WhIP

by footfungus

nederlands verhalen over mijn otp

133. Life is Strange 2 Sean and Daniel 42

The Book Of Daniel

Dreamprism, fullpossumbrain (cloudfefe), kookyklavicle, LunarSovereignt, OzWilde, Svenne14

Summary:

What happened to Daniel after the events of episode 3?

A group of authors working together will fill in the gaps. This fic aims to cover everything from the blast at Merrill's, to Daniel's time in Haven Point. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

Chapter 1: The Lone Wolf

Chapter by Svenne14

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Humboldt County, California – February 24th, 2017…

All Daniel wanted to do was help. Finn had a way to make some quick cash, and Daniel saw his opportunity. He could prove to Sean that he's not a kid anymore. Prove that he can be trusted to make the right decision for both of them. Maybe then, Sean wouldn't be so angry all the time.

Finn told him it would be over in five minutes. Get in, open the safe, take the money, and get out. Then, the wolf brothers could rent a limo all the way down to Puerto Lobos. It sounded like the perfect plan. Unfortunately, Sean didn't want to see it. Daniel, however, convinced Finn that they could pull it off without him. As the pair entered Merrill's compound, Daniel felt invincible. For the first time in ages, he felt a sense of pride, like he could take on the world.

Instead, the world around Daniel Diaz started to crumble.

Not only did Sean follow him and Finn, but he brought her along with him. Cassidy. Out of all the people his brother could have asked for help, he chose the person Daniel despised more than anything. Daniel tried, he really did. But at the end of the day, he's still just a nine-year-old boy. He could not convince Sean to go through with the heist. A dark fire burned inside Daniel.

It's her fault.

Cassidy.

She's changed Sean somehow. He's not the same person since he started seeing her. It would be so easy for Daniel, and to some extent, he wants it. Just reach out with his powers, lift that evil woman high into the air, and choke the life out of her. He could do it right now, and nobody would be able to stop him. Still, he's not that kind of person. Thinking about it is one thing, however, doing it, is another. Instead, Daniel unleashed his fury on the door to Merrill's office.

That's where he is now.

He wanted to prove himself, he wanted to help, and undo his previous fuckups. Daniel thought he could do it. Hell, he knew he could do it. Well, once again, Daniel was wrong. Daniel finds himself staring down the barrel of Merrill's shotgun while questioning every decision of his young life.

He's forced to his knees while putting his hands above his head. Daniel's trembling in fear and feels like he can't breathe. Merrill lectures the group, however, Daniel barely hears any of it.

"Daniel, you got this." Finn taps Daniel's shoulder, hinting that he should use his powers to help them out of this mess. Daniel, however, doesn't react. The darkness within him just keeps growing, threatening to swallow him whole. He did this. He got them into this mess. Sean's right. He's always right. Daniel just didn't want to see it.

A loud thud echoes as Finn's knocked to the floor by Merrill. The latter aims at Finn's head with his shotgun. Daniel can't let this happen. He must do something, anything. He could help with his powers, right? But Daniel can't trust himself to make a decision of this magnitude. After all, Daniel making a major decision is what got them here in the first place. He turns to the one person he always trusted.

"Sean?" Daniel whispered with his hands still raised above his head. His brother seemed to understand what Daniel meant. It only took a second for Sean to respond, however, it felt like hours.

"Daniel! Do it!" Sean's voice echoed inside the room, filling Daniel with all the confidence he needed. His brother believed in him again. Sean believed he could do it, and damn it to hell, he's gonna make him proud. With a quick move of his arm, Daniel sends Merrill's shotgun flying across the room.

"Get out! Run!" Sean screams as he tackles Merrill to the ground. Daniel knew the rules. Run from danger. He should turn around, and run like the wind. But he can't just leave Sean alone, not after this.

"Ah! Son of a bitch!" Merrill swears loudly before giving Sean a headbutt that knocks him down but not out. Daniel could see Merrill reaching for something. A dark, metallic object.

A gun.

Shit. He's gonna shoot Sean, Daniel knows he will. He tries to reach out with his powers and take the gun from Merrill. Unfortunately, Daniel's not fast enough. To make matters worse, Merrill didn't aim at Sean.

He aimed at Daniel.

The nine-year-old could feel his eyes widen in fear as he realized what was about to happen. For a brief moment, Daniel felt like this was his time to go, and in a way, he welcomed it. No more running and hiding, just a very long rest.

BANG!

Merrill took the shot, and an excruciating pain took hold of the boy's right shoulder. Daniel's ears were ringing, and he could barely see what lay in front of him. The pain in his shoulder only increased as Daniel started hyperventilating while tears poured down his face. Tears of physical and emotional pain alike.

He could feel the familiar tickling sensation of his powers activating, how they grew beyond his control. He wanted to scream for help.

"Help me, Sean. Please, big brother, help me, I'm scared." Daniel tried to scream, but not a single word escaped his lips. Instead, Daniel Felipe Diaz let out an inhuman roar as his powers leveled the entire compound with one swift move before rendering the boy unconscious.

Several hours later…

As the young child starts to regain consciousness, his mind has yet to understand what just happened. Right now, he believes this to be just an ordinary morning in Seattle, and that he's waking up in his own bed. The truth, however, is far different, and much, much worse.

"Ugh…" Daniel groans lightly while trying to open his eyes. When did his bed get this uncomfortable? He's so out of it that his body's awakening one piece at a time. For now, all he could do was listen to the silence which surrounded him. Crickets in the distance, and a light breeze in his room.

"What's that weird taste? Gross." By now, he should know something's wrong. Daniel could taste blood, but he was too disoriented to even realize it. After what felt like an eternity, he could finally move his limbs.

And it hurt so much.

"Ow. It- it hurts." Daniel cries while desperately trying to understand why he's in so much pain. Nothing out of the ordinary happened last night, right? The boy couldn't gather enough strength to open his eyes, however, he could call for help. In times like these, Daniel always calls for one person. The only one who's always by his side.

"Sean…? Help… it hurts." But nobody comes to his aid. Every twist and turn makes it feel like his muscles are on fire, and his right shoulder's even worse. Still, Daniel cannot fathom that something's very, very wrong.

Then, the boy managed to open his eyes.

"The hell? When did I get a chandelier in my room?" Daniel thought while staring at the ceiling. Slowly, things are coming back to him.

The heist proposal to Sean. Him convincing Finn to do the heist behind Sean's back, and how alive he felt while doing so. At least until-

"SEAN!" The gunshot echoed in Daniel's mind, and while he didn't remember everything, he knew things went horribly wrong. Ignoring the pain in his joints, Daniel tried to get to his feet.

"OW, FUCK!" It worked well until he tried using his right arm for support. Pain shot from his shoulder, and all the way down his arm. It hurt so much, Daniel thought he would faint. Instead, the boy collapsed on all fours, only hurting him even more.

"Sean. Where are you? I- I can't do this alone. I was wrong, okay? I'm just a kid, Sean. I'm- I'm just a little kid." He thought himself to be a grown-up, ready to make his own decisions. Well, Daniel made one decision without the influence of his brother, and this is the result. While on his knees, the boy looks across the room he now recognizes to be Merrill's.

Merrill's either dead or unconscious, like anyone gives a fuck. Cassidy's out cold as well, however, that doesn't change how he feels about her. Seeing Finn on the floor made him worried, but right now, only Sean mattered.

There.

Daniel would recognize that hoodie anywhere in the world. His brother's here, and he's alive. Daniel lost control, but he didn't hurt Sean, and that's all that matters.

"Sean, Sean, Sean!" Unable to stand up, Daniel crawls across the floor, using only one hand for support. The knowledge that Sean would soon ease his suffering made him ignore the shattered glass and how painful it was to crawl over it.

"Wake up, Sean, we're rich!" Daniel excitingly shouts while trying to cover the fact that he just admitted to being a kid. Sean, however, does not react.

"Come on, Sean. We've got the money now. We can go first-class to Puerto Lobos, right? Everything's okay." Still no reaction from Sean.

"Sean…?" Daniel takes his brother's hand, trying to gently tap him awake. Sean's ice-cold hand made him freeze for more than one reason.

"Sean, wake- wake up, Sean." His voice breaks and he could feel the tears pouring down. He could barely breathe, and it felt like his heart would explode.

His hoodie's covered in blood and glass. Looking at his older brother's face, Daniel's heart shattered in ways he thought impossible. Sean's bleeding from a wound on his face, and at the very epicenter, a large glass shard has pierced his right eye.

Daniel froze on the spot. He's seen a lot of horrible things, especially for someone his age. This, however, was so horrifying to look at that Daniel lost all sense of self-control.

"No. No, Sean, wake up!" He grabs his brother's hoodie, shaking him in desperation, but to no avail. Daniel's starting to break down completely.

"SEAN, WAKE THE FUCK UP! We have to go!" Daniel screams at his brother's face. If Sean's breathing or not, Daniel cannot tell, however, his mind's made up.

Sean's dead.

Daniel killed him.

He wanted to help, and give them a quick way to freedom. Instead, he got Sean killed. His own brother, the person he loves more than anyone else in the world, and looks up to as a role model. That brother, he killed. The reality now sinks in for him as Daniel feels like a part of himself just died forever.

"Sean?" Daniel whimpers as he carefully drops the hold on his brother, not wanting to hurt him more than he already has. Kneeling next to his brother's corpse, Daniel knows he truly screwed up. Why can't he ever listen? Had he just done as Sean said, none of this would have happened.

Instead…

He's alone. Not lonely, but alone. Nobody to make sure he's eating three times a day, nobody to make sure he's warm and cozy, and nobody to give him that last Chock-O-Crisp because he's the adorable kid. Worst of all, he used to have a big brother that he idolized, and the same brother always called him "Enano" which only he was allowed to do. Now…

He's not Enano anymore.

He doesn't have a big brother any longer.

Hell, Daniel Diaz isn't even a brother.

"I'm sorry, Sean. I- I should have listened to you. I'm so sorry." Daniel knows what he must do. He doesn't like it, nor does he want it. But it is what Sean wants him to do. Daniel disobeyed him once, and this is what happened. The least he could do is to honor the oath he once swore to follow Sean's most important rule.

Run from danger.

"You're the best brother I could ever ask for, Sean. I don't wanna leave you here, but- you always told me to run from danger. I have to get out of here, Sean." Daniel, however, knew he could not run from the real danger. The physical threat which took Sean away from him.

Daniel Felipe Diaz.

As much as he'd like, Daniel cannot run from himself. He looks at his brother, attempting to really burn the image into his retina as a reminder of what happens when he makes a bad decision. Then, as a final goodbye, Daniel places his small hand over Sean's heart. He didn't dare hug him. Enough of Sean's blood is already on his hands.

"I love you, Sean, and I'll never forget you… never. Goodbye, wolf brother." He removed his hand from Sean's heart and left a part of himself behind. At least it felt like he did. His entire body ached as he stood up, and the pain in his shoulder was excruciating. Daniel, however, barely noticed it. He left Merrill's compound, walking aimlessly through the redwood forest.

Every step he took hurt, just like every breath felt like his lungs would burst. A steady stream of blood poured from his right shoulder, soaking his entire hand. Daniel cried. He cried out of physical and emotional pain, out of loss, and he cried because he was never going to see Sean again. He's got no one and nothing.

Sean couldn't fix him, and neither could their father. He's a lost cause, unsalvageable, beyond repair, and undeserving of anyone's pity.

"OW- fuck." Daniel stumbles over some branches and goes down on the ground. He wouldn't mind just staying put until death takes him someplace else. He did, however, promise to honor Sean by doing what his older brother would want him to do. For that reason and that reason only, the only remaining member of the Diaz family fights his way back to his feet and keeps on walking toward a distant light.

Be it a place where he'd receive help, or the grim reaper himself, Daniel didn't care much. Nothing mattered anymore. The world would be better off without him. He's a danger to everyone and everything, bringing nothing but pain to the people he loves the most.

Daniel stumbles through some bushes, not noticing the loud gasps around him. By instinct, he managed to find his way back to camp.

"What the fuck?!" The voice of Hannah echoed as Daniel collapsed on all fours. The voice sounded so distant, like listening to someone in a different room. Hannah runs to him, kneeling to check on him.

"Daniel, are you hurt- fuck. What happened? Hey, tell me what happened?" He could see Hannah's lips move, but all Daniel could hear was a loud ringing noise.

"Hey, talk to me. What happened, Daniel?" Hannah tries a calmer approach. The ringing noise starts to fade away, and Daniel returns to the real world.

"S- S- Sean." One word. A mere whisper, barely audible to the one who said it, yet everyone began exchanging looks of concern.

"Daniel, we're not mad, okay? What happened to Sean, and where is he? Is he hurt?" Hannah's clearly worried, however, Daniel didn't see it. Images of his dead brother flashed before his eyes. Visions of Sean on the floor, impaled by a large glass shard.

"Merrill's-" Daniel had no chance to finish his sentence before emptying the contents of his stomach on the ground. Like the push of a button, the people around him started to react.

"It's okay, Daniel, you're safe now." Jake sits down next to Daniel, attempting to give him some comfort.

"What the hell should we do?" Ingrid tried to sound brave, but she did a poor job when hiding her fear.

"Man, this is fucked up, y'all." Penny sounds like he'd rather be anywhere but here, right now. He exchanges a few looks with Hannah as if considering something.

"What the hell happened? Where's Sean, Finn, and Cassidy? We have to go to Merrill's. We don't just leave people behind, right?" Hannah voices her opinion to the group.

"You guys go. I can stay here with Daniel." Jake whispered as Daniel still seemed to be in a state of shock.

"Thanks, Jake. Talk to you soon. Let's go, Penny." Hannah and Penny ran off towards Merrill's, leaving Daniel alone with Jake and Ingrid.

"Jävla skit-helvete…" Ingrid mumbled something in Swedish that sounded like a swear.

"I'm- I'm sorry, but this is more than I can handle. Working on an illegal pot farm is bad enough, having a child work is even worse, but this? We're in the middle of nowhere with a nine-year-old boy that fears for his life, and nobody thinks that's wrong?" To Ingrid, this was the last straw. She's done.

"I'm sorry, but I can't do this. Whatever this is. I hope you take good care of him, Jake. I'm gonna try to wake up Anders, and then, we'll leave this place." Ingrid leaves Daniel and Jake, returning to her tent.

Maybe he should just stay here. At least he won't hurt anyone he loves that way. He'll only hurt himself. Nobody he loves. Daniel considers laying down on the ground, and just wait for the reaper of grim to take him. Fate, however, has other plans for him.

"Uhm- Daniel?" Jake. He's a really nice guy, but Daniel can't deal with him now. He's not sure he can deal with anything ever again.

"Leave me alone." The boy's voice broke as he cried out his wish to be left alone in his pain. Jake seemed far from confident, however, he did not back down.

"It's just- I- I want to help you, Daniel." Help. Nobody can help him. He's a walking abomination that cannot be salvaged. A plague, bringing nothing but misery wherever he goes.

"You can't help me, Jake. No one can. Just… leave me alone." Daniel doesn't even try to hide his tears. Jake, however, shows no sign of surrendering.

"It's not me, Daniel, it's someone I know. She helps people. I've known her my entire life, and she can do extraordinary things, Daniel. I think she would really like to meet you." Extraordinary things. Daniel considers his options for a moment. It's not like he wants to die. It's more like he's lost the will to live. But how can he ever live with what he did?

"No. Not after what I've done." The boy whimpers in pain, just begging for his older brother to wrap his arms around him in a comforting embrace. But it's not happening again, is it?

"Lisbeth is very forgiving, Daniel. Trust me, I know." Lisbeth. Maybe this woman could help Daniel to forgive himself. He's decided. He's going with Jake to see this Lisbeth woman.

"Ok, Jake. I trust you." Jake extends his hand and helps Daniel to his feet.

