Death

"Father!"

Alex jolted awake. He had fallen into a light sleep after reading the Bible for a bit. His head turned to the direction which the voice came from and a pale teenage girl came into his line of vision.

She ran to his front and knelt down at his feet while sobbing. Her action puzzled Alex to some extent.

"I have done a horrible thing, father!" The girl cried out amidst her sobs.

"Speak, what is it that you have done?" Alex asked lightly while smiling at her. "Whatever you have done, our father in Heaven is always ready to take you back in his warm embrace". Alex continued his attempt to cajole the girl. "What ails you, speak"

"I cannot be forgiven father, the lord won't forgive me. I am subjected to a fate worse than death". The girl continued to cry much to Alex's frustration. "I am doomed to an eternity in hell, father"

Alex sighed softly. There was no point trying to ask her what she did. When anyone came to him crying like that, claiming that they had committed an unforgivable sin, it was almost always the same thing, they killed someone.

Naturally, Alex couldn't ask her right away who she killed so he decided to try and cajole her into telling him what happened.

"There is no sin, no matter how heinous that cannot be forgiven". Alex bent down so that he could look her in the eye. "As long as we come to God filled with remorse and willingness to walk away from sin then he'll open his arms and embrace us"

"But I can't be forgiven father". The girl continued to insist making Alex to massage his temple slightly. He was getting frustrated and she could see it. "I cannot be forgiven because I feel no remorse".

If Alex was shocked after that statement, his face definitely didn't show it, instead he sighed and asked: "Who did you kill?"

"He-He wanted to have his way with me a-and I said no". She started, "Because the Bible warns us against fornication" she added, maybe it was to win his sympathy but Alex merely signaled her to continue.

"There was a knife and…" She choked on a sob. "I stabbed him… more than once. Because I enjoyed it, because I loved it". She turned towards Alex "Am I possessed?"

Alex sighed. This was too much of a headache for him. What was he supposed to tell the girl at this point, that she was most definitely possessed by a demon? That the Holy Spirit had most definitely left her being entirely? Or that she should grow up, get over it and stop disturbing the fuck out of him.

"No" he said softly. "You're human and as such you're not perfect. No one is perfect"

"But-" The girl was about to protest.

"You only defended yourself because he wanted to do something horrible to you, that's not a sin". He massaged his temple. "Let us pray"

Ten minutes later, they finished praying and he instructed her to stay inside the church for a few days until he was certain that she had calmed down.

He watched her figure depart deeper into the church and he sighed to himself. He was a pastor, a reverend, a father like figure to some. He had helped to cure many people of different ailments. He had exorcised the demons of many troubled souls yet he couldn't rid himself of these constant nightmares.

There was the saying that a doctor could treat everyone else but couldn't treat himself. He realized now more than ever that the saying was probably true.

"Hey, shitface!"

Now, Alex most definitely did not consider himself a shit face. He only responded to the voice because he realized that he was the only person in the room and as such it was most logical that whoever was talking was referring to him.

Still, he had to be sure. Who on earth had the balls to talk to a pastor like that.

"Were you talking to me?" Alex said lightly

"You got a problem with that?" The person that was talking toon a few steps towards Alex and briefly revealed a gun that he concealed under his shirt.

Oh, great. It was a robber. Just what he needed for today, a bloody robber who wanted all of his bloody money. It was the guts for him, the-

"Yeah, actually I do" Alex said lightly. "I'm not a… shit face"

A look of amusement settled on the face of the man that entered the room. "Look, I don't want to hear you talking unless you're answering my questions". He once again briefly showed Alex the gun that he hid under his shirt as if reminding him of the threat that he posed. "Now, where's the butch that ran in here?"

"I don't think I saw any dog come in here". Alex answered.

"Now don't you play smart with me, I saw that bitch enter here". The man brought out the gun. "Now tell me, where the fuck is she?"

"I don't have time for this" Alex looked bored as he spoke. "If you're going to shoot me then do it already, stop shaking the gun as if it's a toy".

"Tell me where she's at". He cocked the gun. "Don't think I ain't goin' shoot you because you're a pastor. We all die the same"

Alex sighed. "Okay, if I do tell you where she is, what do you plan on doing to her?" Alex asked.

"Imma blast her head off"

"See, that's why I won't tell you". Alex said. "What kind of pastor would I be if I let her die?" Alex said matter of factly.

"Imma shoot her your ass"

"Have you heard of Jesus?" Alex picked up the Bible. "Now, John 3:16 says-"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three shots. Three bullets. Three holes in his chest.

Three holes through which blood flowed out of. He used his index finger to gently scoop a bit of blood and smiled gently when he saw it. Finally, he would die.

He collapsed to his knees and looked up and smiled. He was going to Heaven. He was going to where God promised him. He was going home. And with those thoughts in his mind, his body capsized to his left… and he died.

"Don't be telling me 'bout no bitch ass religion". The man said to the corpse. "I'm atheist". He kicked the corpse and spat at it. Then he started walking towards the passage that led further into the church.