Free Anathema by David Greske

fell back against the wall. The lid slipped from his grip and rolled down the aisle like a lopsided wheel. Timothy slid down the wall until he sat on the marble floor. Then, he pulled his knees up to his chin. He looked up at the stained-glass Jesus. The sinners were there again, writhing at His feet. But this time, Christ wasn't crying, He was laughing.
    Timothy closed his eyes, but this time when he opened them, the images had not disappeared.
    Tears streamed down the pastor's flushed cheeks.
    It was happening again.

 
    Chapter 10
    Sleep did not come easy for Jim Anderson. He lay awake, staring at the ceiling and thinking about what the old gypsy woman had told him. The old bitch had given him quite a scare.
    He hadn't told her his name, yet she called him: James . Other than his mother, no one ever called him that. Maybe she wasn't a fake after all, but her ludicrous predictions could all be rationalized away.
    A veil of death over his son's face. Of course there is. Everyone's going to die someday. Everybody's face is covered with a veil. That doesn't mean death was going to come knocking tomorrow.
    His daughter has secret desires. Sure she did. In fact, he hoped she did. She's a normal fourteen-year-old girl. Molly would probably love to be alone with one of the ‘N Sync guys. Heck, she'd probably like to be alone with all of them. If he were her age, he'd love to be with...
    (the three dead whores)
    ...Marilyn Monroe, or even Madonna for that matter.
    As far as Diane lusting after another man, she's been there, done that, and Jim was certain she had no plans to do it again.
    Jim rolled on his side and looked at Diane. They had fun at the festival tonight. Fun until they'd gone to see that damn fortune-teller. Then things unraveled a bit.
    He supposed the gypsy said those things just to get him riled. A kind of pay back for the attitude he displayed. Still, the fact she knew his name was unnerving.
    "I love you, Diane,” he whispered and closed his eyes, hoping sleep would come soon.
    * * * *
    Diane felt her husband's eyes bore into the back of her head. They had planned to make love tonight. But when the time came, she couldn't go through with it. She told Jim all the beer had given her a headache.
    A headache.
    She used the oldest cliché she knew to tell her husband she wasn't interested. Truth was, she did want to have sex, just not with Jim. The old fortune-teller was right. She really did want another man. And, yes, she'd take his penis in her mouth.
    Ever since she'd met Jarvis, Diane couldn't stop thinking about him. She didn't know why. Maybe it was his long, slender fingers. Or his charming smile. Or the way his voice lifted at the end of a sentence. Or...
    the size of his package stuffed in his pants, a strange voice whispered in her head.
    Diane snapped her eyes open. Where had that voice come from? Was someone in the room with them? Was it ... Jarvis?
    Ever since their encounter, Diane had been wet between the thighs. Her panties were so moist they felt like she'd put them on straight from the washing machine. There was an electric tension between her legs that made her insides quiver. She was on fire. Maybe if she touched herself. Just a little bit to relieve some of the pressure...
    Go ahead, the voice cooed. You know you want to. I want you to.
    Diane slipped her hand beneath the covers and touched the waistband of her cotton panties. Just the touch of her fingers against the region sent tendrils of hot passion coursing through her loins.
    She slipped her hand inside her underwear; touched the dewy patch of hair between her legs. She shuddered and fought the urge to scream as her fingers searched for her sex.
    Then from behind her, Jim whispered, “I love you, Diane."
    Diane froze. What was happening? She couldn't do this. Not with her husband beside her. She couldn't do this even if her husband wasn't here.
    She slid her hand out of her underwear and let it fall to the mattress.
    "I love you, too,”