I remember the day the demons first crept into my mind; When they first tried to confuse me, turn me away from the path, take over. It was a test that, without the help of Master Jonas, I would have failed.

It looked like a storm was coming. Thunder cracked somewhere in the distance but it was loud enough to make me jump. It began to drizzle down on us while we waited to enter Chapel. I always loved Chapel, the way it stands up so tall with the symbol of compassion and devotion lit up with colorful lights hanging far above our heads. It always gave me a sense of peace. That day though, the day the demons began to torture me, the lights were dark and a strange feeling of loss rolled around in my stomach.

Master Jonas was very near the end of the path. He moved with a youthful energy but his hair was white and his face was crinkled like a badly folded map. His eyes were a light blue which made him look like the epitome of honesty and kindness. I loved to look into his eyes and listen to all the words of the gods spoken through his pale lips.

Liar.

That was the demons first word to me.

“I’m so excited Pier!” Lisa cried out, she held my arm tightly.

Lisa was my best friend and yet at that moment I didn’t recognize her. I shook my arm and tried to step away from her, break free from her grasp. She was a stranger trying to hurt me. She didn’t notice my reaction.

“I’m so excited,” she kept on. “I love these surprise congregations, you just know something big has happened. I’m so excited.”

Fool.

The massive doors creaked and opened a crack. A large man and a tall slender girl appeared from inside, pushing the doors until they slid completely open. They then stood silently at the edges of the doorway like a pair of guards. I paused for a moment realizing I never see them anywhere in the compound except at the doors of Chapel.

Everyone else ignored them like a pair of stone statues they’d already seen a million times before. As I followed the group into Chapel, I stole a quick glance at the girl. Her dark eyes and oddly colored hair intrigued me; that shade of purple was not made by the gods. She was a strange kind of beautiful.

She looked over at me, our eyes met for an electric moment. I shifted my focus, pretended I wasn’t looking at her. I was looking at the door frame, at the vines climbing the wall, at anything but her. I almost tripped over.

Master Jonas entered from the small door at the back of the stage. As far as I knew no one but Master Jonas ever went back there. It was probably his personal room, with the same hard mattress, penance cup and small candle as everybody else.

Chapel filled with applause as soon as he entered. He stood for a moment, his hands above his head and his rough old walking stick perched between them. He was soaking up the energy that flowed from the gods through us and up to him. It was a glorious ritual and I gave all the energy I could.

Deceiver.

I cringed. The demon’s words hurt me. I squeezed my eyes shut.

When I opened my eyes again the room was quiet. Master Jonas already crossed the stage and was standing behind the podium. I thought for a brief second he was staring right at me but his eyes were just wandering across the crowd.

“Today…” his voice was a hammer. “Today is a day of jubilation and of mourning.”

“What’s that mean?” Lisa whispered beside me.

“Our brothers McGuire and Callaghan who left on a mission of faith just a few days ago have sent word,” he paused for a moment. “The mission has been completed and Brother McGuire is on his way back to us.”

I let out a small sigh of relief. Lisa must have heard me because she turned to look at me. I kept my eyes on the stage.

“Brother Callaghan was not so fortunate.” A solemn tone entered his voice.

“A demon of the outer world struck him down,” He bellowed. A few whispers passed around the audience. “Brother Callaghan has sacrificed his life for the greater good. Hail Brother Callaghan!”

“Hail Brother Callaghan!” The crowd sang in unison.

“Brother Callaghan will be rewarded for his efforts with early passage to the other side. Let the other side embrace Brother Callaghan and keep him well.”

“Hail Brother Callaghan!” The crowd sang again.

Worthless. He died for nothing.

A cheer exploded in Chapel and I was left standing alone while everyone else danced around me. My stomach twisted into a knot. My husband and I rarely spoke anymore, in the last few weeks he we haven’t said a word. I didn’t know he left the compound and now he was on his way home again? And from a mission of faith where he could have been killed like Brother Callaghan was? I looked around the crowd wondering if Brother Callaghan was married.

I saw no tears.

