Post by The Anarchist on Jan 9, 2017 7:42:31 GMT -5
Prologue.
The realm of Absinthe has an unknown founding date, but one may claim it came into existence upon the arrival of a dangerous stranger to it’s adjoined property. There is no census on how many reside in the town divide, as statistics have no bearing on their daily lives. Absinthe is picturesque, almost dreamlike, with it’s assortment of garish colors, Americana building designs and a charm all of it’s own.
Labyrinth Grove, where the aforementioned stranger and an array of unwelcome guests call home, is far darker in appearance. The main structure is a turn of the century farmhouse, or so it would appear from the outside. Dutch windows give it an eerie feeling of the house having it’s own soul. Further down the dirt road is a barn of charcoal black, which on any given night with a breeze, emits a burning smell. It’s as if smoke has permanently embedded itself into the wood. The whole property is encased by rows of orange groves which face the property, and orchards of black apples, which flank from behind.
There are other structures on the land, none of which are of much importance at the present time. Absinthe for its part has the amenities that one would come to expect to find. Cozy homes. Welcoming businesses. Multiple schools. A radio station. Various landmarks and a Diner, which is centered at the heart of Main Street. What isn’t around, is a church. It’s not that the citizens didn’t have a denomination, it’s just nothing has been established yet.
Yet.
I.
Goood morning, Absinthe! It’s time to rise like the dead and get out of bed and say hello to the start of a new day! As always I’m The Green Fairy, the lone voice here on radio station NRKY, playing those totally awesome sounds of the eighties you know you love, but are too afraid to admit! So to coax all of you out of your slumber, here’s Simple Minds with “Don’t You (Forget About Me),” because I know you won’t!
As the familiar intro with the “Hey hey hey hey” and “ooh woh” empties from the speakers, a hand stretches out to the off button from underneath the covers. Just as the first verse is sung, the noise is silenced. The hand retreats back to it’s lair, switching instead with a groggy, “I...already...have.” Minutes pass as the sounds of a clock’s tick provides the soundtrack for the colorful room. With the blinds partially pulled back, sunlight finds access to highlight an assortment of scattered clothes, stuffed animals and multiple posters on the wall. The biggest of which rests above the bed as is of Corey Hart with the phrase NEVER SURRENDER stretching across the bottom in a bold, red font.
The occupant of the room begins stirring, stretching her limbs out as if they were branches from a tree. Following a moan, they decide to finally (as the radio host said to do) rise like the dead and get out of bed. The room belongs to a young female. She looks no older than fifteen, possibly sixteen at the most. Her hair is that of an acorn. It’s also sprouted like a weed in various directions, partially obscuring her face. She has on a mid-length, pinstripe button up with the word SLEEP in purple lettering across the chest. She stretches one more time and turns to look up at the pop superstar protector. Morpheus has nothing on him.
“Oh, Corey. I’ll never surrender my love to anyone but you.”
This was a habit for her. Her being Martha (no last name needed). Corey was a pop superstar during the early and mid eighties, most notable for “Sunglasses at Night” and the given title on the poster. While the likelihood of ever seeing the man behind the music had about as much chance as a certain President-Elect not tweeting, it didn’t stop her obsessive lust for him. Just as her lips meet the glossy paper, her bedroom window begins sliding open. Martha jumps out of bed with a faux expression of fear, tip toes just out of sight and awaits for the incoming intrusion. The female quietly tries to slide inside from the trellis...but it’s thwarted instantly with a “BOO!”
This causes her to add another bump on her head. Which makes five for the week.
“Ow! Martha! You little slime! Do you want me to wake mom and dad like that??”
“Yes!”
“Of course. Of all of the sisters who were ever born, I get the one who happens to be the spawn of the devil. Help me inside, twerp.”
It was Shirley, obviously an older sibling. She had a good two-and-a-half years on Martha. Before the request was granted, Martha closes the frame directly on the middle of her back. Not hard, of course. Just enough to stop her from crawling inside.
