Chapter Twenty-Five: The Father and His Daughter
In the year 2012, Eden's Gate had only just recently relocated to Hope County, and was still very much a fledgling community. They only had a few dozen members at that time, most of which had moved with them when they fled from Rome, Georgia, the place of Eden's Gate's founding. Pressure from the local authorities there prompted the Seed family to migrate and move into a more rural area, not only because there would be less prying eyes and disturbances, but also because it gave the Project more potential to expand. Joseph Seed, already having achieved an impressive amount of personal wealth, had little issue finding a suitable property to purchase to construct their compound on. That property would be the first of many.
At fourteen years of age, the young Mary Seed was in her most innocent, untouched form. Though little more than a child, the daughter of Joseph Seed was already as devoted as could be. She had always embraced Joseph's teachings, and wanted nothing more than to share his wisdom with the world, not quite old enough to understand that so many people simply did not want to hear it, or would even hate her for it. Joseph had often feared the demons that had plagued the rest of his family would pass on to his daughter, but by some holy miracle, Mary had been blessed with the kindest and purest of hearts. Granted, she had been brought up by a loving community, whereas her father and brothers had been raised in a hostile, unforgiving environment, but even so, Mary was the model of virtuous behavior. Her unconditional kind and forgiving nature had already made her an inspiration within her community, yet throughout her entire life, Mary's greatest strengths had always doubled as her greatest weaknesses.
At that point, the Eden's Gate complex was still under construction. Eden's Gate had rented a number of trailers for its members to stay in until the living quarters were completed, parked just outside the construction site. Mary did what she could to help, but since she lacked physical strength as well as expertise, there was little for her to do other than to fetch someone a tool or some other material from time to time. Frustrated and bored, she decided that since she wasn't being useful here, she could at least try to contribute to the Project in some way. She still had not been to the local town known as Fall's End, and she greatly wanted to make their presence known and spread the word of the glorious Father. In her naivety, she genuinely thought it would not be too hard to make believers out of the residents, after all, how could anyone reject such glorious teachings? Despite her intelligence, Mary Seed had been intensely sheltered and homeschooled her whole life, and she had little experience with people not within her religious community or with beliefs that were not her own. However, this fact did little to intimidate her, and she was all too excited to meet the locals of Hope County. However, she couldn't exactly head out there on her own. She was too young to drive, and it was too far a distance to walk, not to mention there's no way they'd let her go without a chaperone. She would have to ask her father for permission.
Mary made her way through the site of half built structures, being careful not disrupt the work of her brothers and sisters or accidentally get herself hurt. She found Joseph just outside the nearly finished church, overseeing its construction. Mary approached Joseph from behind, thinking about what she was going to say before she started.
"Father? Can I talk to you for a moment?" Mary began, drawing the Prophet's attention.
Joseph turned to see his golden child with a warm smile, for he was in the best of moods. The compound was coming along wonderfully, and it seemed he had found the perfect place for the Project to flourish.
"My beautiful daughter. Is something on your mind?"
"Father, I'm sorry to trouble you, but it's just I feel I've been sitting around not doing anything for too long. I was hoping that I could visit the local town, so I could meet its people. I want to spread your word and your wisdom to everyone. I can't stand just sitting here doing nothing when I know I could be out there doing God's work," Mary explained, trying to be clear and succinct as possible.
Joseph said nothing in response yet, letting Mary continue while looking on with a stoic expression. Mary couldn't sense his reaction, and this was a problem she had with her father rather often. Joseph was larger than life, and speaking up to him like this was a daunting task, even for his own daughter. Their relationship had always been somewhat formal and impersonal. Sometimes, Mary didn't see herself as his child any more than the rest of the community. He treated the entire flock as if they were his children, after all.
"Do you think Uncle John would mind taking me there? Or maybe someone else? I won't be too long, I promise. I just want to get out there and make an impression."
Joseph took a moment to think about her request. Mary waited with eager, nervous eyes. Even though the matter was hardly of great importance, it certainly meant a lot to her.
"There's no need for that," Joseph said, his words immediately deflating Mary's mood, that is, before he finished the thought. "I'll take you myself."
Mary perked up, a stunned expression appearing on her face. As his words registered, she suddenly found herself shaking. Mary almost never had time alone with her father, even during the night, for they had separate quarters. Joseph was a particularly private person, even to his family, and he was such a busy man that there was little time for any father-daughter bonding. Part of the reason Mary had grown so close to her Uncle John was because he was so much more personal with her, unconsciously making up for the lack of intimacy with her own father.
"R-really?" Mary asked, quite literally shaking in her high boots. "I mean, I don't want to waste your time, I'm sure you have more important things to do here."
Joseph just shook his head with a smile, having already made up his mind.
