Interrogation

[Bunny]

The room that Isaac led Esau room was not the one he generally used to meet with his followers. The other room, which acted as a study, was meticulously decorated with religious symbols, including corn-crucixes and bouquets. It had a wide window so Isaac could easily peer outside and be alert as to who was approaching him, a thick, protective door to keep out undesirables, and it was meant to be just what it was: the place to meet with Isaac for spiritual advice, the place to come to your leader, to await judgment for retribution or reward.

This room, sectioned off by a mere few yards of hallway and thin, centimeter frame, was not nearly as 'holy'. It had corn scattered about the floor as lazily as could be found in the rest of the town. It lacked a window, but it's creeky floorboards gave a much less sturdier impression. It also was far more cramped: this was where Isaac slept, and his bed easily took up the majority of the room. For that was the purpose of this section. It was merely for slumber.

Isaac felt his hackles rise on the back of his neck at the thought of Esau, the silent disturbing Esau in his own personal dwelling, but everything about this boy was unconventional. Everything about him made Isaac uncomfortable.

He shoved the thought to the side, and waited for the boy to enter.

[esau12]

Esau entered into the room which held Isaac. It was cramped, but he did not mind. He was the first to speak, "What would you like to talk about, my leader."

[Bunny]

Isaac hesitated, here. Asking to speak to Esau alone had not been planned. He had not ordered his tongue to twist the words. Had the Lord put him in this position?

"Your sermons," he spoke merely to give himself a few precious more seconds to think. "You merely informed me of the prayer that preceeded it. I wanted to know what you taught. I called you away so that, if your words contained poison, it would not fall onto the ears of Ruth, or your fiance, or the thoughtful Damon. But my ears have heard the Truth from the Lord himself. I cannot be corrupted." He fixed Esau with a thoughtful gaze. "What do you think He Who Walks Behind the Rows teaches?"

[esau12]

"Forgive me, Isaac, for from what you have told me today, through your wisdom, I have realized that my sermon was wrong." Esau began with what he believed to be a strong start. He continued, "You see, I spoke of our Lord's kindness. I told my audience, even though they were not really listening, that our Lord was kind and forgiving. That, because He created us, he loves us as a parent would, only He does not corrupt with age because he is timeless, and parents are surely forgiving creatures. However, the difference betweenthem, as I realize now, is that the parents do become corrupted, and because of this, their blood, and whoever's blood grows to the age of nineteen, must be sacrificed in order to stop the spread of said corruption." Finished, Esau let out a sigh of relief as he found this sermon to be adequate.

[Bunny]

Esau's words fell through the air and faded, though they continued to ring in Isaac's mind. Instantly, his memory reeled backwards, and he felt bile rise in the back of his throat. He swallowed it back, and tilted his head neatly to the side as he stared at the taller boy. The puzzle-pieces fell into place, and Isaac grew a theory.

"Your words are familiar to me," he said thoughtfully. He added swiftly, with hardly a pause to indicate a change in subject, "I don't often speak of my past before I arrived at Gatlin and became enlightened, as it often does not matter. The life before I became the servant of He Who Walks Behind the Rows was not becoming of Him, just as none of our lives' were. The one I have since chosen is infinitely nobler. But," he narrowed his eyes, though his voice carried the same nonchalant ring. "I was a preacher then, too. I spoke to masses of Outlanders of a loving God. A caring and forgiving one."

His voice hardened, and he threw the bait forward. "When I finally spoke to God, I learned I had been mistaken."

[esau12]

"My I confide in you Isaac, my we have an adult conversation without cutting one another's throat?"

[Bunny]

It was on the tip of Isaac's tongue to snap at that. It was an insult, in so many ways. To imply that they must share an adult conversation - read: sinful conversation - and then to follow it by an implication that Isaac would react in a manner that did not warrant the situation.

But he didn't. "Of course we can," he purred.

[esau12]

OOC: You could have just said sure, but you held true to Isaac's character. Well done, my admin.

IC: "Well, you see, before the purging of the corrupted, I was a believer and follower of that God. I was raised to love him, follow him. But you, you spoke the truth. My parents were," his heart ached with the next word, "awful creatures. They were lazy and did not heed to the teachings of He Who Walks Behind The Rows. Even though they were too far gone from the truth to ever be reconciled, I still miss them. Is that wrong?" He finished. Esau knew Isaac would be upset with his following statement, but he felt in his heart that God would continue protecting and guiding him as he has.

[Bunny]

OOC: >.> Should I address you as my member? I is Bunny. But thanks. xD

IC:

For once, as Esau spoke, Isaac's features softened. His voice and mood followed suit. "Of course not, my child," he soothed. "It was difficult for everyone..." he paused, thinking the words in the beginning but choosing not to speak them. "You were asked to give up a comfortable life. The loving caresses of your mother, the stern guidance of your father. You were wallowing in sin, and of course, such a way is of comfort. But we are your family now. Your parents are no longer a concern. They lie at peace, now."

