My Life As A Cult Leader [SAFE]

I don’t know if I’m a monster or a miracle. I know that every morning, I look in the mirror and see a man who sold salvation and accidentally bought a version of it for himself. I am loved. I am feared. I am a lie that became true enough.

The night of the big fundraising solstice, Marcus pulled me aside. His coder’s eyes were clear and cold. He showed me a spreadsheet. “The donations are coming in from pension funds,” he said. “From Brenda’s annuity. From a kid in Florida who sold his car.” My Life as a Cult Leader

At first, it was a support group. We met in a rented church basement. I handed out printouts of my ramblings. I taught them a "cleansing breath" I invented while waiting for my pasta water to boil. They cried. They thanked me. They called me “The Listener.” I don’t know if I’m a monster or a miracle