#mt queer altars | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

queer-altars-mt · 2 months

Text

Neamh-dhénártha (Translation: Third Gender, Divine Gender)

Once a demon saw a gentle-looking man walking down the street. The demon had just finished its lunch break, and, with a burp and a stretch, thought it ought to get back to work and put sin into that fellow’s heart. Just as it was gripping into the man’s chest, an angel appeared.

“Stop! By the power of the Most High, I command you leave this human.” The angel’s many eyes of fire stared the demon down, and it’s voice was like landslides and thunder.

The demon, though panicked, gave a wicked face. “Who said you could tell me what to do?”

“I am an angel, emissary of the Divine Name Most High” said the angel, readjusting its flaming sword. “It is with that authority I cast you out.” It lifted the blade with practiced ease.

“Oh, you can just ‘know’ you’re an angel now? That’s ridiculous!” the demon scoffed. “You’re delusional! Show me your birth certificate! Lift your shining robes and show me the place where God touched you and pronounced you an angel!”

The angel tilted its head. “I don’t think God actually does that?” it said uncertainly. It lowered the sword.

“Unless God comes down here and tells me himself that he smacked your ass and called you an angel when you were born, I don’t believe it. Why, just anyone could call themselves an angel! And then where would we be? People would be throwing around flaming swords left and right, and poor demons like me would never be safe! It would destroy the entire system! You won’t get me with your outrageous doublespeak, pervert. You may get off on calling yourself an angel, but that doesn’t mean I have to believe it!”

The angel blinked every one of its’ many eyes. “I don’t know what to tell you,” it said, gesturing to its’ unfathomable glowing form. “Angel.” It gestured to the demon. “Demon.” It hefted the sword. “Flaming sword. You shall not pass.” But its’ voice was full of doubt.

The demon laughed in its’ face. “Prove it!” And it dove for the man’s chest and began to claw its’ way in. The angel sat down on the man’s shoulder and held one of its’ faces in a couple of its’ many hands, thinking. How could anyone really know whether they were an angel or a demon? Did it just think it was an angel because it wanted to be? Was it really delusional? Maybe it was a demon, but just a particularly angelic one? It held open the hem of its’ robe and peered inside, getting a double-chin. Was there supposed to be a Tetragrammaton stamped into its skin?

Meanwhile, the demon had scratched through the man’s sweater, skin, and fascia, and was now on to the delicious fatty layer, under which it would find ribs and muscle. It drooled in anticipation. The man felt something like heartburn, and began to think about how much he hated his neighbor Jake, whose beautiful donkey was a four-time winner at the state fair. His own donkey continued to under-perform despite some very expensive dietary supplements and a five-step grooming routine.

The man’s bony shoulder shifted under the angel, jolting the flaming sword. It reached out reflexively and watched its’ hand clasp naturally around the grip. Staring at its’ fingers made of antimatter and starlight, it blinked all its’ eyes at once and jumped to its’ feet. It unfurled its’ wings. “Demon! I have the proof – I am an angel!”

“Oh yeah?” said the demon, around a mouthful of muscle. “Why’s that?”

“I act like one,” said the angel. And it lopped off the demon’s head.

Caspen Black (they/them/theirs)

#love this written submission!#mt queer altars #queer spirituality #trans divinity #queer altar #writing #short story

4 notes · View notes