55: A clash of wills

Mathew stood outside his home a moment before he entered. He smiled contentedly, remembering fondly so many moments shared within its walls, first with Beverly and Marcus; then just with Beverly. Such love she had bestowed on the orphan child she found, despite so many phenomena beyond her ability to comprehend. She accepted and loved him unconditionally.

He entered his home and slowly climbed the stairs. As he walked to his room, he saw a green glow below the closed door. He slammed open the door and shuddered at the sight of Beverly embracing what appeared to be a child engulfed in green flames looking over her shoulder at him with eyes as black as night and a malevolent smile.

In his mind he heard, “You are too late this time. In the 19th hour and 37th minute of the 2019th iteration of this game, this battle, this war, the microscopic hole we placed in the mind of “Beverly” recognized the flame within this version of Mathew. Your presence will only hasten darkness’ reign.”

“Never!” Mathew screamed. He leaped across the room. Beverly turned towards his voice, and stared, open-mouthed, shocked and confused, trying to understand what she was seeing. He pulled her out of the fire of young Mathew’s embrace and pushed her behind him while grabbing the younger version of himself. When the force of his energy collided with that of the darkness, when the warped edges of the divergent moments in time converged, there was a burst of multi-colored light and a cacophony of sound that no longer whispered but rather sang loudly the song of existence – and annihilation.

He is not a man of woman born

neither god nor man is He

His power, wondrous and infinite

beyond what eye can see --

https://theprose.com/post/259869/your-turn-collaborative-challenge.