"Lord, Have Mercy"

Carly glanced around at the other Christians. She had a feeling most of them were there to escape the Texas heat and satisfy their hunger for gossip during coffee hour. The older women sat together discussing everyone's weight and whose husband was seen coming out of another woman's house. The men talked about crops and livestock while never taking their eyes off the young, single girls who were giggling in the corner of the community room.

It seemed as if this Sunday's service would never end. Effie waddled her way to the organ, her thighs making a slapping sound when she sat down on the wooden bench. When her fingers hit the keys, the notes from 'Amazing Grace' began to wheeze out of the pipes. The members of the choir stood but struggled to sing enthusiastically. Some of the congregation sang along, while others closed their eyes, not in prayer, but to catch a quick nap.

God, it was hot, Carly thought, as she felt the sweat run between her young breasts. It was only the beginning of June and already the temperature was oppressive. The Almanac said this was going to be a very hot summer. Pastor Evans looked like he was going to have a heart attack, his face was so red and sweaty. When the choir finished singing, he stood, nodded and smiled thanks at Effie, and stepped up to the pulpit. It was like someone flipped the slow motion switch. First Pastor Evans swayed a couple of times, his eyes got a faraway look and finally, he slid to the floor and died.

Church wasn't the same for the next month or so. The elders filled in, but no one's heart was really into it. Pastor Evans was appreciated more in death than in life. Carly really didn't care one way or another. Oh, she felt sorry for his family, but truth be known, Pastor Evans was an old perv. Carly had dropped out of college to take care of her grandmother. During one of his visits to offer comfort and prayer, Carly felt his fat hand under her skirt, trying to make its way up to her ass. She gasped and spun around, but all she got was an innocent look while he reached for his Bible. She soon found out he was not at all innocent. She tried to make sure her mother was caring for Granny when he visited., but that was not always the case.

It's not like Floresville, Texas, was a big draw for anyone looking to move, unless you were into cattle and corn. You really had to enjoy summer heat and humidity to want to live there. If it wasn't for the San Antonio River, Carly imagined it would just be another brown patch in this God-forsaken state. Besides the Christmas parade, the highlight of the year was the October Peanut Festival. Her mother even made Carly go through the whole pageant thing, coming in second to Mary Elizabeth, and everyone knew why she was chosen. A few years later, Mary Elizabeth ran away with Joe Brooks, a man old enough to be her father. That was just creepy.

The first Sunday in August, the congregation was buzzing about the new pastor. Word had it that he was coming from Oklahoma with his wife and baby. Some said he would be way too young to be a proper man of God. Others commended the elders for finding anyone at all, let alone a man who would raise a family in their town. They all rose as the procession started, marching down the main aisle to 'How Great Thou Art'. Carly could hear a rich baritone voice, singing as though he was calling people outside to come in. She was surprised when she saw this tall, handsome man walk up to the front of the church to finish the hymn. It was as though a fresh summer breeze swept through the church. Here was their new man of God.

“Please be seated,” he said before he started walking back up the aisle, greeting his parishioners. “Welcome...welcome to a new day, a new era at YOUR Baptist Church. I'm Pastor Thomas Carlisle. Please call me Pastor Tom, or just Tom, or whatever you wish. I want you to be comfortable around me.”

He stopped next to a young brown-haired woman who was holding a little boy and held out his hand. She took it and stood to face everyone, while he introduced her. “This is my wife, Lucy, and our son Thomas, Jr.” She beamed as people applauded and called out welcomes. She then blushed as he continued while placing his hand on her stomach, “And we just found out we're expecting again!” The applause was nearly deafening.

Carly couldn't concentrate on what Pastor Tom said, or on his family. She was solely focused on the attractive man with sparkling blue eyes. It wasn't until her friend, Karen Sue, elbowed her and whispered how “gorgeous” their new pastor was, that her attention was brought back to what he was saying.

