Ring Around the Rosie
End my life
Can't grip anything but vices I'm in
Severance you die, post-high
Projection of your lies
Repeat, repeat, fight me
Can't grip anything, but vices lie in
Severance you die
I see evil in your eyes
[Chorus]
(Silence)
Oh, it's not what you say
(Violence)
By energy you pray
“Vices” - Sidewalks and Skeletons, Catlash
Sweat glistened over Judy’s body, reflecting the dim light coming in through the small trailer window. She sat on my thighs in order to prevent applying any pressure to my wounded abdomen. I admired the way her face looked as she caught her breath; a certain serenity that relaxed her facial muscles. Jaw slacked, eyes loosely closed, her damp hair sticking to her face. Her eyes opened slightly, just enough to make eye contact with me as I laid below her. She smiled once she noticed my awestruck facial expression and let out a breathy laugh. I returned the smile as I kept my gaze fixated on every part of her. I shifted my focus from her face, down to the tattoos adorning her neck, her chest, then lower. Judy noticed my observation and smiled more before leaning forward gently, giving me a soft kiss.
“You’re so beautiful.” I murmured as she pulled her face from mine.
She hesitantly removed herself from her position on my legs, laying on her side to face me. She placed her hand on my chest and nuzzled her face into the space between my neck and collarbone.
“You’re beautiful.” She replied through a smile.
I brought my hand over to hers and interlaced our fingers over my chest. I turned my face into her hair and kissed her head.
“You can’t steal my compliment.” I teased as I gave her hand a small squeeze.
Judy giggled and pressed herself closer against me, adjusting so that now her head rested on my chest.
“Not stealin’ your compliment, just tellin’ the truth.”
“Touché.” I chuckled.
Judy soon fell asleep but I had found myself wide awake. Maybe it was paranoia, but something didn’t quite seem right. An eerie silence surrounded us, only interrupted by Judy’s occasional snores. A bright light pooled in through the window, followed by an electrical buzzing. I gently sat up on the bed so as not to disturb the sleeping woman beside me. The light grew dimmer and brighter, almost as if it was pulsing. I pulled myself off the mattress and quietly walked over to the window, pulling back the window shades to see if I could get a better look.
In the center of the settlements there was a crowd of people circling around some kind of generator. The bright light was emanating from the generator, but there were lights being emitted from the people’s faces as well. The group members were wearing some kind of BD wreath with large wires connecting to the generator. The people began to sit down in unison.
“What the fuck…” I whispered as I stared at the scene in utter confusion.
Was I dreaming?
I rubbed my eyes as if to wipe away any dream-fueled delusion, but the scenery didn’t change. The group was completely silent, the only noise audible was that of the humming coming from the machinery.
“V?” Judy’s sleep filled voice mumbled.
I turned away from the window and saw Judy propped up on the bed, resting her weight on her elbows. Her eyes were squinted from having not adjusted to the light.
“V, what’s that light?” She asked as she held a hand over her brow to shield her eyes from the brightness.
I glanced back outside to see that the scene hadn’t changed, the group was still sitting silently on the ground.
“I seriously have no fuckin’ idea.” I whispered.
Judy sat up fully and got up from the bed. She walked over to my side and I made some room for her to look out the window.
“Who… Wait, what are they doin’?” She muttered in disbelief.
I shrugged, “They’ve stayed like that for a while now.”
We both watched in silence for a while when suddenly the generator hummed to a stop. The light dimmed and the group slowly removed their head pieces. A tall figure made his way to the center of the group and began saying something. The words were barely audible from our position. The man and the group all bent over, as if in prayer, in the direction of the generator. Judy grabbed my arm. I looked at her but she nodded her head back to the window. When I glanced back out I saw that the figure was now jacking his personal link to the generator. The group was now focused on him as the generator booted back up. Suddenly, light emitted from the man’s eyes and mouth and his body shuddered. The shuddering turned into violent seizures, when finally his body fell limp to the ground.
Judy’s grasp on my arm tightened as she backed away from the window.
“Did he…” She gasped.
I remained silent as I observed the group return back to a prayer position, humming something in unison, before then standing up and gathering around the man’s body. A few people lifted him off the ground and dragged him away as the group then dispersed.
Ceremony concluded, I guess.
“V…” Judy tugged my arm, pulling me back.
“He’s dead.” I breathed.
“Oh my God.” Judy’s voice shuddered.
Judy let go of my arm and sat at the edge of the bed. She looked down and shook her head in disbelief.
“So, what…What the hell did we just see? An execution?” She was beginning to panic.
I kept watching out the window as I noticed the deceased man was now being placed in a cremation chamber.
“...an execution…a sacrifice.” Judy whispered.
A sacrifice…but to what? To God? To…generators?
“V, we need to get out of here.” Judy’s voice was now more stern.
My eyes stayed glued out the window. I knew she was right, but my investigative nature was preventing me from even fathoming that. I needed to know what this was, and I needed to know now.
“V?! Hello? We need to go, now.” Judy stood up.
I looked at her and shook my head.
“Not a good idea.” I replied coldly.
“V, what the fuck? Those people tried to kill you, and now they’re givin’ people death by tech. What are you even sayin’ right now? Have you lost your mind?” She seethed under her breath.
Death by tech… Were they worshiping tech?!
“Jude, I’m just sayin’ it’s not a good idea to leave right at this moment. We need to make a plan.” I whispered.
“Nah, I can’t stay here. I’m gonna go wake up Panam.” Judy replied as she began putting clothes on.
“Judy, seriously, we can’t leave right now. It’s dangerous. We need to do this carefully.” I placed my hand on her shoulder as if to stop her.
Judy took a deep breath, and turned around to face me.
“Okay, you’re right. But I still wanna tell Panam, like, now.” She replied.
“I’m comin’ with you.”
We threw clothes on and quietly made our way over to Panam’s door. The door was shut so I took a breath and knocked quietly.
No response.
“Pan? You in there?” I asked.
No response.
I looked over at Judy who met my gaze with fearful eyes. I knocked again, louder this time.
“Panam?”
Nothing.
I slowly opened the door to see an empty, unmade bed.
Fuck.
“Fuck.” I sighed.
“Where the fuck is she?” Judy grabbed my arm.
I could tell she was frightened.
“Nate…”