Steven Rage's Blog, page 15
October 29, 2010
"Damn it Rage! Look what you're dragging through the gravy!" (via The Grim Reverend Steven Rage Blog)
The very first excerpt from my current novel in progress: "PHARMACIDE" in the comment portion. Just scroll down…..
The Grim Reverend Steven Rage Blog
Free Sample of "The Place in Between' (via The Grim Reverend Steven Rage Blog)
The Grim Reverend wants to make sure everyone gets a chance to check out my new shit for FREE, for crying out loud and shit. Dig it!
via The Grim Reverend Steven Rage Blog
October 28, 2010
"Damn it Rage! Look what you're dragging through the gravy!"
Image via Wikipedia
A dark suspenseful tale of a scientist gone bad, killing millions with his new virus.
Why, you sick little freaks! Trying to catch Reverend Rage with his pants down. So sorry to dissapoint, but since you're here anyway, want to see what I'm working on right now? Well, can you imagine a world where Ronald Reagan never left the White House…
"PHARMACIDE" SYNOPSIS:
It looks like Carolyn and Mark are in deep, deep shit…
Anxious to launch their new life together, Mark practices medicine at St. Anthony Medical Center and Carolyn works for pharmaceutical giant Hudson-Smythe. They just bought their first home and intend to cultivate their careers and get their family started. But Mark and Carolyn live in an alternate 1989 where Ronald Reagan is on his 4th term as Premier President of the United States of America. The USA has a rigid, long-standing caste system and abortions were never made legal. Being homeless is a crime that is punishable by imprisonment in an internment camp the inmates call Tent City. Most of Mark's ER patients are inmates at this camp and are victims of a new disease these illegals call the Transient Flu. This deadly and rapidly spreading disease mutates with each new host, collecting information, changing code. The disease evolves lightning quick, spreading like pond ripples and infecting everyone. No one is safe. Mark and Carolyn dig too deep. What they discovered filled them with dread and made Mark and Carolyn wished they didn't know anything. The implications are catastrophic and the young couple may not even live long enough to regret nosing around. Mark and Carolyn uncovered the brutal truth: Transient Flu was purposely made. It was able to spread throughout the world so quickly because scores of vaccines were purposefully tainted with the virus that causes the Transient Flu. Hudson-Smythe happens to be the only pharmaceutical company that has a proven cure: ViraStat. Hudson-Smythe's revenues and stock prices skyrocket because without a daily dose of ViraStat, the Transient Flu is one hundred percent fatal. A few early investors, the ones with high flying careers and growing fortunes at stake, hire a professional killer. Hudson-Smythe's key players discover that their schemes have been found out by Carolyn and Mark. The chain of evidence the young couple uncovered traces the pharmacide back to Hudson-Smythe and must be cut. There must be nothing left to tie the criminals at Hudson-Smythe to the crime of the century. Cost is no object and deadly force is authorized.
Yes. Carolyn and Mark are in deep, deep shit.
"The Love of money is the root of all evil." -The Good Book
"We are all born to die. In the meantime, make money. Fuck a book." -
Don't worry, The Grim Reverend will posts snippets of PHARMACIDE here and often.
The Reverend loves you all to bits and pieces. Dig it!
