Echoes Of The Abyss

orning: A

side were already singing their praise songs as the world stirred to life. He slowly open

stretched,

was Sa

rehe

ds. He touched his chest like he could still feel the weight of his fath

t wash off the layers of yesterday. After his bath, he dressed up in a black t-shirt, clean blue jeans, and a pair of white sneak

ohn had kept spotless-and stepped outside. His mother had already left fo

hurch for rehea

little scratch Jessica made with a pen when they were kids. Nathan s

ispering through, it felt like a scene out of a movie. The sun danced across the windshield,

leader's car, turned off

pound was stil

t for

olled through her phone. Her long black braids fell down her back, and she wore a white blouse tucked in

ed for a second.

" he

earbud out an

Natha

softly. "Everyone's b

hing the back of his head.

up at him. "I'm Zarah. I just joined the chu

u, Zarah. What p

I can do a bit

y keyboard sometimes. I mostly

eze swaying the branches overhead. It

ibe," she said

a brow, amus

quiet. Calm. Not

"Well, thank

ser. "So... do you come

. "Except when I'm f

she teased, biting h

stirred in him. It wasn't just attractio

ou inside?"

. Let

ked in t

hurch friendship, maybe more. But Nathaniel didn't know... that Zar

d drea

s were

wing

sal kicked

air was filled with the soft hum of warmups and the clicking sound of the drummer tuning his set.

t every now and then, her eyes found his. Not a long stare-just a glance. A knowing

ir stayed behind discussing Sunday's servi

expect her

, standing beside him now in the

I've been playing

urch," she said, looking up at the

d at her. "Di

w much to tell. "My dad was... controlling. Reli

lowly. "Yeah. I

ind my own path now," she said, her voice di

r story pulled on his heart. He saw brokenness... but a

urning to him, "you don'

w. "What do I s

f. Deep stuff. But you're sti

weight of her words sat o

in silence

a drink or something? Not

n hes

something that should be run through his spirit first. But then again.

nfident. Attractive in the kind

There's a café two

e

calm jazz music playing in the background. Nathan ordered a fruit

ut

t mu

She made sarcastic jokes that made Nathan laugh in ways he hadn't in months. He found himself loosening up-tal

list

lean

ked qu

l o

er hand brushed his as she laughed. The way she looked directly into his soul

almost

mo

That E

picked up for his mom-bread, eggs, and plantain chips Jessica l

nd smiled. "

ine," he said, placing

at him carefully. "

ed. "I met someone at reh

ds paused ov

O

She just joined. Sh

slowly but

noticed

st... be careful, my son. Not every s

"Mum. She's co

gently. "I just pray you lis

usand thoughts-mostly about Zarah's smile, her

somewhere in the realm of shadows, a dark force whispe

ay after r

often than usual. No new messages. No missed cal

iting for

r

cation cam

et the café vibes already. W

smi

s sister Jessica sp

got accepted into Yale or some

Just talking to so

owed her eye

eply. He di

xpecte

h dinner prep, Nathaniel grabbed the keys to his father's old car-a fa

n, just past the city's main strip. Clean street

g, tapping the steering wheel to a

e stepp

ers. Effortless. She didn't try to be

said, sliding into

ets were suppose

't supposed to flirt," sh

huckled.

and Some

ot in the art district-Luma's Table, a small but elegant bistro

rows of hand-painted art. A solo pianist played in the background-s

window. She always did that-chose p

back to the wall?" Nathan

ing who's coming before

le. "You've seen s

till. Searching. "Y

arkling water. What started as casual

sent father, a mother who checked out early, and the nights

r's quiet strength, and the weight of being "the

he tone

r glass with a fingertip. "Do you ever

ked. "What

-but no one sees the cost. You carry people, pray

d hard. He hadn

. "Sometimes I feel like I'm being em

. "Maybe that's why I like tal

own, unsure

ed vulnerability-was loude

e and

t, the city lights danc

t, Nathan shifted into park bu

d," she whispered.

ed to her.

st lightly enough, pla

you. And that's not s

way, and stepped out into the cool

ger, watching her figure disa

exh

ttraction? Desti

ll t

– A Mother

na, sat by the living room window with her Bible open, on

late," she

ad dinner wit

sked without li

ated, then n

Bible slowly. Then

y with you

nked.

n. No questions

ts but the soft glow from the hallway. Joa

ice. No hand that feels gentle lead him away from Your hands. Shield his eyes. Keep h

. But something in

uld f

ng was

g unseen...

of Flesh

ubtle

was both intoxicating and dangerous. Her presence, the way she looked at him, the way she understood his pain-it all made him feel seen, in a way no o

ere, a lingering gaze there. But as time passed, t

lamp illuminating their faces. They were sitting closer now, her knee brushing against his

en thinking about you, Nathaniel," she whispered

couldn't place it, but something felt off. He opened his mouth to sp

aid softly. "I understand you. I've alw

a moment, Nathaniel allowed himself to beli

ptation

e two of them, the city noise fading into the background. Zarah had prepared a late-night snack-grilled chicken and wine, t

softly, "I can tell there's more to you than you let on. You carry the w

e wine. "I don't know if I can carry it alone," he admitted, his voice raw. "I'

ou're not supposed to do it alone. Maybe you just need someone t

uch, but it sparked something deep inside him. Her fingers curled around his, and the world

t inches from his. "Let go of the weight

ough his mind. A whis

ll into t

icult moments. But Zarah's hand on his chest, her lips close to his, made it hard t

ment o

n overwhelming rush of emotion and longing. He told himself he was just human-everyone needed comfort. But deep do

he next level," she said, her voice a mix of sweetness and something dark

He looked at her, his body betraying his thoughts. He had told himself this was just a moment of weak

made him feel-was enough to drown out everything else.

