MM Reviews: Ave Maria

Title: Ave Maria
Author: hiwagang hapis
Type: Original Fiction
Genre: Drabble | Religious | Crime
Rating: PG

“But as colorful the lights of New York were, the people who lived there were just as diverse. If the city had an array of buildings, ranging from small, five-floored building to skyscrapers that seemed to touch the sky, there were also people as small as dirt and people who acted as gods.”

Religion can be both a gift and a curse. Some choose to use it for good; using their faith to partake in actions they believe will pave them a way into the paradise that their holy book describes. Others choose to warp it; to use the words inscribed in timeless ink to fuel a dark crusade. However, for most, religion can be a mix of the two — a constant push and pull of what is right and what is wrong. It can be difficult to discern which is which, especially when the lines are blurred beyond recognition.

For the nameless narrator in Ave Maria, this mix of good versus evil is not lost. She knows she is a sinner — she hand-delivers the souls of men to God himself — but she does so in order to rid the world of pain and suffering. She commits acts that are considered great sins, but she does so in order to eradicate the Devil from the everyday world. And when she turns her sight on that of a power-hungry drug cartel, she knows that her own individual acts of sin are worth it.

Effortlessly interweaving a modern-day world with religious symbolism, Ave Maria is a work of art. Through stunning description and imagery, hiwagang hapis shows a great skill with her writing, and one that leaves the reader hanging onto every last word. Standing at exactly 500 words, this story is short and sweet, but one that you should definitely add to your ‘to-read’ list!

Special thanks to isak valtersen and losing control. for editing!