“Church of Nightmares: Part 1 - Well this is fun”

Posted on Sun May 8th, 2022 @ 4:36am by Jaclyn Morrison & Unawakened Kai Irving & Private Mattias Tonelly

Mission: Tales of the Unawakened
Location: Church of Eternal Light Compound, Edgerton Wyoming
Timeline: Current

“Church of Nightmares: Part 1 - Well this is fun”

She was cold. That was the first thing that hit Jaclyn as she woke. Cold and... damp... she was on something hard, cold and wet. Her mind was groggy and she felt like throwing up. She moved and a groan escaped her lips. At least she was clothed... still cold though. Jaclyn struggled into a sitting position and blinked in the dimly lit room. It was a basement of some sort.

She went to move and found her ankle had a shackle around it and her left arm was in a cast. “Brilliant” She muttered. “Now what”

“You're finally awake, I see." A gruff, male voice sounded from the shadows a few meters away from Jaclyn.

She tensed and looked towards the voice. Her gaze narrowed. “Oh nice, hiding in the shadows?” Jaclyn refused to show fear. Inside she was shaking.

"Who said I'm hiding?" A lamp was clicked on, revealing Peter's face as he sat in an old recliner. "I was just enjoying watching you while you slept."

“Oh and Simon would be so jealous, Weasel” She snarled at him. He really did look like a weasel to her. “They leave you here alone huh? Guess Simon is still being punished.”

Peter smiled a disturbing smile. "Simon is talking to the Reverend. You really need to start behaving. If not…well, I could make you behave like a good girl."

Jaclyn rolled her eyes “You know for a weasel you sure talk a lot. That said, Simon at least was man enough to hit someone, you just talk about it.”

Peter got up and moved over to where Jaclyn was tied up. He reached down and grabbed her throat strongly. With his other hand, he slapped her across her face hard. "You like that, you little bitch?"

She glared at him and blood pooled in the corner of her mouth. “Big tough weasel, beating an injured and bound person.”

Peter scowled at Jaclyn's attitude. He started to choke her tighter.

Jaclyn lashed out with her left arm hitting him with her cast even as her right hand formed claws and scratched his face.

Peter grunted in pain from the hit and the clawing. Rearing his right hand back, he nailed her hard, right in the middle of her face, the sound of her nose breaking was heard. He then resumed strangling her. He was so angry, he didn't care about the outcome.

Monica came in. “PETER!” She yelled and grabbed him pulling him back from Jaclyn’s whose' face was covered in blood and her eyes were closed.

“No Peter, the Reverend will not approve!”

“Indeed not.” the Reverend appeared in the doorway. His voice, a deep baritone, seemed to fill the entire basement. There was a power that seemed to vibrate from his very presence.

He stared disapprovingly at Peter. “Simon was reckless and you are being just as bad.” He looked down at Jaclyn who was curled into a ball.

Releasing a heavy, disappointed sigh, the Reverend continued. “Monica, take Peter out of here. Place him in the Box, he is to remain there for three days, only one bottle of water, no food. And then, send in the medic.” He then turned and left the cell.

As he exited the basement, he stated, “We want our newest member to be fit and healthy.”

Monica nodded and pushed Peter from the room before summoning the Medic who had previously patched up Jaclyn’s arm. She handed Peter over to Carl with the instructions and then returned to speak with the Reverend. “Is there anything else I can do, Reverend?”

After exiting the basement, the Reverend had moved to the lounge, and was warming himself in front of the warm fireplace. "We must make an example of Peter. This behaviour will not be tolerated. When discipline is meted out, it is not to be life threatening.

“He was following Simon’s lead” Monica said warily. “Simon believed he had the right to... treat Jaclyn that way.”

The Reverend turned and levelled his gaze at Monica, the power in his eyes was unmistakable. He carried himself as if he was the Alpha here, which he was.

"Punishments that severe will only be handed out by me. If your men cannot abide by my rules, then perhaps they all should be sent to the Hole for a few weeks of hard labor. Perhaps then, they will all remember their place."

Monica gave a roll of her shoulders. “Michael and Mary are much better prospects, the refuge in Wright is set up for them.” She paused as the medic entered and stopped, awaiting permission to speak.

Looking over at the woman, The Reverend nodded. "Yes, my child. What is it?"

“Her nose is broken. And she will have a concussion.”

The Reverend nodded slowly. "How long until she is well enough to work? The Lord needs all of his children working and doing their full share of the burdens, so we may all be ready for His return."

The Medic bowed “A few weeks until the arm is fully healed. The other child can return to her role at Haven House as soon as programming is complete. I will say that the elder girl has lived a pampered life. We will be able to commence her lessons tomorrow I believe.”

Nodding sagely, the Reverend replied. "Very well. She will be excused from the harder work until she is well enough to be properly productive. See that she recovers quickly, my child."

"Yes Reverend" The medic said and left the room.

Monica watched and listened as the medic spoke to the Reverend. “And Kai?” she asked curiously. “I know she is younger than you normally bring here, but she could have been the person behind Jaclyn’s flight.”

As the medic left the room, The Reverend turned to answer his most loyal of followers. He took in a deep, thoughtful breath, then slowly released it through his nostrils. "Bring her to my office this afternoon. I will speak with her."

Monica nodded. "Of course Reverend. I do hope she listens, i would hate to loose such a good worker." she left him to his thoughts.