"Good, Daniel, good. Listen, we have to get out of here, okay? Do you have anything in your tent you want me to pack?" A million different things flash before his eyes. Sean's sketchbook, Captain Spirit's cloak, and the photo of Esteban, just to name a few.

"No." Daniel couldn't get the right words out. He would've loved to keep Sean's sketchbook as a way to honor his brother's memory. But it almost felt like spitting on Sean's grave. In the distance, Jake enters the Diaz brothers tent, leaving moments later with a few items in his hands.

"Let's go, Daniel." Daniel follows Jake through the forest. It was a silent walk. Daniel knew what he had done, and that it was his fault. What he didn't know, was how to live with it. After a small eternity, they reach a dirt road with a single car on it.

"Get inside, Daniel." By habit, Daniel jumped in the backseat of the car. Sean always sat in the front. Jake started the car and began driving away from Humboldt for good. Daniel looks to his side, finding the old blanket from Seattle that used to be in their tent. With the exhaustion hitting him once more, Daniel lies down in the backseat, pulling the blanket on top of himself. For a brief moment, he felt safe. Almost like home.

Almost.

"Hey, Jake?" Daniel asked with a tired voice.

"Yeah, Daniel? You holding up okay?" Jake always sounded so calm. Now, however, he almost sounded nervous.

"Where are we going?" He might not care if he lives or dies, but Daniel does care about their destination.

"We're going to Nevada, Daniel. To a small community called Haven Point." Jake said with a tone he couldn't quite decipher. Still, just hearing the name of the destination gave Daniel a small amount of hope.

"Mhm… Haven Point. Sounds cool, Jake. Thanks for… helping… me." Daniel Diaz fell asleep in the backseat of a car. Had the boy known the true intentions of this Lisbeth woman, however, he would likely have done anything but sleep.

Notes:

Ok then, so this is the first chapter for this fic. I'm glad I got to write the introduction for this one, and I definitely hope to write another chapter down the line.

Kudos to the almighty Mr. Prism for once again setting this up.

Please leave a comment below.

Enjoy!

K. S.

No longer a kid.
You wanted to prove it.
You wanted to help.
Like always.

So you did.
You helped.
And you failed.
Like always.

You did not pay the price.
You never do.
Your brother paid.
For your mistake.

And this time.
The cost was high.
You have no brother.
You are no brother.

You are a lone wolf.

Chapter 2: Lean Not on your Own Understanding

Chapter by OzWilde

Summary:

Jake deals with the immediate aftermath of his decision to spirit away with Daniel.

Chapter by OzWilde

Warning for a homophobic slur and non-graphic depiction of a gunshot

Chapter Text

February 25th, 2017

This is a terrible idea.

Jake could punch himself. He should've stayed back at the camp, waited to find out what happened to Sean, Cassidy, and Finn. Or who shot Daniel and why? A smarter idea would have been to drive Daniel to the nearest clinic or hospital, and get him some professional help. Anything would've been better than what he actually did, packing him up without even checking to make sure the wound had stopped bleeding before taking off for Haven Point.

But he had to do it this way, right? The Diaz boys were on the run for a reason, and Sean would never forgive him if he let Daniel fall into the wrong hands. And if the cops were already swarming Merrill's place, the longer he'd waited to get moving, the more likely they would find him and Daniel and take him away for good.

And anyway, Daniel was going to need somewhere to lay low and recover after whatever happened. Hopefully Sean finds the note and figures out what it means. Shoot, will he even be able to read Jacob's awful handwriting?

This idea is terrible. It's also the only one he has.

The rationalization sounds weak even in his own head, but maybe logic isn't what he needs to be listening to in this situation. It's the sign he's been waiting for, right?

Daniel isn't sleeping peacefully, every exhale is a whine and he's mumbled a few things Jake doesn't want to think about. But at least that means he's alive. Maybe he won't be, if Jake doesn't do something about that wound soon.

He side-eyes the envelope in the passenger seat. Everything Sean had managed to save up over his time on Merrill's farm. He can't use that. Jake's own savings are a bit thinner, but it'll be enough to get him and Daniel the rest of the way to Haven Point, and he can certainly afford some food and supplies. He just… doesn't really want to look at whatever is under that ugly stain.

Well, he wants to bury a nine-year-old boy even less, so…

When Jake left Haven Point, he didn't have any first aid skills more complicated than 'wash it and put a bandaid over it'. He thanks God, if He's listening, that Walgreens are everywhere in this country, otherwise he'd be completely lost in figuring out where to go for medical supplies.

He tries to be gentle pulling into the parking lot, but he hears Daniel hiss in his sleep. Wincing, he puts the groaning Buick into park and kills the engine. Hopefully it starts again when he needs it, he had been neglecting a few worrying symptoms from the machine, not expecting a sudden 500 mile road trip back to his old community. They should probably refill the tank while they're here, too. Jake had hoped to get away from California's gas prices before refilling, but he can't risk the tank running dry in the Nevada desert.

Coming to a full stop jars Daniel out of unconsciousness, and Jake meets a pair of bleary brown eyes in the rearview as Daniel sits up, Jacob feels a rush of relief that he manages the task easily enough. The kid is insanely tough. Or… blessed? "Where are we…? Is this Nevada?"

"Uh, no, not quite. Sorry Daniel," Jake turns to more fully assess him. He's paler than Jake's ever seen him, and he probably shouldn't be thinking about how he could pass for a white kid like this. There are dark shadows under his eyes that make it look like he hasn't slept in weeks, though he's been out most of the morning. It's hard to tell how the injury is doing, under his clothes, the stain on his shirt is brown though, so he's not actively bleeding. "I'm gonna get us something to eat, and something for your… um. For your shoulder. How does it feel?"

"Hurts. Can I go inside?"

"Sorry buddy," Should he be calling him 'buddy'? Daniel doesn't react one way or another, just blinks slowly, staring at nothing. "If you've gotta use the restroom, I can find a more private place after, but we can't let anyone see you like this. I'll be fast though, and they've got a snack section if you want anything specific?"

Daniel doesn't answer beyond his head slowly shaking back and forth. Okay, Jake hopes he's not losing him. He doesn't want to leave him in the car alone when he's looking this dazed, but he's got to do this sooner rather than later.

"I'll be fast," he repeats. "Just… lie down, okay? And cover your shoulder with the blanket. I'm going to lock the doors, don't open them for anyone. Please."

Daniel shifts and gingerly lowers himself back onto the seat cushions. Jake takes that as sign he'll obey. With great reluctance, he leaves the car, half running into the store, and grateful that it seems relatively dead compared to some city locations he's been in.

Grabbing a hand basket from the stack at the front of the store, Jake makes his first stop at the food aisle. It's not much more stocked than what you'd find at your typical gas station, but he's mostly here for medical supplies. What do you feed a kid with a bullet wound anyways? Chicken soup is supposed to be good for you when you're sick. Maybe it's good for repairing injuries? He can't exactly give it to him while in the car, but maybe later, if they stop at a hotel with a microwave or something. Jerky and nuts for portable protein? Sure, why not?

He's about to pass on to the pharmacy section when the bright packaging within the candy aisle catches his eye. It's probably not the best thing for him to be having after last night, but no one in the camp had known Daniel more than thirty minutes before they knew his favorite candy. Jake tosses a couple Chock-o-Crisps into the basket. Maybe he can use them to coax some answers out of Daniel later, when he's patched up and looking less like a kid on his way to the morgue.

Now, what does he need for treating such a huge wound? Probably something to clean and disinfect it. He'd grabbed a few water bottles from the camp, there's probably enough for him and Daniel to have something to drink and to clean the injury. If he needs to use all the water on it, he can just refill in a restroom or a guest stop. Not enough money to be wasting it.

No time to waste either, so Jake grabs whatever he can think of that might come in handy. Bandages and gauze are obvious. Antibiotics, too, though he doubts what he grabs is anything near sufficient. Not like he can exactly go rob a hospital. He hesitates at a bottle of isopropyl alcohol, imagining Daniel wouldn't be so stoic if he dumps the stinging liquid into his open wound. With some relief, he leaves it for a bottle he finds labeled 'Wound Wash', which hopefully will be sufficient and less painful.

He tries not to look nervous bringing his haul to the front counter. These things are normal first aid supplies, right? Anyone could buy them for innocent reasons. The woman scans the bandages, gauze, and various oozes without even glancing up at him. Which is good. Jake's pretty sure he's shaking.

The price she rattles off would normally make him nauseous, but he can't feel much sicker than he already does. A trembling hand passes the cashier two crumpled twenties, barely receiving his change before he's out the door.

Daniel isn't asleep when he checks the back seat. His eyes are open and the blotchy redness and dampness around his eyes gives away what he's been doing while Jake shopped. "Hey," he says lamely. Can't treat the wound in the car, they have to get somewhere quiet. He grabs a bottle of water off the floor and twists it open, "You should probably drink something."

This time when Daniel pushes himself up, the effort it takes is clear. His face screws up in pain, but he still doesn't complain, reaching out to accept the bottle once he's upright. He doesn't drink though, just holds it loosely in his good hand, balanced on one leg. Jacob wishes he had grabbed some kind of painkiller, but what kind and how much would help him or kill him?

He doesn't want to force the issue, but like it or not, he's responsible for this kid. At least until Sean shows back up or he gets him safely to Haven Point. He takes ahold of Daniel's hand and the bottle and guides it up to his mouth. "Come on, please. You're probably dehydrated."

Between the crying and the blood loss.

Robotically, Daniel drinks until Jacob lowers his arm again. "Okay, let's go find some place more private where we can look at your shoulder, okay?"

"Kay."

'Someplace private' turns out to be the handicap stall at a rest stop further down the highway. Daniel's condition doesn't seem to have deteriorated further by then, but he's not looking any better either. Jake can't keep putting this off.

Getting the shirt off is the first challenge. Or shirts. Daniel is wearing a dirty yellow sweater, and under that is the red t-shirt he never seems to take off. He can hardly move his right arm at this point, so Jacob carefully helps him maneuver his left arm out of the sleeves first, pulling the shirts over his head and intending to guide it gently down the right arm without jostling it too much. Unfortunately, the dried blood has fused the fibers of the shirt to his shoulder, and Jake gets momentarily stuck when Daniel hisses in pain, free hand going to his mouth to muffle the sobs. So much for rehydrating.

"Shoot, sorry. Sorry." Jake winces. It's got to come off if the wound is going to get cleaned. He doesn't want to risk tearing it open, maybe he should cut the fabric away? But he doesn't have a knife, and he doubts his dinky sewing scissors would make much headway on the cloth. As carefully as he can, he pries the shirt bit by bit away from the wound, and a few rivulets of blood and something clear are trailing down Daniel's chest by the time he's cleared the damaged area.

"Jesus Christ…" he curses, apologizing internally. Hopefully he's forgiven for that slip, but he certainly wasn't prepared for coming face to face with the wound.

"It's bad?" Daniel pants out. It's hard to get a read on his emotional state from the question, he just sounds weak and tired.

It certainly isn't good, though Jake had no idea how to quantify this sort of thing. It looks to be a deep slice across from a little above his armpit to the top of his shoulder. Jake isn't much of a detective or a doctor, but the angle seems strange. "At least… it doesn't look like the bullet stayed inside." And it didn't travel through the deepest parts of the shoulder. A tiny kid like Daniel, he's really lucky the wound was small enough that it was able to clot before he bled out.

But what about the others? If Merrill or Big Joe had been willing to shoot at a little kid, what mercy could they have expected? Jake tries to fight off the premature wave of grief that threatens to overtake him. It's not certain that they're all gone. They could have run off scared, and just lost Daniel in the chaos.

"You don't have to tell me what happened, if you don't want to," Jake says, partially to remind himself not to interrogate a traumatized child. "But talking might make it easier."

"Easier," Daniel echoes with a level of bitterness Jake wouldn't expect from a kid his age. Though admittedly, not many children his age had gone through quite so much hardship in such a short period of time. He tries not to imagine Sarah Lee sitting in front of him, trembling in a bathroom with angry red skin swollen around a chunk of missing flesh and tear tracks down her face. She's safe with his parents, in the community. Daniel can be safe there too.

Jake takes out a fresh water bottle and cracks the seal. This stuff is clean right? He hopes so, he can't exactly boil it in the bathroom. He soaks a pad of gauze and begins using that to wipe away the blood on the outside of the wound, trying to keep his movements gentle.

Daniel doesn't say anything for a while as Jake works, the silence broken up by quiet whines and nervous apologies when the gauze scrapes over the wound rougher than intended. Eventually though, he seems to need the distraction, and begins to speak.

"We wanted to get Merrill back for taking the money," he starts quietly, and Jake nods to show he heard. "There's a safe in his house, it was going to be easy… but I…" his voice is getting thick, threatening to break out into sobs, "I messed up."

Alarmed, Jake briefly pulls the red-stained gauze away from Daniel's shoulder, "Wait, are you telling me they tried to make you rob Merrill? Sean was okay with that?"

Daniel's movements are jerky as he tries to emphatically shake his head without hurting himself, "No! He said not to. I didn't listen."

"But Finn, he made you?" Jake places a hand on Daniel's good shoulder to try and encourage him to look up, but his arm is thrown aside by an unseen pressure, a second wave pushes his whole body off balance and he stumbles back to avoid falling over. A thrill of fear and awe goes up his spine. That's right, Daniel's not normal.

"I would've done it anyway! With or without him!" his good hand goes to the wrist of his right, fingers tangling around a strip of black leather Jake could swear used to be some kind of colorful plastic watch. The air around them seems to tremble, or maybe that's just Jake? He suddenly feels as though he's locked in the stall with an injured animal, baring its fangs at a perceived threat. "They fired Sean, and took everyone's money, just because I… It was bullshit! I wanted to get back at him, Finn just helped!"

That probably wasn't the whole truth, but Jacob can't exactly argue against it, for fear of setting Daniel off further. "Okay, I'm sorry Daniel. I know how you feel, I was p-, uh, I was mad too." Well, that was probably a lie (a sin), Jake was sort of used to situations where he wasn't in control. Losing his paycheck had been devastating, but he was aware that speaking out against it was idiotic when Merrill and Big Joe had all the power. Finn should've known that too, should have just been grateful they all got out of there alive. But Daniel was a little kid, he just saw the unfairness.

The lights are beginning to flicker and Jake prays that no one else enters the restroom while Daniel is in this state. He swallows thickly, searching for the words that will calm him down. If only Sean were here, he'd probably know what to say. "It sucks, when people get away with bad things, and if you wanted to do something about it, I don't blame you. But right now, you're hurt, and the most important thing is taking care of it before it makes you sick or something."

Daniel watches him warily, his hair still whipping around his face still shimmering with tears, but some of the pressure around Jake's chest lessens, and the lighting becomes marginally more stable.

"Okay, that's better," Jake coughs, "Can you sit back down, so I can clean it?"

As he reaches out, Daniel jerks. "No!" The screech is accompanied by a loud crack, a fissure splitting the tiled floor and rising up the wall. Jake scrambles back a few steps, expecting Daniel to bring the roof down on top of them in his rage, but everything dies down immediately. Daniel stares at the damage he's done, looking mesmerized.

Jake's throat is too tight with fear to say anything for a few moments, and Daniel eventually breaks the silence on his own.

"I don't deserve it."

"Deserve… what…?" Jake chokes out.

Daniel's voice is brittle, "Any of it. Don't fix my shoulder, I should keep it like this."

Jake doesn't know how to explain that he can't just not treat him, and that's not exactly how bullet wounds work anyways.

"Why do you want that?"

Daniel sniffles, scrubbing his arm across his face in a futile attempt to banish the tears, his next words coming out in hiccuping sobs, "I wanted my powers to help. I tried. But everything kept getting worse. And then I- it hurt, and everyone, Sean was, he wouldn't wake up and I, I think."

Tentatively, Jake creeps forward, reaching out until his fingers brush Daniel's uninjured shoulder. He doesn't jerk away this time, and Jake is able to gently pull him into a loose hug, Daniel's fist tangling in Jake's shirt at his side. He doesn't know if it helps, he's not Daniel's real older brother, but he gives him as much comfort as he can manage.

