Recession: Guard

Paulette, A 7’6 creature of pure muscle, recounts the time she was hired to kidnap and guard a prisoner, saddened by the fact that she will never be hired to put her real skills to use.

You would think I, someone who studies robotics engineering, would be either building something or hunched over a desk typing away. However when you are a 7’6 creature of pure muscle the only thing people are concerned with it how strong you are. That being said most of my jobs involve lending a bit of strength to anyone willing to pay, sadly I only indulge in my passion as a hobby rather than a profession. When I was offered a job kidnapping and watching over the victim it didn’t really come as a surprise. What got me, however, was the fact that I was contacted by the clergy creatures of Glory. It isn’t too often they step out of their chapel let alone their city. Initially I was put off by the large amounts of money they had offered, it seemed too persuasive, too dirty, noticing my hesitation they explained the situation a bit more, it was an act of desperation on their part. Nobody else as big as I would accept the job so I accepted, after all this isn’t anything I wasn’t used to, but what got me was the target: a young woman from bum f**k nowhere who decided to come into town on business. I’d figured it was another indoctrination and that they just wanted some fresh blood, most of their other slaves being either weak minded, or idiots that actually bought their bullshit about creating a better world. I’d want new individuals myself if that were the case.

Capturing her wasn’t too hard, she wasn’t the smartest person around, often took strolls at night with what I would assume was her husband. I took them both out rather hastily and abducted the girl, there wasn’t much of a fight. Things came to head when it was time to drop off and guard the subject; I’d never been to Glory myself. I’d only heard tales of its plastic people, transparent crime culture, and warped look. I had no idea what I was getting into, but I figured it wouldn’t be too bad, there weren’t many things I couldn’t take in a fight, and I figured I would be one of the more intellectual powerhouses there as well, not too many people could outsmart me. Well, that would be if I weren’t told to stay there. They promised to treat me well while I were in their company, and it wasn’t like I was employed or anything, I decided I’d give it a go, free room and board with a promising paycheck at the end; sounds good enough.

The ride through Glory was a troubling one, I had never seen such a city, it was like I had traveled to another world, absent of all concepts of normality, and everything was as done up as possible, if it weren’t for the drab sky and constant rain it would probably be the pinnacle of aesthetics. But the city of Glory itself didn’t compare to the bizarre atmosphere within the chapel. The initial visage was innocent enough, it looked like any typical chapel, save for the windows not baring any religious symbols. I take it they didn’t have enough space to fit in fifty foot tall creatures, or their complex and warped deities. It was the interior that had tried my sanity, the smell of burning flesh and rubber, coupled with metal had assaulted my nose. Constantly I was bombarded with low groaning of what I could only assume to be their creatures of worship. In addition to the groaning I could constantly hear the many make praise to those they worshiped, it was admirably passionate, so much so that I too wished I could be as moronic as they. But what really got to me was the visuals, good god, the visuals.

Despite the dim lighting I was still able to see in its entirety the insane showcase that lie before me. Dying and dead people were sewn together into statues, attached were gems cut into the shape of their many creatures of worship. Hung on the flesh of the suffering by chains attached to nails beneath their skin, it was sick. There was a statue by each pillar, and a tablet by each statue. Upon the tablet was written the names of each human component of the statute along with their crime. Most of the crimes were simple heresy; so much as speaking out against their filth within earshot seemed enough to get you punished. In addition to that on each pew sat an either dying or dead individual, nailed to the pew they sat on, with a label on the back of their seat detailing their name and their crime; heresy most of the time again. Those living spat and berated me, initially begging for my help, but souring when they had noticed me carry in a body. They taunted me, called me weak for bending to the will of the priest; claiming they couldn’t help me, only use me. Stating I’d be with those suffering on the pew next, just like they. 