Rage
October 27, 2010
October 26, 2010
Free Sample of "The Place in Between'
Image via Wikipedia
FREE Sample of "The Place in Between". Holy Shitballs!! The Place in Between by Steven Rage My rating: 5 of 5 stars Hey You! The Reverend thought you might like a sample of my new book, "The Place in Between". Go on and check it out, you've never seen the likes: http://www.legumeman.com/samples%20and%2…
Sep 19, 2010 Nick Cato rated it The three stories presented here are tied to an apocalyptic underground community known as The Harbor (two take place post, while the title tale goes down before all hell breaks loose). In 'Blood and Bubblegum,' we're introduced to some seriously strange characters who are involved in an ever-growing organic narcotics trade, including protagonist Juan and a fecal-demon that lives in his rectum. This is by far the weirdest entry here, and features a fresh look at vampirism. 'Th …more The three stories presented here are tied to an apocalyptic underground community known as The Harbor (two take place post, while the title tale goes down before all hell breaks loose). In 'Blood and Bubblegum,' we're introduced to some seriously strange characters who are involved in an ever-growing organic narcotics trade, including protagonist Juan and a fecal-demon that lives in his rectum. This is by far the weirdest entry here, and features a fresh look at vampirism. 'The Place In Between,' shows that a revenge story can be done in a fresh manner: Del's wife Luci is having an affair with her drug supplier, Sancho. Sancho and Luci eventually manage to get custody of the invalid Del, and Sancho uses this as payback time from their navy days (apparently Del had done something to ruin Sancho's career). The story becomes an extreme torture tale, one that made me wince a few times…but Del manages to turn the tables via a Faust-ish deal with a demon. Rage also gives another fresh spin here on ghosts, making this a perfect blend of hardcore horror and bizarro goodness. In the final piece, 'Bad Notion, Traveling Potion,' we return to The Harbor and learn more about The Good Doctor (responsible for creating drugs and mutants) and his created servant, the scene-stealing hybrid man/chimp, Tugmunkee. This one was a bit of a chore to follow, but in the end Rage brings it all together. While some people in the bizarro community frown upon stories centered around drug use, this one works as the "tripping" scenes are just a side-note to the real weirdness. THE PLACE IN BETWEEN is gross, disgusting, funny, horrific, and disturbing, yet at the same time it's quite entertaining. Rage writes with his conscience thrown out the window (that is, if he had one to begin with), yet unlike some more extreme stuff I've read, he actually knows how to WRITE a story around the grue. I'm keeping my eye on this guy as he truly lives up to his last name.
FREE Sample of "The Place in Between". Holy Shitballs!!
The Place in Between by Steven RageMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Hey You!
The Reverend thought you might like a sample of my new book, "The Place in Between". Go on and check it out, you've never seen the likes:
http://www.legumeman.com/samples%20and%2...Rev. Steven Rage
View all my reviews
Sep 19, 2010 Nick Cato rated it
The three stories presented here are tied to an apocalyptic underground community known as The Harbor (two take place post, while the title tale goes down before all hell breaks loose).
In 'Blood and Bubblegum,' we're introduced to some seriously strange characters who are involved in an ever-growing organic narcotics trade, including protagonist Juan and a fecal-demon that lives in his rectum. This is by far the weirdest entry here, and features a fresh look at vampirism.
'Th ...more The three stories presented here are tied to an apocalyptic underground community known as The Harbor (two take place post, while the title tale goes down before all hell breaks loose).
In 'Blood and Bubblegum,' we're introduced to some seriously strange characters who are involved in an ever-growing organic narcotics trade, including protagonist Juan and a fecal-demon that lives in his rectum. This is by far the weirdest entry here, and features a fresh look at vampirism.
'The Place In Between,' shows that a revenge story can be done in a fresh manner: Del's wife Luci is having an affair with her drug supplier, Sancho. Sancho and Luci eventually manage to get custody of the invalid Del, and Sancho uses this as payback time from their navy days (apparently Del had done something to ruin Sancho's career). The story becomes an extreme torture tale, one that made me wince a few times...but Del manages to turn the tables via a Faust-ish deal with a demon. Rage also gives another fresh spin here on ghosts, making this a perfect blend of hardcore horror and bizarro goodness.
In the final piece, 'Bad Notion, Traveling Potion,' we return to The Harbor and learn more about The Good Doctor (responsible for creating drugs and mutants) and his created servant, the scene-stealing hybrid man/chimp, Tugmunkee. This one was a bit of a chore to follow, but in the end Rage brings it all together. While some people in the bizarro community frown upon stories centered around drug use, this one works as the "tripping" scenes are just a side-note to the real weirdness.
THE PLACE IN BETWEEN is gross, disgusting, funny, horrific, and disturbing, yet at the same time it's quite entertaining. Rage writes with his conscience thrown out the window (that is, if he had one to begin with), yet unlike some more extreme stuff I've read, he actually knows how to WRITE a story around the grue. I'm keeping my eye on this guy as he truly lives up to his last name.
October 21, 2010
Everyone Loves Uncle Tugmunkee!
