Sin Eater of Willow Creek

When Gabriel arrived, the residents knew he was the chosen one, Willow Creek’s sin eater. 

His mere presence brought about a slow and dreadful sensation to make the brave souls fearfully shiver. The pungent stench that reeked of decaying flesh was ubiquitous throughout this small town, enveloping everything in its wake as if it were a grotesque veil of death that refused to lift.

For the past two years, the town of Willow Creek had been experiencing a slow death, with each day bringing about a new level of despair. People were becoming increasingly desperate and violent, leaving most fearing what the future held. However, Gabriel's arrival changed the dynamic of the town drastically. When he received the call from the acting pastor of Abundant Faith Missionary Baptist Church, something in his gut told him that this would be a different kind of assignment.

Gabriel had done what the elders in the community never thought possible—he had been nominated to the pastor position to lead them in repentance and redemption.

The church elders were unconvinced that someone so young could be trusted to lead, but Gabriel was determined to prove himself and do whatever it took to show that God anointed him. He began his work late at night, walking from house to house to rid the community of its sins.

The title of Sin Eater had been passed down through generations, originating from the spiritual forefathers of Willow Creek. It was a symbolic duty that reminded these leaders of their responsibility to seek out and heal the sick. The ritual involved Gabriel consuming food and drink blessed with prayers to take on the sins of the townspeople who couldn’t seem to repent on their own. 

People were skeptical at first—they had never seen such a young man do what he was capable of doing—but Gabriel assured them that this was his true life’s passion. Ever since he was a tiny, dirty rascal hopping off porches, he knew he wanted to help heal God's people.

—

The night was calm and quiet; the streets of Willow Creek were deserted as the moon hung high in the sky. It all seemed like a typical night until a gust of wind blew through the town, carrying a solid stench that made Gabriel's stomach churn. He stepped outside his small apartment, curious to know what could be causing such a nasty odor.

He saw her as soon as he turned the corner—Mrs. Jones, the insatiable wife of a well-respected man in their community,—locked lips with a man who wasn't Mr. Jones. Gabriel's heart sank as he watched the scene unfold before him. But he wasn't surprised. Rumors swirled around town for years about her wild appetite for sex with those whose rent and mortgages her husband funded. Her husband, Mr. Jones, was a philanthropist whose swollen bank accounts kept Willow Creek standing. 

Sure, he was too old to sit up alone, but Mrs. Jones knew what she was getting into when she said yes to his marriage proposal. She was twenty years younger, with curves that would make any NASCAR driver insane. Her caramel-complected skin, kinky, curly hair, and full heart-shaped lips made many men and women in Willow Creek drool.   

Mr. Jones was a lucky man, or so everyone thought. But Gabriel saw past the facade of success and wealth; he saw the sins that weighed heavy on Mrs. Jones' conscience. Word around town was that the Joneses had some kind of twisted understanding. Mrs. Jones was allowed one entanglement a month, meaning that she could take on lovers, but should she ever embarrass or decide to leave Mr. Jones for one of these encounters, he swore to send her back to the life of poverty and prostitution he had found her in. 

Gabriel often wondered if Mr. Jones was genuinely okay with his wife's many lovers, but he never dared to question it. The why wasn't his business. Saving the town from going bankrupt with a prominent divorce was all he cared about. He wasn't about to let the loose vagina and confused heart of this woman ruin what they all had—a peaceful place to call home.

Word around town was that she had fallen in love with the estate’s chef, Mrs. Pina. Mrs. Jones had hired her for their fancy parties after hearing from a friend of Pina’s delicious fine Michelin star chef skills. The Joneses kept a team of maids and butlers who liked to gossip. It wasn’t long before Mrs. Pina used Mrs. Jones's body as the canvas for her menu ideas. 

He had taken on the sins of this town, and Mrs. Jones' infidelity was just one more burden to bear.

Gabriel's heart raced as he watched this prominent woman slither her tongue down that mystery man’s throat. He knew he had to confront Mrs. Jones before she could escape and continue her sinful behavior. With a deep breath, Gabriel approached her, determination in his eyes.

"Mrs. Jones," he called out sternly, causing her to turn around surprisedly.

"Gabriel, what brings you here at this hour?" she asked sweetly, batting her long eyelashes at him. 

"I saw what you were doing, Mrs. Jones. It's not right," Gabriel said firmly, trying to resist the temptation of her seductive charms.

He could see the guilt in her eyes as she tried to devise an excuse, but he knew better. He had taken on the sins of this town, and he couldn't let her continue to deceive her husband.

"You need to repent and seek forgiveness," Gabriel continued, his voice filled with conviction.

Mrs. Jones hung her head in shame, knowing that he was right. "I love him—I really do."

Gabriel could feel his temperature rising as he took another step towards her. 

The closer he got to Mrs. Jones, the more his anger simmered beneath the surface. How could she do this? How could she betray her husband and their faith? Gabriel was beginning to feel their weight of all that he had taken on. His body's temperature rises with each glance at Mrs. Jones's beauty.

"You may love him, but your actions have consequences," he said firmly, his right hand coiled around her left arm. He walked her to the church house with such force that his right high heel snapped as she tried to keep up with his pace. Mrs. Jones could now see that something dark lingered behind those eyes.  

—

Pushing open the church doors, Mrs. Jones could see they were alone. She shuddered, scared about what might happen if she walked through those doors. She couldn't remember the last time she stepped inside a church, but she knew it was where her husband always told her she needed to be.

