A/N: TW: normal stuff, anorexia

Thursday

"Gabriel, be good. Tell the people that you received word from God that the end of the world will be here earlier."

This felt wrong. This was wrong. He was not a prophet. People were going to die.

He made the call anyways. He said the end would be here in four weeks.

He believed in a God, but his faith was weak. He acted like it was strong. That brought in money. If he could keep people believing, he and his father would make more money. He was using the Lord's name for the sake of a dollar.

It felt so wrong, but he told himself it was so right.

In the basement sat Gabriel and his father, and the Elder Guards. Gabriel didn't like the Elder Guards. They were nit-picky. They passed judgement on everyone. They woke marron hoods. Most of all they loved gossip.

Then again most members of New Beginnings loved gossip.

Gabriel hardly noticed Azira walk in. His father did though. Immediately as Azira walked in, he said, "Azira, we believe the earth is ending earlier than what we originally thought. Gabriel got a vision from God. We need to get ready now, since the end will be here in a month. No time for the ideal body plan, we need you to get the honey. We already bought out the dollar store. Perhaps you could go to Walmart. If you follow the main highway far enough you'll see it."

Azira didn't even question it. He just went. Azira always does things without question. He's just good like that.

Gabriel's father said, "You should follow him. Go on now."

"He's taking the truck."

"Yes, Gabriel, and you're taking the other truck."

"What other truck?"

"Son, we got another truck. Go on now. It's in the garage at our house."

Gabriel ran home, got in the truck and drove to Walmart. Once he got inside he watched Azira's every move. At first it seemed perfect.

Then Anthony showed up. He laid his hand on Azira's shoulder.

"Azira?"

Azira looked Anthony. He was frozen in place. Gabriel waited to see what he would do.

"Azira, do you remember me?" Anthony asked.

Azira's hands trembled as he said, "I- I wish I didn't... B-but I do."

Gabriel had a feeling Azira would break down like this.

Anthony grabbed Azira's hands and said, "Please come with me. There's a whole great big world you don't now about. I have to show you so much. You can come with me, right now. You'll be just fine."

Gabriel rolled his eyes. He knew it wasn't that lovely. In the toxic world there were things like war and violence, murder and drugs. He had no idea why Anthony would describe it as great. Azira luckily didn't know what the word great meant. He only knew the word wonderful. Gabriel didn't fear loosing Azira.

Azira pulled his hands away and said, "Don't touch me Anthony. I'm not a sinner like you. Your dirty hands don't need to touch my clean ones."

Gabriel knew Azira was a sinner like him though. A few years ago Gabriel's father explained to his son that Azira was giving into the sin of gluttony. Ever since then Gabriel believed Azira was fat, which was a sin, and that made him dirty and ugly. Gabriel also believed he had to be skinny to not be dirty or ugly. He was obviously skinny. If he were to eat a full meal, usually he'd go chug holy water and pray until he got sick. That was the easiest way to get demons out, after all. He wouldn't let gross matter sully the temple which is his body.

His father encouraged this behavior. Gabriel would do anything to receive love from his father, because love from his father meant the Lord loved him too. If Gabriel was impressing his father and the Lord, he was being loved. Love is everything Gabriel ever wanted.

He believed his father freed him from demons, because he loved him. He believed his father put so much pressure on his son, because he loved him. He believed his father would lead around two hundred people to their deaths, because he loved him.

Gabriel's father did not love him though. He despised his son. His son was the reason his wife died. It was a wild and violent birth. Such a thing could make a man go crazy.

He missed her.

And in a way Gabriel missed his mother too.

"Please, Azira, I miss you. We can be together if you come with me," Anthony begged. He grabbed Azira's hands again. "Please, please, please. I need you."

Azira looked at the honey in the cart. "Anthony... I'm going on. We're leaving in a month. We're preparing now. That's why I'm buying this honey. I'm not a sinner, like you, and I'll be welcome in the gates."

Anthony looked at Azira sadly. "Dear, please. You're lying to yourself. We loved each other. I still love you so much."

Gabriel also loved someone. He loved Beezy. He missed Beezy. If he could go back to that day, maybe he'd change things. He'd tell Beezy almost the exact same thing that Anthony had just said to Azira.

The only difference is Anthony was an outsider, while Gabriel was an insider. Only one of them could be right.

Azira looked around and mumbled, "I don't know how to feel... I- oh I don't want to say it but I still love you too."

"Then come with me."

"I shouldn't. I want to be with my son in the most great place ever. It's worth it more than any sin. I need to refuse you, and I need to forget about you."

Anthony asked, "Will you kiss me at least? Tell me goodbye, make it final. Let me know that you want to go on so badly that it's worth sinning for a second, just for me."

"You're trying to tempt me. You're now a serve Satan. Anthony, I'm sorry... Wait no. I'm not sorry. I'm not sorry at all."

Anthony said, "I need to show you what it's like to be human. They make you another cog in the system there. You're nothing to them really. It's all about the money. If I can prove it to you, will you come with me?"

Anthony was right about Azira being another cog in the system, and Gabriel knew it. Azira really didn't matter. It was all about the money. Anthony could never prove it though.

Azira said, "I would not."

"Where did the old Azira go? The one who would do anything for me? The one who cared? The one who listened? Where is he?"

"Washed clean. The old Anthony was made dirty, so I cleaned myself. Goodbye, Anthony."

Anthony hugged Azira. He cried, "No, please, don't go. Don't leave me. I have you now and I don't want to let go."

Azira closed his eyes and started crying too. "I wish you could come back. I can make you pure again."

"I can show you the other side. I'll do whatever it takes. Look into my eyes and tell me you trust the people who shunned me, more than you do your old best friend who you were ripped apart from. Tell me that."

Azira laid his head on Anthony's shoulder and sobbed, "I trust the Lord and myself. Nobody else."

Gabriel knew he'd have to get Azira to further trust him some how. Otherwise the operation would fall apart.

"Why would the God you believe in have me run into you if it weren't for something right?"

"You could be a temptation."

"Azira, you know I'm not. You know, you were my original temptation. You asked me to take part of our sin. Remember that?"

"You're making me feel impure," Azira said as he let go of Anthony, "But it feels right. That's how I know it's sinful. It's greedy for me to want to disobey. I am obedient."

Anthony said, "I don't want this to be the last time I see you. I can't live with myself if you're dead."

Azira said, "Whatever is right will happen. If it's meant to, I'll see you again... Anthony I want you to do a sin on me. Kiss me. Right now. Do it please. I've never been kissed by anyone except you. It's such a weird concept only for the deepest of lovers, only known in books, but if you do it, I won't get in trouble or feel bad because I'm not supposed to know what kissing is. Then let me push you away in case someone is watching, which I believe nobody is, but you never know."

Gabriel was watching and listening. He almost laughed out loud at this. Except homosexuality was something not to snicker at. It was something to report.

Anthony then kissed Azira. It was longer then it should have been, but that didn't matter. As soon as the kiss broke, Azira put his hands on Anthony's chest and pushed him away. He then ran away. He checked out the honey and went back to the church.

Gabriel drove fast to reach the church before Azira could.