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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: MIX (10/22/15)
"And what rough beast at last
Slouches toward Bethelem?"


Fatal Fusion

His tendrils spanned across the seas, climbing, clutching at the wind. All six heads tilted toward the heavens as he shook with anger and spat in contempt. Leaves, twigs mixed with small animals and frightened birds swirled in turbulence around him. Nature gone mad. His tall and once lovely being began to slump, forming a repulsive curl.

Growling, he cast up love. “A bit of light for you. And now, a bit of dark.” Into the air he constructed various imitations of love…riches, computers, material loves. He watched them linger, each separately floating above man’s consciousness and waited until they mingled and fused into man’s heart. He raised his growl over the howling wind. “Love is powerful, but it can be used as a weapon, too. Man is ravenous for bread and I shall feed them mine.” He tossed stale crumbs until they caught in the squall and blew together with words of wisdom until man knew no difference. They tumbled across the ground and were chased by fools.

Slouching now, slouching, slouching….

The spirit of the world creeped along to his cavern of fears and searched through The Book of Lies. “Recipes for disgusts and distresses, which page, which page?” A particularly violent gust of wind whipped the words from his mouth and the book flew open. “Yes…here, this is indeed the page I want. Every disgusting distress, and might I add repulsive act, can be stirred into the sacred and intimate relationship of marriage. Man will dine with delight then spiral into a vile dreadfulness of mind that I will torture endlessly.” Out of the book, out of the cavern, into the storm. The hurricane hovered over the white-laced canopy of the marriage bed and into the flesh of man caught off balance in the downpour of iniquity. A fog of green, black smoke lingered over the earth.

Slouching, slouching, closer now….
The beast scratched himself and pulled away bleeding tendrils cut by his bristly hide. In attempt to grasp it all with his earthly power, he shot his tendrils up to circle around the Vine. But his blood was no good and he was unable to jiggle the Vine. Unable to shake man completely from their hold, no matter his coiling tendrils of deception. Out of sorts, he turned seedy eyes towards his path and hunched ahead. He knew, oh, he knew…but he would not acknowledge defeat. Arrogance cheered him. “My superiority will win.” And he was satisfied. Pleased, he decided to tease those that cling to the Vine. Apostasy. A wonderful concoction, apostasy and the Body.

This time a tornado of religion tunneled the earth. Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, Bia-‘hi, Catholism, all sects of Christianity…all accepted, all the same path to God. “Expertly muddled light with darkness will have teachers teaching and pastors shepherding the Body to embrace this love offering of lies. I’ve come full circle now, back to the love I began with. Only this time, not imitations of love, love of wealth, technology or the such. No, this is the best deception of all. Love for each other. Isn’t that the scripture everyone knows? LOVE THY NEIGHBOR. And what about JUDGE NOT?” Oh, that’s royal…that’s splendid! I’ll go big on that.”

A whirlwind of apostasy fluffed in with love spun into the church, soon to become one church. One religion. And next, politics salted with love. Everyone is correct, no moral over accepting, accommodating, love. Not just tolerance, but consenting, agreeing love. There were still those who clung to the Vine. Detested on the news channels and the internet, they were called “haters” and banded together in homes or were jailed because new laws outlawed them.

The spirit of the earth, that course beast, slouched, slouched…but not as rapidly. There was something, something, something…

His growling became screeching and he wrapped his six heads with his tendrils and covered every ear to block out the sounds. The storm abruptly ended. He tried to ignore the words that glided on a fresh breeze.

Tick, ticking, ticking…your time is running out.
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This article has been read 1231 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Hannah Gaudette
10/29/15
Well-written, vivid, and true. Nails the topic!
Leigh MacKelvey
10/29/15
Just adding....I meant to have under the epigraph who wrote the lines to the poem I quoted . It was William Butler Yeats! I had trouble submitting and I had it in my computer document but forgot to paste it on the submission.

Loni Bowden-Horn 
10/30/15
A vivid description of how Satan hooks his tentacles around us and squeezes the lifeblood right out of us. It was a poetic and moving piece of work which perfectly nailed the topic. Provocative and descriptive writing style.
Bonnie Bowden 
10/31/15
Part of winning the war is to know the strategy of the enemy. This story reminded me of His Present Darkness.

Well written, Leigh. It should do well in the challenge.
Tisha Martin
11/03/15
Vivid and compelling descriptions. There was an added sense of mystery, too. Good job!
Carol Penhorwood 
11/03/15
A colorful description of our world...
Bonnie Bowden 
11/05/15
Congratulations on placing 3rd place in the EC awards, Leigh.

I knew this was a winner the moment I read it.
Holly Westefeld
11/05/15
Congratulations, Leigh. Your imagery was outstanding!
Ellen Carr 
11/06/15
Congratulations, Leigh, on your EC. You've written this with chilling images of evil's power. Great writing.