Starting Over (Dice Changers)

It had been over a year since the cult dissolved. The office building where they held sacrificial rituals had several floors filled with medical and food supplies, a daycare, and prayer spaces. All of it was gone, all of it burned and destroyed. It also didn't help that the Dice Changers and the police got involved.

A young woman who used to ally with the cult stood in the shell of a new building. Old memories of safety, family, and friends were gone, but this building would create new memories, new families, new safety. She knew if she lit a beacon, many would come back. At least that's the hope. The prayer.

Not too long, a couple found their way back. They brought their dice sets too and asked what they could do to help. The woman had them paint, cut, place, hammer, and drill, along with the rest of the crew who were not at all associated with the cult. Then more came, and they got to work. Some came with friends, others with family. Several came alone. All pitched in, all served, all helped. All was remade right. Whatever grudges they had left were gone. Like nothing happened.

At least that was the dream. The vision as the woman walking the empty hallways, the empty rooms, the empty stairways. The construction crew was done for the day, but that didn't stop the woman from entering the site. The lights were either too dim or not lit at all, yet that wasn't enough of a deterrent for her. Luckily, she was wearing flats, so walking around, especially up the stairs, wasn't much of an issue.

"This place will be beautiful once again. It's only a matter of time," she said to herself as she slid her fingers across the freshly placed drywall and concrete.

"If only the evil ones knew what is about to come," she said as she finally reached the final floor. The office room had glass panels from ceiling to floor spanning three directions. The desk was as close as possible to the old desk of the cult leader. He died falling from the top floor until he reached the bottom floor. All 23 floors. Many said he was killed by the Dice Changers; others said he was demon-possessed. It was what ended the fighting, as many of the cultists lost their will to fight and surrendered; others fled and went into hiding. The children were put into CPS and stayed there until suitable homes were found for them.

The woman thought about sitting in the chair but resisted. Yet slowly she was drawn to it. She grazed her hand on top of the chair, then firmly gripped it.

"I'm not worthy. I'm not even a member. I'm just a friend. Nothing more," said the woman, but she couldn't let go. She couldn't move. She didn't want to.

"I...I can't. No. I don't know the texts, the vows, the rituals, the operations. I know nothing," she said as she spun the chair and turned around to see the lights of the other office buildings. Workers were running around, trying to finish any last-minute tasks before going home.

"If not me, then who? If not now, then when?" asked the woman as she turned to stare into the chair once more. She took a deep breath and slowly sat in the chair. At first it didn't feel right. She tried different adjustments, but nothing worked. It didn't feel right. Frustrated, she stood up and walked away.

"Why was I so stupid?" she asked as she left the room and closed the doors.

As she was reached the lobby area there were several people standing around talking to each other.

"Hey you?" asked a deep male voice. A flashlight's brightness hit the woman in the face, causing her to put her hand up in defense and see who it could be.

"Oh, it's just Mary Kate. Put it down," said a feminine voice. The light went down, and Mary Kate walked to the group of supposed strangers whose faces were concealed in shadow.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" asked Mary Kate, confused as to why these people were here.

"You're trying to bring the cult back, aren't you?" asked another male voice.

"No, I'm simply trying to restore the building. If the cult wants it, they can have it. I don't care," answered Mary Kate, almost sounding like she was begging for her life.

"Is that why you're here, alone?" asked another voice.

"Yes, I respect the cult and what they have done. Now that they're gone, the very enemies they fought so hard to kill are back in droves. Things are getting worse, and the Dice Changers are just a bunch of kids. They can't do what you can," answered Mary Kate.

"We know. It's why we're here. We want to help, but the Pastor is dead, and his son is in the process of being adopted. If we can get him. He'll help us. He knows pretty much everything, even if he doesn't understand it," said one of the male voices.

"What do you want me to do?" asked Mary Kate.

"Don't advertise the building or us. Keep the project going until completion, and then hopefully by then we'll have found where the pastor's kid is and finish what the pastor started," said the female voice.

"Ok, and what about the remaining members? Do we know where they are?" asked Mary Kate.

"Some yes, others no. We all have names and locations; some accepted, others rejected. Those that accepted will be arriving soon from all over the country. They'll most likely come here first, so be on the lookout for them. They'll probably be scared, confused, or completely forget where this place is. We'll try our best to guide some of them and bring as many as we can back, no guarantees, though," said one of the male voices.

"Alrighty then. Let's do it. For the pastor," said Mary Kate.

"For the pastor," repeated all the voices at the same time.

The group shrank further into the shadows and left. Mary Kate stood in silence. It was happening; her dream was coming. The people are returning, and the evil ones would die. All was going to be made right in the world.