That night, Jacob dreamt of black-haired angels and gilded thrones, and by the time he awoke the next morning, the sun was already peeking well above the horizon. He dressed and made his way outside, his mind still fixated on the events of the night before when he noticed Benjamin working in the garden. Jacob had paid Rebekah’s brother little attention in the short time he had been at the Mission, but he waved courteously and walked over to the young man.

“Hello, Benjamin. How are you this morning?”

Benjamin looked up at Jacob but said nothing. Instead, he pulled a fat caterpillar off a leaf and clenched his fist, the creature’s green and yellow guts squeezing out between his fingers. Jacob stepped closer and repeated himself.

“I said hello, Benjamin. How are you doing this morning?”

Benjamin wiped the caterpillar’s guts on his pants and muttered a barely audible reply.

“Go screw yourself, Jacob.”

Jacob was not sure that he had heard him correctly, and a scowl formed across his brow.

“What was that, Benjamin? I didn’t understand what you just said.”

Benjamin stood up and pushed his long black bangs out of his eyes.

“You heard what I said, Jacob. I said to go screw yourself. I saw you by the fire with my sister last night. I saw everything. And so did God.”

Benjamin reached down and picked another caterpillar off the plant, but this time he only pinched off the creature’s head. Benjamin let the caterpillar’s squirming body fall to the ground, and he pointed at Jacob.

“You may have fooled my sister, Jacob, but not me. You’re no believer. I could see it from day one. Now you’re trying to deceive my sister. To take her away from me, but your day of reckoning will come. And it will come sooner than you think.”

Jacob balled his hands into fists.

“Is that supposed to be a threat, Benjamin?”

Benjamin’s eyes grew big, and he took a step back. Jacob repeated himself.

“I asked you a question, Benjamin. Are you threatening me?”

Benjamin took another step back, his voice shaky with anger and jealousy.

“The Lord doesn’t make threats, Jacob; he only makes promises. I know that you’re nothing but a liar and a heathen, and I think it’s time we find out what my sister thinks about that right now.”

 

 

 

 

Benjamin had barely marched halfway across the compound when he looked up to see Sara standing just inside the main gate. From the very first moment that he had laid eyes on her, Benjamin had been gripped by guilt over his lust for the girl, and he stopped and stared over at her, his emotions running unchecked.

Despite the cool air, the girl was wearing only a t-shirt and jeans, and Benjamin licked his lips at the way the fabric pulled tightly against her skin. He could see that she was looking at something out past the gate, and he approached her slowly from behind, his eyes traveling up and down her body. When he was only steps away, Sara finally heard his heavy breathing behind her, and she turned around in surprise.

“Whoa! Benjamin. I didn’t hear you walk up.”

Benjamin’s lips curled into an awkward half-smile.

“Hello, Sara.”

Sara looked up at him, slightly confused. It was not normal for Benjamin to speak to her unless he had a good reason to, and she saw no good reason now.

“Uh, hello, Benjamin. Can I help you?”

Benjamin’s eyebrows went up. He was breathing hard.

“I don’t know, Sara. Can you?”

Sara frowned. It was not the first time Benjamin had given her the creeps.

“Huh? Look, I’m kind of busy here, so what do you want?”

Benjamin licked at his lips again as he stared directly at Sara’s chest. Sara followed his eyes and scowled.

“Seriously, what do you want, Benjamin?”

Benjamin smiled and let his eyes drop lower, down past her chest, down below her navel, the words spewing out of his mouth before he could choke them back.

“I can think of at least one thing that I want from you, Sara. Or is that just for Sawyer to enjoy?”

For a moment, time seemed to stand still as Sara stared up at Benjamin in disbelief, her mind trying to process what had just been said. Then, very slowly, Sara’s hand drifted toward the knife on her hip. Benjamin’s perverted smile quickly faded from his face. Sara took a step closer to him, her words coming slow and measured.

“I’m going to give you one chance to take that back, Benjamin. Just one chance.”

Benjamin’s face turned white as the girl slipped the knife out of its sheath, the sun catching the razor-sharp blade in a flash of light. Sara’s deep brown eyes were as cold and fierce as any he had ever seen, and he put his hands up and backed away, stumbling and stammering.

