Flash Fiction Friday #1
A man walked into the clearing. He looked around at the scenery. It was something he'd feel differently about shortly. Pain. Pain changes perception. And, to prove a point, he was about to cause himself a lot of pain.
The man glanced at the sky and smiled. It was going to rain. Rain hard. All of the sin would be washed away. This would make for a good sermon later. Firstly, he needed to accomplish his task.
Being a minister, sometimes there were those with doubts. So, he told the congregation that if he cut off one of his limbs, he would die. But if he prayed that he be allowed to continue his work regardless of any...accidents, he would live. And so, he prayed for just that. Right in front of the congregation. Some of the women gasped. The men punched each other in the arms and began to laugh. But the man, the minister, took himself very seriously. Keeping his eyes closed and his voice raised to the heavens.
And here he was with an axe, his faith, and representative of the congregation. Who, as of yet, had remained entirely silent.
The man turned and spoke, “Richard, would you join me in prayer?”
Richard walked over and kneeled just as the minister had. He clasped his hands and repeated the words of the Lord’s Prayer.
After the prayer was finished, the two men stood up and shook hands. The minister was careful to make sure he shook with the hand that would soon be God’s.
And the moment passed. The minister took the axe from the holster at his side. Looked at the heavens. Layed his hand on a nearby stump and brought the axe down once, twice, three times on his hand.
Struggling to maintain conciousness, being as blood caused him nausea, the minister stood up, meeting no objection from the stump, and raised his severed arm to the heavens yelling, “All for you Lord! In your name we pray.”
With his good hand, he beckoned to Richard, who had his mouth open in total awe, “Please, come pray with me once more.”
And so Richard came over once more and recited a prayer with the minister. When the moment had passed, the minister took his severed hand and gave it to Richard quoting Scripture, “Take and eat, this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
The minister took the axe in his good hand. And they walked back to town. There they walked to the church, where the congregation would be waiting.
The service was started and no one seemed to notice nor care about the blood. They didn’t notice during the Sermon. And they didn’t notice during the holy sacrament of communion.
But they did notice when Richard was called to give his testimony. The man raised the minister’s hand high above his head and spoke to the crowd, “If there was any doubt, let it be slain. If there was any sin, let it be washed away.”
Richard crossed himself and walked away from the altar. The service was finished and the congregation dispersed. As Richard left, he walked over to the minister and shook his hand, “I’m sorry I doubted God before. But I won’t anymore.”
“Tell Him, not me. I am purely his servant,” was the minister’s reply. And, in answer, thunder boomed from the sky and rain began to pour onto the town. Rain. Hard rain. All of the sin was washed away.
The End
(This isn't my best. But I like it. It has heavy Christian over-tones, I hope I don't offend anyone.)
