from the opposite side of the door where the man with a valuable package stood. “Father Malloy, to what do I owe the pleasure?” The nun greeted as she welcomed in her friend.
“Sister Mary Theresa I have been tempted and I am in need of your guidance,” Father Malloy ashamedly admitted.
“God forgives all,” Mary Theresa reassured while placing a hand on Father Malloy’s shoulder and guiding him to a seat. “How may I help?”
“This pearl,” Father Malloy revealed as he opened his handkerchief. “I found it in the street and I know it is worth a great deal, but it is all I can think about. I have been late to mass on more than one occasion on its behalf. Please take it from me; relieve me of the burden.”
“William, you know I cannot accept this,” Mary Theresa smiled. “I have taken a vow of poverty and although beautiful and truly one of God’s great gifts of nature I simply cannot.”
“Please,” Father Malloy begged. “Help me find someone. A charity or someone in need; I fear what it will turn me into.”
“You are a good man, and have an unbreakable faith,” Sister Mary Theresa stood and took the pearl in her hand. “Anyone weaker would not have been able to do what you have done. Asking for help and giving up an object of such value. I know of someone in need. I found her in sleeping on one of the pews this morning and I took her in. Hard times have found her and her faith is being tested.”
“Thank you,” Father Malloy stood and smiled his utmost appreciation and gratitude.
“You would have done the same for me, or any other of God’s children,” Mary Theresa nodded as she headed for the door to lift her young new friend’s spirits with the gift. “I thank you for giving me the opportunity to help those in need. It is wonderful how God’s plans unfold in the most mysterious ways.”
Sister Mary Theresa smiled to herself as she headed towards the guest room she had made up for the young girl. She could barely be older than twenty-one, the nun thought to herself as she took her aged strides. Too young for the hardships she had found, and far too young to turn to such acts of vulgar desperation in exchange for money.
“Lisa?” Mary Theresa called out as she knocked on the door which was already opened.
“Hello,” Lisa turned and smiled kindly from the desk where she was sitting at examining the broken chain in her hands.
“That necklace meant a great deal to you didn’t it?” Mary Theresa said as she slowly sat herself on the edge of the bed.
“My father gave it to me,” Lisa sighed with obvious signs of emotional pain running throughout. “It used to have a pendant, but that broke last night when it happened. It was so surreal. He struck me and tore it off of me for no other reason than he just could. He refused to pay me and called me,” Lisa paused for a moment as if to gauge whether or not her words were appropriate to speak to a nun, “a whore.”
“You are no such thing,” Sister Mary Theresa frowned, hoping that the young lady’s self image was not completely shattered. “There are great evils in this world and it is up to those of faith to work through them. It is the challenges that teach us and bring us closer to God.”
“I just wish my life didn’t get so messed up,” Lisa started to shed tears. “Three months ago I was a normal college student studying to be an electrical engineer, I was just home for Spring break and then the next thing I know, my mom rushes me back to school. I do not question her, but then the very same day I saw on the news that my father was killed after being blamed for the whole assassination thing. I know he had his problems, but I know he could not of done it, why would he?”
Sister Mary Theresa knew that this was a rhetorical question and that Lisa was in need of someone to listen to her, so she remained silent.
“Then I found out my mom was arrested for attacking someone at a funeral,” Lisa wept more heavily now. “Did I even know my parents? Then the house that my sister and I were raised in was seized and my school kicked me out claiming that I had not paid tuition, but I think it was because of my name and parents. I had nothing, so I ran. All this in three months. I wish I could go back in time.”
“God smiles on all of his children,” Mary Theresa interjected.
“I know,” Lisa Paddock sniffled. “It is just feels like sometimes some of us are neglected more than others.”
Sister Mary Theresa reached out and placed the pearl on the desk in front of Lisa. “This single item was made pure and simple by one of God’s creatures. Man recognizes the craftsmanship and values it highly, as they should. I have never seen one quite this size in all my years and I would like you to have it.”
“Me?” Lisa questioned in shock. “Why?”
