Thou Shall Not: A Dark Ten Commandments Anthology

by Michelle Brown

  "What? Mary Grace, you're so silly. What are you talking about?"

  "We're going to go live at the church with Father," she points to me, and Gabriel notices me for the first time.

  "What?" He looks at me with hatred and disapproval.

  "Mommy and Jude and me are going to live in a church from now on. Please will you come with us?

  "Who the hell are you?" This boy is only a little older than Matthias. The way he's looking at me, he won't trust easily. I see something else in his eyes though. He's seeking guidance; order; structure.

  "I am from Invictus. We would love to have you at our parish. If for nothing else other than a safe, quiet place to lay your head each night. I promise you, you will find what you're looking for there."

  He looks at me questioningly, but doesn't say anything.

  "Please, Gabe? You and me and Jude and Matthias will be best friends!"

  "Matthias?" Gabe asks, his interest piqued slightly.

  "Another parishioner. He's just a little younger than you."

  Mary Grace continues pulling on Gabe's hand until he looks down at her again.

  "Fine," he says.

  He is going to make a wonderful disciple.

  IT'S BEEN A FEW MONTHS since we gained our new followers from the shelter. Gabriel and Matthias have become close. I've asked Matthias to keep an eye on him and tell me anything that he says and does that might be considered sinful. I don't believe everything Gabriel tells me when we speak. If he is going to be one of my disciples, then I need to know that he is going to be honest with me. I need to know everything about him; inside and out.

  "Father, may I ask you a question?" Gabriel asks me during his and Matthias' lesson one day.

  "Of course, my son."

  "How do you know you are a chosen one?"

  "Are you questioning me or my teachings?"

  "No, father. It's just—"

  "Please, continue. Don't be afraid."

  "It's just that sometimes I feel like I am worthy, but other times I don't."

  Yes, this is excellent. I need him to believe he's worthy. I need him to become a faithful disciple. I know that I haven't been able to sell it to him yet, but this is my chance.

  I take a seat next to him and place my hand on his knee. He tenses and pushes it away. I cock my eyebrow at him and place my hand on his knee once more. I move it up his leg a little further, but he pushes it away again. This time I grip it hard and I can see him wince with pain.

  "You are worthy because God has led you to me. If you fight this, then you are not worthy. If you can't withstand my touch, then your skin would burn; blood would run from your eyes and nose."

  "That's not true," he says, a horrified look on his face.

  "Matthias, tell Gabriel about the man we had here a few months ago. If you don't believe me, maybe you will believe him. But I will warn you right now. This better be the last time you question me. Do you understand?" I squeeze his leg so hard I could break it. Of course I'm lying, but he will never know that.

  "OW! Yes! Okay," he screams as tears run down his face. "I'm sorry!"

  "Just because you're worthy now, doesn't mean you stay worthy. I would do whatever it takes to stay in God's good graces. You never know when he will take everything away from you."

  WHEN THEIR LESSONS are over I dismiss Gabriel, but ask Matthias to stay behind.

  "I thought you said that you agreed with my decision to make him a disciple like you. You said he was ready!" I strike out at him, the back of my hand connecting with his cheek.

  "I thought he was, Father! I—I'm sorry!"

  I pick him up by his robe and throw him against the wall, holding him there; catching his stare with mine. Feeling his muscles tense underneath my hands reminds me of the young man he is becoming. I still remember the first time I showed him what it meant to be a man. It wasn't much, but I believe the time has come to take my teachings to the next level. My cock hardens at the thought.

  "Let this be the last time that you're uncertain about something, Matthias. Understand me?"

  "Yes, Father," he answers. Blood seeping from the corner of his mouth and a welt already forming in the corner of his eye.

  I drop him and he falls to the ground at my feet, bowing over them in prayer.

  "What do you say?"

  "I'm sorry, Father. Please forgive me for my transgressions. My only goal is to serve you wholly and completely, and I will do so until the day I am welcomed into God's celestial kingdom."

