MCYT RANDOMNESS 2

Involuntary Exile pt 3

The first thing I notice upon waking is the music.

Somewhere, from a tinny speaker, is the all-too familiar hold music of the Permit Office. My breath catches in my throat. The room is pitch dark.  There’s rope around my wrists, another tying them the ground.

‘Hey! Let me out!’ I call to whoever’s outside. Cub. Cub did this. Cub tricked me. Cub’s not on my side. Cub’s working against me. Cub hurt me. ‘Grian! Cub! Let me out of here!’

The music just continues.

I struggle, ignoring the stinging, twisting and contorting my hands until I’m at risk of breaking something. The hold music taunts me. The thoughts sink in, drowning me.

Cub betrayed me.

‘Good afternoon, Scar.’ Grian’s voice crackles through the speaker. His tone is calm and corporate. ‘Thank you for your patience while we set up the Official Poe Permit Office Security Examination.’

‘Let me go.’

‘According to the official Permit-Office-Behaviour Handbook, you must attend a mandatory check on your loyalty. We cannot let you go until this test is finished.’

‘Quit with your stupid corporate shit, Grian and just let me go!’

A door opens, blinding sunlight filling the room. Cub walks in. I recoil.

‘You,’ I spit. ‘What the fuck do you want? What is this?’

He crouches next to me, pulling out a knife to cut the rope. I struggle against him, pulling free.

‘Come on, man... Just hold still.' He mutters, grabbing my wrist, forcing my hands to stop moving. I keep fighting. He saws through the tight knot and my constraints fall away. The skin beneath is torn and bleeding. Cub pulls me to my feet and into the next room, a bright corridor lined with dark wood. ‘It'll be worse if you fight their demands.'

‘Stop fucking pretending you give a fuck about me.' I spit back. My feet dig against the red carpet beneath me. Sunlight shines through vast windows. I don’t recognise the dense forest beyond.

‘Here at the Permit Office, we expect all of our staff to be treated with kindness and respect. Vulgar language and abuse will not be tolerated and they may-'

‘Fuck off, Grian!’ I snarl, trying to find the microphone, the camera, whatever he’s using to hear us. Before I’m forced into another room, still facing the corridor outside. Cub doesn't look at me.

‘On the order of the Permit Office you will remain in this room until the higher ups either accept or refuse your apology.’

‘Fuck you.’

‘I don't make the rules, Scar.’

I ignore him, turning to look at my new prison.

And freeze.

A stone slab lies in the middle, stained and splattered in dried blood. An altar to the display on the wall behind.

The grinning face of the Vex

‘Them.'

‘They want a sacrifice.’ Cub says. ‘It is up to your discretion what that is. And up to the Vex and newly-appointed High Evoker to decide if it is good enough.’

‘They made you give a sacrifice too, didn't they?' I tear my eyes from that face. 'Your arm. I knew you were hiding somerhing.’

‘A sacrifice must be given,’ Cub forces a knife into my hand. His eyes shine with tears. A dutiful fear. Concern. A deep pain at having to do this. I still don't trust him. 'I pray to Notch they accept it.'