“Why are we all here today? We are her to show our love for God, to love others, and to magnify the name of Jesus Christ.” He then quoted their doctrine, “ We believe that the Bible is God’s Word, inspired by the Holy Spirit in His exercising of divine influence over men of God, whereby they wrote the precise words that God intended. Inspiration extends to each individual word, in the whole of Scripture, and is therefore completely without error in the original autographa. God has preserved and will preserve His word in its totality. As His special revelation to mankind, God’s Word is completely sufficient, clear, and profitable.” He then spoke about creation, sin, salvation and the church.

“My friends, my family, I am here to lead you. I am here to be your guide to salvation. I am here to teach, to comfort, to mentor, to pray for you. I am here as your servant. My door is always open to you. My telephone will always be answered. I am here to be what you need, when you need, and love you for as long as you let me.”

At that moment he was looking at Carly. Maybe not on purpose, but to her, it was if he had singled her out. Oh Pastor Tom, she thought, I have been such a bad girl I need your help. I need your guidance. I need your love.

The parishioners gathered during coffee hour, all of them trying to meet the new pastor and his family. Carly's girlfriends wanted to push their way up to the front, but she chose to step back and observe. It would be better that way, she thought. It gave her an opportunity to watch Pastor Tom in action and his wife. She was so quiet and dutiful. She smiled sweetly, but didn't appear to say anything more than “Hello” and “Nice to meet you”. Carly decided to wait for another time.

And that time came sooner that she imagined. The next Sunday there was a note in the bulletin: Looking for a Mother's Helper. Please see Lucy Carlisle during coffee hour.

That was perfect! With her grandmother now in a nursing home, and not yet thinking about going back to college, this would be the perfect way to make a little money and....well....

After church, several of the high school girls approached Mrs. Carlisle, all at the same time. With five of them surrounding the young mother, and all speaking at the same time, Carly could see that not only was the pastor's wife getting agitated, but her young son was starting to get antsy and was squirming in her arms. The girls didn't seem to notice and didn't offer to help. Carly put her shoulders back and confidently walked into the middle of the circle.

“Excuse me,” she said, interrupting the teenagers. “Why don't you let me take him into the kitchen and get him some juice. That way you can talk to these girls.” She then turned her attention to the toddler. “Hi, buddy. You want some juice?” Carly held out her arms and he gleefully went to her.

Little Thomas Jr. was finishing his apple juice when Lucy Carlisle came into the kitchen. “Hi, baby,” she greeted him. His blond curls bobbed as he nodded, not wanting to miss a single drop of his juice.

“He's doing just fine and I only gave him two half cups. I watered it down a little bit. I know I should have asked, but I didn't want to interrupt you again.”

“I can't thank you enough,” Lucy told her. “Does my lifesaver have a name?” A shy smile crept across Lucy's face.

Carly couldn't have been more pleased. “I'm Carly. I've been back in town caring for my grandmother but she recently went into a nursing home. I'll be here for a while until I decide if I'm going back to college. I was going to ask you about the job I read about in the bulletin but I image you have more than enough takers.”

She turned her back to wet a towel to clean Tommy's face. When she looked back, Lucy's head was down and her hands were trembling. “Lucy, are you okay?” Carly asked.

Carly helped her into a chair and knelt beside her. “Lucy?”

Tears were in her eyes and she spoke in a quiet voice. “Thank you for being so nice to me. Thank you for helping my baby. I'm not sure how I would have been able to take care of him if you hadn't stepped forward.”

“Why are you crying? Of course, I would help you.”

“It's just that you're being so nice to me. I haven't felt that in a while. I mean people are nice but it's just because Tom is the pastor. That's always the way it is.”

Carly put Tommy in his mother's lap and then stood and stroked Lucy's hair. “Just don't you worry. I like making new friends. And I'll be glad to help you anytime need it.”

“Do you mean that, Carly? Would you maybe consider talking to my husband and me about the job? I'd really like it if I you would.”

Carly smiled and said, “Of course, I would. You just let me know when.” This was working out just fine, she thought.

