Michael Chapter 3

"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;"

Michael stared silently into space as the priest at the front of the church read in a dull monotone, book one of The Psalms.  

"…but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he mediates day and night."

His mother made the entire family come to church every single Sunday and religious holiday.

"He is like a tree planted by streams of water, that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither."

Michael wasn't exactly religious, but because he had gone to church every Sunday of his life, he knew most of the psalms by heart.  He watched the morning light reflect off of the stain glass windows and down to the floor where they cast a bright collage of translucent color.  

"In all that he does, he prospers."  Michael mumbled along with the priest.  A huge wave of sleepiness flowed over him suddenly and he let out a long quiet yawn behind his hand.  His mother shot him a glare and Trish flicked him on the nose.

"Hey!" he whispered angrily at her.  The flick on his nose throbbed a bit and he rubbed at it.

"The wicked are not so, but are like chaff which the wind drives away."  The priest read on

"I wish the wind would drive her away…" Michael grumbled angrily in Trish's general direction.  If his mother's eyes could kill Michael would have been dead.

"Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;"

The throb gave away slowly to an itch.  Michael blinked and went a bit cross eyed, wiggling and squishing his nose around to try and make it go away.  It was almost like something was in there tickling him.  Michael's eyes watered a bit.

"for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish."

The itch would NOT go away.  Michael rubbed furiously at his nose with his hand, eyes watering even more.  Suddenly his breath came in a small gasp and his eyes slowly closed as a sneeze came on.

"Aaah…"
"Why do the nations conspire, and the peoples plot in vain?"

"AAaahh…" He raised his hands up to cover his mouth and nose.

"The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rules take council together,"

"AAAaaah..!"  Michael leaned back a bit, eyes closed fully, mouth open.

"Against the Lord and his anointed, saying, "Let us burst their bonds asunder, and-"

"AAAACHOOOO!!!!!"  Michael's whole body lurched forward and doubled over as the huge, monstrous sneeze flew out of his nose like a cannon ball from a cannon.  

Something ripped from Michael's back with explosive force, ripping his shirt open and pushing every single person off the pew in either direction.  Michael cried out in agony as huge snow white wings spread wide, almost the width of the church, then folded back on themselves like a great bird.  Screams echoed around the church.  Suddenly as they had appeared, they were gone; sinking back into Michael's back, leaving nothing but two, long, red bruises.