I slowly regained consciousness and found myself tied to an armless chair in an empty room, the witches' blanket draped over my lap to hide my nakedness. The room had white walls and a soft, off-white carpet. To my right was a closet door fitted with a floor to ceiling mirror, to my left were heavy curtains covering what I presumed was a window, and in front of me, standing between me and the door, were three of the fundies who had attacked and abducted me.
I felt a furious anger rising within me, and was about to begin screaming abuse at them when I remembered that they were not only completely insane, but were also in total control of the situation. So I restrained myself and just looked at their sneering faces.
"You see, brother Daniel?" one of them said. "I told you he'd be fine."
"That may be, but we still couldn't have left him out there," replied another. With their identical outfits, haircuts, and slightly chubby, anger-reddened faces, I literally couldn't tell them apart.
"Alright, listen here, heathen," the third fundie said, taking a step towards me. "We aren't normally in the habit of kidnapping folks, not even filthy satan-worshipping idolators like you. But we didn't have any other choice. We're gonna keep you here until morning, then come morning we're gonna pray over you and let you loose. But if you tell anyone about this, I promise you that we will find you and send you straight to the hellfire that's already awaiting your cursed soul. Understand?"
I had no doubt that he was serious, so I just nodded meekly. The fundie turned, seemingly satisfied with my response, and he and his two compatriots stalked out of the room, turning off the light and shutting the door behind them, leaving me in darkness.
I immediately began struggling against the ropes that held my wrists and ankles to the chair legs, but they were too well-tied and the chair was too sturdy for me to break free. I heard a door slam somewhere beneath me, and then the men's voices from outside, receding into the distance. Then there was silence. I struggled some more, only barely preventing myself from tipping the chair over, and finally I gave up, exhausted, and slowly drifted back into much-needed sleep, hoping that they really would just set me free in the morning and not do something crazy like burn me at the stake.
I don't know how long I'd been asleep when I suddenly awoke, startled by the sound of footsteps out in the hall. I heard them approach the door, which opened and a figure, indistinct in the darkness, entered the room and shut the door, then flipped on the light.
I blinked in the sudden brightness, and saw that the figure was an extremely pretty young woman, her brown hair tied back in a ponytail, wearing a blue long-sleeved dress that hung down to her ankles and a necklace from which hung a wooden cross. Her blue eyes widened in surprise when she saw me sitting there, and a smile spread across her face.
"So it's true!" she said excitedly, clasping her hands together in front of her. "Amazing!"
I didn't know what to do. "Uh...what's true? Who are you?" I asked, still a little groggy.
"Why, I'm Mary Gray," she said, as if it was obvious. "I awoke with the clamor of the men's arrival, and heard them speaking in low tones with my father, saying they'd captured an idolator, a worshipper of the devil himself, fornicating with his satanic harlots! What's your name, satanist?" She seemed thrilled by the idea of being in the presence of a devil-worshipper.
"Listen," I began, "My name is Kurt, and I'm not a satanist. And just because those chicks were witches doesn't mean they worship the devil, either," I said, wondering whether I should even bother getting into a theological dispute with this fundie chick.
"Nonsense, Kurt!" Mary laughed, "Anyone who worships anything other than the Lord and His son Jesus Christ is worshipping the devil, whether they know it or not! That's what father says, and on that point I happen to agree with him."
"And what's your father know about it?" I asked snarkily.
She raised her eyebrows. "Why, he's the Reverend Gray, founder and leader of the Brethren of Christian Righteousness, of whose estate you are now a guest. In fact," she added with a giggle, "you're the first guest in our new guest house!" She gestured to indicate the room and, presumably, the building itself. "We've just finished it, only it's not furnished yet. I heard Father tell the men to keep you here until morning."
"Sounds like preaching has done your father well," I said, my tone still caustic.
Her eyes narrowed somewhat. "God has smiled on my father," she said flatly. "Now, would you like my help or not?"
I was surprised. "I didn't know that's what you were here for," I told her.
"Well it is. I intend to free you, Kurt. This treatment frankly isn't Christian. But first I want you to do something for me."
Delighted, I quickly agreed. "You'd set me free? Shit, I'll do anything!"
