Neil Coker

Democrat staff writer

Tallahassee resident Debra Mitchell received a slice of life she hadn't expected as she enjoyed dessert Wednesday night. Looking down into her bowl of Key Lime pie, she was surprised to see what appeared to be a human face.

"I got up and turned my light on and the face appeared clear as day," said Mitchell, 55. "It didn't change form. It just stayed there."

Struck by her apparent discovery, Mitchell immediately sought guidance at a nearby house of worship, where she claims she was asked to leave after receiving prayer.

"I went next door to a church I'd never visited. These people didn't know who I was — they told me to leave. They told me it was demonic and that I needed to leave and have my house anointed."

It's an assessment that Mitchell disagrees with. The local woman believes the pattern in the smeared frosting to be a sign of the times.

"America's in so much trouble and the first thing that came to mind was war. You can see the man crying."

Throughout the ages, people have perceived religious imagery in natural phenomena. Common images reported are that of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary, who was famously spotted on a piece of toast in 2003. The decade-old toast eventually sold for $28,000 on eBay.

Mitchell confirmed that she finished eating the pie after seeing the image. The bowl has since been wiped clean.