Justin Black is running for his life. Something in the shadows is chasing him. He can hear it running behind him and feel its icy breath on his neck. He has to find safety inside before the storm breaks and the beast takes his soul.
Oh God, it was still there! He could hear it coming up behind him, could almost feel the icy breath on the back of his neck as he ran. He ran faster trying to get away. The lightening flashed over head and a crack of thunder made him jump. He had one chance. Just one. He had to out run the storm. He had to get inside where it couldn't get him.
It was getting harder to breath and his side was starting to ache. Dragging air into his lungs was like inhaling fire. It started to rain and he slipped on the gravel losing his stride as he ran. He stumbled but didn't go down. He knew it was still behind him. His senses screamed at him to run so he ran faster.
He wanted to look behind him. Just one quick look but was afraid of what was chasing him. He could feel it get closer with every stride he took. It was playing with him. He just knew it. He felt like it was playing cat and mouse and he was the mouse. He ran faster and everything blurred with the rain and the strain on his air starved lungs. He ran.
The old church came into view as he rounded the corner. He was never so glad in his life to see the church doors standing open and the self righteous old sprig of the Reverent Mosley standing there. He ran towards the still open doors like a beacon of salvation stood waiting. Everyone was going inside and he ran with the last burst of speed he had left in him.
He made it. He was inside. He was safe at last. It couldn't get him now. He was on holy ground, the Lord's house. He was safe until morning. The doors were eight feet tall made of heavy oak reinforced with iron. Nothing was getting through those doors. A plank of wood was inserted between two slats to help bar the door as the storm broke loose outside.
Justin Black sat there on the pew in the very back of the church trying to catch his breath. No one seemed to notice him or what had been chasing him. He couldn't believe it. He had been lucky today. Lucky beyond words. He had out ran it. He didn't think he'd be so lucky next time. He hoped there would never be a next time.
He wondered what had made him look into that things eyes? Something had changed the minute their eyes met. Its like it knew who he was and had been waiting just for him in that alleyway. Why had he chose that alley? Why now? Why him? His heart was beating so strongly it felt like it was trying to jump out of his chest.
The horrible stench of the thing. It came off the beast in waves of revolting odor like that of rotting meat. Its fur was black and shaggy. Its eyes glowed a nasty red menace and its massive head held jaws filled with huge razor sharp pointed white teeth.
He'd heard stories all his life about the thing but had never put much belief in its reality until tonight. He had seen it in the flesh and it was more horrifying than any tale had ever heard regarding it. The Gabriel Hound was after him.
He had been raised on the fairy tales of the Gabriel Hound who collected souls on stormy nights. He had never believed any of it. He had thought it was just a tale to frighten children into behaving. That was until he saw the hound for himself. Now it was after him.
The Reverent Mosley had taken his place at the podem. He stood there in his robes looking out over his congregation. Justin Black was not one of his flock. He rarely came to church. The only time he remembered seeing him in attendance was at a funeral. Surprise showed on his face when Justin Black stared back at him from the last pew at the back of the church.
Justin Black had never really put much faith into believing in anything over the years regarding to religion. He had never believed in the existence of good or evil but tonight he knew evil. Evil was standing right outside that door.
Justin Black looked over the congregation sitting on the pews around him. He had always laughed at the fools and their superstitious beliefs. Well, he wasn't laughing now. That thing was real and it was after him.
He could sense the evil thing prowling around the outside of the church waiting for him to come out. It would be waiting all night cause he had no intention of leaving until morning. He looked to the right and met with a pair of med glowing eyes staring back at him through the church's stained glass windows. He made the sign of the cross and looked away quickly. When he finally looked back the eyes were gone. He drew a sign of relief.
The Reverent Mosley raised his arms with a bible in his right hand and a stillness fell over the church. He smiled a secretive smile as he waited for the sounds of the storm to break over head. The sounds of the storm gave his sermon the atmospheric God-like quality he desired. He held everyone's attention in the palm of his hand. Everyone's attention accept for Justin Black's.
