Chapter 3: Minor God? Hahaha!
It has been days now since I left the boarding school. I lie on the bathtub at my father's apartment, burying my face into my hands, begging myself not to cry.
Father has yet to come home. It's been about three days. Probably goofing around with women. I bit my thumb nail.
'Right after mom died, huh. He never changes.'
Too bad I don't have any relatives willing to take me in. Well, I'm turning eighteen next year so I just have to wait. Then I can find a job that will support me. Sadly, I can't go to college, I don't have enough money for that. I sighed.
I really miss her. I haven't got my phone taken away yet but… I really don't want to talk to anyone right now.
I keep hearing my phone ring with notifications. Then I switched it to silent mode.
Before I left, she gave me some prayer beads that she said she found in the forest near the school at an altar.
Erika showed me a picture of the altar and I was hit with this eerie feeling.
The altar was built primarily with burnt red and brown wood shaped like a small house. It was messily made so it looked like a child made it. There was moldy bread that looked like one touch would disintegrate it and a dusty bottle of what looked like oil. Is this a Dionysus shrine? In the middle of the offerings was a small golden statue of a godly looking human. The statue's face was covered with a cloth. Erika didn't dare remove it but she did take the prayer beads that sat before the statue's feet.
Saying she prayed to the statue, thinking that she'll get good luck for praying to a minor God, I thought she was funny. Until she showed me the prayer beads and gave it to me as a parting gift.
She couldn't have given me something else? I thought to myself as I adjusted my position hearing the beads in my pocket shake. But I loved her too much to not accept it.
Grabbing the prayer beads from my pocket, I gazed at it curiously. How do you use prayer beads? Perhaps I could use it.
A part of me thought the concept of God was stupid but I yearned for the comfort that all things are planned by someone and everything will work out in the end. Is it possible that it is true?
No… there is no God. People are foolish. God is for the rich and the satisfied and the desperate. I may be poor and have led an unfortunate life, but I will never turn to the one who had ignored me since birth.
I leave the bathroom and into the kitchen I go. My left hand gripped the beads tightly and my other turned the stove on.
I am not afraid of God, much less a minor one who doesn't even have a name. If anything, they should fear me and my spite.
I'm doing this out of spite, not out of hate. My father was a believer of God yet he only turned to him when he needed something. His belief of God did not turn him into a good person.
I dropped the prayer beads into the flame and something like a roar spurted out. The Crimson flame grew taller than me and I questioned my deed.
But it's too late to turn back.
A hand from the fire made itself visible, beckoning me to come closer. I naively followed, hypnotized by the movement of the ember. The flames dance like a turtle's mating call. The orange-red reflected in my eyes as I am intoxicated by the flaming hand. I don't feel any heat.
I clasped the hand with mine but it slipped away, raising it.
-Smack!
A burning sensation clapped my cheek. That's definitely going to mark.
"E-Eh?" I was awakened from my daze.
"You!" The finger in the flame pointed at me.
"M-Me?" I blurted out, pointing to myself, bewildered and shaken.
A deep voice scolded me. I couldn't pinpoint the gender of the voice. I guess this is what they call an androgynous voice. The voice was also rather hoarse.
"You, indeed! What's with you, burning precious things?!"
"It didn't look all that precious considering it was coated in dust and baby cockroaches." I implied.
The hand in the fire turned into two, crossing its arms. There wasn't a face so I couldn't guess if he was mad or not.
The flames went ablaze. "I'll damn you for eternity!"
I cross my arms, mimicking him. My face was still sore. "Can't be even worse than having my mother, one of the few things that's kept me alive, killing herself."
"Mortals and their feeble problems. If that affects you, you are not fit to be a God."
"It's not like I want to. But if I was, I'd treat my people way better." I curtly said. "Like some minor God would know what I think."
A flaming hand clamped my neck, digging its burning thumb into my trachea. I wheezed.
"U…Un…hand…me."
"A flimsy human, telling me that I'm a mere minor God?" He cackled. Suddenly, he stopped, voice serious. "You have no idea what I am capable of."
I smirked to provoke him. "...is…th..at…fucking…so…"
His face appeared now from the flame and the heat made me incapable. The face was covered by a silver cloak. He raised the cloak and bright light materialized, his golden yellow eye was the only thing visible.
I was blinded.
For a moment, I think I saw a girl looking down on me. But before I was able to get a good look, I passed out.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone