"She's taking my stardom,' Kai admitted, running a hand along his jaw. Winter watched the television patiently over his shoulder, glad that none of Kai's entourage were in the room to go onto a misogynistic tangent. They were known for those. She crossed her arms and watched the news reporter continue (ignoring the lurching feeling in her stomach, as she knew it should have been Beverly instead of the aging brunette).
"Olive Cannady has risen a following of over four hundred in Lansing, following the passing of her self-proclaimed 'televangelist' father. Despite the congregation claiming ties to the Church of God, Cannady has made numerous assertions that the end of the world is approaching, garnering mass infamy not only in Michigan but surrounding states. The church, located in our capital, has become a stock-hold of weaponry and flamboyant religious teachings over the past few months. Locals in the area have complained about worship services that last days and nomadic-like members of the 'cult' walking around downtown, shoe-less, and preaching a message of fire and brimstone. One member of the group left a message on Facebook before, seemingly, falling off the grid. Jeremy Pike writes: 'The world has been burning for hundreds of years, you're all just seeing the smoke now. The sins of my neighbors are hindering the coming of my Lord. If I have to strike down every pagan in my sight, I will. It's no longer about me. It's about the kingdom'. Following Pike's post, many news outlets have referred to the group as The Kingdom and multiple watchdog groups have followed their movements to ensure safety for the group's members and Lansing citizens. Follow us on Facebook to stay updated on-".
Kai turned off the television, leaving him and Winter in the dark. After a few seconds, Winter walked to the wall and turned the light on to reveal her brother, his head buried between his knees, shaking.
"Kai, what's wrong?"
The sound he let out was guttural, one that scared Winter, as her brother was known for his composure. She walked around the couch and put a hand on his back. Had she his boldness, she would have initiated Contact, but her pride would have been too compromised if he denied her. "I'm your sister. Talk to me."
"Everything we worked for,' he finally croaked. "Is being destroyed, because of this… bitch."
"She's not even here. She's in Lansing, Kai. No one here cares about some dumb church cult. People are smarter than that. Don't you remember Jonestown?"
"No one cares?' He looked up, his eyes red with tears and his cheeks round. "If no one cares, then why is she on my screen, Winter? We're supposed to be raising fear here, and now I have to assure all of Brookfield-Fucking-Heights that the world isn't ending."
Winter hesitated, removing her hand from her brother's back. She furrowed her eyebrows. "Isn't that what you want? For people to think the world's ending."
Kai stared at her for a few seconds. Winter meeting his gaze for a time before looking down uncomfortably. "Get away from me. I need to think."
She did as instructed, as always, and went to her room. Kai remained, thinking, brooding. Winter was right– he wanted people to think that Revelations was more than a load of bullshit, to wake up every morning with the full expectation of sulfur rain and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse ever on the horizon. He wanted it but at his own hand. This Olive Cannady bitch was taking the coming of the end into her own hands, and he, much like the rest of his cult, knew that no one else was fit to lead America into her grave except himself. And especially not a woman. He thought. He writhed and twisted, and then sunk into himself, looking for a solution.
"Don't let anyone into the house tomorrow,' the text to Winter read. "Tell them I'm resting or some bs." He left that night, sure that he could get to Lansing by nine. 'The Kingdom's website gave way to its address and service hours, and Kai planned to arrive just in the nick of time. He wasn't interested in the ramblings of the insane and had no intentions of sitting through the message, but knew he needed to find himself in the back of the congregation before they let out, and so he did. The church was filled to the brim, but the greeters welcomed Kai with open arms (literally). His hair was a greasy mess behind his ears, and all he could muster in the middle of the night was a University of Michigan sweatshirt and a tight pair of jeans. Nevertheless, they smiled, pulled him in, and enjoyed him for the final two minutes of the service. He walked into the middle of a loud phantasm of shouting and jumping, which seemed to source from someone blowing a long ram's horn and someone shouting/screaming along with its bursts. Kai frowned, but offered an unwilling smile to those who noticed him. He saw the group's leader, Olive, almost immediately.