  I place my hand in his line of sight. He reaches out and kisses it with respect and gratitude, precisely as he was taught.

  "Matthias," I say and he looks up at me, tears still rolling over his cheeks. "I expected better from you."

  He wipes the tears from his face as I turn and walk away.

  Chapter Three

  7 Years After The Enlightenment

  It's been two years since we welcomed Gabe and the other displaced members into Invictus. They've been made aware of the purge, they know it's coming, but I need to make sure that my four disciples go through it first. They're young, but they can handle it. They'll have to.

  We found Josiah and Noah in a church orphanage that we visited. They were packed into a room made for six, yet there were 20 boys in there. There was something about those two though. Out of all of the boys in the room, most were soiled, all of them were starving, but they didn't cry or beg once. They showed strength and held their heads high with pride. These boys would not be shaken easily; they're steadfast. There's also something sinister in their eyes that pulled me in. They're just the type of young men that I needed as faithful disciples to lead the children of Invictus.

  These boys have worked hard over the past two years to get to where they are now. It wasn't an easy road that I set them out on. It was rigorous and it took a lot out of them at times, but they gave everything to me willingly, like the good disciples that I've bred them to be. They're still young, but their souls have aged and have been primed for the tasks that I will need them to complete moving forward. That is what's most important.

  "My boys, my chosen ones, my disciples. Today starts step one of the purge. Matthias walk me through the first step."

  "From sundown tonight until sundown tomorrow, we shall kneel before our Lord in prayer and recite the words that he spoke, without faltering."

  "And what is the purpose of this step of the purge?"

  "It will save us from Hell and carry us to our salvation, Father."

  I place my hand under his chin and feather my thumb across his cheek as I bow my head to him. He knows how proud of him I am. He is my golden boy. My number one.

  "Gabriel, my angel. What is step two?"

  "In step two we will sit on the Throne of Truth and confess every one of our sins to God. We shall leave nothing out. No sin is too small or insignificant. For, if we leave out even one, God will cast us into Hell for all of eternity."

  "Perfect, and what is the purpose of this step, Gabriel?"

  "It will save us from Hell and carry us to our salvation, Father."

  Placing my hand under Gabriel's chin, I run my finger across his cheek and nod my approval. He looks at me with uneasy eyes. I know he has it in him to do what needs to be done, there is no doubting that. But I will need to keep an even closer watch over him. I fear that, one day, he will have to go through the renewal.

  Walking over to my twins, I place one hand under each of their chins. Each of them have spent many hours worth of lessons with me. More so than Matthias and Gabriel. They needed additional guidance after they arrived. Over the last two years I've molded and shaped them to be both my protectors as well as my deliverers.

  "Noah, Josiah," their eyes catch mine. "Step three is the most important step of all. Tell me, what must be done?"

  "We must receive the bite of the devil's whip, which will slice our skin open."

  "Our blood will pour out of us like rain taking our sins with it, but leaving our cleansed souls behind
."

  "And what is the purpose of this step?"

  "It will save us from Hell and carry us to our salvation, Father," they say in perfect unison.

  "My boys," I say to all of them, "I could not be more proud of you. You're ready. Prepare yourselves, for tonight you begin the purge."

  THE PURGE LASTED FIVE days. I will give the option to my followers to wait longer between the steps if they need to, but my boys didn't have a choice. They were the first and they set the bar. If I thought that I was proud before, it's nothing compared to what I am feeling right now. My boys, no. My Disciples, kneeling at my feet. Their backs, dripping in blood as their sins wash away — the parishioners looking on in awe. I heard shouts from the crowd of people who wanted to start the purge right away. They're ready to give all of themselves to me and soon, my path will be paved in the blood-soaked stones of my followers.