Carly had always been an observer. It really was the best way to turn things to your own advantage. Not only was she able to recognize people's strengths, but also their weaknesses. While she sat in the parlor of the parish house, she was mentally taking notes about her interviewers. While Pastor Tom looked more like a football quarterback, Lucy did not look like a cheerleader. He was tall, blond hair, athletically built, incredibly handsome and charismatic. Lucy was as quiet as...well...as a church mouse. She was petite, not unattractive but certainly not memorable. Brown hair, brown eyes, and dressed much older than her years. She looked more like the Pastor's mother instead of his wife.

“Tell me, Carly,” Tom asked, flashing her a perfect smile. “Why would you want to work as a mother's helper? I would have thought you'd be in college, or working in a San Antonio. You just sort of seem out of place, in this small town.”

“I did start in college, Mr. Carlisle. When my grandmother became ill, I moved back home to help her and my family. She recently went into a nursing home, so my mama and I are getting Granny's house cleaned out, repaired and ready for sale. After taking care of her, I want to take some time to think about the final direction for my life.”

Tom looked deep into her eyes. “But why would you want to work as a mother's helper?”

Lucy might as well not even have been in the room. She never asked a question, was never consulted and was virtually ignored. Only two people existed that afternoon.

“I love children. In caring for my grandmother, I realize that I love taking care of people. I would consider it a great honor to look after for your son and help around the house. I'm afraid I might not be very good at expressing myself, but I hope that answer was to your liking,” Carly responded, lowering her eyes for a moment, in hopes of appearing sincere. Looking up again, she had tears in her eyes. “I just want to help.”

Pastor Tom took Carly's hands in his and said, “And you will. I think you are exactly what I need here.” As if he realized he misspoke, he quickly grabbed Lucy's hand, too. “I think you'll be a great help to our family.”

Lucy was beaming, Pastor Tom had an odd smile, and Carly felt triumphant.

It was very easy to fall into a daily routine. Carly got to the house while they were finishing breakfast, did the dishes as the family got ready for the day, and did whatever needed to be done. Sometimes she helped prepare meals, took Tommy to the zoo, played with him outside before the Texas sun got too fiery, and spent time with Lucy when Tommy went down to nap. Pastor Tom worked from home, which was right next door to the church when he wasn't leading Bible study or prayer meetings. If he happened to come when Carly and Lucy were together, Carly's attention immediately switched to him.

As the weeks went by, she found herself alone with him at times, while Lucy was upstairs reading to her son. Pastor Tom drew Carly into conversations. They started out innocently enough, about life, death, and God in a marriage. He spoke about chastity but also about spousal duty in a marriage. Carly wasn't always comfortable with the topic but did her best to maintain an innocent demeanor and a look of wide-eyed trusting.

Slowly, Carly was also changing her personal routine in the morning. She started wearing her hair down, instead of pulled back because Tom told her how pretty it was. Her pants got a little tighter, her skirts got a little shorter and she changed to colored bras that could be noticed under her tee shirts. A touch of lipstick, a soft floral scent, and she became more womanly instead of a typical college-age teenager.

After working with the family for about six weeks, Lucy's pregnancy started to take its toll on her. When Tommy went down for his afternoon nap, Lucy retired to her bedroom to rest. Carly normally spent the time straightening up the house, sometimes started dinner, or even just took the opportunity to spend time in their library room. A lot of the books she found there she had read while in school. Some were way too religious for her taste, but behind the doors of a lower cabinet, she found others whose titles were vaguely familiar. She found the “50 Shades” trilogy and several books that she remembered being pulled from the local library because of their sexual content. She vaguely knew the title “Catcher in the Rye” and “Lolita” but had never heard of “Tropic of Cancer” or “The Story of O”.

Carly curled up on the sofa with and began reading “The Story of O”. Oh my, she thought! In the next hour, Carly was drawn into the novel of sex and submission. Without realizing it, she slipped her hand inside her shirt and played with her nipple. A tingle developed below and the more she read, the more she squirmed.

