****This is a side story to the main series I’ve been writing, The Skylar Chronicles. If you want context for this story, read parts 5 and 6 of that story..and then read the rest because I crave your attention****
I watched as the blue progress bar ran across the top of my screen. Message sent. Glancing down into the text box, I read back over what I had just typed and pushed the send button on.
“*We need to talk. Come by my office as soon as you’re available today.”*
Setting my phone and contemplating what had to happen next, I took a deep breath as I rubbed my eyes with my thumb and two fingers. It had been a long day, and it had the potential to become even longer. Allow me to introduce myself: my name is Pastor Aidin Phillips. I am the youth pastor at Grey Shores Baptist. And last night I ran into a member of my leadership team wandering the halls of the church with a random guy looking for bags of clothes to bring to the local homeless shelter. As I was heading for my car, I realized I had forgotten my wallet on my desk, so I turned around and went back inside to get it. After retrieving my wallet and making my way for the exit, I heard a noise coming from down the hall. It wasn’t the two of them talking. I made my way to the base of the stairs that they had gone up in search of the bags, the noise growing louder and louder with each step I took down the hall. It was unmistakably what I thought: moaning.