From "The Place in Between", (LegumeMan Books) fall 2010:
"UNCLE TUGMUNKEE"UNCLE Tugmunkee lay sleeping in his nest when the alarm screen sounded. The chimpanzee was loathed to open his eyes. He was having such a sweet dream. The dolphin he was making love to was chittering and quivering with delight. In his dreams, Uncle Tug was a super-suave, devil-may-care man-about-town. Crowds cheered on his sexual exploits and he was deadly with the lay-days…in his dreams.
Tug opened his eyes and blinked at the screen. It gave him his daily chore list. The Good Doctor helped Tug stay on task by having screens placed liberally throughout the urban micro-farm where the chimp was foreman. The preponderance of screens helped keep Tug's daily routine humming.
Tug threw off his thick comforter, cursing his full-body baldness again. The Good Doctor designed him this way so that Tug could feel more human. It did. Tug especially enjoyed looking at himself in the many mirrored surfaces around the farm. He liked seeing the thick muscles and ropey veins that would have normally been covered by thick matted fur. It made him feel special and closer to the human that created him. Tug even had his very own collection of freckles, birthmarks and moles. There was no other one like him, The Good Doctor had told him on a number of occasions. Uncle Tugmunkee was wholly unique.
Still, Tug hated the cold. Waking up shivering was the only time Tug wished he was a standard fur-bearing chimp. Tug had his thermals and sweats on. He slipped on a pair of comfy slippers and left his quarters.
Just like everyone else that was left in The Harbor, The Good Doctor's place was situated mostly underground. The urban micro-farm was a good size, though, and Tug was in charge of the whole shebang. Tug walked down the corridor that separated his private domicile from the main house. The low tube lights came on as he neared them and turned off automatically as soon as he passed. Even wealthy and important folks like The Good Doctor had to preserve as much of the solar paneled field supplied electricity as possible. It was just too darned hard to come by in these times.
Tug's first chore of the day was to feed the twins. They stayed put in their cage in The Good Doctor's at home private lab. Tug entered the lab and went straight to the twins' cage. His dolphin dream left him with a big, thick straight arrow. His tennis ball sized testes were full.
As soon as the conjoined twins noticed Tug in the lab, they began mewling and drooling. They were begging to be fed like a hungry litter of pups. Trudgery & Drudgery, as The Good Doctor had dubbed them, were making such a gosh-awful racket. The twins were like this every time. Their squash court sized head was shaking to beat the clock. Their combined three eyes were beginning to tear up their milky-white baby blues. Trudge and Drudge were designed by The Good Doctor to be limbless. He claimed to Tug the twins had no drives but eating, secreting and excreting. They had no need of said limbs. The pharma-pseudos the twins produce by just being alive and cared for made them both a golden goose and a cash cow all at once.
Tug had his throb-pole out of his thermals and stuck it through the bars of the cage where the twins were kept permanently isolated and restrained. Trudge and Drudge were getting crazy. They drooled even more out of their one toothless mouth. Tug pressed his thumb on the cage scanner and their table inside the cage rotated up towards Tug's tommyknocker. When the twins were level, Tug grasped the back of their huge melon head. Their eyes were leaking thick tear tracks down and onto Tug's knob. He wiped his ding-dong ditchem free of the tears and pushed it into the twins' open waiting mouth. They were like little baby birds; their mouth opened wide to be fed.
Trudge and Drudge sucked fiercely on Tug. He had his eyes closed and recalled the still fresh dolphin dream and her magnificently lifted tail. In his mind he was taking her gently and sweetly. He put one of his over-long fingers into his own mouth and suckled and chewed on it. He murmured words of inter-species love.
That's when it hit him:
* * * *
The light inside Tug's head got real hot and bright. It felt to Uncle Tugmunkee like he was fixin' to have a full-out seizure. He thought he was being electrocuted, but the only thing he was stuck in was certainly not an electrical outlet. Tug was getting frightened when suddenly every little thing went dark and silent. It was only a moment more before Tug found he was gripping the actual dolphin he'd been fantasizing about.
