Title: Strange Days (Part 5)
Author: ImhotepsGoddess
Summary: Micah and Danny awake one morning to find that all of the adults have died of a mysterious plague (not from the corn). Now that children are in charge of the world, what are the children of the corn's purpose? Add to that He Who's "daughter" and you have one very strange story!
Disclaimer: Well, we all know Stephen King owns the original story. Micah, Danny, etc. and COTC 2 are owned by Paramount, Delilah is owned by me, and Rachael is owned by...well...herself(I hope you like your character!!)
Part 5
The few mornings later Delilah was awake before the rest of the house. After taking a quick shower, she dressed in a long purple skirt and a white button up blouse. She laced her simple black boots and braided her long black hair. After putting on a simple, wide-brimmed straw hat she headed outdoors. She wanted to see the sun rise and she was not about to miss it. Sitting on the front steps, Delilah let her mind wander, but found that it usually came back to one thing, or person. Micah. The way he had looked at her that first night and many times after, with a mix of pride and astonishment. The way he had held her hand, took her arm, gave her encouragement. It was frightening how much she missed him, even though he was only a few steps and a call away. She could almost picture him, what he looked like as he slept, his face so innocent and peaceful, no hint of the power within. Had her father deliberately put these feelings inside of her, had he made it so that she would love him? Or did she do so naturally, simply because she was partly made up of his essence? She had no answers to these questions, no matter how many times she closed her eyes and called her Father, He gave her no answers, no hint as to how she could stop feeling this way.
Because she did. She didn't *want* to love Micah. It was a burden, these feelings, the jealousy that arose in her when she saw Ruth looking at him like *that*. How she had wanted to rip the girl's heart out, throw her out of this town forever. But she would never do that. It would hurt Micah to see her act so violently, she knew. Delilah was the one who solved problems with a calm wisdom, while Mordechai was the one who solved problems with his fists and knife. Maybe she would go see Mordechai about Ruth. But no, Mordechai was getting worse everyday, trying to flirt with her, trying to be next to her. Two days after she arrived he had cornered her in the main barn and had tried to kiss her. She had pushed him away and ran back to her house, only to be cornered again just in front of the side door. The only thing that had stopped him was Danny, who had come to look for her because Micah needed to see her. That was another thing. Micah always needed to see her, always needed her to be next to him, close to him. It was strange, although she supposed that he missed her as much as she missed him when they were apart. Only she didn't know whether he loved her the way she loved him. "Delilah?"
An unmistakable voice snapped her out of her thoughts and she looked up to see Micah standing in the doorway with a worried look on his face. "What's wrong, Micah?" she asked.
"I was looking for you. I couldn't find you," he said, a slightly embarrassed tone in his voice.
"Oh, well here I am," she said, smiling up at his shadowy form.
"Ok, well, ummm...," Micah's voice trailed off and he suddenly looked uncomfortable.
"Do you want to sit here with me? Do you want to talk about something?"
Boy, did he ever. He wanted to tell her exactly how he felt. But he didn't think he could ever bring himself to do that. Actually, though, he did want to ask her about something else. Nodding gratefully, he sat down next to her.
"Have you noticed if Mordechai's behavior is getting worse?" he asked.
Delilah was silent for a moment, trying to decide how to answer that loaded question. She decided to be honest with him. "Yes," she said slowly, "I have noticed the looks he gives you when he thinks you aren't watching him, the way he tries to undermine your authority, the way he shirks his chores sometimes to do what *he* thinks needs to be done. I've noticed how he bullies the kids that are loyal to you, how he blatantly refuses to listen to anything Danny tries to tell him. He's mean to Jedediah, and very curt to him too. He's also tried to get me alone several times, Micah," she said, watching his reaction.
Micah's eyes grew very dark and very cold, and his whole body seemed to tense up. He seemed to be growling under his breath and suddenly Delilah was very afraid. "Micah?" she whispered timidly.
"He will not get away with this blasphemous and insubordinate behavior. If he refuses to listen to what I have to say, then his blood will nourish the corn," Micah growled in a deep and unnatural voice.
"Micah....please, be careful," she pleaded with him.
Just as quickly as it appeared his menacing look was gone and he looked at her with a confused expression on his face. "What just happened?" he asked.
"Father's essence must have manifested itself in you. Your anger must have brought out your darkness," she explained.
"I'm sorry, Delilah, I did not wish for you to see me that way," he said, lowering his head and staring at the ground.