Daniel moves to bury his head in Jake's stomach, and his muffled voice vibrates through his torso, almost unintelligible. But Jake's sure he doesn't misunderstand, and Daniel's words send frost shooting through his core.

"I think I killed Sean."

"There's a hole in the shoulder now," Daniel watches Jake shove his bloodstained clothes into the trunk of the car. He's absolutely swimming in the band tee he'd provided, but at least it's something clean. The wound is dressed and bandaged, but it's a miracle it didn't seem infected yet. Better not try their luck anymore.

"I'm not as good as S-ssssome people," Jacob begins, already wishing he could slap himself. It makes sense, Daniel's revelation, why else would he come back alone? But the idea that everyone… Cass, Finn, and Sean… could be gone, just like that… It's too much to think about. He has to hope that Daniel's wrong. But in the meantime, he shouldn't be rubbing salt in any fresh wounds, "I have a sewing kit though. I'll try to get your clothes patched up."

"Thanks for not throwing it away…" Daniel mumbles, shuffling awkwardly, he's probably caught the slip up, but he's all cried out for now. "And, thanks for…" he gestures vaguely to his shoulder.

Jake smiles wryly, hoping he doesn't seem too nervous. "Well, it'll do until we get there. I think it'll probably need stitches." He leads Daniel to the back seat again. He might still need to sleep if he's going to heal, and he's way too small to be in the passenger seat anyways.

"Will that make it scar?" He doesn't sound particularly upset one way or the other, but then again his voice has stopped producing much inflection at all since the tantrum.

It'll probably scar no matter what. Daniel's lucky his whole shoulder wasn't blown away, the kid's a little twig. "I've got one. Pretty big, actually."

Daniel waits until both he and Jake are settled before responding. "I haven't seen it, where is it?"

"Uh, well," Jake feels his face heating up, this was definitely a mistake. "It's kind of, not something I really… it was dumb."

The faintest traces of a smile (or a smirk) flashes across Daniel's face as seen from the rearview mirror, "It's on your butt, isn't it."

Yup. Jake really needs to learn to think before he opens his mouth. If Daniel ever got out of this funk, he was never going to hear the end of it. But in for a penny, or whatever. "I fell out of the back of a moving truck when I was twelve. We weren't going fast, but I landed on a rock, and, well, yeah."

Technically he'd had help from Killian Brooks in 'falling', but no one had believed him then, and he barely believes himself now. And the story is funnier without explaining to Daniel what the word 'fag' means.

"I couldn't sit normally for like, a month afterwards. My mom actually made me a special pillow donut."

There's a huff of air that might be Daniel's attempt at a giggle, "A donut for your sore butt."

"Yes, exactly," Jacob pulls back out onto the highway. Maybe at the next stop he'll buy some energy drinks. If he doesn't sleep, they can get to Haven Point in the morning.

Don't you dare let anything happen to my little brother. He can almost hear Sean's hiss.

He's right, that would be a terrible idea.

Chapter 3: No One Should Seek Their Own Good, but the Good of Others

Chapter by LunarSovereignt

Chapter Text

February 26th, 2017

Everything felt surreal to Daniel in a way it never had before. When he'd been dragged off into the woods by Sean it had been exhausting and confusing, but he was also used to being pulled this way and that by adults. Since he was a child it made sense, he wasn't going to get to choose where he went or what he did for a long time, not until he was a grown up anyway.

Finding out that Dad was dead had put him in a fog. Denial quickly gave way to deep anger and betrayal, and finally a crashing wave of grief that he still felt like he was drowning in. But now… now he was floating. His mind was blank as he allowed Jake to make all the decisions, letting him take him wherever he thought was best. It wasn't like Daniel had been making the best decisions lately anyway.

Disassociating felt like his only defense. Any time he tried to become cognitive of himself and his surroundings he had to remember that Sean was… gone. The finality of the realization threatened to steal his breath and push his blood through his veins faster than they could handle. The pain of his sadness was unbearable in a different way than the pain of his wounds. In a worse way. He'd take another bullet to the shoulder if somehow this reality wasn't real. But slowly he was coming out of it, and it hurt. He'd messed up so badly, and there was nothing that could fix what he'd broken.

He caught Jake's concerned expression in the rearview mirror several times during the drive. He had always been nice enough to him, but he was a stranger. Daniel couldn't even muster a reassuring smile, it felt too hard. Was he doing the right thing? Daniel didn't know what else to do though. He couldn't go back to Grandma and Grandpa's house, and… he reached into his back pocket, pulling out a well worn letter. Would Mom help him, or reject him? Sean thought she wasn't an option. Daniel thought she sounded like it mattered to her what happened to them, but he wasn't sure. He felt like he couldn't trust himself.

Jake was starting to look exhausted. Ever since he'd confessed to him in the bathroom it was like his health bar was slowly depleting. Was it the stress of everything, or just being tired from the drive? Daniel wasn't sure. Did he hate him? Daniel felt like he might hate himself. It was his fault wasn't it? Sean had said no and he hadn't listened.

Daniel leaned his forehead against the window for a moment, but quickly pulled away at the uncomfortable heat from the glass. It had definitely been getting hotter, uncomfortably so. The AC was broken, or so Jake had apologetically confided while fiddling with the knobs in a way that made Daniel question if he knew how to turn it on at all. His shoulder was a painful constant ache. It was impossible to ignore, and seemed to be calling a part of his brain's attention at every single second. That pernicious reminder mixed with his emotional turmoil and boredom into a cocktail that made the whole ride unbearable.

Mercifully after what seemed an eternity Jake pulled off the highway. Instead of seeming relieved though, he seemed even more tense and anxious. This was far from comforting to Daniel. He pulled a Choco-Crisp out of his pocket, trying to muster a suitable amount of gratitude for Jake going through the trouble of getting him these. As he peeled the wrapper the chocolate smell wafted and filled the air. The bar had melted significantly, but he didn't mind too much. Licking melted chocolate off the wrapper was something he would normally take great pleasure in. He finished it off, savoring every taste. "Jake?"

The young man in the front seat made eye contact in the mirror with him briefly, giving a curt smile. "What's up Daniel?"

"What's… what's going to happen when we get there?" Asking this question felt odd to him, like a part of him didn't really care one way or the other. Maybe he just needed a break from the thoughts in his head, or more the floaty sorrow he couldn't swim out of.

Jake meanwhile swallowed hard, eyes flickering around the road. "We'll ask to see Reverend Mother. I think she'll want to help you."

"What about you?"

Jake's eyes darted away from the mirror. Daniel heard a small sigh from him. "I'll talk to my family. I don't know what I believe after learning what you can do, but Reverend Mother is always talking about forgiveness. I think she will take us both in."

Forgiveness? He didn't know how he felt about that. How could he be forgiven? Did she really have the authority to do that, even for Daniel? "If she's so great, why did you leave?"

He noticed Jake's shoulder's jerk upward slightly, like he was flinching or startled. "I… I lost my way. She thought I could find it out in the world and…"

"And what?" Daniel prompted after a long silence.

"I found you," he gave a small laugh. "I saw you do a miracle. It really felt like it was the sign I've been looking for Daniel. I think she can show you how to use your powers for good, and guide you, you know."

Guide him? Use his powers for good? Didn't seem that possible at this point. He didn't feel like asking more questions though, so he let them both lapse back into silence. Jake seemed conflicted, but it wasn't like Daniel had a bunch of options to choose from anyway.

He wasn't sure how much longer it was before they pulled into the parking lot of a modest looking white church. As Jake pulled the car into the parking spot Daniel turned in his seat to see that the building was actually fairly long, with large windows and a few smaller buildings around it. He got out of the car, not careful enough of his injury as the pressure from opening the door sent sharp sensations shooting out from the wound. He did his best to stifle his gasp as the heat of the day swept in on the wind. His hair ruffled, but the movement of his made Daniel aware of how much he probably needed a shower. A clean shirt wasn't going to cover his smell at this point.

Jake came up beside him and tentatively put a hand on his good shoulder. "Sorry that took so long, I was hoping to be here earlier, but the extra stops to take care of your injury and to eat made it longer than I expected." He stretched a bit, looking small and ran down from the long drive. They'd had to stop a few times to change Daniel's dressings, and grab a few things for the trip like gas and energy drinks.

The older boy ruffled his hair and shifted on his feet. Daniel wasn't sure why he was so anxious about coming home, but it did little to put him at ease. Jake took a deep breath and clasped his hands together, as if praying for a moment. Daniel stared on numbly, not sure if he should join in or politely wait. He didn't have enough time to really decide though before Jake leaned down to take his hand. "Okay let's go. Morning mass should be over but I think Lisbeth will still be in the church."

Daniel's own anxiety began to peak as they walked through the front doors. She wasn't going to like him. There was no way she could, and once she found out about Daniel and his powers she'd probably think he was a demon or something. No, he tried his best to push those thoughts down. It didn't matter, nothing could matter. If this Reverend Mother person could help Daniel be better he should be on his best behavior.

He glanced at a playground out the window as they headed for a second set of doors. Did he want to play? He couldn't imagine it anymore, like his time for being a kid had been completely cut short. Jake pulled him along but glanced at the playground himself. Had he played on it? Did he grow up here?

Through the door was a large open room filled with modest folding chairs and a stage, with an enormous cross behind a small podium. A very small number of people were still inside, in tiny groups visiting with one another after the service. Jake's head went down, looking up only enough to see where he was going. The people glanced at them briefly as they headed towards the stage and the largest group of people, no one seemed very impressed, but some jerked startled as they got a good look at them. Daniel felt very uncomfortable and judged.

They stopped short in front of about six people who were on the stage. Daniel felt as though the phrase 'looking down on them' applied in all senses of the words. The group was looking at them now, and one woman stepped forward. "Is that you Jacob?"

Jake nodded solemnly. "Yes Reverend Mother," he squeezed Daniel's hand in what he thought must have been meant to be a reassuring way. "I… I think… I mean…" The woman's stare was almost cold and disapproving. Maybe irritated? She crossed her arms as Jake tried to compose himself. A man at her side looked angry, his face stern as he glanced between Daniel and Jake. Jake composed himself. "I found my sign to return."

She didn't look convinced. "We are so glad to see you safe and returned to us." Was it his imagination that her words didn't match her expression or tone? "Who is your friend?"

Everyone in the church was listening now, having moved closer to listen to their conversation. Daniel felt surrounded, and choked down the desire to flee. His shoulder hurt, but now it felt like his entire body was aching. Jake let go of his hand and placed it on his head. "This is Daniel. He's had… a hard life. He's been gifted with an amazing power. I think God might have wanted me to bring him here."

Daniel wasn't sure he'd ever felt so uncomfortable. The woman shifted her braid over her shoulder. "What kind of power?"

Jake turned to him. "Show them Daniel. It's okay, I promise." Daniel wasn't so sure. He was supposed to keep it a secret. Hide his power and never talk about it. He'd be breaking Sean's rules. His heart sped up and his head rang, Jake's voice sounding muffled and hard to distinguish. If he hadn't broken them he wouldn't be here, and Sean would be. Jake knelt down, his nerves apparent as he grabbed Daniel's hands again. "Trust me Daniel, this is the right time."

Why did he let Jake take him all the way out here? How was he expecting anything from this Reverend person if he didn't? Reluctantly Daniel took one hand and raised it slowly.

Lisbeth wouldn't have described herself as thrilled to see Jacob Hackerman walk through the doors. Despite her best efforts it didn't seem that she and God were getting through to him. Sending him away had been the best thing for all of them. His parents seemed relieved, and had an easier time feeling at ease with the other community members, and other pious young men like Bruce weren't being influenced. And she truly believed that perhaps God would find him in the world and show him the way to His side.

But seeing him trod down the path through her church with a grubby young boy at his side did not instill a belief in her that he had found his way home the right way. She had not even been sure he would ever return home. Both of them looked unkempt and haggard, so out of place among her flock. As Jacob stuttered through trying to explain his presence the boy looked dead eyed around him, and Lisbeth couldn't help wondering how Jacob had come across this child and thought it appropriate to bring him here.

As Jacob proclaimed to have found a sign from God to return she flinched internally. What was he playing at? Was he trying to tell them what they wanted to hear so he could return to his family? Had he become destitute and homeless, is that why he looked so shabby? She took a breath, trying her best to be happy at his proclamation. Everyone was watching.

Nicholas was looking ready to jump the young man. She placed a steadying hand on his arm as Jacob claimed that the boy with him had some sort of power. Was he on drugs, or perhaps his mental illness had progressed to the point of delusion? That would be an excuse enough to have him escorted away again.

Then after some coercion the child unhappily lifted his hand towards the podium. She bristled, wondering at the potential blasphemous implications they were consorting on. And then suddenly the Bible on the podium shifted, and slowly pulled away and upwards off the podium. Rising like the sign it was over the gasping audience. Lisbeth clasped her hands together, fear and awe washing over her. This wasn't Jacob's sign, this was hers. Her sign from God that she is true. A gift from her Lord as proof to herself and the world that she is closest to The Almighty and speaks His words. This child was an angel, sent to her, guided to her.

Several of her flock fell to their knees as the Bible was gently returned to its home. The gasps and small screams and wails were background noise to her, because her attention was all for this boy. Thank goodness she hadn't dismissed them both, she would be forever grateful she followed her own instincts and let Jacob speak.

"My child," she cooed, stepping down towards them. "That was a miracle!" Nicholas followed closely at her side, justifiable tears in his eyes. They had just witnessed something no one could possibly comprehend. A true sign, an actual miracle.

Jacob stared in wonder at the podium for a moment, as if he hadn't quite expected to see what he saw. The people around were murmuring, trying to inch closer to the child to touch him. She didn't want that yet, she wanted to be by him. "Everyone, please let me take care of these two. They must be exhausted from their journey, but now they are safe with us. We must allow them rest, so I beseech you to return home."

With reservations they stood, following her word but obviously reluctant to take eyes of the child. The boy meanwhile was staring at the ground, seemingly downtrodden. He hadn't seemed keen to use his gift, and she couldn't help wondering why. "What was your name again?"

Jacob opened his mouth to answer but she held up a quieting palm. She wanted to hear his voice. "Daniel…" He was quiet, and suspicious.

"Jacob, Daniel, please follow me. I'll get you something to eat, and you can tell me about your journey. I want to hear everything. I'll send for your family soon Jacob, but first please tell me your story."

They followed after her as she led them out the back of the church. Her head was absolutely spinning, but she wanted to proceed carefully and cautiously. She needed to play her cards right and understand the situation. That was the only way she was going to be able to keep her new little miracle with her.

Chapter 4: For I Know The Plans I Have For You

Chapter by kookyklavicle

Chapter Text

February 27th, 2017

"Wake him up."
"Reverend Mother, I do think we should let him sleep for as long as we can. Sleep will help him recover."
"I wasn't looking for a discussion, Erica."

Awoken by the tense voices, Daniel stirred in the worn bed that he collapsed into just minutes after his floating Bible trick. The thing Daniel had come to know as a curse – and he was sure it was a curse – had just been given a new label of "miracle". If only they knew, he thought, what this miracle had done so far.

The wooden door to Daniel's chamber creaked open and, through blurry eyes, Daniel cautiously examined two women entering.

"Oh, Daniel, you're awake. Wonderful," one of the women remarked. "It's me, Lisbeth. You do remember me, I hope."

Truthfully, Daniel didn't remember. He was sick, and the trauma of the last few days had made information retention an excruciating test of mental clarity with which he was simply not able to engage. He was quietly thankful she reminded him of her name. Though, he didn't know why he felt thankful. He didn't owe this woman, or the new one, any amount of pleasantry. Perhaps, Daniel thought, he was thankful that he didn't have to endure the embarrassment of revealing he didn't know her name, who she was, or why he was lying in a stranger's bed with a piercingly painful gunshot wound in his shoulder. That he didn't have to add "embarassed" to the list of shameful attributes he currently possessed.

