I jumped as I felt Micah’s hand slowly lift up the long skirt of my dress, and I slapped away his hand. “What are you doing?” I said in fear, ripping my gaze from the book.
Micah’s lips pursed together to form a tight line. “We have been taught at school how we should begin to touch others… of how we should begin to touch girls. The Lord wants us to grow close to Him through our shared love… through our bodies. Through touching each other’s forbidden places. It is supposed to feel very good. Prophet David has ordered us to do this.”
Micah suddenly jumped on top of me and held me to the ground by my arms, straddling my waist, a cool draft of air informing me my dress had risen to my thighs, exposing my modesty. Micah was nine years old and much stronger than me. I tried to fight him off but failed. His mouth suddenly smashed against my lips and his tongue invaded my mouth; it was wet and sloppy, and I hated it. I quickly turned my head and tears formed in my eyes.
“Micah, please!” I whispered. “What are you doing? You are scaring me.”
“Relax, sister, I see my father doing this with lots of women and, since the prophet’s new revelation, with young girls. They look like they enjoy it; some are not much older than you. It brings us all closer to the Lord. You have seen the pictures in my coloring book. Prophet David wants us to be closer to each other, for closeness brings a unity to the Lord. And you are so beautiful… so tempting. I want to touch you like the boy touches the girl in the picture. My stomach and below feel all funny when I see you. I cannot stop watching you. I think about you all the time, even in my dreams. All the boys at school talk of you.”
“Micah!”
A loud, angry voice blared from the doorway. In an instant, Micah and I froze. Heavy feet stomped in the room and standing above us were my father and Brother Luke.
Brother Luke picked Micah up by the collar of his tunic, and Micah began to scream. Brother Luke slapped him across the face. Micah quieted, blubbering quietly to himself.
“You insolent child! She has not yet been approved for the Lord’s Sharing by the prophet! Do you know what this means? You will be punished! I must report you to the prophet’s aid. It is God’s will! You stupid, stupid boy! You must practice self-control!”
Fixing the long skirt of my dress and ignoring Brother Luke’s reprimand of Micah, I got to my feet on shaky legs. I ran to my father for comfort. But as I approached, he held out his arm, a frighteningly cold expression on his face.
I stopped dead.
“F-Father?” I whispered.
He just stared at me. And stared. And stared. Fear washed over me. Was it horror I saw or… disgust?
“I told you I sensed Satan living within her, Isaiah. She is a temptress to us all. Her looks are… sinful. Those blue eyes, that long blond hair. Tell me, has she tempted even you?” Brother Luke’s voice was quiet… no, accusatory.
My father dropped his head and a tear fell from his cheek. “Yes. She has tempted me. I have… I have sinned with her, Brother Luke… I have done things… in moments of weakness. I—” My father broke down in tears.
My brow furrowed. What things? My father had always been kinder to me than my siblings. I was his favorite. He often came into my room and slept beside me, always embraced me and showed me his love. But why was this wrong?
“Prophet David has strict rules for females like her, Isaiah. His counsel must be sought. In one hour alone, she has tempted both me and my son onto the path of evil, to taking her carnally without the prophet declaring it was time to do so. We should surely have all been punished because of… her if common sense had not intervened. She is the devil’s work. I can sense him living in her flesh. You know I have a keen ability to spot when and where evil lurks.”