"Micah, I know that part of you. I'm not afraid of it," Delilah said quietly and placed her hand over his, where it was resting on his knee.
Micah looked at her with surprise and happiness in his eyes and lightly cupped her cheek. Slowly lowering his head to hers, he captured her lips in a gentle kiss. After a fraction of a second she returned his kiss eagerly, gripping the back of his neck and pulling him closer to her. Micah moaned and murmured against her lips, "You know I love you, right?"
Delilah broke away from him and looked at him, her gray eyes dancing with happiness. "How could I not?" she said, pressing her lips to his in another, more passionate kiss.
They didn't notice the angry pair of blue eyes watching them from a window across the street.
------------------------
Meanwhile, across town, Mordechai was keeping watch at the town's main entrance. He sighed, grumbling under his breath. This was not the way he liked to start his days. He was aware that Micah and his little lackeys were watching him and he hated that feeling. What he hated even more was the fact that Delilah had somehow been able to stave off his advances. If only he could have that girl, then he would be Leader. She would find some way to convince the Father to give him the position and then he could just kill Micah. He deserved the position, anyhow. He was more aggressive and more loyal than Micah. He knew he could do a better job than Micah. In the distance, Mordechai thought he saw something. Raising one hand to shield his eyes, he squinted and looked again. There was definitely something or someone out there and it was coming towards *his* town. Jumping down off of the platform they had built as a makeshift look-out tower, he saw that it was a motorbike. However, he couldn't tell who was exactly on it, and whether they could be a follower or defiler. He stood there for a few minutes, his arms crossed over his chest when finally the bike and rider were only a few feet away. When the bike started to ride past him he grabbed the handlebars and swerved it. It and the person riding it skidded and came to a stop just under the look-out post. Mordechai walked up to the rider and pulled the helmet off of their head. A teenage girl shakily stood up and glared silently at Mordechai for a moment. Mordechai grinned at her cruelly and she snapped. "Just who do you think you are?! You could have killed me! Oh my god, you are sooo lucky that all I have are these scrapes on my knees! I could be *dead* right now!" she yelled, getting in his face angrily.
"Well, you're fine aren't you? And maybe you should be telling me who *you* are, before I drag you off to see the Leader."
"Your Leader? Well, then, take me to your Leader. Oh, I've always wanted to say that!" she grinned to herself, making Mordechai look at her in confusion.
"Well, if you want to see him so badly, then I suppose you should follow me," he said, and walked of in a huff.
The girl stared after him for a minute and then ran, trying to catch up with him.
-----------------------------
Once Mordechai reached Micah's house he pounded roughly on the door. When the girl finally caught up with him he grabbed her arm and held it hard. "Owww! Let go of me!" she yelled at him.
"I don't think so. Right now you're *my* prisoner," he said. grinning almost happily.
When the door opened Micah looked at Mordechai with anger clearly on his face. "Shouldn't you be at watch, *Mordechai*?" he sneered.
"I was when *this* tried to get into our town," he said, roughly pulling the girl into view.
"Hey, I'm not a "this" and I have a name!" she said indignantly.
"Well, what is your name my child?" Micah said, a friendly smile on his face.
The girl relaxed somewhat and she returned the smile, "My name is Rachael. Now could you please tell your watchdog to get his hands off of me?"
"Yes, of course, Rachael. Mordechai, you've done your job, you may go back to your post now."
Mordechai stared wide-eyed at Micah and spun around, leaving the house fuming and banging the door loudly on the way out.
"Now perhaps you could tell me just why you have come to Hemingford?"
"Well," Rachael paused for a instant, "I heard that this town is pretty safe compared to the rest of the world. My town is a mess. The other kids don't seem to want any kind of leader and they don't want to be told what to do. Someone, kinda sarcastically I think, said that I should just run off to Hemingford cause I'd probably fit in a lot better there. And well, here I am."
Micah gazed at her for a few moments, trying to see if she was telling the truth. When he decided that she had, he smiled warmly at her. "Well, then He Who Walks Behind the Rows shall welcome all those who wish to see the truth and step into the light."
Rachael was somewhat astonished that he had let her stay just like that. She had heard that these kids were very religious and hated outsiders. But maybe that wasn't really true. Maybe they just didn't like the kids that wanted disorder and anarchy. Whatever the case was, she knew that she had a new home. A thought suddenly came to her. "Ummm, Micah? Where will I be staying?" she asked.
