by RJ Pritchett
“Don’t worry, I won’t,” the man said with his eyes still locked on Rebellia, “she’s knocked out right now, so the pain wouldn’t hurt as much.”
“Who are you, and why are you doing this?” Daphne asked as Quentin and Faye both tried to break free to no avail.
The man smiled again, “Well if you must know, I’m the one who Rebellia owes everything to,” he said, pointing to Rebellia as some of her hair draped over her face, “without me, she was nothing. Just a scared and angry child, hiding her fear in a grown-up world. I tutored her and got her acquainted to this world we now reside in. Did you honestly think this girl experienced all those things she’s been babbling on about in front of those bonfires? I beg to differ. Somebody had to have passed some information to her,” he said before Daphne could get another word in. “You see, Rebellia is one of the biggest cult leaders in this world. She’s infamous for being very good at manipulating the weak into following her.”
“You liar!” Daphne shouted, “Rebellia is no cult leader. She doesn’t manipulate p-!”
“Au contraire,” the man said wagging his index finger, “She blew up a building, kidnapped you and that other guy, and then ran away. Did you not question her actions at least once?”
Daphne stayed silent.
“You don’t know the real Rebellia. I know the real Rebellia and she isn’t who you think she is, she’s a fraud. A wannabe. She wants to be like me so bad that it kills her to know that she can never be close to the person I am. I started a school that would help people cope with the bad things that burden them, and I eventually do everything in my power to help them find their way into Heaven, and little Rebellia here was one of my pupils once upon a time. Faye and Quentin were too, but they walked out on me as well.”
“For good reason,” Quentin said, “Look at what you’re doing to us.”
“You didn’t think I was going to let the whole destroying my institution thing go without punishment, did you?” the man laughed and turned his attention back to Daphne. “Listen, don’t believe the hype. The girl you know as Rebellia is nothing but an evil spoiled brat. Everything she’s been telling you is a lie... almost everything. I was going to try to get you and the other newcomer into Heaven as soon as possible, but Rebellia doesn’t want people in this world to leave. Isn’t that right?” he turned to Rebellia as if she could answer, “She doesn’t want to move on because she wants to be the one in control. If she moves on, she thinks she’ll have to answer to God; if you move on, she will no longer have control of you. She says she wants to live in a world without a government, but that’s because she wants to be the government. She doesn’t want to live in a world with rules unless she makes those rules… so she kidnapped you and brainwashed all of you into joining her little guild. She trapped you and the rest of her friends here for her own selfish reasons. Just so the little-spoiled brat can have people around her. Think of it, Daphne, you could’ve been in Heaven with your little friend all this time but instead, you chose to follow her around because you were confused. You were vulnerable and innocent. She knew that you would just follow along with her, that’s why she chose you and the other one. She always tends to come around when we bring new people in because she knows that newcomers are easier to manipulate. Think about it… you wake up and you don’t know what is going on; you don’t know where you are; or sometimes, you don’t even know who you are. She comes in and tells you that she’s helping you and you have no choice but to believe her and follow her because… what other options do you have?”
“He’s lying!” Rebellia revealed herself to be out of her slumber by shouting as loud as she can, “Don’t believe a word this man says. He manipulated me. He imprisoned you and Vincent. I saved you. Look at us, we’re trapped right now. He’s imprisoning us right-”
“What’s with the fanny pack around your waist?” the man asked while ignoring Rebellia’s claim, “Are you trying to taunt me?”
“Rebellia, who is this man?” Daphne asked, her voice shaky.
“He’s the devil,” Rebellia said, spitting at the man but no saliva came out of her mouth. “Don’t listen to a word he says. We left for a reason and he knows that.”
“I’m the devil?” the man asked smiling, “Really, Rebellia? You and your group are the ones who are rebelling against God, and I’m the devil? You, my dear, are sadly mistaken. I am not the devil, Daphne. Trust me, you’ve seen something way more evil than me. I am simply here to help you and the rest of your group leave this world and move on to the next stage. I’m here to help serve this world’s purpose. I want to help you while Rebellia wants you to stay and help her. Don’t you miss your friend, Daphne?”
