Daniel (forgivemefather) wrote in light_of_may, @ 2014-04-12 12:41:00 |
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Entry tags: | #flashback, #solo, daniel |
& commit the same crime
Who: Daniel and NPC'd church-goers
Where: Amazing Grace church, Scarlet Oak
When: Some time in the late 1800s
Warning: Sacrilege, violence, etc.
Today was the day.
Daniel looked at himself in the mirror, straightening the red shirt that he had chosen, making sure the buttons all lined up in the proper holes. His hair got a thorough brushing and even a bit of slick and he had gone through, for the first time in weeks, the bother of giving himself a nice, close shave. Everything about his appearance today screamed 'trust and love me!' and that was the point, was it not? The other purpose of the red was more sinister, but there was no need to think on that. He was, after all, busy studying his own appearance and approving of every aspect of it. "Pastor you are one good looking man." A wink and he turned to head up the stairs. The congregation was going to begin arriving within the minute and though the majority of them were not as bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as they had been months ago at the start of it all he still looked forward to shaking all of their hands. It made what would come after that much firmer.
His little helper was already there, making sure that there was no dust on any of the pews or minorly altered Bibles. Daniel sometimes thought that maybe all of his followers were faulted in some way, or that they never actually read his Bibles, because they should realize what was wrong with them. Blasphemy did not belong in the Bible. The original version that he had once read - while completely intriguing at parts when the angels and God got all wrathful - was seriously lacking in the more creative deaths. Who wanted to read about a man or his wife turning to a pile of salt when they could read about someone's entrails being pulled out and left for the crows? He had borrowed a little bit from some of the Greek myths at bits too. Those Greeks were very creative and he would not have minded being around in their times.
"There's never any dust, Pastor Daniel," the small man whined. His name was Timothy, he was weakly demonic-blooded and Daniel despised him. He was a lickspittle who had done odd jobs around the town, unable to hold one down, until he came around. The only reason he kept him around was for sheer entertainment value. That and he would make a nice little scapegoat so none of those pathetic excuses their called their law enforcement came after him. Not that he would worry if they did. It was not as though any of them were angels.
That would just be too much fun.
Daniel rested a heavy hand on Timothy's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Timmy, my dear boy, you act as though you want to have more to do!"
"I do." Dear lord but his voice was annoying. "I feel like you don't even really need -"
The door swung open and Daniel held up his hand to stop whatever it was he had been about to say. "Later, Timmy, the congregation is arriving." His heart had started to beat faster with excitement as he went to greet the first arrival. "Mr. Davis, so delighted to see you here this week. How's little baby Jamie?" Who he was disappointed to see was not in attendance. Next time he was going to have to make sure that there was a nursery specifically for the little ones. It was just in poor taste to let any of the family stay home when they could be taking part in such a wonderful thing.
He continued to greet every person who came through the door; handshakes for the men, hugs for the women and hair ruffling for the smaller children. His little herd of sheep had grown in the past six months and he was certain that the thirty-two people were enough. Thirty-three if you counted Timothy since his life would be just as ruined. He may not end up six feet under, but he would likely wish that he had by the time it was all over. Daniel doubted that men in prison took well to men who had killed an entire congregation, including the children. People were so touchy over the little ones.
Once everyone was in the chapel, Daniel closed the double-doors and smiled at the reassuring click of the lock. He had reinforced that himself just in case. But there was no need. These people who turned to watch him as he walked up the aisle would not run. Once he started speaking they were rarely even capable of looking away from him.
"Today, my friends, we will begin with communion." He stood behind the pulpit, a small cup of wine by his hand. He smiled. "Adults to the left, children to the right. We wouldn't want to let them go running off drunk, would we?" A chuckle rippled through the people as they rose to retrieve their own cups. It was a ritual they engaged in every month and nothing new. Except for the heavy dose of poison mixed with the wine and juice, and the additional lacing the small pieces of bread they would eat. Daniel had never seen these two poisons taken at the same time and he was absolutely looking forward to seeing what happened. Well, except Timothy. Timothy's wine and bread were already set aside and it was as poisoned as Daniel's own.
Once everyone had settled back into their seats, Daniel raised his piece of bread and began to speak. It sounded heartfelt, but having already said it countless times meant that he did not even need to think of it. He was looking forward to when they ate it, though he rushed through the wine portion, tossing his small cup aside when he was done. Fingers curled around the top of the pulpit as he leaned forward, eyes flashing. If only he could have found a way to have a little bit of holy magic around at a time like this so that they would flash red. That would have produced some reactions. As it stood he could always use his words.
