I don’t think I’ll ever get used to
moving through these vents. The people that go back and forth through them must
be incredibly brave especially with the surveillance slaves patrolling them. Maybe
I’ll get eventually get used to avoiding them. I wonder if there’s even a way
to free them. Gioioso and his friends are probably trying to find one if there
exists a way to do so.
Speaking about them, where are
they? I haven’t heard anything crawling around in the vents and I’m far in. In
fact, I’m not that far from an exit. I’m not complaining that I’m not finding
trouble. It’s just that…I think I spoke too soon. Wait a second. It’s doing
something near a vent. I know that smell. Is that thing pumping happy gas into
the vents? I wonder why. It’s not paying attention to me.
I see more of the surveillance
slaves doing this to the other vents. What is going on? The only possible thing
that they could be doing this for is because of the celebration. Maybe they
want more people excited about it by forcing them to feel good. If they do that,
then more people would like it and be more devoted to their false values. I
have to hurry to the surface to see if this is happening to my family.
As I get up to the surface, I see
that I’m in an alley with lights in it. It’s a good sign which means that the
light bringers won’t be around here. I’ve got to move fast-! Huh? I got knocked
out by something. Where am I? I’m locked to a wall. Who is that masked person
in the dark?
“You are charged with; going into
the darkness, emerging from it, being without your mask in public, not having a
smile on your face, and having emotions that don’t correspond with being happy.
For that, you will be made an example of during the celebration,” the person at
the desk says before I’m knocked out by a gas.
When I open my eyes, I see that I’m
in some kind of parade float. Oh no. I’m going to be one of the examples shown
off today. The float opens and something pushes me from behind. It smells like
there’s happy gas in the air. From what I’m seeing, it appears to be true
because I’ve never seen people this happy and excited about the celebration.
“Before you all, is a disgruntled
citizen who has broken many of our laws,” a voice says from the flying smiling
face in the sky, “Allegro used to be a student with marvelous grades and no offenses.
How the mighty have fallen. We would embarrass him for you just like any normal
criminal, but because of his good behavior, we will offer him a second chance.
Breath in the good air and dance with us, Allegro!”
The crowd is cheering for me to
dance. Is that my parents in the crowd? Are those my friends? I wish this embarrassment
would end. Dancing could help-no! I’m not going to do what they want.
“Dance for us!” they say again.
“No, I won’t be made a fool!” I
say.
“Dance,” I hear a deep and dark
voice say. The music stops along with the parade as the celebration quiets down.
“Dance or else.”
“No, I won’t.”
“…so be it. Clear the way.”
A bunch of broken glass comes out from
the bottom of the float and part of the float forces me onto it.
“Let’s watch justice take place as
this poor sinner does penance for his sins with his blood by walking across
this broken glass! Of course, he could always laugh and dance on the float if he
truly wants to repent,” a cheery voice says.
I’ve got to be careful especially
since they took away my shoes. Above all, I have to trust the Lord. As I walk
across the glass, I notice that it doesn’t cut me. Even the sharper shards do
nothing to my feet. Once I reach the end, I can hear the crowd’s amazement at
how I could do this without getting hurt.
“That-that was just a fluke! He got
lucky. How about this!”
Smoke grenades are thrown at me. They
have happy gas in them! This amount could kill me! I must really be getting on
their nerves for them to resort to this. Please, Lord, guide me through this. Huh?
Wait. Is this gas defective or something? It smells like happy gas, but I’m
barely feeling anything. Oh, it is working, but not on me. The people around me
keep laughing and laughing until they fall down and die from it. More people begin
talking as they start to move away from the parade.
“We’re sorry for the casualties in
our pursuit to put this devil to justice. Do not fear because the sacrifice of
the faithful has not been lost on the God of Light. Look to the skies! Here he
comes!”
The skies open and a large man
about the size of a building descends from it. He has a smile on his face, a
smile for a halo, smiling faces on his wings, and a cloak of smiles. I remember
that the so-called god of light usually comes down every five years or during
special events to show off and make people believe in him.
“Son, why are you rebelling against
happiness? Against all that is good? Do you not see that what you’re against are
truth and beauty?” the god says.
“I see clearly now. I see that you’re
a false god and the tricks you do are nothing but bread and circuses to make us
believe your lies!”
“Blasphemer! You shall burn for
your transgressions!”
Woah! The smiling face behind me spews
fire on me. Huh? It just feels hot but I’m not burning. What is going on? The god
of light is the one who is burning instead. He burns to ashes as the flames
continue to fall on me. Once he’s gone, the flames stop trying to burn me and
everyone around me is shocked by what happened.
“Demon!” they yell out.
“Devil!”
“God is dead!”
The crowd disperses including the police
and people in the parade. I guess faith killed the false god. Since I don’t
know where to go, I go back to Gioioso who saw what happened on TV along with
everyone else in the underground city. We celebrate today, but this isn’t over.
The authorities will probably construct another god to fight against us. They
won’t go down until the bitter end, which won’t be a problem for us.
Thank you, Lord, for using me as Your
instrument of change. Because of You, dozens of people are coming to You after You
destroyed their false faith. Please, continue to use me as You see fit because
serving You is my life’s purpose. In You, I have found true happiness.
The End
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