Free Dance For The Devil by S. Kodejs Page B

thought it was stern glance, she couldn’t see his features clearly from beneath his hood, but the message was clear.
    The chanting stopped abruptly as Goat-man began to preach, his voice loud and low. “We have a traitor among us!” An eerie hush fell over the room.
    “A traitor! Pretending to belong! One who’s brought outsiders into our midst, watering our strength, weakening our souls. A traitor to Seth who endangers us all!”
    Several gasps erupted throughout the room.
    “This traitor must be disciplined.” Goat-man left the altar and began to walk between the benches, touching some members lightly on the head. “I can smell your treachery. It emanates from you like dung.” He walked past Amy and she stiffened involuntarily, causing him to pause. “It reeks!” he shouted. “Your deceit contaminates us and you must be punished.” He swung his arm around, pointer finger stretched like a claw and for one awful moment Amy thought it might settle on her.
    He chose a figure directly in front of her, pushing the hood down and grasping the unsuspecting man by the hair. “To your feet, Sinner !” The man started to protest, shaking his head wildly. “It’s a mistake,” he stammered. “You’ve made a mis–”
    “Silence!” Goat-man shrieked, clubbing the man on the head, a blow hard enough to send the man reeling. The man fell from his seat, knocking his forehead on the bench in front. Goat-man half-carried, half-dragged the semiconscious man to the altar and laid him out flat. The poor man was starting to stir, and Amy saw his eyes swing around, looking for help.
    No one moved.
    He doesn’t look like a traitor, she thought, staring at the man. He was middle-aged, balding slightly, and looked mild and soft. Nonthreatening. Not like Goat-man. No, this guy looked ordinary, like a dentist or something.
    Suddenly Goat-man reached behind the altar and grabbed what looked like a baseball bat, only it had spiky things on the end. Without warning he brought it down hard on the man’s head.
    She heard the crack, saw the skull split; saw the brain exposed like seeds falling from a pumpkin. Still, no one moved. The room was excruciatingly silent.
    Goat-man paused for a moment, looking like he might strike again, the n – almost as an afterthought released the club. He motioned and four figures came forward and dragged the dead man away. At least Amy thought he was dead. He had to be dead. No one had their head split open like that and still managed to live. She hadn’t taken biology yet in school but any idiot could figure that out.
    Goat-man began to speak again, this time soothingly, but Amy found herself blotting out the words. This was wrong. Not like last time. Last time felt good. Last time was fun. This was... just... evil. She wanted to go but was afraid to leave.
    Suddenly, she felt Jason nudging her, pushing her to her feet. Thank God, she was going to leave.
    But instead of going to the back she was pushed to the front. All alone. No, not quite. Two others slowly made their way to the front. From their posture she could tell they were as hesitant as she. Like a tiny twig in the tide, she felt herself drawn forward until she reached the altar. There was nowhere to go, nowhere to hide.
    Goat-man raised his arm and Amy felt herself flinch. Was going to strike her? Instead, he reached for the person standing closest to him and drew his arm to his body, guiding his hand to his midsection, to his pants... to his newly exposed penis. He wrapped the person’s hand around it, then reached for Amy, guiding her hand. She felt herself recoil, but his hand was firm, unrelenting. She felt the pulsating member in her hand, her fingers overlapping with the others, even more so when a third hand was added.
    “Welcome to the Temple of Seth,” he stated, his voice low and gravelly. Amy stared at the blood and bits of flesh clinging to his chest. “You are our newest members and we welcome you.” The crowd started