Bethany laid on her bed doing homework, dutifully reading the chapter and answering the questions. It was getting late, but school didn't seem to care about a good night's sleep when teacher's always assigned hours upon hours of homework. That was on top of all the extra curriculars students had to be part of in order to be competitive for universities. It was especially important to Beth as she wanted to get into Berkley, one of the hardest schools to get into. Luckily, she was a night owl and able to stay up well into the night; even luckier that she naturally ran on little sleep.
She attributed that to her mother, who could work several night shifts at the hospital as an ER nurse and still be plucky enough to attend her band competitions and other school functions.
"Who are the visigoths?" she read out loud, lightly chewing on her pen as she thought about the answer. "They are the flashier cousins to the abscondigoths."
Four years of Latin was totally worth it,
She snickered at her clever joke, an unlady like snort went on for a few more minutes as she wrote a real answer and wished she could get away with her humorous version.
Her mother came to her door, wondering why her daughter looked so pleased with herself and laughing while doing homework.
"What's so funny?" Mia Baxter asked her daughter, her curiosity compelling her.
"It's nothing," Beth replied, not wanting her mother to think she was a nerd and not wanting to explain Latin conjugation.
"How was work?" she asked, changing the subject.
"It's work, idiots come in severely hurt and we save them."
"There is no shortage of idiots in this town."
"True, they're my job security so I can't help but appreciate them."
Both giggled at the joke, Beth still had half her mind on her reading and answering questions while talking with her mother.
"One of your classmates came in, a Jessica Harper? She came in after a car accident, she has a broken leg and whiplash. It's really bad, she may lose it."
"Ha," Beth scoffed vindictively as she wrote out who won the battle of Naseby.
"That's not very nice," Mia chided gently, slightly taken aback by Beth's vindictiveness.
"She's not a very nice person. She likes to throw things in front of Tia Hattly's wheel chair, she also throws pennies in the elevator doors to put them out of order. Sounds like she got a big case of 'karma is an ironic bitch.' If I ever meet this karma, I'm going to give her a big high five."
While Beth continued to do her homework, she didn't notice her mother look worriedly at her. Under normal circumstances, any mother would be worried about the cavalier way their daughter took the news of a classmate's misfortune, even one they didn't like. Mia had more reasons to worry than most, not just about her daughter's attitude but the coincidental accidents that happened to someone she actively disliked.
It happened a lot with classmates Beth didn't care for, something only an ER nurse and her mother would notice. Mia couldn't help but remember her past, wondering if it was finally catching up with her.
I'm so sorry Beth, it's all my fault.
Beth didn't notice them staring at her at first. They were new students, they came halfway through the year and everyone wondered who they were and why they were coming in so late. But the novelty of new students quickly wore off, there was plenty of gossip that made its way through the populace. She was surprised at the fanciful stories being told about them both.
"I heard they're Satanists. They're combing the schools for virgin sacrifices," Beth's friend in the band, Bryony, told her after practice.
"Good luck finding one of those," Beth snorted at the story, not believing any of it. The rest of their group had agreed, not one of them could even recall knowing anyone who still had their virginity.
The band got around…with other band members but still.
"How is Todd since the break up?" Bryony asked, the boy coming to mind since they were talking about lost virginities.
"He's OK, I mean we didn't date that long."
"Was the sex that bad?"
The other girls tittered, all too familiar with that question and the answer.
"It wasn't bad," Beth said to defend her ex. "I mean, I think not bad for two virgins who have no idea what they're doing."
"So, with a bit more practice, you two would still be together?"
Beth laughed, "No, probably not. I just have too much to do. Relationships just get in the way."
"So savage, I love it."
She laughed with them, she was glad they accepted her excuse. It was true that she had many school obligations that made dating hard, but the biggest reason she broke up with Todd was because she felt nothing when she was with him. She didn't really feel anything for any boy, or girl for that matter. She had looked up asexuality and thought that it had described how she felt about dating and people in general. But she had also seen so many other types of sexualities that she wondered if she simply hadn't crossed the threshold needed to be truly attracted to someone, or if she hadn't met someone who was her specific type. Coming to terms with any sexuality other than hetero was daunting, and she felt it wasn't something she needed to decide while in high school. She didn't think she could handle the questions or doubts. She also felt her small conservative Arizona town wasn't the time or place, California was larger and more liberal. She would bide her time before really exploring her sexuality either way.
Beth had so much homework and other school obligations that she didn't notice being practically stalked by the new kids. It wasn't until someone else noticed how they had skulked around band competitions, sat in the back of Earth Justice meetings, and always seemed to find the seats at lunch that had a clear view of her that she started to see them everywhere else.
She should have been freaked out, but they were so small and pale; she had a hard time finding them intimidating.
"They don't look like they could hurt a fly, should I be worried? I mean, they could have guns or something if they really wanted to hurt me…right? They kind of look like they could be 'lone wolves.'" she talked with her mother at dinner over Chinese, shoving pork fried rice into her face as she tried to reason out what she ought to do about the new students.