  Epilogue

  17 Years After The Enlightenment

  It's been ten years since my boys became my disciples. This has truly been an awe-inspiring journey, but I know that I'm not finished. I have big plans for this church, but they won't come to fruition without help. Monetary help, mostly. The parishioners that we have are good and well, but it's time that we expand our reach. I've been in contact with a few people from some of the larger, more-affluent towns in the state. These people are very interested in what we're doing here at Invictus. If I can get them to join, I will get a sizeable chunk of their money as well. There is a family who wants to bring their unruly daughter here as soon as possible. When I interviewed them, I was able to build a profile for her. She is going to be tough to break. I only trust one of my disciples to do it.

  A knock on my office door pulls me from my thoughts.

  "Come in," I say and the door opens.

  "You wanted to see me, Father?"

  Matthias. My golden boy. My number one.

  "Ah, yes. Have a seat my son.”

  YOU MUST READ TROUBLED Child to get the rest of Matthias’ story

  The Third Commandment

  Thou shall not take the Lord’s name in vain

  Troubled Child

  M.R. Leahy

  Prologue

  "You wanted to see me, Father?" Hidden in his office below the church, Father Azrael sits behind his large oak desk, the weathered wood matching the temple that houses us. The musty smell of old books and damp dirt hovers in the air, proving just how far beneath the church we are.

  "Ah, yes. Have a seat, my son. I assume everything went smoothly after service today? The tainted were very pleasing and obedient. I was impressed." Moving deeper into the room, I instinctively check every corner of my surroundings, even though I know we're the only ones down here. It's a habit from my past I will never lose. Sitting in the chair, I pull back the dark grey hood of my church robe and meet the grey eyes of the man that saved me from the streets fifteen years ago. Dressed in all black, his white collar stands out proudly. "Yes sir, I believe by the end of the month all of the sinners will be ready to purge."

  “Will they be worthy to speak my name?” he asks, leaning back in his seat. His relaxed posture only a disguise.

  “Yes, Father. They will be worthy of thy lords name.”

  Humming his approval, Father Azrael's stare holds mine, his all-knowing gaze searching for a weakness; a sign of the child I once was. But he will never find it, that starving thieving boy is as dead as the parents who brought him into the world. I am now a man of God; his chosen.

  Seemingly happy with what he sees in me, Father stands, moving to pace in front of his desk. A move I know comes with a long, thought out speech. “Do you know why I chose you as my number one, Matthias?”

  “Why, Father?” I ask, not missing the single tick of his jaw or step of his polished dress shoes.

  "The night I found you was the night I'd given up." Stopping so his back is to me, he studies the papers scattered across his desk. When he speaks, it's as if he's back in that alleyway all those years ago. "I was a preacher preaching a religion I didn't believe in, to followers who didn't believe me, in a church that was crumbling beneath my feet. I'd lost sight of my purpose that night. When I came out of the seedy gun shop and into that grimy alley, I never planned on leaving it alive. All day I'd begged God to give me a sign, to tell me that this was a mistake, that my life was not over yet. And do you know what happened?"

  Turning to face me, his eyes blaze with the truth of his vision. What he’s seeing overshadows what’s really in front of him, “What, Father?”

  "He led me straight to you. A starving boy digging through the trash for scraps while his parents shot up in the shadows. Your innocence was alluring, and your submission was enticing, but it was your name and its meaning that was my salvation... Matthias; the gift of the Lord. The gift to me." Moving so he's directly in front of me, he cups my chin, angling my face so I'm forced to meet his eyes that still cloud with the past. "It was at that moment, I had a vision, I saw a new religion. One that was pure and holy, one given to me by God himself. He showed me my path, Matthias, it was as clear as the sky above. His direction to me was clear: Azrael, take this gift, raise him as your first disciple and create a new world. One of obedience and discipline, of worship and sacrifice, one worthy for thy god. For I, Lord of all that is, lives through you, my son.'"

