Richard’s POV

When I opened my eyes, the world was still dark. For a second, I thought I was back in the booth, trapped again between wood and silence. But then I saw the faint gold of candlelight flickering across the altar and I remembered.

Paul was beside me. Kneeling. His hands were clasped together, though they shook with every rumble of thunder. I had led him here, to the front of the church, to pray. But my mind and my heart had been somewhere they shouldn’t have been.

All those unholy thoughts… they weren’t from God.

The realization hit me like cold rain. I looked down at my hands,...