"Who are these students again?" her mother didn't quite follow the whole story as Beth had a habit of speaking quickly and forgetting that she didn't go to high school so she wasn't 100% sure what she was talking about half the time. But she started to think of who she could call if her daughter felt truly threatened, with the vast amount of school shootings and violence in the world, she wanted Beth protected.
"They're like we these quiet goth types, I thought they were siblings since they came at the same time and dress all in black. But it turns out they're just friends who 'happened' to start at a new school...together…and no one seems to know who their parents are…yeah it's weird. My friends are totally convinced they want to sacrifice me to Satan, but they don't look like they weigh 100lbs put together and wet, I could take them if I wanted…"
Mia almost choked on her Kung Pao chicken, alarmed at the turn of the story. Her heart racing, Beth misreading her mother's reaction.
"I know I shouldn't stereotype people. Just because they're goths, doesn't mean they worship Satan. And I don't think actual Satanists do human sacrifices. Aren't they all about free will and all that? The Satanic Church's twitter is hilarious. And if they want a virgin sacrifice, they are barking up the wrong tree," she laughed and rolled her eyes, thinking virgin sacrifice was such a stupid and antiquated idea. And her mother knew about Todd, being a nurse and her own life as a single mother made Mia no nonsense when it came to sex; she made sure Beth knew all her options and how to use them.
Beth went on and on, not noticing her mother's discomfort.
Mia paced her room later that night, wondering if the two new students were just harmless teens going through a phase or acolytes to the Dark Lord. If the latter, then they needed to leave town immediately, but she couldn't just disrupt their life like that without explanation.
"Perhaps it's time to come clean," she whispered to herself, tears escaping from her eyes; hating that her past had finally caught up to her. But there was also the possibility that the two were merely just two teenagers with taste that ran to nothing but black. She could admit she was being a coward, holding onto the hope that these were harmless teens when they could be anything but.
Beth had a regular schedule, it's what happened when one was part of several school activities. She thought she had planned well for her future, doing everything she was supposed to do. She did well in school, she joined clubs and the band for socialization and to look good for Berkley. She didn't go to parties unless they were scheduled well in advanced and didn't conflict with any other school obligation. She had no interest in drugs, so her life was easily mapped out to anyone who took the time to observe her.
She never thought her predictable schedule would lend itself for Satanists to know the best time to drug and kidnap her.
Being part of symphonic band meant that there was a compulsory membership to the pep band. The charter school was so small that the band director had no choice but force his band classes to be part of pep band, otherwise the sporting events would have no one to play encouraging songs.
After a disappointing football game, Beth made her way to her car. She had stayed behind to help clean up, the school was practically deserted. She hurried along and had her keys ready, she rushed to get her clarinet case in the back. While she had been warned about people pretending to need help or simply running up to attack her, they never warned about anyone having a tranquilizer gun and shooting her with a dart from a distance. Before she could even touch the handle to the driver side door, she felt a sharp pain explode in her lower back. She instinctually reached to grab the offending object, the drug had hit her system quickly and the world started to blur around her. She pulled the dart and stared at it confusedly, wondering what it was doing in her back.
Before she could hit the ground, one of the goth kids she had worried about in the back of her mind caught her and gently laid her on the ground. The other goth stood above them, holding the dart gun. Beth's eyes felt heavy and she didn't have the strength to keep them open.
"Our Dark Prince will be so happy we found the last one."
"Ave Satanas."
Fuuuccckkkk, really? The rumors were true…I…need…to…tell…them…I'm…not…a…a…vir…
Before she could even finish her thought, the world went black and she knew no more.
Beth woke up to bright white walls on a bed of crisp white sheets, after several blinks to get used to the light she also noticed that there was a dozen of other beds with other women of varying ages with her. They all chatted jovially, nothing she could really make out as it was all white noise and her head still so fuzzy.
Her mouth was dry and tasted gross, she wondered how long she had been asleep. As she moved her appendages to make sure she had mobility, she got up slowly and finally started to remember what happened before she woke up.
Shit, those creepy goth kids shot me. Where the fuck am I?
"Where am I?" she asked those closest to her, hoping she didn't sound as panicked as she felt.
She was confused when they looked at her with suspicion and disdain, they were clearly confused at her confusion. When Beth started to look around and really take in her surroundings. Not only was she in a room filled with women, all wearing black scrubs and barefoot, the women were almost supernaturally beautiful. The women were no older than thirty, to Beth's best estimation, and came in a vast array of ethnicities and sizes.
"You're at the Sanctuary," one woman finally deigned to answer her.
That meant nothing to Beth and didn't answer her question.
"O…K…" she decided the women were a dead end, so she got off her bed and on wobbly legs, she looked for the nearest exit. She found a door and was relieved it was unlocked and saw it led out to a hallway.
She sprinted through, hoping that it would be just as easy to find her way out of the building and find a way to call for help. She then nearly bumped into a girl, finding herself inexplicably in another white room filled with women. She desperately looked around, hoping to find another door but became confused when she saw the only one there was the same one she just came through. After a few seconds, she actually recognized the woman who had told her where she was. She looked back and saw the hallway she had seen before, she turned around to go out the door.