It was just over six months since we arrived at the compound. We were only married a week by that stage. I suppose we are still married but it’s been so long since I’d even felt his touch, but still when I saw him or when I heard his name…

Lost. He’s gone forever.

I thought we were happy. We had our problems but we were together, it was enough to get us by. Liam was always pessimistic and I tried to cheer him up when he seemed at his lowest but it was just who he was.

Then we found ‘The Family’. We went once a week, it was great seeing him so happy all the time, then we went twice a week. Liam began to devote everything to The Family, he found the answers to the questions he didn’t know or understand. I thought he might cancel the wedding but I don’t think it occurred to him, we went through with it and for our honeymoon he brought us to the compound.

“This is our new home.” he said.

…And I watched them lock the gates behind us.

“Onto more great news we have for today,” Master Jonas was speaking again. “Several members have achieved their level four status! Nicole Freeman, come to the stage.”

Somewhere over by the back wall there was a squeal of delight. A small woman swam through the crowd like it was nothing more than a wading pool. She climbed up on stage and took a silent stance a few feet away from Master Jonas. I could see her lips twitch as she tried to suppress her smile.

“Benjamin Roland.” Master Jonas said.

Benji climbed up on stage and took his place next to Nicole.

“And Lisa Smith.”

Lisa nudged me and let out a small laugh. She made her way to the stage, climbing the stairs then taking her place next to Benji. I had no idea she made it to level four. She stood there on stage, grinning her stupid head off.

Master Jonas circled the three of them, Looking each of them over like he was inspecting them. Then he shook each of them by the hand. It’s a real honor to touch Master Jonas, Benji even had trouble letting go of his hand. I almost laughed at the look on his face but I managed to keep it in.

Stupid rituals. Meaningless honors.

It was then I noticed the big man and the tall girl, the statues from the doorway, were watching me. The man’s face was expressionless, he was just merely watching me as though I was no one and he could have been looking at anyone. The girl, however, was looking at me out of the corner of her eye, a slight smirk on her lips. I suddenly felt drawn to her.

I would have taken a step toward her except the crowd turned all at once toward the massive doors behind us. A figure was standing there who I took a moment to realize was Brother McGuire.

Liam.

“Welcome back Brother McGuire.” Master Jonas said above the rumble of the crowd.

“Salute.” the crowd said in unison and broke apart leaving Liam a straight path to the stage.

Once on stage Liam and Master Jonas exchanged several whispers. They shook hands and Master Jonas patted him on the back. Liam stepped back and stood in line with the newly appointed level fours. Master Jonas stepped back up to the podium.

“Brother McGuire’s mission was a complete success.” Master Jonas said.

Liar.

The crowd cheered for Liam. Brother McGuire. I could see something in his eyes though, something different was there now. He came back hardened. He looked over the crowd with a forced smile on his face. It was the same smile he used to give me when I asked him if he was okay, if he was upset about something, he would look up at me and give me that smile and tell me everything was great. It wasn’t.

Not once did he look in my direction.

Soon afterwards we were leaving Chapel. The rain must have passed quickly, leaving the grass soft and moist. When bad weather lingered it could turn the compound into something of a swamp in half a day.

Something made me stop. I stood for a moment collecting my thoughts and finally decided I would wait for Liam to come out. I knew he and the new level fours would have some business with Master Jonas but he shouldn’t be too long. There was a small bench outside the dining hall directly across from Chapel. I sat down and waited.

A few minutes later Benji pulled open the door. He was by himself. He stepped out and looked around. It seemed to me he was worried about something. I was about to call him over when I was grabbed from behind.

One big hand covered my mouth tightly stopping me from screaming or biting. A huge arm wrapped around my body holding my arms in tightly. All I could do was kick but all I hit was empty air. I was pulled from the bench and carried into the darkness around the side of the building. The arms released me suddenly and I fell against the wall. I slid helplessly to the ground. Then I saw my captors.

It was the big man-statue from Chapel and his cute counterpart.

Hope.

“Don’t scream,” the man said, he knelt down in front of me. “we aren’t going to hurt you.”

