The dull sound of the gong sounded loudly in the cathedral.

The fine hairs in Laila's ear vibrated, an unpleasant tickling.

She straightened her shoulders and stepped through the low door into the cathedral.

The air stank of hot wax from the burning candles.

On the altar lay a figure covered entirely with a blood-red cloth.

The cloth was littered with intricate 6s—Symbolia.

Laila saw the cloth rise and fall evenly.

Tamara breathed, she was alive.

Lola and Atibor flanked the altar and looked at her.

Laila glanced over the assembled Symbolia disciples.

Only a few members had been allowed to attend the ceremony.

She suspected that those present were either particularly wealthy or had a strategic position in the community.

There were about 10 men and women.

Including the doctor who gave Laila the pregnancy test.

There were black and red Symbolia cloths all over the room.

They hung in long lanes from the ceiling.

With luck, Laila could light her with one of the numerous candles and make the men and women flee.

Then all she had to do was turn off Atibor, Lola and her child's father.

Laila's eyes searched the interior of the cathedral for him.

He was nowhere to be seen.

His huge figure Laila would have noticed even without the ram mask.

Atibor and Lola grabbed the cloth and drew it from the altar.

Tamara lay naked on the black stone.

Her pale skin shimmered from the dark background.

Tamara's hair was wet on her forehead.

There was sheer horror in her big, brown eyes.

Her breathing was fast, as if she had a tremendous body effort behind her.

Lola and Atibor carried bowls of smoking liquid to the semi-circle men and women.

They started the ritual.

Laila took the opportunity.

Everyone stared eagerly at Lola and Atibor and the bowls in their hands, nobody paid any attention to her.

She quickly stepped to Tamara and leaned over her.

Tamara's shocked look turned into naked panic.

Loudly, she began to shriek.

Everyone looked over at them.

Laila swore and pressed her hand to Tamara's mouth.

She had completely forgotten what a frightening sight she had to offer, with her horns and predator's eyes.

Quietly, she hissed at Tamara. "Nothing will happen to you, you are under my protection."

Tamara did not know if she understood, the girl was unconscious.

Laila withdrew her hand from Tamara's lips.

Atibor and Lola kept their faces above the smouldering liquid of the shell.

With a glazed look, Lola nodded to Laila.

Laila's lips tightened and he slashed three inches into the soft skin of Tamara's left breast.

"Draw her over the heart" Lola had instructed her.

Small drops of blood spilled out from the superficial cuts.

Nothing Papa Cosmetic Surgeon could not correct, if necessary.

A moan wafted through the cathedral, and the Symbolia disciples fell over each other greedily.

Laila looked at the ecstatic activity.

A favourable moment.

Laila stepped aside and held the corner of a black cloth against the flame of a candle.

There was a crackle as the white-yellow flame licked the dark fabric.

She quickly stepped back to the altar.

Fascinated, she watched as the flames grew bigger and bigger.

Within seconds, acrid smoke poured through the small cathedral.

Laila's eyes and lungs burned.

The first women began to cough.

Panic quickly spread when the flames were discovered.

The men and women broke away from each other and ran towards the exit.

Lola and Atibor looked at Laila.

Lola's face was masked like a mask.

"YOU" screamed with fervent hatred and rushed to her.

Atibor looked hurriedly between her and the flames.

Laila glided smoothly past the altar and moved preposterously toward Lola.

Let's see if Brutus's hard training paid off.

Lola ran toward them with clawed fingers.

Her red hair was standing upright.

Laila tightened the handles of the sickle daggers.

The curved blades lay close to her forearms.

She dived under Lola's claw grip and pulled the crossed blades over her stomach.

Astonished, Lola looked at the gaping wounds.

Her mouth had formed into a surprised 'Oh'.

Lola's blood moistened Laila's body and dripped lazily from the sparkling blades.

"Miserable slut" screamed Laila and turned her shoulder inside.

This time she alternately sank the curved blades in Lola's flesh.

