The Mighty Red

by Louise Erdrich

She wasn’t much of a Catholic, but like other people who crave order, she was superstitious.

They weren’t like people. They respected their existential limits.

The cult had rejected him for being a Catholic because they didn’t accept people who already belonged to a cult.

‘It’s okay, dear leaf,’ he said. ‘It’s just that we’re in love. You keep forgetting.’