Maamuzi

By Rashmika

At the dawn of the century, Gluttony, Lust, Greed, Pride, Envy, Wrath, and Sloth met in hell for a tournament to win the right to be humanity’s most prominent sin until the next century.

The men had a preference for Lust and women, Pride, so those two had an unjust advantage. Lust was beautiful, appearing in the form that appealed most to men, and, often times, women. With thick, luscious hair, a young body and pleasing face, it was hard to snub. Pride, however, was a knife in a sword’s sheath. It left too much space, made too much noise but made sure that it was always attended to. Gluttony, although not quite pleasing to look at, was the best company. Indulgent, generous, and merry, it made sure that everyone had a good time. Greed was clever. Wily and with a low cunning, most didn’t favour it, but it flourished and grew until it became one of them, a force to be reckoned with. Envy was quiet yet formidable. It crept up and wouldn’t leave until forcefully driven away. Wrath was ugly. It was horrid. But it made people sit up and notice and it allowed us our way. Sloth was unacceptable, but there was something so alluring about it that most allowed it into their lives.

Together they sat in the warm dungeons of Hell, promising to be good until the parley had ended. Pride sat admiring itself in the mirror, while Lust looked around like an animal on a prowl. Envy sat quietly in the dark corner, staring at the others. Gluttony summoned another flagon of wine. Greed stared at Lust with a mischievous grin. Wrath appeared lost in its own world, while Sloth snored in another corner, far away from Envy.

All activity seized as their leader entered. An old man, stooped with age and wrinkled, had appeared at the door at the top of the staircase that led down to where the seven sins sat. He descended, his formal robes moving musically with a flourish with every step he took. He took his seat – a simple wooden bench on a raised dais. With a wave of his hand, the seven fell into their respective seats and began to play for the fate of humanity.

They sat at each end of a seven-pointed star. Pride started the game, as he always did. He shook the mollusk shells in his palm and threw them on the board. With a triumphant look at Greed, he played his rooks into position. Greed chuckled lightly to himself. He had won the previous century and he could win again. Wrath played his shells next and cursed loudly. His pieces had landed directly in the path of the next player to oust, which just so happened to be Gluttony. He had lost by the thinnest margin the previous time and he was determined to win this year. There was so much waiting to be devoured.

As they looked on with palpable excitement – for they all had their favoured contenders in humans – their leader was less pleased. Over the centuries, he had been called many things. Many fables and stories were made. He was the anti-God, the one who had led humanity towards depravity and despair. But humans always had a propensity to blame others for their misfortunes, even though they had condemned themselves. They had created sin, allowed it to grow and then left it to God to wipe out the mess.

Leader wasn’t anti-God. He was, in fact, an equivalent of the gaoler of a prison, except his kingdom wasn’t a prison. It was a land of the rich. Humans had made the sins rich with their souls. The leader’s job was to keep them all under control. But he couldn’t keep them rewarded or satisfied, and if he couldn’t do that, he couldn’t keep the sins in order. So, when they devised this game, he had agreed, albeit hesitantly. He remembered when he had refused to acknowledge their privilege to reap souls and they had done it anyway. At least by agreeing to their devices, he could monitor the rules and protect the creatures.

He missed God. He could no longer visit his old friend, for the two of them had been stamped onto the two ends of a coin. Only one of them could remain face-up. It was a perfect case of probability – the coin never came up standing.

But they weren’t young anymore. God and him, they were now old men. They had seen much, despaired more, and fretted even longer. They were despondent and inconsolable. Humans were no longer in their control. God and him, they were now simply models that God’s most intelligent creatures used at their will, twisted and crooked to suit men’s own needs. He sighed as he remembered how every religion had fashioned a twisted form of him to justify their temptations. Only the atheists denied his presence and with that, there was hope.

Leader gazed at his acolytes. Try as he may, he had grown quite fond of them over the centuries, much like how you would start caring for a stray cat that wandered into your forlorn home. He couldn’t decide which of them he wanted to win. He was not allowed to have favourites, but he was praying fervently, to whom he did not know, but he prayed that Gluttony should not win. He was strangely partial against them, for there was no more left for humans to take over. Despite never winning the game, so many had welcomed Gluttony with waiting arms and mouths wide open. These humans, they knew how to take – from other living creatures, from the biotic nature and from each other. Many had fallen into the clutches of Envy, even though it had been a millennium since it had won.

He didn’t understand the point of the game. The sins never played fair, and becoming the predominant sin of the century had never stopped the others from recruiting newer finds. He didn’t understand them, just like he had never been able to understand the humans. He exhaled loudly, every fiber of his being complaining and tired.

The hours dragged on. The game was slow, its players even slower, more cautious. The large population and the dominance that the win promised equaled huge stakes, which made victory even sweeter. After what seemed like an eternity, a sudden whoop of joy cut through the stifling silence.

The winner had been found. Leader peered at the board. He felt a peculiar disbelief as he saw the winner and wondered what the future had in store for them.

By Rashmika