“You didn’t say the magic wooord!”
“Let me in or I’ll…!”
“Or you’ll? Oh Da---”
“Ok. Ok. Help me in, PLEASE!”
Martha giggled at the thought of getting her sister to use manners. She relished these moments, as they were few and far between. Shirley looked similar to her sister, other than being a few inches shorter and with a style more tailored for a fifties pin-up. She liked to come home later than was requested, hence having to sneak inside. Unfortunately for her, this meant climbing up to Martha’s room. Once Shirley was in, she straightened out her dress and fixed the sunflower in her hair.
“Shirl...were you robbed?” Martha asked inquisitively. The question drew a confused look from the elder.
“No. Why would you ask such a thing?”
“Oh.” Martha brushes by. “I was just asking, because I see your lipstick is missing and you have on no underwear. Ha!”
Shirley rolls her tongue in her cheek, nodding with silent approval. Martha was quite proud of her quip, going so far as to make a motion that she was going to pull her dress up to prove it.
“Ha ha ha, very funny. We all can’t be the poster child for celibacy, can we? Besides. At least my lips touch that of another human. NOT a poster of some guy who was relevant, what, fifty? Sixty years ago?”
“Corey is STILL relevant! Besides, you know what the movie said. Keep your morals strong, and you’ll never go wrong.”
Shirley scoffed at the notion of morals and do gooding. She was a blossoming woman who knew what she wanted and who to get it from, when she wanted it.
“That’s right. Said. Not do. Gosh, Martha. If your morals were any stronger, you could wear a chastity belt!” she pauses. “Unless...you already do...”
Martha smirks and steps up to her sister. “Harlot!”
“Prude!”
“MADONNA! Ohhh I got you there, Shirl! That woman sleeps with everyone! Heh heh.”
Shirley embraces her antagonistic sister with an arm around the shoulder, followed by a kiss on the head. “That was a good one. I taught you well.”
II.
Baby beluga in the deep blue sea,
Swim so wild and you swim so free.
Sitting just on the outside of the white picket fence facing her home, is a little girl singing the Raffi hit to herself. After the first two verses, it changes to a hum as she keeps entertained by drawing a stick figure family in pastel colored chalk on the sidewalk.
Heaven above and the sea below, And a
little white whale go…
A shadow casts dominance over the young child, stopping her from the chorus. She glances to see a set of black dress shoes paused. Her eyes canvas black slacks. Then the coat and white shirt. The black ribbon tie and finally the partially hidden face of a smiling serpent and the rounded hat crowned on his head. She closes one eye and squints with the other to make out the scary man standing there.
“Baby...beluga.” The cadence was methodical. As was the crouching down so that the eye level was equal. It was Seromine. “Baby...beluga. Is the water warm?”
Seromine wasn’t singing the words. He was phrasing it as a question to the young child. She fumbles cautiously with her chalk, unsure of what to make of his presence. Seromine takes a glance at her drawing. Studying the figures lined up in front of a crude representation of the house to his left. He places his sun baked hand down on the warm pavement, pulling all but his index finger in. With that he traces between each member.
“That’s my family.”
Seromine provides his full attention. “So it is! So it is. And family, my dear, is very important. I’m sorry if I frightened you. It’s just that, I heard your lovely melody, and like a siren, it drew me over.”
“Thank you.” she shyly replies.
“Say! Is your mama home with you?”
“Um, no. Mommy is, is, at work.” the child replied as she returned to her drawing. Seromine’s smile was slowly dissipating. “But she’s right here.”
The child points her out in the drawing. The figure had straw yellow hair.
“Oh, she’s very pretty. And who are the others?”
“That’s my daddy. My sister. And me!” she was emphatic about showing the stranger where she was in the picture. “Oh and my dog, Sparkles.”
Seromine’s laugh was dry. “Well lordy be, that IS a dog, isn’t it? I do believe you should be gifted, for this fine display of artistry. What do you say? Would you like a gift?”
“I love gifts!”
