s'

little box tucked away at the

the wall, a battered Bible on a wobbly side table, and a

d me with some itchy rope, and ankles bound to

cleansed, I looked like I was in a porn movie

hey just have to ask nicely, you know? I can make room for some adjustment and

oth around my forehead, like I w

ied motherfucker that is

rics. And I was

ring prayers under their breath, clutching their

expression I could muster, eyes half-lidded, humming a c

lently or gasp like I'd seen t

er nun shriek and clutch her hear

hispered Hail Marys and panicked look

s when he

oom s

ean

e air c

y shuddered as the man stepped inside, cutting

ybe 6'2

shirt that stretched just slightly over muscl

a way that was too perfectl

at could s

m clouds-gray, cold, a

ay too young and way too fine to be wearin

lin

to introduce him, nearly

ordained here... b-but very experienced in spirit

ame was hot. Shot her a brief nod,

a scalpel-sharp, p

iled slow and wide, the very

rred, voice syrupy. "Did

horror, one of them muttering praye

addeus di

just walked slowly toward me, each st

is sides, the veins in his forearms vis

orked out. Probably doing

in my throat befo

rms folded across his chest, his mouth

said, voice low an

d either preach salvation or promi

ecause your actions mock the

stretch out a little further, the

anctity of chaos. You should thank me. I'm givi

cally fainted i

the slightest muscle clench

tc

ldly. "Nor is it a misunderstood rebellion

big-eyed, doe-in-

n me out of speeding tickets, d

I said, voice dripping with

holy hand

. Another dropped her Bible. A third started s

turned over to the girl with annoyed eyes beca

me but now, you're getting

Thaddeus di

en a f

g over me, so close I could smell the faint hint of

ee your reformation," he said,

onvent. You will confess your sins. You will

with something sh

this place with n

eat doing something weird

ld confes

priate thoughts I was currentl

he was here

naiv

g to be miserable here. That I w

in, slow and

, "you have no idea what

ght I saw a flicker of somethi

st. Something almos

his eyes that made me want to swim right thro

s off. And everyone knows me, I would n

an object, or

e.

just found