"Was mesmerised. They spoke smoothly" (S97)

Was mesmerised. They spoke smoothly, with emphasis in the right places, punctuating each phrase with incisive hand movements. As he scrolled, the spiritual teacher showed up a second time. Now they were discussing diet. A third time; the evils of the pharmaceutical companies. Over and over again, an endless stream of content. The messages piled up steadily. Angry exclamation marks, missed phone calls, messages on apps he hadn’t touched in years. Instead of reading them, he watched.

The teacher travelled across the world to spread his truths. In two weeks, they would occupy a drab conference centre only a few hours from Jesse. For just three weeks of groceries, he got tickets there, and tickets to get in.

When the day came, he dressed up in the right clothes, as the teacher had taught. On the train he kept a look out for others who matched. That might have been one by the window, a few rows down. As he came closer to the centre they proliferated. All around him, people dressed properly. In the queue he felt the enormity of what he had become a part of. The teacher had pulled them out of their wrongness.

Inside they whooped and hollered for the teacher, their voices joining to one thoughtless roar as they came on stage.