The Order

Part 1

There was a heaviness in the air as Faith sat there in the chair across from the sheriff. It weighed heavily with everything that had happened ever since she walked into the town. She had just been looking for her brother, but now she was one of the people that the sinners wanted to see dead the most. Maybe even more so than the other members of the Wright family. She had gained their trust, she had seemed so sweet and innocent during her first few months of being in the town. They had grown to care for her. The sheriff, making the same mistake he had before, let her into his home.

Now she was one of them. She had listened to the l̶ı̶e̶s̶ words of Abraham. Had fallen deeply ı̶n̶t̶o̶x̶ı̶c̶α̶t̶e̶d̶ in love with the grace and freedom he spoke so frequently about. Freedom from her sin, her sorrows, her earthly desires that would in the end not matter to the God above. She was free from it all and it was all thanks to Abraham.

It was the same love that allowed her to remain so calm when the sinners had busted in the door of her home. She hadn't moved when there had been a war raging outside and nor did she fight back when the Sheriff and his deputy had pulled her up to her feet and taken her away. It was the faith that she had in the Prophet that whispered in the back of her head like a father consoling a child after a nightmare. He promised her that this was all part of the plan. That he wouldn't let them keep her. He only wanted to know where they were all hiding and if that meant Faith had to play the role of bait, she would be more than glad to help him.

There was an anger in Xavier's eyes as he stared intently at the angel of the family. A bright flame that reminded Faith of the depths of hell. The intensity, the rage, the way it burned recklessly with no signs of stopping. It was his sin coming up to the surface. That she was sure of. She had seen it in the eyes of those that Elijah brought into the main compound all of the time. The next time she would see them though, that fire would be extinguished. Nowhere to be found. Not even the slightest glimmer of it.


Faith supposed the wrathful fire in Xavier's eyes was deserved though. The last time the two had met, she had just been introduced to the power of Paragon. Had just tasted the sweet nectar of the angel tear flowers. She had forced that same sweet, honey like substance down the sheriff's throat. Just before showing him the murder of his family. Though it had been by his hands, it was no secret that it had been Faith's doing. That the event was to show the wrath of the angel and just how influential her sweet sounding words could be. It was almost like a song that would echo through a void around the sheriff. He had fallen back into it after a moment, letting go of the troubles in his head, giving full control over to the tears as Faith guided his hand to aim the gun at the child and then the wife.

Abraham had said he would regret crossing the Order.

"State your name for the record." There was a hint of spite in his voice as Xavier spoke, obviously avoiding to look at Faith but rather he would focus his gaze on the tape recorder in between the two of them on the table.

Leaning closer to speak into the microphone, a small smile would pull at the edge of her lips. "Faith Wright."

"Your 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍 name."

A soft sigh would break Faith's lips as she leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms over her chest and looking at him with a quirked brow. "I have no idea what you mean."

Rolling his eyes at her words and avoidance of the past that he knew about the sheriff would tear his gaze away from hers and look at the papers in front of him. "Sophie Muldrow. Says here you're 25 years old, grew up in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, but you came here under the assumption that your brother was here, yes?" He'd now glance at her only to narrow his eyes once more when all she did was shrug in response. "But when you came here you realized that your brother. . . Noah had joined the Order of Paragon. A religious cult here in Haven. Is that right?"

Another shrug.

This time, instead of continuing the sheriff would sigh deeply, rubbing his temples in a stressed manner. "You have to work with me here, Sophie. No one blames you for anything. They know Abraham had you --"

"Just like you don't blame me for the deaths of your family?" She'd ask with a curious hint to her voice. Leaning on her arms on the table, Faith would tilt her head. "What is it you're wanting to know, Sheriff Rye?"

Her words had clearly taken him aback. His eyes searching hers in a long, lingering moment of silence before he'd clear his throat. Perhaps trying to keep his anger at bay for now. "I just want to know what happened to you. What is the cult even doing?"

She would lean back in her seat as she pondered his question. She could tell him the truth of course. Give him the answers that he wanted. Maybe create some sort of peace within his head. Try to justify the feelings he had towards her. To let him come to the decision of if she was worth saving or not.

But why should he know such peace?
Why should he get to know what happened to her?
Hadn't he been the one to try and turn a cold shoulder to her first?

No sinner like him should get to know peace. Not now and not a hundred years from now. According to those within the circle, Xavier Rye was one of those rare cases that were beyond help.

Nudging the microphone closer to her, the sheriff would look at her with pleading eyes. "Please. Tell me what happened to you. We may still be able to help you." Was this the reason why they had chosen to go after Faith before anyone else? They thought she was the easiest to get through to? She felt disgust at the thought of betraying the prophet to a sinner. To give away such details would be an unforgivable sin. One that she was far from committing.

Yet she would shift in her seat to speak into the microphone. Letting the past memories flood over her. Slowly at first, almost like a movie, and then all at once before she would try to speak.

"I had come here because my brother had sent me a letter saying he was here. I found him during one of the recruitment meetings that you had advised against me going to. And then I followed them to the baptism and Elijah had been the first one to see me─"

***
"You know," The voice started in a whisper in Sophie's ear. She didn't even need to look to know he had a smile on the edge of his lips ( not that she would've looked even if she wasn't frozen in place at the feeling of the gun pressed into her back ). "Abraham said he would be expecting you to come soon. 'A snake in the garden' is what he first called you."

Still frozen in place, Sophie would almost feel like she had no control of her limbs as he dug his fingers into her arm just above her elbow. Pulling her up to her feet with a fair amount of roughness as if she was a rag doll instead of a human being. "He'll be so happy to see you, 𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒍." His voice came out in a hiss as he referred to her before pushing her out in front of him. She'd stumble in step, rolling across the dirt clearing, landing right in a pair of black boots.

