He Who Moved the Sun

Chapter One: Home Sweet Home

Chapter one

Denver was the kind of town where everyone knew everyone. The people there weren’t welcoming to newcomers and were made nervous by even the smallest scandal. Gay marriage was a foreign concept and not showing up on Sundays meant you were dead or dying.

Denver’s residents had certain standards too. Impossible standards. More like rules. Rules that weren’t technically written down, but made up by the old church in the middle of town.  It was the only church and it was attended by every citizen in town. The preacher, Todd Fowler, was a prude old man with two different suits and the personality of a lamp post.

The adults in town thought he was a Godsend. They thought every word he said was straight from God’s mouth. He was feeding them all kinds of sermons with extreme messages behind them and they ate it up like starving homeless people.

It was the classic footloose scenario. He told them what television programs should be blocked, what books were ungodly, and what their children should be taught not to say. He preached about the sin of lust, and how a boy and girl shouldn’t be allowed to date, let alone hold hands. He even set up a dress code of what he thought a christianly girl or boy should wear.

The people thought he was absolutely spot on. They did everything in their power to keep the devil from touching their families. You would be more than right in calling them old fashioned.

The teenagers were appalled at their lives. They were all wearing skirts to their shins and pants belted at their belly buttons, trying to sneak out at night but being caught and punished with more rules.

The girls were told not to let a boy near them. Your bodies are temples, the church women would say. You must never give a young man the wrong idea. They were dressed up in blouses buttoned to their necks and baggy jeans that wouldn’t have flattered a soul. They weren’t to say anything that would lead a boy on or even look at a boy the wrong way.

The boys were told never to smoke, never cuss, and especially to never touch a girl. Never. 

The funny thing was no one really listened. They’d found ways around the ridiculous rules. They’d made hangout areas in back woods where no prying eyes would be lurking. They’d learned what restaurants overlooked PDA. They figured out how to unblock TV shows and how to smoke cigarettes and completely get rid of the smell before going home.

Dating was hard. They had to be extra careful where they went and who they were seen with. Sex was the most difficult part of the relationship. Buying condoms or birth control in town was out of the question because the drug store was run by a woman named Rita Hallman, who was known for running her mouth.

Driving forty minutes out of town to get to another drugstore for protection was even more difficult because parents wanted to know exactly where you went and how long you’d be. They knew, even when you lied. There were eyes everywhere.

they had to be home by ten, the known curfew. No later.

But the teenagers of Denver found ways around this. They paid people from out of town to buy them a box of condoms, beer, or some cigarettes. Anything they could do to lead normal lives.

North Denver High was pretty much run by the church. The library’s books were checked by the church committee, the hallways were monitored by church volunteers, and there was a strict dress code set in place by none other than the Reverand Todd. There was no sex ed. because that leads to curiosity and there was a boy girl seating chart because distractions were unnecessary.

The adults were sure they were raising perfect children. But they were wrong. They were barking up the wrong tree. They were so blinded by their rules that they didn’t see how much the teenagers resented them. They were being challenged and they had no idea. The more rules they added, the more rebellious the kids got. But they were so sure they were right. So sure.

The boys and girls of Denver were smart. They were always careful. But things were working out to well for them. Ideas on how to work around the rules were running out. Their secrets couldn’t stay secrets forever.

Someone was bound to be found out soon. And when they were, it would send the whole town into a frenzy.

The question was, when would their luck run out?

Authors note:

To those of you who are here. Thank you to the moon and back. I have high hopes for this story so stick with me, I beg. ;)

Comment, vote, or fan if you're feeling somewhat generous tonight. Or if you pity my lack of reads. I'm honestly okay with that.

- ACertainLady___