Seromine pauses. His expression was stone cold. “Yes...” he replies apathetically. “Everyone does.”
Reaching into the inner pocket of the coat, his eyes divert to the ruby red satchel being pulled out. It was tied off with a silver string.
“REILY JANE! Who in the world are you talking to?! Didn’t momma tell you not to talk to strangers??”
The bright eyed child gasps as if her hand had been caught in the cookie jar. Seromine, overhearing the foreign voice, puts the small bag back into hiding. Coming from inside the house is a fair complected teenage female with eyes as blue as the sky. Clearly this wasn’t a first, further proven by the stern line of questioning.
Reily leans in, “That’s my sister Alannah.”
Seromine stands back up, annoyed by her presence. But he hid it well with a welcoming smile and removal of his hat. Once big sister joined the party, Seromine offers a handshake. “It’s nice to make your acquaintance, Miss Alannah. I was telling young Miss Reily here---”
“Reily go inside.”
“But Ally, I wasn’t...”
“Reily...”
Alannah was practically gritting her teeth the second time. The young girl was defiant, but she gathered her chalk and after saying goodbye, whisked away out of Seromine’s sight. Alannah takes a moment to gain her composure, allowing her emotions to calm, before addressing the man in front of her.
“I’m sorry, you’ll have to forgive my sister. She’s very friendly and likes to talk to people.”
Alannah notices the offered hand. She places her own in his grasp to commence the gesture.
“No harm done. She’s a cute child. I have two of my own about her age, so I understand how it goes. God blessed me with four in total, all girls.” Seromine quips.
“Yeah. You don’t look to be from around here and I’ve never known Absinthe to have a church.”
“That’s really a pity. The town is unusually charming. Perhaps with my arrival, a church can be a fixture here amongst the flock. Allow me to introduce myself. I’m James David Manson. I was a preacher in a former life, as you very well can tell, but God always puts us in the places we need to be. All of the glory belongs to him, Miss Alannah.”
A serious tone was beginning to slip through the cracks.
“Well, we’ll see what happens. But allow me to be the first, I hope, to welcome you to our little piece of Heaven. Who knows. I may just come to your church.”
“The Church of New Beginnings always welcomes those who pass through the doors, child. I hope to see you there, sometime.”
Sermon.
“Earlier today, I saw the face of an angel! Brothers and Sisters, hope is not lost for the people of Absinthe!”
Night had fallen on Labyrinth Grove, which meant it was time for the ritual. Inside of the converted blackened barn, was Seromine and his followers of Salvation. The interior was beginning to take shape with pews, red carpeting, stain glass windows and an assortment of various religious artifacts. The newly won Icey awards were hidden away on the property. The process was a work in progress, but things were coming together in his likeness. His masked servants took up the two pews comprising the front row.
“I’ll return to that matter. First, let us rejoice! The fruits of our labor over the last two shows. At Collision Course, I was put into a triple threat match, against two common men who I held victories over in the past. One is who I took the International Title from, and the other is a man of rum. I heard all of those whispers about speed and unpredictability. Andrew D and High Tide no doubt were formidable foes with championship pedigrees of their own.
...But I struck them down in the name of God, OH GLORY BE TO HIM!”
“Amen!”
“Hallelujah! But our work wasn’t done that night. No, No, No. We had another surprising piece of business to deal with. A returning pair of malcontents who took it upon themselves to not only lull MY faithful with previous grievances and petty insults, but to engage in an unscheduled match. Our roads had never crossed in the past, but the names of Eira and Whitey Ford are highly regarded in the annals of PCW history.
But they were uninvited. And they desecrated my holy ring with their felonious conduct...they are SINNERS! So, we had an order from God to strike them down. To send a message that we are going to cleanse the masses, one way or another. Just when it looked like we had things under control, the calvary came to their rescue...”
The Owl masked leader steps away from the pulpit and lowers his head. So to does the followers.
“Jeremiah chapter thirty-three, verse eight says: I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me.”
