Redemption in a Woman's Faith

Mary, a recovering addict, walks by a decrepit office building in rural America, feeling a strange and eerie presence emanating from it. Little does she know that this building houses a mysterious cult led by an enigmatic zealot. Curiosity gets the better of her and she goes inside, uninvited, to observe. At first all she notices is the dim light, the smell of old incense, and the shadow of a figure in blue-stained white cloth. But as she wanders further into the heart of the building she comes to understand the cult’s sinister beliefs.

Observing from a distance, Mary comes to understand their twisted interpretation of Christianity, and that they believe Jesus is a woman. She notices the fervent and intense devotion of the cult members, and their devotion to the leader. Mary tries to make sense of it all, and questions why she still feels overwhelmed by such a spiritual environment.

That’s when she sees the leader clearly for the first time, and realizes with a shock that he is the same man who had led her in a previous life as an addict. He senses Mary's presence and acknowledges her with a knowing smile before leading a back-slapping ceremony among the faithful. A chill runs through her.

At first, the rest of the cult is wary of Mary’s presence, but before long they grow increasingly accepting and trust her more. She squirms in discomfort when forced to learn and recite the bizarre script of faith and is thankful to be allowed to just participate in their rituals and observe the proceedings.

But no matter how much Mary would like to disassociate herself with the cult, time doesn’t stand still and becomes aware that the zealot is planning a mass suicide as a finale. Horrified, Mary quickly formulates a plan to get out, but before she can do so, the zealot reveals that he has known about her past and insists that she must stay and join the cult in their final act of martyrdom.

This is when Mary's struggle with her past demons and her innermost doubts take centre stage. When faced with the prospect of ending her own life for a cult she hardly knows of, she is spurred into a mental crisis. The prospect of facing her own material fear of death proves a struggle and makes her question her addiction and her past choices as well. She is lost in her thoughts and has to make a choice between two world views that both present unappealing futures.

Mary confronts the leader of the cult and confronts him with the horror of their situation. The cult members are distressed with her confessions and turns against her. The free-floating tension in the room intensifies as they are made aware of their misfortune and prepare to meet their demise.

With the crowd raging at her and unable to see a course of action worth pursuing, Mary finds her freedom when a breakthrough is electrified into the air. Suddenly a brilliant light breaks through menacing darkness, demanding Mary to remain present in current reality.

The sun god's power is undeniable as it pierces everyone with a last moment of exhilaration and a final breath of life. An uncontrolled panic amongst the cultists ensues as they panic and disperse in all directions, fleeing for their lives.

With the cult in shambles and the zealot rendered powerless, the former heroine stares in astonishment as those around her are left in cinders. The last remains of her past haunt her mind and still belie her beliefs in order to not forget. Although Mary can finally breathe a sigh of relief and be thankful to be alive, the terror of having to make the hard decisions remains forever with her.