"Did you all enjoy communion today?" Nods of heads, though a few were not. A few were rubbing at their throats, a few more were making faces as though they had a bad aftertaste on their tongue. The children. Now the children... Daniel watched them with interest. They were the smallest and it would happen to them first. "When you really stop to think about it, how can you enjoy such a thing?" He had released the pulpit and stepped around, sitting on the steps that led up. Like he was trying to be casual with them. Not like he was getting on a better level to see them fall apart and also to be able to just take down anyone who thought running might help. "It's meant to symbolize a body and blood which seems... cannibalistic to me. But it's even worse because it's supposed to be the body and blood of the man you mistakenly believe to be your Savior."
The most independently minded member of the church, Chase Adams, started to stand. A stomach cramp made him double up for a moment, but he mastered it. The confusion on his face was not so easily done away with. "Pastor? What-"
"Oh, shut up you pretentious shit." The gasps were loud and Daniel grinned. "What? Didn't think your pastor knew how to swear? Ohhhh I've got some real gems saved up. But we're not swearing right now. Right now we're going over all the reasons why your precious religion is nothing but lies." People were starting to get up. Well, they were trying to. The smaller ones were not quite able to keep themselves held up and the children's heads were lolling. "Does it hurt yet? It should be hurting by now. But before you start screaming..." Children were crying, loudly, a few had collapsed on the floor and their mothers went with them to try and soothe them. "No, that won't work. And you can try praying to your God, but he's never been in this church." He stood up and stretched, his shirt tearing as his wings unfurled. Copper glinted and someone screamed. "This church is my place and I?" He kicked off his boots so his unnatural feet showed. "Am the devil." To which he offered a quick, silent prayer just in case Satan was listening. He was not blasphemous.
The screams started in earnest then and one of the Bibles flew through the air to crash against his skull. Daniel's eyes flashed and he strode up the aisles, taking the brave man by the throat and lifting. "That was a mistake, Chase. I was going to let you die with the rest, see how much blood you coughed up. But if you want to be brave..." He started to squeeze. Chase's eyes went wide and he left deep gouges in Daniel's arms as he tried to get free, his kicks almost managing to hurt. "This is what happens when you defy the will of the devil!" Daniel roared as he brought his other hand up, gripped and twisted. Chase's neck snapped with a satisfying crunch and he shook the fresh corpse at the rest. "This is what happens!" He hefted the man and threw him, laughing when he took out the two oldest women in the church. Still laughing he flexed his wings and jumped up into the air, hovering above all their reaches as he watched the poisons begin to take their toll.
Some started to vomit soon while others collapsed, convulsing. Daniel could not let that be all, though, and he swooped down here and there to pluck someone up, soar to the roof of the church and let them drop. One little boy fell directly on the pew and his back snapped. It took five more minutes for his weak thrashes to stop and the screams of his mother were music to his ears. It all was. All of this was worth listening to their pathetic worries and concerns, seeing the sincerity in their eyes when they sang hymns to this god of theirs.
Daniel thought that maybe this was why he did it; to show that the Christian god was not real. If he was, then surely he would have stepped in by now as a false prophet slaughtered his precious sheep. But nothing. Not even an angel to step in and try to put a stop to him. "It's really rather sad," he informed the last living member. A young woman, a brunette, that Daniel had coerced into bed more than once, who was laying in a pool of vomit and blood, shaking violently. "No lightning strikes, no fierce winds, no holy wrath..." He stood, flinging his arms and wings out. "WHERE IS THE HOLY WRATH?" he shouted to the ceilings, ignoring Timothy trembling in the corner and the brunette breathing hard at his feet. " A DOZEN TIMES AND NOTHING HAS HAPPENED! NO REPERCUSSIONS... NOTHING! DO YOU CARE SO LITTLE FOR THOSE YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE MADE?"
The woman breathed her last and Daniel looked down with a disgusted sigh, toeing at her side. That had not been as fun as he had thought. Next time he was just going to go old-school and kill them all with his bare hands.
A weeping sound interrupted his thoughts and he turned to find Timothy in that same corner, hands bloody from where he had beaten on the wall, tears streaming down from his wild eyes. He did not even seem to recognize Daniel when he looked at him. "I knew were worthless," Daniel snorted as he unlocked the door. "Can't even keep your mind when it was mostly bloodless. You should've my last work... now that, that was stunning. Don't try to run, Timmy, the police need someone to blame and the door's going to be locked. Just be a good boy and tell them what you did. Or tell them the devil did it." He laughed. "That'll go well for you."
Whistling, Daniel stuck his hands in his pockets as he turned the deadbolt on the door, picked up the bag he had left packed just inside the door that led to the basement and turned to leave.
Next time he would do better. Poison was slow and boring and they deserved to go through much worse if they were willing to trust him.