"What could be more important than showing my daughter the world? To allow her to spread God's word and lead souls away from damnation?"
Although she hadn't made it known to him, Mary had always yearned to spend more time with her only parent, but now that it was actually happening she was suddenly intimidated. For some reason she found herself trying to talk her father out of the idea, even though it was something she almost desperately desired. However, Joseph was surprisingly insistent, and Mary certainly wasn't about outright refuse him. It's a strange feeling to be both incredibly eager, yet so very anxious at the same time.
"Are you ready right this moment?" Joseph asked of her, now coming forward.
"Well, um, I suppose," Mary stumbled, still trying to regain her lost composure.
"Well then, let's not waste any more time," Joseph said, just before placing one hand on Mary's shoulder.
Joseph's grasp was firm yet gentle. He could tell Mary was a bit panicked, but knew she was no coward.
"Calm yourself my child, there is no reason to be afraid."
As he spoke, Mary stopped stirring, finding herself unable to look away from his peaceful, tranquilizing gaze. The warmness of his touch, coupled with the calm, reassuring look in his eye did much to soothe Mary of her nerves. Suddenly she felt rejuvenated and empowered, full of confidence to carry out God's will. That was the inherent, charismatic power the Prophet possessed. By the time he spoke again, she felt as if there was nothing she could not accomplish.
"Your dedication inspires me, Mary. Truly it does. Throughout this tumultuous, often disastrous life I've led, I've made many mistakes. Countless even. I am not infallible. Far from it, but the act of granting you life was the wisest decision I ever made, of that there is no question. Know that you are my proudest achievement, Mary. There is no comparison."
Mary had no words. Joseph's sudden praise had humbled her beyond reason. She simply let her father lead her to one of Eden's Gate's vehicles so they could begin their journey. Soon the two Seeds were on the road with a few brothers and sisters in their own car following behind them, just in case. The population was not hostile to them, but Joseph wanted some extra insurance of his and his daughter's safety.
The ride to Fall's End was not a long one. Mary sat in the passenger seat while Joseph himself drove the two to town. It was such a normal scenario for most children to be in, being driven somewhere by their parent, but for Mary it was such a rare occurrence. More often than not it was John who drove her places, and when it wasn't John, it was usually another member of the flock. She couldn't remember the last time her own father had driven her anywhere, if it had even happened at all. There was an awkward silence between the two as they journeyed through the open country, down the lonely Montana roads. At least, it was quite awkward for Mary. Joseph, on the other hand, was beaming as he always was, confident and composed as always.
No matter the adversity, Joseph remained certain that God was on his side, and he carried that faith wherever he went. Even when matters were at their most uncertain, he had maintained the faith that because he was carrying out God's will, he and his family would be watched over wherever they went. Even when Eden's Gate was pushed out of their previous home, Joseph saw that not as a defeat, but God guiding them along down the right path, pushing them closer and closer to their destiny. As he knew very well, sometimes God works in mysterious ways. Joseph took their forced migration as a sign. A sign that God did not want them where they were, that they were not living up to the potential that He had set for them. Being here, Joseph knew that this was not by coincidence. God had chosen this place for them, of that he was sure. He knew as soon as he laid eyes on the county's name that that this is where God wanted them to be. It was perfect, as it had all been laid out at the start. This untouched American wilderness was a modern Garden of Eden, so of course this would be the site for their project. Frankly, Joseph was astounded he hadn't realized his mistake sooner. What most would see as a setback only strengthened Joseph's resolve, bolstered his faith in God's eternal plan.
Mary felt as if she should be taking advantage of this rare opportunity to speak with her father, but annoying, nothing was coming to mind. Truly, she couldn't think of anything worthwhile to say. It wasn't as if she had never given the matter any thought either. While lying in bed at night or when she had nothing to do during the day, Mary would form endless questions and subject matters for her and her father to discuss, but whenever an occasion presented itself, all those thoughts would just vanish from her memory like vague, cloudy dreams.
"Are you nervous, my child?" Joseph asked, breaking the silence for her.
"Uh, a bit, yes," Mary confirmed, but it was mostly because Joseph was there with her.
Her father being there put Mary under a lot of pressure. The last thing she wanted to do was mess up and embarrass herself in front of him. She had always desperately wanted to impress him, but now that she had the chance all she felt was the fear of disappointing him. She didn't realize it, but she had been impressing Joseph time and time again ever since the day she was born.
"It's okay to be nervous or afraid. It doesn't make you weak, or any less of a person."
"It doesn't?" Mary asked, turning to him with a puzzled look. "But Uncle Jacob said—."