“PRAISE SEROMINE! PRAISE THE LORD!”
“I can forgive their transgressions this time, for the powers that be have gifted us a most colorful opponent. Oh, how I have been waiting for this glorious day to arrive and FINALLY it has. When we depart for their world next, Kelli Starr awaits. I take nothing for granted with her. Yes, I disapprove of her ways. Yes, I would like nothing more than to burn her at the stake. But it would be far foolish of me, to discredit her in ring abilities. To ignore her accomplishments. To dismiss her in any fashion.
Just as it is foolish of her to continue her association with the follies of Balance. She clearly hasn’t learned from her past, and it has come home once more to repeat itself.”
The animated Seromine taps his fingers across the wooden pulpit, fixing his gaze towards one of the multicolor windows. Without even so much as looking, “Salem. Bring me the gift.”
“Yes, father.”
The dog masked follower leaves temporarily. Once returned, a French mirror is stood up in the center of the makeshift stage. The rose colored gesso frame had a carved motif of demons, top hats and Marie Antoinette inspired indulgence. Painted over the glass was a representation of Kelli Starr herself. The bright as hell shade of pink she fancied no doubt an eyesore to Salvation. Hisses welcomed the object.
“Tonight’s lesson comes from the book of Ezekiel, chapter twenty-five, verse seventeen. It says: I will carry out great vengeance on them and punish them in my wrath. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I take my vengeance on them.
Kelli Starr was one of those who rushed to the rescue. And she. will. pay. WE are the safeguards of Absinthe, and we MUST save the people from the enemies of Balance. They use mirrors to see the reflection of Satan staring back at them! He opens up his gateway and gives them passage!
Foolish mistake, brothers and sisters. I cannot allow that to happen in the homes where our message is received. Absinthe must be saved. Absinthe will be saved! Spread the word and bring them to me!!”
“PRAISE SEROMINE! PRAISE THE LORD!”
“Praise Salvation. We are the way.”
The group closes the sermon by smashing the mirror into shattered pieces of glass. To which it will be buried in an unmarked location later in the night.
The realm of Absinthe has an unknown founding date, but one may claim it came into existence upon the arrival of a dangerous stranger to it’s adjoined property. There is no census on how many reside in the town divide, as statistics have no bearing on their daily lives. Absinthe is picturesque, almost dreamlike, with it’s assortment of garish colors, Americana building designs and a charm all of it’s own.
Labyrinth Grove, where the aforementioned stranger and an array of unwelcome guests call home, is far darker in appearance. The main structure is a turn of the century farmhouse, or so it would appear from the outside. Dutch windows give it an eerie feeling of the house having it’s own soul. Further down the dirt road is a barn of charcoal black, which on any given night with a breeze, emits a burning smell. It’s as if smoke has permanently embedded itself into the wood. The whole property is encased by rows of orange groves which face the property, and orchards of black apples, which flank from behind.
There are other structures on the land, none of which are of much importance at the present time. Absinthe for its part has the amenities that one would come to expect to find. Cozy homes. Welcoming businesses. Multiple schools. A radio station. Various landmarks and a Diner, which is centered at the heart of Main Street. What isn’t around, is a church. It’s not that the citizens didn’t have a denomination, it’s just nothing has been established yet.
Yet.
I.
Goood morning, Absinthe! It’s time to rise like the dead and get out of bed and say hello to the start of a new day! As always I’m The Green Fairy, the lone voice here on radio station NRKY, playing those totally awesome sounds of the eighties you know you love, but are too afraid to admit! So to coax all of you out of your slumber, here’s Simple Minds with “Don’t You (Forget About Me),” because I know you won’t!
As the familiar intro with the “Hey hey hey hey” and “ooh woh” empties from the speakers, a hand stretches out to the off button from underneath the covers. Just as the first verse is sung, the noise is silenced. The hand retreats back to it’s lair, switching instead with a groggy, “I...already...have.” Minutes pass as the sounds of a clock’s tick provides the soundtrack for the colorful room. With the blinds partially pulled back, sunlight finds access to highlight an assortment of scattered clothes, stuffed animals and multiple posters on the wall. The biggest of which rests above the bed as is of Corey Hart with the phrase NEVER SURRENDER stretching across the bottom in a bold, red font.