The room came down with a hush as the woman walked down the aisle. Her red hair was cut into a bob, her cheeks lightly freckled underneath sharp brown eyes. She was of average height and roughly twenty pounds overweight, the fat taking store primarily in her thighs and stomach. She had a pretty face and glasses pushed off her forehead. Without any background information, she could be mistaken for a kindergarten teacher or pastor's daughter. Her place as the latter seemed defunct. She was, as Kai saw it, a master manipulator and much smarter than her demeanor let on. That was dangerous. He felt his blood boil as he watched a few followers bow at Olive's gait, the woman stopping and raising each of them, having a full conversation with two of the members. Kai waited impatiently for what seemed to be God on earth, and then watched as every member of the congregation filed into a line out the door, each to stop, hug, and be greeted by their leader. Sighing, he made his route to the very end of the line, watching Olive intently all the while. Maybe they were there for thirty minutes or three hours. Either way, Kai could never detect any falter of Olive's composition. She was steadfast and excited to greet every follower. She prayed with almost all of them. The church emptied, a few strays lingering to clean after the crowd, but, surprisingly, no bodyguard detail. It was all… humane. Olive sighed as Kai approached her, the last of many.
"God mentioned you."
Kai chuckled, looking outside the church's doors momentarily, feeling the sun's warmth. "What did he tell you?"
"He let me know just as much as you being the last person in this line did. You must be a burdened man."
Kai scanned the woman. Her body read subservience, he pictured her on her knees, but her soul choked him. He knew why others had bowed. "I am."
"He wants to change that."
"He can't,' Kai replied shortly. Olive remained silent, waiting for the man to finish. "Are you free? Can we talk?"
After shutting the church's doors, she led him back into the massive building, a network of offices and rooms revealed behind the sanctuary's stage. Olive chose an office, one that Kai assumed had been her father's, and opened the blinds to let some light in. He sunk into a chair in front of the room's massive desk and let Olive sit across from him. They stared at each other for a few seconds before Kai spoke.
"Do you actually believe the world is going to end soon or is this apart of a bigger plan for you? Does this group end in mass suicide or ascension?"
Olive thought for a second before, unexpectedly, shrugging. "I'm not sure what I think. I can only read the Bible, take the context clues, and tell the people the truth. What they interpret it as is their own truth. It varies."
"And you don't care that a majority of your fanbase,' (she laughed at 'fanbase). "Is culminated of people who are waiting for the Messiah to return within the year? That doesn't weigh on your soul?"
She waited again. "Not as much as it weighs on yours."
Kai crossed his legs and shrugged. "You're right. It bothers me. This world is going up in flames, and I'm mad that some far off deity is getting the credit for it, and not the actual people who are getting the job done, Olive. You're a liar. Your group is full of liars and lunatics. I'm here to do God's work and stop you."
"So stop us."
Kai sat for a moment, before turning his head up and smiling a bit. "When did you know God was real, Olive?"
"When did you?' she asked, crossing her legs and pulling herself closer to the desk. Her eyes never wavered.
"I don't…' Kai began before pausing. He bit his inner cheek. "I always thought he might,' the young man looked down at his hands. "Went to school for religion, so I would know,' he pushed some hair behind his ear and looked at Olive again. "I saw the devil, and I know if he's there… well,' Kai trailed.
Olive nodded, "That's why most come to Him. They see the darkness, and even if they never entirely see the light, they know they can never go back to where they were before. I see that in you."
He nodded, saying nothing. The light trickled in the room, playing over Olive's skin. The woman spoke again. "Our world is ending. You can be on the side of light when the candle is extinguished."
"You had one follower, Pike. He said something about killing pagans. You don't approve of that, do you?"
"He has to answer to God, not me."
"You're God to them."
Olive searched for an answer, a professional one. She had been giving professional answers, but she had, or so she thought, seen a tear on the brink of the blue-haired man's eyes. Thus, she relented. "I do… share the belief that sin is keeping the Son at bay. If it could be abated, I wouldn't complain. I'll never condone it or drop blood on my own part, but… God would have no problem returning for His children, do you understand what I'm saying? Why would he reach down to pick up a handful of grapes, knowing that a third of the bunch had garnered mold?"
"And you want away with sin?" Kai asked.
Olive nodded.
"I think I could make you very happy, Olive."