Tug could feel easily the breeze as it wafted over the two of them and their sex act. He was nude and it was warm on Tug's bare skin. The sun was way up in the sky. It was bright and hot. The crowd at the Seaquarium cheered Tug and the dolphin on. She felt so good to him. Tug felt his sack shrinking and his boys tighten. He was getting close to climax. He stopped wondering why there was no force-field needed to protect them, or if he was somehow lifted out of The Harbor and teleported unknowing to the ice-free equator. He just stopped thinking at all.
Tug dug his strong chimp fingers deep into her firm, smooth dolphin flesh. He pounded her with vigor, pounded and pounded her until what felt to Tug like a liter squirted out of him and streamed deep into her.
As the crowd rose to deliver them a thunderous ovation, Tug was snapped back to the lab and the twins. And man, oh man, were they pissed.
* * * *
Tug was way over on the other side of the lab from the twins and he was facing the wrong way. His monkey was still rigid and pulsing, but was deflating flaccid by the second. Tug was breathing heavily. He had to sit down, he was so dizzy.
"That was the best sex I'd ever had," Tug muttered low. He worked hard to slow his breathing and to steady his slamming heart.
The twins were shrilling. They were getting downright distressed. They still needed to be fed. Tug aimed their food the wrong way. He began looking all around him for it. The twins couldn't give two dumps whether their food was body temp or room temp, so Tug wasn't overly concerned. He just wished they'd shut the heck up. He was looking as fast as he possibly could. The twins just weren't encoded with patience. Their screams were getting to him.
As fast as he knew how, Tug searched the wall he woke up in front of. He could not locate his lactate. Tug glanced down on the floor and all around the vicinity and still he found nothing. It was weirding the chimp out. Tug was perfectly willing to scoop the goop and feed it to the twins by hand, but he failed to find it. The semen was gone.
Trudge and Drudge were ear-shattering now.
Dash it all, thought Tug.
The noise was getting hard to deal with. The twins kept getting louder and their cries higher pitched. They were making Tug's eardrums vibrate uncomfortably. It was more than he could handle. He couldn't think straight. They were so loud.
Logically, thought Tug, I have to think logically. Which was easier said than done, what with the racket they were making. And now the twins were so distressed that the cage was rattling from the vibration of their dismay.
"I must not have ejaculated," Tug concluded. If that's the case, his batter should be bubbled right up to the top of the nozzle spout.
Tug pulled on his guy a bit, but there was no tumescence left. His huge sack drooped empty. His member was inexplicably covered with sex crumbs, not drool from the twins. And there was no mess anywhere. The twins were screaming painfully now. Tug had no clue what had happened, but he could not tolerated the clatter and clamor any longer.
Knowing nothing else he could do, Tug shoved his limp-larry into the painfully suckling mouth of the hungry twins. Tug shouted at a nearby screen, wanting Billy to come in from outside. He needed help, right away.
"Dang, this hurts!" Uncle Tugmunkee exclaimed through painfully gritted teeth.
* * * *
Bill Goat Gruff was above ground. Beneath the protective force-field, The Good doctor had a fully functioning urban micro-farm. The property was beautiful. Bill Goat was Uncle Tug's right hand kid.
Billy came from out of the root garden. He'd assured himself that all was well with the yams, onions, carrots, radishes and such. The trees were in full fruit. The hens were laying their double-yolked eggs in abundance.
He went next to check the solar generator: it was on his daily check list. Billy found the energy source solid, the batteries fully charged. The intermittent micro-pore opening and closing of the shield allowed vital wind and air in. The mighty sun in the sky still beat down upon the northern hemisphere's icy face and shone through the force-field. This constantly monitored changeling permitted optimal growing conditions.
The Good Doctor owned a well-run three acres. The farm supplied all the foodstuffs needed for his entire household with much surplus to spare. This abundant leftover of produce, eggs, goat's milk, jerked catfish and whatnot went to the Market and sold as profit. Managed by Tug and ran by Billy, the farm also produced the highest quality herbs, potent bud-smoke, and psych-shrooms available in The Harbor. The farm even had a free-flowing water reservoir to raise catfish and a big commercial grade dehydrator for turning the fish into jerked meat.
The Good Doctor was very rich.
