The Coven
A row of bodies moved the assembly hall. They each carried a body in the arms. Some diverse in height and weight.
They wore black cloaks that touched their heels and dragged the floor. A man in white stood on the stage.
No. He wasn't part of the white parade. His blond hair was braided, four cornrows sweeping the floor. He wore a mask, the face of a blue demon, black lips, a set of bottom teeth, and outlined in white. He was tall, at least 7'0.
The row filled one line of seats. A second row filled the next and so forth. The five rows were filled that made the semi-circle were full.
The man paced up and down the stage. "I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears." he said. He stopped, the words left his mouth and flowed into their ears. "I looked to the Lord for help," he paused in his step. "And he came through for me, delivering me from all my uncertainties.
"Amen." said the people. He faced the crowd. "I don't have a congregation. But I believe." He put his fist to his chest. "I really believe. That he can do it all. Don't you?"
"I do." they answered.
"Good. Because I found a God..." he put his arms behind his back. "Stela" he put his hand out. "What do you wish from God?"
"I wish for healing." she said. "Come to me," his fingers called her over. She carried the body she held to the stage. Walking up the steps, she stood in front of him. "Do you believe in Magic?" he asked.
"I do." she said. "I believe, there is a God. And he can make my troubles go away."
"Keep that." he smiled behind his mask. "God can do everything. He can do it all, but to receive you must give."
"I understand."
"What have you brought to us, today?"
She looked at her arms. "My dog. Her name was Stepbug." she petted the dead creature. He examined it, "How did they die."
"I hit..." she bit her lip. "I hit my dog with my car." she began crying, "I just wanna say I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." she wailed, "I loved her so much. She came from the shelter, I got her on Christmas."
"She means a lot to you, doesn't she?"
"Yes." she sniveled. "Ever since my father died. I thought I would gain sanity and comfort if I got a little dog. She was a Chinese created dog." water flowed out her eyes, she gripped the dog's body. "Please God, give her back!"
"I can, but do you have something of equal value?"
"My very soul." her face was still, a look of utter determination. He took the dog and went behind the red curtain. He put the dog down on an outline on the floor. Upon the ceiling, origami cranes hanging from the ceiling. They glowing white, small spits bouncing off of them.
Already placed down was the body of a snake that was split down the middle. It was turned over and its eyes blank. "Mon cheri..." he put the dog down. "Someone has offered a soul and a body. They would like them back."
The dead snake started to twitch. The tail extended towards the dog, the snake's head flipped over, it's eyes blind. It slithered to the dog, hovering over it. "Is THiS AlL yOU have TO GIve me?" It saw at Chauncey, Headcount. "I will get you more. I have them," he pointed to the red curtain. "Their standing outside."
The snake's tongue came out, it glided to Chauncey. It licked his face, "GiVE mE ALL Of THEM."
Chauncey got up and moved to the stage. He went behind Stela. He kissed the back of her head, "You are blessed." he uttered. She squeezed her eyes shut, "Thank you." Stela left the stage with a sense of happiness. She sat in her chair and the person beside her leaned, "I never imagined a God. Can you believe he found God. An actual God."
"I feel so safe. It's so reassuring. All my troubles are lifted." Stela cried into her hands. "I don't have to be in pain."
A man behind gripped her shoulder, "He's a saint. A prophet sent to us." he smiled.
Chauncey looked at the crowd, "Matthew." he called. A young teen hurried to the stage, dragging a hefty body. "I killed my parents. I want to be a vampire. Like a real vampire."
"I see," Chancey rolled his eyes. He threw the body on stage and hopped on as well. "I have to give up something of equal value. Look, my buddy Carney said he got fangs from you. So, I also got his body in my garage. I couldn't bring that; I took a taxi here."
"Alright..." Chauncey took with his hands together in front of him. "Why?"
"Why what?" he gawked. "Why did you kill your friend?"
"I hated him. He fucked my sister."
"Ok. Anything else?"
"Immortality." said Matthew. He looked up, "Oh, um, can I get like..." he made a space with his hands. "Some extra..." he whistled. "Cause I like... I'm a jew. My parents talked to me about Yahweh and all that but like I also have cancer so... you know."
"Ok..." he passed the body and behind the curtain Chauncey went. "VAMPiRE?"
"He wants to be immortal."
The snake jolted up and down. "HE's ClEArLY REtaRdEd."
"What do I do?"
"tELl Him TO sUCK A DicK." it snickered. "brIng ME hIS BOdY."
He bowed, "Will do."
Chauncey beckoned the boy over, "You will have it."
"Oh sweet..."
"come back here... the lord wishes to see you."
Matthew looked back and gave two thumbs up.
Behind the curtains, Matthew stared at a small snake with faded green scales. "Cool."
"Kneel." told Chauncey.
Matthew kneeled in front of the snake. He looked into its eyes, colorless with the iris sharp. "YoU AsK FOR mE?"
He tensed, "I want to live forever."
"AND?" the snake rasped.
"I have cancer." he pointed to his head. "In my head."
And it glided over his shoulders. "you arE DYING." its tongue slipped in its ear. "So if we live, it is for the Lord, and if we die, it is also for the Lord. As a consequence, either we live or die, we are the Lord's." the sentence choked Matthew, wrapping his throat.
"DO you HEAr The lIe?" Its tongue licked his nose, exploring his nostrils."
Matthew gagged, pulling his head back. And the snake's body turned black. As if like static in the darkness. It coiled and shifted. "I Want YOuR Very sOUL aND bOne."
Tightening around him. ""You will not surely die," the serpent promised the woman." Its eyes glowed, Matthew's mouth parted, "You shall consume bread by the strain of your neck until you retire to the ground, for you were chosen from it; for you are ashes, and soot you shall become."
It entered his mouth. Muffling his screams, Matthew choked and slobbered. The snake touched the sides of his stomach, poking and biting the inside of his intestines. Chauncey took patiently. Matthew bent over, the snake fully within him. He held his stomach, eyes ready to leave him.
His belly bubbled, he vomited. A gas left him and was soon replaced by a splitting pain. He fell over and the beast emerged in blood.
He spoke to him, his voice like a gutter. He was bigger, fat. A new limb almost like a dragon's claw.
"Bring me another."