Wrath, Greed, Envy, Pride, Gluttony, Sloth, Lust
“I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God . . . I will be like the most High” (Isaiah 14:13,14). That was what written on the plaque that hangs over the door. Below it was the lines which we were all familiar with; 'Enter at your own Risk." I looked at the large high double door that keep us out of this equally large mansion which is need of repairs as it looked abandoned for years. As we were walking in to the mansion, I had a glimpse of its two level structure of the old Victorian design with rows of painted sash windows in boxes set flush with the brickwork and more brickworks on the pillars and corners. It would had been a beautiful place if not for the decayed paintworks and rotted roofing with outlets for the birds to nest within itself.
"Come on, guys. We do not have whole day to stand here and gloat over this place. Its going to rain and this is only shelter within sight. Are you coming in or staying wet outside?" That was Paul; our self appointed leader by default because of his football status appears to give hi the right. He did not wait for our replies as he opened the double door and pulled his silly girlfriend, Lizzie into the mansion. Its typical of Lizzie to follow Paul anywhere and anytime without a whim of complaint. She is so much into him that he is treating her like his personal slave. It feeds his expanded ego to the brim. Next to go in were the equally brash brothers of Slane and Glen, who cares for the world is the couch facing the TV and the big bowl of popcorns to eat. The two may be of blood kins but their physical appearance are that of Laurel and Hardy. The other pair to run for the shelter are the Twain cousins; Evie and Genie. Two beautiful vixens if we had allowed witchcrafts in today's world, for the former is always envy of Lizzie for her prized catch. She tagged along in any excursion to ensnare back the man she claims is her love of a lifetime. Her sister Genie is not for the catch, but she just wants to add to her list of conquest of boys she had teased with her beauty. To her the long list of admirers feeds her greed for her wanton desires. Somehow Paul evades her and she wants him to be in her list too.
"Toad, you coming?" That's me; they all called me Toad as I do looked like one form the movie X-Men. But my given name is Benjamin Tad. I am the single person whom no one cares to looked at twice but can be called on twice to help. I am also the one you see carrying out the water pail in the playoffs or picking up the hoops after the game. I am also better know as the 'Water Boy'. Today is my fault as I was driving the van carrying them back from the last game when the engine went dead on the roads. The rest of the team was on the official coach and they had not seen us stranded. As it was about to rain, the girls insist on proper shelter rather than snugging in the van. It was Paul who saw the mansion off the road and he suggested we come here. The rest you know and we are all in the mansion now.
The first thing that greet us was the high staircase leading to the second level and the high ceiling in the lobby area. The large chandelier still hangs over our head as we walked in. The girls are all ecstatic in being such large hall compared to our small dorm units. Paul was already opening doors on both sides and he soon led us to what may be the grand library. Its a large room or hall if you considered its bigger than the classroom we studied in, with the rows of shelves which are still filled with books; probably antique by value. There is also a settee set of high back Victorian designs in the hall facing the fireplace. Above the fireplace is an imposing portrait of probably its owner. A figure of a man dressed all in black with a red cravat at his collar. What was most unusual of the portrait was the figure appeared to life form and the eyes are staring at you as if its tearing into your soul.
"Toad, could you set the fireplace and after that close the patio doors. The draught is very cold." Paul is playing to his copy of the owner as he sits himself on the chair with his slave at his feet. I moved to the fireplace and stoke the ashes away. But a flicker of flame was seen and then the whole place was a lit. I am taken aback at the fire which light by itself. Maybe I am imagining things, but I could had swore I seen little devils are seen in the flames laughing at me. I shook off my head as that could be my imagination at play. I added in more woods found at the side of the fire place. I walked to the glass doors that open to the patio. I took hold of the handle and the door closed by itself. I did not pull on it, but it close by itself. And latched the lock. I turned around to tell the others but the words would not come out.
Paul is still at his 'throne' stroking his pet at her hair while she is like a feline looking for a rubdown. The two girls are at the shelves and rummaging the arranged books into a pile of disarray on the flooring. Glen is seated at the fireplace with the opened bags of chips and a can of cola. His brother Slane is sitting on the other high back with his legs on the small stool wriggling his toes as he had removed his shoes beforehand.
"By golly, I found it. Fanny Hill. I knew a classic like this would be in the shelves." That was Genie who adds the book to her bag. "Its a whore book. She has more lovers than even Valentino."
Her sister, Evie took to heart her words; "I saw it first, and it should be mine. You taken it from my grasp without asking me first. You bitch." It was to be an exchange of profanities as one who is envious of the others greed.
