The Martyr's Path

"This is the path that you must take if you wish to follow in the footsteps of our Lord."   The man at the front of the chapel spoke with a fine baritone that sounded as smooth as whiskey, and he had the crowd mesmerized.  "There must be sacrifice, as hard a path to follow as can be. Brothers and sisters, you must give up your life to save it. Only then will prosperity return to this place." 

This was the fourth itinerant preacher this month, going on about 'sacrifice this', and 'follow the path that', and Jezebel Jones was getting tired of it.  There was only so much sacrifice a good Christian woman could make! Her mind had wandered off as soon as she sat down in the chapel.

Jezebel was just wondering how Marion Ellis had managed to squeeze into such a tiny yellow polyester monstrosity when she heard her name called. She turned toward the front, confused.  All the eyes in the church were on her, like sharp knives,  and the preacher's eyes seemed to glow.

"Your community has chosen you to walk the Martyr's Path.  This is a great honor. Do you surrender your will to the that of the community?"

Jezebel wanted to ask what the Martyr's Path might be, but her voice seemed paralyzed.  The man's voice rolled over her like a wave.  It seemed to command her, dragging her to her feet with a force of will she was powerless to resist, and pushing her to the front of the church with jerky footsteps.

"NO!" is what Jezebel wanted to say, and she opened her mouth.  But that unseen force spoke for her.

"I surrender my will to the Folk."

"I accept this sacrifice in the name of our Lord Hades," The preacher raised his ceremonial knife above his head, as the men of the Auxiliary grabbed her and extended her neck over a silver bowl.

"Hades?"  Jezebel screamed as the glint of the knife came closer.






This week's word is:

PATH
1: a trodden way
2: a track specially constructed for a particular use
3a : course, route
  b : a way of life, conduct, or thought

Prompt:  These lyrics: "I found a martyr in my bed tonight. She stops my bones from wondering just who I am, who I am, who I am"  by a band called FUN, and a stained glass window featuring Joan of Arc, being presented to the Virgin Mary and Christ Child by Saints Catherine and Barbara, if my barest Latin is correct.