The Reverent Mosley cleared his throat and said into the hushed crowd. “Today we shall talk about false idols and superstitions and the proper worship of the one true God.”
A crack of lighting broke over the church and thunder boomed in the distance. Justin Black saw the red eyes glowing in the window again. The thing opened its mouth and he could see the teeth sharp and white through the window.
“It has come to my attention that there are those among us who still hold with the sinful ways of the past.” Reverent Mosely said to the crowd in a chastising fashion. “God says you can only serve one master.” He shouted while waving his bible. He was just warming up.
“The old ways are false.” His voice rang out. “You must cast them out least God casts you out.” He made eye contact with several members of the congregation.
“The Lord God says Thou shall have no other Gods before me.” The storm broke over the church and torrents of rain pounded down upon the roof. The huge oak and iron doors shook as if something massive had been flung against them but held.
“It is probably just a downed tree.” The Reverent Mosley shouted. “Be calm good people we are safe in God's house.”
Justin black wasn't so confident. He wasn't so sure that even the house of God would keep out the Gabriel Hound. It was still outside and didn't act lie it was in a hurry to go anywhere else. Well, he knew he wasn't going outside till morning. He would wait for the raising sun before making a move. He would sit in this church. Sit on that pew and wait for the morning to come. It couldn't get him if he remained inside the church.
The doors groaned this time and shook with pressure at what was slamming into them but held together. Scratching and clawing sounds resounded from the other side of the door as if an animal were on the other side trying to claw its way inside. Justin Black was thanking God he had made it inside. Thanking God it was on the other side of the door and not inside with him.
A loud cracking noise shot through the church like an explosion. Heads in all directions turned towards to doors. He didn't want to look. He didn't want to see it again. He knew better than anyone in that church what was on the other side of that door.
The great oak and iron doors stood open as they slammed against the inner walls while torrents of rain and windswept leaves were blown into the entry way. A dark shape was taking form in the middle of the walkway. It was huge. A massive blacker than black hound with shaggy fur, red malicious eyes, sharp white teeth with spittle hanging from its heavy jowls. The odor of rotting meat came into the church with the breeze.
The hound swung its massive head from side to side as its eyes swept over the congregation inside. Spittle dropped to the floor and sizzled leaving little burn marks where it landed. It stood with its powerful legs apart as if waiting to spring into action after its prey.
“Its just a dog.” Justin whispered to himself. “It can't get me in here.” He prayed. “It can't cross holy ground.” His eyes were shut tight and he didn't want to open them for fear of what he'd find when he did.
He opened his eyes and couldn't believe what was happening. The Reverent Mosley was standing there facing the hound with just a bible. “It's just a dog frightened by the storm.” He was saying.
Justin Black thought the Reverent Mosley had lost his mind. Couldn't he see that this thing was no ordinary dog. He knew better. What was standing in that doorway was far from ordinary. He saw the Reverent take a step back and watched in disbelief as the bible in the right hand went flying straight at the hound. He watched in slow motion as it came down in a arch and hit the hound in the shoulder. The hound didn't even flinch. He stood there and stared at the bible on the floor and took a step towards it, than another and another. Looking right at him the hound put one huge black paw on the bible and stood there.
Justin Black couldn't believe his eyes. It just stood there. It hadn't burst into flames. It hadn't vanished in a puff of smoke. It was still standing there and now it was turning its massive head and sniffing the air as if seeking its prey. Justin Black couldn't help it he made the error of staring back and their eyes met. Contact! They were old eyes. Eyes full of ancient knowledge that stared back at him. It was much more than just an ordinary dog standing in their midst.
Evil came off the hound in waves. Menace rolled through the congregation like the great Satan himself were standing amongst them. It watched him with those knowing eyes and he tried to hold his ground. He held his ground until he watched the hound step across the thresh hold of the church and than he tried to run. Unfortunately so did everyone else.
