Episode 5 – Few Escape
Families go through rough moments no matter how wealthy or close they may be. Owen’s family is going through one as of late. His parents are having a serious talk while Owen watches TV in his room. While watching his usual shows, a show that he’s never seen on this channel starts to play. A show called Adventures Into the Forbidden. Owen has heard about this show before, but it’s never interested him. He watches it out of curiosity since there’s nothing else on.
A creepy puppet takes the stage with a completely white background. Its eyes, mouth, and nose seem hollow and there’s a swirl on its forehead. It wears a black sweater and has two hand puppets in his hands. One puppet is like him with a black sweater and a smiling face while the other is black with a white sweater and a frowning face. The name that appears above his head is Malek the Puppet Master.
“Hello, boys and girls,” the puppet says in a voice that sounds like it’s a mix of male and female voices, “You’re lucky to see this exclusive episode with me in it. My name is Malek the Puppet Master. The creator of this show and the voice behind every puppet you’ve seen. Since this is a special episode, I’d like to talk about a special topic. For the families who are currently going through hard times, know that everything will be all right in the end. Know that you will always have a friend in me.”
Owen feels strangely targeted by the creepy Malek. He considers changing the channel.
“Don’t change the channel yet. I have more to say to you.”
Convinced that Owen should turn off the show now, he switches the channel only to find Malek on it. He keeps switching the channel only to find Malek on all of them and he says different things on each one.
“You don’t deserve a dysfunctional family.”
“You should find a different family.”
“Abandon that silly faith of yours for a different one.”
“Why suffer for broken people?”
“You’re the master of your life.”
“Do what you want.”
Owen finally turns off the TV to shut up Malek only for the TV to come back on.
“Don’t you think I’m correct? I know you’ve all had thoughts like these. You should follow your feelings and do what you think is right. You have these senses and feelings for a reason. Follow them. Give in.”
The TV then suddenly turns off. Confused but thankful, Owen lies his head down. His parents then come into his room and tell them that everything is going to be all right now that they’ve settled things between them. He peacefully goes to sleep until his TV turns back on by itself. Malek is back on and this time, there’s something different about him.
Owen’s eyes are focused on Malek’s hollow mouth. In it, he sees the many parents who’ve led their children to Hell by their example. Generations and generations of families yelling out for relief fill Owen’s ears and he can’t find a way to shut them out or shut off the TV.
“Owen, you know the right thing to do. Your parents will fight again later and who knows how bad it will get. Do the right thing,” Malek says.
“I know,” Owen says as he takes out his rosary.
Once he starts praying his rosary, Malek writhes in pain. The screams coming from the TV get louder and more horrifying until Owen has finished praying a decade of the rosary. Then there’s silence as the TV turns itself off. Owen calms down and continues to pray. He asks why he had to see and go through all this horror.
In his mind, he hears a woman say, “Just like at Fatima, I showed the children Hell to show them why they should pray and make sacrifices for sinners who have no one that prays or sacrifices for them. Do the same for the sinful families who pass on the weight of their sins to their children who pass their sins to their children and so on.”
The woman’s voice calms down Owen. He goes back to sleep and makes a promise to dedicate his life to help the sinful families on earth while they still have time to change.
The End
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