Don't ignore me boy. The wages of sin is death, and you have sinned more than once. I see it, all you know is sin," Montgomery rolled around to whisper in his ear.
"I'm just trying to go home mister," Jedediah summoned the courage to reply to the man.
"Go home? Let me lead you to a new home. A land of milk and honey, where every day will be Sunday," Montgomery whispered devilishly into Jedediah's ears.
Jedediah finally took a real look at this man, in the setting sun. His hair was disheveled, and all over the place. Still, he wore a fine suit, some of the best linen money could by. His scent was intoxicating, someone who could afford to bathe regularly, perhaps daily. The man had something going for him. It couldn't be denied. Perhaps he could lead Jedediah into a promised land.
"I think I'll pass mister."
"You going to pass on Jesus Christ? Deny my your devotion? Sentence yourself to damnation when you could have ever lasting life?"
"No sir," Jedediah looked away as he answered.
"Then follow me, and see what you can be. Join me and followers of Christ like yourself. When the world is drenched in flames, we shall be the only ones to survive. Now follow me."
Jedediah did what he had been done his entire life. He followed orders, he followed the sinister man away from the city. Away from the life he had built for himself these last few months. Soon he'd be walking in the light of a cult, not Jesus Christ as he believed. All traces of who Jedediah thought he was would soon be wiped clean from his mind and soul by The Honorable Percy Montgomery and his family of righteous.
Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Didn't expect this to be a series.
