sweet sin (the devil all the time)

3. sunday

I narrowed my eyes as the freezing water hit my face, the ache in my muscles made it hard to keep going, i looked over to my left seeing my father standing on the dirt

He reached his hand out to me and i reached out to it, i tried to pull myself in but he pushed back so i couldnt "just breath slone" he said letting my hand go

I floated a few feet away hiting my back off a rock "h-how can i-" i was cut off by dunking under the fast moving water "how can i breath?" I gasped "i-im drowning!" I stuttered

"Its your fault your in this mess!" He snapped

"Your supposed to help me your my dad!" I screamed trying to stay above the water

"Your going to thank me later that i didnt baby you, figure it out!" He snapped "dont be pathetic slone!" He snapped "come on!"

My head dunked under

I sat up gasping for air "fuck" i put a hand on my chest hearing my heartbeat in my ears racing

the creaking of the stairs was keeping me awake, maybe its the house telling me to go to sleep, i scoffed

I laid back staring up at the roof for what felt like forever, the light poured into my room well i was staring, i still prefer sunsets but sunrises are definitely one of lifes pleasures

My door opened and i jumped almost falling off my bed "carful now darlin" my father joked smiling at me, i sat up clenching my jaw "time for church get up now"

I flipped back my blankets putting my legs off the side

"Everything alright?" He asked

"The stairs" i stood up opening my drawer

"What about them?"

"They creak" i clipped up my hair and pulled out a dress

"Maybe you just need to stop being such a light sleeper" he said teasingly, i kept my jaw clenched, "okay we leave in 20" he nodded at me and shut the door

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I trailed behind anna and my father into the church, a few people were already mingling outside

"Preacher Teagardin" a lady smiled coming up to my father

"Its nice to meet you ma'am" he shook the womans hand smiling back, an incredibly fake smile but still a smile

"Is this your daughter?" She asked turning to me after a bit of small talk

"She sure is" he said proudly putting a hand on my shoulder

"Shes a cutie, going to be a real heart breaker aint she preacher?" She asked smiling at me

He tightened his grip on my shoulder "Thats what im worried about" he joked back "it was nice to meet you ma'am" we walked into the church

People came in, introduced themselves to my father, then anna, then me, put some food down at the front, then would go and mingle

I seen leonora walk in and give me a small wave and a smile "excuse me" i smiled at the woman who was talking to my father

"Hey sony" leonora hugged me "this is my grandmother emma Russel, grandma this is slone or sony" she motioned between the 2 of us

"Its nice to meet you sony" emma smiled

"You too ma'am" i smiled back

"Please call me emma" she looked over her shoulder "where is that brother of yours leonora?"

Leonoras brother came up beside emma "he aint here" he said sarcastically

"Hat off" emma said warningly glancing at him

"Slone" my father came up beside me anna on his other side "hello there"

"Pleased to meet you reverend, emma russel" emma introduced herself, arvin stood a step behind her lenora beside her

"Nice to meet you too what'd you bring?" My father got some of the juices off the plate emma had in her hands

I clenched my jaw looking away shaking my head slightly, kept telling me be polite, be polite, glad to see that this is a 2 way street

"Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness" my father said in a strong voice

"Hope you like them, Reverend" emma said clearly embarrassed

I glared at my father, your such an asshole to people

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"Friends…" my father cleared his throat putting food on his plate, i stood at the back of the church i just wanted to go back to the house "there’s no doubt… we’re all humble people gathered here"

"Amen" a woman and a man said one after another

"Y’all have been awful nice to me and my family and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the welcome" he paused stopping at emmas chicken livers "But friends… the poor soul… that brung in them chicken livers on that beat-up plate… let’s just say I’m inspired to preach on it for a minute before we eat"

My head shot up, dont be an ass, i know its asking alot please, i crossed my fingers behind my back

"Sure… some of us are better off than others and I see… plenty of white meat and red meat laid out on this table, And I suspect that the folks that carried them platters in eat mighty good sometimes"

"Yes, sir" a man said from the crowd

"But poor people…got to bring what they can afford So them organs…is a sign to me…telling me that I should, as the new preacher of this church, sacrifice myself, so that y’all can have a share of the good meat tonight.
And that’s what I’m going to do, friends...I’m going to eat these organs
‘Cause I model myself on the good Lord Jesus whenever he gives me the chance" he paused "And today…
he’s blessed me with another opportunity to follow in his footsteps"

That earned a few amens from the crowd

I scoffed "prick" i mumbled under my breath slipping out the church doors

---

I watched emma roll down her window and arvin slam his door talking to her, he opened his door and she shook her head at him, he slammed his door shut again talking to emma before driving away, leonora smiled at me from the back window as they drove away, i smiled back at her

"Slone!" I heard my father call from inside the church, welp there goes the smile

I clenched my jaw going up the steps and looking in the door at him

"Darlin can you come in here and tell these nice folks about how great their little town is" my father said smiling at me

"Little piece of heaven" i forced a smile at the group crowded around him "Im ill" i met his eyes clenching my fists at my sides

"Want me to drive you home then darlin?" He asked

"No sir" i said narrowing my eyes "fresh air" i turned around going down the steps starting to walk "teenage angst i tell ya" i heard him joke making people laugh, my mind kept wandering back to poor emma, she looked like she wanted to cry, i knew my father was an ass but my god that poor woman

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