6:30 PM

Gabriel was inside the campus chapel trying not to think about getting high.

Every year on the last three days of October, the Christian Ministries on Campus would hold their events for those who are not interested in debauchery or sin.

  Compared to most chapels it was recently built. The graveyard behind it was not. It held the bodies for many of those in town who had high standing, and it was large and sprawling. It also held the body of many war heroes during the war against the Empire.

  The great war hero, Michael Slater, had his body held inside a large tomb, with his wife Sara, and when the rest of his descendants would die they would entomb with him.

  He looked out the window towards the large graveyard and shook his head. People dressed in various Halloween outfits were playing in the graveyard, singing, and dancing.

It's wrong to disrespect the dead, Gabriel thought.

  Deep down inside he wanted to go to the many different parties held on campus, but he didn’t want to relapse. He was inside that church not because he wanted to be there, but because he had no other choice.

  Carlito Alvarez was holding a nighttime service for all denominations. He was a Catholic Priest, but tonight he was inviting those who were not into his doors. Father Alvarez looked disdainfully upon the parties held every year, the underage drinking, and tried not to leer at the many children born nine months later.

  He thought that if he made a place for those who weren’t interested in those things, those who wanted to keep their children away from inappropriate things, he might as well be the one to do it.

  The entire chapel had many floors, and it was outfitted with minigames, good music, and the basement had an impromptu movie theater, Christian approved movies only of course.

  Father Alvarez did not want to spread Moral Panic among his parishioners that Halloween was of the Devil. He just wanted people to have fun in a healthy way.

  Father Alvarez approached Gabriel who was staring outside into the graveyard, watching people dance around the bonfire. “Do you want to leave,” asked Father Alvarez. Gabriel did not want to lie, but he didn’t like the truth either.

“Yes I do, Father,” he mumbled. “Forgive me.”

  Father Alvarez smiled a huge grin, and then quickly shut his mouth. Smile with your mouth closed, he reminded himself.

  “There is nothing wrong with being tempted, Gabriel,” Father Alvarez said. “What is wrong is following through with it.”

  Gabriel smiled and nodded. He ate his cotton candy and tried not to think about the many ways he could get high and went down to the basement to see what movie they were playing. It was a children’s movie, and he scoffed.

  He went back upstairs, where everyone was getting ready for the nighttime service. He sat in the third row and finished his treat.

   Gabriel liked Father Alvarez. Everyone liked Father Alvarez, even those who aren't religious. He had a charismatic air about him, so the church sent him to the campus to try and convert the young and disillusioned.

  Gabriel played games on his phone, waiting for the service to begin. He jerked his body and turned when someone came running into the foyer, screaming, their sexy angel costume covered in blood. At first, everyone was angry. They were used to the mean pranks every year from people who thought they were funny.

  “Please leave,” Father Alvarez said sternly. “This is wrong. It’s not a funny joke.”

  The girl trembled and held up her hands. “They’re outside,” she rasped. “They’re going to kill us.”

  Father Alvarez had a terrifying look on his face. He looked like he was going to tear her face off. His iris’ changed shape, like that of an animal’s, and he bared his fangs at her. “This is a house of the Lord,” he growled. “I do not take this lightly.”

   The girl screamed when she saw his face, but refused to leave. Whatever she had seen outside was worse than the wrath of Father Alvarez.

  “I don’t care if you won’t listen to me,” she screamed. “You need to call the police!”

  Father Alvarez started to relax. Her fear was very real. He could smell it on her and could hear her heart beating fast. His face returned to its calm but stern regular self. He groaned and ran his fingers through his short black hair.

"What is your name," he sighed.

“Mimi,” she whimpered. “Please call someone. Anyone.”

People came from upstairs, shouting and in a rush.

“Father Alvarez,” a woman shouted. “It is the Rapture!”

Father Alvarez, a very devout man, looked at her like she had lost her mind.

“I think you are all being a little hysterical,” Father Alvarez said.

“We saw them,” another man shouted. “The dead have risen from their graves.”

  Father Alvarez looked at the girl. He approached her and his nostrils flared when he smelled the putrid stench of alcohol on her. She had a giant smiley face written on her forehead, and she was barefoot, with dirt and mud all over her feet.

The harlot who drank wine, he thought. This cannot be the end of time. I have seen no other signs.

“Go get cleaned in the bathroom,” Father Alvarez sighed. “Please take that nonsense off your head too.”

“Call the police,” Mimi insisted.

  Father Alvarez noticed the parishioners were blockading the door. He went into the lobby to get a closer look and saw that they had all pushed various furniture in front of it.

“What are you doing,” Father Alvarez asked. “We will be fine, even if what she says it's true. We have faith.”

They ignored his words, their fear stronger than their faith. It was natural to be afraid, as they were all weaker than him. Father Alvarez let them continue, whatever would make them feel safer. He wanted to at least make the road to salvation easier if they were to all die tonight.

Mimi followed behind him, covered in blood and dirt.

"Get changed,” Father Alvarez pleaded. “Please.”

  Mimi quickly left, off to get clean. He didn't want to be anywhere near blood. He had already eaten twice that month, he didn't need anything making him slip up.

   Father Alvarez decided to leave it be and went upstairs to look into the graveyard. He sucked in a sharp breath when he saw various skeletons walking about as if it were the perfect time to go for a walk, in the middle of the night.

Corpses of the party-goers twitched and came to life, groaning and standing upwards, yawning as if they had a short nap in the dirt.

"It's happening," he shuddered. "It's really happening."

  Father Alvarez decided now was a good time to tell his parishioners something important, something that many of them already suspected. They all corralled themselves in the foyer, the children all inside the basement. Many were praying fervently, and Father Alvarez was upset that during their time of need he would possibly cause more panic.

  Mimi was given clothes from the donation closet. She wore an oversized shirt, dingy men’s jeans, and flip-flops. All the dirt and blood was off her body, much to the relief of Father Alvarez, and so was the strange smile on her forehead. She sat in the first row, nervous and confused.

Mimi had never been inside a church in her life, and everything to her looked superstitious and strange. She was now willing to change her mind after everything she had seen outside.

“Brothers and Sisters in Christ,” Father Alvarez boomed. “I have something important to tell you.”

They all paid attention to his words, hanging on to them, hoping that he had the magic key to salvation. 

"I am not a man,” he announced. “I will not be going to Heaven with you tonight.”