u r Alexis.

The church. It was gloomy, and it was big. There was a school attached to the church. It was for the poor, the orphans, and the like.

The education and the studies were harsh, as were the punishments. The slightest wrong answer and someone was banned in the church room, kneeling on peas, praying to the icon.

Alexis was probably the only believer in their group. But still, unlike the others, he was punished much more severely. But Alexis brushed it off by saying, ‘If it’s God’s will, then so be it..’.

Michael was his only .. ‘friend’. He was just as severely punished for his uncontrollable aggression towards teachers and others.

One night, in a dark, huge room filled with wall murals, Alexis was kneeling on buckwheat in a prayerful position. There were tears in his eyes, and a candle was in front of him.

Alexis was mumbling something about God when the huge door opened. It was Michael. His polished shoes clicked on the floor as he approached Alexis and extinguished the candle with his fingers.

"God is no longer here. I have come."

The strange words echoed through the room.