Chapter 9:

Tyler didn't move a muscle. He just stared. Each step closer Joseph was, the more nervous he got. The candles lighting the church only made his face shadowy and appear gaunt.

"You have any idea just how disappointed I am?" Joseph said, his voice as calm as it has always been. "For years and years I have been creating this Project under Gods Word, following his guidance every step of the way." Tyler gulped the air in his mouth and clenched his fist to suppress his growing anger. "My Family was always fragile, always changing and we finally managed to come together again. Remember what I told you about John? We were only children, alone and scared." Joseph took another step closer towards Tyler and Seb.

"I remember." Was all Tyler was able to say to Joseph.

"We found each other after many years and I shared my vision with John and Jacob. We vowed to protect as many as we could from the coming Collapse. People who wanted protection came to us, we didn't force anything upon anyone until you showed up. You and your posse of Sinners tore an irreversible part out of our Family. My brothers were not the monsters you made them out to be. They were not perfect, sure, but they were my family." Joseph walked closer towards the other people. Tyler could now see his piercing eyes through his yellow aviators. They were closed slightly.

"I did what I had to do." Tyler said, and it wasn't the first time he's said that to a Seed today. Joseph nodded and stepped even closer. Tyler heard footsteps behind him and saw Faith reappear from the left. He felt a smaller hand grab onto his own and squeeze it gently.

"That may be the case. John and Jacob told me countless times that you weren't worth the effort and that we should just kill you." The Father grimaced and moved closer again. "I told them not to, and it cost them their lives." He then looked over at Faith. "We made a promise, Faith, let the Bliss guide these lost souls home. We must show them the Path." Faith nodded and stepped in front of Tyler and Seb. She let go of Tyler's hand and pulled something out from behind her back. She held out a fist and then opened her hand to reveal a white powder.

"I'm sorry." She whispered as she blew the powder at both of them. The effects took hold instantly and Tyler felt his vision turn white instantly and he felt happy. Like nothing could ever hurt him again and he was calm. For the first time since, well, the last time he was pulled into the Bliss. Tyler heard Faiths voice ring out loud, although it was more of a whisper that echoed around his head.

"Follow my lead and listen to him. He knows what he's doing." Tyler regained consciousness and he opened his eyes. He was in a tall grass field and the sky was milky green. Seb was next to him and he looked dazed but calm as well. In front of them was a tree, by itself with Faith dancing underneath it. On instinct, Tyler walked towards Faith and Seb followed him. Once he reached Faith, she stopped dancing and walked over to both of them. She took their hands and smiled sadly at them.

"Even those who fight against us seek salvation. You're both proof of that." She turns behind her and guided them closer towards the tree. "We all need guidance in times like these." She lead them both towards The Father. He was preaching to a group of cultists and one person that caught Tyler's eye in particular. The Marshall. "Now you'll see, now you'll truly understand." She let go of their hands and the Father continued his preach.

"So we must remain strong, we must remain vigilant." He looked up at the two other men and walked towards them. "Because that is what they do. They smash." He looks at Tyler and narrowed his eyes slightly. "You judge me, you judge us.the things that we have done… people say that I'm crazy." He puts an arm on both of their shoulders. And stares into both of their eyes. "But when you wake up in the morning you look at the same news that I do. Do your eyes not fill with horror?" He walks past them and gestures off past the Bliss with both his arms and in the distance, a large mushroom cloud billowed upwards and expanded quickly across the horizon. "This is the world? This is the world we've built for our children?" The Father was expressing and it was obvious he believed what he was saying. "Communities being torn apart, walls being erected?" He turned around and looked at the men again. "Because leaders are to impotent to act. Bullies to addled to lead righteously! I did not ask for this, I was chosen." He walked up to them again and touched his forehead with Tyler's. The scene changed and all they could see was fire. The world around them burning. "See everything is coming to an end. You can feel that. I know you can. See mankind is weak… and vulnerable…and we are hurtling towards our destruction and nobody is willing to do anything about it." He gestured to himself. "I can see that!" He then pointed at the two. "You both can see. And we are not crazy. So what are supposed to do? Just sit back and await the inevitable?" He walked towards them and his face was still one of anger. "I don't claim to be a perfect man. But I saw what was coming and I chose to act. To lead. Because society is broken. And the only way forward, is to go back to the way things once were. Innocent and Pure. So safe and protected in our Garden. I can save you both." He bent down and plucked one of the white flowers at their feet and brought it to their faces. "But we must have Faith." The Flower made Tyler's vision turn white and he felt his body go limp.

"Tyler, Seb. Wake up!" A voice said. Tyler groaned and opened his eyes. He was still in the church, but he was on his back and already had a splitting headache. Faith was above him and had a hand outstretched to help him up. Tyler took her hand and got off the ground.