To be clear, he knew why he was lying in that bed: the discrete serious events that brought Daniel to this point were painfully obvious. He didn't know why the events had to happen to him.

"Daniel?" Lisbeth interrupted.

"Yes, I do remember," Daniel lied. "I'm sorry. I don't feel so good."

The last part was true. Lisbeth could check with God on that if she wanted.

"Of course, darling boy. We're sorry to have woken you up, but I felt it necessary to go over some important things with you."

Important things. Everything is important when you're a supernatural telekinetic that just killed your brother.

"Okay," Daniel replied.

"This is Erica. She's…a nurse, I guess you could say. I've asked her to take a look at your shoulder."

Daniel didn't know how she knew about his shoulder. Maybe it was obvious, or maybe Jacob told her. He hoped that was all he told her.

"Do you mind if I…?". The second woman – Erica – approached Daniel cautiously.

"It's okay," Lisbeth reassured. Daniel didn't know if that was for him, or for Erica. Yes, it's okay to approach the sickly boy with superpowers, Erica. Daniel remained quiet.

Erica lifted the oversized band tee over Daniel's head and winced at the sight of the bloodstained bandages.

"Oh, dear. You poor boy. What happened to you?" Erica inquired. Before Daniel could even conceptualize a response, Lisbeth interjected.

"Erica."
"Yes, Reverend Mother."

The subservient tone of the nurse frightened Daniel, but he lacked the fortitude to ponder it further.

"We should take him to the clinic, Reverend Mother. This is a serious wound and I worry about how he might have gotten it."

"Nonsense, Erica. Let me look."

The Reverend Mother stepped forward, brushing her gray bangs out of her face for a clearer view. The examination is performative, of course, as she delivered her assessment without so much as a pensive glance at the wound.

"He'll be fine with us here. Prayer will heal," Lisbeth declared.

Erica stood up from her kneeling position and stepped back from the bed, behind Lisbeth.

"Yes, Reverend Mother," Erica conceded. "I will go and get some additional supplies from our aid kits to rebandage his wound"

"Thank you, Erica. Go with God," Lisbeth said, gesturing Erica to the door.

Daniel collected the t-shirt ball from his lap and returned it to its wound-covering position. Lisbeth positioned herself at the end of the bed.

"For neither herb nor poultice cured them, but it was your word, O Lord, that heals all people."

Lisbeth looked at Daniel with a longing twinkle in her eye, as if she wanted him to be impressed with the relevancy of her words. He paused, briefly, to see if her words would take away the pain from his shoulder, from his everywhere. They didn't.

"I...um…I'm really hungry," Daniel stammered.

"I'm sure you are, child. I'm preparing a meal for you. It will be ready soon. I just wanted to speak with you, briefly."

"Yeah?"

"I'm curious about you, Daniel. Yesterday, in the church, you did something that was truly wonderful. You shared a gift with me."

A gift, Daniel thought. Some gift.

"I'm struggling to understand it," Lisbeth mused, shifting her glance away from Daniel and out through the window to the main church building.

"I don't understand it either…" Daniel responded.

"Worry not, Daniel. I'm sorry, I shouldn't let my tests of faith encumber upon you."

Lisbeth reached out, and took Daniel's hand in hers. He trembled slightly at the coldness of her touch.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all ways, acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. That is what God teaches us, Daniel. Are you familiar with God?"

"Not really…" Daniel admitted.

His encounters with God were far and few between. God only seemed to be relevant when something terrible had happened. Illness, funerals. Mushroom. God, he missed her so much. How can there be a God that kills a boy's dog? Right after killing his dad? It made no sense to Daniel. If there was a God, Daniel clearly didn't understand him. Maybe Lisbeth could explain God to him.

"It's okay, Daniel. For he who finds me, finds life. And obtains favor from the Lord. That's Proverbs 8:35. I would encourage you to remember that one."

Daniel nodded politely. He felt something strange. It wasn't the twitchy feeling that he got when he felt his power begging to stir. No, it was something different. Something new. It felt as though his breathing was becoming lighter. The room seemed a little brighter. He didn't know what this feeling was.

"I'll try and remember…"
"Well, I can help you with that, too," Lisbeth responded, with a sense of muffled excitement.

She stepped to a nearby dresser, opened a drawer, second from the bottom, and pulled out a book.

"It's not a Bible, Daniel. This is the second most important book that I want you to have."

Taking the book from Lisbeth, Daniel examined its labelless, leather cover. Flipping through its blank pages, Daniel knew what this was, and his heart panged with sadness over his brother.

"It's a journal," Lisbeth said, pulling Daniel back into his unbelievable present. "You will learn a lot of things, and I want you to write them in this journal."

Daniel recoiled at that statement. His sense of place and awareness of his surroundings was beginning to move in to replace the haze and confusion that had laid claim over his mind since the incident. Learn? This wasn't what Daniel had been sold on by Jake. Daniel was promised an understanding carer, a place to heal his wound, and food to eat. Not to learn. Not to get a journal. Not Bible verses. The pain in his shoulder spiked again.

"Where's Jacob?" Daniel whimpered softly.

"Don't worry about him, Daniel. You can see him soon. He's greeting the congregation after our 4PM service which, sadly, you missed," Lisbeth answered, with an accusatory undertone to her voice.

Service? Trepidation was overtaking Daniel's heart. Was she planning to keep him here? He thinks of Sean. Dad. Grandpa, Grandma and Chris. He let a single tear fall down his ashen cheek, which Lisbeth noticed.

"Oh, you sweet boy. Don't be upset. There are many services ahead of you yet. And with you, they will be the most important services of our lives."

Daniel quivered. He didn't know what was happening to him, or what Lisbeth had planned for him. The only thing he did know was that he didn't have a choice.

"Place the journal on the table next to you, Daniel. We can write the first entry tonight, together. But I think it's time you ate you something. Faith sustains our hearts, and God gives us food to sustain our bodies."

Was she always like this? Is this just…how she spoke? Daniel couldn't ever imagine getting used to a life like this.

"Come, Daniel." Lisbeth instructed, raising her arm elegantly toward the door she had come through with Erica. Stepping out into what appeared to be a small, understated living area, the smell of roasted chicken wafted across the room and into Daniel's under stimulated senses.

Lisbeth entered the adjoining kitchen as Daniel surveyed the room more closely. Worn couches, a meek coffee table. No TV. A PlayBox has certainly never been in this living room. Daniel was sure: he was never getting used to this.

"Sit up at the dining table, Daniel. The middle chair."

Daniel did as commanded. If he had the fight in him to resist, now certainly wasn't the time to express it.

"Is this your house?" Daniel asked.
"Yes. It's a parsonage."
"What's a parsonage?"
"It's a home provided by the church. Many churches provide their clergy with a home so they can better serve the church itself."
"Clergy?"
"My word, we do have a lot of work to do, don't we?"

Daniel felt bad for asking. He was tired of feeling bad.

"Clergy is church leadership. We don't really say clergy here, though."

He wasn't going to ask what they do say here. He didn't care anymore. He just stared blankly at the wooden wall in front of him. Lisbeth rustled in the kitchen behind him.

Before long, a plate of food appeared in front of Daniel. Roasted chicken, pumpkin, broccoli, potatoes. It smelled delicious.

"Eat, Daniel. Nourish your body."
"Do we need to say grace?" Daniel asked inexplicably.
"Do you want to?" Lisbeth responds. Daniel felt like he was being tested.
"Yes," he says.
"Okay. I will lead us this time."

Lisbeth, once again, took Daniel's hand.

"Loving Father," the Reverend Mother began. "We thank you for bringing us together for this meal. May this food restore our strength. May it give new energy to tired limbs and new thoughts to weary minds. May this drink restore our souls, giving new vision to dry spirits, and new warmth to cold hearts. And, once refreshed, may we give new pleasure to You, who gives us all. Amen."

Lisbeth examined Daniel expectantly. "Now you say, Amen, Daniel."

"Amen", the boy replied. "What does Amen mean?"
"It's Hebrew. It means 'truth'. We say it after prayer to express an agreement. You can also say it when you are praying to God alone. As if to say, 'so be it'."

Daniel doubted he would ever pray to God alone. He picked up the fork next to the plate and looked to Lisbeth.

"Can we eat now?", he asked.
"Of course, child."

Daniel needed no further invitation. He began with the chicken, switching between it and the roasted potatoes. Everything was cooked perfectly, even if it was a little bland. At least Grandma owned a spice rack, Daniel thought.

He looked up from his plate to see Lisbeth watching him closely. She wasn't eating.

"Is everything okay?" Daniel asks, a little self-conscious.
"Yes, everything is fine. I was just admiring how quickly you are eating. You must be famished."

Daniel nods, continuing to eat. He feels a little awkward with Lisbeth's intense gaze on him, but he's too hungry to slow down.

After a few minutes, Lisbeth finally gets up from her seat, prepares her own plate, and begins eating. The room falls silent, save for the sound of utensils clinking against crockery.

"Child, may I ask you something?"

Daniel paused in his eating and looked up at her. "Sure, what is it?"

"I know this might be difficult for you to talk about, but...where did your power come from? How did you come to possess it?"

Daniel's face fell slightly, and he set down his fork. "I'm not sure," he said. "It's just something that's always been there, I guess. It always felt like a curse more than a power, though."

Lisbeth nodded sympathetically. "I can imagine. But have you ever thought about where it might have come from? Does anyone in your family have abilities like yours?"

Daniel shook his head. "No, not that I know of. My parents were just regular people, and my brother certainly didn't have any powers. It's like...it just appeared out of nowhere." He couldn't possibly tell her the truth.

Lisbeth furrowed her brow in thought. "Well, perhaps abilities like these come to us as a gift. The Lord is all powerful, Daniel. And he works through us in ways we cannot understand."

She pulled towards her one of her numerous Bibles that lay upon the dining table and navigated its pages with such precision, that only a few page flips were required until she found the specific passage she was looking for.

"To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good," Lisbeth began. "For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge."

Daniel worked hard to interpret Lisbeth's words. He had never heard English spoken like that before.

"To another, faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit. And Daniel," she continued, "to another…the working of miracles".

He tried to hide the quizzical look that was no doubt taking over his face. Miracles were meant to be and do good, he thought. His power had been anything but a miracle.

"Corinthians 12, Daniel," Lisbeth noted. "Do you remember the moment you first realized you had this ability?"

Daniel thought back to the day that landed him on the road with his brother, fighting for their lives. He realized how truly alone he was now.

"I don't know," he said, resisting the urge to cry. "I mean, something happened...but I don't remember anything about it or what happened afterwards. Just waking up here."

Lisbeth nodded again. "I see. Well, perhaps it will come to you in time. Sometimes these things reveal themselves gradually."

Daniel picked up his fork again and resumed eating, but his mind was elsewhere. He was scared. He was scared of Lisbeth, he was scared of this church, and he was scared of himself. It began to dawn on Daniel just how safe Sean made him feel.

As Daniel ate, he couldn't shake off the feeling of worry that settled heavily in his chest. He was somewhat grateful for Lisbeth's care, but he couldn't help but wonder how he was going to explain how he got here.

He feared that if he revealed too much, Lisbeth might find out who he really was, what he had done, and what he was capable of. He didn't want to risk putting anyone else in danger, especially now that he had unwittingly caused the death of his own brother.

Daniel tried to push the thoughts away, focusing instead on the food in front of him. But the fear lingered, coiling in his stomach like a snake ready to strike.

He stole a glance at Lisbeth, who was still watching him intently. Did she suspect anything? Was she waiting for him to reveal the truth?

Daniel took a deep breath and forced himself to speak. "Lisbeth, I need to tell you something."

Lisbeth's expression softened. "Of course, Daniel. You can tell me anything."

Daniel fidgeted with his fork, unsure of where to begin. "I...I didn't just stumble upon your church by accident. I...I was running away from something."

Lisbeth tilted her head in interest. "What were you running from, Daniel?"

"I...I can't say," Daniel muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

Lisbeth reached across the table and took his hand. "You don't have to be afraid, Daniel. You're safe here with us. Whatever it is that you're running from, we'll help you."

Daniel's eyes flickered with emotion as he looked at Lisbeth. He was becoming overwhelmed by her kindness, and it only made him feel more guilty for keeping his secret from her.

"I'm sorry, Lisbeth," he whispered. "I wish I could tell you more. But I'm afraid that if I do, it'll put you in danger too."

Lisbeth squeezed his hand reassuringly. "You don't have to tell me everything, Daniel. Just know that you have our support, no matter what."

Daniel nodded, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders. He was still afraid, but knowing that he had someone to turn to made all the difference.

When they were finished with the meal, Lisbeth cleared away the plates and turned back to Daniel.

"Now, Daniel, I have some news to share with you. But before I do, I need to know that you are willing to listen."

Daniel looked up at her, his curiosity piqued.

"I'm listening," he said.

Lisbeth took a deep breath, her eyes fixed on Daniel.

"We believe that the events of the past few days have been the work of the devil," she began. "We believe that you have been given a gift, a gift of telekinesis, by God himself."

Daniel raised an eyebrow, unsure of what to make of this.

"A gift?" he repeated.

"Yes, Daniel," Lisbeth continued. "We believe that you are special, that you have been chosen by God for a purpose. And we believe that it is my…our duty to help you understand and harness this gift."

Daniel was taken aback. To hear Lisbeth repeatedly speak of his power as a gift, something given to him by God, was a new perspective.

"What purpose?" he asked.

"We do not yet know," Lisbeth admitted. "But we believe that it is our responsibility to guide you towards it. To help you use your gift for good."

Daniel sat back, thinking. It's a lot to take in.

"Okay," he finally replied. "What do I need to do?"

"Well, first, we need to learn how to control your ability," Lisbeth responded. "And we need to keep you safe. There are those who would seek to harm you, to use your gift for their own nefarious purposes."

Daniel nodded slowly. He had heard this before. But something about the surety and authority of the Reverend Mother's voice made her plan seem all the more convincing.

"Okay," he said again. "I'll do it."

Lisbeth smiled warmly at him.

"Good," she said. "Then let's get started."

Chapter 5: Where His Great Strength Lies

Chapter by fullpossumbrain (cloudfefe)

Chapter Text

"What's wrong with your hair, Daniel?"

Daniel blinks up from the arts-and-crafts project he'd been doing along with the rest of the kids in class. Today's his first time attending any type of school since leaving Seattle; though he hasn't been at Haven Point for very long, and hasn't taken part in one of their church services yet, he was so excited about finally getting the chance to spend time with other kids his age that he didn't even complain when Lisbeth told him that he had to start going. It's the last day of February, and as far as Daniel can tell, the lesson is meant to continue a similar thread of themes that started earlier in the month. It feels a lot like the classes his teachers back in Seattle would facilitate whenever they held a celebration during a school day—only with more Bible verses, and less pizza. To go along with their exercises, they've been assigned a craft that involves making heart-shaped cards. Instead of addressing them to someone else, though, they're gluing pieces of aluminum foil to the inside flap to act as a mirror: a reminder, according to Lisbeth, that they are the ones Jesus loves the most. Like a reverse-Valentine, Daniel had commented. That had made the rest of the class titter with laughter…though he's still not sure what was so funny about what he said.

Before he was interrupted, he had been busying himself with the repetitive act of cutting out as many tiny purple hearts as this piece of construction paper will allow, so he and Sarah Lee—Jacob's sister—can glue them all over the larger pink ones they've designated to serve as the bases for their cards. Daniel's glad he's sitting next to her; Sarah Lee is the coolest. While he's working on the hearts, she's using pieces of red and white tissue paper in assorted sizes to make small, fluffy flowers, so they'll have all kinds of card decorations to share with each other. Using blunted scissors at a school desk to trim shapes out of colorful paper feels kind of crazy, after weeks of only using needle-sharp ones at a workroom table to trim the leaves off of oily, puke-green buds. The last nick those stupid scissors gave him still hasn't finished healing. Being forced to do that for so long made him never want to touch a pair of scissors again for the rest of his life. At least he's having fun this time, and hasn't cut up his hands with them—well, so far, anyway.

