Pagan Justice
by Elisa P. Black


A chill moved down through his body, so slow and agonizing that it 
seemed to take hours to complete its journey, and even then the cold 
remained, almost burning.  He could now see himself, floating in 
darkness, eyes amber, fangs bared, pale skin like a glowing candle.  
But as he watched, he realized he wasn't moving. 

One by one, bright flickers appeared in two straight lines that 
marched towards his lonely body from behind.  With those tiny flames 
came an indistinct chanting, growing in volume and in terrifying 
vengefulness as the fires grew to agonizing brightness. 

Pagan chants, in obsolete tongues yet clearly directed towards hard 
justice.  'Shut out the noise and close your eyes.' He couldn't. 

The candles were too bright.  It was almost like daylight around him. 
Pain!  He watched from outside his immovable body but sensed 
everything from within it.  He had no control.  No!  He had to be 
master of the situation; everything had to be as he wanted!  And if it 
wasn't, he would make it so!  But he knew that wasn't possible here. 

The pain kept building.  Among the fires, he could make out a huge 
cross, the one Christ had died on.  No!  Unbearable pain!  Each flame 
illuminated a face; they were all of his victims from over the years.  
For each face, he remembered the ecstasy of the blood passing through 
him, and for each memory came an increase of his pain in restitution.  
Millions upon millions; unbelievable pain! 

The cross was in place.  Hands now, only hands taking up his limp arms 
and nailing him to the cross like Christ before him.  Shooting, 
throbbing, screaming pain!  All he wanted to do was open his mouth and 
scream.  But he couldn't.  Hell with my pride! 

Let me scream, let me cry, let me do something to get rid of this 
pain! 

Eyes now, millions and millions of eyes, watching him, an audience.  I 
won't feel sorry for you; you can't make me!  A giant hand came 
down--the pinky was as tall as himself--and picked up the cross at the 
intersection. Slowly the hand raised it perpendicular to its previous 
position. Strings unraveled where the stakes held his body and the 
giant hand moved deftly about.  He felt his limbs jerk around as he 
was danced about like a marionette. 

Lucien screamed in horror. 


The End