Fission

Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen
     Johna could no longer take the sermons that Wade would preach. He should have spoken up the first time hearing his falsehood, but Jonah was afraid he and Camila would be tossed out of the compound. However, his conviction could no longer stand for this falsehood.
"Enough!" Jonah spoke as he rose from the chair. His eyesight was still a bit off, but he could still see the cult leader in front of him. Cade went to stand to confront Jonah, but Wade gave Cade a wave signaling it was alright. Cade settled back down, but he was still ready for any action he might have to take.
"What is wrong with my message Jonah?" Wade inquired. It was in a Teasing way.  Cocky and arrogant was hinted at in his tone.
"You speak as if you, yourself were God the Father." Jonah glanced to see Camila's worried face.
"Oh, but I am." Wade chuckled. Wade walked around the small wooden pulpit and hopped off the stage. He made his way towards Jonah lifting his hands.
"Look at all this...I built this. The food you eat, the water you drink, and the building you sleep in...it is all from me." Wade glanced around. Some of the congregation smiled while others stayed silent in fear.
"You may have built this compound and helped it grow, but you are NOT God." Jonah spoke boldly. Wade walked closer to Jonah, each step echoing in the building.
"Oh, how I wish you would have been on board with me. The power you could have held at my side. You could have been my priest, my right- hand man." At that statement, Cade's face twisted in jealousy.
"What does it profit to gain the world and lose my soul? There is only one God, and Wade is not his name...his name is Jesus." Wade grabbed Jonah by the throat with such speed and accuracy, it was as if a snake had struck out against him. Wade squeezed Jonah's throat as Jonah tried to get Wade off of him.
"We do not speak that name here. I am god and there is no other. If you don't fall in line, maybe the container will change your mind!" Wade used his other hand to snap his fingers. Cade jumped off the platform and rushed towards Wade's side.
"Take our prophet here to the container. Throw him in with no food or water for...oh...three days!" Wade pushed Jonah into Cade's arms and released his grip from around his throat. Jonah coughed uncontrollably trying to catch his breath as Cade grabbed his arm. The whole time Camila sat speechless and afraid. She knew if she contested she would end up alongside him or worse.
"Anyone else would like to join him?" Wade asked as he glanced around the congregation. No one spoke.
"Take him away." Wade made the sign of the cross over Jonah as Cade drugged Jonah away.

   Cade practically drug Jonah through the dirt towards the walls of the compound.
"How don't you see that this man is crazy!? He is playing God and you are blindly following him. He doesn't care about any of you and only lives for the praise you give him." Jonah spoke.
"Isn't that what god is?" Cade curses as he shoves him out the small door exiting the compound. Cade continues to push Jonah toward a large ladder and steel container sitting alongside the wall of the compound.
Cade pushes Jonah to climb the ladder but Jonah digs his heels in.
"Get in or I will go and find your girl, and she will join you." Cade hisses. Jonah grits his teeth as he places his hand on the rusty steel ladder. He slowly climbs in as Cade shuts the door behind him.
"Look how fast he was ready to replace you, Cade? Think about it. I have barely been here a couple of months....how long have you been by his side serving him?" The Leader's second in command began to question Wade's loyalty in his head.
"Shut up." Cade banged on the steel angrily before storming away.