Beowulf

Bearing God's Hatred

After Adam and Eve left the Garden, they had two sons; Cain and Abel. Abel, being a shepherd, had no time for sin, but Cain being a farmer did. When it was their day to go into the temple and sacrifice a blood offering, Cain came with a horrible attitude. He had brought vegetables, while his brother, Abel, brought his best lamb. God was quite displeased with Cain's offering. The vegetables shriveled up and turned to dust on the alter. The priests told him to go buy a lamb and come back to try again. Cain refused and left. Abel's sacrifice was accepted. God gave him seven years to make up for the poor offering, but Cain ignored God and his warnings. One day Cain went out to the field to speak with his brother. A heated argument erupted about God treating Abel better than Cain. Finally Cain pulled out a small dagger and slew Abel. Then Cain dug a shallow grave to bury Abel. Walking away Cain decided not to tell anyone what he had done. A few days later God came to Cain in a dream. God said that the earth where his brother was buried called out for justice. He also said that Cain would be punished for his evil doings. The ground will never yield fruit to him ever again and he will be marked for all eternity. Cain replied that if anyone were to see the mark they'd kill him. God said that the mark will be to tell others not to kill him or they'd be cursed too. God also said that all the evil within him will be cast out. When Cain woke up all the evil within him was cast out and he had been marked.

Away from men the evils split into thousands of horrible creatures: goblins, friends, spirits, monsters, and other horrible creatures. They spread out all over the earth terrorizing people and hating God and all his creation, because God hated them. Many of these creatures were slain. Two of these evils hid and conceived another creature. His name was Grendel.

Grendel was born bearing God's hatred. He was told the stories of Cain and Abel and taught to despise all humans. He was fed human flesh as an infant to get the taste of them. After awhile his parents left him, but only far enough to keep an eye on him without his knowing. They watched as his body became harder and his Mind more developed. Soon his den was too small so he decided to move to the Danish Isles, which weren't too far away. So he got up one night and quickly flew there. It took him a few weeks to find a big enough cave in the mountains. On his way he came across a couple flocks of sheep. He stopped just for a minute to eat the sheep and their shocked shepherds. When Grendel finally found a cave of suitable stature, it was occupied by a family of bears. They were slaughtered easily. After his meal he did a little redecorating. He hung sheep and bear skins from the ceiling and painted the cave in mud and slime. It was the best way for him to say ' You're not welcome' without the mat.

After a few months his digging ability grew. The urge to dig was powerful enough to drag him from his cave to the soft muddy mashes below. He dug a huge labyrinth of tunnels and rooms. One day he was wandering his home's halls and passage ways when he found the opening and stumbled out. It was the first time in eight decades he'd seen sunlight. All the animals he ate had helplessly fallen trap to his maze. So really there had been no reason to go out of his home. He saw that it was different now. There were buildings around his hole. Trees were gone. Even the mountains were covered in houses. He smothered two stunned boys because they looked at him.

His hatred grew as he saw the men. Grendel wasn't just angry at the men. He was angry at God for creating them. They were made in His Image. They were loved by Him; blessed and cared for. He hated Grendel and his kin. God could never love him. God could never care about him. God would only shun and hate him. Therefore the humans were the enemy. God loved them. Grendel would at least take them to Hell with him. He would rage war on God his way. Grendel went back to his hole, his labyrinth, his home, close to Hell's ever burning fires.

Not too long later that week Grendel heard shouts above him. He left his home to see what was going on. He saw men running around and timbers of wood being lifted up. He watched as Herot was built piece by piece. He stayed long that he watched as the magnificent banquet was prepared. He only left when the guests began arriving so as not to be seen.

He sat in his main den, which was right under Herot. He listened to the poets, the laughter, the speeches and the toasts. He listened to their slurred drunken words which usually soon followed by an argument or fight. When it was over at last Grendel left the safety of his den and began his slow quiet careful trek to Herot. His time to rage war on the Almighty God and Savior. He ripped the door apart in his massive claws. There, behind the very door the architect had said would hold forever, he saw hundreds of men asleep in their drunken state. Scooping up about thirty men he crushed them. Eating their rubbery flesh and the sweet taste of their blood lingering in his mouth. It was so easy for him to take away that which was so lovingly given to them. God gave them life but it was he, Grendel, that broke that thin thread. The anger of God burned down on him in pain, but he just laughed it off in satisfaction. His kill was sufficient for the night.

Grendel returned to Herot many times afterward to kill and destroy God's precious creation. For twelve long gruesome years he continued his reign of terror on Herot. Few men stood in his way, he killed them quickly and quietly. Most men ran and hid in fright. Some even recited pagan rituals which only made Grendel happier. Hrothgar was devastated by his people's fear. The loss of good men hurt him deeply. But Grendel only came back hungrier than before. He only wanted to kill humans and hurt God. This was his war and he will win. God would pay. No man would stand in his way.

Or so he thought...