Chapter Zero: A God
Damian was on his knees, praying for help before going to sleep. Earlier that day, he had met with his friend, someone he didn't really see as one. But he was the only person Damian could talk to. They spoke about their worries for the future. His friend was going to become a father, but he was afraid of turning into a man like his own father.
Damian tried to ease his friend's worries, but deep down, he wished he had that kind of problem. He was alone. His last girlfriend had been back in high school, and the family he loved now felt so distant that he didn't even know how to get closer to them.
So, once again, he prayed. Hoping to die or to find some way to live differently, but... as always, nothing happened. He used prayer as a way to quiet the voices in his head before sleeping. He was close to killing others because of the problems they caused him, but he still had his family. When they died, Damian often thought, maybe then he would finally make it real.
Damian didn't know exactly when it appeared, but suddenly it was there. In front of him stood a figure in the shape of a human body, built from sticks of flesh, with more wrapped around it. Its head was deformed, with closed eyes. All his view was sticks of flesh.
Damian wasn't afraid. He had always been looking for a justified way to die... a way that wouldn't make his family believe he had killed himself.
He approaches it, carefully avoiding the sticks, trying not to hurt it. Damian didn't like pain, and the thing looked like its very existence was suffering. He didn't want to make it worse.
As he drew closer, he began to hear the sound of butterflies around him. His eyes burned, making it hard to keep them open. Pain spread through his heart, and his neck, while cold sweat fell around his body. As he stood beside it, breathing became difficult, and a strange smell filled the air.
The thing opened its eyes, and Damian felt it deep inside him — it was a God. Its lips moved. Damian couldn't hear the words, but somehow he knew it was saying a name.
Then, darkness.