• Other Side Trilogy (in progress)
    Live or Die

    Prolouge

    Crunch...Crunch...Crunch.

    I roll my head to look towards the noise, my eyes hazy and growing dark. Thick boots stop a foot from me and i can hear the metallic click of a handgun slide click into place. I lift my eyes to the shadow looming over my broken body and into the barrel of a gun about to fulfill it’s purpose for existing; ending my existence.
    “You didn’t amount to much did you? You went down without letting me enjoy myself, and Dahlia will be cross for not being fed, you are a selfish worm aren’t you? It’s too bad I’ll have to kill you before you have time to feel ashamed.” The shadow leans closer and I can see it’s eyes. Cold, black, empty. The eyes of death.
    “W-why? Why d-did you...” I wheeze out before hacking severely, blood getting on it’s face. The apparition tuts, standing up straight while wiping the blood away. A flash of pain shoots through my skull, my head whipped aside, causing my vision to flare back and dim just as quickly. It’s boot; That was it’s boot that hit me in the face.
    “That’s what you want to ask right before you die? You have time for one question, and that’s what you pick? No, ‘Why am I here?’, ‘What is the meaning of life?’, no, ‘Is my true love a Taurus or a Gemini?’? You really are a moron aren’t you?” It tuts again, hand over it’s face in mock amazement, gun lowered and back turned to me. Broken laughter erupts and I feel a cold finger of fear on the nape of my neck.
    “THAT’S OBVIOUS! It’s because I can! the law of this world is survival of the fittest, the weak fall before the strong, predators will chase their prey, and as prey it’s their destiny to be devoured for the sake of the strong! for the sake of the continuity of this world! You were nothing more then today’s prey, that was your purpose for exsisting, that’s why you are here. To die.”
    I look up and see the beautiful blue sky becoming grey and I feel hot tears roll down my broken face.
    “I just want to go home...” I breathe out, voice quiet. it’s becoming harder to draw in enough oxygen and the edges of my vision are beginning to go white. I hear clothes rustling softly as the thing that did this to me comes close and I hear it whisper, almost as if right in my ear, “Ok worm, I’ll grant your wish, I’ll send you back to the hole you crawled out of.” I hear the sound of thunder, then all goes black.

    *** *** ***

    Far away, a bigot who thinks himself a saint smiles viciously.
    More lambs led astray have been led once more back to God’s flock. MY FLOCK.
    He leans back in his chair, hands folded over his spacious midriff, reveling in his cleverness and good fortune while watching a wall of flickering monitors. The door leading into the room opens and closes, but the large man ignores it, hoping the intrusion would go away quietly, but to no avail.
    “Ahem.”
    The man scowls and waves a hand to the desk, “If this is YET ANOTHER report on subject psychology or another edition to the already extensively edited SUB override give it to the head of technical support or leave it on my desk, I don’t wish to be disturbed right now.” Satisfied that he had taken care of the problem, he goes back to watching his screens, but the pest wasn’t going away that easy.
    “AHEM”
    Turning with a glare to put the man in his place and remind him who is in charge, he sees it is his partner, leaning languidly against a machine holding something. His eyes catch on the manilla envelope in his associates hand and he points getting excited,
    “Is that...?”
    The man holds it out, and before he has a chance to speak, the gelatinous man snatches it from his hand and begins tearing it open to inspect the contents.
    “That is the list of possible applicants who fit the parameters, you asked me to bring them once the numbers fell below 10,000, but why so many?”
    The man is grinning in earnest now, the flabby folds of his face contorting into a terrible visage. “Good, thank you Mr. Peterson, this is exactly what I have been waiting for. And to answer your question dear friend, we are going to begin phase two of the project soon.We only need more data, which this will provide. Invite more sinners to be redeemed in the brilliant light of the one true God! ”
    Mr. Peterson looks at him questioningly, “Ahead of schedule? We weren’t supposed to reach phase two until this time next year, don’t you think you’re being a little too ambitious?”
    “Nonsense, there is no such thing, ‘The early bird get’s the worm.’ I intend to purify this world and lead it in a new age, and progress must be hastened if we are to be victorious. especially with THAT MAN in there. Only the Lord above knows what he must be up to, but it can’t be good.”
    Mr. Peterson laughs at that, “You are the one who put him there in the first place because of your greed, and here you are speeding up the process due to greed. How do you know you aren’t playing into his hands?”
    The large man rises to his feet, face red. “What you are saying is blasphemy, the plan will move as I decree it, this will not be debated. Now leave my office before I have someone dear to you become a subject!”
    He looks quietly at the obese man, his face unreadable, before bowing slightly.
    “As you wish Father Murdoch, it will be done. Let God’s light never lead you astray.”
    Backing out of the office, Mr. Peterson hears Father Murdoch call out half heartedly, focused on his prize, “And you as well.” Walking down the hallway, speaking only to himself, Mr. Peterson smiles coldly;
    “The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse get’s the cheese Father. Let the games begin.”