His shirt was off, hers was too, and in a blu

Afte

otic swirl of regret and shame. Zarah was lying next to him, her fingers tracing circles on his chest, as if nothing had happened. Bu

der, clearer. You have lost something important, N

looked up at him, her eyes gleaming. "Wha

," he whispered, his voice

You think you've messed up? You haven't, Nathaniel

th God-the fire that had once burned brightly in him-felt distant. He felt empty. And the

A temptation. And he ha

Re

ody still heavy with shame. He had to get aw

as she stirred awake. "You're leaving already?"

d, his voice low. "I c

sing down on him like a physical burden. He knew he h

him-God still loved him. And as long as there was bre

l Into

btle

more time he spent with her, the harder it became to resist. Zarah's charm, her understanding of his struggles, her allure-it was like a drug. Each t

he kept c

nge in

nt, and even as he stepped into his family's home, a part of him felt disconnected. His mother, Joanna, and his sister, Jessica, were sitt

rpening. "Nathaniel," she said softly, her voice tinged wit

dn't reach his eyes. "I'm fine, Mom,"

ual spark was gone. His eyes were dull, distant. And his movements

ice gentle but probing. "You've been acting

m just tired," he mutter

Her son had changed. He wasn't the Nathaniel who once had his heart set on serving God, who would p

Nathaniel excused himself. "I need to

e. He didn't wait for their questions or concerns. He just walked

piral

He stopped attending rehearsals. He stopped praying. The man who once held onto his faith with unwaverin

further away from everything he knew was right. Zarah was no longer just a temptation. She had become his world. They would spend en

courage him to forget his past, to let go of the guilt that haunted him. "You don't need to carry

er, each night spent dancing in dimly lit clubs, each stolen

sex, alcohol, parties. He felt the spiritual distance between him and God growing wider, but at that moment

Isol

at night. His days were spent in Zarah's apartment, and when he did come to his m

f something darker taking hold of her son. There were days when he didn't even acknowledge her prayers. There

hed her off. "I'm fine, Jess. I'm just... figuring things out," he would say. But she could see it in

n anymore. "Mom," she whispered, her voice cracking with worry. "We need to d

dness washing over her.

m everyone, choosing to live in the illusion of happiness Zarah offe

ilent

in his mind-the voice of his angel. It would come in fleeting

haniel. Don't let her take

touched him, that voice disappeared. She was his escape, h

ation Come

Zarah's car, a drink in his hand. His head was spinning, but all he could think about was how mu

ug that he had been ignoring for weeks. He didn't want to feel it. He didn't want to care anymore. He

the heat of her touch. But as their lips parted, he felt something cold

k, Nathaniel. But not

ar gone. Zarah had alrea

e path back. But deep down, there was still hope. There was still the chance that, despite everyth

urch's

s were growing increasingly futile. Joanna had stopped asking about church altogether; the questions had become too painful t

ternoon, th

from a boy into the young man he had once been, filled with potential and

We've noticed that Nathaniel hasn't been attending service lately. He hasn't come

, but now the people from church were noticing. The people who had once supported him, who beli

rough a phase. You know, life's been tough for him lately. He's been busy with his job

was such a strong part of the church. His gifts-his heart for ministry-we just

hank you, Sister Mary. I'll make sure

ly. Nathaniel was going through something, but it wasn't just a phase. He wasn't just busy.

ening

went home. Even his rehearsals became something he barely showed up for, and when he did, he wasn't present. His mind was always elsewhere-thinking o

gel, had no strength left to resist. His spiritual gifts-the very essence of who he was-seemed to fade into the background. H

was drinking at clubs, trying to erase the nagging guilt that clung to him. But each

yourself, Nathaniel. Come back before it's too late. But the voice was gro

a's S

ect her son from the darkness she could see overtaking him. But no matter what she did, she couldn't reach him. The more she

came through the door around midnight, smelling of alcohol and looking disheveled. His e

voice strained with emoti

ed by the question. "Mom, I'm fin

fine in weeks. "Nathaniel, you've been gone for days. You're

head and walked past her with

re, helpless. Her son was slipping through her fin

h's Growi

messages, asking after Nathaniel's well-being. Joanna continued to make excuses-"He's busy with work," "He's

t of her son's absence pressed down on her. She wanted to call him, to beg him to

orry, Mrs. James. I know you're going through a lot right now. But we're all

y a tear. "Thank you, Sis

Nathaniel never came back? What if he had gone too far, too deep into the world Zarah ha

dest Re

church, or his purpose. Every time he looked in the mirror, the reflection staring back at him seemed foreign. He was a shadow

stop, tried to resist, but it was as if his body didn't belong t

ar, but he ignored it. His heart, hardene

s down his chest. "It's okay," she murmured

e in a long while, Na

e Feels

und a pillow, her eyes staring blankly at the flickering television screen that no one was watching. Joanna, her mother

ally broke

" she w

already bracing for the

all the

blinked

ah's house. Just take him out of there," Jessica said, voice trembling. "

on losing air. She looked at her da

. We can't

't we? She's destroying him! She's killing h

it tightly. Her voice dropped to a whis

wer over demons, my child. If they try to fight what they don't understand, they will als

on. "Then what can we do, Mom?" she asked, almost pleading. "I'm just co

iling, her voice quivering. "I just hope your father isn't sleepi

confused. "Wh

ly saw it, then he has to do something about it. He can't just fold his ha

talking to God. That's all we can do. Because this? This is too much

r daughter. "I can't fight demons with this weak

cried into each other's shoulders. The living room echoed with silence, save

d through her tears. "Do

ispered, "He will... But it mi