Eden's Gate

Chapter 1 - Sometimes the best thing to do is to walk away.

Soulmates. A person ideally suited to another as a romantic partner or a close friend. A single mark on your skin, forever there. Some believe it is a blessing to have a soulmate's mark, knowing there is someone out there waiting for you, who will love you unconditionally. Others see a soulmate's mark as a constant reminder of a future that they have no control over. I am one of those people.

Most are born with either 1 or 2 marks, I was born with 4, scattered across my body, connected by black vine-like lines. A long white Lily-like flower on my left ankle, its stem connecting to the black lines. A hunter's dagger and revolver crossing over one another sat on my right ankle, the handle of the dagger connecting to the vines. On my left arm, a long metal chain wrapped around, one end connecting to the vines. On my right wrist, a book with a cross on it, connected to the vines by the spine of the book. Each of the vines connected to a large cross in the middle of my back. Not a normal cross, oh no. A cross that I had found weird, as it wasn't the normal Christianity cross. Almost a Scientology Cross, only shorter. The marks appeared on my 15th birthday, just as it did for most people. I was excited at first, but after years of never finding any of them made me realise just how much of a curse they are.

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"Hey, Rookie. Rookie!" A voice broke me out of my thoughts. I looked up from the phone, which a moment ago was playing a video of the cult. The Sheriff, Earl Whitehorse, was across the helicopter looking at me. "You're wasting your time, there's no signal out here."

I looked back at Marshal Burke, looking over the federal warrant for Joseph Seed's arrest, whilst I pocketed the phone. As I turned to look out the window, Pratt spoke over the headsets. "Crossing over the Henbane now." From the fog, a large white statue of Joseph Seed emerged, looking over the county with a book in his hand. Both Marshall and Deputy Hudson voiced their disgust at the man, whilst I sat in silence. I turned back to the others as Hudson spoke.

"We're officially in Peggie country." I pulled down the sleeves on my uniform, making sure I covered up two of my soul marks. I zoned out as Marshall and the Sheriff argued about taking Joseph Seed into custody. I knew exactly who my soulmates were, and which was their soul mark. I wanted to know more about the Seed's before I came out here. I wanted to be prepared, to know what I was getting into by coming here.

As Pratt opened a call to dispatch, I wondered if it would be too late to back out. I knew what the Seed's had done, I knew what monsters they were. What I didn't know was what they would do if they found out I was their soulmate. That had me scared.

"We're here. Compound's just below." Pratt called out. I looked out the window again, to see buildings below us. Two fires were lit in the compound, billowing smoke into the fog above. Pratt, Hudson and the Sheriff expressed their nerves at going into the compound. But Marshal crushed each of their hopes of leaving with three words.

"We're going in."

With that Pratt landed the helicopter. People scattered across the compound turned towards the descending helicopter, wondering what had come to their home. Each person carried a weapon, from assault rifles to flamethrowers, they were armed and obviously knew how to use them.

Before we left, the Sheriff spoke. "Now listen up. Three rules: Stick close. Keep your guns in your holsters and let me do the talking. Got it." Directing the last rule to Marshal. With a swift reply from the Marshal and a nod from me, the Sheriff continued. "Alright everyone, stay sharp. Let's go." Marshal, Hudson, Sheriff and I all exited the helicopter and began walking towards the Church. Peggies looked at us as we passed, following us with their eye, hands holding their weapons ready to fight. My palm became sweaty as my nerves became shot. Anxiety began to take over. My mind raced with what if's as we continued.

What if they knew? What if we don't make it out of here? What if I ran and never looked back? I shook my head, banishing these thoughts from my mind as I walked next to Hudson. No, I would not let us be trapped here. We will arrest Joseph Seed, take him jail and I can move on with my life. They will never know I am their soulmate. I stood taller than I thought possible as we made it to the Church entrance. Amazing Grace could be heard from inside the Church as Marshal and the Sheriff discussed how to take Joseph Seed in.

