Warped

The voices start again. The cries of every sacrifice I had to make to get here. They whimper and scream, “We’re going to get you someday. Just you wait.”

“Bursting right into the middle of the coronation, I dashed straight for the target, the Princess-now-Queen-but-not-for-long. You get to follow and reunite with your oh so precious family in hell.” 

TOP CREATIVE WORK OF THE MONTH WINNER - October ‘24

Anger. Passion. Remorse. That’s all that's left of this wretched body of mine, everything nobody wants. 

They ripped away my joy, my peace, my empathy, and even my sadness. Those bottles of my human essence were unrighteously torn away just so some royals could have their silver spoons and hair extensions. This is a world where emotions are everything, used to buy food, the cornerstone of a person’s life. I couldn’t even cry. I couldn’t even cry when my dearest sister was executed. Left in agony and pain without being able to shed a tear to honor Meira, I knew if I'm going down, then everyone else has to come down with me. See, that’s the thing when you have nothing to lose. You have everything to gain.

Years of resorting to stealing and street tactics has led me to this day. After scouring and scavenging, I’ve finally found it—the Relic that will end it all. 

I strolled down the hall with the Ring in my hand. The guards could barely choke out a “what-” before collapsing to the ground. Who knew people were so desperate to sell such power for an emotion so trivial like love. Extracting my eather, the essence of magick into a bottle wasn’t even that painful.

I remember my First time. Everyone remembers their First. The first time they came knocking at the door, demanding payment—from you. Once my dad had nothing else to sacrifice for this impoverished excuse for a house, it’s my turn. Once my dad is reduced to cold, unfeeling vessel, I’m next in line. My First was happiness. The tax collectors slashed my arm and drained my body. I was never the same after that. They came again in two months. I shivered behind the broken door each time until I no longer knew how. 

Bursting right into the middle of the coronation, I dashed straight for the target, the Princess-now-Queen-but-not-for-long. You get to follow and reunite with your oh so precious family in hell. 

All within the 5-meter distance withered to the floor. Chaos came down upon this kingdom as a snake on its prey. 

The general from the peripheral of my eye hollered, “Protect the Queen!” But others, who were obviously smarter and actually had a brain, ran for their very lives. 

Why do some people realize what’s going to be in their lives and yet still choose to stand firm around that trembling little girl? Why would they sacrifice themselves for that slim chance she actually makes it out alive? Do their families get compensated with the emotions of some lowly peasants? I’ll never understand privileged people.

Inching closer and closer, I felt the sensation of wholeness once again. The culprit of them all rose and had the nerve to say, “It doesn’t have to be this way. Hand me that artifact now and we’ll let you go.”

Cold, harsh laughter erupted in me. She thought she could talk me out of this. Talk.

“Do you actually want to do this? Think of all the people you're harming, all the people you’ve killed. They all have a sibling, a mother, a friend that cares for them. Think of everyone you’d be plunging into grief.” 

“Your father sure didn’t think about that when he lined up a member from each of the lower class households and chopped their heads off. To demonstrate a lesson, he said.”

“That wasn’t me. That was my father. You should know well about punishing people for the mistakes of their ancestors. Let us go now and help change the world for a better cause.”

Extending out her hand to me, Emery smiled. Smiled. When was the last time someone smiled at me? I was tempted to drop this killing machine wrapped around my finger into her delicate hands and die a peaceful death. Oh, how nice that would be. Maybe they would even let me feel it.

But it all came rushing back, the anger and the existence of the word unfair. Unfair. Unfair, unfair, unfair. This world is so unfair. Everything is warped upside down, morphed and twisted out of shape. Why do they get to do whatever but when we finally gain the courage to stand up, they get to knock us back down again? She’s the villain, not the hero of this story. I had to stop falling for these honey-coated lies and the answer became crystal clear. 

They’re so relaxed, so confident I’ll take their hand and watch this world “change for a better cause.” 

I stepped closer and closer. I could hear my mother, my father, and Amara urging and supporting me. I lunged forward, piercing the cold metal straight into her heart. Every last one falls to the concrete floor, just in time as the dark eather runs out of power, the metal clinking to the floor. 

The first thing I do after achieving my childhood “dream” is wash my hands. The thick, crusted blood smeared away and I felt hollow? No. I felt fulfilled. I saved this kingdom from the hands of evil and brought justice. I felt happiness, or the closest it gets. Definitely. Then why did my legs tremble? Why was this huge knot in my stomach? 

I dashed through the desolate village, the wind blowing my hair back. Rain started to fall, the droplets landing on my cheeks. I pushed open the crooked door and drifted to sleep, an indescribable feeling that something terrible was about to occur plagued me into darkness. 

The voices start again. The cries of every sacrifice I had to make to get here. They whimper and scream, “We’re going to get you someday. Just you wait.” They all dispersed leaving a single face in the center. Emery. Her blond hair was drenched in blood instead of beautiful braids. Her green eyes I had always wanted were gouged out, leaving tendrils of organs and bones on her face. She reached out and I screamed. My body was sucked towards her hand and the people started pulling me down. I tried to breathe, to do anything, but they drowned me out, pain erupting down my spine. 

I jolted awake to a large mob outside. They were people, no, my villagers. I peer through the window. The grass, the trees, the sky, they were all in shades of gray, not a trace of color. The mob was yelling, not demanding for something. 

Or someone. 

Why? Why, why, why? How could this have happened? How long was I asleep for? This world doesn’t need the royal bloodline. They are ordinary humans except for how they were born. It’s pure chance. There’s nothing special about them. There’s nothing about them that the world would need. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. But the dread pooling in my stomach was unmistakable. 

A bang echoed as people pounded on the door. “Come out, we know you’re in there.” I gripped my head with my trembling fingers, my eyes desperately scouring to find a place to hide. The entrance burst open, the cold air seizing the room. 

I scrunched my eyes closed, as if it would make me invisible, knowing the fate that awaited me. A hand connected to my neck and that fate was sealed. 

Hey, Sis. Do you think we could ever go outside this village and see the outside world? I wonder what could have happened if we grew up in one of those fancy castles. We could drink juice and eat peaches. I bet they taste amazing. Ooh, I want my very own horse. They’re supposed to be incredibly beautiful. 

Sister! Lyrei! Help me! I- I don’t wanna die!

Lyrei, that was my name. I always hated it, being named after the very disease that killed my mother. My whole existence was centered around Death the second I was born. And now, it’s finally my turn. 

“Death by guillotine, “the nonchalant voice boomed.   

“Charged with bringing this world to an end.” 

 I wanted to protest. I wanted to scream, “I didn’t know!” But I guess it’s too late for that. I never imagined it this way. I pictured crowds cheering for my heroic deed, not my death. Instead, life is being sucked out from this world by the second. I looked at these people, the people who once rallied with me, the people who also just wanted a better life. This isn’t what the stories said. It was supposed to be a happy ending, where everyone is happy. Rebellions don’t end the entire population. Except for this one. No one knew this would be it. No one knew what would happen. No one knew then, no one knows now. But they do know who to blame. The amount of trust that girl had in me, a complete stranger. To believe I would turn over without knowing the price. I wish she didn’t. 

I step forward and lay down on the machine, the blade stretching across the dim sky. I'm sorry, Mom. I’m sorry, Dad. I’m sorry, Meira. I’m sorry, Emery. I truly am the villain. 

With droplets of rain flowing down my cheeks I choked out, “I wish I could go where all of you went.”