The Yellow Bug — Erik Williams

The revelation hits Dr. Ruiz like a ton of bricks. James Klein, a combat veteran with two tours under his belt, is a paranoid schizophrenic. So, it's no surprise when he starts raving about seeing God in the form of a yellow bug. After all, he was found wandering the Yuma desert naked and incoherent.But what does surprise Dr. Ruiz is James's willingness to divulge how he serves his god, how he honors God, and how God rewards him. As James exposes his innermost desires and fears, Dr. Ruiz begins to see his pain and suffering reflected in James's story.James honors the Yellow Bug with sacrificial offerings, a ritual that Dr. Ruiz understands all too well. Now, the Yellow Bug is ready to offer its help to Dr. Ruiz, to take away his fear and make his pain disappear.But at what cost? As Dr. Ruiz's fascination with the Yellow Bug grows, he realizes that his desire for a painless existence may lead him down a dark path from which there is no turning back.In this haunting and unsettling little tale, two men grapple with the consequences of their past and the true nature of their reality.