FEAST OF SACRIFICE

 

    I was born somewhere in the dark and secluded part of the forest where they called Virginia. Our knowledge has been limited since we are not allowed to go outside the vicinity of our land. Everyone here in the land of Virginia must accomplish their lives by worshipping Lord Lucifer through believing in the teachings of our Moises Sygris. My parents are the most devoted servants in our land. So as their daughter, I should be like them. My father is our Moises Sygris who teaches us to attain illumination in the realm of eternal love. 

“The fulfillment of our dear Martha’s soul is also our triumph! She is now in place of great seclusion beside our Lord Lucifer. Everybody, into the feast hall”. It was the closing remark of our Moises Sygris before we went to the feast hall. 

  This day is the second day of our annual Feast of Sacrifice where our Lord Lucifer will be picking one of his followers to be with him in the realm of eternal love. Originally, the feast we are celebrating is a five-day celebration consists of different programs each day. Now is our second day, unfortunately, my best friend Martha was chosen by our Lord to surrender her soul. She drank the “Poison of Patronage” that led her instantly to the realm. There is no point on crying because she is not dead. In fact, she is now living in a privilege with our Lord. 

As I go to the feast hall, I see everyone sitting silently on their provided chair wearing our traditional fabric. The dress is a white and long fabric that covers our faces (aside from mouth) up to our feet. This dress also acts as identification to easily distinguish if the person is a follower or not. 

After a short ritual, everyone is ready for the food of love. Martha’s naked body was served in the table. Suddenly, I felt nervous about what will happen next. 

“Servants! The food we have right now was given by our Lord Lucifer. Altogether, hail for Lucifer!”

“HAIL FOR LUCIFER!”, everyone added.

The program has started. They chose Martha’s face as our appetizer. Our Moises Sygris brought a thick knife to slice my best friend’s face. 

“At the count of three, say prosper! One, two, and three!”

“PROSPER!!!!!”

In an instant, Moises Sygris chopped the face of Martha. The viscous blood of Martha splashed to our faces. Some wallowed on my lips and fucking tastes like rust. I prevented myself from vomiting. This is disgusting! I cannot believe that this is happening! 

The scene is unbearably gore. Blood is everywhere, and the different body parts are scattered after sliced into cubes. The white, neat fabric that signifies innocence and purity is now soaking in dark red hue. The eyes of Martha are chewed like a gum. Even the hard ears are hacked and deliciously savored by the servants. 

My mouth becomes dry as desert. My heart is racing rapidly as my knees are trembling from time to time. I looked at this chaotic mess without noticing the droplets of tear coming from my eyes. Martha, my childhood best friend!!!

“I love the rusty blood of our dear Martha! It is pure and full of innocence. Such a blessing by our Lord”, my mother happily exclaimed while crying in joy. 

“Even her genitalia tastes like love”, one of the servants added.

Everyone is happy aside from me. 

“Why do our dear Victoria is not eating her bounty food?”, asked by one of the elders diverting all the attention to me. I can feel the escalating tension while reciprocating their wild stares.

“I won’t eat the body of my best friend at all costs! I despise this fucking cruel system!” I wanted to blurt out those lines however when I looked at my father’s emotionless gaze, I knew that things will be more deadly for me if I choose the contrary.. 

With a trembling hand, I reached the fork and started choosing on the various body parts above the table. I am panicking inside as I picked the tongue of Martha. I closed my eyes when I smelled the foul odor of the tongue. 

“I am sorry best friend", I murmured as I chewed the tongue as fast as I could. The soft and hard part of the tongue are battling inside my mouth. The tongue once enabler of sweet words by Martha. The tongue she used when chewing her food. I cannot help the falling of tears after I tasted the nasty flavor of blood. Unexpectedly, I felt a swirling sensation on my stomach and puked everything I ate. 

OH NO, THIS IS TURMOIL!

       “Disrespectful! How dare you to spit the blessing of our Lord Lucifer!”, Auntie Delia exclaimed using her sharp words.

Without a second, elders stood up pointing out what I did. It’s like I have committed a heinous sin. The loud clatter is breaking my sanity. The scenario becomes more than a havoc. 

     “Stay calm, servants! We should not destroy the sanctity of the feast. Victoria is not on her normal state. She is probably sick, let her rest.”, said by my father, our Moises Syris.

Auntie Delia immediately sat down after she heard my father. However, still torturing me using her deadly stare. I looked at my father and gulped after I saw his fiery gawk towards me. After the scenario, the feast went well. 

By the time we have reached our home, Moises Sygris punished me by scratching my body using a sharp knife. I have prevented myself from screaming when I felt the severe cuts in my body. The excruciating pain starting from feet up to my scalp is burning as the punishment continues. However, I do not know why tears left my system. The wounds are surely devastating yet no single tear is flowing. Maybe the physical pain is still bearable after all? What unbearable is the inhumane custom of our community! Why should we have to kill and eat each other? Who the hell is Lord Lucifer and why do we need to surrender our soul to him? Everything is uncertain and swimming into the sea of uncertainty is insane. I grew up living a belief where I don’t even know who created. I am only seventeen years old yet have witnessed hundreds of death since I was born. 

I have been losing best friends every single year! I wake up every day full of fear and question. Would I be chosen to die? Could I live until twenty? The idea of escaping suddenly flashed to my mind. I wanted to escape even if I am not sure on what will happen next. I have realized that to defeat uncertain is to use its uncertainty. Luck versus luck, confusion to confusion. Right, on the fifth and last day of the feast, I will do what I really want. 