“Leave her alone!” Rebellia shouted flailing her arms and legs as wildly as she could with the restraints holding her back, “Leave her the fuck alone! Don’t fucking talk to her!”
“That’s enough of you!” the man grabbed Rebellia by the throat and with his electric glove, he sent enough electricity through her soul for her to pass out again.
When her eyes opened, she was on a gurney. She heard voices, but they were fading in and out.
“Hello?” she said in a weak voice, “Help. Are you helping me?”
“Yes,” she heard a woman’s voice say as a hand gently caressed the top of her head, “we’re here to help. Just get some rest and you’ll be just fine. I promise you.”
“Stop it!” Daphne screamed over the loud screech emitting from Rebellia’s mouth, “Leave her! Don’t do that to her!”
“Reby!” Faye produced tears as she tried to break free.
“This girl is evil!” the man shouted to Daphne as Rebellia’s body went limp again, hanging from the chains that tied her to the wall of the candle-lit room. Sonia and Tobias were finally starting to show signs of life, but their eyes were still closed. “You don’t know all the destruction she’s caused during her time in this world. Ever since she came, she’s been destroying and manipulating people into following her agenda. She spends her time preaching about the evils of false prophets, but that’s exactly who she is. She’s not your friend. She’s your enemy, Daphne. You’re just too brainwashed to see it.”
“I’m not brainwashed,” Daphne said, “I know her. She’s good. She has good intentions.”
“You know her?” the man asked, “How long have you been here? A few weeks? Maybe a month. There’s no way you know this girl’s whole story. Did she even tell you who she really is? Do you even know Courtney? I knew her, I know all about her and I know all about you too,” he looked at Rebellia, walked closer to her and moved her hair out of her face. “I created a monster. She was nothing but a scared little brat when I took her into my group, so I sheltered her and taught her everything she knew. This girl right here betrayed me when she and Faye seceded from my institution. Our visions clashed all the time, but she stayed under me until I refused to give her power in a situation that cost someone dearly. I should’ve listened to her in hindsight but she’s done everything to make sure I pay for my mistake. I believe she ultimately left because she wanted to be the one in charge. She hated being someone who doesn’t make the rules,” the man stared at Rebellia behind the pair of goggles he sported and shook his head, “she blames God for the evils of the world, but she’s afraid of God. She knows that God is a challenge that she cannot take on alone. So I believe she built the guild of her own scapegoats to cushion the blow if God were to ever strike back. She built the guild to form an army against God and all higher powers because if she isn’t the only higher power, she feels weak… and her ego won’t allow that. Although she knows that there is no way her little guild could win against a mighty force such as God, she still feels the need to put people in harm’s way. This girl is not who you think she is.”
“I wasn’t preparing them for any kind of war, Dumbass,” Rebellia started moving again, “they aren’t an army. They are my friends.”
“Why don't you just stay the fuck down?” the man said through gritted teet
h, walking back to where Rebellia hung from the wall. When he touched the top of her head with his electric glove, the shockwaves and the screams lasted for about seven seconds before he finally released her.
She was trapped. She realized that upon waking up in a jail cell.
“Hello?” she called out. To her surprise, a woman in a white lab coat was walking across her cell.
“Oh, you’re finally awake,” the woman said.
“Who are you?” she called out to the woman, “Where am I?”
“Well, first thing’s first, my name is Faye. I’m an intern here, and I can help you. But first, I need to ask you a few questions. What is your name?”
“Uh… Court… Courtney,” she said, rubbing her head, “yeah, Courtney.”
“Okay, good, Courtney. You remembered your name,” Faye said, pushing a small button on a remote control. The cell door, slid to the right, allowing her to step inside with the confused little girl. “Do you remember anything else?”
“Where’s my mom?” Courtney asked, looking around.