"Weakness is inaction in the face of fear," Joseph continued, quieting the curious Mary. "Fear is one of our greatest resources. Fear is what drives us to be better, to be more than what we are. There was a time in my life that I was very afraid Mary, like when you were born. The night you came into this world was the most terrifying day of my life, because I had no idea how to raise a child, and without your mother with me, it seemed truly impossible. I was afraid of failing your mother, I was afraid of failing God, but most of all, I was afraid of failing you."
Mary stared on in silence, again, stunned by Joseph's words. She knew that her father loved her of course, but to hear that he was more concerned with her than he was God wasn't something she had ever imagined could be true. If she was being honest with herself, she had always thought herself to be third in the order of what Joseph valued most. The first being God, and the second being his holy project. She had never flattered herself with the notion that she could above God in her father's eye, yet here he was telling her exactly that.
"Then I realized something. God was testing me. It was the most daunting task I had ever been faced with, but He wouldn't have allowed this to happen if He knew I had no chance. It was that fear of failing that drove me to work so very hard to realize God's vision, so you would have the perfect environment to develop, undeterred by horror and strife contaminating your soul, a privilege my brothers had I never had. Eden's Gate is the way it is today because of you Mary, because of you. I created the project with God's image, but with your soul in mind."
To say Mary was overwhelmed would be not be saying enough. She couldn't even form coherent thoughts, let alone speak them. The only thing she knew for sure in that moment was the she was honored beyond belief, an honor she couldn't imagine she deserved.
"Fear gives us purpose, it is what drives us to do better, become better, and make the world around us better. Don't ever be afraid to be afraid, Mary. Fear is what makes us strong."
In the small town of Fall's End, Gary Fairgrave and his nineteen-year old daughter Mary May were getting ready to open up the only local bar, the Spread Eagle. They had heard that some sort of strange group had purchased a big chunk of land up North, but not much more than that. Mary May wasn't giving the matter much thought, but it made her father all kinds of suspicious. He had never been fond of outsiders, and Hope County was remote enough to usually keep them away, until now that is. Now dozens had moved in at once, and he could do nothing about it. He had heard they were religious types, but other than that he didn't know much about them. Little did he know was that soon enough he would be getting quite the introduction.
The counter and all the tables had been cleaned, so while her father was washing dishes, Mary May had her eyes on the TV, watching the national news. A very strange story had caught her attention.
"With some happy news, there has been a breakthrough in the search for the seven young men and women who went missing for several weeks in Southeast Asia. Since they had been missing for so long, there was little hope of any of them being found alive, if at all. Today, we are thrilled to report that six of the seven young friends were recovered by a local fishing vessel not far off the coast of the isolated, pirate-ridden Rook Islands, where they had apparently been stranded at since they had gone missing. The rescued young men and women include Oliver Carswell, Daisy Lee, Liza Snow, Keith Ramsey, and the brothers Jason and Riley Brody. Sadly, the seventh missing youth and brother of Jason and Riley has been reported dead by his friends and family."
"Rook Islands?" Mary May repeated, the name ringing a strange bell to her. "Isn't that where Hurk said he was headed to when he left?" Mary May asked, turning to her father behind the bar.
"Hell if I know, I stopped paying attention to anything that comes out of that fool's mouth a long time ago."
That's when they heard they heard the sound of vehicles passing through town. Mary May looked out the window, seeing a car drive by followed by a truck, both with a strange design printed on the side of the cars. She had gotten a glimpse of the two people in the front car, a man in mid to late thirties driving a teenage girl, most likely his daughter. Mary May knew pretty much everyone that was around, but she didn't recognize either of them.
"Who's that?" Mary May asked.
Her father Gary came out from behind the bar and to the window, looking out to see the newcomers bring their vehicles to a halt, parking on the side of the street. He saw the symbol on the side of the vehicles, and knew right away they had to be with whatever strange organization had moved into the county. He watched them get out of their cars, noticing not only how peculiar they all looked, but also that everyone besides the young girl was noticeably armed.
"Shit, this can't be good," Gary said, before moving to the door and leaving the building to get a better look.
"Hey Dad, wait up!" Mary May called after him, following him out of the bar and into the street.
As Mary stood in the road with her father and the others, she quickly realized that all eyes were on them. People had come out of their homes to take a look at the newcomers, and their gazes weren't exactly ones that Mary would call friendly. More like suspicious, and immediately disconcerting. For a moment she just stood in uncomfortable silence while the townspeople all stared at her, but no one else with her seemed to mind or even notice. It was the reaction Joseph and the others had all come to expect, but it wasn't something Mary had ever experienced.
"Why is everyone staring at us?" Mary asked, looking to her father with an uneasy expression.
Joseph turned to her, and then outwards so he could see the incoming unwelcome gazes for himself. At some point, he had trained himself to stop caring about or even noticing these unfriendly reactions, especially when entering a new place. It came with the territory, and was an unfortunate inevitability he had accepted long ago.
