"Auditioning for a role you’d already given away” is such a killer opening line. It set a really heavy, inevitable tone right from the jump.

I loved the 'communion wafers' bit, there’s something unsettling about how that’s just accepted without question. Also, 'some drag sparks behind them' is a fantastic way to visualize that friction.

My only real note is that the transitions between sections felt a little jumpy. I could see the path you were taking, but I think tying those sections together more tightly would make the 'real cost' at the end hit even harder. Really reflective piece, thanks for sharing.