Micah furrowed his eyebrows and tried to think of all the different homes. The only place he could think of that might be acceptable was Ruth and Lacey's but he wasn't sure that this girl belonged in that house. There was something going on with those girls and he didn't want this new member of the town to be influenced by them. No, then the only alternative was one he knew would ruffle a few feathers. Ruth, Lacey, and Mordechai's to be exact. He sighed. He hated causing even more issues to be brought up, but he was the Leader and he wasn't going to let them tell him what to do. "Well, you could stay here. We have one extra bedroom. Jedediah sometimes sleeps there but I'm sure he wouldn't mind staying on the couch if he had to."
"Here? Well, yeah, if that's ok. And who's Jedediah?"
"I'm the Leader and I'm making it okay. The Father doesn't seem to object and I'm sure Delilah wouldn't mind another female in the house. Oh, Jedediah is a close friend of mine. He's having some trouble with his housemate."
"That guy...what's-his-name? Mord-something?"
"Mordechai, yes. He's been causing some considerable....trouble for the past few days."
Before Rachael could reply, a girl she could only assume was Delilah descended the stairs. "Micah, who's this?" the girl asked, smiling slightly at him.
"Delilah," he said as she made her way past Rachael and slipped her arm possessively around his waist, "this is Rachael. She left her own town to come here and live. She'll be staying with us."
"Oh, that's great! Rachael, I hope we can be friends," she said, losing her earlier cool demeanor and beaming at the girl.
"You're not friends with any of the other girls here?" Rachael asked.
"Well, the only two other girls that are around our age here are Ruth and Lacey and they don't seem to like me too much," Delilah said, a slight sadness in her voice.
"Don't be sad about that," Micah said firmly, "They don't like you because you have *me*. Ruth is jealous and Lacey follows her because she wants Danny to leave here and betray The Father."
Rachael listened to the dialogue between the two with disbelief. And here she thought she was coming to a quiet town with *no* drama at all. The awkward silence that followed the exchange was broken by a sharp knock on the door. Delilah went to the door and smiled as she opened it. "Hello, Jedediah. What brings you here?"
"Mordechai is complaining that Micah brought someone new into town without any proper procedures. I didn't know we *had* any proper procedures," he said, a hint of sarcasm and mischief in his voice.
"Well, if we had any I think you'd be the fourth or fifth to know."
"Thank you, Lil, for the ego boost," Jedediah said, continuing what had become the usual playful banter between the two of them.
"Anytime, *Jed*, just let me know," Delilah cracked, giggling lightly.
Micah came into the hallway and greeted his friend. "I suppose Mordechai is angry about Rachael?"
"Oh, so he's actually complaining about something that's true this time?"
"In a manner of speaking, yes. Although I don't see why he should be complaining. I have gotten no message that would indicate that He Who Walks Behind the Rows does not approve, and neither has Delilah."
"Ummm, hi, I think you were talking about me just now?" Rachael said, coming from the main room.
"Oh, yes, I'm sorry," said Micah, "Jedediah, this is Rachael. I'm sorry but I've given her the last guest room."
"That's ok, Micah. The couch is pretty comfortable anyway," Jedediah said, although it was partly because he thought Rachael was just so pretty. He was hoping that his staring wasn't too obvious, because then he would be really embarrassed. "So, uh, Rachael, where are you from?"
"Oh, not too far away," she said, not really wanting to give away to much of her past.
"So, you're one of those mystery girls, huh," Jedediah replied, his lips curving in what he hoped was a flirty smile, "Well, I'd like to figure out the mystery."
As soon as those words left his mouth he mentally slapped himself upside the head. Smooth move, Jedediah, he thought, you're a real ladies man. I bet she'll really like you now. He blushed slightly when he saw that not only was Rachael smiling at him, Micah and Delilah had mysteriously vacated the hallway.
"It wasn't that bad, Jed, only a little corny," she said, a little laughter in her voice. But it wasn't mean or sarcastic, just real laughter.
"Really? Oh, good. I was kinda worried...," his voice trailed off and he blushed again, embarrassed beyond belief.
"No, I think there's hope for you yet," Rachael said, but was interrupted by yet another knock on the door.
When Jedediah opened the door he was not too surprised to see Mordechai standing there. "Jedediah, don't you have work to do?"
"I'm taking a little break. Don't worry, Mordechai, I was given permission by both our Leader *and* our Seer," Jedediah replied, rolling his eyes.
"Fine, do what you want. Sin all you want with that new girl. I don't care," Mordechai huffed, then whirled and stomped away, slamming the door behind him.
"Sin?" Rachael asked, raising her eyebrows.
