"For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory. Now and forever. Amen."

I get up. Walk over to the bed, lie down. And wait for sleep.

Or for the voice.

"Why do you bother doing that?"

"Because it's the right thing to do."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Say your prayers. The Bible asks you to."

"You don't believe in all that stuff, do you?"

"You know I do."

A snigger. "A bunch of books written by some ancient guys years ago. Real reliable guide."

I stare up at the dark ceiling. The light passes across it from the neighbour's windows.

"What? It's God's word."

The voice is rolling its eyes. "Then God is pretty crummy, isn't he? Says a lot of nasty stuff. Homosexuality's the spawn of hell. Being happy is wrong. Anyone who disagrees with this lot will go straight to hell and remain in everlasting torture for ever and ever. Sounds like a totalitarian government to me."

"You don't agree with every word the Bible says. You take it as a whole."

The voice snorts. "Wasn't it Saint Augustine who said 'if you only pick what you want from God's word, it is not God you're listening to, it is yourself?'"

I have to think about that a bit before I can figure out a reply. At last I answer, "A lot of people say a lot of things."

The voice laughs.

"Why're you so against it, anyway?" I ask.

"Because religion's just a big con trick. Try and prove God exists. You can't, can you?"

"It's not something you prove. It's something you know."

"Yeah. And the earth really is flat. Come on. Religion's just something dreamed up by a load of mouldy old priests to tell you that whatever you like doing is wrong."

"No, it's not!"

"Yes, it is. And they stop you figuring that out 'cos they say if you question anything, Satan's gonna get you."

"Not all of them do. The vicar didn't last week, did he?"

The voice shrugs. "Well, religion isn't good for people. Makes them think they're superior. You know God Squad people. Marching along with their Bible brains. I'm gonna go to Heaven, I'm God's child, I've discovered inner peace. You poor disadvantaged soul, you haven't discovered the way, have you? Well, don't forget, I know best because I'm a little saint and I don't do anything wrong 'cos my mummy brought me up right."

"Oh, yeah?" I snap, sitting up. "Well, what about people like you? Rolling your eyes every time something religious comes on. Yawning and whispering and making fun of other people's ceremonies, acting like your high-school gossip's more important. You don't think religion's fake because of any real reason. You just reject it because that way you can sleep around, pig out, steal, lie, do whatever you want, and if anyone tells you it's wrong you just say they're subscribing to the narrow-minded stuff!"

"You shut up!" The voice rings in my ears, but I'm on a roll now.

"All those people going around being Satanists. Wow, look at me, I'm so evil and cool and I get to wear black! You believe in God? Oh, please, he's like, just so last year. I'm too cool to need God! I'm so cool I can rubbish everyone else's opinions and get away with it!"

"Just because I don't believe in God doesn't mean I'm a criminal!" the voice yells. "I have a conscience! I know what's right and wrong. I just don't buy all the religion shit, okay? Why is that such a crime?"

"Hey, I didn't say it was –"

"But you implied it, didn't you? With religion, it's like whatever you do it's never enough. It never gives any pity, it's just like 'you did it wrong, you should have followed God.' They act like their way is the only way."

"Well…well, who says it isn't?"

"Hello? What about all the other religions? What about atheism? What about just living, just enjoying your life and trying not to goof up too badly?"

I don't answer.

"Well?"

"I wasn't the one who started picking on other people's way of doing things. I'm allowed to pray if I want."

The voice is silent a moment.

"You religious people just want everyone else to be like you," it mutters at last.

"What's wrong with being nice to someone who created you?"

"If he did."

"If he didn't, who did? We're all here by accident? No meaning? Okay, fine, you believe that. Seems awfully lonely to me, but hey…Anyway, at least if you're not religious you can flaunt it. If you are religious, and you mention it, it's like hanging a sign saying Freak around your neck."

"So why do you stick with it?"

"Because it's what I do."

"You're a moron."

"Maybe so. But you're just a figment of my overtired imagination. So shut up and let me sleep, okay?"

I lie down again. The room is very dark and shadows blur its corners.

The voice is silent. For now.

(Well, I guess that was kinda lame but please don't flame, people…at least not too harshly! If you do flame, put your e-mail address in the review so I can argue back at you…)