The God Complex: The Book Of Alan, Destroyer Of Worlds

Chapter Thirty-Three

Gabe grabbed his ears in vain as the thought reverberated around his skull, he looked up at Jaibles and Monkey both doubled in pain.

'Silence and look with fear upon your Creator.' Electrical storms erupted from within its form, surging a deep energy across the fleet, crackling and fizzing the lights as it passed through the Archangel.

'Cast your eyes upon me and weep for your sins, for you have failed me. Me, your Father: the giver of life and joy; the bringer of light; the keeper of heaven. He who gave you sunshine when you were cold; he who gave you water when you were thirsty; he who gave you crops and harvests when you were hungry; he who created the beasts of the fields; who filled your rivers and seas with bounty. He who gave you fields to play in; rivers to swim in; trees and stones to build your shelter; tools to create and defend yourselves. He who gave you the sunrise and the sunset; wonder and excitement; health and happiness; peace and tranquillity. He who gave you eyes to see, and ears to hear; he who gave you words and music; the sun and the moon; songs and poems; friendship and laughter; love and compassion; hopes and dreams; intelligence; wisdom; knowledge; courage; he who gave you life itself. HE WHO GAVE YOU THE EARTH.'

His voice echoed and distorted in Gabe's head as he built up to his final accusation. A generation of neglect and accountability hit him like a freight train, dropping him to the floor.

Humanity had trashed their hotel room and abused room service with over 200 years of unchecked industrialisation, and now God was here to collect the bill.

Across the fleet the scene was the same: abject terror and humility. Through the communal halls of the Government Shuttles to the penthouse suites of the Corporate Vessels, every human was on their knees begging for redemption - all except two.

In SS ABADDON ONE: President Abaddon's private cruiser, he stood defiant, overlooking his fleet from his top-floor spa and treatment centre. He had been unwinding, as he always did on Wednesdays by frolicking in his jacuzzi with some girl called Candi.

Suddenly his wife and two girlfriends came crashing in and ran to the window to get a better look at God. Abaddon stood there naked, fists clenched, with Candi clinging to his leg in fear as the cloud delivered its barrage of accusations. He kicked her off, grabbed a towel and lit himself an expensive cigar.

He blew sinister smoke rings, quietly and methodically as humanity was held to account, only a gentle twitch under his right eye belied his apparent calm.

On the SS KENT COUNTY COUNCIL 4B, Susan stood at the back of the Great Communal Hall, basement level, Block Q, where she had made a comfy little home for herself and Darwin in the small quarters next to the septic tank.

Her floor didn't have any windows so she couldn't see what was happening outside, so she closed her eyes and remembered floating peacefully in the tranquillity of space with Alan, the first day they met, and she knew.

Susan watched the terrified passengers on her shuttle - she had tried, time and time again, to warn them of their ways, but they all looked at her in the same way: a way of pity and annoyance.

How they had laughed and called her names when at meal times she would read aloud from the Book of Alan. How they chuckled when they saw her dedicating her cup of tea and Jammy Dodger to the Lord God Alan. How they mocked her when she encouraged them to write him little thank you letters and pray them to him at night, before bed. How they nudged and sniggered when she told them how good he looked in shorts.

'Yes, well who's laughing on which side of one's face now?' She thought to herself with a wry smile, as all around her the maddening wails of abject fear came from the sea of unbelievers.