: Tainted Holiness : [Muke] ON HOLD

[2.]

Every Saturday, my father would leave the church open so that all those that needed prayer could come and kneel, ask forgiveness for their sins if they needed to. Sometimes I'd go along, with my mother also, to go with those who needed someone to pray for them because they weren't yet able to pray for themselves. That's when he walked in. I could see the look of disgust on my fathers face when he sauntered in dressed in all black, except for the grey bracelets that adorned his wrists.

"The Clifford boy." Is what my mother whispered to my father as the boy knelt in the middle.

"Why is he here?" My father asked.

I rolled my eyes. How could they be so petty? Who were they to judge him, I didn't see anything wrong with him. He was like anyone else, quiet.

I made the move to talk over and join him but my fathers hand in my shoulder held me back. "Where are you going?" His voice was gruff, filled with distaste for the boy. He knew where I was going.

I motioned to where the boy was kneeling, "Over there."

"By the Clifford boy?"

"Why must you speak of him like he is the plague, he's a human." I stated pushing my father's arm off of my shoulder only to feel it again this time tighter.

"He is a sinner. A homosexual, his parents allowed him to become that way that is why you must avoid him too."

I pushed away his hand again, "Being gay is not a disease."

"Why must you be so disobedient Lucas?" He called after me, his voice hushed not to attract attention to us.

"Why must you be so closed minded father?" I sneered before walking away.

I went next to the boy, clasping my hands, letting out a breath.

"What are you praying for?" I heard his voice ask from beside me.

I opened my eyes, meeting the greenish grey of his eyes for the first time.

I shrugged, closing my eyes again answering nonchalantly, "My sanity."