“Good job so far!” I said. My head hurt and so did my butt.

“My name is Jonathon,” he said quietly, he had a soothing timbre to his voice. “This is my daughter Samantha.”

“Sam.” she added.

Beautiful Samantha.

“I’m Pier” I told him, though I think I was looking at her.

He smiled, “I know who you are, of course.”

I tried to get up but he pushed me back down with one of his bricks of a hand. I shifted and was about to try again, add in some venomous words if he stopped me, when Sam knelt down next to me and put her hand on mine. Her touch was so soft. I didn’t want to move anymore.

“What do you want?” I whispered.

“What are you thinking sitting there?” Jonathon whispered. “You know you’re supposed to go back to your room after Chapel.”

“I wanted to talk to Liam.”

“Liam’s gone,” Sam said. “He’s not one of us anymore.”

I turned to her. “One of us?”

“We’ve been watching you,” she said it as though she were admitting secrets of the heart. “You are not one of these sheep. You aren’t a believer, are you?”

“The demons…” I tried.

Deceit.

“You don’t believe.” she said.

“The path says…” I tried again.

“You don’t believe.”

“No…” I gave in to her. I stared at my feet. It was just too much for me.

I’m with you.

“It’s okay” she said in a soothing tone “neither do we. You have friends here now.”

“We have to go.” Jonathon said quickly.

With that they disappeared around the corner. I gathered myself up as quickly as I could, my head was around here somewhere, and took the darkest route I could find back to my little room.

Prison.

The next morning I woke up early, before everyone began getting up, and I quickly looked around for them. For her. Listening for her voice. But they were no where to be seen. Why would they be getting up early anyway?

Suddenly I saw Lisa. She slipped out of Chapel through the massive doors. For some reason I stepped back against the closest wall so she couldn’t see me. She darted across the compound toward her room, wiping her face with her sleeve as she ran. She was crying.

I followed Lisa to her room. The door was already shut when I got there. I knocked. Waited. Knocked again. There was still no answer so I pushed the door open. Lisa was sitting on the edge of her bed hugging a small pillow and letting the tears flow freely.

“Lisa?”

She looked up at me and wiped one cheek with her sleeve.

“Lisa, What’s wrong?”

Her lips quivered like she was about to say something but she stopped herself. I walked in and sat down on the bed next to her and put my arm around her. I thought of Sam.

“It’s okay,” I tried to console her. “Let it all out.”

She broke down again. It was at least a minute or two later she tried to speak. Between sobs she told me what happed to her. It was difficult to make out some of the words but what she was saying was clear.

Violated. Accosted

After the massive doors of Chapel closed Master Jonas turned to Benji. He spoke to Benji first, a few quick words and shook his hand. He was then dismissed, leaving only Master Jonas, Brother McGuire, Nicole and herself.

Master Jonas invited them into the back room.

She described Master Jonas’ room like a mansion. There was a big fireplace already burning wood. A huge bear skin rug stretched across the room, the head popping up at one end with spots of red paint on the teeth to look like blood. A large couch and several sofas faced the fireplace, there was a bar in one back corner, and a staircase in the other.

I asked her if she went up the stairs. She didn’t.

They all sat around on the bear skin rug. Master Jonas poured them all drinks in beautiful little glasses. They drank and soon they were laughing and listening to Master Jonas and Brother McGuire tell wonderful stories.

Then her head began to spin.

She looked over at Nicole, she told me, a terrible feeling in her chest. Nicole was already passed out, lying with her face mashed into the backside of the bearskin rug. Master Jonas was over her bending down to pick her up…

Then she woke up.

It took her a moment to realize any time had passed at all, her head was foggy. She rubbed her eyes and tried to clear her mind. When she pulled her hands away she found herself lying naked on the bearskin, the huge jaws opened next to her head. She sat up.

Brother McGuire lay naked next to her still asleep.

Liar. Liam. Liar.

Pain shot through her body when she tried to get up. She felt sore and stiff from her knees to her neck and her head began throbbing harder and harder. She gathered up her clothes from a pile next to the foot of the bear and ran out the door.

