The Church Wants You - Part 17
Note from author: This marks the end of Ethan's story—for now. But don't worry, a new sequel set in the town of Riverdale, taking place alongside Ethan's adventures, is already on the horizon. And who knows? This may not be the last time we see Ethan...
When they got inside, the argument didn't last long.
Mark demanded to know what the Moral Guards had taken.
Emily stood silently in the middle of the living room, looking guilty.
"They found Ethan's sci-fi comics."
"They said they violated the new family guidelines."
"A fine? Emily, how much?"
Ethan suddenly understood why both of his parents looked so worried.
"We can't afford that, can we?"
Mark slowly shook his head.
"Not if we want to keep this house."
Nobody spoke for several seconds.
Then Emily disappeared upstairs.
When she came back, she was carrying garment bags and cardboard boxes.
Government-approved Family Program clothing.
"We need the compliance credits."
"You know how hard your father works."
"You know how much stress he's under."
"If we don't cooperate, we'll get more fines."
"And I don't know what happens then."
Ethan glanced toward Mark.
His father looked exhausted.
For the first time Ethan noticed how tired he really looked.
The fight drained out of him.
An hour later he sat on the edge of his bed while Mark tied a dark tie around his neck.
The mirror reflected somebody who didn't look like himself anymore.
Then Emily stepped forward holding a small black badge.
She pinned it neatly above his shirt pocket.
"The fine can be reduced."
"What does that have to do with this?"
"You've been enrolled in the Moral Guard Youth Organisation."
Later that afternoon the doorbell rang.
For a second he didn't recognize them.
He had known them for years.
But now both were dressed exactly like him.
It was strange seeing familiar faces inside uniforms.
Ethan rolled his eyes and let them inside.
A few minutes later all three were sitting in the living room.
The conversation immediately turned to the new rules.
"This sucks," Ethan said.
"Our parents made us dress like this at home too," Andrew added.
"Complaining every day gets exhausting."
"So we started trying some of the new Offline Life programs."
"They actually pay people to attend."
Jacob picked up the Book of Mormon from the coffee table.
"Also, have you actually read any of this?"
Jacob flipped through a few pages.
Then he started describing wars, rivalries, betrayals, heroes, journeys, and entire civilizations collapsing.
The way he described it sounded more like some huge fantasy saga than a religious text.
Ethan found himself listening despite himself.
"That's actually in there?"
For the first time Ethan became a little curious.
Because Jacob genuinely seemed interested in it.
Eventually the conversation shifted.
"The Youth Organisation pays pretty well too," Andrew said.
Jacob burst out laughing.
Andrew nearly fell off the couch.
"Welcome aboard, Elder Ethan."
Ethan threw a cushion at him.
A while later he tugged at his tie.
"I still don't understand something."
"How are you comfortable wearing this all the time?"
"That sounds ridiculous."
"I used to live in tank tops and jeans."
"I honestly don't even notice this anymore."
Jacob pointed at Ethan's collar.
"You'll stop noticing it too."
"We've got outreach work."
"Going house to house explaining the family plans."
"And afterwards we're doing a relaxation session."
Ethan looked at his two best friends.
Still acting like themselves despite everything that had changed.
That mattered more than he wanted to admit.
"You're already getting used to it, Elder Ethan."
"Don't call me like that."
"Oh come on, it's on your name tag isn't it? Elder Ethan?"
A cushion hit him in the face a second later.
The walk to the relaxation session felt strangely normal.
For the first time all day, Ethan wasn't thinking about fines, uniforms, name tags, or Moral Guards.
It was just him, Jacob, and Andrew walking down the sidewalk like they had done a hundred times before.
The only difference was the white shirts, ties, and books tucked under their arms.
The boys joked the entire way.
Jacob complained about having to polish his shoes.
Andrew claimed he had mastered sleeping through the longest morality lectures.
Maybe things weren't completely ruined.
Maybe having his friends around made it bearable.
Eventually they reached a small building marked Get Used To Relax – Adjustment Center.
Inside, rows of cushioned chairs faced strange machines.
Headphones hung beside each seat.
"This is it?" Ethan asked.
"Pretty much," Jacob said casually.
The three boys sat down side by side.
An instructor gave a few quiet instructions.
Then everyone put on their headphones.
Soft sounds began playing.
Ethan shifted uncomfortably in his chair.
The collar still felt tight against his neck.
The tie still felt strange.
Then the sounds grew slower.
The room seemed farther away.
The pressure of the collar faded.
The last thing Ethan remembered was seeing Jacob and Andrew sitting beside him with their eyes closed.
Then everything became distant.
And Ethan slipped into a deep, dreamlike trance.
When he woke up, Jacob and Andrew were already adjusting their ties.
"Oh God! You were right, I do feel less uncomfortable."
Jacob smiled and adjusted Ethan's tie.
"You see, it's better like that. This is the only way guys our age should dress. Even at home haha."