Daniel's eyes move to the desk at his left, where the girl who addressed him is sitting. 'Christine', she said her name was, when Lisbeth had everyone do so at the beginning of the lesson. Until today, Daniel had never been the "new kid" at school before. It's been so long since he's talked to anyone his age, let alone a whole class; standing at the front of the room to introduce himself had made him wonder if the transfer kids back in Seattle had been that nervous when they did the same.

"Uh…" He drops the scissors to smooth a hand through his hair, in case it got messed up and he didn't notice. "What d'you mean?"

"It's way too long for a boy." Christine sets down the marker she'd been using to draw a big cross on the front of her card, and folds her arms over her chest. "I've never seen any boy grow his hair out like that. Not unless they were a criminal, or homeless, or something."

The way she punctuates the words with acid makes something deep inside Daniel recoil. After everything he's done, he might technically be a criminal, but… He's definitely not homeless. He has a room, back at his grandparents' house. He might still have one in Seattle—or with his mom, wherever she is. Sure, he and his brother did a lot of sleeping outside the last few months. And they bunked in a shelter one night. And they camped out in the woods for five weeks. But that doesn't mean…

He casts a glimpse to his right, but Sarah Lee's so immersed in her flower-making that she doesn't seem to register that there's a conversation happening next to her. "I just…haven't had a haircut in a while," he answers Christine. He decides it's easier not to elaborate on why.

"My dad always keeps his hair nice and tidy." Christine returns to her card, choosing a new color to fill in the cross shape she drew with the other marker. "He and the Reverend Mother say that we're God's chosen people. That means we have to honor Him with how we look on the outside. If we don't, it makes Him upset, because then He looks bad to everyone else."

A jolt of mortification stabs through Daniel's stomach. She thinks how he looks is…bad? So bad that he's making God look bad? The sting of hot blood creeps up Daniel's neck, as he watches Christine's marker move carefully inside the lines of the cross. Does everyone else here think the same of him—and, even worse, is he making them look bad, too, just by being around them?

Seeking to prove himself wrong, Daniel reaches for the roll of aluminum foil so he can trim out a mirror for his card, but when he goes to unfurl the sheet, he grips it the wrong way and the edge slices into the divet of his hand. Daniel hisses, hand flinching back—it moves to his open mouth, and he sucks on the now-throbbing space between his thumb and forefinger. The sound snaps Sarah Lee out of her flower-induced trance; she looks between his hand and the foil, and as soon as she realizes what happened, she rushes out of her chair to grab Lisbeth.

As Sarah Lee explains the situation to her and they leave to grab the first aid kit, Daniel pulls his hand out of his mouth to assess the damage. Red wells into the gash as soon as he releases it, spilling over into his palm. His accident caused a bit of a racket among the other students, too; he can sense their eyes on him, and hear them murmuring to each other. Awesome, he thinks. Now, they're gonna think he's a hobo and a moron.

Once he gets the bleeding to subside, he manages to trim out a square of foil without further incident (thank God for that). He glues it into his card, careful to make sure that the reflective side is facing up, and tries to use it to check his appearance…but, as it turns out, aluminum foil sucks as a mirror, so all he can see of himself is a blurred, reddish outline shaped kind of like his silhouette. Now that he thinks about it, the camp at the farm didn't really have a great mirror, either. It's weird to think how little he's looked at his reflection since going on the run—and, despite how long it's been, how that thought never really crossed his mind. Not until now, anyway.

The commotion dies down as all his classmates resume work on their respective crafts, so Daniel glances around the room at them. Earlier, he didn't pay much attention to how they were dressed, but now, he takes note of all their clothing items, especially the ones the other boys are wearing. They're all dressed so sharply that they could be adults: polished shoes, khakis in perfect shape, collared shirts in whites and pastels. It's a stark contrast from the bright-red graphic tee Daniel's wearing, the one that's starting to fall apart from months of being on the road. He's had it since before he left home. He was wearing it that day because it was part of the Halloween costume he was putting together. He was so stupid back then, he thinks to himself. Halloween is for babies.

Sarah Lee and Lisbeth rush back into the room with the first aid kit, and start patching up Daniel's hand. He flexes his fingers, watches the wound flood with red again, against the pale flesh of his palm. They clean it out with a packaged alcohol wipe. It stings.

So much for not cutting himself up.

—

After that, the length of his hair is all Daniel can think about. He thinks about it later that day on the playground, when he and some of the other boys are kneeling over a set of toy cars, and his neck is the only one shielded from the beaming rays of the sun. He thinks about it during dinner, when the strands hang in his face while he's trying to eat. He thinks about it the next morning, when he's washing up, and heavy, sopping clumps of it stick to the column of his neck and drip water past his shoulders. Last month, all he had for washing was freezing-cold rainwater out of a trickling tap in the middle of the woods. The one or two chances a week he did have to get himself clean were miserable experiences. He would've traded a lot at that camp for the ability to take a bath like this whenever he wanted, with all the bubbles and hot water he could ever use.

At least he never embarrassed anyone there with how bad they thought he looked.

When Lisbeth has him attend class again that day, he's much less eager about it, but he still goes without protesting. He gets to sit next to Sarah Lee again, which is cool. From what she told him, Lisbeth likes to take opportunities to "redirect the unholy focuses of the world back to what's important," so all of her lessons and sermons this week are themed similarly to yesterday's. Today's lesson is about softening their hearts to the Lord—whatever that's supposed to mean. Daniel figures he's about to find out.

Lisbeth starts the lesson by presenting a couple objects for the students to pass around the room: an oblong rock too round to work as a skipping stone, and one of those squishy foam balls people squeeze to relieve stress. She has everyone pay careful mind to the difference in weight and malleability between the two items, encourages the class to test those properties out for themselves when they have them in their own hands.

"No one is born with a hardened heart," Lisbeth explains as the objects cycle through the students in the back row, "but—if we're not careful—ours can start to become more like that rock and less like that ball." She uncaps the thick marker in her hand and draws a big heart shape, in the center of a sheet of easel paper she had stuck to the wall behind her. "Can anyone tell me what it is that makes this happen to our hearts?"

Christine's hand shoots up first. Her hand does that a lot during lessons, Daniel notices. Lisbeth calls on her.

"Sin." Christine answers with simple confidence.

"That's right," praises Lisbeth. She writes the word to stretch across the top of the paper with three broad, stark strokes. "Sin will harden anyone's heart to the Lord. Can any of you name some actions that He sees as 'sin'?"

Christine's hand shoots up again, but Lisbeth makes it a point to call on the other students in the room when they raise their own. As they shout out their answers, she writes them inside the bounds of the heart: lying. Cheating. Stealing. The words make the shape blacker and blacker, crowding together to fill it in. Though plenty of examples come to his own mind, Daniel stays quiet; they're all ones of which he's guilty. He remembers all those games he played at that cabin with his brother, where he secretly used his powers to change the dice and win. That room with Merrill's safe—the bodies he left strewn across the wood floor after he tried to crack it open. The dark pools of blood oozing out from them, into the spaces between the planks.

Daniel tries to return his focus to the lesson, pushing against the beginnings of nausea trying to take hold of his stomach. To be honest, it doesn't help much. Lisbeth writes some of the words into the heart a few more times, demonstrating the effect of committing the same act again and again. Daniel swears he can feel the tip of a marker leaving lines of ink in his chest.

"Who can tell me why the Lord considers all these actions to be sin?" Lisbeth asks the class.

Sarah Lee's hand raises for the first time since the lesson started. She folds it into her lap when Lisbeth picks her to answer.

"They hurt other people," she explains, "so they separate us from God."

"Very good, Sarah Lee," Lisbeth affirms. "Following the Lord's will keeps us clean, because it helps us stay close to Him—" she taps her now-blemished heart drawing with the back of her marker— "but when we do or say or think anything that makes Him upset, this is what happens to our hearts."

The nausea hits back at Daniel full-force. He lurches, folding his arms over his gut to hold it at bay. If sin is sin because it hurts other people…and if what Christine said to him yesterday about the way he looks is true… Then, that means…

Sarah Lee reaches over to set the rock, then the stress ball, on the corner of Daniel's desk. He compels himself to concentrate on the objects, if only to take his mind off of his seizing stomach; he can't imagine anything more humiliating than getting sick all over himself and his classmates on his second day of school. He manages to subdue it, through nothing but the sheer strength of his desire not to embarrass himself. Quelling his writhing guts feels like winning a dogfight.

Once he's regained his composure, he reaches up for the rock and the stress ball, taking one item in each hand. The ball is smooth and feather-light in comparison to the rock, the surface of which is uneven and, surprisingly, cold to the touch. He clenches the hand holding the ball into a fist; the shape crumples easily beneath his fingers. He tries to apply the same pressure to the rock, squeezing so hard that the cut on his palm from yesterday aches from it. The rock doesn't budge. Daniel releases his grip on both items, and the ball unfurls neatly into the perfect sphere in which it started—like Daniel had done no damage to it at all.

Daniel crushes the ball again, then again, then again, but each time, it springs right back to its original shape in the curve of his hand. His mind returns to the exercise he did with Sean at that lake, where he'd hit those flying pinecones by sending stones—much like the one he's holding—whizzing through the air. He remembers watching each one collide with its mark, the untempered amount of force he channeled into the impact blasting target and projectile alike into a million shards, against the evening Californian sky. Back then, the sight of his handiwork had made him feel proud.

His attention moves between Sarah Lee, Christine, the kids sitting in the back row. They're all so lucky, he thinks, with their squishy, indestructible hearts. The heavy, smashed-up chunk where Daniel's should be weighs in the cavity of his chest.

Too bad he can't use his stupid powers to fix the damage. If he tried, they'd only add to it even more.

He deposits the two items onto Christine's desk, and sinks deeper into his chair. He wishes he could slide out of it and melt into the bedrock of the church.

—

Daniel has such a hard time dragging himself to school the next day that he makes himself late. He hopes Lisbeth doesn't get upset with him over it. If she does, maybe he'll tell her that his shoulder was really hurting and that's why he wasn't on time. An immediate twinge of guilt drops into his gut, though, when he remembers her lesson yesterday. His heart's already messed up enough; he doesn't need to lie and make it worse.

When he reaches the church's front doors, he's heaving for air, because he had just sprinted the whole length of the property to get to them. He bursts into the rush of the building's air-conditioning, and leans on his knees to catch his breath. The sound startles a woman—the only other person in the lobby—so badly that she drops the broom she'd been using to sweep the floor.

"Oh. Hi there, youngster," she says, bending down to recover it. "You seem lost. Do you need help?"

"Nah. I know where I'm going," Daniel answers, trying not to sound as winded as he is. "Thanks, though."

Daniel turns to go up to the classroom, but she steps in front of him, blocking his path. "Do you, now?" She asks. "Where are you headed?"

"Up to class," he explains, tentative. Something about this lady is giving him bad vibes. He'd better hurry past her. "Sorry. I'm kind of running late."

Daniel tries to step around her, but she moves back, her body now blocking the narrow stairway. "Your parents must be worried," she presses. "Maybe we should go find them. Do you know where they are?"

"I'm, uh, not with my parents," he tells her. It's not a lie. Judging by the way she frowns at him, she thinks it is. "I got here a few days ago. I'm staying in that big house just behind here. The one right in front of the fence?"

"You're staying with the Reverend Mother?" The lady's eyebrows jump up to her hairline. "That's funny. I'm surprised I haven't seen you around, then."

"There're a lot of people here," Daniel tries. "Maybe we met and just forgot?"

"Maybe," she pretends to consider. Daniel can tell it's an act. Her tone is way too condescending for it to be genuine. "I think I would've remembered meeting you, though. You're very…" her eyes give Daniel a once-over— "…recognizable."

Shame-tinted rage roils in his stomach at the way she says the word. He looks down at a hole in the toe of his sneaker, huffing out a breath through flared nostrils.

Yeah, I can tell, he wants to spit back at her. You don't have to rub it in.

"Can I go up to class now?" He mutters to the floor instead.

"How about I take you?" She offers, still faking helpfulness. Still patronizing. "That way, you don't get lost."

At this point, Daniel doesn't need an escort to find the classroom. He's made his way there multiple times now. He's not gonna tell that to this lady, though. Clearly, she doesn't care.

The lady leads Daniel up the stairway and down the hall. She throws periodic glances over her shoulder as they walk together, to make sure Daniel's still following. He notices. It's not like she's trying to be subtle about it. Lisbeth pauses her lesson when the classroom door swings open.

"Sorry to interrupt," the lady tells her. "This young man says he's here for today's lesson."

Daniel peeks out from behind the lady, recognizing his cue to show himself. Resisting the urge to shrink back takes effort.

"Daniel," Lisbeth exclaims when she sees him. "There you are. I was worried something happened to you."

"Sorry," he murmurs to the floor again.

"That's all right. We just started. Why don't you take your seat?"

"Reverend Mother," the lady pipes up, "do you mind if I have a quick word?"

Lisbeth looks between her and Daniel before turning to the rest of the class. "Give me just a moment," she tells the group, and ushers Daniel to his desk, as the lady beckons her out into the hall. He slinks into the chair, everyone else gawking at him all the while as he does, like he's some kind of weird animal at the zoo. The bones of his jaw creak as he clenches them together. The action keeps him from bursting into a scream.

As soon as Lisbeth is out of the room, the class erupts into chatter. Sarah Lee greets him, and starts telling him some story involving Jacob and her pet chicken. He's not paying attention to any of it, though; he's too busy straining his ears to make out the conversation in the hall.

The lady's too far outside the door for Daniel to see her, but she speaks in hushed, urgent tones, her wide gestures occasionally peeking out from behind the frame. He can see Lisbeth's profile, though, as she nods along, her mouth set in a calm line. She says something in response to whatever the lady is telling him, but the commotion in the back of the class is too loud for Daniel to be able to catch it. All the talking and murmuring people do around here makes him wish that he could read lips. Or that he could trade his power for supersonic hearing.

Their conversation must end, because Lisbeth waves the lady on, and he can see her back retreat down the hallway as she returns to the lobby. "Settle down, children," Lisbeth announces as she approaches her desk. Once the class is quiet again, she resumes the lesson. Whatever material it's supposed to be covering has Daniel totally lost, but everyone else seems to be on the same page, dutifully pulling out their Bibles and finding their places in them with ease. Daniel curses himself for being too late to hear the beginning. He's a total moron for loitering around. On top of that, his tardiness caused another scene.

Whatever, he scoffs to himself. It doesn't matter. He'd probably be lost even if he wasn't late to class.

—

As soon as school lets out, Daniel leaves to go lay down in his bedroom. He doesn't stick around to play on the playground with everyone else. Sarah Lee invites him to come over and meet her chicken. He tells her he's too tired.

When Lisbeth calls him to dinner later that evening, he comes reluctantly. He picks at the food she puts on his plate, absently pushing his vegetables around it. They smell gross. He's not hungry, anyway.

"You seem upset," remarks Lisbeth, over the gentle clink of silverware on ceramic. They're the first words either of them have spoken since they sat down at the table and she finished saying grace. "Is something wrong?"

"I'm fine. It's just…" Daniel's fork pauses, as he tries to figure out how best to phrase his request. Not coming up with anything better, he decides on: "…Do I have to go to class tomorrow?"

"But you were so excited about it a few days ago." She frowns at him, voice rich with concern. "Did something happen?"

"No, it's not that," he mutters. "I just feel like… I don't really fit in, with everyone else. I'm pretty sure most of the class doesn't even want me there."

"Of course they want you there. Why on Earth would you think otherwise?" Then, her eyes flash, some kind of realization coming over her. She tenses. "Wait. Is one of the other children bullying you?"

