One Sin (from Horror in All but Appearance)

A man has just sinned, and he doesn’t know the severity of it. It only takes one mortal sin for you to be damned to Hell for all eternity, so he quickly heads out to the nearest church that has confessions available. Even if he did commit a venial sin, his soul is still at risk since venial sins weaken one’s soul so that mortal sins seem more excusable for them to commit. He’s been good about keeping away from near occasions of sin and staying away from all sins in general, but everyone slips every now and then because of human weakness.

While getting to church, he refuses to help and give money to people who ask for it and ignores repeat calls from the people he knows. The only thing on his mind is getting to confession. Nothing else matters. Not even the people around him. Not even himself who he’s starved as a self-imposed penance, however, this has temporarily stopped him as he throws up on the steps of the church. After pulling himself up and walking on his own vomit, he continues into the church.

To his dismay, he finds a long line for confession. People kneel and sit in pews in the line as they wait for their turn. Agitated, but accepting, the man kneels in the pew and goes over his sins while asking Our Lady of Sorrows and his guardian angel to tell him his sins. His recent actions along with the ones he’s forgotten. Hearing this makes him make up excuses for his actions then humble himself and take responsibility only to repeat the process for every sin. Before he knows it, the people who were behind him are ahead of him with some even received absolution. The priest then announces from the confessional that confessions are done for now since mass is going to be said soon.

This sends the man in a panic as it seems like God has closed the doors of His mercy to him. The man walks outside blinded by his thoughts and accidentally walks into traffic and is hit by a car. As he dies, he remembers his worst sin of all. Not having faith in God. This faithlessness caused him to disregard others, himself, and now without a chance to confess his sins, he can only hope that God will have mercy on him and the fires of Purgatory aren’t as painful as they’re said to be.