Philophobia

Twenty-One; Who Is It?

June 13th, 2010
2:42 pm
Liberty Ranch
La Palma Country, Colorado

Reid and Eliza had been brought to the chapel with several other members of the church. They weren't sure why, but they only assumed it wasn't good. Cyrus was pacing at the front doors, and two men stood by him with their guns. Then, a knock on the door echoed. Reid and Eliza both looked towards the door. Cyrus opened it, gently.

"Dave?" He asked, then opened the door wider. "I'm Ben. Come in." Eliza watched as Rossi entered the building carrying a box of medical supplies. She was careful not to show recognition. Rossi handed off the box and allowed himself to be pat down as Cyrus wondered outside. He wasn't gone long and returned to shut the door. "The children, and our guests." He walked Rossi down the aisle of the building, showing the people. Rossi nodded slightly at Reid and Eliza.

"I'd hoped you'd let me take the children," Rossi said to Cyrus. They were both suave, with clean low voices.

"Nah, they're our protection," Cyrus insisted. "I remember Waco. We all do."

"This isn't Waco," Rossi assured the other man.

"They stay for now...while I pray for God's guidance." Cyrus grabbed a Bible from Jessie as he spoke. "Please don't try to force us out."

"No one's going to try and force you out of here. Trust me."

"Trust is earned."

"It is," Rossi agreed. Cyrus began walking Rossi out.

"Tell them I'm not crazy," Cyrus requested. "Tell them I'm just a man, living by God's law."

"I will," Rossi promised. The two men shook hands, and then Rossi left. Both agents in the room were careful not to show emotion as he left. Secretly, Eliza worried that might be the last time she saw him.

"Prepare the wine," Cyrus instructed some men. While they were gone, Eliza and Reid were moved from their chairs to the back of the room. Not long after, they returned with bottles of wine, which Cyrus poured in each person's cup. "We are celebrating. Everyone drinks. Everyone rejoices. Because today, we are one day closer to being with him."

"Look at Jessie's body language, " Eliza noted, "the way she looks at him."

"She worships him," Reid added. "There's no way she would have made that 9-1-1 call."

"Trust in God with all your heart," Cyrus began speaking again. "Lean not on your own understanding. Trust in mine."

"Look how she comes between her daughter and Cyrus." Reid watched Kathy talking to her daughter, as Jessie looked around her mother to watch Cyrus. "She's inserting herself between them."

"Acknowledge Him in all things, and he will guide your way," Cyrus continued. "Drink to acknowledge him and I will guide our way. We will be with him soon."

"With him soon?" Eliza whispered. She did not have a good feeling about this.

"We have drank the poison together," Cyrus informed the group. Eliza and Reid looked at one another, shocked. "Mothers, Fathers, Children, though we walk through the valley in the shadow of death we fear no evil. For thou are with us." Cyrus walked up the aisle slowly, watching the people around him. He walked back down to the platform on which he originally stood to speak again. "And God will wipe tears from our eyes, and there will be no more death nor sorrow nor crying. And there will be no more pain. For all of the former things have passed away."

"What do we do?" Eliza asked hurriedly.

"Nothing," Reid replied.

"We have to do something, these people just took poison," Eliza argued. Reid turned his body towards her, his head still facing Cyrus.