The Damned- Part 4

I’ve decided that I’m going to play around with The Damned more than I had originally thought.  I’ve always been fascinated with the subject of demons as corporeal entities that can interact with humanity.  I also think that these issues allow for me to explore, even just for myself, issues of sacrifice, morality, good versus evil, the nature of agency, etc.

I’m not normally philosophical, but when it comes to religion I just can’t help myself.  I find the endless variety and similarities shared by religion to be a source of constant fascination.  Each of us, in our own way, years for that something Other.  A ‘More’ which gives us a sense of purpose or destiny to combat the knowledge of our own impending demise.

Theological explorations like this one are a good way for me to sample the things that drive others.  As a man who is not driven by any internal faith or belief in a higher power, I find it eternally stimulating to explore the faith of others.  Even of imaginary men and women in a world that will not be alive anywhere but within my mind.

Marching onward, ever onward…

The Damned – Part 4

That’s right, I said it.  Chosen.

We weren’t chosen for this life, we weren’t chosen for this destiny.  We chose this for ourselves.

Why choose damnation and madness you ask?  It’s easy really.  Once you stare at the empty husk of what had once been a human being, the entire essence which drove them torn away until they are nothing more than a breathing sack of meat.

Once you know that the soul in question has been either devoured for the gain of the demon which stole it, or worse yet taken to Beelzebub’s torture chamber to be sent through agonies unknowable and then be utterly destroyed for time and all eternity.  Once you know that, once you’ve seen that?

Standing idly by and doing nothing seems like more hell than I could ever have tolerated just to get into Heaven.

Not that there weren’t plenty of other things that a soul untarnished by demonic weaponry and accoutrements could do to assist.  Heaven had stayed decidedly mute on the whole affair however, despite the damage to eternal beings under it’s care.  I hadn’t attributed it to a lack of caring, instead it was my belief that it simply wasn’t yet His time to act.  Or Her time to act, depending on the interpretation.

I took a pack from it’s resting place inside my duster, and put a hand on my fedora as I made my way towards the personal conveyance tube I needed to return to the meeting I had been forced to duck out of.  The next victim in an endless line of such creatures was plied free of it’s cage, ready to be consumed and the shattered husk that remained discarded as so much junk.

I felt a special kind of vindictive glee in the act, a defiance at breaking established expectations even after throwing my gauntlet in Lucifer-wannabe’s face the way I had.  I flexed my bottom-left hand, the razorsharp talons scraping against the hardened demon skin on my palm.  The bright red scales, wound around the arm all the way to my midriff, crashing in a wave of invading plates onto my stomach and back.  My right replaced the pack, and my upper-left continued to secure my rakish attire.

The pop of the bright pink bubblegum I had begun chewing was the only thing to spoil the carefully crafted image of bad-news bear I had made for myself.

I grinned.  You can’t have everything.

The chute was waiting for me, neat as I had left it.  The gleaming walls of recycled plastic shone with the daily polish that all lesser demons gave everything these days.  I stepped in, now plastering my cap to my head for all I was worth as I tucked my arms across my long trench coat.  The lift whirred to life, detecting me within it, and after I hastily sucked in a breath and spoke my destination, I was off.

A great wa-whoomph of air shot me upward, continuing to gain steam as I was rocketed along gentle slopes and curves.  I held my breath, eyes screwed shut, willing the thing to just get me there already.  A few seconds longer, and the trip was over.  I’m a drifter, remember?  Public transportation is mandatory under United Government rule, so there’s always a shoot chute in every city.  I readjusted my cap as I tried to make the angle as rakish as possible.  I spoiled the effect a little when I popped a new piece of gum in my mouth. 

Then it was time to meet with The Arbiter and find out what new nonsense I had to deal with from Beelzebub. 

To be continued…

Gumfully,
Justin