"Because we're new, Mary. We're strange. Unknown. This is how people react to the unknown, what they don't understand. With fear. Not by coincidence, it is also how people tend to react to the truth."
"I thought you said fear was good, that it's what drives us to do great things," Mary said back, thinking of their conversation just moments ago.
"Not when combined with ignorance. Then it only leads to hatred and distrust. The same things that are used for good can always be used for evil, Mary. Never forget that."
Mary took in her father's words with a puzzled, troubled expression. She believed his words, but she couldn't understand why people would react so negatively to something new. Trying something new had always been an exciting, enlightening experience for her. After the locals realized her good intentions, Mary was certain they would come around in no time. Why wouldn't they? After all, she was only trying to help them.
Mary turned back to see the townspeople once more, some of which had already gone back to their business. In particular, she noticed Gary and Mary May Fairgrave standing shoulder to shoulder. Mary didn't know them yet of course, but she assumed the pair were father and daughter, although she couldn't be certain. Gary was giving her an especially distrustful look, whereas Mary May looked more uncertain than anything else. In an effort to put their minds at ease, Mary raised her arm and gave them a smiling wave. All she wanted was to show she meant no harm. In response, Gary turned around, dragging Mary May back inside the bar by the arm. Mary May looked a bit confused, but she didn't protest either. Gary shut the door behind them, earning a sad, disheartened frown from the young Mary Seed. She didn't understand. Why were they behaving this way? She hadn't done anything to them.
"This doesn't seem like it's going to be as easy as I thought," Mary said with an audible sigh.
"No one ever said it would be easy, Mary. Doing God's work seldom is," Joseph replied, noticing her deflated state. "You must do as I did. Even when they try to deter you, to silence you, you must stand strong. Make it impossible for them to ignore you. Speak the truth whenever you can, even when you think no one's listening. Even when you think it's all in vain, never stop to question or doubt yourself. As long as you keep the faith, their fear and ignorance will have no power over you."
"Yes father," Mary said with a nod.
She took a deep breath, not allowing herself to be intimidated by getting off to a rough start. This was her first real test, and she would not be defeated so easily. She would just have to keep at it no matter what, just like Joseph said. To fail would be not only to fail God, but also her family, her community, and all these poor, lost souls that would certainly be doomed to damnation. Obviously, that wasn't an option.
"So, where should we begin?" Mary inquired, looking to her father for guidance.
"Where else, but this false house of God?" Joseph asked, gesturing to the local church standing before them.
Of course, Mary thought. The church would no doubt be full of souls seeking salvation, yet looking in all the wrong places. Without further ado, Mary started towards the church, far too eager to be delayed any longer. Before following, Joseph turned towards few members of their flock who had accompanied them.
"Wait here for our return, and be watchful. We may think we're safe here, but one can never be too sure."
"Of course, Joseph. Praise be to you," the brother said dutifully, stepping away to guard the vehicles.
With that, Joseph turned after his impatient daughter, who was already halfway down the street towards the church. When she saw the sign just outside, she instinctively stopped to read what it said, mostly out of curiosity.
"Today's Reading: Revelations 21:4"
Mary took a moment to recall the passage, for even at her young age, Mary knew the bible back to front. Many of the teachings were still accurate, after all.
"'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning, or crying, or pain, for the old order of things has passed away,'" Mary recited out loud as Joseph caught up to her, coming to her side. "Very fitting, wouldn't you say, father?"
"Yes, eerily fitting," Joseph agreed.
"Do you think it's a sign of our success?" Mary asked, turning to Joseph with a hopeful look.
"Perhaps, but don't let that mislead you into thinking that this will be easy. You may not succeed right way."
Mary nodded, turning back towards the church sign now.
"'Pastor Jerome Jeffries,'" Mary read at the very bottom.
"Remember Mary, even though this pastor is responsible for leading these poor souls astray, know that is just as lost as the rest of them. He is not an agent of the Devil. He must be guided to salvation like all the rest."
"Of course," Mary nodded, never one to pass harsh judgement. "He means well, he's simply misguided. He knows not what he does."
"Precisely," Joseph said, before onwards towards the church.
Mary followed after him, taking another deep breath before they reached the doors. She wasn't sure what awaited them on the other side, but unlike others, she would not be intimidated by the unknown. No matter what lied in the future, she knew in her heart that God was on her side.
Don't worry guys, we're definitely finishing this flashback adventure in a future chapter. It was getting to be too long and I still had plenty to do, so I decided to split the flashbacks up. Not to mention, it'll work as a great foreshadowing moment to the final chapter, which will be the chapter after the second flashback.
Please consider leaving your thoughts, even if it's just a short comment. Every bit helps, and the less I hear from my readers, the worse off I'll ultimately be!