Imaginary Gods

By James Ferace

"A single father is confronted by an exact double of his young son who offers him omnipotence if he'll allow him to take the child's place."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Mar 5, 2019
• ISBN: 9780359126750

Book preview

Imaginary Gods

Imaginary Gods

by James Ferace

The earth is eating us slowly.

He spoke with such a quiet urgency, like there was an eagerness about him, but also an indolence in his composure. Well beyond his years. I could hardly believe any of it. His face, his voice, even the style of his hair. The way he pursed his lips just a little before speaking, too, really caught my eye. I couldn't stop staring. His eyes could seem so hollow one second, then warm and nearly solicitious the next. The resemblance was strikingly uncanny. Doubtless, I was baffled by it. It was around this time that I began to realize that I hadn't been listening to anything he'd been going on about. To be fair, I'm not sure I know many people who would be in their right mind in this position. I kept looking over his shoulder and getting lost in the shape of the trunk of the tree. My eyes combing every inch of it. The texture, the shade, the unusual way it seemed to have taken root in the ground. Anything to draw my attention away from the situation presently at hand.

Not every thought needs to be spoken, he said, patting me on the arm. It's fine. You don't have to answer right now.

Answer. I couldn't even identify my own face in a mirror anymore and he wanted an answer. He faded away from my vision, disappearing into the trees, even walking with a similar hobble in his stride...and I wondered if I would ever see him again. I ruminated if I even wanted to at