MARIEL

8~ God's Favor ~

Sunday, January 12th:

He'd never run so fast in his life. He hadn't realized that the adrenaline had pushed him to run from the city to his home in the suburbs.

The humanoid followed him as he entered his home and slammed the door. Breathing hard, Mariel leaned his head against the door and closed his eyes. Gasping. Trying to understand what had happened and what might happen in the very near future.

'What a kill!' It chanted, dancing. 'Oh my, what a kill!'

"Shut up!" he screamed, grabbed at his hair again, pulling, biting his lip until it bled. Crying hoarsely, he sunk to the ground, beating his forehead with his palm again and again. His body shook violently, and he dry heaved, tasting the acidic burn of the dinner he'd eaten rise to his throat. He saw Esther.

'Mars,' she whispered.

He saw Gabe.

'Let's make a bet,' he said.

He saw them both, together, writhing in animalistic pleasure. He saw Gabe's smashed in, bloody face. It didn't even look like a face anymore, just flesh and blood, and that flesh and blood had been alive not long ago. His best friend.

'What a kill kill kill!' The humanoid said, and twirled.

Mariel collapsed to the floor, covering his face. His body jolted, like Gabe's had when he brought that brick down again and again. He rolled, feeling the whispers in his ears, chasing him, feeling prodding fingers touch him, pinch him.

'Welcome to the family!' The humanoid said.

"God!" Mariel screamed, curling into the fetal position. He heard Harlow hiss in the darkness, but couldn't find the source, the direction. "God please! Talk to me! I'm sorry!"

The humanoid cackled, dancing joyously, and then rushed to hover over Mariel. 'Hello,' he said, lowly, cocking his head. 'I'm God now.'

"Dad!" Mariel roared, scratching his fingernails against the floor. The house was dark. His father was not home. "Dad, please come home! Fuck!"

He'd just killed someone. He'd just murdered someone. He wasn't worried about the cops. He didn't care about the arrest, the trial, the judgment. The People vs. Nadier.

He cared about God vs. Nadier.

"I can make this right," he whispered, closing his eyes. "God, just tell me what to do."

The humanoid thrust its dark face into his. 'He did. He did tell you what to do.' He cackled with glee. 'Oh, how I've waited for this day.'

Mariel lunged to his feet, started pacing. Ran his fingers through his hair. Checked his phone. Nothing. No texts, no phone calls. Where was his dad? What would Fr. Jerome think? What would Esther think? No, they wouldn't find out. They couldn't find out. But, someone would find out. Someone would know.

Screaming, he flipped the dining room table. It smashed to the ground with a roar. He snatched the flowers Gabe had purchased, flipped the switch to the garbage disposal. Stuffed them inside of it as the machine roared. Bits of flower and stem vaulted into the air. He turned on the water and then repeatedly pounded his palm against the counter.

Mariel had to hide the body. No, it was too late to hide the body. The cops were probably already there, determining his death. Determining the things that he studied in school. Forensics. Taking pictures. Snapshots. Measurements. More snapshots.

'Victim, white male.'

"Fuck!"

No, he shouldn't curse. He couldn't curse anymore. He couldn't do anything to risk losing God's favor again. He had to make up for this. No cursing, no sex, no bad thoughts. Nothing. He'd make up for it. Turn himself in. He'd regain God's favor, the humanoid might leave again, Esther might forgive him. She'd understand. Gabe had been a douchebag, he'd only wanted to fuck her, only wanted to use her. It wasn't Esther's fault... he'd probably groomed her and then raped her that night. Esther would understand. Rapists deserve death, yes? Yes, he'd turn himself in. Regain God's understanding and love. This would go away soon.