The Church
by @dirgeThe air was sticky and they’d been drinking for hours. It was late into the evening of the going away party for Ron and Jenni. They’d been good friends to Sean when he first arrived, but since then they’d grown distant. In fact, it had been awhile since Sean had hung out with anyone. He’d arrived to a room full of people he didn’t know, already well on their way to getting drunk.
“It’s so great to see you,” Jenni said, offering a hug. “Sean, oh man!”
Ron offered a handshake. “Hey man, good to see you one last time.”
“Thanks for the invite,” Sean replied. “And sorry to see you going.”
The room erupted with laughter. A man had slipped and fell on his ass and he was rolling on the ground hollering away. “I’m goanna grab a cigarette,” Sean said.
“Oh wait!” Jenni grabbed his arm. “Let me introduce you to everyone!” She proceeded to bring him through the rooms of the townhome they rented for the night’s going away party. There was a Jack and a Royal and a Jeremy and a Kim and a Karen and more and Sean soon forgot all those names anyway. He finally go outside for a cigarette, his heart racing and his anxiety peaked.
“Fucking…” he mumbled to himself. “Too many fucking people in that space.”
“I know, right?”
The voice startled him. He peaked over and saw a girl sitting with pink dyed hair. “Can
I get one of those?”
“You know Jen and Ron?” Sean asked, offering her a cigarette.
“Sure,” the girl replied. “We met a few times at church.”
“Church?” Sean asked. “I’m incredulous. I didn’t know they were Christians.”
“Oh, it’s not that kind of church.” The girl took a drag on her cigarette and the presumed air of mystery she was attempting to paint annoyed him.
“Okay,” Sean said. “Well, then, what kind of church is it?”
The door to the porch opened and the music blared from inside. Ron came outside with a group of other party goers, all drunk and cheering.
“I’m telling you,” one of the guys was saying. “That girl’s totally into me. I’m going to go for it.”
“Do it!” Ron said. “We all believe in you man. Believe in yourself!” Then, turning to Sean. “We’re going for a swim!” Ron announced. He shouted it again, and the group cheered.
Sean glanced over to the girl, whose name he still didn’t know. She was smiling.
They trekked down the dirt road from the pension then through a dirt path. The ground was rocky, volcanic in some spots in that way typical to Jeju. Drunk, most of them stumbled. They passed by a fish farm, the ponds of which were covered in nets. Then a water treatment plant with rumbling generators inside its deep warehouse.
Then they reached a secret, secluded beach. The pink haired girl stripped down, an obsidian necklace dangling from her neck, glowing in the moonlight. She descended into the water.
“It warm and wonderful!” she said. “Come on.”
The group stripped down, and Sean saw many were wearing the same pendant. He began to strip as well, as the idea of warm ocean waters in such a hot night was intoxicating. He went into the water, swimming till it was deep enough to fully submerge.
When he came back up, he heard screaming.
My Ending
The girls acted as if they were mad, shouted with emotion, kissed a tall man with an attitude of greatness and very smiling who had arrived at the place, stripped him of his clothes, the others began to come out of the water.
"Come Sean, come and meet the Master," said the girl with pink hair.
Sean felt a little cold when he came out of the water, everyone looked happy and remembered that church thing, he thought it was a great opportunity to ask questions and satiate his curiosity.
"Here I am" commented Sean looking at the girl with pink hair, "I present you to the Master" she said.
"A pleasure", Sean comments observing that this one also has an obsidian necklace hanging from his neck, Master of what? Sean asks.
The man laughs out loud, while the others are drinking and lighting a bonfire.
"Master of light" answers, while inviting him to sit around the campfire, Ron passes a kind of pipe to the "Master", "This is my special guest" says Ron. "Yes, I know," he smokes the pipe and passes it to Sean, Sean smokes and feels happier than ever.
How's that about the light? Sean asks.
Everyone watches as Jack and Karen sneak through the bushes. That's man, trust and nothing else," said Ron, the place exploded with laughter.
Some danced while others sang, it was all a mess, nobody inhibited their expressions.
"I help them to get the light of death, without suffering, without pain," said the Master.
"Enjoy the party, come let's dance" says the girl with pink hair, standing in front of Sean; the sculptural figure of the totally naked girl moves him completely.
"No, come, sit down I feel dizzy" giving small pats to the floor, "Don't be sorry" laughing replies the girl with pink hair, "that's something natural" shamelessly observing his intimate part.
Sean took her by the hand and they began to dance, are you finally going to tell me your name? Sean asks, "I'll tell you if you agree to do whatever I ask.
"If I promise" says Sean staggering around, "It's Roxy", "Beautiful name" and grabbing her by the shoulders kissed her, while he thought it was the best thing he's ever lived.
Suddenly a few little bells begin to ring, "Come, let's say goodbye to our friends", everyone sits in a circular shape around Ron and Jenni who are standing, suddenly "the Master" comes and joins them with two glasses filled to half.
"Friends, we are here to bid farewell to two marvelous beings who have not found a solution to their problem, and for love of neighbor we must help them to transcend painlessly to the other world" Pronounces the Master giving each one his cup.
"Sean murmurs in Roxy's ear, "Why suffer? they have already been diagnosed", suddenly Ron and Jenni lie down on many flowers and fall asleep.
Be still stunned at the site observing the naturalness with which they all act, and Roxy whispers "you must begin", "What is it?" "The grave, you were his special guest, welcome to the Church" while she puts the necklace with the obsidian on his neck.
by @vida-blanca
The people of @bananafish with their contest Finish The Story Contest - Week #56! motivates us to imagine a story, feel and express ourselves through writing.