Laila took a step back and examined her work.

Brutus would be proud of her.

In the background she heard screams and the crackling of the flames.

Lola pressed both hands on her body and tried to push back the bulging, moist, glistening intestinal loops.

Atibor exclaimed her name in horror. "LOLA"

She turned in his direction, seeking help.

Splashing her guts fell to the ground.

Lola tipped over like a felled tree.

Unbelieving, Atibor stared at the bloody mass and turned noisily to his feet.

He stumbled backwards.

The panicked disciples opened the cathedral door.

By the incoming night air, the flames got new food and roared roaring higher.

A red cloth peeled elegantly from its suspension, and flamed burning on the underlying Atibor.

The flames enveloped him.

Atibor shrieked and tried to escape the deadly hug.

The flames licked his naked body, his hair burning brightly.

Laila breathed smoke and began to cough convulsively.

She had to get out of here.

Laila pressed her forearm against her nose and mouth.

Quickly she went back to the altar.

Tamara was still unconscious.

Her breath went flat, glistening beads of sweat had formed over her upper lip.

Laila dropped the bloody blades and struck Tamara lightly against the pale cheeks.

The girl had dark circles under her eyes.

Only then did Laila realise how scrawny the girl was.

Her ribs and pelvic bones seemed to want to puncture the thin skin.

Was she starved or had she succumbed to the fashion sickness of the rich and the beautiful, anorexia?

Tamara came to herself with fluttering eyelids.

When she saw Laila, she began to shriek again, to be immediately shaken by a fit of coughing.

Laila grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her.

"We have to get out of here," she screamed as loud as possible to drown out the roaring flames.

The girl struggled with her hands and feet against her grip.

In her panic the girl developed unimagined powers.

So Laila did not get any further.

She fended off the hands flapping like birds and let her fist crash against Tamara's chin.

Tamara rolled her eyes, her head slumped against her chest.

Laila lifted the girl's body over her shoulder.

She was as light as a feather.

Laila hurried past the flames toward the exit.

As she stepped through the door into the cool night, she sucked the clear air into her lungs greedily. On her bare back she felt the heat of the fire.

Suddenly a long-drawn howl sounded from behind her.

Laila's arms were covered with goose bumps, the scalp tightened painfully, and her hackles straightened up warningly.

Slowly she turned and looked through the open door into the burning cathedral.

The ram man sat on the altar.

He had clasped the edge of the altar with his long claws.

The ram's head had been laid far back.

His mouth wide open, he uttered his howl.

The muscles and tendons on his neck were prominent.

Laila stared at him incredulously.

Where did he come from? Laila was unable to move.

Meanwhile, Tamara's weight squeezed painfully on her collarbone.

She pushed the girl into a more favourable position.

The ram man stared at her.

He stuck his forked tongue out of his mouth, almost reaching to his chin.

His huge snake hung down in front of him at the altar.

His huge scrotum touched the black stone he was sitting on.

His eyes behind the mask seemed to glow.

Slowly he pulled a claw over the hard surface.

Laila heard the screech over the roar of the flames.

He grabbed his huge cock and pushed his hand violently back and forth.

Obediently the serpent straightened up.

He released his grip and pointed with the yellow curved claw of his finger in Laila's direction.

He bared his pointed teeth and Laila saw his mouth forming a single word.

She could not hear him, but she also understood

"MINE".

Laila cried out in horror.

At that moment, the beams gave way to the cathedral ceiling and crashed down.

Sparks flew from the open door, and Laila felt tiny pinpricks on her body where the embers burned her skin.

She backed away.

More and more beams collapsed.

The ram man once again clutched the edge of the altar and let out a furious howl.

Laila spun around and fled Tamara into the night.

She needed a car urgently.

She could not make enough progress with her load.

Laila wondered feverishly on which side of the farm the carports stood, and ran to the left.

Behind her, the cathedral collapsed, snarling and roaring.

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