“You were put on earth to love God—”
“The poisoned field is an affront to God,” the man said.
“I know it’s a bummer, David, but—”
“Then let God clean it up!” David cried. “It’s not fair for him to come to me after he killed my mother and my sister—”
“He didn’t—”
“I don’t care! I don’t care! Even if he didn’t, he stood aside and let it happen!”
“That’s not true, either.”
David shut his eyes and clapped his hands to his ears. He didn’t want to hear any more. He refused to hear any more. Yet the man’s voice came through anyway. It was relentless. He would be able to escape it no more than Jonah had been able to escape God. God was as relentless as a bloodhound on a fresh scent. And God was cruel.
“Why are you on earth?” The voice seemed to come from inside his head now.
“I don’t hear you! I don’t hear you!”
“You were put on earth to love God—”
“No!”
“—and serve him.”
“No! Fuck God! Fuck his love! Fuck his service!”
“God can’t make you do anything you don’t want to—”
“Stop it! I won’t listen, I won’t decide! Do you hear? Do you—”
“Shh—listen!”
Not quite against his will, David listened.