Author: ImhotepsGoddess
Summary: Micah and Danny awake one morning to find that all of the adults have died of a mysterious plague (not from the corn). Now that children are in charge of the world, what are the children of the corn's purpose? Add to that He Who's "daughter" and you have one very strange story!
Disclaimer: Well, we all know Stephen King owns the original story. Micah, Danny, etc. and COTC 2 are owned by Paramount, Delilah is owned by me, and Rachael is owned by...well...herself(I hope you like your character!!)
Part 5
The few mornings later Delilah was awake before the rest of the house. After taking a quick shower, she dressed in a long purple skirt and a white button up blouse. She laced her simple black boots and braided her long black hair. After putting on a simple, wide-brimmed straw hat she headed outdoors. She wanted to see the sun rise and she was not about to miss it. Sitting on the front steps, Delilah let her mind wander, but found that it usually came back to one thing, or person. Micah. The way he had looked at her that first night and many times after, with a mix of pride and astonishment. The way he had held her hand, took her arm, gave her encouragement. It was frightening how much she missed him, even though he was only a few steps and a call away. She could almost picture him, what he looked like as he slept, his face so innocent and peaceful, no hint of the power within. Had her father deliberately put these feelings inside of her, had he made it so that she would love him? Or did she do so naturally, simply because she was partly made up of his essence? She had no answers to these questions, no matter how many times she closed her eyes and called her Father, He gave her no answers, no hint as to how she could stop feeling this way.
Because she did. She didn't *want* to love Micah. It was a burden, these feelings, the jealousy that arose in her when she saw Ruth looking at him like *that*. How she had wanted to rip the girl's heart out, throw her out of this town forever. But she would never do that. It would hurt Micah to see her act so violently, she knew. Delilah was the one who solved problems with a calm wisdom, while Mordechai was the one who solved problems with his fists and knife. Maybe she would go see Mordechai about Ruth. But no, Mordechai was getting worse everyday, trying to flirt with her, trying to be next to her. Two days after she arrived he had cornered her in the main barn and had tried to kiss her. She had pushed him away and ran back to her house, only to be cornered again just in front of the side door. The only thing that had stopped him was Danny, who had come to look for her because Micah needed to see her. That was another thing. Micah always needed to see her, always needed her to be next to him, close to him. It was strange, although she supposed that he missed her as much as she missed him when they were apart. Only she didn't know whether he loved her the way she loved him. "Delilah?"
An unmistakable voice snapped her out of her thoughts and she looked up to see Micah standing in the doorway with a worried look on his face. "What's wrong, Micah?" she asked.
"I was looking for you. I couldn't find you," he said, a slightly embarrassed tone in his voice.
"Oh, well here I am," she said, smiling up at his shadowy form.
"Ok, well, ummm...," Micah's voice trailed off and he suddenly looked uncomfortable.
"Do you want to sit here with me? Do you want to talk about something?"
Boy, did he ever. He wanted to tell her exactly how he felt. But he didn't think he could ever bring himself to do that. Actually, though, he did want to ask her about something else. Nodding gratefully, he sat down next to her.
"Have you noticed if Mordechai's behavior is getting worse?" he asked.
Delilah was silent for a moment, trying to decide how to answer that loaded question. She decided to be honest with him. "Yes," she said slowly, "I have noticed the looks he gives you when he thinks you aren't watching him, the way he tries to undermine your authority, the way he shirks his chores sometimes to do what *he* thinks needs to be done. I've noticed how he bullies the kids that are loyal to you, how he blatantly refuses to listen to anything Danny tries to tell him. He's mean to Jedediah, and very curt to him too. He's also tried to get me alone several times, Micah," she said, watching his reaction.
Micah's eyes grew very dark and very cold, and his whole body seemed to tense up. He seemed to be growling under his breath and suddenly Delilah was very afraid. "Micah?" she whispered timidly.
"He will not get away with this blasphemous and insubordinate behavior. If he refuses to listen to what I have to say, then his blood will nourish the corn," Micah growled in a deep and unnatural voice.
"Micah....please, be careful," she pleaded with him.
Just as quickly as it appeared his menacing look was gone and he looked at her with a confused expression on his face. "What just happened?" he asked.
"Father's essence must have manifested itself in you. Your anger must have brought out your darkness," she explained.
"I'm sorry, Delilah, I did not wish for you to see me that way," he said, lowering his head and staring at the ground.
"Micah, I know that part of you. I'm not afraid of it," Delilah said quietly and placed her hand over his, where it was resting on his knee.