“I was just joking. Please, you don’t have to tell anyone what I said.”

Sara looked down at the knife in her hand and then back to Benjamin.

“It doesn’t matter if I tell someone or not, because right now this is just between me, you, and this knife in my hand. Now, take it back.”

Benjamin looked down at the knife. Genuine fear rested behind his eyes. His voice was shaking.

“Please, I take it back. I’m sorry.”

Sara reached out and pointed the knife straight at Benjamin’s forehead, each word spilling from her lips like pure venom.

“Good choice, Benjamin. Now listen very closely. From now on, stay away from me. Don’t look at me, don’t think about me, and if you so much as say one thing like that to me ever again, I won’t hesitate to gut you right where you stand. Do you get where I’m coming from, Benjamin? Because unlike you, I’m not joking.”

Benjamin nodded and wiped the sweat from his upper lip.

“Yes, I get it. It won’t happen again.”

Sara slowly returned the knife to her hip.

“Good. Now get the hell away from me, creep, and go pray to your God that I don’t change my mind.”

 

 

 

 

Like a scolded child, Benjamin went straight to his sister, his chin trembling as he told her about his encounters with both Jacob and Sara. The woman listened without a saying a word. When he was finished speaking, Rebekah pulled Benjamin close and stroked his hair.

“This is troubling news, but do not worry, dear brother. As said the prophet John, ‘Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already.’ As for the girl, she is already lost. Pay her no mind. I will speak with Jacob myself, and we will know the truth soon enough. Until that time, find refuge in the stone church and wait for me to come for you.”

Rebekah left Benjamin alone and found Jacob in the main house. She sat down beside him, her hands clasped in her lap.

“I just finished speaking with Benjamin, Jacob. He told me what happened between you two and also how Sara threatened his life. Is what he told me true?”

Jacob stiffened.

“I have no idea if something happened between your brother and Sara, or what Benjamin told you about what happened this morning.”

“He told me that he accused you of being a non-believer, and that you did not deny it. Is this true?”

Jacob did his best to act offended, but his true feelings were festering just below the surface.

“Benjamin needs to learn some respect, Rebekah. He’s lucky I restrained myself. And as far as his claims against me, I don’t have to defend myself to the likes of your brother. You said yourself that we were chosen to survive the end of days, why would God keep me alive if I was a not a true believer? Isn’t that enough?”

Rebekah frowned.

“I do not pretend to know how God chooses who will live and who will die, but you have not answered the question, Jacob. My brother is a young man of many flaws, but he sees the world through God’s eyes. The question is, do you?”

Up until that moment, Rebekah had truly believed that Jacob was a man of faith, but now she could see the truth behind his eyes. For several long seconds, there was nothing but quiet as they stared at each other, and finally it was Jacob who broke the silence.

“No, Rebekah. I see the world through my own two eyes.”

Jacob looked down at the ground and Rebekah offered a sad smile. Her voice was very quiet.

“I can’t tell you how sorry I am to learn of this now, Jacob. I had high hopes for you, and for us.”

Jacob looked up. He tried to salvage what he could.

“Nothing has to change between us, Rebekah. This changes nothing.”

The young woman slowly shook her head and looked to the heavens.

“No, Jacob. Unfortunately, you are wrong. This changes everything.”

Jacob opened his mouth to speak, but Rebekah placed a single finger on his lips.

“Shhh. Say no more. I see that it was wrong to trust you, but it is all in God’s hands now.”

Rebekah kissed Jacob on the cheek, but without so much as another word she turned and walked away to find her brother, leaving Jacob standing alone and confused.

 

 

 

 

That night, the first true rainstorm of the fall season swept in from the sea, and for the next two days, Sawyer and Sara were forced to remain inside the walls as the storm raged outside. After the second full day of being cooped up inside with the girl, Sawyer could tell that something was wrong. He sat down and put his arm around her.

“What’s up, Sara? I know it sucks being stuck inside like this, but something else is bothering you. What is it?”

