2
She thinks at first that it is a trick of light that the retard is growing. He has placed his hand on the girl's shoulder.
Cries of 'Only heaven will suffice' ring out and reach her as the field of bones stretch out behind her.
"There is only one way to reach heaven," says her father after the sage had left. "The journey to the archaicion."
It is a forgotten place which a few of the new religion still respect. But she and her people had grown disgruntled with the ease of obtaining everything. They had lost touch with nature and as the first stragglers exited the ever-rising city for a means of getting in touch with their roots, she and her people were with them.
They search for it only trusting the stars to steer them in the right direction. They discard their gizmos one by one as the simple life had no need for these and their smart clothes for cotton wear.
When they first see the archaicion, it was a mere feet out of the ground. It pulsed as if alive. And she knew that what she saw was not just a trick of light.
From the folds of his clothes the idiot—the idiot god—takes out a dagger and hands it to the girl. His other hand is on the girl's shoulder.
Pletha's—yes, she finally remembers her name—snags on a jutting bone. A tip of it pierces her foot and she cries out.
The sky falls on her and she leaps towards the idiot, the girl and the swing.
The girl thrusts the dagger—the first of many thrusts—at a man who could well be her father, into his chest. She pulls it out and a fountain of blood erupts from the man's chest. Before going down, he caresses the girl's cheek. He sinks on the grass and a cry "Only heaven will suffice" erupts from his mouth. The girl turns to the remaining congregation. She raises her dagger which drips blood.
"No," screams Pletha.
Someone is holding her back. Something. Someone. She looks back and she sees a congregation of white dressed girls, like her, but not her. One of them holds her hand arresting her leap towards the butchering girl.
"Don't worry," says the girl who is holding her. "They are all going to heaven. And that is the only way possible."
Then she releases Pletha and says, "Come. You have earned your heaven too."
Pletha stumbles back. "No," she whimpers. "No."
The leader girl says, "The idiot god only cares about what you do. That's why he is what he is. Come."
Pletha turns her tear stained face towards the swing. None of the congregation stands now. They are on their way to heaven, and the girl is busy, as she drags the bodies towards the fields.
Only heaven will suffice.
The idiot sat back on the swing.
THE END
