Warning this is fucked up and contains incest
The night air was cool and still, with the soft hum of cicadas providing the only sound in the commune. Vincent sat alone by the large oak tree near the edge of the community, staring up at the stars. He often came here to think, away from the others, away from the whispers of the women who filled the commune with their constant reverence for Rody.
The commune was all Vincent had ever known. It was a secluded place, hidden deep within the forest, far from the prying eyes of the outside world. For as long as he could remember, the women had told him stories about Rody-their leader, their father, their god. They spoke of him with a devotion that Vincent never quite understood, but it was all he had ever known, so he accepted it as truth.
Vincent had always been different. The women told him he was special because he was the only boy born in the commune, the only son of Rody. Every other child was a girl, and all of them knew their place-to serve, to worship, to love Rody. Vincent grew up surrounded by sisters, by mothers who doted on him, who told him how lucky he was to be chosen by Rody, how blessed he was to be his son.
But Vincent didn't really understand what that meant. He had never questioned it, never wondered why things were the way they were. He was innocent, naïve, raised in a world where Rody was the center of everything, and his word was law. The women adored Rody, and Vincent learned to do the same. He learned to smile when Rody looked at him, to nod when Rody spoke, to obey without question. It was the only life he had ever known.
As he grew older, though, Vincent began to notice things. The way the women looked at him, the way they whispered when they thought he wasn't listening. He began to see how the women would go in and out of Rody's house, and how they would come back different-swollen with new life, carrying Rody's children. Vincent was curious, but he never asked questions. He didn't want to upset anyone, didn't want to break the serene, perfect life they all lived.
But tonight, something felt different. Vincent had seen another woman, his sister, slip into Rody's house earlier that evening. She had looked at him with a mixture of pity and something else-something Vincent couldn't quite place. It made him uneasy, and he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more he wasn't seeing, something he wasn't being told.
He was lost in thought when he heard the sound of footsteps behind him. Vincent turned to see Rody approaching, his tall figure silhouetted against the night sky. Vincent's heart leaped in his chest, a mixture of fear and excitement filling him as Rody drew closer.
"Vincent," Rody said, his voice smooth and gentle, the way it always was when he spoke to Vincent. "What are you doing out here all alone?"
"I... I was just thinking," Vincent replied, his voice soft. He looked down at the ground, suddenly feeling shy under Rody's gaze.
Rody smiled, a small, almost paternal smile. "You've been doing that a lot lately, haven't you?"
Vincent nodded. "Yes, I suppose I have."
Rody stepped closer, his hand coming to rest on Vincent's shoulder. The touch was warm, reassuring, but there was something about it that made Vincent's skin prickle. "What's on your mind?" Rody asked.
Vincent hesitated. He didn't know how to put his thoughts into words, didn't know if he should even try. But Rody's presence was comforting, and he found himself speaking before he could stop himself. "I've been wondering... about the outside. Is there more out there than the commune?"
Rody's smile faltered for just a moment, but it was enough to send a shiver down Vincent's spine. "Why do you ask that?" Rody's voice was still calm, still kind, but there was an edge to it that Vincent had never heard before.
