_______________________________________________________Mirage___ understand—He was now inhabiting that body) began to feel Himself all over with His hands, and a look of uttermost horror was on His face. His eyes were full of disgust, self-loathing, and infinite dread. Meanwhile God (that is, the toy seller) was blinking at his robes in a stupid way. I didn’t waste a moment. I was on that toy-seller’s body in under a second. I grabbed Him by the throat and yanked Him clean into the air. I backhanded Him twice, then whirled Him over my head. He was begging and gibbering and crying like a madman. A heavy truck was passing by, a diesel blowing oily smoke. I threw that runty body under the wheels. There was a sickening crunch and a squish. It made quite a mess, I can tell you. The truck just kept on going. It was very quiet, there by the road. “I guess that takes care of Him,” I said to the individual in the robe. “Yes . . . yes, it does,” He said wonderingly. “Except . . . now . . . I’m Him.” He smoothed His robes. “Yes, I’m HIM!” Then, with growing triumph and conviction: “I’m God. I’m God. I’m GOD!” He turned to face me, and His expression was stern. “I can see the secrets of your heart,” He said. “Don’t try to hide your thoughts from Me . . .” Yes, He turned out to be a bit of a disappointment, that toy seller. Who would have thought being God would have gone straight to His head? He’s not as bad as His predecessor, maybe, but that’s not saying much. One of His first acts, I understand, was to command His children on Earth to worship toys, in particular dolls, and bow down daily to an arch-doll in the image of You-Know-Who. It’s rather depressing, really. On the good side, Hell isn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be.
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