[esau12]

"How so, Isaac, for surely if they were not followers of He Who Walks Behind The Rows they do not live with our Lord. Would they not be eternally suffering for their blatant unbelieving?"

[Bunny]

"No," Isaac dismissed the notion with a wave of his hand, and offered the other boy a look that a teacher normally reserved for the class clown. "They had but not a chance to be converted. But they were in the blessed land. But The Lord never came to them. He did not choose them, as he chose us. They lived in sin but they were blissfully ignorant. They will not meet him when they die, of course," he added hastily. "They merely will be at rest and peace for eternity. Is that what troubled you? Did you fear for your parents' souls?"

But it wasn't what was troubling Isaac. The nothingness, the barren nothingness was troubling him. Why did the Lord not speak to him regarding Esau?

[esau12]

"Thank you, Isaac, I deeply appreciate your wisdom." Esau knew he could end this ordeal here, but something in him forced him. The time for silence was on hold, at least for now. "But something else has also been bothering me since you spoke of the ways of the Lord earlier. You spoke of his need for sacrifice. What if we are wrong? What if we are the evil in this world, and our Lord is merely one of the many evil spawns that inhabitat our universe." He was in it now, but if he played it carefully, he could still pass go. "Before the purging, when I was a Christian, the ways of that God seemed to better than our Lord's. He spoke of forgiving those who asked for His forgiveness, and to treat others well. He taught to give people chances, not to slaughter them while they sleep. Isaac, have you ever studied the ways of this God, or have you been blindly following a voice that speaks to you? What if this voice is that of a malevolent spirit whose only will is take souls from the true God?"

OOC: Forgive me if this is a bit too heavy, but, if it isn't, have fun

[Bunny]

OOC: You are aware that you are now careening towards death, yes?

IC:

The more Esau spoke, the harder Isaac's hard grew towards him. Isaac would need all of his fingers to count the various heresies that had been uttered in the span of a mere thirty seconds. And he would need his fingers and toes twice over to count the numerous possible punishments for such a slander.

"You are lucky," Isaac said, his bluntness only rivaled by the chill of his tone, "that I deigned to speak to you privately. If I had not, Malachai would have been permitted and encouraged to cut you down where you stand."

Isaac tilted his head, thoughtfully sizing Esau up. Esau was quite a bit taller than the boy preacher. He could have been a strong hand for the Lord. Instead he was blind. Blinded by his sinful nature. His foolish nature.

Then, Isaac understood. His eyes rounded, and he jerked back upright with the sudden realization. "You do not worship He Who Walks Behind the Rows."

[esau12]

Esau stood, upset with the threats issued to him, and the unveiling of his secret. He still saw a way out of this corn-awful si"tuation, though. He was almost expecting something like this. "Excuse me?" Esau said as his voice raised to express his distaste with Isaac's comment. "I have done nothing but serve He Who Walks Behind The Rows since my acceptance of his teachings. Admittedly, I have recently fallen short in his eyes, but it is no cause for such accusations. I am insulted that you would say such a thing because I have a little doubt. Are you telling me that you have never once doubted his teachings, for through doubt comes a strengthening in one's faith. Considering your faith is strong like treated steel, you must have had your doubts. Why are you not helping me come closer to the Almighty?" Esau finished with a distressed tone with a hint of upset sadness on it. He hoped Isaac would pick up on it.

OOC: What now!

[Bunny]

the more Esau spoke, the more Isaac's rage grew. As the other boy spoke, Isaac repeatedly shook his head, denying every blasphemous word.

"Did Noah doubt the Lord when he was ordered to build an ark? Did Moses doubt the Lord's power, when he came to him in a burning bush, and ordered him to lead his people from slavery? He thought he was unworthy," Isaac allowed, "but did he doubt him? What place do I have to doubt the Lord? Do you doubt the Lord?" he challenged. "You call him an evil entity, compare him to the demons that he protects us from. Your Christian God," he swept on without taking a breath, "was weak, frail, and deceptive ours. His forgiving ways allowed the world to plunge into a cesspool of sin and filth. He offered love, begged for kindness from his children, but then thrust them into a world of hate and violence. He Who Walks Behind the Rows protects his children by weeding the evil - the blasphemous - out of his congregation swiftly, and not allowing them to continue. His judgment is instant and eternal and..." He stopped himself short, shaking his head. "But there is no need to speak any further to you," he dismissed. "You are lost. He Who Walks Behind the Rows tried to warn me of your disbelief, but I was blind to his subtly. I will pray for his guidance to understand His glory. I will not pray for you, however."