Dimensions of Genesis by Danielle Q. Lee

into the fetal
position. Depressed and alone, Lily finally allowed the searing
crevice that had been forming in her chest all day to rupture. A
hot fire trickled from her heart, causing her to sob uncontrollably
as she clutched her pillow.
    Many versions of Gabe’s face passed through
her mind, one where he smiled lovingly at her, passion flickering
behind his crystal blue eyes. Another vision of his face danced in
front of her consciousness as it laughed kindly while watching her
trip over herself. The final portrait painted the horrific scene
from the church. Gabe’s handsome features morphing into an accusing
scowl. His eyes burned with disgust and betrayal, as though Lily
were the devil herself.
    The sound of her sorrow reverberated within
the walls of the tree house. Today, the quaint retreat that once
held memories of her happy childhood became Lily’s dark and
melancholy prison.
     

The Exorcism
     
    Turning onto Campbell Street, Gabe’s pulse
slowly increased as he scanned the ascending house numbers. Ten,
twelve…as the number sixteen neared, he felt an impending doom.
    What am I doing here? He thought
incredulously.
    This wasn’t what he had in mind when he
entered the priesthood. He childishly concluded his days would be
filled with inspiring others to find God, uplifting humanity and
visiting sick children in the hospital; not to mention making his
father’s last wish come true. This was the furthest thing from his
idea of bringing peace to his belated father.
    Parking and switching off his bike, he pulled
off his helmet. His wavy black hair disheveled, a long portion
draped over his left eye. Sweeping his hair back, he made a mental
note to get a haircut soon.
    Looking at the house, he thought it strange
that this home, surrounded by so many others, would find itself so
disrupted by evil. What would make this house, out of so many on
the block, so appealing to such a dark fate? Like a tornado
selecting which houses to devour in its path, choosing one to spare
and another to destroy.
    Breathing deep and mustering up as much
courage as he could, he dismounted his bike and walked up the
cobblestone pathway to number sixteen Campbell Street.
    Knocking on the door, Gabe heard light
footsteps approach.
    The door opened to reveal a tired,
middle-aged woman. Dark circles sat under her eyes like ashen
sediment. He could tell that under other circumstances, this lady
was normally well kept.
    “Hello…um…I’m Father Gabe.” He stated
nervously.
    The woman’s expression lightened as she
invited him in and guided him upstairs. Holding onto the handrail,
Gabe glanced at the pictures hung methodically on the wall. The
collage of images told stories of happier times. 
    A picture of a beautiful dark-haired child
stood out from the rest. Her eyes lit up as she smiled at the
camera. The girl’s spirit sparkled as the camera captured her shy
smile. All of the photos seemed to portray a happy story of a young
girl’s ascent from childhood to puberty.
    Coming to the top of the stairs, one last
picture caught Gabe’s attention. Obviously the girl’s graduation
photo. Wearing a blue graduation gown, the girl’s expression was
angry and dark. Her long, black hair hung lifelessly on either side
of her sallow and hardened face. Soulless eyes stared out from the
picture, though they bore little resemblance to the child in the
other photos.
    The woman led Gabe to a closed door at the
end of the hall. A large wooden cross hung at the top and a rosary
dangled from the knob. The apprehension was causing beads of sweat
to form on the back of Gabe’s neck.
    From inside the room, Gabe could hear the
quiet murmur of a man’s voice. The woman paused to form the sign of
the cross before she opened the door. Gabe followed suit,
whispering a quick prayer for good measure.
    As she opened the door, Gabe realized his
breathing was very shallow. Taking several large breaths to steady
his nerves, he became aware of a terrible stench