I died.
Yes… I died.
Am I sad?
Yes, I'm sad.
So why am I sad?
It's not because of my many sins or anything.
I was... sinless.
I'm not saying I was the best person, but I really wasn't a bad person.
I've been nice to people all my life.
It didn't matter big, little, old, young — I would talk to everyone with the same kindness.
I used to go to churches often and listen to the advice of the priests.
I used to pray with people on time every week and give all the help I could to those in need.
Whatever I had, I would share it as a favor.
So what happened?
Why am I thinking about all this now?
The answer is simple…
I was slaughtered.
Yes, I wasn't killed... I was killed.
And do you know by whom?
By the people I have helped, trusted, included in my prayers.
I was burned alive.
The flames engulfed my feet first - it was as if they were burning my soul, not my flesh.
My skin was crispy and blistered, smoke filled my lungs.
Breathing was a sin now.
I wanted to scream, but my vocal cords were ashen, parched in my throat.
The heat, which was moving up from below my knees, made the blood in my veins boil.
My right eye turned black like melting wax, my vision became confused with the smell of burnt meat.
At that moment I felt only one thing:
That the price of my kindness was fire.
I wanted to scream as the fire created by those people was burning my body, but I was screaming; only hoarse wheezing could be heard.
At least that's what I heard.
But that wasn't all I heard — no, what I heard was the crackling of the fire and the laughter of the people.
"Burn you, you damn vile devil!"
"Get out of our world, you dirty thing!"
"I wish I hadn't eaten the food you gave me!"
The loudest thing I heard among these sounds was the loud prayers of the pastor, whose Decrees he was listening to.
After finishing the prayers, he spoke:
"Oh Erra… why did you do this to yourself and to us?
Why did you choose the corrupt path, huh?
Touching magic, working with it, was forbidden!
The God forbid us from doing this!
But you… you strayed from his path.
I remember your childhood like it was yesterday…
Don't run around in the church, don't ask me questions, don't ask about anything…
You grew up in my hands.
My child, I hope that the holy one will purify your soul and bring you to be with us in heaven.
This is for your good and our good…"
The priest opens his holy book with trembling hands. There is both fear and faith in your eyes.
The wind hums, the hum of the flames blends into the sky.
The priest falls to his knees, his voice first trembling, then loud:
"I call to you in the name of the Almighty!"
[The sky thunders. The flames grow with a sudden explosion.]
"O being born of lies, nourished by shadows!"
[Someone in the crowd screams, as if an invisible force has gripped their throat.]
"Come under the rule of light!"
[The flames flicker, the ashes on the ground begin to spin in a circle. The priest's voice echoes, coming from both nearby and from the sky.]
"Take back your darkness and leave this body!"
[A hum. It's like someone whispers: "No..." A shrill moaning is heard through the flames.]
"The power of Almighty Allah shakes your night!"
[The air trembles around the parsonage. The tongue of flames turns purple. Smoke takes the form of a person.]
"It seals the border with its flames!"
[The church bells start ringing on their own. The crowd begins to pray, in fear.]
"You can't touch his soul anymore!"
[Erra's eyes narrow. Her lips move even as her skin burns, a silent anger growing.]
"Because this soul is the trust of light!"
[The flames turn into a momentary white light. The wind gets stronger and blows the ashes into the sky.]
"O lord of darkness, return to your nothingness!"
[The ground cracks. A sinister scream rises from the flames. The priest raises his voice even louder.]
"The voice of your lie will be silenced here!"
"The shadow will be cleansed by fire!"
[The sky brightens, then darkness falls back. It's as if the world is breathing.]
"The holy power will reduce you to dust!"
[The sound of an explosion. The flames rise like a whirlpool, the priest's cloak is thrown away.]
"By the might of God, by his eternal will!"
"Let every curse be erased, let every shadow be scattered!"
[At his last words his voice changes to an echo. The crowd becomes quiet, the wind subsides.]
"It's dark... go back to where you came from!"
[silence. The flames don't go out, they just flicker. But Erra's eyes are still open]
The village square — in the evening. A stake made of old stones in the middle. Surrounded by the people. The sky has already swallowed the red of the sunset; dark clouds are swirling on the horizon.
Erra, her hands tied, the light of the burns flickering on her body. Her breathing is heavy, her eyes like a black mirror. The sound of the flames is heard like a heartbeat.
"When I heard these things, I went crazy.
I literally went crazy — all this didn't mean anything to me anymore.
I've prayed like this for dozens of nights, dozens of mornings, but this is the price!
Damn them!
Ha ha…
True.
Why wouldn't I do it?
I don't have a voice... but I don't care.
I'll read it!"
The square shakes at once. Black smoke rises from among the stones on the Decking; candles go out one by one, exploding. The wind blows from the opposite direction, blowing smoke over people. Women scream, children cry, several people collapse to the ground.
Erra raises her head to the sky and begins to sing:
Erra (in a deeper, painful voice)
O lord of darkness,
Enemy of pure light, keeper of sin,
These souls are purified by your fire,
We wipe away their stains with the power of the shadow.
With these words, the stone crosses around the square begin to move. Some of them crack, black dust begins to flow over them. People's pupils get bigger, there is a buzzing in their ears.
The birds scatter in panic from the sky, a high-pitched whistling sound echoes in the air.
The priest rushes to the front of the crowd, his face covered in ash and fear.
Pastor (shouting)" "Enough Erra! Stop it now! This is Blasphemy! Put a lid on it! Do not pollute the Lord's land!"
Erra continues as if he had not heard — his voice is deeper, his power greater.
"Let their blood mingle with their ashes,
Let the light of darkness arise from their flesh,
Let their light be sealed with our words,
Decoy at the gates of hell, you sinners.
The ground suddenly cracks, hot steam gushes out of it.
The cross in a woman's hand falls to the ground, melts and turns to ashes.
As a group of people flee in horror, the stones tremble under their feet, some stagger and fall, The dark smoke Swallows them, And all that remains Are Their Screams
To some it gives off Steam and..They Started Walking And They Started Walking Alive
The pastor falls on his knees, leaning on his cane, murmuring prayers:
The pastor (pleadingly): "Take back these words!said
Erra's voice echoes like it hits the sky, and in every line you can hear a "thunder!" sound like lightning.
Your flame is brighter than the light of God,
Your fire is the one that reveals the truth,
Burn them, Lord,
Burn them so that their souls may be in pure darkness.
The sky suddenly becomes completely dark.
The flame of the middle stake turns black.
People get down on their knees, they start begging for forgiveness, the windows of the houses around the square crack one by one, then a deep Explosion is heard.
The dust cloud rotates in the air, as if an invisible being is walking.
But Erra probably doesn't hear him anymore.
As he sings the last line, his voice splits into two — one is his voice, the other is an ancient and buzzing sound from somewhere else.
They both say it at the same time:
"Burn them, My Lord... Burn them!"
There will be a big vibration in the middle of the square.
All the candles explode at the same time, sparks form a circle in the air.
The wind blows from the center of the square towards the outside, the hair and robes of the surviving people are blown away.
Then suddenly — silence.
There is no wind left, no sound.
Only Erra's ash-covered silhouette stands on the still hot stones with its dark eyes.