Micah looked at her with surprise and happiness in his eyes and lightly cupped her cheek. Slowly lowering his head to hers, he captured her lips in a gentle kiss. After a fraction of a second she returned his kiss eagerly, gripping the back of his neck and pulling him closer to her. Micah moaned and murmured against her lips, "You know I love you, right?"
Delilah broke away from him and looked at him, her gray eyes dancing with happiness. "How could I not?" she said, pressing her lips to his in another, more passionate kiss.
They didn't notice the angry pair of blue eyes watching them from a window across the street.
------------------------
Meanwhile, across town, Mordechai was keeping watch at the town's main entrance. He sighed, grumbling under his breath. This was not the way he liked to start his days. He was aware that Micah and his little lackeys were watching him and he hated that feeling. What he hated even more was the fact that Delilah had somehow been able to stave off his advances. If only he could have that girl, then he would be Leader. She would find some way to convince the Father to give him the position and then he could just kill Micah. He deserved the position, anyhow. He was more aggressive and more loyal than Micah. He knew he could do a better job than Micah. In the distance, Mordechai thought he saw something. Raising one hand to shield his eyes, he squinted and looked again. There was definitely something or someone out there and it was coming towards *his* town. Jumping down off of the platform they had built as a makeshift look-out tower, he saw that it was a motorbike. However, he couldn't tell who was exactly on it, and whether they could be a follower or defiler. He stood there for a few minutes, his arms crossed over his chest when finally the bike and rider were only a few feet away. When the bike started to ride past him he grabbed the handlebars and swerved it. It and the person riding it skidded and came to a stop just under the look-out post. Mordechai walked up to the rider and pulled the helmet off of their head. A teenage girl shakily stood up and glared silently at Mordechai for a moment. Mordechai grinned at her cruelly and she snapped. "Just who do you think you are?! You could have killed me! Oh my god, you are sooo lucky that all I have are these scrapes on my knees! I could be *dead* right now!" she yelled, getting in his face angrily.
"Well, you're fine aren't you? And maybe you should be telling me who *you* are, before I drag you off to see the Leader."
"Your Leader? Well, then, take me to your Leader. Oh, I've always wanted to say that!" she grinned to herself, making Mordechai look at her in confusion.
"Well, if you want to see him so badly, then I suppose you should follow me," he said, and walked of in a huff.
The girl stared after him for a minute and then ran, trying to catch up with him.
-----------------------------
Once Mordechai reached Micah's house he pounded roughly on the door. When the girl finally caught up with him he grabbed her arm and held it hard. "Owww! Let go of me!" she yelled at him.
"I don't think so. Right now you're *my* prisoner," he said. grinning almost happily.
When the door opened Micah looked at Mordechai with anger clearly on his face. "Shouldn't you be at watch, *Mordechai*?" he sneered.
"I was when *this* tried to get into our town," he said, roughly pulling the girl into view.
"Hey, I'm not a "this" and I have a name!" she said indignantly.
"Well, what is your name my child?" Micah said, a friendly smile on his face.
The girl relaxed somewhat and she returned the smile, "My name is Rachael. Now could you please tell your watchdog to get his hands off of me?"
"Yes, of course, Rachael. Mordechai, you've done your job, you may go back to your post now."
Mordechai stared wide-eyed at Micah and spun around, leaving the house fuming and banging the door loudly on the way out.
"Now perhaps you could tell me just why you have come to Hemingford?"
"Well," Rachael paused for a instant, "I heard that this town is pretty safe compared to the rest of the world. My town is a mess. The other kids don't seem to want any kind of leader and they don't want to be told what to do. Someone, kinda sarcastically I think, said that I should just run off to Hemingford cause I'd probably fit in a lot better there. And well, here I am."
Micah gazed at her for a few moments, trying to see if she was telling the truth. When he decided that she had, he smiled warmly at her. "Well, then He Who Walks Behind the Rows shall welcome all those who wish to see the truth and step into the light."
Rachael was somewhat astonished that he had let her stay just like that. She had heard that these kids were very religious and hated outsiders. But maybe that wasn't really true. Maybe they just didn't like the kids that wanted disorder and anarchy. Whatever the case was, she knew that she had a new home. A thought suddenly came to her. "Ummm, Micah? Where will I be staying?" she asked.
