GOD HATES HEAVY METAL
Stephanie had always been curious about the mushroom gummies her friends raved about. One warm July afternoon, she donned her mother's vintage Motley Crue "Shout at the Devil" shirt and snuck out to meet Fiona and Katie behind the library. Eagerly, she grabbed a handful of Katie's psilocybin treats, consuming four times the recommended dosage before they all shared a joint to kickstart the experience.
At the Fireman's Field Days carnival, the vibrant lights and sounds melded into a surreal tapestry. Stephanie felt as if a veil had lifted from reality, revealing a world both familiar and strange. As they wandered, she grabbed her friends' arms, sharing a moment of telepathic laughter and love.
Their joy was abruptly interrupted by the shrill voice of Karen Johnson, the local gossip and pariah. Leading a group from the Church of Christ the Savior, Karen held signs proclaiming "God Hates Heavy Metal" and shouted through a megaphone, "Heavy metal is the music of Satan! Your children are pawns of Lucifer!"
Irritated, Stephanie shouted, "Shut the fuck up!" Instantly, the protesters' attention shifted to her. As she blinked, their human features melted away, revealing grotesque, demonic visages. Karen's blackened, goat-like face commanded her army in an ancient language, and they surged toward Stephanie, growling.
Heart pounding, Stephanie dodged through the crowd as the demonic figures brandished their signs like weapons. She spotted a narrow alley between two carnival trailers and darted in, only to find it blocked. Desperate, she crawled beneath a trailer, scraping her hands on the gravel, and emerged on the other side, sprinting away without looking back.
Gasping, she reunited with Fiona and Katie near the Ferris wheel, recounting her horrifying experience. A chilling realization settled over them: those who preached righteousness had revealed themselves as the true monsters. Fiona showed a meme from the Church of Satan about compassion for all, highlighting that the so-called agents of Satan were embracing acceptance and love. The world had turned upside down, and Stephanie couldn't shake the feeling that real demons hid behind masks of virtue.
Art and story by Hal Hefner.
Produced by Catmonkey Studio