But again, she found herself in a white room filled with women. Not knowing what else to do, she closed the door and re-opened it, she saw the hallway and tried again to cross the threshold. But as soon as she crossed the doorway, she found herself exactly where she was trying to escape.
Not understanding what was happening, she started to breath erratically and desperately wanted her mother.
She tried three more times, finally accepting that escape was impossible as she kept going into the same room with the same women, who were looking at her askance and as if she were crazy. She tried to regulate her breathing, not wanting to pass out and maybe wake to an even worse nightmare. Tears started to stream down her eyes, she backed into a wall and she couldn't hold up her weight. She slowly slid down until she was sitting on the floor.
"What is going on?" she cried to herself, her hands roving through her hair.
Finally, one of the women took mercy on her, she came to the crying girl and crouched down. She hesitated to touch her, but eventually put a hand on her shoulder.
"You're OK, you're at the Sanctuary. You're safe," she cooed.
"I don't know what that means," Beth hiccupped.
The woman blinked, surprised,
"It's the Sanctuary…" she wasn't sure how else to explain it, everyone had waited all their lives to make it there. "It's where we finally get to fulfill our purpose."
"Our what?"
"Didn't they tell you while you grew up? What your Divine Purpose was?"
"What?" none of that made sense to Beth.
The woman didn't know how she couldn't have known, it seemed unheard of such a thing happening.
"All I remember is going to my car after a game and these two goth kids shot me with a tranq gun."
"Game?"
"Football game…my high school football game?"
The woman seemed just as confused at Beth as she was of her.
"Oh shit, they were right. Those kids are part of a satanic cult and I'm about to be sacrificed, holy shit."
"Sweetie, you need to calm down or you're going to pass out," the woman warned Beth as the teen started to hyperventilate.
Before Beth could do anything, an old woman in scarlet came through the door.
"Ladies, thank you for your patience. You have all passed your physical and are in peak condition. You may pass into orientation."
There was a cheer that went up from the other women, they eagerly got into line to follow the woman in red. The kind woman offered her hand to Beth, helping her up. She took it gratefully and while she was terrified to follow the women, at least it seemed whatever was wrong with the door had been fixed as they were able to exit rather than return to the room. They emptied out into the hall, and they were joined by even more women coming from similar rooms. All were beauty queens in full make up and hair and wore black scrubs. It seemed that Beth was one of the youngest of the group and wondered what the hell she was doing with all these women.
Why the hell did they give us physicals? Do we have to be perfectly healthy to be sacrificed?
It made her sick to her stomach thinking they had poked and prodded her while she was passed out. She hugged herself, desperately wishing she would wake from this nightmare.
Since she had no where else to go, all doors looked to lead to white rooms, she followed the crowd. They were all led to an auditorium with tiered seating, a gargantuan movie theatre sized screen that showed neon lights bouncing around. Beth looked around, trying to get every detail of her surroundings. She counted around 100 women wearing scrubs in the auditorium, a dozen more in red robes.
For a Satanic cult, she would have figured it'd be all dark and gothic; like the ones who had drugged and kidnapped her. She wouldn't have expected so much white, clean lines, and minimalist architecture.
What kind of weirdo cult is this? Satanic Apple cult?
Once they were all seated, the lights dimmed, and the screen came to life.
I must be in some weird alternate universe.
Beth thought when two pale men with bowl haircuts came to the screen.
"Congratulations Ladies!" the blond man shouted obnoxiously. "You are the lucky few that have been chosen for the Bride Program."
Beth was pretty sure she was going to throw up.
"The Bride Program, of course, was started by the Cooperative in the early 1900's. Were women have been specially selected to participate in a special ritual to conceive a potential bride for our Dark Lord, the Anti-Christ whenever He may come. You have been raised to be the perfect Satanic wife since birth. He walks among us and the End is FUCKING NIGH!"
The crowd erupted in a loud cheer, most even giving a standing ovation.
"Yes, not only are you all exceedingly beautiful, but you all have some demonic essence that makes you a perfect vessel to give birth to future Princes of Hell!" the brunet added, his jovial dudebro accent didn't seem to really go with his Satanic message.
The crowd started to cheer louder, all so happy to be part of the program and alive when their Dark Lord would bring about the apocalypse.
Wake up Beth, wake up Beth, wake up Beth
She closed her eyes and concentrated on waking herself up from the nightmare, but the men on the screen continued to talk.
"So out of thousands of potential Brides, you are the ones who have not aged out or died, and have proven fertility from your very thorough physicals. You will be escorted to the Main house where we will have the Selection Ball. There, the Anti-Christ will choose His bride…or brides. He's the Crown Prince of Hell and speaks for our Lord and Savior Satan, He can have whatever the hell He wants!"
Again the crowd cheered and Beth looked around and couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"At the Main house, you will dress to impress and be ready by seven. Food and drinks will be served, have fun!"
The screen went blank and the women started to happily chat, excited to be potentially selected as a Bride of the Anti-Christ.
"WHAT THE FUCK?" Beth shouted, unable to keep it in.