“Because you are a good person and you are in need,” Sister Mary Theresa beamed with hope for what Lisa could achieve. “Although this pearl would serve as a pretty replacement for your lovely necklace, why don’t you sell it instead and use the money to pay your tuition and become that engineer. Lisa Paddock, go make the world a better place.”
Track 8 – Crawl
Jesus Christ I gotta get out of here. Please let me live through this. I got to go; I got to go, but where? Open nothingness behind me where the danger hurriedly seeks me. It is only a matter of time before it realizes where I went, I am sure. Then before me, the unknown. Can I even make it? I have never before, nor has anyone like me. I have heard rumors, but am I special, can I crawl to a new home?
Imagine me, sucking in air and blowing out my exhaustion; that would be the day. Please, I need this. I already lost my wife today; watched her gobbled up by the behemoth. Now it wants me. I just want to live, please let me live. I promise I will not take anything for granted anymore, and I will always look fondly back on everything I had and appreciate everything I will have.
Why does the beast have to put me in this situation? Why does it need to destroy me and my life? Just stay wherever you are and let me be. Just let me go away from here. I should seriously try crawling away, what is the worst that can happen?
A new life, a new me, and a life of solitude; is that really that much better than painfully being devoured? I guess it depends on your state of mind, and right now mine wants to survive. I feel it; it is nearing. I could fight. I would lose, but in the pain at least there will be the joy of knowing I fought for the loss of my love. Who am I kidding, I am a coward, fleeing is my only viable option.
I poke my head up and I am greeted with a welcoming droplet of water. The rain should make the transition a little easier, but will I still dry out? I have no time to consider, it’s now or never. I look back with one final glance of farewell and I lock eyes with it. It found me, and it is racing towards me with stealth I have never seen before. So swift, so deadly.
I lean forward hastily and I flop onto a rock, I try to breath, but nothing is happening. Was I foolish to have hope? This could never work, I am a victim of my own temptation, but then again I was a goner anyway. I feel the sensation of suffocation overwhelming me, but I feel no pain as I witness the blood curdling jaws trying desperately to get at me from just out of reach.
One more failed attempt at breathing, yet I am still alive. Why? Perhaps these short gasps I am making through my mouth are helping? But what is the use if I just lay here and bake once the clouds retreat? I need to move on if this is to work.
I stare above me and see a winged predator circling the skies. Great, I have had dealings with them in the past and I know they are just as cruel as the behemoth; who knows where it would drag me to and what it would do to me. It swoops down; I have no time to think so I just react. I roll over and when it is within striking distance I hurl a nearby stone into its face. It must not have been expecting that because it retreated with a shrill squawk.
How did I even do that? I could never do that before, but I guess I never tried it before. Wait, I hear something. Friend or foe? I roll over because it is my only option and I scrap my fins across the boulder were I lay. Traction; I move forward. This is working, but now what? I keep it up, I keep sliding a
nd crawling and I make my way up the mound that was once before me.
I feel as if I am on top of the world, and for a moment I am. I look down at what is in store for me and I am elated. Scurrying about I see others like me. Moving about with ease, they must have all made the same desperate journey. I have a new home; evolution is a wonderful thing.
Track 9 – Caged Rat
Rupert looked across his confined cage in disgust. Is this all there is to life, he pondered as he normally did. Can’t be. Alone with the only entertainment being walking to the other wall repeatedly and then once or twice a day getting injected with God knows what by a researcher; Rupert had deep thoughts for a rat.
The wide eyed rat stood up on his hind legs, litter clinging to his underbelly as he glanced over to an adjoining cage. Look at him, so disinterested in everything, and modesty aside, why am I so much more intelligent, Rupert asked himself. Is he even planning his escape? Wouldn’t he want to crawl back into the hole he once called home? How can he be so content?
No, Rupert decided, that rat had no hopes of escape even if he tried. Rupert’s thoughts then became interrupted as the fluorescent lights flooded the room when one of the researchers entered.
“Munson test trial thirty-six,” the man