Beauty From Ashes

Chapter 18 Part 2

So now, this part of the chapter is gonna focus on Elijah, but it's also gonna give more focus to several smaller characters, specifically the youth group kids from Cheyenne's church, and a few more members of the Conquerors.
At the top are members of the youth group: Stephanie and Trenton.
Then the bottom are three other Conquerors: Donnie (the NEWEST addition to the team) Celine (the underaged one and is gonna get a bigger role after this chapter) and Declan (who was the new guy before Cheyenne left)

Elijah's POV:
After ending my talk with Kevin, I just immediately grabbed everything and drove back home. I made very few stops for gas, but what very few stops I made, allowed me to audibly release my conflicting emotions. Just screaming out loud as soon as I pull away from the stations.

One of the first things I do after waking up the next morning, is call some of our other friends, and these are the others who also do volunteer work for the youth, and explain some things to them. That is.....I explain whatever I could that wouldn't throw Kevin under the bus, and not expose the Mitchell family's attempt to cover up Cheyenne.

I'm sitting on the little platform where Kevin and I would stand and preach, in front of Stephanie, Trenton, Drew, Devon, Billy, Zoey, and Skylar in their chairs. "Do you understand what I'm telling you guys?"

Stephanie stammers, almost heartbroken. "I- I'm not sure if we can. D- Does this mean he's never coming back?"

"I wouldn't say never. But as things are now, he's going to be taking an indefinitely long break. Let's just leave it at that," I said.

Drew stammers. "But that....that doesn't make any sense."

"Y- You're making it sound like this happened over a guilty conscience from something," Skylar said.

"That's as much as I can say. But....that's kind of the gist," I explained. "So now.....it looks like I'm keeping this position indefinitely. I just wanted you guys to know that as quickly as possible."

"What.....?" Stephanie whispered.

"Well.....thanks for the update. That really sucks...." spoke Trenton, Drew's step brother, who was struggling with bullying and depression, most of it coming from the fact that he's autistic and has never had a girlfriend. "So, what's gonna happen to the youth now?"

Billy sighs. "Well now we're about to collapse completely."

Zoey and Devon turn around offended. "Billy!"

"Dude!!" Drew hollered out.

"WHAT?!! Look I'm sorry! But we nearly lost half of our group because you took this job. We might as well be the only remaining members after the next service," Billy said.

"Oh yeah, like that attitude is gonna help fix anything?!" Trenton rebutted.

"Maybe not your face," Billy said turning to Trenton.

"You wanna say that again Witherspoon?" Drew said behind him.

"STOP!!" I shouted. "We already have enough conflicts between ourselves with Kevin, so let's not give labor to even MORE conflicts! I need you guys right now, and I need you guys United. Not against each other...."

Trenton turns to Billy and nods to him as he looks down in embarrassment.

"So, what are we supposed to do?" Zoey asked.

"Listen. I know I haven't been doing the best work that I could be doing with this. I know this isn't gonna be easy. Things are gonna get even harder for all of us if I choose to commit to this youth pastor job, full time," I said. I look into all of their eyes. "But I don't have any other choice. Kevin's preparing himself for something, I don't know what. But he's doing it, without even thinking of you guys or any of the others. So that's what I'm doing...."