“All of your questions will be answered soon, Courtney,” Faye said, shushing her, “ but first, please answer my questions… Do you remember anything else?”
“No, but my head hurts.”
“It does?”
“Yeah, really bad,” Courtney rubbed the piece of gauze that was wrapped around her head.
“That could mean a possible head injury,” Faye said, “Do you remember getting hit with something or falling on your head?”
“No,” Courtney shook her head and winced. “I don’t remember anything. Just my name, and my mom. Where is she?”
“Um…” Faye sighed, “was your mom out there with you before we picked you up? We can send a search team to go look for her if she’s nearby.”
“I don’t know,” Courtney shook her head after a long pause, “I remember her name though.”
“Listen, Courtney. This might be hard for someone as young as you to understand… There’s a high chance that your mother isn’t here,” Faye said, closing her eyes to not see Courtney’s reaction, “and if she was, this place is humongous. She could be anywhere, and it could take years to find her if she doesn’t move on by then.”
“Move on where?”
“I need you to come with me,” Faye sighed, “There’s a lot you’re going to have to learn.”
“Wow, Rebellia. You really are a tough one, aren’t you?” the man started walking back over to her once she started moving again. He extended his hand once again to place his electric glove on her abdomen.
“Why do you keep hurting her?” Daphne shouted, “You claim to be the good guy, but you’re hurting her. You locked us in this… this dungeon and-”
“I have a zero tolerance for people that betray me,” the man said to Daphne while he sent more shockwaves coursing through Rebellia.
“Don’t cry, Courtney,” Faye rubbed her back while she sniffled in her bed, “everything is going to be alright, you don’t have to worry.”
“No, it’s not. I want my mommy.” Courtney sobbed, sniveling and hiccupping as Faye let out a sigh.
“We’ll find her,” Faye said, “don’t worry, Courtney. We’ll try to find your mother.”
“What’s going on in here?” a man stepped into Courtney’s room. He was wearing a lab coat and electric gloves on each hand. A pair of goggles covered his eyes and his head was shaved completely bald.
“Oh, Orion. She’s still crying about her mother,” Faye said.
“Oh, really?” Orion said. He went to stroke his chin but ended up shocking himself as soon as his index finger made contact with his chin. Courtney stopped crying as he left out a shriek of pain. “Don’t you dare laugh at me,” Orion said in a gruff voice. “I could’ve hurt myself… phew,” he used his gloved hand to wipe imaginary sweat from his face, shocking himself once again.
Courtney laughed once again along with Faye.
“He’s so silly,” Faye said, smiling.
“Faye, remind me to take these off next time before I kill myself,” he hooted while shaking the gloves off of his hands, showing another pair of gloves underneath, but the second pair of gloves weren’t the same.
“It’s supposed to be funny because he’s already dead,” Faye whispered to Courtney.
“Exactly,” Orion said, sitting at the edge of Courtney’s bed. “Do you want to hear a story, Court?”
Courtney nodded.
“Okay,” Orion sighed. “Once upon a time, there was a man. That man did very mean things to people and he hated everyone. He was locked away in jail for doing something very, very bad.”
“I’m not understanding how this is supposed to be cheering her up,” Faye said with her arms folded.
“Courtney, please tell Faye to save her questions and comments until the end.”
“Save your questions and comments until the end,” Courtney smiled while Faye rolled her eyes.
“Okay, so he was locked away, but while he was in jail, he found God.”
“Was God in jail too?” Courtney asked. Her question triggered laughter between Orion and Faye. She didn’t see what the joke was, but she giggled anyway.
“She is nothing but a wannabe God. She’s a cult leader, and she’s a good one at that if she got you to believe in her agenda.” Orion said.
“What agenda?” Quentin shouted. “She had no evil intentions. That’s what you really don’t seem to be understanding. She just wanted us all to live in peace.”
“Tell me, Quentin,” Orion said, “What’s so peaceful about blowing up a building and leaving the people inside to fend for themselves? This world isn’t meant for you all to dwell forever. It’s impossible to create an everlasting society here without God’s will.”