===M===

That afternoon, Monica returned with a bedraggled and sullen Kai. The 13 year old girl glowered at the Reverend as she was brought in, her arm firmly held by Monica. “Reverend, as requested, I have brought Kai to you.”

Sitting at his large, dark-stained, mahogany desk, the Reverend looked up from the well-used family Bible that he was given on the day of his baptism. "Thank you, Monica, you may leave us." His steely-gaze lowered to Kai's. The power in his eyes caused her to freeze.

As the door closed, leaving the two of them alone in his well-appointed office, he spoke. "Thank you for coming in, my child. Have a seat." He raised his left hand and indicated the hard, wooden chair that was positioned in front of his desk. From the tone of his voice, he was ot asking.

Kai, having been dressed in a long skirt and long sleeved shirt, and loafers took a seat. She refused to speak.

The silence hung between them for several beats. Then, the Reverend started to speak. "My child, how long have you been with us?"

Kai knew exactly to the day but she was not going to speak. She hated the man in front of her. He helped Monica and Carl use her as slave labour. She had put up with this man’s pontificating about God for 3 years and she was done. She stared at a spot behind him.

The Reverend's voice free a bit darker. There was danger in his tone when he spoke again. "Children will answer when an adult asks them a question. Unless, of course, you wish to spend some time in the Box. I'm sure a week in there would remind you of proper manners, Child."

Kai just stopped herself from rolling her eyes. “3 years Sir” she said, her tone flat and cold.

The Reverend nodded his head sagely, as he sat back in his plush chair. "Yes, I remember now. You and your mother came to me, seeking shelter and assistance." He looked squarely at the young girl. "And have you not had shelter, three square meals a day, a bed to sleep in?"

“Yes” she replied, her tone not changing, and she still did not look at him. He coloured everything in the way he wanted it. Her mother had been taken by this man, of that she was sure.

"All this generosity towards you and your mother," he continued. "And what is given back to us. Your mother stole from us and ran away, leaving you here, which is a sin, by the way. A mother must never leave her child." He shook his head sadly. "And you, my child, you have started to become rebellious towards those that keep you safe. If I wasn't a man of God, I might have sent you away by now. However," he paused, his voice turning softer, almost hypnotic. "I have kept you here, watched over you, along with the rest of my flock, because I love you. I love you as Jesus loved us all, and as his father, the Almighty loved everything."

His voice could lull her, and she clenched her fists in her lap, digging her nails into her palms. “Fathers protect. Peter and Simon hurt people using the Lord's Name. Where was the protection for me then?” she asked, her tone calm.

He nodded. "You are correct, Peter and Simon have blasphemed agai st the Almighty. Peter is currently serving his penance. When Simon returns, I will speak with him as well. As for His protection of you, you are still alive, are you not? He gives each of us challenges. From these challenges, we become stronger and wiser, and more in tune with His teachings. Do you not remember the pains that He took on, when he absorbed all of our sins? Our Lord, Jesus Christ, the Son of God Himself, gave his mortal life, so that we all would have a place in His Kingdom!"

“I am alive because Jaclyn stood between me and them. Monica and Carl have let them beat me, and worse. So no lord presence in Haven House Reverend.” Kai said calmly. “And where was the Lord when Simon broke Jaclyn's arm?”

"You are alive, my child, because He put Jaclyn there!" He said forcefully. "All that happens is by His design. Each of us are tested every single day. The pain that our physical forms must take, strengthen our spiritual forms."

Now Kai had had enough, she had two choices. She could fight this man or she could pretend as she had for years to acquiesce to his words. She chose the former. “No, He didn’t put Jaclyn there. She put herself there. She didn’t come to Haven house to join you. She came because she is heading to her Aunt’s in LA. And she chose to stop for work. The Lord had nothing to do with it. She is here in this... hell hole because of you, and Monica and Carl and Simon and Peter!” She stood not caring now that she was yelling. “You are an EVIL Man and I have known this for years! I will not play your games any longer!”

In a move so fast that it belied his size and age, the Reverend sprung from his chair, leaned over the desk, pulled his left hand back, and backhanded Kai so hard, he knocked her to the ground.

Then, before she could react, he was around the desk, reaching down, grabbing her by her hair and jerking her up to her feet. As he held her upright with his right hand, he continued to slap her repeatedly with his left.

"You," SLAP. "Will," SLAP. "Respect," SLAP. "Your," SLAP. "Elders!!" SLAP.

Kai didn’t hesitate; she let her screams come and yelled and failed back at him, her hands lashing out, scratching his arms and hands as best she could, yelling “NO” and “LET ME GO!” at the top of her lungs.

Grunting from the pain her attacks caused, the Reverend hauled back and punched Kai in the centre of her chest, knocking the wind out of her. He then lifted her up and hurled her against the far wall.

The teenager slumped to the floor out cold.

Hearing the yelling and the noise brought Monica in. She paused at the doorway. “Reverend?” She asked tentatively.

"Take that ungrateful brat out of my sight!" He growled. "She has gone beyond the Box for punishment. A few days on the well will break her disobedience. Then, when she is pulled back out, if she is still disobedient, put her back in for another week! In His Holy name, she will become respectful and obedient!"

Monica nodded, bowed. “Yes Reverend” and then she took Kai by the wrists and dragged her from the room.

OFF

Monica - played by Jill
Reverend Dwayne Marrs - Played by Bill
Weasel Peter - Played by Bill