The Black Hound

I ran from my past on a cobblestone road.
The morning mist limited my view.
The bag containing everything meaningful to me felt light.
The smell of burning flesh and smoke still stuck to my clothing.

To my ear came the sound of padding and clicking. I looked behind me and saw an eldritch horror of a being. It stuck its tongue out and its ribcage was exposed. Its eyes showed melancholy and accusation, peering into my soul. Sending chills down my spine.

The memory will never leave me. How she wasn't sympathetic nor guilty. She was angry at me, saying I didn't pleasure her. She said this while I spent my days losing sleep so she could afford her luxuries. It wasn't my fault was it?

Behind me the dog approached me with its damn eyes. It smelled me, judging me. It stared at me knowing my sin. I kicked the dog lightly below its jaw and approached the cobblestone bridge.

The smell of burning oak wood and burnt flesh clung to my coat. My hands felt sore. I...I killed an innocent man and my wife! I couldn't satisfy her and they both suffered from my failure! Their bodies finally resting in my chimney. Becoming ash together.

The hound breathed heavily. It's tongue sticking out and panting now. It looked at me accusingly. It knew my sin. It was the imagine of Satan. I grabbed my rosary and continued through the bridge. I looked behind me and the hound stared at me, eyes wide open, mouth panting and grinning. It was the god damn devil.

I could not bear this sin any longer. And the devil was closing in on me, wanting to damn me to hell. Judging my unforgivable sin. I embraced the hound and stepped on the edge of the bridge. The hound squirmed and panted on my arms but I tightened my grip. I looked down the river. Innumerable feet below, glossy boulders and rushing, vicious waters. I whispered to the hound "You won't haunt me anymore." 

I jumped. The boulders grew closer and closer and my grip on the hound grew tighter as it growled.

Our bodies where found torn apart at the river bank and the black hound's grin followed me to hell.