"The hell was that Faith?" Tyler groans. Faith frowned and let go of Tyler's hand.

"Did you not understand? The Father was trying to show you what is coming." Tyler nodded his head. But something still angers at his mind.

"Why did you apologise before taking me and Seb into the Bliss?" He asked. "It's your job ain't it?" Faith sighed and nodded her head.

"I wanted to be able to talk with you out of the Bliss but that's not what The Father wants." She walked up to Tyler and put a hand on his cheek. "I made sure you were safe and comfortable the entire way," she said. "I make sure that I take care of the people I love." Tyler put a hand on hers and smiled.

"Thank you Faith," he said gently. He suddenly remembered he wanted to let Faith know what he found out. "I have something to tell you." Faith walked them over to one of the church pews and sat down. She didn't let go of his hand.

"Yes Tyler?" She asked.

"Well," Tyler said. "I took back the Brewery as you know and I heard a very strange conversation between two of your followers. One of them asked the other if he'd rather be anywhere else and the man said he'd prefer to have been working his land with his family. He said to me that one of your siblings had taken his land by force and shot dead his family before forcing him to join your Project." Faith looked at him and her blue eyes grew just a little bit wider. "And that's not all," Tyler continued. "When I was at the Marina, I overheard two more of your followers talk about their after hours activities. It was, best to say, against your rules as they were gonna have a right old time playing bury the salami." Now Faith's eyes had somehow grown even more. She then surprised Tyler even more, she started to tear up.

"What?" She had said. "Throughout my entire life, I've dealt with people who would take advantage of my personality. And I thought this was a place that even the thought of deception was impossible." She kept crying and hurried her head into Tyler's arm. Not knowing exactly what to do, Tyler rubbed her back in a decent attempt to comfort her. She squeezed his arm in gratitude and sat up.

"Can I help you in any way?" Tyler asked Faith.

"I guess." She said. "Seeing as my own people won't even follow the rules I obey by religiously, yo I have my blessing to keep doing what you're doing. Just make sure it's the unfaithful ones you unleash your wrath upon, ok?" Tyler grinned and wiped the tear drops still on her cheeks with his thumb.

"I will." Tyler said. "I know this must be hard for you to accept but you have to believe me when I say that this is what I heard. It made me feel sick."

"No, I have no issue when it comes to trust, unless it's broken several times." She said. Tyler looked at Faith and she stared right back at him. Tyler knew that she was a very attractive woman, but in the candlelight and in her current vulnerable state she seemed all the more angelic. Her eyes, blue as the ocean and full of emotion. He could get lost in them without trying. Her smile made his heart warm and he couldn't help but smile as well. Their silence was broken by a groan from the floor. Tyler had been so caught up with talking with Faith that he'd almost forgotten about Seb who must've only just come outta the Bliss. Tyler went over to his friend and shook his until his eyes squinted open.

"Where the hell?" Seb groaned as he sat up. Recognition flashed on his face and he relaxed.

"C'mon," Tyler said gently to Seb. "Let's head back to the others." Faith got up from the pew and her face was slightly red from just moments ago. Tyler and Seb headed towards the door and Faith said quietly, just so Tyler could hear.

"Will I see you again soon?" She asked. Tyler nodded and whispered back.

"Any time," he said. "Meet at Rock Bass Lake, by the Jetty?" Faith nodded and smiled and Tyler as he and Seb opened the doors to the church and left the building.

Faith stared at the door as it closed and thoughts came racing to her. She couldn't help but think about Tyler. He was so kind to her and really did want to look out for her. That kind of protection had been near foreign to her. It warmed her heart to have a friend like Tyler. She also started to notice other things about him. For example, Tyler was quite good looking. If she was still a teenage girl, she wouldn't think twice about asking him out. Not only was he handsome, he was kind. He had empathy and understanding. Just the kind of person Faith needed. She smiled at her own thoughts and sat back down on the pew and started speaking to herself.

"Do I like him like that?" She smiled and nodded her head. "Is he interested in me?" She thought about this and her smile faded. Why would he see her that way. He was the Deputy and hero of the Resistance and she was Faith goddamn Seed, a kingpin of the Project. She wished that Tyler was apart of her flock, so she could spend more time with him and learn more about him. What he liked, what he didn't. What he enjoyed doing. She could only think about the possibilities and let those thoughts put her to sleep. Her dreams were yet again filled with thoughts of Tyler. Happy ones of them spending time together. It made her smile on her sleep.

Note:

Hi, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. So now all the fluffy stuff begins. This is part 2 of the previous chapter and it probably marks somewhere around the first quarter of this story. This one is a bit shorter but it is a bit of fun, at least in my opinion.