Before Teresa is a pie. A bespoke, artisinal apple pie, free from anything that might do her harm. Rice, corn and potato flours combine with butter forged from the pure chaos of Hell, no animals involved, into the perfect firm yet crumbly crust. A delicate spice mix brings a new more savoury flavour to this usually very sweet dish. Various synthetic esters flavour the modified pectin matrix that replaces the apples. Eager to try this rare treat, she takes a bite. It's… a very realistic apple flavour, expertly complemented by the other ingredients, but still fundamentally appley. Disappointing. Perhaps she should ask for a flavour she actually likes next time.
Dear diary,
Today I saw Grandma again. We went to a café with mum (I had a synonym cinnamon roll) and Grandma explained a lot of things, which I didn’t all understand. Mum cried a lot and then Gran cried too and then they both hugged, and then they hugged me too. It was a little bit scary because I didn’t really understand why they cried, and they said something about me being in danger a long time ago.
But Gran said we can move in with her again which is nise nice because the art place was not nice. There were a lot of people there. Gran also gave me some little clay cats she made. They are very cute but they are not colourful, so I want to paint them. She laughed when I said that.
Ok that’s all. Goodbye diary. - Sam
“A warm welcome to all of you attending the church today, both new visitors and old. I am the pastor of St. Renagi’s, Jamie Holton-Woodward.
“Today I want to talk about trust, and what we can do for one another. In the year 18 Pasamama revealed that we must find our way to trust, and have faith in each other; and again in 292, St. Ananda asked us to believe in ‘their’ goodness again.
“Now we are truly in an era where we can realise this. Even so, there are many who would be shocked at what I say next – that these lines of scripture apply to witches and the damned as much as to everyone else. Through so many years of oppression and fear, we have learnt, the hard way, that pursuing harmony on earth by way of violently stamping out the vulnerable is impossible. I believe that to trust, to believe in goodness again, we must protect everyone in our community – and that includes the witches and the damned, who for so long have been persecuted.
“With the demons in hell reside the damned, subject entirely to the demons’ whims and cruelty. This fate awaits those who allow themselves to be tricked into it. Let us not make our friends and family suffer alone, in the grasp of the demons. Let us trust them, help them – alleviate their guilt, and save their souls. Believe in their goodness again.
“Thank you, and good evening.”
BEXGATE HERALD - 13th of May 3920
Today Bexgate’s newest addition to its landscape has opened its doors, housing previously censored works, Commission archives, and controversially, demonic literature.
“We must do everything in our power to prevent history repeating itself,” spoke Teresa Shaw, whose campaigning to the New Bexgate Council created the library. “And beyond that, we cannot pretend that witches do not exist.” Shaw, who is open about her own experiences with demons, is among those keen to de-stigmatise witches.
Abius Marshall, who also contributed to the library, emphasises the importance of analysing our history with the Commission. “Keeping the Commission archives public is necessary, both for understanding how these atrocities came to be and the peace of mind for those hurt by them.”
Marshall and Shaw call for any contributions to the library. “It is an open project,” they told the Herald, “And one we hope will continue past our time.”