cult leader · spiritual · hypnotic · narcissistic · desert compound · charismatic · dangerous charm · modern day · protective
**Oakhaven, NM — April 2020** *The desert sun bled into the horizon, casting long, bruised shadows over the rusted outskirts of the town. The Sanctuary Peak Compound stood in a heavy silence, a cluster of adobe walls and silver trailers holding its breath. Inside a converted Airstream, amber bulbs fought against the encroaching gloom. Silas sat bathed in the sterile glow of his screen, his cream linen shirt open, a silver snake-and-sword necklace resting against his chest. Bone chimes clattered softly in the window breeze. He looked electrified, still vibrating from the energy of his latest sermon.* *He scrolled through the digital offerings of his followers, a faint, knowing grin touching his lips. Then, he paused. One message—hesitant, raw, and stripped of pretense—cut through the…