“Carly?”

Oh hell, she thought, quickly closing the book and shoving it under the sofa cushion. “Coming,” she called to Lucy, as she left the library to help with Tommy.

The next day, Carly could barely wait for Lucy and Tommy to go upstairs before returning to the library and the book that had made its way into her dreams last night. The more she read, the more she became physically affected. Her nipples strained inside her bra and she could feel her panties start to get wet. She had never read anything like this before. Carly wasn't a virgin, but some of the things she read she had never imagined. The time she spent with the erotic novel ended all too soon, as she again hid the book under the cushions to return to helping Lucy and Tommy.

On Friday, she reached under the cushion for the book, but it wasn't there. Frantically, she removed all of the cushions and was on her knees searching under the sofa when she heard his voice.

“Now isn't that a pretty site. Are you looking for this?” Tom stood in the doorway holding the book.

Carly's head shot up and a blanket of red covered her, face. She had no words and simply stayed on her knees looking at him as he closed the door and walked over to her.

“It seems to me that someone has been looking behind closed doors. Now, what do you think I should do about that? On one hand, I think a punishment is in order. On the other hand, perhaps his is a good time to counsel you on the evils of the world. I don't know. What do you think, Carly?” Tom was now standing right in front of her, looking down with eyes that were no longer a bright blue, but had turned very dark.

Carly opened her mouth to speak, but never had the chance. Tom grabbed the sides of her head and pulled it into his crotch. She could feel his hardness through his pants. Tom opened his slacks and dropped them on the floor. “Suck it,” he ordered as he pushed his hard cock in her face.

Carly opened her mouth and captured his growing cock. Eagerly she sucked, bringing him to full hardness. She ran her hot, moist tongue all around the red bulbous head and then moved to lick his shaft from base to tip, stopping at the spot underneath where the head meets the shaft. Carly relaxed her throat and sucked his length in deeply.

Tom took time to enjoy the ministrations of her mouth. Damn, she did this so good, he thought, moving his hips and fucking her mouth. He held on to her head tightly, forcing his cock deeper and deeper into her throat, listening to her gag. She was good and it was just a matter of time before.....

“Arghhhhhhh,” he growled, exploding down her throat. Carly had no choice but to swallow, willing herself not to throw up as she did.

He abruptly released her, actually pushing her head away. “You know, for a bad girl, you were awfully, awfully good. I'm glad we decided to hire you.” That was all Tom said before leaving the room.

Carly didn't know how she did it, but she cleaned up and composed herself before Lucy came downstairs after her nap. Part of her wanted to tell Lucy what Tom had done, but then she'd be forced to admit what she had been reading. While she was a little turned on by the book and what happened, she was also afraid of what might still come.

Carly didn't have to wait long to find out. Tom hung around the house the entire next day, even helping Lucy upstairs and tucking Tommy in for his nap. Carly tried to busy herself in the kitchen, praying he would ignore her, but those prayers went unanswered. She didn't hear him but felt his hand clamp down on her shoulder.

“Come with me,” he ordered.

Tom kept hold of her as he guided her into the library, closed the door and then sat down in his desk chair. He forced Carly to her knees and pointed to his pants. “You know what do do,” he told her.

Although not as violent as the day before, Tom still held her head as Carly was forced to suck his cock until he came. He forced himself deep into her throat, firing seed into her stomach. She swallowed every drop of the never-ending spurts, until his hands released her head and his cock softened in her mouth.

“Now go make me a cup of tea,” Tom ordered as he zipped up his pants.

Carly found herself in a situation from which she didn't know how to escape. She hated having to service Tom everyday and hated what he was doing to Lucy, but she also knew part of this was her fault. She could have chosen to leave and never come back, knowing full well that he couldn't do anything to stop her, but she really cared about Lucy and Tommy. She wondered if Lucy had any clue as to how dark her husband really was. That was all Carly thought about as she made Tom his cup of tea.