"No! No way," Daniel blurts, because if she gives the rest of the class a talking-to about it, he might get bullied for real. "Everyone here's super-nice. But… I'm so different from them, you know? How am I supposed to make friends when they're all looking at me like…like I'm from another planet?"

"Well, if the sorts who used to serve as your influences are anything to go by, it's no wonder why being here feels so different to you." She leans across the table, and looks Daniel in the eye. "The people in this community are blessed by the Lord, set apart from the world's ways. Don't you worry, though; the more time you spend with us, the more familiar our way of life will become to you."

"I guess." Daniel sighs, but quickly removes his elbow from the table when he sees Lisbeth frown at him. He continues. "Everywhere I go, I feel like this. It's the worst. I just wanna have an easy time meeting new people for once."

"You're young. It's only natural to want to fit in. What matters is that, while you're here, you pursue the Lord with all your heart." She reaches across the table to pat him on the hand. "As long as you do that, everything else will fall into place."

"Okay," Daniel yields. Lisbeth, seeming satisfied with that as the end of their conversation, returns to her plate, but the gears in Daniel's mind only start turning faster. In Seattle, fitting in and making friends came so naturally to him, but here, he has to strategize, draw up a plan to do it like he's building a fortress in Minecraft. He doesn't even know what 'pursuing the Lord' is supposed to mean. How long is it gonna take him before he finally figures it out? Before everyone stops treating him like he's both a spectacle and invisible at the same time?

As Daniel ruminates on his situation, he catches sight of the card he made in class a couple days ago. Lisbeth had pinned it to the door of the fridge with a couple magnets; the front hangs open to reveal the foil mirror attached to the inside. Maybe she's right… If he gives it time, he's bound to become more like the other kids.

But maybe there's something he can do to speed up the process.

"I was thinking," he starts again, staring down at the mess of vegetables on his plate. "I haven't had a haircut in a long time. And all my clothes are really old." That seems to catch Lisbeth's ear; she sets her silverware down with a clink, her head tipping to the side. "It'd feel really nice to have one again. And to get some clothes that aren't as grungy. Would that be okay?"

For a long time, Lisbeth regards him, her hands folded, gaze bright and attentive. With bated breath, Daniel watches her expression, every minuscule fluctuation of her features, as she considers his new request.

"I'll have Nicholas come by tomorrow," she finally answers, the corners of her mouth quirking into a small smile. "And we'll go shopping together for some new clothes. How does that sound?"

Daniel grins, the fingers of his hand curling into a triumphant fist beneath the table. With the other, he uses his fork to spear one of his vegetables.

"That sounds awesome," he tells her, and takes a bite.

—

Daniel stares back at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. At least, it's supposed to be his reflection. He is the one standing in front of it. The features of its face are the same as his, anyway.

But everything else? It all belongs to someone he's meeting for the first time.

Nicholas had come over and trimmed the long, uneven fringes of Daniel's hair into a short, uniform ring, and Daniel had changed out of his old jeans and t-shirt, into one of the brand-new polos and sets of khakis Lisbeth bought for him. If he were back in Seattle, and someone cut his hair into a style like this, he probably would've begged his dad to take him out of school until it grew back. Now, though…

Daniel passes his fingers through the cropped strands, from the front of his hairline to the base of his scalp. It's been so long since his hair had a trim that he'd forgotten how weird of a sensation it can be: the soft rasp of scissor blades as they grind together, the barely-perceptible tug as they grab the ends to snip them off. It's even weirder running his hands through it, when his fingers, accustomed to longer threads, lose their purchase sooner than they expect.

The hair Nicholas harvested sits in a pile on the counter, next to him at the sink. Gingerly, he pinches a lock of it between his thumb and forefinger and holds it up to the end of his new style, contrasting it with the direct visual of the old length. It's hard to believe how long it had gotten, without him even noticing…how much time he'd let slip through his fingers. In the piece of hair he holds, he sees reflected every step of every mile he's walked, every section of hard ground on which he slept—every pang of longing he felt for his bed and his room and his friends and his PlayBox—that's weighed on his mind from the time he left his old house on Lewis Avenue until he arrived at this new one in Haven Point.

He releases his grip on the lock of hair, dropping it back into the pile with the rest. It lands on the counter like a rock.

Lisbeth steps into the door frame, tapping her knuckles lightly against it. Her smile is gentle when Daniel meets her eyes.

"Well?" She asks. "What do you think?"

"I like it," Daniel determines, with an assurance that comes to him easily. The words aren't a lie. That means they aren't a sin. A layer of the stone around his heart melts away.

Daniel sweeps the pile of hair into the garbage, and he's surprised how much satisfaction he feels when it lands with a rustle into the bottom of the liner bag. He wonders how the other kids will react, what they'll say to him as he walks through the door of the classroom. Imagines how the way they look at him is going to change.

He can't wait for the next time he sees them, so he can find out.

Chapter 6: To Be Alive Again

Chapter by Dreamprism

Summary:

Chapter by Dreamprism.

This is a side story to Chapters 3 and 4, telling the first week at Haven Point from Jacob's perspective.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Haven Point - Sunday, February 26th, 2017

Jacob steps into Lisbeth's house, practically carrying Daniel. The 9-year-old looks like he's about to pass out from exhaustion again just from using his powers and the brief shambling from the church door - not even the far door but the close one.

The relief Jake experienced from exiting the church (where he was made uneasy by the ominous stare from Nicholas) is replaced with the fear he had as a young teen in this home.

Lisbeth always thought Jacob had demons - at least since that incident with Bruce at age 14. She tried to expel the demons both after-hours in the church and sometimes in her home.

It was never really successful, and Jake understands now why: Lisbeth was simply wrong. There were no demons. God made him the way he is, and this was confirmed to him by his journey through the world which Lisbeth ultimately encouraged him to take the last time he was sitting in this house, nearly one full year ago.

The people of Redding were… okay. Not the overwhelming fake acceptance Haven Point offered new visitors, but they seemed nice, and they were all so different from each other.

He did feel some confusion at their Pride March last October. "Is this really my community? I don't look like them. I don't dress like them." They spoke about their march not just being for people out of the closet but also those still inside. There were words to describe Jacob's experience that he hadn't even known til then.

But city life was just too expensive. Not ready to return to the security of Haven Point, he accepted an offer from a new friend to work on a farm. A farm he hoped Lisbeth couldn't smell on his clothes. And as he grew to known the people there, he learned that they are not possessed; they're just humans. Maybe they disagree on some lifestyle choices, but they are undeniably just human.

And the youngest of the group was perhaps better than human, holding a gift from God himself. "How could that happen if my journey wasn't what God wanted me to experience?" Jacob challenged himself.

Lisbeth interrupts Jacob's reflection. "So, it seems we won't be having that meal together after all." Daniel is passed out in Jacob's arms as he begins to lay him on the sofa."

"No, don't put him there. Please, lay Daniel on the small bed in the back room. Bedsheets are easier to clean than a sofa."

Jacob does as he's told, tucking Daniel in before returning to the living room. "Do I get a meal? I'm actually rather hungry."

"There should still be some after-service food beside the church - you remember the building?" Lisbeth inquires, essentially confirming the promised feast at her house is now cancelled.

"Yeah, of course." Jacob replies succinctly.

"Wonderful. We'll talk further tomorrow morning. For now, i'm sure you're eager to reunite with your family here. I won't keep you."

Eager? Possibly. More like anxious. Jacob isn't even sure what he'd have said if they were in church when he arrived.

There are slim pickings left at the lunch tables, but he takes the last turkey and provolone sandwich and then awkwardly walks away.

Unfortunately, Helen calls after him.

"Jacob Hackerman."

He turns around, face half-stuffed with a sandwich.

Helen eyes him suspiciously but just asks him a single question: "Did you see Mark?"

"Mark Thompson? Didn't he go to Iowa?" Jacob ponders why she's asking.

"Yeah. You didn't go visit them after you left?"

Even though it's coming from Helen, one of the least accepting people in all of Haven Point, her words actually do make Jacob regret not trying to see him. But Iowa was just so far away. Jake makes a mental note to invite Wesley and Mark back to Haven Point after he and Daniel change the place for the better.

"No, Helen. I just… traveled to Redding and Arcata and then back here."

"Come on, you call that seeing the world? Okay, well, enjoy your sandwich."

After escaping Helen, Jacob exits the church fencing to the south and is face-to-face with the three large community houses, plainly labeled A, B, and C.

But the Hackermans aren't in those houses. No, they were here at Haven Point before almost everyone, back when it was just the original homes that came with the plot of land Mother Lisbeth's devotees helped her purchase. That means his family's house (just a bit to the left) is smaller and older, but at least they have it all to themselves.

"I'm home, dad… mom… little sis." Jacob mumbles at a barely audible volume, still standing too far away for anyone inside to hear. Is this really what home is? Not a forest but an actual home. Is this really his again? Jacob wonders these things internally.

Instead of anyone he mentioned answering him, the first "family member" to greet him is Sarah's chicken Alexander. "Buk buk BA-GAWK!"

"Oh," Jake says, startled. "Hi, Alexander. How are things around Haven Point? Is my sister treating you okay?"

Alexander clucks again.

"Yeah. I thought so."

The door to the home opens. A stern woman's voice speaks "Are you just speaking to the chicken or are you speaking to your mother too?" It's his mom, Lauren Hackerman.

"Mom… I'm… I'm sorry I hurt you by leaving."

"Have you stopped your… sinful behavior? The actions that were keeping you from God."

"I'm still figuring that out." Jacob says, greatly dropping his confidence that he can change Haven Point in that moment.

"Then why come back? You know how much it hurts a mother to see her son walking down a path to destruction?"

"I came back because… I found something remarkable. SomeONE remarkable. I think it's a sign from God."

"Oh, I knew you'd find what you were looking for!" Lauren's voice perks up. "Did someone help you answer Jesus' call and follow his words?"

"No, more like the opposite. I found a boy who didn't know the gospel at all, but he had powers - powers that, I think, could only come from God. He could move things just with his mind, mom! I'd never seen anything like it! But… I think Lisbeth wants us to keep silent on it for now."

"Understood. I have the utmost faith in her. And I'm happy to see you now have that faith too. She will not let you down. Jesus will not let us down."

Entering the Hackerman home, Jacob heads toward his old room. Given the strange arrangement of the home, he must step through Sarah Lee's room on the way to his own.

She has so few things; it looks more like a prisoner's cell than a little girl's room. Even the hippie tents had more decoration than this. She has a drawing of her family taped to the wall behind her desk, but Jacob sees that he isn't included. He knew she would be mad at him for leaving, but his simple absence from the picture is just heartbreaking.

In his own room, Jacob finds the space occupied by a young man he's never met before. "Hey, umm, sorry. I thought this was my room. I guess it's… taken…"

The man responds. "Oh, hey, I thought you were gone. We can share the room while we wait on the new house to be built, if you want."

Right. This has happened before. When Haven Point is ready to expand, they build a new community house. But until that house is finished, they're bursting at the seams and even the older homes on the property have to accept an extra family or two.

He remembers way back in 2006 when he had to share his room with Mark, who was just a toddler at the time. Then for the next 6 months at just 10 years old he had to help the other men of the church build Community House A, and finally he got his room back to himself.

By the time Houses B and C rolled around, Lisbeth and the others didn't trust Jacob to share a room with anyone, but he still had to help with construction. With each house, he learned a little bit more - as did the other parishioners - and the build process went faster.

If this new man is offering to share a room, he must not know Jacob's history. But still, this would not look good to others.

"No, you can keep it. I will sleep on the living room couch."

Yes, out in the open where no one will think he's being disobedient to God.

At least he didn't bring many belongings from Haven Point. Didn't even have the time to think about it. So there's nothing the church would make him get rid of or that wouldn't fit on or under the coffee table or the end table.

"So, mom, where's dad and Sarah?"

"Your father is working on the farm so we have food for next week, and your sister is visiting with Maryanne for their birthday. Celebrating a whole new year of knowing the Lord!"

"Oh, right, Maryanne! Her family was just visiting Haven Point and Lisbeth had Sarah talk with the girl while you and dad talked to the girl's parents. I remember they laughed about how they both had two first names."

"Yes! Your sister was so proud when they decided to join Haven Point. She really made a difference in that girl's life. And now she and Christine aren't the only girls of their age here."

A few minutes later, Jacob is on the doorstep of House C but hesitates when he hears prayers, not wishing to interrupt them. He tries to sneak a look through the window, but a boy is right there on the other side, spots him, and alerts the other children.

That's twice now in just a quarter hour that he's been caught not ready to come inside. He sees the door open in front of him. Sarah is standing right there.

"Jacob! You look so dirty! Where have you been?"

"Hey, I'm here now. I didn't mean to be gone for so long."

"My friends think you look weird. Gregory didn't even recognize you and I had to tell him you're my brother. You know this isn't MY birthday, right?"

"Yeah, sorry I missed yours. I wrote a card, but I didn't mail it on-time. I actually lost track of the days completely. Again, sorry." Jacob reaches into his pocket and pulls out a card "You can have it now though… if you want."

Sarah reads the card. "Oh, Alexander is so cute! He missed you too. Did you really hug him? I'd hug you, but.. you're too smelly!"

"It's okay. I get it."

"Ok, where's the photos?" Sarah is referencing the line in the letter where Jacob says he'll show her some photos of his time in California.

"I have to get them developed. Dad gave me his old camera when I left, so… no smartphone photos. Unless you want to look at the negatives?"

"Oh. I don't know how to do that. Do you want to join us in prayer?"

"Yeah, yep. Let's pray."

The prayer was an odd but refreshing experience. It's been many months since he even prayed openly with other people.

As Jacob stands up from the prayer circle, Sarah runs around him and blocks his path to the door: "Wait, are you leaving again for real?"

"No, I'm not leaving Haven Point."

Sarah takes his hand. "Don't… leave…"

Jacob: "I promise you I'm not leaving. I just need to get some stuff from my car and clean myself up. Sorry for… all of my faults."

Sarah doesn't know why he had left, and at this point she doesn't need to know. He's not sure she could even understand.

With the aid of a mirror, shaving cream, and a manual razor, Jacob has returned himself to his old look - before he went out to the woods where shaving was so much harder.

He grabs some more food from the kitchen and nervously waits for his dad to return home. As the afternoon wears on, Jacob prepares to rest on his new "bed" - the old brown couch with cushions that have long since lost their puffiness.

And just as he's ready to close his eyes, there is dad coming through the door. Guess he can't avoid the conversation anyway. Unless… maybe if he tries to sleep…

"Jake, I can tell you're awake, kid."

Jacob debates in his head whether he should double down on pretending to sleep or admit to his dad that he's awake.

Robert Hackerman walks closer. "You were never good at faking things. So, what brought you back? It must be pretty serious."

Dad's voice feels more accepting than Jacob imagined it being. Hesitantly, Jacob opens his eyes and props himself up on the armrest. Timidly, he replies "You haven't heard yet from mom? Or from Lisbeth?"

"I may have heard that you came in here with an injured kid, yeah, but you know Lisbeth… she doesn't want questions. But you've never had a problem with that, so… tell me what's up."

Jacob looks at his dad and begins telling him the story. They talk for hours that night, and it's the longest conversation he can remember with his dad for years.

He leaves out several details, like the unorthodox sexualities at the redwood camp, because he doesn't wish to poison the mood and make his dad think about… that. Not right now, at least.

"Rejoice, for this son of mine was dead and is alive again." Robert says after a pause in the conversation.

"Luke 15. The prodigal son. It's not really a perfect fit though, is it? I'm the older sibling, Sarah doesn't resent you taking me back, etc." Jacob replies.

"Son, it's the best fit I can apply. Would you rather be the lost sheep or the silver coin?"

"No, the son is fine."

Robert lifts himself off the couch and stands up, taking one more look at his son. "Good night, Jake. Thanks for coming home."

