: Tainted Holiness : [Muke] ON HOLD

[8.]

The car ride home was filled with a sickening silence. My father was obviously infuriated, grip on the steering wheel so tight that his knuckles became white. My mother just looked out of the window, knowing that she would have to moderate the scolding that I would get.

My father parked in the driveway, allowing us to exit the car, my mother was in front and he was behind me. She unlocked the door allowing us to go inside. I quickly moved to go upstairs to my bedroom only to hear my father's voice thundering through the house as soon as the door was closed.

I pivoted, turning completely around to see my father's disappointed face from where I stood on the stairs.

"You do not know the shame you have brought to me today." He finally spoke, looking at my as if I was as vile as Satan himself. My mother motioned for me to sit on the sofa, as per usual, my father was pacing in front of me delivering another scolding.

"Luke I thought more of you. Do you know what people with think? Seeing the pastor's son outside with that homosexual."

"He's still a human." I retorted.

"He's tainted Luke. It was his choice to become that way." My father spat, "Why can't you just follow the path that we set for you?"

I rolled my eyes, "Did you give Jack this speech too?" My father scoffed, and I continued, "I don't want to follow your path if it means I have to threat people like- like shit."

My mother gasped at my choice of works but I got my point across. My father pulled me up by my arm, making me look into his cold eyes.

"Go to your room. We'll figure out how to deal with you later." My father pushed me towards the stairs slightly, "You disgust me Luke."

I crept up the stairs slowly, listening to my parents arguing about what they were going to do with me. Was it so wrong that I didn't mind that Michael was gay? Was it bad that I didn't hate the idea of homosexuality like my parents wanted me to?

My father had preached that no one was perfect, so why was he trying to make me something he said wasn't possible? I feel onto my bed letting muffled screams out into my pillow.

I wish I was like Calum. The boy was my friend, his parents were also in the ministry but at least he was allowed to do things, hence why he was somewhere in America hanging out with his cousins while I was stuck wearing button ups for the whole week, learning how to take on my responsibility to the church.

My room door was pushed open. My parents believed that teenagers should never be given too much freedom of privacy; it would lead to them doing worldly things in that time.

My father's voice was gruff when he announced, "The baptist churches are having a camp, you're going. Maybe the few weeks away will help restore what that queer is trying to knock out of you."

I nodded reluctant to speak.

"Liz, help your son pack please. I want him out of here by tomorrow."

That was all my father said before pushing pass my mother to leave the room.