“Fuck off!” the words slipped out of my mouth before I could catch them.

Denial.

She burst into tears again.

“You fucking liar!” I yelled. “you fucking whore!”

“Pier” she said.

I slammed the door.

Liam. Liar. Liam!

Outside, people made their way to the dining hall for breakfast. I held back tears and stormed across the compound. I’m not sure where I was heading but I didn’t have time to find out anyway, Jonathon and Samantha appeared beside me.

They lead me around a corner where no one could see us. I could see the gate from where I was standing. They stopped there and paused a moment. I think Jonathon was listening to see if anyone followed us. I caught myself staring at Sam. I was starting to feel better.

“We’re going to escape.” Jonathon finally whispered.

What?

“What?”

“I’ve been chosen for Level four.” Sam said. Her voice sounded hollow.

I’m not sure why but it took a moment for me to understand what she was saying.

“I thought you earned level four.” I said naively. I already knew better.

“No.” Jonathon said.

“I don’t want to be Master Jonas’ next…” Sam stopped.

I followed the direction they were looking. A strange man stood there watching us. The early morning shadows tried to hide his dark eyes and almost evil smirk. It took me moments to realize who it was.

Liam.

How long was Brother McGuire standing there? What did he hear?

“What’s going on here?” he paused. No-one answered. “You’ve missed breakfast, Master Jonas wishes to make an announcement. Everyone is to come immediately.”

Master Jonas already stood behind the podium. He looked no different than he did the day before. The fatherly gray hair. The friendly eyes. The trustworthy smile…

The horns on his temples.

“The day of ascension is coming!” he boomed. “The Gates to the other side are opening and soon it will be time for us to join our Brothers, our Sisters, our GODS!”

Everybody cheered. I tried to join in with the crowd and hide in plain sight but to them it meant following the path to the Gods. To me it meant death. I could feel the dread infecting my heart and feared it showed on my face.

The announcement took all of about fifteen minutes and when it was over I looked around for Samantha… and Jonathon. I couldn’t see them anywhere. I headed toward Lisa’s room. She hadn’t been at the announcement. When I got there though I found…

Nothing.

I found a bare room.

Dead.

“On a mission…”

I jumped at the voice behind me. It was Sam. Her dark eyes brightened and she smiled. Did she enjoy seeing me scared? No…

“What?”

“Master Jonas…” She said solemnly. “he says she left for a mission of faith last night.”

“But I…”

“We know.” Jonathon said. “There can be no more waiting.”

We made our escape plans for that night. It wasn’t soon enough for me but we needed to wait until it was dark enough. Jonathon laid out what was going to happen step by step. I was to spend the rest of my day in my room, I would make an appearance for meals and a few times I would take a quick walk around the compound just to keep myself seen, I didn’t need anybody looking for me.

I was already terrified. I looked to Sam.

As soon as it was dark we would meet at the north end of the compound, just passed the sheds, by the fence. Jonathon already knew a way of getting through the fence, I guess he had some tool for cutting through. Then we would trek through the forest toward the nearest road. It would take several days hiking, but with Sam by my side, and Jonathon, I was sure we would make it.

Ascension day…

Suicide day.

Ascension day was coming but by then we would be gone.

The day went as planned. I stayed in my room most of the day and told the odd visitor I was deep in prayer, If they’ll excuse me. I tried to sit by myself in the dining hall but several other members attempted to join me. I told them I needed to eat alone, It was level four penance you see. I walked around the compound a couple of times and tried to avoid talking to anybody but I attracted several shadows, so I would then head back to my room for more prayer. Then, as the sun was closing in on the horizon, everything started to go wrong.

He silently opened my door and waited for me to notice him, A shadow haloed by the sun behind him. It was Liam.

“Everybody needs to go to Chapel.” he stated. It was the first time he’d spoken to me directly in a long time. I tried to speak to him, ask him something. I felt like it was my last opportunity, It was my last opportunity, but he simply turned his back on me and walked away.

I ran after him, calling out to him across the compound but he was already entering Chapel.