The occupant of the room begins stirring, stretching her limbs out as if they were branches from a tree. Following a moan, they decide to finally (as the radio host said to do) rise like the dead and get out of bed. The room belongs to a young female. She looks no older than fifteen, possibly sixteen at the most. Her hair is that of an acorn. It’s also sprouted like a weed in various directions, partially obscuring her face. She has on a mid-length, pinstripe button up with the word SLEEP in purple lettering across the chest. She stretches one more time and turns to look up at the pop superstar protector. Morpheus has nothing on him.
“Oh, Corey. I’ll never surrender my love to anyone but you.”
This was a habit for her. Her being Martha (no last name needed). Corey was a pop superstar during the early and mid eighties, most notable for “Sunglasses at Night” and the given title on the poster. While the likelihood of ever seeing the man behind the music had about as much chance as a certain President-Elect not tweeting, it didn’t stop her obsessive lust for him. Just as her lips meet the glossy paper, her bedroom window begins sliding open. Martha jumps out of bed with a faux expression of fear, tip toes just out of sight and awaits for the incoming intrusion. The female quietly tries to slide inside from the trellis...but it’s thwarted instantly with a “BOO!”
This causes her to add another bump on her head. Which makes five for the week.
“Ow! Martha! You little slime! Do you want me to wake mom and dad like that??”
“Yes!”
“Of course. Of all of the sisters who were ever born, I get the one who happens to be the spawn of the devil. Help me inside, twerp.”
It was Shirley, obviously an older sibling. She had a good two-and-a-half years on Martha. Before the request was granted, Martha closes the frame directly on the middle of her back. Not hard, of course. Just enough to stop her from crawling inside.
“You didn’t say the magic wooord!”
“Let me in or I’ll…!”
“Or you’ll? Oh Da---”
“Ok. Ok. Help me in, PLEASE!”
Martha giggled at the thought of getting her sister to use manners. She relished these moments, as they were few and far between. Shirley looked similar to her sister, other than being a few inches shorter and with a style more tailored for a fifties pin-up. She liked to come home later than was requested, hence having to sneak inside. Unfortunately for her, this meant climbing up to Martha’s room. Once Shirley was in, she straightened out her dress and fixed the sunflower in her hair.
“Shirl...were you robbed?” Martha asked inquisitively. The question drew a confused look from the elder.
“No. Why would you ask such a thing?”
“Oh.” Martha brushes by. “I was just asking, because I see your lipstick is missing and you have on no underwear. Ha!”
Shirley rolls her tongue in her cheek, nodding with silent approval. Martha was quite proud of her quip, going so far as to make a motion that she was going to pull her dress up to prove it.
“Ha ha ha, very funny. We all can’t be the poster child for celibacy, can we? Besides. At least my lips touch that of another human. NOT a poster of some guy who was relevant, what, fifty? Sixty years ago?”
“Corey is STILL relevant! Besides, you know what the movie said. Keep your morals strong, and you’ll never go wrong.”
Shirley scoffed at the notion of morals and do gooding. She was a blossoming woman who knew what she wanted and who to get it from, when she wanted it.
“That’s right. Said. Not do. Gosh, Martha. If your morals were any stronger, you could wear a chastity belt!” she pauses. “Unless...you already do...”
Martha smirks and steps up to her sister. “Harlot!”
“Prude!”
“MADONNA! Ohhh I got you there, Shirl! That woman sleeps with everyone! Heh heh.”
Shirley embraces her antagonistic sister with an arm around the shoulder, followed by a kiss on the head. “That was a good one. I taught you well.”
II.
Baby beluga in the deep blue sea,
Swim so wild and you swim so free.
