Tonight I return to Pride/Vanity – which is apparently the greatest of the Seven Deadly Sins. I’m also looking at how Pride itself can come from doing good deeds. As a note: I’m actually not Christian, nor am I familiar with the Bible and it’s ways, but as I’m focusing on a very Christian sort of concept (the Seven Deadly Sins) my posts may be very Christian in origin, and there may be errors. Please accept them as creative license. Cheers!
****
The sound of the clippers echoed through the room. The mirror before her was bright, with lots of lights, and there was the sound of laughter all around her. For years, she had grown her hair out and kept it undyed for this very moment, and now, she would finally do the good deed she had been focusing on.
“Go!” she giggled, covering her eyes with her hands. The clippers felt foreign against her hair as they scraped over her scalp. They fell onto the special sheet that had been laid down to catch the locks as they fell. Her heart swelled at the thought of doing a good deed.
****
To Whom It May Concern:
I am racing in the City2Surf to raise funds for Charity. I ask that you consider donating to me to help raise my goal of $1000! Together we can raise the profile of this Charity and support a great cause!
The emails had gone out – as had the social media posts. She watched her emails with anticipation as more and more came in, each one with a pledge to support her charity of choice. Inside, her heart swelled again.
****
“Well, I’d say that I’m a very civic minded person. I support charities whenever possible. I’ve donated hair, and I helped raise over $1000 individually for charity as well in City2Surf. I also spearheaded a committee to try and raise funds for that charity and in the past year we’ve helped raise over $5000!” She smiled, placing her hands flat on the table. Her eyes shone with pride at her achievements, and her heart was glad.
****
“Wow. You did a fantastic job at this!” one of the managers stated, looking around the room which had been decorated. She had been placed in charge of a major fundraising event, and she had worked tirelessly to ensure that it went off without a hitch. She smiled brightly.
“Thank you! Lots of hard work went into this, but it’s 100% worth it!” she chirped. Sure, she had staff to assist, and she would give them their due praise, but this moment was hers. Her eyes narrowed slightly. If it weren’t for her, and her hard work, this event wouldn’t have taken place and it wouldn’t have been as awesome as it was now. She was damned proud of herself and rightfully so.
****
“And of course, we can’t end tonight without thanking the coordinator of tonight’s event. Without her tireless work around the clock to ensure this event happened, we wouldn’t be here tonight. A round of applause for her!” The applause thundered about her, and her heart swelled again.
And it continued, and continued. Until it burst, and she collapsed on the floor.
****
She was pronounced dead when the paramedics arrived. But down in the depths of hell, she was very much alive. She was ensconced in a room of a light violet hue, with a giant wheel. The king of the demons himself paced back and forth, his forked tail twitching as he eyed her off. He made a gesture with one of his hands, and she found herself hoisted onto the wheel and chained in place. Very slowly it began to turn, and the lesser demons began to hammer at her body as it turned. She screamed and screamed, her voice never going hoarse despite the pain.
“And this, my dear, is your punishment for your Pride. You felt you were better than those who worked with you on these great works you did, and as such, you are now mine. For eternity. I hope you enjoy your special room here in Hell.” He stroked her cheek with one long nailed finger, before leaving the room, the demons still continuing their painful strikes.
She continued to scream and scream, her voice joining the throngs of Hell.