Looking up with fear in her eyes she would see it was her brother. The sole reason why she was there. So far away from home. The reason why she was now in danger of being harmed. "Noah. . .Please." She would reach out to him, desperate for him to help her out of this. They could leave. They could run away from the gathering. Go back home. Act like this was just a bad dream.

But he remained unmoving.

There was no change in his expression as he watched as a hand closed around the fabric of her shirt and started to drag her. He remained unmoving as Sophie let out terrified pleas for help. Trying to squirm her way out of it, digging the heel of her shoes into the ground all in an attempt to make this stop. It was only here that she wished she had listened to the sheriff last night. Wished she had listened to his advice of stopping while she was ahead. He had told her that even if she didn't think they saw her or notice her, they were still watching her. He had even shown a hint of fear when she had told him she had gone to the recruitment meeting a few weeks prior. He had even shown concern during her first week in Haven when Abrahm had talked to her outside of the diner.

She was pulled back up to her feet at the water's edge but was still dragged through the water until it was at the waist of her jeans and she was now standing in front of him. Abraham. At the recruitment meeting they called him "Prophet" a name that held a spine shivering amount of power in the tent. A name that she would've never given to the man that had returned her wallet that first week in Haven.

He wore his yellow stained sunglasses despite the sun being low in the sky and behind the trees at this point. His hair was pulled back and most of his tattoos were hidden under his shirt, only showing the ones on his forearms due to his sleeves being pushed up to the elbow. The part of his appearance though that made Sophie's stomach turn and twist up into knots was the smile on his face. The look of triumph as he studied the female in front of her. Looking as if he had already won the war that had barely just gotten started. "Sister Faith. It's nice of you to finally join us. I have to say, I was a little worried you didn't get Noah's letter until I saw you in town."

There was a feeling of disbelief that knocked the wind out of her when she looked back to her brother. He no longer was looking at her but listening to whatever it was being whispered into his ear by the one who had first found her hiding. Had he known this is what would happen if she had left home in search of him? Had he known this would be his sister's fate and just had decided not to warn her? Had this been the plan all along?

Fingers would rest under her chin, returning her gaze to Abraham as she tried to break free of the grip of his other hand. It would prove to be no use when she walked backwards right into someone else. "You have a purpose here, Faith, the Reaping can not happen without your help. You just have to trust me."

As soon as he got those words out, Sophie couldn't help but spit right back into his face. Her action earned a heavy smack against the side of her head with the butt of the gun from the person behind her. Her ears started to ring, the hit almost knocking her off balance if it weren't for the tight grip Abraham had on her arm. "I'll forgive you of your actions for now, Sister. I know it is the demons within you. You're still but a snake within the garden, but have no fear. Elijah will help you become the angel you truly are."

With that being said, Abraham would let go of her and him and the other man that had been with them in the river would move back up towards the bank. She'd watch, almost ignoring the new touch on her shoulder. It was a gentle touch now as the calloused fingers brushed softly against her skin before resting on her hand, pulling her back out further into the water. He'd stop when he was standing on her left side. A bright smile pulling on his lips as he rested his hand against the back of her neck now. "You cling to your sin, 𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒍. You've fallen so hard yet when salvation is offered to you, you turn it away with such anger. Why?"

Biting the inside of her cheek, Sophie would remain silent. Not wanting to say anything that may make the situation worse than it already was. Her only sign of response was now the fire in her eyes that told Elijah all that he needed to know. "All he is asking is for a little bit of trust. To believe in the word of Abraham. In God. I know that may seem like a leap of faith right now, but it'll be easier after this."

Not waiting for the sound of protest that got caught in the back of her throat, he would pull her under the water. She'd watch as her screams got trapped in bubbles, floating to the surface but not being heard. They'd disappear until the water was calm again, leaving all the more room for it to fill her mouth seep down into her lungs. The feeling of weights would attach to her body, trying to pull her deeper into the darkness of the river but the baptist's hand would ultimately stop it.

He'd pull her back up to the surface. Giving her a second to breathe, to cough up all of the water as he rested a hand on her chest that she would almost immediately grab to keep herself steady. "What about now, 𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒍?"

"Fuck you." She'd growl in between breaths.

Her grip on his arm grew tighter when he pushed her back under the water. Nails digging into his skin as he held her under the water longer this time. The river would waste no time this time to take over her lungs. Killing the fighting spirit within the female. In fact, it pulled all of her fight and energy out of her all at once. Forcing her to relax under the touch.

And once she did stop fighting. She almost felt weightless. As if she was floating all by herself. She could feel every nerve in her body relax and almost start vibrating. A feeling that felt euphoric even after he pulled her out of the water once more.

"And now?"

Through the fog within her own eyes, Sophie could see the pleased look in his eyes when he brought her gaze to meet hers. It was only then did she realize just how altered everything was after the baptism. For one she felt lighter even as she continued to cough up the water that had forced its way down her throat. The feeling of Elijah's touch felt like fire against her skin with every step they took to the embankment. He had to guide her to even sit down in the back of the van that they had sitting off to the side. Her head was spinning, everything about those that piled in after them was a blur. No longer being able to make out the shapes of individuals and no longer could she hear what was being said. As if it were being blocked out, not even registering with her that something was truly being said.

What had been in the water?

She would try to keep her head up right as the vehicle started to move. Knowing she had to find a way, a chance to get out of there. But the harder she tried, the more the dark edges around her vision seemed to close in.

"Rest now, 𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒍." Elijah would speak softly in her ear, brushing her hair out of her face. "You have a long way to go until you truly are the angel that will save us all." His voice carried so softly into the storm of silence around her, lulling her into a deep sleep almost as if it had been a lullaby instead of a threat.