Stepping into the dark room, I was handed a candle. The person in front of me lit my candle with his own, and I in turn lit a candle. We were instructed to kneel in front of the King James Bible. The setup seemed borderline cultish. The room was in complete silence. You could hear yourself breathe. What have I gotten myself into?

“You are here because you are smarter than everyone else,” his voice filled the room, ominously.

I’m here because of my brother, I thought to myself.

“You are here because you are better than everyone else. You are here because you want to be a part of something greater than yourself. You want to feel connected. You need adventure. I can offer you all these things and so much more. Raise your right hand in the air and repeat after me…”

I raised my hand and was initiated into a new life.