“…” Quentin remained silent.
“She probably told you I was the bad guy, correct?” Orion looked at Daphne.
“No,” Daphne said, still trying to break free of the chains that restrained her, “we don’t even know who you are.”
“She never mentioned-”
“His name is Orion,” Rebellia said, turning heads. “Like the constellation-”
“Ah, Courtney, I’m actually glad you’re awake this time,” Orion said.
“And he’s full of shit. A compulsive liar,” Rebellia’s word caused Orion’s frown, “Stop calling me that. That girl and I are not the same people and you know that.”
“You’re not?” Orion rubbed his chin, shocking himself a little. Rebellia didn’t laugh at all. Her eyes growled as they stared at the large bald man dressed in a lab coat and gloves. Goggles covered the eyes that looked back at her, blocking his pupils from her vision. “… Maybe you’re not,” he said, “maybe it’s the fanny pack that had me confused.”
“What do you want from us, Orion?” Faye asked, “Can you please release us of these chains? Please?”
“Don’t plead with me, Faye,” Orion turned his attention to his former apprentice, “you made it perfectly clear whose side you were on,” he walked closer to her, “After everything I did for you, and her… this is the thanks I get? My holding area destroyed, my new apprentices stolen? You have been doing this for some time- stealing my people, and I’ve had enough. No more just standing by and allowing you to get one over on us. No more! You all are going to pay for everything you took from me,” he removed a glove and tossed it to the floor before placing his palm underneath Faye’s chin, using his thumb, and middle finger to hold her face in place so he could stare into her eyes while she couldn’t see his. “We were supposed to be helping everyone. The two of us, side by side-”
“Get the fuck off of her!” Rebellia said, shaking her chains, “Get away from her or I’ll fucking-”
“You’ll what, Rebellia?” Orion asked, releasing Faye from his grasp, “You’ll kill me? Ha!” he laughed.
“You’ll wish I could,” Rebellia scowled.
“Ooh,” Orion wiggled his fingers with his eyes wide open, “tough talk for som
eone who-”
“I swear, that when I’m finished with you, you’re going to beg for a mercy that will never come,” Rebellia said, still shaking her chains, trying to break free.
“I really can’t believe you, Faye.” Orion turned back to Faye, ignoring Rebellia once again. “We were working on something special, and you betrayed me for the enemy. You fell for this evil girl’s tricks, she even got you to fall in love with her. She’s no good, Faye. I know this, and you know this. You’ve seen the evil things she’s done-”
“Rebellia isn’t evil-” Daphne said.
“Quiet, Smurfette. This has nothing to do with you. I’ll deal with you later, personally. But as of right now, I want to deal with her,” he pointed to Faye, “This organization was helping millions of people. We functioned like a well-oiled machine before you let this girl corrupt you. She didn’t want to work under me, her ego wouldn’t allow it. She wanted to be the boss, in charge of herself and in a place where order didn’t exist unless she was the one maintaining it. Her whole persona is a lie. She’s no rebel. This girl was a devout Christian, who eventually allowed outside forces to plague her mind and question God. She loved the Bible stories until she started to mature, and have these feelings, these thoughts that were listed as bad in the good book. Her sexuality is why she began to refute the Bible, and that sent her mind into a rabbit hole. It didn’t take long for her to question her existence, question the world she left, question the world she’s in now. Well, Rebellia. You’re still here after all these years and I applaud you for that. But you have to give up your childish obsession with questioning everything that God laid out for us. You have to give up this world you’re trying to build because this world that we’re in isn’t permanent. Just like you’re saying that the people on Earth who do bad things will one day have to face God, I say that to you. Just because you already talked your way out of Heaven, doesn’t mean that God is finished with you. This world is only a stepping stone to everlasting happiness, and you don’t want that. It’s bad enough that you don’t want that, but you’re holding the people you love back from everlasting happiness. You claim to love Faye, but you’ve done nothing but hold her back for all these years.”