Page 7 of The Cult

Hesitantly, Two stepped forward, pocketing his trembling hands.

“Did you not hear me?” Napoleon asked, his face an inch away from Two’s.

“I heard you, sir,” he responded.

Napoleon’s eyes bulged on behalf of his leader. “Then what took you so long to—”

“Let’s speed this up,” Orcus said before Napoleon had the chance to tear Two a new asshole.

“Today’s your lucky day, punk,” he seethed. “Four,” he continued.

One of the guys to my right stepped forward, without any hesitation this time.

“Seven.” The tallest of the group stepped forward.

“Twelve.”

A sigh escaped my mouth when he skipped me and Colt.

“Nineteen.”

Orcus whistled to grab Napoleon’s attention. He curled his index finger, summoning the guard. Once again, Orcus whispered, but this time he was staring at Colt and me. What is up with all the whispering?

Napoleon nodded, unable to hide his amusement. He headed back in front of the line with a sinister smirk.

What now? I held my breath.

“And Nine,” Napoleon called, grinning.

“Oh shit,” Colt whispered.

Fuck. I stepped forward.

Five: Tobias

Ten Years Ago

The bright red maple trees were a stark contrast against the vast blue sky. Even with the sun beaming down on us, the autumn air was crisp, with just enough breeze to blow dried leaves off their branches, where they fell like confetti to the ground. I trained my sight on the rustic cedar barn in the middle of our property, which was situated in the center of an apple orchard located in the middle of nowhere. I waited for the gray sliding doors to open, where I hoped my life, my heart, and my future was standing.

At first, I wasn’t sold on the idea of getting married during fall, but as I glanced around the acres of land covered with vivid fallen leaves and inhaled the scent of apple and pine, I couldn’t picture a more perfect season to declare the promise of forever to the only person I’d ever loved. I wanted to skip forward to her being mine, while willing the precious moments to slow so I could savor every detail. This lifetime wouldn’t be enough for all the love I had inside.

In the end, I focused on the present.

My knees weakened, causing my entire body to sway when I laid eyes on my soon-to-be-wife, Aurora, the moment the doors opened. She was a vision in a long, light brown dress that matched my rust-colored suit.

“I got you,” my best man and best friend, Oliver, said, wrapping his arm around my shoulders to steady me. “Breathe.”

I did as I was told and sucked in a lungful of cool October air. “Thanks, man. She never fails to take my breath away.”

“Are you okay, son?” Aurora’s father, who was officiating the wedding, asked.

“I am, sir,” I answered.

He nodded. A smile graced his face as he watched his daughter walk down the aisle.

The crowd of three stood. Erika, Oliver’s wife, and their two children were our only witnesses. Truthfully, that was all we needed. Good thing, because that was all we had. As an orphan, I never fit in with anyone. I’d been searching for a sense of belonging until I met Aurora two years ago. How could I be so lucky?

“Is this what it feels like being in love with someone? Sharing a part of you?” I directed my attention back to Oliver, who had his eyes glued to his beautiful wife and kids.

---