In the center of the chapel’s chancel stood a group of clergy creatures and a human priest, adorned in red and jewels. They had the alter done up, ready for the sacrifice, waiting on me to provide them with the priest’s ticket to divinity. “I take it you are Paulette? I’m very grateful for your cooperation, without your help I wouldn’t be able to move on in my path to immortality. Uh…how do you like the decoration, I did it myself, everyone was wondering what to do with the piling dead bodies.” He spoke in such a friendly manner, it had thrown me back. It only served to make things worse, anyone so calm and jovial about ritualistic sacrifice was more than a threat. “I find it…endearing, I guess. I mean, you sure must be passionate,”

“How transparent, you don’t need to lie to me, so long as you and I are working together your opinion doesn’t actually matter.”

“Alright, well then it is disgusting, repulsive, and abhorrent. Had it been from people not as honest with business as you I would have given up the moment I stepped foot in this unsettling town.”

“Ah, that’s what I like to hear, the dissent of the ignorant. I wouldn’t feel so good about myself if there weren’t contrasting fools like you to compare myself to. You should be honored to have us even speak to you. Regardless, lie out the sacrifice gently my dear woman beast, the quicker the better.” 

I did as they said, I was already in deep enough, I had no reason to not do so, and to be quite honest I was interested in seeing their ritual in person. For this one in particular they are to mutilate the girl, and in her weakened state curse her body. Then they were to keep her captive until her mind broke, allowing the priest to take control of her at his whim and use her as they please. Why her, I’d love to know, but quite frankly don’t care enough to ask. It was quite a show however, seeing the clergy creatures thrash at her body, I thought she was going to die, she sure as s**t acted like it too. It wasn’t long after the attack began that she came to. Her screaming and wailing quickly ceased after she was restrained by one of the clergy creatures. 

The actual cursing process was much more complicated, after they had felt she was mutilated enough they had called for a bishop, what followed was the entrance of a tall fleshy creature that crept in strides. It had four legs all attached to a ball joint connected to its body, it could only move its legs at the knees so the creature slowly gyrated its entire lower half to move. It had two very long arms that, if stronger, would be enough to use as legs. Its head was much larger than a normal human head and can only be described as the uncanny valley itself. It smiled all the time, and laughed like a hyena for no apparent reason and at seemingly random intervals. Other than a white robe, it was adorned with jewelry and carried a long silver staff with it. The creature stabbed the girl right through her chest with the staff and held its hand on top of the priest who had knelt in its presence. It spoke in a strange tongue and cackled on occasion, most likely against its very own will. By now the clergy creatures had dispersed leaving only I to watch as the creature said its prayer.

After all was said and done, I was shown to my room, where the prisoner was kept, and told to start guard by five a.m.. What was strange though was the fact that I was even needed to guard her in the first place, I suppose it was just to watch for any escape attempts. They had me report what I had seen every day by the end of the shift so I suppose I was their record keep. Regardless on day one, however, it started to wear on me. Though the scenery, smell, and sound had all faded out of the equation once I was actually in the cell hold, the prisoner had become my new enemy. Her constant battle with the curse had haunted me, her occasional wailing and chanting “you can’t beat me, ain’t nobody gonna beat me,” louder and louder until she had simply began screaming had drove me mad.

A month was all I had in me, I tried speaking to her, maybe get her to calm down. Naturally it ended in her being hostile towards me. I eventually started to feel bad, I asked about her family life, and if the man she was with was really her husband. She screamed, was completely unresponsive, after a while as I had began giving her the food she started attacking me. I kept her off of me with rocks but after a while that didn’t work. I began just tossing the food at her, and by that time I had enough. I spoke to the priest and he let me off on account of the curse taking much longer than expected, he said he would take it in into his own hands. It’s been eating away at me however, and since then I can’t stop feeling guilty. I’d only ever heard of their suffering, and now after seeing it I feel guilt. By now, however, I feel it is too late, I should have acted when I saw where it was going; now I’ve wasted my time, now she suffers and for what, to fatten my wallet, was it worth it?

Author's Note

Go crazy, anything you want to say man.