Page 33 of The Cult

Micah spreads his arms out wide and sighs. “You’re a good soldier. Oh, by the way, I wanted to let you know that Ramon is no longer with us.”

Sure the shock from hearing that news is written all over my face, I nod, even as sadness fills me over Ramon. He was a good guy. I thought he’d work out here.

I walk outside as I wish I knew what happened to him. Nobody leaves The Golden Light, so either he did something to himself or Micah and Nadine had him eliminated. Not that I’ll ever know.

That’s how things work here. One day you’re the favorite, and the next, you don’t exist.

17

Lara

“Time to wake up!We all need to be in the meeting tent in fifteen minutes!” a woman I’ve never seen before announces from the doorway to the cabin before walking out.

I look around at my fellow sleepers and watch them jump out of bed like the place is on fire. Bethany gives me a disapproving look as she makes her bed.

“You better get moving, Lara. You don’t want Nadine to see you still in bed.”

For a moment, I consider telling her exactly what I think of Nadine and her damn henchmen, but I keep my mouth shut. I don’t get the sense any of the women in this cabin with me have any issue with Nadine or anything else that goes on here. Why I have no idea. They seemed like such good people that first day, but in no time, they’ve become very comfortable with the ugliness that’s been shown to us since we arrived.

Without responding, I get out of bed and quickly straighten the sheets and cheap brown blanket. None of us say a word as we prepare to go to the meeting tent. This is our first time going there since we joined The Golden Light, so I have no idea what to expect. I’m guessing Micah is going to put on a show, but what that will entail I haven’t a clue.

I look down my body at the dress they gave me yesterday. Boring and tan, it’s perfectly utilitarian. Nobody would ever see me wearing this and want to hit on me. That’s probably the reason for it, though. There don’t seem to be many men here at the farm, and other than Micah, I don’t get the sense any of the others are allowed to even think about us women here.

Then again, I wouldn’t put it past Nadine’s goons to do much more than merely think about women on this farm. They act like they have free reign over everything here, so why not the females? I shudder at the thought of what they do when they decide to bother with us, though.

As I’m thinking that, Nadine walks into the cabin like the ray of sunshine she always is. Every time this person is in front of me, all I can think is she looks like she belongs in some women’s prison ordering beatings of anyone who dares to step out of line.

She immediately focuses on me and says with a huge grin, “You ladies are in for a real treat today. Our leader is at his best when he’s preaching. Hurry up and get ready and meet me outside as soon as you can.”

Nadine seems downright joyful today. Maybe she ran over one of the little children on her way here this morning. I can see that making her as pleased as punch.

Mary catches my attention and gives me a tiny wave. She smiles back at me when I wave at her, and I can’t help but think even in these ugly, tan dresses, she’s beautiful. There’s something about her warm brown hair and blue eyes that make her seem like the girl next door, even in her stupid Golden Light uniform.

As everyone else hurries outside to obey Nadine, Mary stops at the foot of my bed to wait for me. “I’ve been wondering if we’d ever get to see Micah talk. Yesterday at lunch, the women talked about how mesmerizing he is when he preaches. I’m looking forward to this today. Aren’t you?”

I don’t dare tell Mary what I’m really feeling about having to be part of Micah’s captive audience this morning. She’s kind and seems to want to be my friend, but trusting anyone here is a bad move.

So instead, I lie and pretend I’m just as thrilled to see Micah preach his special brand of believing. “I’m thinking it’s going to be very interesting! I’ve spoken to him before, but that was one-on-one. This, I’m sure, is going to be even better!”

If I continue smiling and being this up, someone’s going to mistake me for one of Micah’s cheerleaders. Mary doesn’t pick up on my lying, though, and grabs my hand in her excitement.

“I know! He looked at me when I was walking back from lunch yesterday, and I swear it was like God himself paying attention to me.”

My cheeks hurt from smiling, but if I stop now, she’s going to know I think she’s nuts for what she just said. Comparing Micah to God seems a bit much, but that tells me Mary is pretty much lost to this cult. Too bad. I like her. I’m not going to be happy seeing her walk around in a blind haze like some kind of Stepford wife.

I give her hand a tiny squeeze to make her think I’m just like her. “We better go. We don’t want to be late to our first meeting. I wonder where it’s at. I don’t remember seeing any meeting tent here.”

She thinks about it as we walk outside but doesn’t say anything. It’s odd that I’ve never seen this meeting tent, but then again, maybe it’s something they put up and take down whenever meetings happen. Still, Micah and his people seem to own this farm, so why not leave it up all the time?

Questions like that are why I’m never going to fit in with these people. I doubt Mary or Bethany or any of the others here have even considered something like why the tent doesn’t stay up all the time. Maybe it’s because I write for the magazine, but they don’t seem to question anything here.

Nadine scans the group of us, making sure to glare when her gaze meets mine, and when she sees we’re all here, she waves us on to follow her. “Come on. We don’t want to be late. Micah has some very important things to tell us today.”

As always, a question forms in my mind. What is so important that we needed to wake up and immediately go to listen to him talk without having any breakfast? I guess that’s not the most important meal of the day here.

I obviously keep my thoughts to myself as we follow Nadine. I know better than to look around as we walk through the center of the farm and past Micah’s private quarters, but I’m curious as to where her guards are today. They’re always nearby, so what’s happened to them this morning?

For a few seconds, I revel in the thought that something bad happened to them. I’d especially like something terrible to befall that one who Nash practically had to convince not to hurt me the other day. For him, I have no problem wishing the worst would happen.

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