Gabriel led her to the front pew, forced her to close her eyes and bow her head, and began to pray over her, asking for forgiveness and cleansing of her sins. Mrs. Jones cried out for mercy as Gabriel's grip tightened on her arm, his power radiating through his touch. It felt as if she was being purified from the inside out.

"As it is written in Proverbs 6:32, 'But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.' Mrs. Jones, you have strayed from your marriage vows and brought destruction upon yourself. But through God's grace and forgiveness, you can be redeemed."

As he finished the prayer, Mrs. Jones opened her eyes to see Gabriel's naked body.

His right hand reached towards the pulpit to grab the bible while his left hand caressed his manhood.

Mrs. Jones was confused—why was a man of God standing over her, naked and after prayer?

Mrs. Jones could feel the fear creeping up her spine as Gabriel began to walk towards her.

"Please, stop this," she begged, trying to pull away from his grip. "You're a man of God; you shouldn't be doing this. Mrs. Jones could feel a sense of terror welling inside her as she realized this man's power over her.

"You have sinned against your husband, your community, and God Himself," Gabriel said in a deep, commanding tone. "You must repent!” Gabriel grabbed Mrs. Jones by the neck, lifting her until she swung like a rag doll.

With his right hand, Gabrie began to tear at her dress, exposing her body to the cold air of the church. She wanted to scream and fight back but was paralyzed with fear. This wasn't how it was supposed to be.

Mrs. Jones could feel the tears streaming down her face as Gabriel tore away the last of her clothing. She was completely exposed and vulnerable, both physically and emotionally.

But Gabriel showed no mercy, his grip only growing stronger as he continued to pray over her, his words laced with condemnation and judgment.

(I Kings 18:4), which is known as the ultimate example of a sinful woman.

"And Ahab called Obadiah, who was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly." As written in I Kings 18:4, Mrs. Jones, you have followed in the footsteps of Jezebel, a woman who used her beauty and seduction to manipulate and deceive those around her. But just as Jezebel met a gruesome end, so too shall be the fate of all who refuse to repent for their sins." Gabriel's voice grew louder, his eyes flashing with righteous anger.

"Please, stop!" she cried, her voice cracking with desperation. "I'll do anything."

But Gabriel didn't stop; he continued to pray and chant over her, his power overwhelming as it coursed through her body. She could feel herself being cleansed of all her sins, but at what cost?

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Gabriel released Mrs. Jones from his grip and stepped back. She collapsed onto the pew, shaking and sobbing uncontrollably.

But Gabriel showed no remorse, no compassion. He simply turned and walked out of the church, leaving Mrs. Jones to face her sins and their consequences alone.

Trembling with fear and shame, Mrs. Jones knew she could never look at Gabriel the same way again. As she stumbled out of the church and into the darkness of night, she felt a piercing jab tear through her stomach. Write a classic horror scene of Gabriel standing over Mrs. Jones as she plummets down the church steps, slipping on her own pool of blood.

Mrs. Jones could feel Gabriel's cold eyes watching her every move as she lay at the bottom of the church steps. She tried to crawl away, but her body was weak and trembling with fear.

"You see what happens when you don't repent?" Gabriel's voice echoed through the empty town square. "Your sins will be your downfall."

Slowly, Gabriel descended the steps towards Mrs. Jones; he had put on one of his black robes, swishing behind him like the wings of a dark angel.

She looked at him sadly; "why did you stab me?" Her voice was barely a whisper.

"Because your sins were too great to be cleansed by prayer alone," Gabriel replied coldly, his eyes glinting with malice. "You needed to feel the pain and agony of your actions."

Mrs. Jones could feel her life slipping away as she struggled to breathe. She reached out a trembling hand towards Gabriel, pleading for mercy.

—

As he stood over Mrs. Jones' lifeless body, Gabriel realized that he had sacrificed everything for the sake of others.

His sanity.

His humanity.

But would it ever be enough? His own salvation was at stake as he continued to carry the weight of their sins upon his shoulders.

Gabriel collapsed to his knees beside Mrs. Jones' body, tears streaming down his face as he realized the gravity of what he had done.

"What have I become?" he whispered, his voice filled with self-loathing. "Is this what it means to be a true sin eater?"

He remembered the teachings of his elders, how they had told him that taking the life of a sinful person was necessary to cleanse the earth of their wasteful existence. And Mrs. Jones had been the epitome of waste, using her beauty and charm to manipulate and deceive those around her.

But as he looked at her now, her lifeless body mangled and broken, Gabriel couldn't help but feel sick. He had gone too far, crossed a line that he could never come back from.

As the sun began to rise, casting an eerie light upon the scene, Gabriel began to accept this new role in life even though it took away a piece of him each passing day.

As Gabriel's power and status within the coven grew, so did his appetite for sin. He found himself eagerly accepting any task, no matter how heinous, if it meant he could continue to cleanse the world of its impurities.

Soon, it wasn't just the apparent sinners like Mrs. Jones who fell victim to his blade. Gabriel began to see sin everywhere he looked, in the most innocuous actions and thoughts. He began to take pleasure in snuffing out lives, reveling in the rush of power that came with each kill.

And, as the years passed, Gabriel's coven grew stronger and stronger. They worked in the shadows, eradicating the sins of the people of Willow Creek.

NM