Micah furrowed his eyebrows and tried to think of all the different homes. The only place he could think of that might be acceptable was Ruth and Lacey's but he wasn't sure that this girl belonged in that house. There was something going on with those girls and he didn't want this new member of the town to be influenced by them. No, then the only alternative was one he knew would ruffle a few feathers. Ruth, Lacey, and Mordechai's to be exact. He sighed. He hated causing even more issues to be brought up, but he was the Leader and he wasn't going to let them tell him what to do. "Well, you could stay here. We have one extra bedroom. Jedediah sometimes sleeps there but I'm sure he wouldn't mind staying on the couch if he had to."
"Here? Well, yeah, if that's ok. And who's Jedediah?"
"I'm the Leader and I'm making it okay. The Father doesn't seem to object and I'm sure Delilah wouldn't mind another female in the house. Oh, Jedediah is a close friend of mine. He's having some trouble with his housemate."
"That guy...what's-his-name? Mord-something?"
"Mordechai, yes. He's been causing some considerable....trouble for the past few days."
Before Rachael could reply, a girl she could only assume was Delilah descended the stairs. "Micah, who's this?" the girl asked, smiling slightly at him.
"Delilah," he said as she made her way past Rachael and slipped her arm possessively around his waist, "this is Rachael. She left her own town to come here and live. She'll be staying with us."
"Oh, that's great! Rachael, I hope we can be friends," she said, losing her earlier cool demeanor and beaming at the girl.
"You're not friends with any of the other girls here?" Rachael asked.
"Well, the only two other girls that are around our age here are Ruth and Lacey and they don't seem to like me too much," Delilah said, a slight sadness in her voice.
"Don't be sad about that," Micah said firmly, "They don't like you because you have *me*. Ruth is jealous and Lacey follows her because she wants Danny to leave here and betray The Father."
Rachael listened to the dialogue between the two with disbelief. And here she thought she was coming to a quiet town with *no* drama at all. The awkward silence that followed the exchange was broken by a sharp knock on the door. Delilah went to the door and smiled as she opened it. "Hello, Jedediah. What brings you here?"
"Mordechai is complaining that Micah brought someone new into town without any proper procedures. I didn't know we *had* any proper procedures," he said, a hint of sarcasm and mischief in his voice.
"Well, if we had any I think you'd be the fourth or fifth to know."
"Thank you, Lil, for the ego boost," Jedediah said, continuing what had become the usual playful banter between the two of them.
"Anytime, *Jed*, just let me know," Delilah cracked, giggling lightly.
Micah came into the hallway and greeted his friend. "I suppose Mordechai is angry about Rachael?"
"Oh, so he's actually complaining about something that's true this time?"
"In a manner of speaking, yes. Although I don't see why he should be complaining. I have gotten no message that would indicate that He Who Walks Behind the Rows does not approve, and neither has Delilah."
"Ummm, hi, I think you were talking about me just now?" Rachael said, coming from the main room.
"Oh, yes, I'm sorry," said Micah, "Jedediah, this is Rachael. I'm sorry but I've given her the last guest room."
"That's ok, Micah. The couch is pretty comfortable anyway," Jedediah said, although it was partly because he thought Rachael was just so pretty. He was hoping that his staring wasn't too obvious, because then he would be really embarrassed. "So, uh, Rachael, where are you from?"
"Oh, not too far away," she said, not really wanting to give away to much of her past.
"So, you're one of those mystery girls, huh," Jedediah replied, his lips curving in what he hoped was a flirty smile, "Well, I'd like to figure out the mystery."
As soon as those words left his mouth he mentally slapped himself upside the head. Smooth move, Jedediah, he thought, you're a real ladies man. I bet she'll really like you now. He blushed slightly when he saw that not only was Rachael smiling at him, Micah and Delilah had mysteriously vacated the hallway.
"It wasn't that bad, Jed, only a little corny," she said, a little laughter in her voice. But it wasn't mean or sarcastic, just real laughter.
"Really? Oh, good. I was kinda worried...," his voice trailed off and he blushed again, embarrassed beyond belief.
"No, I think there's hope for you yet," Rachael said, but was interrupted by yet another knock on the door.
When Jedediah opened the door he was not too surprised to see Mordechai standing there. "Jedediah, don't you have work to do?"
"I'm taking a little break. Don't worry, Mordechai, I was given permission by both our Leader *and* our Seer," Jedediah replied, rolling his eyes.
"Fine, do what you want. Sin all you want with that new girl. I don't care," Mordechai huffed, then whirled and stomped away, slamming the door behind him.
"Sin?" Rachael asked, raising her eyebrows.