Attending the Meeting

As she pulled up the gravel driveway, Sarah approached the old, rustic country house where the spiritual self-help meeting was being held. Lisa had described how beautiful the countryside was, but Sarah was still surprised. She parked and turned off her car, her hands trembling with anxiety. She took a moment, debating whether to go inside or just go back home. She thought of Lisa, she thought of work, and she thought of Rowan. As she reached for the car key to start the engine and leave, she heard a brief tap on her window.

"Hello! You must be new; I haven't seen you before!" said a young woman, smiling at Sarah through her car window. Sarah grabbed her purse and opened the car door, stepping out.

"Yeah, I was just gathering myself," Sarah replied meekly, not mentioning she was about to leave.

They both started to walk towards the house, as the lady continued, "I get it. I'm assuming this is your first time? When I first decided to come, I thought I was crazy. But now, I don't know where I would be without my new family."

As they reached the front of the house, Sarah stopped before entering. "Your family?" Sarah asked, confused.

The young woman smiled and replied, "Yes! Don't worry, you'll know what I mean eventually. But for now, it's nice to meet you. I'm Gemma," extending her hand out to Sarah.

Sarah shook it and introduced herself, before they both headed inside.

The house was very old, and as they entered, Sarah noticed its creaky wooden floors and fading wallpaper, but weirdly enough, it seemed to hold a certain charm. The faint scent of incense and candle wax filled the air.

As Sarah took her seat, Gemma sat next to her. She sent Rowan a message to tell him she made it safely and silenced her phone. An elderly, lean man with a flowing beard and long, silverish white hair stood at the front of the room, making eye contact with each person as they entered.

His voice was soft yet commanding, with a twinge of a Southern accent. As he began to speak, the room fell silent.