Page 5 of Sinner: Before Rain (The Devil’s Society)

Chapter

Five

ELIJAH - AGE TEN

W earing black jeans with a black hoodie and combat boots, I stand looking out the window facing the backyard. A large fire flickers as maybe twenty followers of The Chapel surround it. They all look like fucking idiots in the black robes and white masks.

Maxton, who is The Master, stands before the flames as they dance. My mom stands behind him as two others stay close.

Who are they?

That will be a task for later this week when I visit his office next time he is out.

“Elijah, my boy, come down here,” Maxton shouts.

If he calls me his boy one more time, I will cut his tongue out of his fucking mouth.

I don’t move. Openly disobeying him before his followers, smirking at him instead. My mom is embarrassed, I’m sure, but I don’t care.

He continues to look at me for a few moments longer before focusing his attention back on the fire.

That’s when I move. On my own, never will I be summoned like that. I do things because I want to, not because I have to. He would be wise to realize this.

Picking up my wooden bat, which is leaning on the wall next to me, I grip it tightly as I begin to walk down the stairs and towards the back door. My bat drags behind me, scratching his precious wood floor. This is how he will learn, do not fucking test me.

Opening the back door, the hinges squeak, catching everyone's attention.

They all look over at me, the cracking of the fire breaks the silence into something somewhat bearable.

“Welcome, Elijah. The Dark One is thrilled that you decided to join us.”