In this world, there are two forces who guide it.
Cursed Deities, also known as Demons.
Blessed Deities, also known as Angels.
There are many people in this world who pray to many different deities — but this is the story of one who prays to none, one who prays to nothing.
I am Oshivrous, The Angel of Stories, and I will tell you one of my personal favorites: the tale of Kris Dormon and his daughter Nayuro.
A drowsy Kris sits at the wheel of his Hauler truck, the back stacked with bags labeled DO NOT OPEN.
Kris (yawning):
"Yawn …Why does it feel like Sofi's further every time? Shouldn't be this tired…"
SWERVE!
A van with Big Shots spray-painted on the side nearly takes off his bumper.
Voice:
"NICE DRIVING, JACKASS!"
Kris rolls down the window.
Kris:
"NICE—uh—CAR!"
Voice:
"HA! YOU INSULT LIKE A BABY!"
Kris opens his mouth, then shuts it. He rolls the window up.
Kris:
"Tch… psycho cult wannabes."
He spots a woman outside a warehouse, smoking like she owns the world.
Kris:
"There she is."
He parks, locks up, heads over.
Kris:
"Hey, Sofi—"
She blows smoke in his face. Kris coughs up the smoke.
Kris:
"What the hell, Sofi!?"
Sofi:
"You were supposed to be here yesterday morning!"
Kris scratches the back of his head, smirking sheepishly.
Kris:
"There's that Sofi-brand kindness I missed. I was late because… you know, time zones and—"
Sofi:
"Time zones? You were at your dad's grave again."
Kris freezes.
Kris:
"H-how'd you know that?"
Sofi:
"You've got the 'sadness food binge' face."
Kris:
"Am I really that easy to read?"
Sofi:
"YES. Now get off your ass and help me unload before I throw my back out."
She struts to the truck.
Sofi:
"I'm so old and frail, Kris…"
Kris:
"You turned 46 three weeks ago."
They start hauling bags.
Sofi:
"Look, I get it. Your pops has been gone a year. But he wouldn't want you beating yourself up like this."
Kris stares at the sky.
Kris:
"…It's been a whole year and I still can't say I've lived up to any of his expectations."
A bag slips from his hand and rips open.
Sofi:
"HEY! Be sad later. Not on the job."
She grabs the bag, trying to hold it together.
Kris:
"Sorry— cough cough!"
The coughing tears through Kris's throat, but he's had this for 14 months now, this is nothing new.
Sofi:
"Still got that cough?"
Kris:
"Yeah. The doctor says it's slow. I'll live."
Sofi glances at the torn bag.
Sofi:
"They've got plenty of these. Wanna peek?"
Kris grins.
Kris:
"Why not?"
He peeks inside. A strange stone lies within, etched with a circle-and-triangle sigil. The air grows colder around it.
Kris:
"…Lame."
Sofi:
"Are you kidding? If we sell this I could actually retire."
Kris:
"I still don't get how people fall for this cult junk."
Sofi:
"You don't pray to anything? What a sad life you must lead."
Kris shrugs.
Kris:
"What's with all the weird hauls lately anyway? I used to move normal stuff. Now it's all cult crap. And don't even get me started on Parisimo—"
Sofi stiffens.
Sofi:
"Shut up! You can't just say their name like that!"
She glances around before relaxing.
Kris's phone buzzes. He drops the bag.
Sofi:
"STOP. DROPPING. THE. BAGS."
Kris reads the screen.
NEW OFFER — $750,000 HAUL
FROM: PARISIMO
DETAILS: CLASSIFIED
He goes pale.
Sofi:
"What is it—"
Her cigarette drops.
Sofi:
"Holy sh—"
But Kris is already sprinting to the truck.
Sofi:
"You're just gonna leave me here with all these bags?!"
Kris:
"YEP!"
He throws the rest onto the curb, jumps in, slams the door.
Kris:
"SEEYA SOFI!"
He tears out, grinning like an idiot.
Sofi mutters under her breath as she goes inside.
The stone pulses faintly. The air hums with a sound too low for human ears, and a slight heat radiates the area.
Kris drives toward the coordinates. His father's last words echo in his head:
Don't be like me, Kris. Be better than me. Be a better man. Be a better father.
Kris grips the wheel.
Kris:
"Why does everyone want me to be more than I am?"
He turns into a scrapyard with mounds and mounds of trash.
Kris:
"Creepy place to pick up a package, but hey — 750K is 750K."
He climbs over the trash, coughing from the smell.
Kris:
"Where is this stupid pack—"
He stops. Beneath him glows the same sigil from the stone.
Kris:
"Wait… this is—"
He doubles over coughing, blood splashing the dirt.
The symbol flares bright red. The ground shakes. The same sound coming from the rocks now comes through the ground in a much more horrifying frequency.
Kris:
"Oh shi—"
ZI-ZI-ZI!
Lightning cracks skyward. A storm of red and blue swirling light erupts, splitting the air.
A massive demonic mouth tears through reality, screaming one word:
Voice:
"NAYURO—"
TO BE CONTINUED?
Oshivrous Interviews
Oshivrous:
"Welcome everyone to the first Oshivrous Interviews! Today I will be talking to Kris Dormon and Sofi."
Sofi (cigarette in mouth):
"Yo… How the h#ll did I get here? Woah, am I censored too? This is one freaky a#s TV show."
Kris (also confused):
"Yeah, I'm also weirded out…"
Oshivrous:
"Don't worry guys, none of this is canon."
Kris:
"Oh alright… wait what?"
Oshivrous:
"And the Angel of Telling Me To Wrap It Up is signaling that that's all the time we have. From the bottom of our hearts here in this world, we thank you for reading our first chapter and hope you come back next time."