I was told of a local congregation that needed a pastor as theirs tragically passed away in his sleep Thursday night. They had nobody to step up into his role at the church and so I was asked to help them. After learning about their pastor struggling with cancer for about five years and it finally taking his life, I felt God calling me to help this small church. So last month I began to prepare for a new church and started my new job as the pastor for St. Athanasius Methodist Church.
It was a small building and in my experience small churches tend to he filled with mostly older members, but this church had many that were young including a woman who used to assist the previous pastor. She looked no older than twenty-five with long dark hair and assyrian facial features. I felt sinful because of the thought I struggled to suppress. She came to me and welcomed me to the church with a beautiful smile. I opened up the church service in the way their pastor used to do to give a sense of familiarity and then introduced myself as Pastor Paul, the rest of our service went smoothly and I went home happy with how things went.
Wednesday was just as great and everybody was so attentive. It was like a dream church. My assistant was very helpful, was great at blending the topics in a way that time flew by preaching the word and the meal we shared felt like a true family. My first week has been amazing. The congregation all enjoyed Sarah’s cherry cobbler and her smile was enough to melt any man’s heart. After everyone ate and the service was through we began to leave. I got into my truck and left for home.
About two hours after I was sitting down and realized I forgot my phone at the church. I quickly got in my truck and made my way back to the church. The parking lot was full again. I reached my office and got my phone. A strange thing was that despite the parking lot being full, nobody seemed to be in here. I called Sarah and was sent straight to voicemail. I decided to look around because this was strange. I wasn’t sure if I should bother the cops yet, and continued to search.
I smelled around because I could smell smoke, it was getting stronger as I reached the back, so I kept following it. I went down the cellar and saw nothing. I kept walking around searching until I noticed a door. It was located where normally a shelf would be. I stopped and thought about all the things that it could be. I decided to call the cops and say “yeah, I think some teens broke into our cellar and when they get” but was cutoff after being struck in the head. The pain was intense and made my vision blurry, but whoever did this watched too many movies and probably assumed it would knock someone out. I was definitely not in a place to fight back, and they took the opportunity to drag me into the hidden room.
It took a while before my eyes could adjust, but when it did, I no longer felt like I was in my church. I saw a fire pit with a strange creature carved from stone sitting behind it, and in the fire stood a small thick cup and I saw a hooded figure standing up there, “now that the congregation has added their blood, there are two more to add to it” Sarah’s voice spoke as she cut across her arm pouring in some blood to the hot cup. To my horror I saw a young woman that has never attended the church before walk up wearing a white gown and Sarah spoke once more “the life of a virgin woman is to be added” she chanted a strange chant reminiscent of some language in India. As she chanted she began to strap the woman down on a chair and brought a strange jug and hose out with a sharp metal end. She jammed it into the woman’s neck, and in less than a minute the woman was gone, just as white as her gown.
She poured the blood into the cup still chanting and she then grabbed the hot cup with her bare hands, smoke and steam coming from her sizzling hands and she then brought the cup to every members lips, she spoke again “our fathers built this church, they built the church on the grounds of a sacred site belonging to someone more powerful than there Yah! And when me and three other members of our church found this book” she held up a black leather book, stretched and weathered “we began to serve our true god.” I couldn’t believe what I heard and continued to try and break free until Sarah came to my face.
Her eyes were not natural. They had a orange reflection and the eyes reminded me of some beast. She had blood around her lips and she made me feel cold. “Pastor Paul, I have a deal because I like you. Normally our pastors either join us, or they become our toys, Pastor Meadows was too weak and ended up getting cancer. He escaped us and we are not letting that happen. Now drink the blood, or we will make your life a living hell.” She brought the cup to my lips and I prayed. I was not going to die here or after. I told her no, and she laughed, letting me free. “I think I’m going to really enjoy our game” she says. And I walk out of the room and quickly walk up the stairs.
This nightmare only began, and I ran out to the parking lot and I saw two cars from the county sheriff’s office. I explained to them everything and they took down my statements and told me to wait by the car. They went down to the cellar, and stayed there for about half an hour. They came up with Sarah laughing and told me “so we’ll give you two hours to run and you won’t be killed as long we can’t find you or when you are in the church. Those are the rules. The old man lasted thirty years and was one out of only five pastors who made that choice. Good luck” he told me with a friendly and normal smile.
I packed my bags, which were still mostly unpacked anyways and ran back to my town. I spoke to the elders there and they seemed shocked. They told me to stay with them and they will help me anyway they can. I have been cooped up here for the past few days and have been losing my mind. I don’t know when this will be over, but this demonic game of theirs feels like it will be the end of me. There’s a small Methodist church in South Carolina, tucked away in the woods called Saint Athanasius. Whatever you do, avoid this church and please keep me in your prayers