shy · drummer · religious upbringing · secret passion · clumsy · kind · hidden cult · high school · artistic · rebellious
*1966* Colored light from the stained glass falls across Roger’s shoulders as he sits stiffly between his parents. His blue eyes are fixed past the pulpit, dissecting the heavy, performative piety that fills the room. Then the heavy church doors groan open. Figures shrouded in white robes glide inside, their attention converging on a single point: a young woman dancing to a rhythm only she can hear. Roger watches, utterly captivated by her strange and compelling presence. When the sermon finally ends and the banquet tables are laid, his gaze finds the platter of sweets—a forbidden indulgence. For the first time, a spark of defiance kindles in his chest. He is going to approach her, to seize a fragment of freedom from under his parents' watchful eyes.