Billy found himself with a few spare moments. The Good Doctor spent his days at the hospital for the Hellbound. Uncle Tug was still inside the main domicile. Billy was thinking of giving himself some private time. He decided to pay a visit to the milking shed. There was a new lovely young doeling there he wanted to climb on and give her what for. Billy was up on his hind legs. He stroked his chin whiskers as he walked toward the shed. She was going to get it. Uncle Tug's shout burst the bubble of his revelry.
* * * *
Billy came trotting into the lab on all fours. The urgency in tug's voice was clear. Billy came to a halt in front of the twins' cage. Tug looked over his shoulder at him as he came in.
"Thank goodness you're here!" Tug exclaimed with his jing-jangle still stuck painfully in the twins' mouth. "Did you visit the girls yet?" he asked. Embarrassed, Billy looked down at the floor. He'd been caught. Tug saw the expression on Billy's goat face. He shook his head vigorously in the negative. "You're not in trouble, man," Tug shouted, the pain very nearly unbearable, "Answer me!" Billy, not being able to vocalize, shook his head no. "Excellent. Now get over here and feed them before they kill me!"
Trudge and Drudge were designed by The Good Doctor to live and thrive on human semen. But since chimpanzees share all but 1.4% of a human's DNA, Uncle Tugmunkee fed them most days. In a pinch, however, Bill will have to do.
"Get over her, dang!" cried Tug. He pulled his out by boxing on the the twins' ears. When they opened their mouth to cry out, Tug removed his business with gratitude, expelling relief in a sigh.
Before the twins could start their screeching again, Tug pushed Billy right up to the cage. He unsheathed the goat's get-em. The twins were crazy hungry now. They gobbled on Billy's gruff like it was foie gras. The goat held onto the bars of the cage. He gripped them with his hoof-hands and gnashed his teeth.
It was all over with in under a minute. Both Billy and Tug sighed with relief, but for entirely different reasons. The twins, finally fed, fell fast asleep. Billy bowed quick to Tug and then made his way back up top. It was time to start collecting the eggs and harvesting the ripened produce.
Tug sat on a chair. His prominent brow was in his massaging hands. He was still unsure as to exactly what happened. He decided it was past time for him to work through the rest of his list before The Good Doctor came home. If he didn't complete all his chores, there would be hell to pay.
Tug rose and went to the basin. The motion sensor in the stainless steel sink splashed water on Tug's hands. He soaped them up and was just about to wash them off with the trice-cycled grey water when he noticed the crystals caked on his long index finger. It looked to Tug like salt.
I should call The Good Doctor, thought Tug. And tell him about the salt.
….end
October 19, 2010
'You Morbid Westphal' gets 5 stars from The Monster Librarian
fucknuts. just dig the word.
October 18, 2010
There are vampire drug lords, addicts, whores, demons that crawl out of people's rectums, perverted sex and all the dregs of society in the darkest of dark settings and situations.
An early X-MAS present for YOU! Nobody is more brilliantly repulsive than rage, September 7, 2010 By D. Gorman "Crystalline Structure Moon" – See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: The Place In Between (Paperback) "reading steven rage is a little like being a mother who ran out of diapers even though you're locked in a room with a baby who has been living on nothing but 5-alarm texas chili. sure, there are times when you want to puke, but you can't help loving the baby anyway. yes, rage is still gruesome, sickening, twisted, gross, horrific, morose, profane, disgusting, morbid, blasphemous, shocking and repugnant. but these are not the only compliments i can bestow upon this promising new author. but we'll get to that bit later. the 3 short stories that comprise this book are pure rage. the first and last story bring us back to that familiar setting, the harbor. these stories have all the requisite characters and elements that you would expect if you've read steven's earlier work. there are vampire drug lords, addicts, whores, demons that crawl out of people's rectums, perverted sex and all the dregs of society in the darkest of dark settings and situations. they are well crafted extensions of his earlier work, and there is even an effort to tie some of the stories together. visiting this setting again was a blast! he really did have something to add that was compelling and kept the pages turning as often as it kept your stomach turning. he even threw in a few surprises like an artificially created chimp-man and a sexy chicken or two. the first story relies a lot on the modern street venacular