Justin Black was never more terrified in his life. It was here. It was real and it was after him. All around him the church broke out into pandemonium as people ran to get away. He used the commotion to make his way towards the back of the church to try and find higher ground.
The hound walked slowly into the midst of the church. Its great head was raised and its nostrils flared as it sniffed the air. Its eyes were glowing red and little flames reflected in the irises if you were foolish enough to look to closely into them. It watched almost in amusement as the people ran foolishly from him.
A man ran past catching the hound's attention as his scent filled his nostrils. The hound lunged after the man and the man ran faster knocking down another man into the hound's path. The hound stumbled into the fallen man and they both went crashing into the floor.
A loud crashing sound filled the church and the groaning of the man on the floor was soon followed by terrified screams as he raised his head and met the eyes of the hound staring at him. The hound's lips were drawn back from the sharp white fangs in a grimacing snarl. Sharp fangs bit down into the shoulder of the fallen man and to the horror of the crowd the hound picked the man's body up off the floor in his jaws and shook his body like a rag doll.
The hound was snarling and ripping into the shoulder of the man as he shook the body. He dropped the man on the floor and went for one of his legs. The man was still screaming when the Reverent Mosley suddenly hit the hound with a pole with a cup on the end that was used to snuff out candles in the upper portions of the church. He turned the wooden handle towards the hound and tried to beat the hound off the man with the wooden end.
The hound acted like he couldn't feel it and continued to attack the man on the floor. His muzzle was dripping in spittle and human blood when the man on the floor finally quit moving. The hound took his huge paw and nudged the body several times and then grabbed the shoulder and shook the body again. When the man didn't move again the hound stared down into the man's eyes and finally when it seemed satisfied that the man was dead it lifted its head to survey the remaining crowd.
The Reverent Mosley stood there. He was frozen in place in horror. The hound had just killed a man right in front of him. he didn't know what to do. The hound didn't seem effected by anything, not the Holy Bible or even a solid wood stick. He wanted to run but some how knew that to run would make the hound give chase. He had to think but his thoughts were racing. He didn't know what to do. He stood there in a panic waiting for the hound to turn his attention to him. He didn't have to wait long.
The hound spotted the Reverent Mosley immediately after lifting its head. It stared at him with interest for a few moments and then glanced over the human commotion that was breaking out all around him. People were running everywhere like rabbits. He sniffed the air searching for his prey. He was after one man.
The Reverent Mosley noticed the hound wasn't paying him much attention and decided it was time to try and move away from it. He slowly started backing down the isle between the rows of pews. The podem and the back door to the church seemed a million miles away.
The hound watched as the Reverent Mosley backed away from him but paid him no mind. He was sniffing the air and watching the cowering crowd of humans. He filled the air of the church with a loud baying sound as he howled and the rain turned into hail and pounded on the roof. Lightening flashed overhead and the wind increased in volume.
The howling of the hound seemed to vibrate through the church as the Reverent Mosley slowly backed his way down the isle between the pews. He didn't make eye contact with the hound but steadily watched him as he backed away. He didn't want to look into that things eyes. Hell itself waited for anyone foolish enough to make eye contact with a demon!
The hound searched the church for his prey and couldn't find him. Enraged that his prey may have gotten away it zeroed in on another man who was trying to slink away by staying as close to the walls as possible. The hound leaped over a pew and landed right in front of the now terrified man.
The man went down with a loud thud as the hound lunged onto his back as he turned to run away. The hound was standing on his back and suddenly grabbed the man by the back of his head in a fierce grip of vicious sharp fangs. The sound of bones crunching made many in the church cringe as the hound bit into the man's skull.
Blood flowed from the mans wounds as the screaming filled the air. The hound raised a bloody muzzle and looked around. The man on the floor was still breathing and his body moved as he tried to crawl away. The hound put one huge paw in the middle of the man's back and stepped down. The sound of a rib cracking filled the air. No one moved. The hound toyed with the body on the floor pushing it this way and that way with his paws like a cat would with a mouse. The man would not open his eyes.
