The Music Be The Food flash fiction event continues with round three. This time, the song is one of my all-time favorites, from prog metal master, Devin Townsend, called Kingdom. Give a listen to the tune and then read the first flash fiction piece, by the fantastic Brent Abell.
Undone
I’ve come undone.
I’m not exactly sure when it happened or why, but I’m not whole anymore. I tried to talk with the other guys at lunch today, but my heart wasn’t in it. They made fun of me and they said I was annoying. One mean girl said the ‘f-word’ before she said I was annoying and it hurt. If her words took the form of an arrow in flight, I’d be dead. Maybe if my heart hadn’t fled my body, I’d give a shit.
Then God came to me.
I sat in my kitchen, alone, and drank a glass of water. It is a small studio apartment, so I’d know if someone came in. He just appeared there and glared at me. I tried to look him in the eyes, but I couldn’t. Something about him made me avoid his gaze.
Then, he laughed.
“What’s so funny?” I asked.
“You won’t even look your God in the eyes. How are you even going to get the others to accept you?” he answered and then proceeded to ask me a follow-up question.
“I don’t know. All I know is they don’t like me and make fun of me.”
“What about Sally Pearson?”
“How do you know about her?”
“I’m God.”
I looked up from the granite counter and met his eyes. “Okay, so I like her.”
“Have you told her?”
“Fuck no; she makes fun of me the most.”
God stroked his long white beard and I could tell he was in deep thought. I couldn’t believe how much he fit every stereotype we have of the Almighty. Well, except the robe; the white robe was a white business suit instead.
“I have something for you,” he offered.
“What would you have for me?”
“A book.”
“Let me guess, the Bible?” I laughed.
God glared at me and I could feel the fire burn in his eyes. I wonder if this was how Lucifer felt when he challenged his Father. I feel like maybe he thinks I’m throwing the gauntlet down to him.
“No, one much older.”
He smiled and an old leather-bound tome was sitting in front of me. It appeared to be ancient and it looked like if I touched it, it’d fall apart.
“You can safely touch it. The book is sturdy and you won’t hurt it,” God said.
“Stop reading my mind, it’s freaking me out,” I said.
“You can do what you want to with the book and I’ll get it back when you’re finished with it.”
“Why would you do this?”
“I like to play around in my creation from time to time,” God mused.
When I looked down at the book and back up again, he was gone. Without hesitating, I opened the book. A cold sensation crept up my fingertips and through my arm. My mind opened and I could see Sally. She sat in a bar and men were hitting on her right and left. She looked unhappy and I loved it.
In my mind, I could watch her and words from the book filled my head. I whispered them as they popped in my thoughts and observed her. I hope it makes her fucking annoying. I hope all the guys who hit on her see her for what she truly is. She took a long pull from the wine glass sitting in front of her and a younger man approached her. I could tell she really did seem interested in him, but when she turned toward him, she tried to talk. All that came from her mouth was a high-pitched squeal. The man turned and walked off. I could see the tear form in the corner of her eye as she downed the last of her wine.
Over the next ten minutes, multiple men approached her only for her to do something obnoxious or annoying to drive them off. I felt the anger and the disappointment in her, but I didn’t care. She was miserable and she knew what I felt like.
I didn’t expect her to pull out the small gun from her purse and shoot the bartender before ramming it in her mouth and pulling the trigger.
My hands flew off the book and I was sweating profusely. The room was freezing, but I was burning up inside. I know I joke about my heart leaving me alone, but I really didn’t feel it in me now.
“That was fast,” God said sitting across from me again.
“I don’t want to play anymore,” I whimpered.
I killed that man and Sally. I can feel their blood staining my hands.
“But, I do want to stay and play some more.”
“Whatever I said from the book, release me,” I pleaded.
Something in God changed. Light spilled from his eyes and I could see his aura glow brighter than if I looked directly into the mid-day sun.
“We’ll play forever,” God told me.
“Release me.”
He placed his hand on my forehead and the world went black.
Now, I sit here and I can’t leave. Each time I turn on the television or look out the window, I see Sally die over and over again.
Every second I come undone over and over. Guilt ravages me and I can’t forgive myself nor will God let me feel remorse. God is a liar. God isn’t God. He gave me light only because he is the Light Bringer. The universe is coming undone, but that’s okay. I’m stuck in Hell to play the game.
Read more from Brent at brentabell.com.