Church of the Epistles
A Story of Guilt and Redemption
by Gareth Young
Jessica was torn apart. Her heart, which had started to heal, was once again shattered. When she arrived home, she threw herself face down on her bed and cried for hours. Eventually she got up, but did not speak to her parents. She walked alone to the gas station where she and Alison had spent so many happy hours. Completely cut off from the world, she bought a MoonPie and sat on the fence, watching the horses graze. It started to rain but she did not care. She was still wearing her pretty church dress and it would likely be ruined, but she did not care about that either. Soon her pregnancy would be known to the world, and it would not be long before Alison’s mother would tell her daughter to have nothing more to do with Jessica. The full weight of the First Holy Church would come to bear, and she would be squeezed out without a spiritual home for her baby.
In despair she threw the second half of her MoonPie—still in its plastic bag—into the field. She was oblivious to rain that made her dress cling and ran down her naked legs to pool inside her soaking tennis shoes. The chestnut quarter horse that she and Alison had tried to catch just a week ago ambled over, sniffed at the package in the middle of the field, and moved on, leaving Jessica completely alone. Her tears mingled with the rain drops running down her face and washed away the last traces of the hope that she had been foolish enough to allow back into her soul.