The hound watched the humans cowering with terror and reached down to the man's shoulder and spun him around in a blink of an eye to lay on his back instead of his stomach. It stared down in his face and snarled while spittle dripped onto the man's skin and sizzled like acid. The man moaned but still wouldn't open his eyes. It saved his life as the hound got bored and released the pressure on the man's chest by removing his paw.
People lined the sides of the church and Reverent Mosley was still standing in the middle of the isle between a row of pews but he had managed to make it towards the back of the church. The podem was just behind him in the center of the church stage. Huge statues of angels holding trumpets stood on either side of the church stage with an alter covered in a purple cloth with a huge wooden cross standing behind it. A large stained glass window was behind the wooden cross that depicted the birth of Christ.
The hound walked towards the center stage with a determined look in its eyes. The Reverent Mosley was terrified. He didn't want that thing coming for him. He didn't want that thing in his church. He didn't know what to do. He didn't understand how it could even be inside the church. Why wasn't God protecting them? He stood there and began to pray out loud for protection for himself and his congregation.
The hound drew closer and seemed to be silently listening to the prayer as the insistent howling cries he had been making suddenly came to a halt. It stood there and simply stared at the Reverent Mosley. The hound cocked his head to one side and listened silently with a dead stare ahead.
The Reverent Mosley slowly backed towards the door until he could feel the rough wood of the door against his back and his hand was grasping the doorknob. He turned the doorknob back and forth while he continued to pray never taking his eyes from the beast in front of him.
The hound charged. The distance between the Reverent Mosley and the hound was eaten up with each stride as the hound ran toward him. Everything between the two adversaries seemed to go into slow motion and the sound of a gasp from someone in the crowd echoed loudly in the silent air.
The hound leapt into the air and the Reverent Mosley stared in disbelief as the hound came right at him. He dove to the floor and rolled to the side but the hound went right past him and his body just simply passed through the wood door as if it was not even there. He drew a sigh of relief thinking that at last the thing was gone.
The Reverent Mosley started to walk back towards his congregation when he noticed that everyone seemed to be staring at something behind him. The hound was standing with half of its body standing on one side of the door and the other half was not visible as the door was closed. In its jaws it was carrying a leathery looking object the size of a child.
The hound passed through the door dragging the leathery thing with it and to the Reverent Mosley's horror he saw it was the body of a man. Well, it used to be the body of a man. Now it was shrunken and curved in upon itself like old shoe leather. The skin appeared burned as if it had been in a hot fire or mummified in blistering hot sand.
The hound dragged the mummified body to the center of the church and began howling a long mournful sound and the Reverent Mosley covered his ears. He couldn't stand the sound. It was like an assault on his ears. The body twitched and before his disbelieving eyes he saw the image of Justin Black take shape in the air above the corpse.
With a growl the hound leaped at what was left of Justin Black and the two of them disappeared out the open church doors in a horrendous burst of fire and a huge flash of smoke. An energy burst like nothing the Reverent Mosley had ever felt before swept through the church and the statues of the two angels blowing the trumpets exploded and shards rained down on the congregation members still inside. He heard a terrible cracking sound like a timber breaking and yelled for everyone to clear the building.
The building made a roaring noise as dust from the statues were joined with the collapse of the bell tower. The tower just seemed to fold in on itself as it fell into the church pews below. The entrance to where the tower steps were stood the door that the Reverent Mosley had been standing in front of and where the hound had came back from. Justin Black must have tried to escape through the bell tower when the hound finally found him again.
The storm moved off as suddenly as it had arrived and the Reverent Mosley and his congregation stood outside and looked to the doors in wonder. On the heavy oak wooden and iron doors nearly eight feet high were marks burned into the wood. Long scraping claw marks like those of a huge beast were at the top of the door nearly eight feet off the ground. The devil's finger prints someone whispered followed by another whisper that the Gabriel Hound was hunting souls, let all man beware.