  His cloudy gaze clears and his grip on my jaw tightens, his teeth clenching with power. “I saw it all so clearly and I knew what needed to be done. That night, I made my first sacrifice as his prophet. I used the gun I thought was meant to end my life and turned it on the man who helped give you yours. And forced your mother to reevaluate hers.”

  As he releases me, I breathe in the welcome bite of pain that his fingers left behind. Having heard this story several times before, I observe him silently as he begins to pace, again wondering what the next step in our rise to salvation is to be. “Since then, I’ve traveled the country following God’s plan. Finding those worthy to stand beside me. I’ve raised you and your brothers to be the best disciples to ever rule under God—under me. We’ve started a movement of our religion, garnered our followers and have begun His plan. But it is not enough,” he finishes with a harsh breath.

  My brows knit in confusion. “What do you mean it’s not enough, Father? We’ve followed your every command.” The defensive tone in my voice is consumed by all the hard work myself and my brothers have given to our Lord. “Last week alone we had twelve new followers sign up to be saved; to be worthy, Father. Is that not enough to please our god?”

  "Twelve prostitutes and addicts looking to change their lives and give themselves to us is not enough to keep us going. It's not enough to make us world-renowned. We need wealth; we need power, Matthias. Or else we will fail."

  For the first time in a very long time, fear shoots through my veins, the ice cold emotion forcing me to my feet. "We cannot fail, Father. This is our purpose, what will we do if not this?" The panic in my voice shamefully pushes away my years of discipline and training as I lose my sense of calm.

  Standing in front of me, Father Azrael places his hands on my shoulder. “Be still, my son. I have a plan. One that I fear will be your biggest challenge yet.”

  “Tell me, Father” I beg. Falling to my knees at his feet, I give myself over to him. “Tell me what I must do to secure our future in this world, and I will do it.”

  Laying his hand on my head, his fingers run gently through my hair, his caress a torture as much as it is a comfort. The reward after a beating; the assurance after a mistake. “Rise, my son.” Following his command, I move back to my feet. “A family of fine wealth and reach has heard of my ability to save sinners. They contacted me about their out of control daughter. They’ve tried everything to get her to come to her senses, but nothing has been successful. Her sins have caused them to be outcasts in their community, and they’re desperate.”

  Reaching for his desk behind him, Father grabs a file among the papers and hands it to me. Opening the manila folder,
the first thing I see is a picture of a girl. Her wild red hair matches the untamed spark in her bright green eyes. So much mischief hides in those depths; so much sin. “Harlow,” I whisper her name while scanning the details as Father Azrael continues.

  “I want you and you alone to save her, Matthias.” Gaining my attention, I glance at him in confusion.

  “Why just me, Father?” We’re never assigned to sinners; we work as a group—my brothers and I—to make our followers worthy of God.

  “Read her file, Matthias, she’s the representation of sin. From her eyes to her blackened soul. She was made to tempt and to draw out the beasts inside us all.” Staring back at the picture of the girl, my body comes to life in ways it shouldn’t. In ways I’ve worked tirelessly for years to keep at bay. “Your brothers are strong, but I fear they will not be strong enough to resist her. She is what will save our future, but if not done right she can also be what destroys us.”

  Lost in the depths of her sinful stare, anger surges through me. The lust I feel turning into determination. “I won’t let you down, Father.”

  Chapter One

  The sting of the needles piercing my skin leaves goosebumps in its wake as it glides along my shoulder blade. The colored ink creating a beautiful work of art that only I know the meaning of.

  “You keeping my bed warm tonight, Harlow?” My friend Mac asks as he runs a wet paper towel over the sensitive skin, clearing away the excess ink and blood before going back at it.

  “Can’t, babe.” I answer, turning my head to watch him work. “You’re going to have to call one of your other hookups tonight.” His dark brows pinch together in concentration as his tongue darts out to run along his lip ring, the deliberately sensual move causing shivers to run down my spine. Not missing the now raised bumps along my back, his stunning blue gaze darts to mine, giving me a smug knowing look before going back to the task at hand.