Monday, February 27th, 2017

Lauren is in the living room dusting. It didn't even look dirty to Jacob - especially sfter his time in the woods - but his mom was always obsessed with tidiness.

"Jacob, sorry, did I wake you?"

"Yeah… but it's good. I need to speak to the reverend this morning anyway. How long did I sleep?"

"Oh, only about nine hours, dear. It's still 6 A.M."

Six? Jacob forgot just how early his mom gets the day started. He looks around and sees some of his things missing.

"I threw out some junk you don't need in this house. Why were you keeping a torn shirt? That thing was a lost cause."

A shot of adrenaline rushes through Jacob's body. "That was Daniel's shirt! I promised him I'd sew it up for him. Where did you put it?"

Lauren is perplexed by Jacob's sudden change in mood. "Well, Jake, how was I supposed to know that? You act like I threw it away just to spite you! Your father and I chose to forgive you; we're trying to make you feel at home here."

"That's not the point, mom…" Jacob forces himself to calm his mood. "Where is it?"

"I put it in the big dumpster outside."

Jacob runs outside and retrieves it. He's not sure, but it might be even smellier now than it was before.

He spends the morning handwashing it and using his sewing kit to stitch it back together. It doesn't look "good as new", but it looks at least as good as it looked a week ago. Probably better.

Thirty minutes before service, Jacob shows up to Lisbeth's door. He knocks, and she answers, opening the door just a crack. "Yes, Jacob?"

"I stitched up this shirt for Daniel. It's his favorite, so don't throw it out, or he'll never forgive you." Jacob laughs, but at the same time it might be true.

"Thank you, young man. I know you're eager to see Daniel again, but I think it's better that the boy has some time to adjust on his own for a few days rather than relive his past life. But I will put the shirt in his closet."

As Jacob turns around to leave, Lisbeth stops him. "Actually, Jacob, can we chat for a bit about Daniel's experience so far?"

She is just fishing for information to tell Daniel as if she is hearing it from God, but he does not realize this.

"Sure", Jacob replies. "I have some time." In fact, he has all the time in the world because he's not really sure what else he should be doing.

"What happened to his brother? Is he alive?"

"Well, I don't really know anything new since I left. Daniel told me he thinks Sean is dead, so… I don't know. Why do you ask?"

"If this Sean is alive, would he be willing to stay here at Haven Point? Is he… receptive?"

"He was pretty intent on going to Puerto Lobos, but maybe we could convince him." Jacob is still thinking somehow he can change Haven Point. Make it a better place and then maybe Sean would want to stay.

Lisbeth replies "Well, Daniel is safe in our Garden now. I will make sure of that. There's no need to go to… where is Puerto Lobos, actually?"

"It's down in Mexico. It's a small town, Sean said."

"Do they know anyone there? No, I don't think that's safe at all."

"Yeah, maybe not." Jacob admits. "How is Daniel feeling today?"

"He is very tired. I have tried waking him up twice, but he pushes me away… quite literally."

"Has he shown you his wound?"

"Not yet. Did you fix it up before coming here?"

"Uh… kind of. But it's kind of a duct tape on a boat situation. I thought someone here would be able to help him more."

"Oh, my. So, it's that serious? I will call Erica and see if she can handle it. Thank you for this dialogue today, Jacob. By the way, I suspect our numbers will be growing again soon, so we'll need a new community house. I hope you're willing to help with that?"

Well, that's Jacob's answer for what he'll be doing around Haven Point for the next few months. "House D for Daniel?" he jokes.

Lisbeth smiles slightly. "Yes. You'll be working alongside Dallas. Show him how things are done. I assume you've met already?"

"Yes. He's staying in my old room."

"Well, you were gone. I mean, we're not going to let a room go to waste. He will move into House D when it's ready. Now, I have to finish getting ready for the morning service."

Jacob attends the 4pm service later that day, thinking Daniel might show up to that one, but Lisbeth comes alone. Speaking with her after the sermon, she says that Daniel is still asleep and Nicholas was keeping watch over the house for her.

She asks Jacob to introduce a new guy she spotted in the audience at the service to Haven Point and get him to stay or - if that can't be accomplished - instill that even if he leaves God may call him back some day.

Jacob talks to the new guy (who he learns is named Jeremy), but Jeremy is hesitant about moving in when he hears he'd have to give up some worldly pleasures like video games. With all that Daniel's talked about Minecraft, Jacob wonders if Daniel will accept parting with such pleasures too. Then again, he survived the farm.

The man leaves, and Jacob heads home.

Tuesday, February 28th, 2017

Jacob is helping lay the foundation of the new home. Community House D to be set exactly in line with A, B, and C from east to west; there should still be room for E later if Haven Point's congregation grows even more.

He tried his best to instruct Dallas on the process. He's surprised at how much he remembers, and when he does have a question of his own his father's guidance is not far away.

Dallas strikes up a conversation. "So, you said you built these as a kid? How old were you?"

"I was ten the first time." It took half his life for Jacob to see how wrong that was, when he saw Daniel working at Merrill's farm. "I guess the reverend doesn't have kids working this time because the church has grown… More people available to work."

"But you helped build all 3?"

"Yeah. I was, I think, 14 and 17 the other times. I'm 20 now, if you were wondering."

"Cool, man, I'm 22. I know I'm not the usual resident here. No family. Just came here on my own last month. You were on your own for awhile, right?"

"Yep. I worked on a pot farm, believe it or not. Truthfully, I prefer building houses; it's much more eventful."

After a moment of quiet, Dallas speaks up again "So, you had to have met a pretty lady while on the farm, right?"

Well, that confirms it. Dallas has no received no hint of Jacob's sexuality. But Jacob almost wishes he had, so he wouldn't be in this conversation right now.

Jacob humors himself by thinking through the women from Merrill's farm. Maybe he could just mention one of them and Dallas would stop questioning. Cassidy, no. Hannah, too abrasive. Ingrid? She's ok but kind of taken maybe.

"No one?" Dallas asks, incredulous.

"Yeah, I think I might just stay single."

"Nonsense. Proverbs 18:22. He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord. You know, you seem like a pretty respectful guy. I'd let you date my sister."

"I thought you came here alone?"

"True, true. My sister's 17, so parents won't let her leave yet."

Jacob is weirded out by the conversation. He can't fathom how a brother could offer his sister like that. The thought of treating Sarah that way disgusts him. And beyond just wanting to stay single, Jacob realizes he'd be much happier being single out here working on the house too.

"No thanks." Jacob responds. "Hey, you look worn out. I think I can finish the rest out here by myself. Go enjoy some relaxation."

Dallas thankfully leaves, and Jake spends the rest of the day out in the sun hard at work. He's grateful that his family keeps a large supply of sunscreen on-hand, because they certainly need it.

Wednesday, March 1st, 2017

Jacob starts the engine of the Buick but before he can back up he spots Sarah running hastily towards him.

"Hey, wait!" she screams.

"What?" Jacob rolls down the window.

"You promise you're coming back today?"

"Yes, Sarah." Jacob sighs. "I already told you I just need to get the photos developed. There's a shop nearby that… at least used to exist. It's faster than WalMart because he does it in-house instead of shipping them off to a lab, so I'll be back to show you the pictures by the end of the day."

"Okay." Her brows furrow. "You'd better not be lying to me."

Having dropped his film off at Same Day Photo (ostensibly a business but mostly just some old man's house) in Winnemucca, Jacob passes the time in the county library nearby.

Considering his own limited funds and his unwillingness to use Sean's accumulated money, Jake is happy that free places like public libraries exist. He peruses the shelves for a few books to check out and then makes his way over to the computers.

He opens up Internet Explorer and checks for information on his friends from California. He finds a story about the drug bust, but it doesn't mention anything about Sean being there or Daniel being missing. Even if Sean were alive, he'd be held in custody, so Jacob doubts he could talk to Sean without alerting the government to Daniel's location. Hopefully, Sean will understand the note he left in the journal… and hopefully the FBI won't!

Three hours after dropping off the photos, he picks them up and makes the drive back to Haven Point.

"Wow, I've never seen trees that tall!" Sarah exclaims.

"Yeah, I had trouble even capturing their size in the photo."

"Who are these weird people? They don't look safe." Sarah seems worried about Hannah and Penny - as if they are dangerous to be around.

"Yeah, they didn't bother me. I mean we didn't always know how to communicate, but they're not scary or anything."

"Well, I'd be scared there. Maybe we can bring Jesus to them and then it won't be so scary!"

"I don't think they want him."

"Did you even try to preach to them. Lisbeth tells us to share God's Word with everyone! Did you ever listen in class?"

"They've seen the Word already. They just… it's complicated adult stuff."

Great. Now his sister is upset with him.

Thursday, March 2nd, 2017

Jacob is outside building the house again the next day to help the church community. The sooner he can get Dallas out of his own home, the better. Dallas seems motivated to work today too and somehow enjoys Jacob's company.

Not only does Dallas enjoy his company, but it seems Alexander does too; the chicken follows him out to the build site every morning, and Sarah can't stop laughing at it.

Coming home in the evening, he finds Sarah Lee in her room.

"Hey, so you've seen Daniel in class, right?"

It's been 4 days since Jacob arrived with Daniel, and he still hasn't seen the boy since then. He hopes Daniel is okay and wishes Lisbeth would let them speak.

Was it a bad choice to bring Daniel here? But where else could he have gone? Nowhere else was safe.

"Yeah, he's been in class since Tuesday. Thanks for bringing him here with you. This place will be so good for him!"

"Yeah, I hope so. So, how is he?"

"He's quiet. Not YOUR level of quiet, but still quiet. I asked him to come see Alexander, but he said he was tired."

"Well, he was shot just a week ago and will be in recovery for awhile. I wouldn't take too much offense to it."

"What!? He was shot? Who would shoot a kid? Were they demons?"

"Yeah, you could say that."

Hmm… if Daniel would come see Alexander then that may give Jacob time to talk to him more.

"Well, tell him I'd like to catch up with him."

Friday, March 3rd, 2017

Sarah Lee runs into the house coming back from school "Jacob, look! He's so cute! He's even got ears under that hair!"

Jacob sees a 9-year-old boy walk through the door, but he's almost not sure it's Daniel. Also, does Sarah now have a crush on Daniel? That's going to be awkward to tell Sean about. Then again… probably less awkward than bringing him here to the Church.

Finally, he catches sight of Daniel entering their home, clad in a fancy shirt and slacks, the red Space Mission shirt being just barely visible underneath. "Jacob! I've missed you! Thanks for saving me. So, what did you want to talk about?"

Nicholas walks in behind Daniel, like some kind of bodyguard and dressed almost exactly the same - minus the space mission shirt and not quite with a bowl cut. Looks like today's conversation will need to be about the church, lest Jacob gets thrown out again.

"Daniel is under our protection here, to make sure nobody harms him and that he doesn't harm himself… you know kids always doing stupid things?"

"Yeah, Nicholas, hi."

Jacob wants to tell Nicholas he's wrong and he [Jacob] is supposed to be guiding Daniel, not him [Nicholas] of all people. He wants to lead Daniel away from that hateful influence and… and what? Where would he go with a still-injured boy? How would Daniel even trust him when he just called this place safe if he tells him to leave?

"You'll be seeing Daniel a lot more soon, Jacob. Just come to the church services. He'll be our featured guest on Sunday!" Nicholas speaks as if he knows it's getting under Jacob's skin.

Daniel, on the other hand, seems excited. "Yeah, Jacob! Lisbeth says she's going to start training me tomorrow. We're gonna start small though. Make sure we can control it. You sure it's safe to show everyone here, right?"

"Of course it's safe," Nicholas answers before Jacob can. "And remember, it's Mother Lisbeth - or Reverend. We have to show respect."

Daniel rolls his eyes. "Oh yeah. Sorry. Reverend Mother. She's like a teacher, so I guess she gets a word with her name like miss or mister."

"Great comparison, Daniel." Nicholas pats him on the head. "Well, if you don't have anything to say we'd better be going. He still has so much to learn from the Bible."

"You know, I studied the Bible too. Maybe we could teach him together?" Jacob inquires.

"Mother Lisbeth says I have to learn from her. Just like you did. She knows the most." Daniel shrugs. "But we can talk about it after. I don't mind."

"Let's go, Daniel." Nicholas pulls him slightly. "And Jacob, let's make that house quickly. We're going to need it."

"And safely, right?" Jacob grumbles.

"Yes, quickly and safely. We wouldn't want to lose a member when we're trying to grow."

Saturday, March 4th, 2017

Jacob is walking up to Lisbeth's door when he overhears Daniel and Lisbeth talking outside on the far side of her house.

"Can you do it?"

"Yeah, that's not even hard."

"Yes, but can you do it without your hands?"

"Ummm… kind of. I don't have focus though. It's hard to put it down in the right spot."

Jacob peeks around the corner. He observes Daniel trying and failing a couple times to stack one cinder block on the other.

Jake wasn't expecting this to be hard for Daniel, but maybe using hands really helps, and the hard part is learning to do it a new way.

But, soon enough, Daniel succeeds. One cinder block is placed vertically atop the other lying horizontally on the ground.

"Now, put that rock on top." Lisbeth instructs. "Remember, no hands."

"You got it." Daniel begins lifting it above the cinder blocks. "Have you heard anything about my brother?"

"Daniel, I will tell you the moment I hear anything. And God will tell you. You will know it in your heart and need not keep asking me. Let us focus on your training."

Lisbeth turns in Jacob's direction and spots him.

"You are looking at us as if sent to spy on us for doing something unrighteous. Remember Luke 20:20? But nothing wrong is happening here, is it, Daniel?"

"No…" Daniel says, thoroughly confused.

"No one is ever hidden to the Lord, and he will judge each according to their deeds. That is from Romans 2:6. So, there is no need for you to keep watch over us."

"I really don't mind," Daniel clarifies. "But you don't have to hide over there. Come stand by us."

Jacob walks up next to them, and Daniel shifts his concentration back to the large stone, which he gently drops atop the cinder blocks with his power.

"That's so cool! I've always used my hands for stuff that big before!"

"That's impressive, Daniel!" Jacob congratulates the boy, who responds with a high-five that catches Jacob off-guard, resulting in what is surely among the top ten clumsiest high-five receipts of all time.

"Wonderful!" Lisbeth adds, not prompting any additional high-five. "What are you holding, Jacob?"

Behind his back, Jacob was carrying a red toy car he had as a kid - one of very few toys he was allowed to have and fewer still that survived his mother's cleaning.

"I found this in my old room," Jacob says. "It's a toy I played with when I was your age, Daniel. I thought maybe you'd want it now."

"Well, I'm kinda old for little kid toys like this, but…"

The car floats out of Jacob's hand and glides over to the rock. Daniel uses his power - once more with no hands - to place the car at the very top, careful that it doesn't roll off.

"You think I could lift a real car someday?" Daniel asks Lisbeth.

"Not today, child. But someday… that and more, if you are a diligent student."

Notes:

I tried my best to remain canon-compliant while discussing Jacob's home and the orientation (north/east/south/west) of Haven Point.

If you don't wish to read my long train of thought regarding this, just stop reading this note & proceed to the next chapter.

For the rest of you, here goes...

The 4 large houses seen immediately outside the gate by Lisbeth's house are indeed labeled ABCD in the game, and I chose to have them gradually built rather than built all at once because info from the game indicates Haven Point has been growing over time and yet also indicates multiple families tend to share a home. If all 4 of those houses had been built at once when Haven Point was founded, then they wouldn't have as long a history of sharing with many families.

I chose to have the houses be in the "South" end of Haven Point because the Sun sets in the West and the scenes at the end of Episode 4 show long shadows stretching out from each building in a "back-left" direction (from the perspective of someone facing the Haven Point church from the main road). This forces "back-left" to be East and hence "back-right" to be South, "front-right" to be West, and "front-left" to be North.

