Dream System Of Seven Sins

The first thing that struck her was the contrast in lighting. Outside the sun was shining brightly but inside the church it was night and the only source of light was the candles that hung on eight columns, four on each side that ran down the middle of the room.

The weak candlelight lent the place a sense of intimacy and simultaneously, gave her who was still beyond the threshold a limited view of the things within.

The white columns were decorated with meaningful flowers like baby's breaths and tulips.

The pews were crowded with children consumed in their childish antics, however, curiously enough, not one seemed interested to cross the bloody red carpet that separated the pews into two.

All of them were smartly dressed, boys in tuxedos and girls in dresses. At the end of the carpet stood a handsome boy of about ten in a pressed suit.

Based on her reading, this was the host, her client. Before him was an elderly, gentle looking priest in a black cassock.

He was probably there to officiate this... wedding.

The room was curiously oblivious to her presence and the fact that the door had opened so suddenly.

They carried on as if nothing had happened.

Suddenly, she heard a creaking sound coming from above. She lifted her head and saw the wooden planks that boarded up the window crashing down towards her.

She nimbly side-stepped out of danger and the planks shattered into smithereens. At that instant, a hush fell over inside the church.

The children froze in the middle of playtime and turned their heads towards the front of the altar in unison.

Then, in their childlike voice, they chanted, "Where is the bride? Where is the bride? Where is the bride?"

The boy was getting increasingly fl.u.s.tered from what sounded like accusations from his wedding guests.

He stumbled over his words trying to justify himself but it was obvious that he was not winning over the crowd. Suddenly, the priest on the altar turned stern and announced with finality, "There is no bride because you are a sinner!"

The judgment silenced the room. "But Father... I'm not... Please believe... I'm innocent..." The boy pleaded but the priest ignored him and led the room to chant, "Sinner! Sinner! Sinner!" The priest appeared to be consumed by religious fervor.

The boy stepped involuntarily backwards from his main aggressor and slipped. He landed squarely on the carpet with a heavy thud and it seemed to awaken the giant.

The church g.r.o.a.n.e.d as it shifted like it was actually alive. This spooked the girl but her fear was nothing compared to the boy's.

He tried to claw his way out and blood-red liquid oozed out of the carpet, staining his suit. As if responding to pain, the carpet flicked the boy into the air like an actual fleshy tongue.

The boy screamed for help and the people in the dream started to flicker like images from an old television screen.

"Crap, the host is waking up!" The girl cursed under her breath.

The stone bricks of the stone walls started to crumble and she immediately blinked out of existence lest she got trapped in his dream.

In her hurry, she didn't notice the waif of a figure who stood in solitary up in the church belfry.