Just that Sinner

19

The morning after Meagan is the first to wake up, she looks at her girlfriend and can't help but smile. She still doesn't believe that Amethyst is back in her life. Not only that, but she also can't believe that Ryan is out of her life. His memory still weighs heavily on her, but it's lighter than it once was. Right now, she's just thankful to feel safe and be safe. Even though her childhood still haunts her like an unwanted ghost.
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At 12 years old, Meagan was working harder than anyone her age should be but was taught to believe it was normal.
Meagan and one of Albert's many wives follow a young man named Caleb, outside to the fields and they are all given shovels and a latter. "Start digging" a much older man, Jedidiah instructs.
"What are we doing?" Billie asks.
"Father Albert wants a well so start digging and stop slacking!" The grumpy old man yells and with that, they all start digging the hole.
They can forget about food or water until they finish digging, it's inhumane but most things in their sect are.
Working always seem to take priority, working and doing it happily without question.
Thankfully, spring has just arrived so it's not too hot or too cold but, digging an 8-foot-deep well isn't an easy or quick task.
As they all begin to dig Caleb looks up at them and whispers, "Do you ever think about getting out of this place?"
The two look at him in shock, "No, no. I couldn't be happier to be following the truth." Meagan says but wishes she could be more outspoken about how she feels.
"Why? Don't you wonder what the outside is like?" He asks again. Meagan does in fact want to know but doesn't dare say so.
"Oh no, no. You better be careful, the devil is putting those thoughts into your head." Lydia tells him.
Just about as Caleb was about to say something the man watching shouted, "Stop wasting time and get digging! Don't disregard Father Albert's requests."
"Yes sir, I am sorry," Meagan says back.
"What if I don't want to?" Caleb says to the man as he rolls his eyes and tosses the shovel to the ground.
"What was that?!" The older man asks the younger one.
"I said what if I don't want to? What if I don't give a damn about this fucking cult and their fucked up leader?!" Caleb shouts. Albert must've heard the commotion cause he soon comes barging out to the well-digging site.
"Remember, I hear everything," Albert tells Caleb.
"Well, no shit Sherlock!?! I'm so fucking sick of this bullshit!" Caleb shouts and aggressively throws his hat to the ground and storms off.
Meagan and Lydia looked at each other and at Albert,
"I'll be praying for him extra hard tonight," Meagan says.
"The Lord will take care of him," Albert tells them before going off to find Caleb.
Meagan looks over to Amethyst's house and waves as she sees her new friend in the front yard of her home. Amethyst smiles and waves back, she can't seem to figure out what to think of the compound next to her but it sure is intriguing. All Meagan wants to do is run off to Amethyst and never come back, she's been wanting to do so for years, ever since their movie night. Things don't work out that way though, they are much more complicated. It's causing her to feel like death is the only escape but doesn't want to do that yet, she wants to make sure Amethyst knows the truth first. So can't enter the afterlife without knowing for a fact that her friend will be there someday with her.