En mass, the acolytes drew the attention of passersby. Daniel noticed the expressions of those he passed: fear, disdain, sometimes envy. He lifted his head proudly. He believed fully in the tenets of the Leader and knew that in the apocalypse to come, both his soul and body would be saved.
The final task before complete acceptance into the cult was to spread the message and bring more people into the fold. The young acolytes went where they knew best: the local teen hangouts. Here, the search for self could be directed towards a man striving to be a demi-god.
© Colline Kook-Chun, 2020
(This post was inspired by Friday Fictioneers hosted by Rochelle. The challenge asks for bloggers to write a story in 100 words or less in response to the photo prompt.)
That’s always the final task, isn’t it? Proselytising.
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Yes it is. The task does show their true commitment to the group.
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Dear Colline,
It sounds like a dangerous group. Puts me in mind of Jim Jones.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I thinking of a group such as that.
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Wow, that’s an ambitious theme! You give us a clear feeling for the typical nature of such cults; the fervent belief; the eagerness to proselytise; the feeling of being ‘set apart’. Most telling of all – “Here, the search for self could be directed towards a man striving to be a demi-god.”
It could be the theme of a novel!
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Thank you so much for your comment and compliment. I worked on finding the correct words to express all of this.
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Teenagers are so easily ensnared and brainwashed. Your story is quite scary, Colline.
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They are. Teens are a vulnerable group as they are searching for ways to become who they are.
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Reminds me, for some reason, of red hats ….
Oy vey.
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I guess the best way to show that you are a group is for everyone to wear the same distinctive piece of clothing.
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I don’t have an issue with identifiers per se, but with their use to create dogma and designate ‘fealty’, especially ‘fealty’ to someone.
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I shudder to think about what goes on in these cults around the world. I always find it hard to believe that people seriously follow them. Fits the prompt perfectly, good write Colline.
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It is a certain type of person that is targeted; someone who is searching for a sense of community and belonging.
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We humans have it seems an ability to latch on to cults. I enjoyed how you put this story together.
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Thank you. I think people are drawn to cults for a sense of belonging.
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I like your take on the prompt, I can see that story in the photo.
A friend took this photo and I liked it knowing some good stories would come. You can see her work here… https://instaology.com/
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Thank you so much.
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These cults scare the bejeezus out of me.
Well written.
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It is the fanaticism that is scary.
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When you’ve seen the light, how imperative it seems to make sure others share in your discovery. Good one.
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Thank you Sandra. Though I do think the message they want to share will not be accepted by everyone.
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Excellent take on the prompt. Your writing is clear and expressive. I always get the shivers, though, when I read about cults like this one, whether in truth or fiction. So many people being pulled in and deceived.
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Me too. And the people who are pulled in have complete faith in the leader. So Scary to think that one person has such charisma and power.
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Your story gave me the shivers. Truth mixed in your fiction. Well written, Colline!
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Thank you so much. I am pleased to hear that you enjoyed it.
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The ideas of cults scare the pants off me. What I get drawn in – is there an escape?
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And yet when a person is young, the idea of belonging to a group is very attractive. The cults certainly know how to draw in people.
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Unfortunately this is all too true to life.
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And spans over many decades.
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This is all too true of young people in general, their need for belonging is what draws them into gangsterism and sadly, cults. You reflected the thoughts of a typical cult-member in your character holding his head high based, not on his own values and beliefs, but on what he was told by the leader.
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You raise an interesting point – and the comparison between cults ad gangs. Both give people a sense of belonging.
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