Sitting just on the outside of the white picket fence facing her home, is a little girl singing the Raffi hit to herself. After the first two verses, it changes to a hum as she keeps entertained by drawing a stick figure family in pastel colored chalk on the sidewalk.
Heaven above and the sea below, And a
little white whale go…
A shadow casts dominance over the young child, stopping her from the chorus. She glances to see a set of black dress shoes paused. Her eyes canvas black slacks. Then the coat and white shirt. The black ribbon tie and finally the partially hidden face of a smiling serpent and the rounded hat crowned on his head. She closes one eye and squints with the other to make out the scary man standing there.
“Baby...beluga.” The cadence was methodical. As was the crouching down so that the eye level was equal. It was Seromine. “Baby...beluga. Is the water warm?”
Seromine wasn’t singing the words. He was phrasing it as a question to the young child. She fumbles cautiously with her chalk, unsure of what to make of his presence. Seromine takes a glance at her drawing. Studying the figures lined up in front of a crude representation of the house to his left. He places his sun baked hand down on the warm pavement, pulling all but his index finger in. With that he traces between each member.
“That’s my family.”
Seromine provides his full attention. “So it is! So it is. And family, my dear, is very important. I’m sorry if I frightened you. It’s just that, I heard your lovely melody, and like a siren, it drew me over.”
“Thank you.” she shyly replies.
“Say! Is your mama home with you?”
“Um, no. Mommy is, is, at work.” the child replied as she returned to her drawing. Seromine’s smile was slowly dissipating. “But she’s right here.”
The child points her out in the drawing. The figure had straw yellow hair.
“Oh, she’s very pretty. And who are the others?”
“That’s my daddy. My sister. And me!” she was emphatic about showing the stranger where she was in the picture. “Oh and my dog, Sparkles.”
Seromine’s laugh was dry. “Well lordy be, that IS a dog, isn’t it? I do believe you should be gifted, for this fine display of artistry. What do you say? Would you like a gift?”
“I love gifts!”
Seromine pauses. His expression was stone cold. “Yes...” he replies apathetically. “Everyone does.”
Reaching into the inner pocket of the coat, his eyes divert to the ruby red satchel being pulled out. It was tied off with a silver string.
“REILY JANE! Who in the world are you talking to?! Didn’t momma tell you not to talk to strangers??”
The bright eyed child gasps as if her hand had been caught in the cookie jar. Seromine, overhearing the foreign voice, puts the small bag back into hiding. Coming from inside the house is a fair complected teenage female with eyes as blue as the sky. Clearly this wasn’t a first, further proven by the stern line of questioning.
Reily leans in, “That’s my sister Alannah.”
Seromine stands back up, annoyed by her presence. But he hid it well with a welcoming smile and removal of his hat. Once big sister joined the party, Seromine offers a handshake. “It’s nice to make your acquaintance, Miss Alannah. I was telling young Miss Reily here---”
“Reily go inside.”
“But Ally, I wasn’t...”
“Reily...”
Alannah was practically gritting her teeth the second time. The young girl was defiant, but she gathered her chalk and after saying goodbye, whisked away out of Seromine’s sight. Alannah takes a moment to gain her composure, allowing her emotions to calm, before addressing the man in front of her.
“I’m sorry, you’ll have to forgive my sister. She’s very friendly and likes to talk to people.”
Alannah notices the offered hand. She places her own in his grasp to commence the gesture.
“No harm done. She’s a cute child. I have two of my own about her age, so I understand how it goes. God blessed me with four in total, all girls.” Seromine quips.
“Yeah. You don’t look to be from around here and I’ve never known Absinthe to have a church.”
“That’s really a pity. The town is unusually charming. Perhaps with my arrival, a church can be a fixture here amongst the flock. Allow me to introduce myself. I’m James David Manson. I was a preacher in a former life, as you very well can tell, but God always puts us in the places we need to be. All of the glory belongs to him, Miss Alannah.”
A serious tone was beginning to slip through the cracks.
