I, Baphomet

A young man struggles with a demon.

“I, Baphomet.” The wickedness speaks as thus. Words of binding, words like chains. “Kneel, ye wretched.”

Aching and gnashing, my own gaze shifts toward his single, sickly eye. 

“Go from me.” I command of the beast within. “You are not of this place, go from here and do not return.”

From deep within the vileness a laughter escapes. It echoes through the cavern, sounding of rot and decay. “You have no hold over me, flesh!” The laughter continues, spreading through the twisting arms of the mountain’s interior. “I am the blight, I am the sickness.” With each reverberation of his terrible laugh the caves within grow deeper and darker. Putrefaction and cancer spread throughout the ancient skeleton. 

“Do it. Purge the plague within. Purge it all. It is the only way out,” he bellows.

“Join me below, in the Place at the End of It All,” he bids.

I feel the rot take hold of me, and I collapse to my knees. The ache in my bones grows deeper and darker. He is inside of me.

I close my eyes and remember.

I open them.

I see myself kneeling there beneath the Lord of the Gap in pained acquiescence. I feel the shape of my skin, I hear the sound of my breath. The air within, dancing its ethereal dance. I see the space between it all, and understand. 

Here is my heart, here is my strength.

Here is my throat, here is my voice.

Here is my mind, here lies Baphomet.

He tears and tears, grasping for a handhold.

I feel the shape of his body, I see the color of his lies. Gently I press my finger on his forehead. He is gone.

Reviews

[Anthony Arnold]

If flesh, is a product of spirit, that would be a marvel.
But when flesh, manifests myriad things, such as this provocative story, with spirits all around ...
well, that would be marvel of all marvels.
Who dares at this point to say,
'I am only carnal.'

From reading this story, I get the feeling the author has many subtle confrontations to go, in search of spiritual awareness. And in my opinion, if a person is looking, they should not stop.
Because they will find.
And what they find, will disturb them, sometimes, to action.
Well done, Sam.