Tom's Sunday sermons seemed to have taken a turn. The congregation even noticed his fire and brimstone rantings and lectures on sin against families. He had changed from the happy husband and father to someone who acted almost paranoid. Lucy even confided to Carly that he had begun sleeping in the library, locking himself in there all evening.

That Sunday a very pregnant Lucy settled into the first pew. She begged Carly to sit with her and hold onto Tommy. It was already the middle of November and Lucy was due any day now. On top of dealing with her bloated body, she was worried about the way her husband had been acting. He wasn't eating well, losing weight and just didn't appear to be in the best of health. Carly glanced at him, sitting while the choir sang 'Holy, Holy, Holy'. He was sweating profusely.

The choir finished and Effie unstuck her thighs from the organ bench and waddle back to her seat. Tom stood up and began to speak. His face was red, presumably from the heat in the church during an usual hot spell they were having, and he was sweating to the point of it running down the sides of his face. He looked ill and as he spoke, his words started to slur. He starting speaking gibberish and a couple of the deacons stood and moved forward to see if he was okay. They hadn't reached him before he dropped on the floor, dead.

Some were kind and said he just couldn't handle the heat or maybe he had some kind of virus. Others wondered if he had been a closet alcoholic, or even worse, used drugs. None of that was ever proved. Lucy's parents came to get her and Tommy and take them back to Oklahoma. Lucy clung to Carly, sobbing, and telling her she had been the best friend she could have ever had.

Carly stood on the driveway as the U-Haul truck pulled away with all of the Carlisle's belongings, well, except for a few books. Carly smiled through her tears. She wondered what the congregation would think if they had known what a perv their handsome, young pastor really was. It took him so much longer to die than Pastor Evans.

 

A very good story, quick and easy to read. An unexpected ending to say the least but a very good way to end this chapter. The author could very easily continue this story if they wanted. Well done and thank you for sharing your talent.

 

Another well-written story. Kinda' mysterious at the end. Seemed like Carly had something to do with the deaths? I would have liked that more explained some how, either that it was pure coincidence, or how was she behind it? Or perhaps it was divine intervention. One thought -- when you are writing what someone is thinking to themself vs. speaking out loud, you could differentiate it by putting the wording in italics, just to separate it and make it stand out. A few grammar issues but most stories have them. Overall an interesting take on life in church. Looks like the kinda' writing from a CAW veteran.

 

Another strong story about an unpleasant subject. It evoked a lot of feelings, none of them pleasant, which is a compliment to the author, but doesn't make a good sex story. Tom's behavior towards Carly was truly abhorrent, abusing his position. That doesn't excuse Carly's response, it seemed obvious to me she was responsible for both deaths, but that wasn't well explained.

-R

 

It was a very good and actually realistic story. My parents made me go to a Catholic school to behave. The Nuns and Priests there were total perverts.

 

Now THERE was a twist. I liked this story. It was short but said a lot. It didn't have extensive descriptions, but I could easily visualize each scene. I like a story that makes me think and that's why I liked the ending.

 

My final read and I must say, Hurrah. A bit more time could have been spent proofreading. That would have cleaned up the mistakes. Not being nitpicky, but this is a contest and I vote based on how well the story meets the theme, the quality of the writing and the story itself. For me, you hit two of those out of the ballpark. As for the mistakes, not too distracting, but something to work on.
You had plenty of detail but didn't kill me with wordiness. Thank you. The story was the right length for its purpose, and most important, it kept me reading. The ending worked for me. I can decide if she poisoned him, called fire down from heaven or he just died and she got some satisfaction from that. She didn't care much about the first guy croaking, so in my mind, she was involved.

 

bump

 

Sometimes the more religious you seem to be the more perverted you actually are. All in all a good story and a great twist at the end. Thanks for your submission.

 

That was very unexpected. A well written and well thought out story.
Thank you very much for sharing.

 

Whew! The twist at the end was unexpected! This entry certainly stuck with the Challenge theme of forbidden fruit. Very well done, writer.

 

Who wrote this story?