Sara looked over at Sawyer and let out a long sigh.

“If I tell you, do you promise not to do anything stupid?”

Sawyer rubbed the thin stubble growing on his chin and shook his head.

“No. Maybe I like doing stupid things. Besides, I have no idea what you’re going to tell me, and I only make promises I know I can keep. I’ll do my best, how about that? Now, what is it, Sara? Just tell me.”

Sara met eyes with Sawyer.

“I had this very random interaction with Benjamin the other day, and he said something that you really wouldn’t like. Something really creepy. I handled it on my own, but I don’t like keeping things from you, so I thought you should know.”

A scowl formed on the boy’s face.

“What did he say?”

Sara took a deep breath and repeated Benjamin’s exact words. For a long moment, Sawyer said nothing. Then he gave Sara a questioning look.

“You said you handled it? I’m curious. What happened after that?”

Sara allowed a small smile.

“Nothing much. I pulled my knife and told him that I would gut him where he stood if he ever talked to me like that again.”

Sawyer tried not to smile back.

“And how did Benjamin take that advice?”

Sara laughed.

“He took it well. I think he pissed himself, but no tears, at least.”

Sawyer laughed out loud.

“I figured as much. Well, it sounds like you took care of it, but as soon as this storm breaks, I’m going to go talk to him myself. Don’t worry. I promise not to do anything stupid. Maybe I’ll just see if I can get him to piss his pants again.”

Sawyer left the main house a few hours later and walked across the compound to the smaller house where Rebekah and Benjamin stayed. The rain had finally stopped, and he knocked on the door and waited for someone to answer. After a moment, Rebekah opened the door. She smiled.

“How can I help you, Sawyer?”

The boy looked past her into the house.

“Is Benjamin here? There is something I need to talk to him about.”

Rebekah shook her head, the smile fading from her face.

“Benjamin has been in bed the last two days. He is not feeling well. What do you need to speak to him about?”

Sawyer hesitated. Part of him wanted to tell Rebekah exactly what her supposedly devout brother had said, but he thought better of it.

“Just tell him to come find me the first chance he gets. He’ll know why.”

Sawyer turned to walk away, but it was Rebekah who was not finished.

“I will be sure to tell him, but before you go, I have something to ask you, Sawyer.”

The boy looked back at her.

“Sure, Rebekah. What is it?”

The young woman left the doorway and leaned in so close to Sawyer that the boy could feel her warm breath on his cheek. She whispered.

“You are quite the enigma, Sawyer. You know that, don’t you?”

The boy raised his eyebrows.

“I am?”

Rebekah smiled warmly.

“Yes. Since the day I first arrived, I’ve sensed something special about you. But the question is the same now as it was that first night at dinner. When the Lord returns to this Earth, whose side will you be on? That of the righteous, or that of the damned? Will you follow the soldiers of God or the Cult of the Crow?”

Sawyer’s eyes narrowed at the mention of the cult.

“What? The Cult of the Crow? I would never align myself with those scumbags, but they’re all dead anyway. They don’t exist anymore.”

Rebekah sighed.

“Evil will always exist, Sawyer, and I fear that if we don’t come together under God’s banner soon, we risk losing everything.”

Before Sawyer could say a word, she stepped even closer to the boy, pressing her lithe body against him. She smiled coyly and ran her fingers through his hair.

“Those who choose wisely will be rewarded, but those who choose to follow the path of darkness will never see the light. We both know what path Sara has chosen, but tell me, Sawyer, do you want me to help you see the light? Do you want to believe? Or have you chosen darkness as well?”

For a split second, even Sawyer was powerless against Rebekah’s charms, but despite the warmth of her body and the softness of her curves he finally pushed her away. He stepped down off the porch and shook his head.

“I know what you’re trying to do, Rebekah, and it might work with Jacob, but not with me. I’ve got no love for any death-worshippers like the Crows, but I do love Sara with all of my heart, and nothing will change that. And to be honest, even if I did want to be a true believer like you, my path was chosen for me the moment I picked up the shotgun. And whether it was God or the devil who decided that path for me, the fact is that I never really had a choice.”