#verse | train

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Jacob and Miller @returnedtoashes

Will I currently get out of that timeline? No.

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[only-we]

Another flyer pinned to a diner wall for all to see; 'Sermon at 7!'. It seemed a few people in Hope County were starting to convert over to this new religion. Was it even that? Or just some branch of Christianity, like so many other sects before. "Jacob," Eli spoke with an amount of timidness; he had just gotten this contract and didn't want to jeopardise it. His benefits from the army were pitiful, and no way they could support a household. "What's it all about, your brother's following?"

Slowly they werebeginning to take real foot here. They had started out as the newones around. Just some new neighbours in the thinly populated county.Friendly, maybe a bit strange – overly religious. A small followingwith them of people that had listened to Joseph in run down halls andthe street.

But now… thisplace Joseph had picked seemed perfect. And their family had grown –many people here desperate for some money and getting rid of theirproperty to John. Making new friends through the sermons. Finding apurpose that they could have never found here in the countryside.

Jacob could do as hepleased, though he mostly kept in the background. Joseph and Johnwere the ones to give speeches and row people in. His own purpose…well, that would come later. For now he kept his duties to the youthcamp and some hunting parties.

And now theconstructions – as he had just found the perfect man for that.

Turning around,Jacob just handed Eli the bottle of beer he had just paid for, way torile the younger vet deeper into their plans. He would not only needthis one’s brains. He needed his loyalty. Palmer would know a lotabout the bunkers – every detail, nearly. And such a position wasvaluable. A pillar of Eden.

Leading Eli to atable a bit further into the dimly lit diner, Jacob just grinned.Friendly. Kind. Somewhat streetsmart – perfect older brother andpal.

“My brother istalking to the people who want to listen.”

Simple answer, yet abit vague.

“You were in themilitary, too, Eli. And you are a smart man. You have seen the statethe world is in. Corruption, destruction, greed, the rich bleedingout the poor. Money above the lives of many. Single fates notcounting at all in the grand picture… you get it. This might soundexaggerated – but just think hard about it. Just look at what somepoliticians promise and what they actually do… many people feelpowerless, alone. My brother just offers them a hand, some guidance,a sense of selfworth and a listening ear. A family likewise. That iswhat many probably miss in a fast-paced world like ours.”

A lot of words andphrases, Joseph had taught them to Jacob himself – knew whichbuttons to push and press. Jacob had been nothing but a shell afterhe had seen every terror of war. His brothers had filled him with newideas… and thus Jacob could try to pave the path for Joseph again. Still smiling, actually giving a short laugh, Jacob held up his bottle to nod towards Eli. Oh, he would work to get this one into their rows. Eli belonged into the Project. After all they needed this pillar to stand on.

“You should seefor yourself, if you are interested… just an offer. I will bethere, too. It’s not like any other sermon you have ever been to – I promise.”

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“ shut up. please. ”

“Aw, Eli...”

A light chuckle asJacob let his thumb dance over the blade of his hunting knife,smirking at Eli as if the other hadn’t just ended their littlefriendship.

“Don’t get soworked up about everything… I was just offering you to join mybrother’s cause. I mean, you know what happens to people who turndown my offers after all.”

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@fratricidum | X

He was angry. Definitely angry. He had failed each target today. Securing the gun again, he brought it back to the superior in charge, stating the correct protocol and how he had missed all shots in today’s training.

It only brought him a bewildered look, it was the first time Jacob had failed any training.

Miller’s words didn’t really help his mood, but Jacob was thankful for his friend as he walked beside him to the place where the others were waiting and starting their lunch for today. Only grumbling some kind of response, Jacob threw his helmet to the side before sitting down into the grassy patch beside the shooting range.

“I slept at least enough.”

Simple answer, they shared a barrack room anyway – along with four others. Privacy was something that barely existed. But their thoughts were still their own. Looking at Miller, Jacob shrugged as he took a sip out of his flask.

“Don’t know. My subconscious nervous about being shipped off to another continent next month for the first time? I’m not scared – I just never even left this damn state.”

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@gcdsaved | Starter

“JOHN!”

The deep rumbling voice of Old Man Seed was growling through the entire thin-walled house. It did not make Jacob flinch any more – not really. He would not even have been scared if it had been his name. No, defiance would have been his reaction. Rebellion.

But it wasn’t his name – it was his little brother’s.

And John was not like him.

Jacob jumped to his feet, hurried out the small room the brothers shared and nearly jumped down the entire flight if stairs. He could already see John standing there, either frozen in fear, about to go to their father obediently or ready to bolt up the stairs. Jacob did not know, but it did not matter anyway. His arm looped around the smaller Seed, Jacob nearly lifted him from his toes as he dragged him through the narrow and dark hall and pushed open the backdoor.

That was a first time.

But Jacob had enough. He could not bear hearing their father whip the youngest brother and then - John’s crying… his stomach and heart revolted at the countless memories. No, he would be faster than their father this time. Simply run. Old Mad Seed was drunk and he would not chase after them if they just took a good route through the neighbourhood. If they were lucky, he would fall asleep soon enough and not remember this the next morning.

“Shh!”, Jacob warned his little brother, before letting him go but nudging him through the grass that had not seen a lawn mower in ages, towards the broken fence, “Climb it. I am right behind you.”

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@scalesxofxjustice | Childhood Starter

“It is not hard.”

Jacob simply knelt down in front of John and showed him the steps of how to tie his shoes again.

“See, it is easy, that loop through this one and just pull. You can do it, you already did.”

Well, it probably was a challenge with the conditions their shoes were in, Jacob would admit that – but maybe John also just feigned not knowing how to tie his shoes. Or it was the utter lack of their parent’s interested in teaching them anything useful. Who knew. Jacob would not grow tired of explaining things to his little brother anyway. Looking up, he could look into two bright blue eyes, big and innocent beneath wispy black hair. Something that could make a teenaged Jacob smile, before he teased the youngest Seed by flicking a finger gently up against his chin.

“Ready to go to the store? Hungry already?”

As most days, not cooking, but having a little more money than usual their mother would send them to the corner gas store to get dinner. Pizza or Hotdogs, simple, cheap – so there was money left over for the whiskey going to their father.