Lust comes in many flavors, and one of the oldest and most poisonous is lust for power. In modern times, fed by media, this force has become an even more pervasive transgression. In its current form, Lust for Power is often masked behind feigned behavior pretending to be just the opposite, as power and popularity have never been more intertwined. It often corrupts the poor and envious. But it even more frequently consumes those who are already powerful and influential. It is of interest, therefore, to see how the powerful have created a new class of self-righteous defenders, eager to extend the reach of their own domains, and scornful of anyone less fortunate.
A woman’s image emerged from the neck up like the figure on a silver coin—aloof and minted—and then dissolved into the swamp until she became a phantasm of mist floating above it. She seemed to be sleeping as if the sin allotted to her never fully possessed her except as a caricature imposed by someone else’s imagination.