The Malum Man by Ezekiel Kincaid
He swallowed Hell, it's in his eyes.
He'll devour your soul, burn you alive
Razor teeth sink into your heart,
As nightmares tear your mind apart.
You cannot shake him,
You cannot win.
He sniffed you out,
Because of your sin.
Insanity strikes you at the core.
You can't escape Malum Man's lure.
“Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve”
Judas Iscariot threw the rope over a branch. The tree sat in the middle of a field he purchased with the thirty pieces of silver he was paid for turning Jesus over to the chief priests. A slight breeze rustled the leaves and Judas gazed up at the night sky. Guilt gnawed away at his soul like a rabid dog devouring flesh. His mind replayed the words he spoke to the Son of God during the Feast of Unleavened Bread while reclining at the table with him and the other disciples.
“He who dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me,” Jesus had said. “The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”
“Is it I, Rabbi,” Judas had said.
“You have said so,” Jesus had answered.
The words ran through Judas’ head as if his mind was haunted by the ghosts of those moments. And it was…
Is it I, Rabbi...Is it I, Rabbi...Is it I, Rabbi…
And so did Jesus’ answer…
You have said so...You have said so...You have said so…
Judas placed his hands over his ears and shrieked at the moon. All the tendons in his neck bulged like a skin covered harp. “Is it I, Rabbi,” he yelled then ripped away at his beard. Tears cascaded down his cheeks, leaving streaks as another voice spoke. Judas wasn’t sure if it was audible or if it was in his head.
Yes it was you. It was always you. And you were always mine.
Judas released his beard. His eyes grew wide in fright and he spun in a circle.
“No,” he yelled. “Shut up! Do you hear me!”
But the Prince of Darkness continued. Judas heard the voice inside his conscience as clear as his own. “Do you think you had a choice? Do you think this was an accident? Did you really believe Jesus would have such a greedy worm as his own? No, Judas. I placed you there with him this entire time to carry out my desire to kill him. Thank you for being so willing.”
“Get out of me, Satan! I’m sorry for what I have done! Do you hear me! If I could take it back I would!” Judas clenched his fists by his side and gnashed his teeth. He could smell his perspiration mixed with the fear of his betrayal.
“I won’t leave, Judas. And there is no taking it back. What is done is done,” Satan said.
Insanity chipped away at Judas’ brain and he felt himself going mad. He held the rope in his hand and stared at it.
“Do it,” Satan said. “It is the only way. Jesus will never take you back. Could you imagine having to face him? Or face the other disciples? You would forever be looked at as the reason the Messiah died. They would never forgive you, Judas. They don’t want you around, you traitor”
Judas wept bitter tears of horror and sorrow. He let out another lament, and with rope in hand, ascended the branches of the tree.
“Now put it around your neck,” Satan said.
Judas stopped at the branch the rope was thrown over and tied it off. He loosened the noose and slipped it around his neck. He tightened it and felt the shards of the rope dig into his skin.
“Now,” Satan said. “Jump into your eternity.”
Judas gazed down at the ground then closed his eyes. Is it I, Rabbi, he thought, then jumped.
The rope held and Judas’ neck snapped. His body went into a death twitch for a few moments then relaxed. The only sound in the field was his dead body bumping against the tree.
***
The next day the chief priests found Judas’ carcass hanging from the tree in the field. Because touching a dead body would make them unclean, they left Judas hanging from the tree to rot. Day later, his skin gave way and his insides splattered to the ground. His remains became the feast of the fowls of the air.
Judas awoke in thick darkness. His eyes burned with the fires of hell. There was no flesh on his face and his teeth were long and jagged. His stringy hair hung in his face and the skin on his body resembled a decaying corpse.
“Judas!” Satan’s voice reverberated in the darkness.
“Here am I,” Judas hissed.
“Hunt them down,” Satan said. “Sniff them out because of their sin. Torment them. Sink your teeth into their hearts. Fill their minds with abominable nightmares. Devour their souls and bring them to hell, then burn them alive.”
“It will be as you say, Master,” Judas said.
Judas now stood in a simple home. The family were asleep on their mats. A little girl, around seven years old, sat up and rubbed her eyes. Her hair was matted from sleep and the darkness hid her deep, brown eyes.
She saw a dark figure standing over her with fire in his eyes. “Who are you and why are you here,” she asked.
Judas raised his hand in a slow motion and pointed an emaciated finger at her. These words escaped his mouth;
“I am Malum Man. Go back to sleep, young one. I have much to show you.”