again, while remaining intelligent and creatively devised. the last two stories were not so dependant on modern slang, as the lead characters were not the sort of (shall we say) 'sludge' that would need to speak that way. this allows a more clear visage of rage's ability to exhibit a writing prowess that is more accessible to a wider audience. the harbor stories do give rage fans a lot to be thankful for in expanding the previous stories with bizarre, twisted putridness. yet, my favorite story by far was the title story in this book. that is because rage steps away from the harbor and explores a new setting with a whole new disturbing set of circumstances. i truly believe that if rage continues to grow and expand and explore new horizons, he can reach his full potential as a great writer. much as before, there is an intelligence to this dude's work. his gift as a storyteller is being more finely honed in this work. the fact that he has spent time working in a hospital is apparent, and it comes through in his stories. i can honestly say this is my favorite of anything i have read from him thus far. he's getting dangerously close to getting a 5-star review from me…..and that's not easy to do when writing something that is so far removed from 'ordinary literature'. so to sum up…..yes, this has all the disturbing, grotesque, alarming, horrible elements that you'd want to see in 3 strories by rage…it also has all the fine storytelling…..and he is growing and improving as a writer. i recommend this collection of stories, but i also recommend that you (metaphorically) stock up on diapers first. if he keeps expanding his horizons, he will be a supurb voice and visionary for our time…even if he remains the demented sick ticket that we all know and love." Product Description: A new 3 novella collection of the darkest, grittiest, gruesome fiction to ever be released: "The Place In Between"…. 'The Place in Between': When Del is sent pictures of his wife's latest affair, he reasons a .45 caliber bullet will answer his problems. To Del's dismay, that's only the beginning of his time spent wedged in the place in between. Luci's lover tortures Del relentlessly. Del wants to recover just enough to seek revenge on them both. Sure enough a demon shows up with her silky-sweet promises. Then the ambiance twists dark and cruel beyond anything any one of them could've imagined. 'Blood and Bubblegum.: It's colder than frozen shit down here in the dangerous tunnels of The Harbor in the post-cataclysmic world (ACE). Juan and I find ourselves here, in this horrible place because of The Good Doctor. His organic narcotics trade is booming. Juan, Mary and I want in. We have to find TGD and the nocturne, see if they will let us. We are down. We are hungry. And we are bringing Blood and Bubblegum to sweeten the pot. All of our dreams will come true. The only uncertainty is Mary and Juan living long enough to reap the rewards. 'Bad Notion, Traveling Potion': The second day of the fifth waxing moon, in the 24th year, ACE. The frozen earth of The Harbor is in the grips of a new Little Ice Age. The human populace is down to just one-third. They are forced to exist in long, dank tunnels and cramped domiciles underground with The Good Doctor and his creations of Halflings and other freaks and geeks. TGD's latest organic narcotic discovery goes LIVE and becomes self-aware. The bad notion traveling potion makes meat puppet users do its unholy bidding. Then the monster decides to turn on TGD, the Creator. Not the best idea, this. But it sure is going to be fun to watch. The Reverend thought you might like a sample of my new book: http://www.legumeman.com/samples%20and%2… Enjoy!! The Grim Reverend Steven Rage
A Huge Snake was coiled around her…
Pedro came to the edge of the tent-flap, peered inside. He almost dropped the 9mm in astonished disbelief, but managed to tighten up. "Fuckme," he whispered. El Cristo was there, sitting on a folding metal chair. A huge snake coiled all around her. Immanuel's head was being swallowed by the same serpent Pedro saw in his vision. Pedro's heart did a pounding flutter-flip. Dizzy now, he blinked at the sight of his Savior being swallowed whole. He came wading in before his rational side talked him out of it. With 9mm raised, he marched swiftly toward the chair. The snake sighted, Pedro squeezed the trigger. He's gonna blow that motherfucker apart! Michael became visible. He stood there, majestically, between Pedro and the snake. The slug hit the angel, dropped harmlessly to the floor. The shock snapped Pedro back like a stuntman blown through a stage wall. He landed on his ass. Michael came and hovered. Pedro pointed the gun at the celestial being out of instinct. Michael covered the gun with his hand. He gently pushed the weapon lower until it pointed