When I approached the massive doorway I could see everybody was already inside. I stepped in quietly trying not to disturb anyone. A quick look around and I could see Jonathon and Sam were absent. Were they already waiting for me at the north end by the fence? I cursed myself for coming to Chapel but I didn’t want to set off the alarm and let everybody know I was gone before I even broke free of the compound. I prayed Master Jonas would keep this announcement short.

Trouble. Run!

“The level four announcements were prepared too quickly,” Master Jonas was saying. “It seems somebody has been forgotten about. The path forgives. Tonight, her efforts shall be acknowledged…”

Her? Oh, shit! Sam!.

The crowd cheered.

Then Master Jonas looked directly at me. I thought for a moment I’d sworn out loud.

“Pier McGuire” He said then.

The crowd cheered. I peed a little.

“Come up to the stage please.”

The crowd parted in front of me. Slowly I stepped forward. I was in a daze, It felt as though the crowd were pushing me along. My heart was beating fast and I was sure I was sweating buckets. I attempted a smile and go with it. I was in the lion’s den. How could I get out of this? Would Jonathon and Sam save me now?

I could picture them breaking open the fence. Jonathon holds up a corner to let his daughter squeeze through. Then they are running through the forest and smiling to be free. At least I was still part of their escape. I was the distraction so they could escape. Sam would be safe even if I wasn’t.

I was on stage standing a short distance behind Master Jonas while he addressed the crowd. Brother McGuire stepped up beside me, he seemed to loom above me now. His hand snapped around my wrist like a shackle, his fingers locked so tightly it felt like they drew blood. I looked up into his face and thought I could see a nasty smirk twist into the fake smile he beamed to the crowd. No soul remained behind those hollow eyes.

Far too quickly the congregation was dismissed and suddenly we were alone. The three of us. They tried to explain to me this was an honor. I was being given a gift. The path was embracing me. The Gods loved me.

LIAR!

The man I once trusted more than anything in the world held me by both wrists. He pulled me toward the back door, toward Master Jonas’ den of perversion. I tried to pull away but Liam’s grip was too tight for me to break free. I kicked. I struggled. I punched. I bit.

We were almost at the door when I got in one good shot. A kick to the crotch. Liam curled over and fell to his knees. His grip loosened, I broke free. Master Jonas lunged at me.

Run, run, run, run, RUN!

I flew off the edge of the stage and landed hard on the ground. I think I might have twisted my ankle, it hurt more with every step but I didn’t allow it to slow me down. Within a few moments I was outside where it was already dark. I turned toward the north end with small hope Jonathon and Sam were still waiting for me. I hoped I could at least find the hole in the fence where they had broken through. I hoped Sam was okay.

There was no light passed the sheds. The ground disappeared into darkness beneath my feet and the trees became giants with claws reaching out, tearing at me. I was starting to panic when I finally reached the fence. I took a quick look back at the compound but could see no torches coming, no voices shouting. Weren’t they following me? Did I loose them so easily?

I felt along the fence.

“Sam!” I shouted in a whispered voice. “Sam! Jonathon. Are you there?”

I scrambled around in the darkness looking for any signs of where they were or where they got through. There was no break in the fence. No hole to go through. Had they been found out? Had they been captured? Was Sam already in Master Jonas’ room?

“Samantha!” I tried again, I could here the tears in my own voice. I felt along the fence some more. “Sam are you there?”

“I’m here.” the voice startled me. A light came on.

My eyes took a moment to adjust.

“We’re here.” It was Sam.

It was Sam and it was Jonathon… It was Sam and Jonathon and Liam and Master Jonas and it was half a dozen other’s from the compound.

They came to save me from myself. They saved me from the demons that possessed me for so long. They took me from the cold night and put me through a divine week of intense retraining. I got back all the demons took from me. The path forgives.

So here I stand before you. A new woman. Clean and Demon-free. It is Ascension Day and I am honored to be standing here, among the first to be taken through the golden gates.

I now drink from the chalice filled with the blood of the gods to separate me from my physical being and let me pass to the other side.

The path embrace us.