“Well, we’ll see what happens. But allow me to be the first, I hope, to welcome you to our little piece of Heaven. Who knows. I may just come to your church.”
“The Church of New Beginnings always welcomes those who pass through the doors, child. I hope to see you there, sometime.”
Sermon.
“Earlier today, I saw the face of an angel! Brothers and Sisters, hope is not lost for the people of Absinthe!”
Night had fallen on Labyrinth Grove, which meant it was time for the ritual. Inside of the converted blackened barn, was Seromine and his followers of Salvation. The interior was beginning to take shape with pews, red carpeting, stain glass windows and an assortment of various religious artifacts. The newly won Icey awards were hidden away on the property. The process was a work in progress, but things were coming together in his likeness. His masked servants took up the two pews comprising the front row.
“I’ll return to that matter. First, let us rejoice! The fruits of our labor over the last two shows. At Collision Course, I was put into a triple threat match, against two common men who I held victories over in the past. One is who I took the International Title from, and the other is a man of rum. I heard all of those whispers about speed and unpredictability. Andrew D and High Tide no doubt were formidable foes with championship pedigrees of their own.
...But I struck them down in the name of God, OH GLORY BE TO HIM!”
“Amen!”
“Hallelujah! But our work wasn’t done that night. No, No, No. We had another surprising piece of business to deal with. A returning pair of malcontents who took it upon themselves to not only lull MY faithful with previous grievances and petty insults, but to engage in an unscheduled match. Our roads had never crossed in the past, but the names of Eira and Whitey Ford are highly regarded in the annals of PCW history.
But they were uninvited. And they desecrated my holy ring with their felonious conduct...they are SINNERS! So, we had an order from God to strike them down. To send a message that we are going to cleanse the masses, one way or another. Just when it looked like we had things under control, the calvary came to their rescue...”
The Owl masked leader steps away from the pulpit and lowers his head. So to does the followers.
“Jeremiah chapter thirty-three, verse eight says: I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me.”
“PRAISE SEROMINE! PRAISE THE LORD!”
“I can forgive their transgressions this time, for the powers that be have gifted us a most colorful opponent. Oh, how I have been waiting for this glorious day to arrive and FINALLY it has. When we depart for their world next, Kelli Starr awaits. I take nothing for granted with her. Yes, I disapprove of her ways. Yes, I would like nothing more than to burn her at the stake. But it would be far foolish of me, to discredit her in ring abilities. To ignore her accomplishments. To dismiss her in any fashion.
Just as it is foolish of her to continue her association with the follies of Balance. She clearly hasn’t learned from her past, and it has come home once more to repeat itself.”
The animated Seromine taps his fingers across the wooden pulpit, fixing his gaze towards one of the multicolor windows. Without even so much as looking, “Salem. Bring me the gift.”
“Yes, father.”
The dog masked follower leaves temporarily. Once returned, a French mirror is stood up in the center of the makeshift stage. The rose colored gesso frame had a carved motif of demons, top hats and Marie Antoinette inspired indulgence. Painted over the glass was a representation of Kelli Starr herself. The bright as hell shade of pink she fancied no doubt an eyesore to Salvation. Hisses welcomed the object.
“Tonight’s lesson comes from the book of Ezekiel, chapter twenty-five, verse seventeen. It says: I will carry out great vengeance on them and punish them in my wrath. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I take my vengeance on them.
Kelli Starr was one of those who rushed to the rescue. And she. will. pay. WE are the safeguards of Absinthe, and we MUST save the people from the enemies of Balance. They use mirrors to see the reflection of Satan staring back at them! He opens up his gateway and gives them passage!
Foolish mistake, brothers and sisters. I cannot allow that to happen in the homes where our message is received. Absinthe must be saved. Absinthe will be saved! Spread the word and bring them to me!!”
“PRAISE SEROMINE! PRAISE THE LORD!”
“Praise Salvation. We are the way.”
The group closes the sermon by smashing the mirror into shattered pieces of glass. To which it will be buried in an unmarked location later in the night.