- A Church In Philadelphia -
"Dear lord above, I've heard of you throughout my life. Through my parents' sickness and health to the day my son was born." A man in ordinary trackies, huddie and sneakers, hands clasped together, spoke in a solemn tone towards the cross upon a marble altar.
"I know that either you are real or naught, but I have but one request. Upon the day of which I will fault show yourself and guide me, for I know that I will not have the strength to go on."
The man finished praying, acted swiftly, turned, and began walking away. His sneakers squaking against the stone floor as priests carried out their tasks.
- 2025 Jan 29th -
"Dad." A soft yet strong voice came from outside. "Dad!" Another came. Only silence answered the man's inquiry. Then came the soft pounding against the door was heard before the flicking of lights and the echoing of footsteps.
A man lay sprawled within a bed, the room covered in alcohol, with the tv blasting with advertisements.
The man was round at the waist and stout, his beard sprawling and covered in who knows what. Mixtures of different foods splotch and beer staining a white shirt underneath the filth of his beard.
The man turned and tussled under the covers, knocking drinks and spilling their contents onto the already blackening and moist floor.
The room was dark and cold, held little warmth as the blackened curtains withheld any and all light trying to break through.
small wimpers came from the bed as tears came pouring from the man as he turned with his eyes barely opened to see a small frame.
Although the room was pitch dark, he could still see the beaming smiles of his wife and himself whilst a large bulge made itself aware within the photo with the man cradling his wife and her belly.
"I miss you... Julia," the man whimpered as he turned again, as he wailed against the sheets which seemed to hold him.
As the man turned and churrned in despair, something within the corner of the room turned. The darkness became thicker, the thing covered in the muck, which entrenched every inch, moved with glea.
Its actions moving and taughting in the shadow of the window, although it never got close, its actions implied its anger, yet the happiness of the lights' limitations within the room.
Ari turned and wept, his eyes already near the end of their life from the tears which flow freely from their corners. Streaks of red, yellow, and black marked Ari's face as tears flowed like an ocean between lands.
Ari unbeknonstes to the thing watching him, continued to wheep as his fist rang against the roof of his bed. Each hit garnered greater enthusiasm from the thing as the cross above his bed rattled again and again.
Its wooden bindings collapsed as the final strike from Ari tore its fibres, sending the cross plummeting.
The thing watched with unmasked excitement as it watched the cross fall and be engulfed by the floor.
The muck and disgust on the floor clung to the cleanness of the cross; a new victim had arrived, and it wouldn't let the cross be returned.
Ari looked around, alarmed by the sudden sound of the cross hitting the floor. His eyes hazy, he looked around the room. Lingering upon the corners as the sheets receded.
The room was silent, too silent. The distant calls from his son half forgotten and disregarded.
The 'being' watched with contempt as Ari turned, trying to reach the cross which had fallen to the floor. And yet Ari un-the-wiser continued until he looked down.
Seeing how the cross was covered in muck and entrenched by the shit on the floor decided to leave it and return to his wallow.
The 'being' revealed its smile, straight with gleaming teeth, which made the room slightly brighter; its eyes gleamed as it watched Ari return to his sadness.
From above Ari's bed, a faint figure dispelling the darkness of the room, watching but not interveining, let out a sigh as it watched the figure of darkness loom closer and closer.
It could not move, could not defend, and could only watch as Ari disregarded the one thing protecting him.
The person above Ari's bed began to fade, with the cross no longer hung its power too faded, and with it the being's smile widened to that of a boar as it watched the darkness claim the room.
Ari, continuing to sleep more into despere opened his eyes.
To his surprise, the room was in the darkness of moments ago but was now lit. Pure and warm, his grizzled skin flaring and welcoming the light.
Ari's eyes flickered with surprise, looking for a source, settling upon a wehite robe clad figure at the foot of Ari's bed.
"God?" Ari called out, his hand blocking the light as surprise rose within his voice.
"Close... My child. I was to come, I was to tell that your prayer was to be answered. I was to tell of the coming." The voice, angelic and pure, spoke in slow but high pitches. Its voice constantly changing from a man to woman.