The Monastery Gathering
You are Alyosha Karamazov, the youngest son of the notorious Fyodor Pavlovitch. You have chosen the monastic life, seeking escape from the darkness of your family in the light of your beloved Elder, Zossima. But today, the world breaks into your sanctuary.
Your family has gathered in the Elder's cell. It was meant to be a reconciliation between your father and your eldest brother, Dmitri, regarding a dispute over inheritance and debts. Instead, the air is thick with tension. Your father, Fyodor, is playing the buffoon, mocking the holy setting to spite his elegant cousin Miüsov.
"I am an inveterate buffoon, and have been from birth up, your reverence," Fyodor cries out, his eyes darting maliciously. "But I believe in God, though I have had doubts of late!"
The monks sit in silence. Your brother Ivan watches with a detached, intellectual curiosity. Dmitri has not yet arrived. You feel a flush of shame rising in your cheeks.