down. "Who the fuck you supposed to be?" Pedro asked the angel. "I am Immanuel's guardian," Michael told him. "Then get that snake off her," Pedro said, made to rise. Michael placed a firm hand, Pedro fell back. "This has been decided," Michael explained, "long ago." "Decided?" Pedro asked, incredulous, "There is a snake on her head!" Michael smiled. Pedro tried to rise again. The angel, none too gently this time, knocked Pedro down with the slightest flick of his wrist. "Stay," Michael ordered. Pedro stayed, the angel stared. "What can I do?" asked Pedro. "Nothing." "I'm sworn to protect her!" shouted Pedro. Michael shook his head slowly in the negative. "Not on this day," he told Pedro. Pedro sat and watched, blocked from helping by an archangel, his Lord and Savior being consumed by a giant viper. And there was not a thing he could do about it. The Diabolous stood beside Immanuel on a snowy mountaintop. Together, they gazed into the far distance. The devil showed to her the world and everything in it. "All you see before you," he stated, gesturing grandly at all the Earth offered. All its extremes, its naughty diversions, "All shall be yours," he told her, "If you would only fall to your knees and worship me." "No," she told him, "I am the Son of God." "If you are truly of the Father," dared the devil, "hurl yourself from this mountain. For it is written not one hair on your head shall be harmed." "I will not test the Father," she replied. Immanuel turned from the world's venial and deadly sins, facing him squarely. "You are a petty deity, Satan," she began, "You were created to worship and serve the Father. It is your ruin not to accept this truth." The Diabolous stared daggers at her. He shook his clenched fists at the heavens. Enraged he shouted: "Take care your tone, Savior, for I am Lucifer," he exclaimed, "The most exalted one, loved above all others. I am Morning Star," the devil insisted, "I am Lucifer!" Immanuel shook her head at the devil's outburst. "You were," she agreed, "There was a time when you were cherished by God above all He created," she told him, "Then you sat upon His throne. You procured His scepter, named yourself Lord." The devil fumed, but didn't interrupt. "The only fixation you were warned against and you did it anyway. You were no more able to resist temptation than the humans you despise." The devil's face became a mask of purple tension: a violently rattling lid on a boiling pot. "Vanity is your downfall, my brother," she continued, "Now your beauty destroys mortals with disease. Our Father no longer seeks your council. You have nothing left but the damned." The Diabolous stared bitter cold at the Christ. His hatred made him puff up, swell. His naked torso cut from granite. Striations of hard muscle came and went; tightened, released. He stamped a foot, a quake erupted. The ground split open. Demonic underworld poured forth as an army. They grouped behind the devil, hissing and fighting. He glanced slightly over his shoulder, they became still. He looked back to the Christ. "I shall crush you, Savior," he spat. Christ stood her ground, stared down the devil and his army. Nothing could be heard but the ugly thoughts of Satan's minions. "Not then, not now," she assured him, "and not ever." The Christ stepped back, held hands aloft. The Diabolous saw Immanuel grow skyward and stretch beyond mortal boundaries. She looked down upon the master of this earthly plane. "Get ye behind me, Satan," Immanuel commanded, "and trouble me no more. Know that I am begotten and blessed of the Father. His power and His glory are within me," she told him. "I shall roar as a Lion over your bleached bones, Fallen One. Know that I am He," she stated. I knoweth both the time and the place of my reckoning. Ye are powerless to stop me." The Diabolous threw back his head. The pot lid blew off, he laughed aloud. Lucifer stomped about the Earth, made it tremble. He pointed at pristine valleys, made them burn. His army took wing, flew and dove and swooped all around. His power ballooned frigidly. Needle-sharp slivers of ice fell from the sky. The ice rained upon the land. Cries of the impaled mixed with shrieks of the demonic horde. "We shall see," he told her. Belches of cold mist expelled from the devil's mouth. He winked out and was gone. The sky now empty, it was clear and still on the snowy mountaintop. With the devil and his hordes gone, all El Cristo could hear was her own heart pounding away. She sat a boulder and closed her eyes. Angels came to minister unto her. They were surprised to see Immanuel's hands trembling. Michael appeared, stood beside her. He placed his hand on her shoulder. She reached up, grabbed it. Immanuel, eyes still closed, pressed Michael's hand to her cheek. "The things I do," she told him with a sigh, "for my children."
