Page 1 of Ezekiel
CHAPTER1
EZEKIEL
“Your boy is one lucky man, Titus.”
“That he is, that he is. Talia will make a fine wife for my Ezekiel.” My stomach soured at the sound of my father’s words. They treated women here in Zion more like livestock than as human beings. It was an unspoken rule; heavily hinted at yet not explicitly stated in the spurious religious doctrine espoused by the church’s founders. For once, I was thankful that my mind was fixated on the chaos of the room. It was nearly impossible to pay attention to anything with the anarchic sounds that plagued my frazzled eardrums like an incessant swarm of locusts, pulling my attention away from whatever nonsense the Elders were spewing. Shuffling footsteps, the drone of voices, and the grotesque smacking of people eating in the Fellowship Hall assaulted my senses and triggered a flight response from deep within me.
Happy fucking wedding day to me. Nothing says wedded bliss like cult-induced trauma.
“What say you, young Temple?” I jerked as a hand clapped me on the back, pulling my attention back to the conversation before me and grating my nerves, whittling them down to the quick that much further.
“I’m sorry. What was that?” I asked, cringing as the Elders, my father included, laughed at my confusion.
“It seems your son is distracted, Elder Temple,” Elder Jared teased, clapping me on the back again, roughly. Clenching my jaw to the point of pain, I controlled my facial expression. My annoyance flared white hot, but I controlled that, as well. Gestures like that, physical and unwanted touch, had never made much sense to me. I eyed the door, wishing with everything inside me that I could just run.
“Distracted by your beautiful, young wife, I am sure of it,” Father teased. Gross. Why did these men feel the need to fixate, let alone comment, on the young women of this town? Pedophilic tyrants.
“You have already consummated your union once today, Son. Are you so eager to get her to bed again?” Elder Jared whispered in my ear. I felt the moist heat of his breath on my skin.Ew.
Too close. Too loud.
Get the fuck away from me.
“I am simply eager to get to know my bride,” I spoke through gritted teeth. I needed to get out of here. Away from the noise and away from this sham of a wedding feast.
“Elder Temple, a word,” Reverend Jacob spoke, joining our gathered group. Where were Ollie and Levi? They were now Elders in training. They should be here to help navigate this situation. I was the least suited for this. I had never been one for the feigned polite conversation amongst the church’s leaders. It sickened me; twisted my guts up far more than they already were.
“Yes, yes, of course,” Father spoke. He was far too happy right now. Unlike any other household known to mankind, a happy Father in my home was a dangerous one. It never lasted long, and the aftermath could be quite… brutal, to any who were in his path of destruction.
“What news do you have for me, Elder Temple?” Reverend Jacob spoke in hushed tones, a conversation not meant for my ears. But that was a perk of my situation. Even on my wedding day, I went unnoticed.
“A successful shipment, Reverend,” my father spoke, bowing his head to Reverend Jacob like he was a damned king or something.
The sounds around me grew near unbearable. I steeled myself, focusing on the whispered conversation between the two men versus the incessant noise around me. It was worse than a swarm of mosquitoes in the swampy heat of August. I would take the mosquitoes over this any day.
“Good, good. Our God is good,” the Reverend praised Father, grasping his shoulder in triumph. I had no idea what they were on about. Yet still, the conference these two held was better than being thrown to the masses of the wedding feast. “And how many did we get?”
“Eight, a fine haul, indeed. Especially after last time. God is just and blesses the Followers of Zion.” My Father’s tone set ice running through my veins. Enough of this. With a nod, I turned, searching the fellowship hall for any sign of one of my brothers. I needed to get out of here. After a moment, I spotted Gideon off in the corner. I caught his attention, nodding to him as I made my way across the hall.
“How are you holding up, brother?” Gideon asked as I approached.
“Utter shit,” I grumbled, taking the glass of wine from his hand and chugging its contents.
“The blood of Christ blesses you,” Gideon taunted, chuckling at my expression.
“The blood of Christ can fuck off,” Malachi chimed in as he joined us.
“Where have you been?” I asked, feeling the warmth of the red wine fill my chest.
“Out.” A single word. How very Malachi-like.
“Take me with you?” I sarcastically drawled.
“Can’t do that, Zeke,” Malachi chuckled, downing the rest of his own wine. I had never wished for more wine in my life, but today was unlike any other day.
“You should get back to your wife soon. She’s looking a bit out of sorts.” Gideon tilted his head towards where she sat at our table.
Wife.What a strange word. What a strange concept. I was now a married man. A married man with responsibilities. Responsibilities in the form of one Talia Temple.
