Dimensions of Genesis by Danielle Q. Lee Page B

Lord’s Prayer, the only thing his mind was able to produce from
memory at the moment.
    “Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be
Thy name…” Gabe began; the entity giggled and mocked him as he
spoke.
    “You know none of that crap works, don’t
you!” She spat angrily at him, her black eyes furious. She pouted
darkly for a moment, and then her demeanor once again altered to
the sly, taunting personality.
    “Do you know why you became a priest?” She
asked, watching him intently. “Do you!?’ She yelled, provoking Gabe
to answer.
    “Yes…yes, I do.” Gabe stuttered, not looking
her in the eye.
    “Okay, you tell me your reason, and then I’ll
tell you mine.” The creature stated smugly.
    Slightly annoyed, Gabe said defensively, “I
became a priest to serve God…”
    “Nope!! Wrong!” She interrupted loudly.
“You’re afraid…” she whispered, staring intensely.
    He shook his head and frowned, unclear as to
what she meant.
    “You’re afraid to live, afraid to die, afraid
to love, afraid to hate…afraid, afraid.” Her voice trailed off as
she seemed to lose focus, her eyes wandering crazily around the
room as though she didn’t know where she was.
    As Gabe listened to her words, he found
himself reluctantly considering them. Am I…just copping out on
life? He wondered to himself. 
    “Mommy?” She suddenly whimpered, a little
girl’s voice emanated from inside the monstrosity. Gabe eyed her
anxiously, not sure if this was one of the entity’s games. The
young girl’s eyes appeared to be a normal shade now, and she looked
frightened as she examined the ties on her hands and feet.
    Looking desperately at Gabe, she began to cry
and beg for him to let her loose. After several moments of
listening to her pleas, Gabe reached to loosen the ties on her
wrists. At that moment, Father Francis entered the room and
witnessed Gabe untying her.
    “Stop!!” Father Francis roared. “It’s a
trick!”
    “Please!” The young girl’s eyes pleaded at
Gabe.
    Tormented, Gabe left the ties and dropped her
hands. The moment he dropped his hand though, he saw something move
near the girl’s head.
    A shadow.
    It appeared to coil itself around her neck.
Barely visible to the naked eye, Gabe squinted and leaned closer to
determine if he was just imagining things.
    As he inched toward to the girl, his eyes
focused on the dark mist entangling itself around her neck, her
eyes suddenly flooded black again. The girl’s head thrust forward,
teeth gnashing and snapping at Gabe’s face. She spat and growled
furiously as she struggled, writhing on the floor.
    Leaping back, Gabe decided he’d had enough of
this exorcism. Grabbing his things, he uttered his apologies to
Father Francis. Leaving the room, he glanced back at the terrible,
loathsome creature on the floor as she thrashed violently and
screamed obscenities.
    “Coward!!! Coward!!! That’s all you are!
Afraid to live!! Hiding in the church so you don’t have to live!!
Hiding behind your bible so you don’t have to face the truth!!!”
The girl screamed, her hips bucking and head whipping back and
forth. She screamed so loudly that her mother had come running up
the stairs.
    Gabe ran from the room, his heart thudding
against his ribcage. All he wanted was to get out of there!
    Running passed her mother he couldn’t even
muster a polite good-bye. He just ran out the door and far away
from 16 Campbell Street.
    Revving up his bike and putting on his
helmet, Gabe roared down the street, unaware of the dark shadow
following closely behind him.
     

Deceptions
     
    David’s eyes fluttered beneath the cover of
his lids. Sweat beading at his hairline. His body convulsed
involuntarily as he fought the fear that threatened his unconscious
mind.
    Liquid invaded his ears, smothering all sound
to a muffled hum. His heartbeat was the only sound he could
hear.
    Black tides embraced his body like a vice.
The unforgiving pressure on his chest as his airways pleaded