Day three has arrived. I was excluded because of high fever caused by my aching wounds. I looked at myself in the mirror, stitches are all over my face. Cuts and open wounds are dominating my naked body. Do I deserve this? Swiftly, I remembered happy days with Martha, Jillian, and Dana. They are my best friends who were killed for the sake of the feast. I can’t help myself to cry after I realized that I am the only one left. The fuel inside my heart is now burning. I am going to escape! For Martha, for my friends.

I heard that Auntie Delia was the chosen one to offer. Her body was used to decorate the whole village. Even though we are not in good terms, I am still sad about her death. 

It is now the fourth day or what we called “fasting day”. No one is allowed to eat anything aside from the blood of the last offering which is Auntie Delia.  

“Lucifer, tomorrow is the last day of the feast. Bless us for the whole year and feel free to choose anyone”, said by Moises Sygris.

“Please choose us and petrify our soul, Lord Lucifer!”

“Claim us!”

“Claim us, oh Lord!”

Everyone is mourning inside the church, devoting their lives to be chosen on the last day of the feast. 

It’s already midnight but I can’t sleep. My mind revolves for tomorrow. I wish not to be picked. Please! Please! 

  The night went fast and now is the fifth and last day of the feast. Last year, almost twenty persons were chosen to deliver from Lucifer. My mother woke up early to prepare for this sacred day. Annually, fifth day has been gruesome. Fear suddenly filled my system. What if I will be the chosen one? Am I ready to die? 

The temple was decorated by black and candles. Before the ritual begin, everyone must be inside the temple because the council will chain all the doors in order to prevent escape. 

“The feast has come to an end. Is everybody here?”, asked by Moises Sygris.

“Yes, our Moises”, answered by all.

“I hope everyone has finished their ritual so that the ceremony will sail smoothly”

“Confacto Dispareum!” 

Before we wore our blindfold, one must see the dusty small old box in the center of altar. Everyone is looking on the box like their lives depend on it. That box is the enabler, the game pivot, the decider. It contains all the living names in our community. We all memorized the drill, when your name has been picked that’s the cue as the chosen one. I gasped heavily before putting the blind fold. Please, not me! 

Everyone is standing while wearing blinds, waiting until the ritual has finished.

The deafening silence is killing me. The fact that I am standing blindly escalates my anxious feeling. My body is shaking and I cannot even breathe normally. I gently squeezed my chest as I felt the aggravating stiffness. Even the flowing sweat coming from my forehead cannot be helped. This is bad! I have a bad feeling about this year.  Please, please! Not me! Not this year. I want to escape! 

   “Hail for your soul, you are th oute chosen one……CYRUS!”

        FUCK!

      I heard a loud long cry of a boy, definitely it is Cyrus. I felt my chest tightened even more. Tears are slowly falling on my face as I recall the meek face of Cyrus. That kid is just a five-year-old boy who knows nothing about this fucking system! He is clueless about this ritual. I want remove my blinds! I need to help that kid! Before I made any movement, I heard Moises’ voice.

   “Oh Cyrus! Such a lucky boy. Haven’t you imagined how lucky you are? You are the chosen one! Now, can you offer yourself to our Lord?”

   I heard small sobs coming from Cyrus yet he still answered loudly.

    “Yes, Moises!”

No, boy! I hold my blinds tightly. My trembling hands is not helping me! I am a coward! I want to help Cyrus but I am scared about what will happen to myself. I want to make Cyrus live but I cannot surrender myself. This is frustrating! I am sorry, Cyrus. 

“Okay, now can you choose a part of your body? A part that you really love. Can you do it, big boy?”

“Yes, Moises!”

“Very good! Now take this knife and slice that certain part. After that, you will put it inside of this box. Is it okay with you?”

In a glimpse, I heard an unbearable stretched mourn. I wheezed in pain. What body part did Cyrus give? 

“Next in line……...Oh! You are the chosen one, Victoriaaaaa!”

I feel like the world is losing and everything is just a dream. I breathe like a palpitating woman. I did not expect this! No, no, no!!! This is not happening! Dam of tears are slowly running down from my eyes. I lost, I may die soon. I will never have accomplished my escape plan. I harshly removed my blinds. 

“Oh! My dear Victoria is the chosen one!" I see Moises Syris smiling as I walk slowly to the altar. This man is a psycho and I can’t believe it is my biological father! He has no conscience at all. A fucking dipshit. I reciprocate his gaze using my blank stare. He is indeed evil. 

“I think, there is no point on instruction. Our usual drill, sweetie.” He said while giving the bloody knife which probably used by Cyrus.

I looked at the shaking boy beside me and regret afterwards. I found a horrific sight in a young boy, Cyrus is soaking with blood and his two eye are missing! He donated his eyes! My chest is beating fast. I can’t take this shit anymore! As soon as I get the knife, I immediately slit Moises’ throat. Blood sprouted from his throat creating a wonderful sight. 

I did it! I waited seventeen years for this situation and now I am free. I have dreamed for this ever since! I laughed loudly as I realized everything. I am free! I am now the Moises of this Land! Who would not want to privilege? Escaping is only for dumb and coward. In order to defeat evil, you must be one. I am the top in this fucking food chain. My laughter echoes around the temple when I looked at my father’s lifeless eyes. Weakling, scumbag. I removed the knife on my father’s throat after hearing an annoying sound. I divert my gaze on the boy beside me and recklessly slit his throat. This annoying child doesn’t know where to shut his mouth!

“Everybody! Take- off your blinds and kneel down for your new Moises!”

“Hail Moises Victoria!”

“LOUDER!!!!”

“HAIL MOISES VICTORIA!!!!!!” 

I smirked. I can’t wait for another year. New set of feast. New soul for our Lord. 

“Hail Lucifer, Hail for my love”.