July Anomalies A-Z: Azazel

I had so much fun writing these Anomalies during the month of April that I thought I might do another round.  So... once again, all this month Anomalies A - Z, monsters and monstrosities, curiosities, freaks and dangerous creatures from the lore of scripture.

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The air of the desert is hot and dry, full of grit and sand. It gets into your nose, your teeth, your eyes.  Even now, as the sun is melting into the horizon, the desert winds bring dry heat into the camp. Other than the scarlet glow that illuminates the smoke drifting up from Mount Sinai, the desert is dark.  It is dark, but it is not silent.

Out in the darkness there are wild beasts.  Owls, ravens and vultures, hyenas, wildcats, snakes and jackals make the desert a dangerous place to wander.  But there is something more. Even with the animals  that roam its sands, the desert is a dead place.  That is why no one will pitch their tents there. 

The desert is a dead place – the haunt of demons

It is the home of Azazel, who watches over the fallen watchers.  Azazel, who corrupted the earth and taught men to make swords and knifes, who showed women how to ornament their bodies with jewelry and mascara.  Azazel, who was bound in chains by Raphael and dragged down from heaven. There in the dark of the desert he is chained to the rough and jagged rocks of a precipitous cliff, howling in desperate pain. 

This is disgrace; this is Azazel,
and this is shame,
for Abraham’s portion is in heaven
and yours is upon the earth.
Therefore, the Mighty One,
Eternal Ruler of Time and Space,
has given you your dwelling upon the earth
though you are a liar
and a bringer of wrath.

This is part of July Anomalies A-Z, a creative writing exercise and not intended to be an altogether accurate picture of the creature described above.