"Hudson, on the door. Watch our backs. Don't let any of these people get in. Rookie, on me." He turned to Marshal. "And you, just try not to do anything stupid." Marshal put a hand on the Sheriff's shoulder.

"Relax Sheriff. You're about to get your name in the paper." Marshal stepped back as the Sheriff pulled the door open. Hudson turned to me saying "You'll be fine" as we walked in.

"Something is coming. You can feel it, can't you?" A voice spoke. As we stepped inside, the Peggies turned to us. "That we are creeping towards the edge... and there will be a reckoning." A man stood at in front of us, being bathed in light from a window. A cross-shaped window. The same cross that sat on your back. "That is why we started The Project. Because we know what happens next. They will come. They will try to take from us. Take our guns. Take our freedom... Take our faith." People sat in the pews stood as we drew closer to the man. "We will not let them." The Marshal turned to the Sheriff, wanting him to take the man into custody already, but the Sheriff told him to wait.

The man stood on a stage, candles by his feet and two screens by his sides. Behind him stood his family. "We will not let their greed, or their immorality, or their depravity hurt us anymore! There will be no more suffering." The man continued. The Marshal became too impatient and stepped closer to the man, holding the warrant up.

"Joseph Seed, I have a warrant issued for your arrest on the suspicion of kidnapping with the intent to harm!" The Marshal shouted. "Now, I want you to step forward and keep your hands where I can see 'em!" Peggies began to step closer to us, ready to defend the Father with all they had. The man, Joseph Seed calmly raised his arms forward and continued to speak, looking directly at Marshal.

"Here they are... the Locusts in our garden... You see they've come for me." Joseph turned to look at me as his followers closed in on us. My heart beat rose as my fear increased, but I kept a neutral expression. I would not let Joseph know. "They've come to take me away from you. They've come to destroy all that we built." Shouts of anger and protest began to be heard from the crowd, not willing to let their Father be taken from them. Marshal reached for his gun, but the Sheriff noticed.

"Now hold on, do not touch that service weapon! Hold on and stand down! Stand down!" The Sheriff turned to the Peggies "Everyone calm down!" Joseph Seed stepped down from the stage and stood by his followers. His family, Faith, Jacob and John Seed walked across the stage, looking at me as they did so.

"We knew this moment would come. We have prepared for it. Go. Go." Joseph said as the Peggies left, each looking at me as they passed. "God will not let them take me." Joseph raised his hands into the air, reaching to the heavens. "I saw when the Lamb opened the First Seal, and I heard as it were, the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts say, come and see..."

"Step. Forwards." The Marshal interrupted, Joseph looked at him and lowered his arms, stepping closer to him before continuing.

"... and I saw, and behold it was a white horse..." Joseph pointed at Marshal before looking at each of us. He lowered his hand and looked back at me. His eyes locking on to mine. "and Hell followed with him." He held his arms out, as if beckoning me to step closer towards him and take his hand. I was lost in thought as I looked at him. My whole body ached, knowing I was this close to my soulmates, to the people I was meant to love unconditionally for eternity. The Marshal brought me back to earth as he called my name.

"Rookie, cuff this son of a bitch." I turned back to face Joseph. His family stood behind him, all looking at me too.

"God will not let you take me" Joseph spoke. My mind raced, part of me wanted to leave, to never come back and to continue my life how it was before this, Alone and safe. But if I left, Hope's County would never be free from Joseph or his family. The Seed's would continue to wreak havoc upon the locals, with no one to stop them. I couldn't abandon anyone to face a life with the Seeds. Not even my worst enemy.

Happy with my resolve, I took the handcuffs from my back pocket and stepped closer to Joseph, attaching the handcuffs to each wrist. I refused to look at him, instead looking at his hands. On his left wrist sat a soulmates mark, a pair of scales. As I cuffed Joseph, I felt him lean forward and whisper in my ear.

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