Careful analysis of the episode unfortunately reveals that the shadows earlier in Episode 4 (perhaps around the middle of the day) point moderately toward the "back-right", which would mean according to my previous paragraph the Sun would be somewhat to the North. However, this time of year in Nevada (in the Northern Hemisphere), the Sun would be somewhat South in the middle of the day, not somewhat North.

This means the game contradicts itself regarding Haven Point's orientation. It's impossible to be consistent with self-inconsistent canon, so I settled for consistency with the more extreme shadows at the end of the episode and wrote off the earlier shadows as an oversight by the developer.

I took Jacob's house to NOT be one of the ABCD houses because if you follow Jacob in freecam when he goes off to find Sarah Lee in Episode 4, he appears to go behind the house to the left of ABCD (in other words, the house behind Lisbeth's house) and then disappear, presumably entering the backdoor.

Unfortunately, this house is a bit smaller than the ABCD houses. However, the game makes it clear Jacob's family moved to Haven Point when Lisbeth founded it, and it seems to imply that they built some houses AFTER arriving.

So, presuming the ABCD houses were the ones they built (since it would seem odd for any house from this specially labeled set to be pre-existing on the land Lisbeth obtained), Jacob would've had to at least initially live in a house not from that set.

Assuming Jacob lives in the house the game has him disappear beside is in my opinion the best canon-consistent resolution to this conundrum.

The only issue this resolution creates is that a conversation Jacob has with Sean implies Jacob lives in a large house and clearly says 4 families live in it.

To resolve this issue, I point to (1) Jacob's house still being large compared to the tents Sean and Jacob were recently living it, (2) the way that Jacob refers to it as "that" big house "over there" which could mean it's further away and more distinct than the ABCD houses (since Sean doesn't need to ask clarification on which house Jacob means), (3) the possibility Jacob was being sarcastic about it being big, and (4) Jacob's house is shared more when Haven Point desperately needs to build a new Community House & by the time Episode 4 comes around Daniel has brought enough new people that once again 4 families are living in Jacob's home (which will eventually be reflected in the fic).

There is also a small concern that it doesn't seem like enough people attend Haven Point's church service in the fic for there to be several families in all of the houses around the property.

We might decide that this was done by the devs for convenience & trust more people are actually present at the church service, or we might say that since there are apparently 2 services per day maybe not everyone attends every service. Babies and younger children might also use a different building for daycare and their version of service.

So, if you're concerned something in this chapter has violated canon, just know I did my best to make sense of the inconsistent information from the game.

We've talked over the canon details in the Discord server where we cooperate on this fic, and we are satisfied that the resolutions we've used are about as good as we can get in terms of canon compliance.

Chapter 7: Our Sign and Wonder

Chapter by kookyklavicle

Chapter Text

Waking up with a jolt, Daniel's heart pounded as he glanced up toward his window and noticed daylight streaming into his room through the tatty red curtains. The remnants of a vivid, terrible dream lingered in his mind.

In it, he sat in what felt like a shell of his old bedroom. He was there, in the room, sitting on what might have been a bed, trying desperately to scream, but finding that sound simply refused to leave his body. There was no outside to his room. The windows peered out into nothingness. Not a white or a black or a grey void; there was no color at all. A color would be something, but outside Daniel's room was nothing. He screamed and screamed and he looked out into the nothing and wished he was there. He wished he was nothing. Eventually, he gave up on screaming. That thing in the pit of his stomach that inspired him to scream had died. It spurred him now, to only sit and look.

After sitting and looking for what felt like an eternity, a figure appeared on the bed next to him. It was Sean, but his eyes were missing. In fact, the whole area where an eye and its surrounding structure should be wasn't there. Skin covered the area, blending seamlessly from nose to forehead, leaving no room for even the concept of an eye to exist. Yet, Daniel knew that Sean was looking at him. He felt his gaze. It was warm and it was familiar and it encouraged Daniel to cry. The tears washed away his desire to be nothing.

He shot up in his bed. Lisbeth's bed. The still unfamiliar surroundings added to his disorientation. He scanned the room and tuned his ears for any signs of life, but all he heard was an eerie silence. He was late, he feared, for his first big Sunday church service at Haven Point. After being late for school on Thursday, he became concerned about developing a reputation. An expanded reputation. Daniel stepped out into Lisbeth's hallway and began to explore the house. The kitchen held no clues, and his chore list, usually always containing something, was conspicuously blank. The house seemed devoid of any life, an odd stillness settling over it.

Driven by a hunch, Daniel tiptoed towards Lisbeth's room. The door was slightly ajar, and he couldn't resist taking a peek. However, the room was as empty as the rest of the house, the only evidence of life being scattered papers and a rumpled bed.

His attention turned to Lisbeth's office, a room that felt, at once, mysterious and off-limits. Approaching the desk, he noticed a brown manila folder prominently placed, adorned with a sticky note that simply read, "Daniel." The folder seemed to beckon him with a subtle intrigue. Just as he dared to reach for the folder, the door creaked open, and Lisbeth entered, her eyes narrowing as they landed on Daniel. She was clearly not pleased, her focus sharp and unyielding.

"Daniel," Lisbeth said sternly, interrupting his clandestine exploration. "What are you doing in here?"

Caught off guard, Daniel stammered, struggling to find an explanation. Lisbeth's expression softened slightly, but her eyes betrayed a deeper concern. The air hung heavy with unspoken questions, and the folder on the desk seemed to hold some answers. Lisbeth broke the silence.

"I think you better get dressed. It's an important day today. You must take it seriously."

Daniel nodded.

"Shower first."

Lisbeth's instructions echoed in Daniel's mind as he stood under the shower, the water's sting emphasizing the cut on his hand. The droplets couldn't wash away the unease that lingered from his earlier exploration. He felt a wave of frustration, both at himself and the endlessly oppressive circumstances surrounding him.

As he dried off and wrapped a towel around himself, Daniel stepped into his room. The clothes left on his bed were neat, hanging on hangers with an almost deliberate precision. He hesitated getting dressed, as Lisbeth instructed, contemplating the enigmatic woman who seemed to know more than she let on.

Slipping into the fresh clothes, Daniel couldn't help but wonder if Lisbeth had heard his muffled cries in the shower. The fabric seemed to flow lightly over his skin; a stark contrast to the emotional weight he carried. As he made his way to the kitchen, the house seemed to close in on him, every creak and murmur amplifying the sense of isolation.

Lisbeth was already in the kitchen, her back turned as she pushed at something in a small pan. The aroma of freshly brewed, hot tea filled the air, a comforting contrast to the tension that lingered between them.

"Sit down, Daniel," Lisbeth said without turning around, her voice softening slightly. "I've made some scrambled eggs. Energy for the day."

Seated at the kitchen table, Daniel couldn't shake the feeling that he was caught in the currents of a story he didn't fully understand. Lisbeth placed a steaming plate of creamy eggs and buttered toast in front of him, her eyes holding a mixture of concern and scrutiny.

Daniel still remembered the pangs of hunger he felt sleeping under various bridges or public parks with his brother in the months before. They hurt, even to this day, and he wondered how much food it would take for those pangs to finally disappear.

"I don't appreciate the intrusion into my private space, Daniel," Lisbeth said, thrusting Daniel into his more nourished present. "If you are curious about something, it is better to ask."

Daniel's mind raced with questions for his caregiver. "What are we doing today?" he asked.

"It's Sunday. Our people flock through our doors on a Sunday morning, much more so than any other day of the week."

Daniel wondered why he needed energy for a church service.

"Will I be doing something today?"

Lisbeth's expression softened. "Would you like to do something today, Daniel?" she asked.

"It depends," Daniel answered truthfully.

"In view of God's mercy, offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. This is your spiritual act of worship," Lisbeth preached. "Your body is a gift from and to God, Daniel".

There it was again, he thought. 'Gift'.

"I know what you are and I've seen what you can do, Daniel," Lisbeth said, her gaze unwavering. "Your power is a bounty, and I believe our congregation needs to see it as such."

Daniel winced at the thought.

"My son," Lisbeth hastily added. "Do you think it is pure chance that you ended up here? Of all the places in the world, you have arrived at God's house. Doesn't that seem like too much of a coincidence?"
It did make Daniel wonder. "I'm not sure," he answered.

"It is no coincidence, my boy. God brought you here. He is so powerful and caring that he guided you to me, Daniel, so that I could take care of you after your brief and heartbreaking encounter with the world. It is only right that we share his gifts widely, now."

"Share it how?" Daniel asked.

"It's simple. We're going to show them." She paused for a moment before continuing. "John 4:48, Daniel. 'And Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe."'. You are our sign and wonder, Daniel."

He shifted uncomfortably in his chair, a knot tightening in his stomach. The idea of demonstrating his power to a congregation felt overwhelming, and fear crept into his eyes. He looked at Lisbeth with a plea, "Could we do something else? I don't know if I'd like all the attention."

Lisbeth reached across the table, placing a reassuring hand on Daniel's. "I understand your fear, but this is necessary. Your ability is unique, and it can bring hope and healing to those who need it. Trust me, Daniel, they will see it as a gift."

Reluctantly, Daniel nodded, his apprehension lingering like a shadow. The weight of expectation settled on his shoulders, and he couldn't shake the feeling that his life was about to take an irrevocable turn. He couldn't eat anymore.

They left Lisbeth's house together, the short walk to the main church building feeling longer with each step. The community, seemingly ordinary on the surface, was soon to hold a secret that Daniel had tried desperately until now to keep to himself. The quaint church stood at the heart of it all, its weathered façade looming over Daniel's heart.

Nicholas waved at the pair, beckoning Lisbeth and Daniel over to the main entrance.

"My my, Daniel. Don't you look handsome," Nicholas adorned as he straightened the collar around Daniel's neck.

Daniel jerked slightly. The last person to fix up a nice shirt he was wearing was his Dad. It felt good and warm to be picked and preened over, for the first time in a long time, but it also felt wrong.

"Nicholas, it's good to see you. Are we ready for the service?" Lisbeth inquired.

"Of course, Lisbeth," Nicholas replied. "Some of the younger children helped to tidy up the chairs and the anterooms. Looks like the usual crowd is in today."

"Well, these true believers are in for a real treat, aren't they, Daniel?," Lisbeth announced.

Daniel didn't know whether to reply or not. He responded by tilting his head down and looking sheepishly at his shoes.

"Come on, let's head inside," Lisbeth instructed.

Small groups of men, women, and children chatted near the doors. Lisbeth offered a reassuring smile.

"Remember, Daniel, you're not alone in this. You have a gift, and today, you'll share it with those who need it most."

As the doors squeaked open and Lisbeth, Nicholas, and Daniel stepped through the small assembled crowd, the hushed whispers of the onlookers followed them into the church. The seats were beginning to fill with hopeful faces, their eyes curious about the small boy that trailed the church's leader.

Inside the building, Lisbeth led the trio into a sacristy, a quiet retreat away from the growing congregation. Daniel took a moment to examine the objects around him—a crucifix, candles, and an array of religious artifacts. The air held a palpable sense of sanctity.

While Lisbeth rehearsed her sermon, Nicholas flipped through pages in a book, occasionally nodding in approval. Daniel found himself drawn to a painting of a serene figure he assumed to be Jesus Christ. He bowed his head and offered a silent prayer, seeking guidance in this unfamiliar realm.

At the end of his prayer, the haunting notes of an organ began to fill the air, echoing through the sacred space. Daniel's heart quickened, interpreting the music as a sign that the time was now.

Lisbeth, having finished her preparations, picked up her notes and Bible. With a beckon, she signaled Daniel to follow her out of the sacristy and towards the front of the church. The rows of chairs were now filled with a diverse congregation, their eyes fixed on the trio as they made their way to the altar.

As they reached the pulpit, Lisbeth gestured for Daniel to sit in the reserved seating of the front row. Nicholas accompanied him. The organ's melody swelled, filling the church with a reverent atmosphere. Lisbeth looked at Daniel with a reassuring smile, her eyes conveying both confidence and understanding.

The organ reached its crescendo as Lisbeth began her sermon.

"My friends," Lisbeth began, her voice carrying through the sacred space, "welcome to the Universal Uprising Church, here at Haven Point. It is my honor to have you here."
"Please, open your Bibles to Ephesians 4. 11 and 12," Lisbeth instructed the assembled crowd.

Daniel twisted in his seat in embarrassment. He had left his Bible in his room. He turned to face his male chaperone, Nicholas, who, without hesitation, was already holding outstretched a Bible for Daniel to take. Nicholas gave Daniel a reassuring wink, as he timidly took the book and flipped to his place, which was helpfully earmarked by the book's ribbon.

"I want to talk to you today about how every believer is a minister," Lisbeth continued.
"I am a minister of faith. You are a minister of faith. Together, each one of us are carriers of God's presence and power in our lives. There are people that only you can reach. People that are within your sphere of influence that will benefit from your ministry. This is what we are taught in Ephesians 4. Let's look at it together."

Daniel was mesmerized. He had not seen this side of Lisbeth before. She seemed empowered and emboldened, oozing authority and prestige. The congregation hung on every word. She was anointed.

"It reads," Lisbeth continued, "So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up."

Daniel read the words as Lisbeth spoke.

"You see, God has given us the body of Christ. And he has placed the gifts of ministry in the Church. Just as Christ equipped me to give the ministry, I am equipping you with the ministry, too. In so doing, we are, together, building the body of Christ and sharing the word of God. You are part of the body of Christ. You are needed in the body of Christ. You are called to minister to others in your everyday lives. To find the gifts that God has given you and share them freely, and allow the love of God to flow through and out of you."

Daniel gazed into the flickering flame of the candles around the pulpit. He wondered if God was flowing through him.

"We have a special guest among us," Lisbeth announced.

Daniel's face flushed red.

"A young man who possesses a unique and extraordinary gift. Let us welcome… Daniel."

Lisbeth stretched out her hand and beckoned Daniel to join her. He got up, his legs shaky, and placed his hand in hers.

The congregation's eyes turned toward Daniel, and a mix of anticipation and curiosity filled the air. The moment had arrived for him to demonstrate his power, and the church pulsed with a quiet energy, as if holding its breath for the revelation about to unfold.

"My friends, Daniel arrived at our church as a gift from God. He has shown me that the power of Jesus Christ is bursting inside him!" Lisbeth exclaimed. Daniel quivered and trembled, gripping Lisbeth's hand tighter.
"You see…Daniel…", Lisbeth hesitated briefly. "...has been gifted the ability to move objects with his mind!"

Hushed exclamations echoed out across the congregation.

"Through the will of God and the power of Christ, our gift, Daniel, can perform miracles that are unlike any worldly or human force! And now, he will show you."

Lisbeth's eyes held a mix of encouragement and expectation as she instructed Daniel to lift the Bible from the turned-around lectern. The weight of the moment pressed heavily on him, and stress clenched at his chest. He took a deep breath and reached out for the book with trembling hands.

To Daniel's surprise, the Bible seemed to resist his touch. Despite his efforts, it remained firmly in place, as if bound by an unseen force. The lights above began to flicker, casting erratic shadows across the church, and a low hum resonated in the air.

Gasps and screams swept through the congregation as a large cross mounted on the wall behind Daniel wavered and crashed to the ground. The sudden noise echoed through the church, ending the tense silence. Lisbeth's eyes widened in a mixture of shock and concern.

Overwhelmed with emotion, a sense of failure clawing at him, Daniel turned and bolted out of the church. The cool outside air hit him as he stumbled into the sunlight, his heart pounding in his ears.

He needed to escape the weight of expectations, the scrutiny of the congregation, and the nagging fallbility of his so-called "gift". The church doors swung shut behind him, muffling the sounds of confusion and concern from within.

As Daniel sprinted away from the church, he could feel the eyes of the curious onlookers lingering on his back. His breaths came in ragged gasps as he distanced himself from the place of unexpected turmoil. In the solitude of the dusty road outside Haven Point, he collapsed to the ground, out of breath, his emotions a whirlwind of frustration, and confusion. He looked up to the sky and cursed the God that sent him here.