Scuttle Buttin'
Demons at bay
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2003
- Posts
- 15,882
Solomon Cain - two Biblical names, the first unironically given to him by his Bible-thumpin' parents, the second ironically inherited and the source of some measure of shame for those same Bible-thumpin' parents - sat at the little cafe, sipping from a water glass and staring off into the distance, lost in thought. He'd just finished up a pleasant lunch with the son of the now-deceased dean of his Seminary & Bible College, and had been told something that started the wheels in his head into motion.
One of his classmates in college was none other than Sarah Marcus, the mega-church leader and spiritual inspiration to millions around the world with her weekly televised sermons. She wasn't particularly bright when they were in school together, but she had somehow managed to graduate with honors, and then turn that and her looks into a huge church following and millions in donations every year. Meanwhile, he'd ended up hurting his knee playing soccer for their terrible Christian league team, and despite the rigors and pain of rehab managed to also graduate with honors like she did. She went on to start up her mega-church, and he ended up as the associate pastor at a small local church, making in a year what she probably spent every time she fueled up that private jet of hers.
The reason he was now lost in thought, however, was what he had learned during the lunch he'd just finished. While Solomon was busy busting his ass to be able to graduate with honors, rich bitch Sarah Marcus was conning the dean into those same honors he graduated with. Maybe he'd underestimated how smart she was that whole time. Maybe, and what he thought more likely, she just knew an opportunity when she saw one, and wasn't going to pass it up.
And now, he was going to do the same.
Leaving the tip on the table, he pulled his sport coat off the back of the chair and slid it onto his athletic, 6'2" frame. His knee still gave a little twinge as he stood, but despite the lingering pain he'd managed to stay in pretty much the same shape he was in during his soccer days, and if it wasn't for the bum knee he'd probably still be playing. Instead, he was walking down the street towards his beat up Accord, searching for the keys in his pocket when his phone chirped. Pulling it out, he stopped when he saw the e-mail waiting for him, and a slow, Cheshire Cat-like grin spread across his face.
Son of a bitch if it wasn't true. She'd conned the dean. And right there, sitting in his e-mail as promised, was the truth. He'd had to promise he wasn't going to do anything with it, but of course that was a lie easily told and, given that he was a "man of God," one that swallowed right up. But the truth of it was, he planned to do plenty with it.
Rounding the corner of the building, he was nearly to his car when he happened to glance up and realize he'd parked almost directly under a billboard with her face on it, the giant letters underneath inviting people to "COME WORSHIP WITH THE INSPIRATIONAL SARAH MARCUS!" He'd originally had no intention of going to the service, but now he wouldn't miss it for the world.
Sliding into the driver's seat, he put his key in the ignition but didn't turn it. Glancing at himself in the rear view mirror, he wasn't surprised to see that the grin on his lips did not make their way into his eyes, which were normally dark like his hair, but now were darkened further with bad intentions. Cell phone still in hand, he shifted his gaze to the giant smiling face of Sarah Marcus above him, and dialed the number he'd had for her from their years in college, hoping it would still be good.
One of his classmates in college was none other than Sarah Marcus, the mega-church leader and spiritual inspiration to millions around the world with her weekly televised sermons. She wasn't particularly bright when they were in school together, but she had somehow managed to graduate with honors, and then turn that and her looks into a huge church following and millions in donations every year. Meanwhile, he'd ended up hurting his knee playing soccer for their terrible Christian league team, and despite the rigors and pain of rehab managed to also graduate with honors like she did. She went on to start up her mega-church, and he ended up as the associate pastor at a small local church, making in a year what she probably spent every time she fueled up that private jet of hers.
The reason he was now lost in thought, however, was what he had learned during the lunch he'd just finished. While Solomon was busy busting his ass to be able to graduate with honors, rich bitch Sarah Marcus was conning the dean into those same honors he graduated with. Maybe he'd underestimated how smart she was that whole time. Maybe, and what he thought more likely, she just knew an opportunity when she saw one, and wasn't going to pass it up.
And now, he was going to do the same.
Leaving the tip on the table, he pulled his sport coat off the back of the chair and slid it onto his athletic, 6'2" frame. His knee still gave a little twinge as he stood, but despite the lingering pain he'd managed to stay in pretty much the same shape he was in during his soccer days, and if it wasn't for the bum knee he'd probably still be playing. Instead, he was walking down the street towards his beat up Accord, searching for the keys in his pocket when his phone chirped. Pulling it out, he stopped when he saw the e-mail waiting for him, and a slow, Cheshire Cat-like grin spread across his face.
Son of a bitch if it wasn't true. She'd conned the dean. And right there, sitting in his e-mail as promised, was the truth. He'd had to promise he wasn't going to do anything with it, but of course that was a lie easily told and, given that he was a "man of God," one that swallowed right up. But the truth of it was, he planned to do plenty with it.
Rounding the corner of the building, he was nearly to his car when he happened to glance up and realize he'd parked almost directly under a billboard with her face on it, the giant letters underneath inviting people to "COME WORSHIP WITH THE INSPIRATIONAL SARAH MARCUS!" He'd originally had no intention of going to the service, but now he wouldn't miss it for the world.
Sliding into the driver's seat, he put his key in the ignition but didn't turn it. Glancing at himself in the rear view mirror, he wasn't surprised to see that the grin on his lips did not make their way into his eyes, which were normally dark like his hair, but now were darkened further with bad intentions. Cell phone still in hand, he shifted his gaze to the giant smiling face of Sarah Marcus above him, and dialed the number he'd had for her from their years in college, hoping it would still be good.
