« Previous Issue | Main | Next Issue »

December 13, 2007

Thursday

Bell, book or candle?

• Comments (4)     Bookmark: del.icio.us • Digg • reddit

David: Done Cursing the Darkness

Bell magic was magic of the senses, of sound and light, pleasure and pain. It was for people who chose to hide from reality behind pretty illusions, to pretend control over chaos.

Book magic was magic of knowing. The past, the future, the distant, the innermost. It was for people who needed answers and were willing to pay.

I was done hiding. I had enough answers. It was time for candle magic, the magic of energy, and therefore the magic of matter, space and time. It was a dangerous path, but I stepped onto it boldly.

God help them.

Showtime.

• Comments (0)     Bookmark: del.icio.us • Digg • reddit

Jim: Simon's Viaticum

Floating in his pressure suit, alone in ebony darkness pinpointed by the bright diamonds of far away stars, Brother Simon had time to reflect on how the Church had changed over the years. Today, technology replaced many of the icons used in sacred rites.

Instead of a book, the Scriptures were now stored in vid units.

The candle had been replaced by an electric lamp.

And the bell… Well, it was still a bell, pealing excommunication’s soul-wrenching vacuum and chiming promise of a short life apart from God’s favor.

Dumping the heretic to slowly die in space was new, though.

Read more from Jim's .

• Comments (0)     Bookmark: del.icio.us • Digg • reddit