Story: A Throne of Smoke
Story and Art by: Gail Nobles ©️ 2024
Ending music by: Gail Nobles
Sound Effects and voices by: Gail Nobles

Little Benny appeared burden by the weight of the world and the strife of the economy. He thought about how rich he used to be. He sat upon a throne of smoke. A great demon of smoke entwined around his mind, and in his hand was a cigar ,lit with the fire of his anxious spirit. He was worried about Ms. Daniels. It had been reported on the news that someone tried to break in her home, and he also thought about the drops of water coming down from his ceiling into a bucket.

And the smoke arose in clouds, curling upwards as prayers of the weary, enveloping the man in a haze of his own making. The air was thick with the scent of despair, and the din of voices clamored from below, saying, “Who shall deliver us from this dark hour? Who shall lift the burden of our labor and restore our fortunes?”

 And little Benny in his desolate state looked upon the smoke that surrounded him and saw the faces of those lost to the shadows of want. And a demon emerged from the swirling fog, its eyes like fiery with the lust of greed, whispering sweetly in Benny’s ear, turning into the looks of little Benny.

Demon: Have no fear, for I am the keeper of your desire. I shall show you the path to riches, if you but surrender that soul!

Little Benny appear burden by the weight of the world and the strife of the economy. He thought about how rich he used to be. He sat upon a throne of smoke. A great demon of smoke entwined around his mind, and in his hand was a cigar ,lit with the fire of his anxious spirit. He was worried about Ms. Daniels. It had been reported on the news that someone tried to break in her home, and he also thought about the drops of water coming down from his ceiling into a bucket.

And the smoke arose in clouds, curling upwards as prayers of the weary, enveloping the man in a haze of his own making. The air was thick with the scent of despair, and the din of voices clamored from below, saying, “Who shall deliver us from this dark hour? Who shall lift the burden of our labor and restore our fortunes?”

 And little Benny in his desolate state looked upon the smoke that surrounded him and saw the faces of those lost to the shadows of want. And a demon emerged from the swirling fog, its eyes like fiery with the lust of greed, whispering sweetly in Benny’s ear, turning into the looks of little Benny.

Demon: Have no fear, for I am the keeper of your desire. I shall show you the path to riches, if you but surrender that soul!

 Yet Little Benny, the weekend, remember the words of wisdom spoken by the ancients, and he cast his gaze upward, where the light of truth shown bright. And he spoke: O darkness, thou hast no hold upon me! I will not trade my peace for the fleeting pleasures of this world.
And as he declared this, the cigar fell from his fingers, extinguishing the flame of temptation, and the smoke dissipated like a defeated foe in the dawn of understanding. The demon shrieked and retreated into the shadows.

 Little Benny was the man transformed, no longer a prisoner of his fears, but a champion of hope, for he had learned that the riches of the spirit far outweighed the gold of the earth. And he rose from his throne of smoke, ready to face the trials ahead, unshackled and renewed. Amen, Little Benny!


 Yet Little Benny, the weekend, remember the words of wisdom spoken by the ancients, and he cast his gaze upward, where the light of truth shown bright. And he spoke: O darkness, thou hast no hold upon me! I will not trade my peace for the fleeting pleasures of this world.
And as he declared this, the cigar fell from his fingers, extinguishing the flame of temptation, and the smoke dissipated like a defeated foe in the dawn of understanding. The demon shrieked and retreated into the shadows.

 Little Benny was the man transformed, no longer a prisoner of his fears, but a champion of hope, for he had learned that the riches of the spirit far outweighed the gold of the earth. And he rose from his throne of smoke, ready to face the trials ahead, unshackled and renewed. Amen, Little Benny!