The Prophet's Test

Chapter 9

His face started to turn red. 'I think we're going to need some stronger treatment for you.'

'What are you gonna do to me? I've heard the stories.'

'What have you heard?' he said with a cock smile.

'That people who are sent here never come back the same. If they even come back.'

'Everyone comes back... eventually. It takes longer for some to realise their place in the world, we have many methods. Not all kind. You'll find out very soon what our chosen method is for you. It's one of my favourites,' he said.

The giant screen began to slowly flicker to life. The guard flipped a switch on his wrist, strands of rope shot out from the table attaching themselves to my wrists. I tried to pull my hands back, but it was no use. The table began to transform itself into some kind of device, it buzzed and whirred. More ropes shot out to pull my head into it. God, what was it going to do to me? I felt sweat trickling down my neck, I pushed from side to side to release myself. Then it was over, my head was fully enclosed. I could only see straight forward, right at the screen. The guard walked in front, I could see his lips moving. But I couldn't hear anything. I screamed; I saw him laughing with a smirk.

Sound began to play through the device directly into my ear.

'The Prophet loves you; he always has and always will. You are his children; he is your father. Why do you do disobey his holy rules? Why do you not see the true light, the holy light.'

'No, he doesn't love us. He's just using us!' I shouted.

The screen turned a pure white. The device began to vibrate around my head.

'Heretic conditioning activated,' the machine said.

An image began to appear on the screen in front. It was of Me, Felix, Birthmother and Birthfather when I was growing up. I looked about eight, I held a fish in my hands. We had been on the pier fishing together on our annual family holiday. The last time we'd all be together before the world changed forever and the Prophet came. I reached out my arm to the screen... Dad. He'd been gone for so long. I missed him.

'I was wrong to question the Prophet. I was wrong to not obey. I will be loyal to the Prophet.' A voice began to say, it was Birthfather's voice! I recognised it, but how? He'd been missing for so long.

Again, it repeated. 'I was wrong to question the Prophet. I was wrong to not obey. I will be loyal to the Prophet.'

The image changed. Birthmother appeared, she was standing next to Birthfather. A group of temple guards approached, they dragged him away. Mother stood there, doing nothing. Letting them take him. Wait. It was her, she'd reported him, hadn't she? He hadn't just left us. It was her; it'd always been her. He hadn't been able to accept the Prophet or even fake it. Birthmother had put him into the conversion camp- just like she'd done with me.

'I was wrong to question the Prophet. I was wrong to not obey. I will be loyal to the Prophet.'

The image changed. I saw Birthfather in the same room as me, in the same device as I was. His eyes were closed, he wasn't moving.

'I was wrong to question the Prophet. I was wrong to not obey. I will be loyal to the Prophet.' Birthfather said.

Again, and again, it cycled through. I felt my sanity slipping away. How long had I been here? Why was I here?

'I was wrong to question the Prophet. I was wrong to not obey. I will be loyal to the Prophet.'

I couldn't move, I couldn't look away. I could only stare, drawn into the image, into the memory. It repeated again and again.

'I was wrong to question the Prophet. I was wrong to not obey. I will be loyal to the Prophet.' I began to say, again and again.

It stopped, I saw the guard again.

'It hurts,' I said.

'What if you could get rid of all the anger, the hate. All the stress. What would you say then?'

It would be nice to never feel any of it again.

'I'd get rid of it,' I said.

'Prove it. Admit you were wrong.'

'I was... wrong. The Prophet is right.' I forced out the words. He is our destiny-'

'And?' the guard said.

'I want to be upgraded. I want to serve the Prophet.'

'Again.' he said

'I want to be upgraded. I want to serve the Prophet.'

'Why?' he asked.

'Because it is our destiny.'

'Correct, I think you're ready for the upgrade now.'

An alarm began to sound. The guard looked at me for a moment, then ran out. I heard him screaming orders. After a few minutes the door opened, another guard ran in, they were wearing a helmet. They glanced at me, then pressed a switch on their wrist. The device released me, my neck felt sore. I stood up, the guard began to remove the helmet. Long blond hair was unveiled. It was Amy... but why was she here.

'Not got long, we need to go.'

'Go? What are you doing here? What's happening? I want to be upgraded.'

'No, you don't!' She picked up a needle from a pocket and jabbed me with it. I felt myself break free, I was myself again.

'I'm rescuing you; I know what the Prophet is planning. There is a way to stop him, but the Resistance needs you. Let's go.' She gestured to the door.

'You broke up with me. I'm not going anywhere with you, I need to get Felix.'

'I had to fake it, all right. I was being watched, get over it. It's either him or the entire world. Are you listening? We can stop all this!' she said.

'No, I'm getting Felix! I'm done with you.'

She grabbed my arm. 'But I love you.'

'No, you don't, now let go of me!'

I opened the door a tiny bit and looked through. It was chaos, guards ran in every direction, their boots slamming across the floor. I waited, eying up any opportunity to escape. I heard an odd scream, a door opened. A man ran out, part of his face was hanging off. He was missing an eye, blood splattered everywhere as he ran around the room. All the guards ran to restrain him.