Hush

‘Tardy again’ the voice behind the mask said, he sat on a chair sculpted in the form of agonised children, some holding up their hands as though supporting his weight and others, especially the arm rests, laying with their faces upwards towards heaven, as though accepting their fate but still supplicating silently to the heavens. He sat inside a wall of lit torches, each in a pair and each pair crossed each other making a circle of X’s and a few inches from it stood what he called an altar, it was a white cradle-like form made brown from the constant bloody activities it witnessed, blood from the previous butchery dripped in fine lines into an underground barrel via the hole on the floor and from where I stood it looked like a dark brown blanket slowly making its way to the floor. ‘I’m sorry Big Brother_’ three said pausing briefly to adjust his mask and drag in his latest conquest, a weeping blindfolded girl of not more than 10 years ‘It’s my turn to offer a gift to Father today’ he carried her over his shoulder and made his way towards the altar, he nodded at five, four and two- names they got after their rebirth into the new order for big brother preferred everyone to be anonymous to one another, in this way even though we were now family no one would rat the other out when in peril. He carried the now unconscious girl past the altar and laid her like a corpse between the altar and the wall of fire which he called the Holy ground. Big brother stood, the dancing glows of fire radiated on his face, highlighting the BB on the forehead of his mask, and reflected on the dark room made yellow by the several lit torches hanging downwards from the ceiling, he walked on the hot coals which were spread evenly on the floor of the holy land- he always said that true pleasure was found within the depths of pain, thin spiral smoke forms made its way from the coal coated floor where his long white cloak kissed it, past his shadowy figure into the ceiling made of tree branches and calcified bones, towards the blindfolded girl, his fingers occupied by various rings were curled around a knife crafted like a dragon whose mouth opened up to form the blades which were like the perfectly shaped fire I saw in cartoons. He stood inside the wall of fire as always never stepping out of it, his unoccupied hand wrapped around her neck ‘this would do’ he said his voice suggesting that a faint -if not more- thrill ran through his veins and altered his usual frost-like vocals ‘begin the ceremony’ he said facing the four adorned –five, four, three and two, they in turn moved, their soles barely making a sound as they floated towards us ‘the new breeds’, in response to their presence we all knelt, our left leg kneeling while our hands were placed on our right knee like we were soldiers before our king. After a minute of reverence we stood with our hands interlocked and formed a semi circle in front of the altar which Two lit in preparation for the ceremony, the adorned laid the girl carefully on the cradle-like altar for none of us new breeds were fit yet to touch ‘Father’s offering’. Big brother raised his hands, both of which now clutched the knife fiercely as his voice rasped out words in ancient tongues of which the new breeds was yet to receive the gift, the adorned joined, with hands held together like us, in his incantations, they started calmly in meek voices slowly their tempo increased till it drowned every other sound in the room and woke the girl and soon they vibrated with unknown power, they shook rocking backing and forth as they were completely consumed by the power which now rested heavily on the atmosphere. Some new breeds cried, terrified at the sudden intensity which hung heavily in the room and rested in their hearts, some fainted- they, according to Big Brother, would accompany the girl in her journey to meet Father, a price for their cowardice and some like I stood in awe, longing to be a part of this divine visitation. After what felt like a lifetime, Big Brother plunged the knife into the left part of the screaming girl’s chest- the place where her little heart rested, her body bolted upwards and froze for a few seconds then slowly she sunk fully into the altar never to rise again. The adorned sprinkled on her sanctified oil which helped the hissing flames under her to lick her body properly and soon the room was filled with the acrid and various other scents of burning flesh. We all, save for Big brother, bowed now and didn’t raise our heads till big brother walked on his red coal carpet and sat on his throne. ‘we serve Father and his fore runner Big Brother’ three started, then the rest of us joined in the acclamation kneeling when we said ‘Father’ and bowing when we said ‘Big Brother’ ‘bring forth the unfits’ Big brother said adjusting his cloak as wisps of smoke danced about his ankles. we all dragged the screaming new breeds that fainted earlier towards the burning altar and one by one, after big brother said ‘Go, accompany her to Father’, the adorned bound them by their hands and feet and tossed them into the burning altar and although their masks concealed their expressions, I could tell they were pleased for they gave chuckles that rumbled in their tummies and sounded odd against the screaming agony of the burning unfits. Two lifted his mask only enough to show lips and licked the blood which was smeared on his wrists, he grinned briefly when he felt me watching and replaced his mask. This, I thought, could be my boss, the guy who owns the bakery or even the loving father from the house across the street who couldn’t even hurt a fly, he could be my principal who always manages to spook me or the Ice cream man who always gives my little sister an extra scoop ‘Peace new breeds’ Big brother said as though sensing the train of thoughts which judging from the silence amongst us new breeds, I wasn’t alone in. Two took a golden goblet engraved with images like that of the Egyptian gods and I remember thinking they looked like vampires for in place of their eyes stood rubies as red as the blood which the cup was meant for, two placed the cup under the altar and when it was filled to the brim with blood he walked towards the wall of fire and after kneeling in front of it, he placed the cup inside it. Big brother stood after Two went back to his position, He took the goblet, lifted his mask slightly and emptied the content at once into his mouth after which he sighed in content and dropped the goblet in the stool next to him. The adorned walked in a single file in order of their names towards the altar, they all now possessed in their hands, a skull crafted knife which was hidden underneath the white voluminous cloak they were clad in, they all cut a piece each from the now barbecued bodies and lifted their masks slightly to expose their mouths in which the cut pieces entered. After all except Two had gone back to their positions, we, new breeds matched forward in a single file and received like communion, pieces of flesh Two gingerly placed on our tongues and we walked back in a single file, kneeling when we got to where we initially stood, to ponder upon the gifts we had received and think about who we would offer to Father on the day of our rebirth for we were to offer someone dear to us. I thought not of why I had gotten myself into this, no it was quite obvious that I thirsted for the power and dark knowledge which accompanied this fellowship, instead I thought of the birth of the flesh I just swallowed, the hopes and dreams that died with him and the hopes and dreams that would die with my little sister when I offer her on the day of my rebirth.