The Inner Circle - Chapter 3

Note: Please see The Inner Circle - Chapter 1 for proper credit where it's due.

Chapter 3
In the Wake of the Weary

Regina Judd sat at the table playing solitaire. Her daughter, Clara, was playing with her toys on the floor. Clara broke the silence, “Mommy?”

“Yes, Clara?” Regina didn’t look away from her game.

“How long are we gonna stay here?” Now Regina brought her attention to her daughter. She knew this was going to come soon.

“Probably forever, darling.” She knew that wouldn’t be enough.

“Why?” There it was; the epitome of a child’s curiosity.

“Well, honey, we are part of the Inner Circle now, we are here for God.”

“Which one is God, is it the man with the white, silver, and gold clothes?”

“Well, honey, sort of. He’s more like a part of God.”

“OK.” Regina knew Clara didn’t understand, at her age she couldn’t understand religion. Actually, Regina wasn’t sure she got the Inner Circle herself. All of the people were very nice, Fr. Perry was kinder than a saint, but there was something in the air that just didn’t sit right with her. It was something more than the fact that her husband was pretty much nonexistent in their lives. He’d become so obsessed with becoming the head of the Circle. He changed so much. He was cold and uncaring.

She told him that she loved the Circle and everything that went with it, but she wasn’t telling the truth. She loved God, yes, but she also wanted her and her daughter to live. They could nothing but sit around the mansion all day. Judd wouldn’t let them go to town for anything, though Herald permitted it. Clara wasn’t happy at all, she never let on to it, but what child wanted to sit inside a room all day with no friends. She was the only child in the Circle, the next youngest was a teenager.

Judd came into the room, flaring mad, but Regina didn’t notice that. She had had enough and wanted to go out, at least for an hour. She set down her cards and approached Judd.

“Listen, Mike, Clara and I need to get out of here.”

“We talked about this already.” He didn’t even look at her; he simply lay down on the bed and closed his eyes.

“Mike, Clara needs to see something other than this mansion, she has never even been off these grounds.”

“She needs nothing other than the Circle.” He sat up.

“She’s too young for the Circle, Mike, please, let me take her away from here for a short while.”

“Do you think that the Circle has age limits? You know that it does not matter what age, a person can be a child of God.” There was a hint of rage behind his voice.

“But they don’t have to be one in here.” Now he stood up, new anger backed by the wrath he felt for Deacon rose up from within.

“Nothing is more important than the Inner Circle and the Inner Circle is here. If you want her to be with God you will stop your petty desires and begin teaching her.” He was shouting now and Clara turned away from her toys to investigate the sudden noise.

“She’s too young to start learning about all of that, she can’t understand.” She was near pleading, but that didn’t faze Judd. In fact, it enraged him more and he struck her to the floor with the back of his hand. Clara began to cry.

“You lied to me about your faith,” he pointed his finger threateningly at his downed wife, “but the angels are calling you, listen to them. She is the first child of the Circle and she will be used as I told you before.”

“You’ve never even told me what you’re going to do with her,” she was crying also.

“I’m afraid I cannot tell you, I can’t respect your decision as you are weary with sin. Do not leave this room,” he looked at Clara, who was still crying softly, “your mother lied, Clara, she lied. But she won’t lie anymore more. Just know that she is trying to take you away from salvation and the importance that you hold within the Circle.” He stormed out of the room and slammed the door. Regina pulled herself off the floor at sat down on the bed, head in hand, tears falling. Her face hurt and a bruise was beginning to show.

Judd was right; she was weary, but not with sin. She was weary of the fact that even though he treated her this way she still stayed hear. She stayed out of fear of what would happen to her if he caught her trying to leave. She stayed out of fear for her daughter, as Regina had no where to go and no money outside of the mansion. Though she was afraid of what the plans for Clara were, she didn’t want to take the chance of taking her out of a providing environment.

She still hated living here though. She was living a lie. A knock on the door stole her from her thoughts. She answered it; Herald was standing there, a smile on his face.

“Oh, Father Perry,” she sniffled and wiped her eyes a bit, “how are you?”

“I am fine Regina, how are you?”

“Well, I could be better.” She laughed but there was no feeling behind it.

“So I could see,” he reached out and moved her had which was hiding the manifesting bruise, “someone reported shouting coming from here. Mike was here I take it?” She nodded. “Yes, I will have to talk to him about this,” he eyed the wound on her face, “but may I come in first?”

“Yes, please,” she stepped aside to make room. Herald sat down on the bed and motioned for her to join him.

“Did Mike tell you why he was so angry?” He asked her.

“I assumed he was angry with me, you know. I want to show Clara some things but he won’t let me.”

“Well, he was upset before that, he just found out that I may not chose him to succeed me.”

“Oh, really? You have considered someone else?”

“Yes, a new comer named Deacon Trellman. The man radiates the spirit but he needs guidance. I think he may be perfect for my place, but if he cannot learn fast enough, Mike will still gain control.”

“I haven’t met this Deacon yet.”

“You will, he’s still a bit shy.”

“Thank you for coming to see me, Father Perry. I apologize about my lack of faith, I will learn to properly believe and behave so that I can gain merit within the Circle.”

“My dear Regina, you will be fine if you obeyed in the power of the Holy Ghost, not out of merit, because the blood of Jesus is your only merit. And even though there may be things that go on here that do not seem right, they are. There is a whole world full of people who don’t know that Jesus could put a stamp on all the good work to be seen, but I can see these stamps. And no matter what those deeds are, if they have that stamp upon them, it all will be right in my site.” She nodded and thanked him again.

After letting him out, she turned her head up in curiosity. Why did Herald give her those words about deeds? Did he think Judd had told her about something that he actually hadn’t? She’d never know now, or at least she’d have to find out later. She sat down on the floor by Clara and began playing with her.

The Inner Circle - Chapter 4  (18+) Deacon meets Regina and suspects that something's off in the Circle. #854447 by Abominae