4th Wall Universe

"The Preacher"

#ThePreacher
#AnExtremelyShortStory
#ByMorganIverson
#4thWallUniverse

"Can I get an amen! Aha" the preacher said as his assistant dabbed the sweat from his brow at the platinum plated podium he preached behind.

"Ya see the biggest reason some of yal don't get blessed..." He said taking a breath and sipping from his perfectly chilled ice water " is because ya don't love ya leaders like you should.... Uh huh... Yea yea see... Ya supposed to give honor where honor is due..." The preacher continued as the organist made the music swell with a well timed rift to match the preacher's cadence.

"Some of yal only worried about you and your crew. Yet when I call for what i need of you, ya throw ya hands up and tell me you're through.... See see" the preacher says as his assistant wipes his brow and cries out "wooooooo you preachin pastor go head go head"

"But see let me tell you what ya need to do. So God can go-on-an bless ya and he sees ya through. Come on up to the altar cuz his rent is due, don't try to withhold your blessings cuz he sees that too." The preacher belted slapping the pulpit as his congregation jumped up from their seats raucous in praise toward their leader.

They all filed into line thousands upon thousands as the music wailed and swelled. The place seemed as though it caught fire the more the Preacher spoke. His "ministers of da fence" stood round about him with the militancy of wolves protecting their alpha male. Watching closely as each member gave their offering and danced back to their seats. As the service ended the charade ended and The Preacher called his ministers over to him.

"How much did we collect tonight and it better not be less than 10 million" The preacher said as he sternly cut his eyes at his "armor bearer"; there to tend to his every whim, which at the moment was removing his master's robe.

The ministers reported quickly as if one person

"15 million sir" as they stretched the offering plates toward their leader.

"Good...the flock is required to feed and clothe their sheppard." The Preacher said as he was being clothed by his armor bearer as he inspected the envelopes in each offering plate.

After inspecting his face suddenly scowled and his voice became high pitched

"What is this sistah Johnson put in here? I know for fact her W-2 had her pegged as a budding Fortune 500 company!" The Preacher said removing his armor bearer's hands from his shirt and forcefully shoving the envelope into the closest minster's chest.

"Bring her to me" the Preacher said somewhat nonchalantly as he beckoned with his hand again telling his armor bearer it was time to finish dressing him now.

A few minutes passed as the armor bearer finished clothing The Preacher and they stood continuing to count the money awaiting sister Johnson's presence. The double doors to the Preacher's elaborate office wing swung open and sister Johnson walked in with her head held high. Her clothes were lightly disheveled as if she'd been grabbed and forced. She made her way with the muscular and militant ministers at her sides down the long red walkway before the preacher's silk throne looking chair. The preacher now sitting waited for her to get down the aisle then put his hand out for her to sit.

"Did you enjoy the service sister Johnson?" He asked as she sat down.

"Oh yes Pastor Crawford you preached the paint off the walls tonight!" She said enthused but unable to mask her nerves, almost wincing in her smile.

"That's great, awesome sister Johnson just awesome. My ministers noticed a discrepancy in your giving tonight is there something you need to tell me?" The Preacher asked leaning forward with his hands clasped in one another resting on the table.

Sister Johnson squirmed as sweat beads formed at the top of her forehead. She prepared to answer crossing her legs nervously but before she could the preacher continued.

"Haven't I been good to you Sister Johnson? I pray for you, give you the word and this is the thanks I get? These things ought not to be." The Preacher said staring her eye to eye watching her squirm.

As he continued 2 gargantuan men walked through the double doors with her husband between them bloody. Her eyes widened in horror and confusion as her husband's limp body drug across the floor. The two men drug him the length of the carpet and dropped him at her feet before stepping up the altar where the Preacher was sitting. They took their places at his left and right respectively.

"Now sister Johnson you know how important the ministry is to me don't you? We'd discussed this before... How important your contributi... I mean you are to the ministry? Your husband seems to have run into my deacons by mistake.. Like the one you made here tonight. The couple that lied to Peter died at his feet and got carried out. It seems you all have fulfilled this scripture sister Johnson rejoice!" The Preacher said beckoning his deacons to "fulfill the scriptures".

As the ministers enclosed around her and her husband The Preacher turned to his armor bearer pointing to his watch.

"7 pm Pastor" the armor bearer said as The Preacher got up and started to rush out of the door.

"The kingdom isn't gonna build itself. Come on we gotta catch this flight" The preacher said grabbing his briefcase and tablet to the concert of fist on skin and screaming.

"You all better not stain my carpet!" Pastor Crawford said as the door silently closed behind them regardless of the chaos inside.