I looked at the others and see that they are all indulging in their own evils. No one looks to me or the fact that we just invaded an empty mansion without consideration of the owner. I looked at the portrait and I see the figure moved. Its stepping out of the frame and its foot is on the flooring. No, its not a foot but more of a hoof. It stands tall for a man and taller than most man I have seen. His face is not of pale complexion but of a reddish color with a set of horns on the forehead.
Oh, my Lord. Its my father, Lucifer. He is back.
I should had known. Now wonder this place looks familiar to me. Its my birthplace; I was send here to live among the mortals as its commanded by him. I should had remembered the plaque but it was years ago after I was sent away by Gabriel to live in the monastery. Gabriel, my father's nemesis pleaded that I be raise with the devoted and be of one, But I am the Devil's son and none can redeemed me except he was my father.
"Belial. You come back to me. But who did you bring back with you? And what mess they made of this place? Is this what Gabriel sent you to learn? I shall need to speak to that Angel on his mis-conduct." My father stands tall overshadowing the fireplace as he faced the six miscreants who intrude on his privacy.
"Toad? Who is he?" Paul is now in fright and he is holding onto his seat by the handles with his hands.
"Silence, you fools. How dare you called me by that vile name." My appearance changed now to reveal my true self; a figure of a man but with two more heads; one of the toad and another of a cat. "My true name is Belial, son of Lucifer. I am a King before your time, with the command of fifty Legions, and I fought in the War of the Son of Lights against the Sons of Darkness. You are now in my home and you have shown the six sins of man. For that I would exact the punishment that befits your crime of sins. Let it be known to all who are listening and watching, Belial spares no mercy to any in his wrath."
I turned to the person I known as Paul.
"Pride feeds your ego and you strive on it. You clamor for the unique position that others would be trampled or ignored by you. I won't change your desire of that sin but I would add more it. I would make you so full of pride that when you would isolate yourself to a cell of recluse due to your own self affinity. Your pride would be your downfall as you lose you sanity to yourself. You would be living in a world that you created and only you can dwell in it." I send Paul to the mindless world of self indulgence in his own worship. He seems himself above all, that he speaks to no one but only to himself. He lived alone in his own padded unit in the Sanitarium for the rest of his life. Paul has become a heretic for the rest of his life.
"Lizzie; lust fills your mind and you are no more a slut in the making. Your mind is colluded with these thoughts that you would do with it to get what you want. Unlike a whore, she does it for a living, and nymph does it for the pleasure, but you are manipulative with it. I see no way to allowed you that as many a times in man's history, a woman like you has toppled Kings and destroyed nations. I find a more befitting punishment for you is to removed your glands and anatomy. Your bosom would be harden and your orifice closed for good. I see no other adequate means that can level your vile ways." Lizzie felt herself and yet she felt nothing. She screamed and she ran from the hall.
Glen looked at me and pleaded on his knees. His action may turned a man but I am an evil personified soul now.
"Forgiveness does not appear in my soul, Glen. You are a glutton and above all, I despised your manners. I shall find that your sin is best to be done with an antidote. Like Midas, what you may put to your mouth would turn to worms and leeches. So goes for your brother whose name should had been Sloth instead of Slane. Your relaxed nature should be inflicted with now a decaying advanced illness of Dystonia." Both brothers starts to cry in their seats as the changes starts to take place."
"No...." Evie was the one cried out.
"Envy is your sin, Evie. From now, you won't need to feel envy. Others would of you as you would be hounded by all wherever you are. Your life would be a continuum of people who will mobbed over you. They would tear off pieces of you as they would feel what you had been projecting all this time."
"Poor Evie.." Genie was looking at her sister while holding her book.
"Greed is yours, Genie. I find your true self to be wanting more of everything. You even greed to have Paul for yourself, but you did not stop at him. You also desire Slane and Glen. You desire not of lust but of numbers. You are truly a bitch. If Fanny Hill is yours to greed on, then share her life form in the brothel where you can add more to your listing."
I looked at my father.
"My sin is wrath. I have committed it many a times in retaliation for the discrimination that was heap on me. I have urine into the water pail and soaked their towels in the dish washing water. Just as they incurred my wrath for their humiliation on me, I shall not spared you too. You sent me here and left me a mortal. You shall feel my wrath now, Father. Yours would be to be at my side for the rest of my lifetime in Hell with you."
The towering figure who claims to be my father laughed at my wrath.
"You are too late. Your mum done that already. She wants you there too. And before you decide to incur your wrath on her, please be advised that hell hath no fury than a woman scorned. In this case, grand evil is your mother's fury if both of us are not back in time for supper."
No comments:
Post a Comment