DeadlocK

Where One Reveals Their Purpose.

IT WAS FINALLY the day Toby was supposed to be taken away. The man was finally going to keep his promise. Vittoria walked out of the room they'd been held in after the man opened her handcuffs and chains. She walked out after the man and closed the door. Fortunately, he'd left the door unlocked since he had to bring her back anyway.

Vittoria let her body relax now that she didn't have to knock him out. She'd thrown a wary glance at Toby who'd subtly nodded just before she'd left. He was supposed to find a way out while the man was busy showing his work to Vittoria.

She silently followed the man to a huge room, big enough to accommodate at least two hundred people but that was not what took her breath away.

A shiver ran down her spine when she was led through the numerous skeletons hanging from the ceiling, each painted in different colour, dressed according to it's gender and positioned in a specific way on the artificial grass carpeting the whole room, leaving a single stoned walkway in between which led to the small circular platform that was shaded by an equally sized dome.

The fact that the skeletons were donned in clothing and paint was so creepy that Vittoria took her time looking around. It seemed like the man was trying to represent some kind of ceremony.

Some skeletons had wigs and large colourful dresses glued at their shoulders while others were dressed in suits. Some even had accessories hanging from their hands, some wearing hats and some holding cups to their mouth as though they were drinking. What was the most odd detail was how all the skeleton heads were turned to the platform in the middle.

The platform present right in the middle had four skeletons, each dressed better than all those that were in the grass, two women and two men, all standing in a rough circle staring at the floor like they were somehow more significant than the others.

The man silently watched Vittoria take in the scenery around her. Upon reaching the platform, Vittoria noticed the inside of the dome shade was painted a colourful mosaic and that the skeletons were hung by a very fine thread, which wasn't visible until gazed at up close.

"I have no words." Vittoria said, stepping down the platform and gazing up at the rooms dome shaped glass ceiling which had intricately coloured spirals all over.

"The world doesn't really appreciate my art, you see." The man revealed, "Says I've lost my mind but then anyone would if they aren't allowed to bring out beauty like this."

The fact that the man had called it 'art' made Vittoria realise it was like a three dimensional painting, one you could walk through and experience unlike any other that had ever been made.

Even though the idea was sick, the way the colours lapped with each other was a beautiful sight to see if a person forgot for a second that there were real human skeletons merged within.

Vittoria now saw the man's purpose. She realised it was just his way of leaving a mark behind on this world, something that screamed 'I was here', something that was definitely going to be remembered for years to come for it's uncanny and rare existence.

"This must've been hard to do on your own." Vittoria said, wondering if there were a hundred or atleast a hundred and fifty skeletons, her primary intention to buy time for Toby nevertheless.

"It's my passion, I could spend years doing this and still not be tired of it."

"It's beautiful," Vittoria said, letting her words linger.

"But?" The man asked.

"It feels incomplete." Vittoria said, finally meeting the man's eyes that grew in amusement.

"That's because it is."

The man aimed the gun at Vittoria and shit but she was faster than him in dodging the tranquilliser that flew out of it.

"My, my, I can't have you getting hurt. You're a crucial part of my piece." The man said, and Vittoria straightened her frown, standing upright implying that she wasn't going to run.

"I want to know what the theme of it all is." Vittoria said.

"Very well, it might as well be the last thing you hear." The man said.

"I thought you were saving me for last." Vittoria said, her tone flat.

"Oh, I was. But I changed my mind. After I saw you standing amidst this scenery I had sudden motivation to work." The man said, smiling, as though he were narrating a story with a happy ending, "I work best when I'm motivated."

"I'd like to know what this art that I'm going to become a part of means." Vittoria said.

"It depicts human ignorance at its best. It depicts the oppression of the lower class by the upper class. It depicts traits like selfishness, pride and ego. Lastly, it depicts hypocrisy, of those that watch the needy in silence but when faced with similar tragedies expect to be offered a helping hand. In short, it preaches equality." The man explained, as Vittoria gazed around once more.

Before she had time to take in his words she felt another tranquilliser dart prick her neck and her vision momentarily blurred as she fell in the middle of the platform. The last thing she saw was four skulls gazing down at her and she knew. She knew that she was used to depict the victim of an unfair crime that everyone casually gazed at, making no move to help.

She let out an understanding sigh and hoped that Toby had gotten away just as her eyes drooped shut. Little did she know that he was going to join her on the platform soon.

__________

Toby had walked everywhere in search of a door or any kind of an exit but it was like he'd been walking in circles until he was knocked out by the man from behind. Fortunately, he didn't have time to beg for his life because the man was merciless and the smack was hard enough to have killed him on the spot.

The man dragged him to his cleaning room where Vittoria's corpse was already waiting on the table. This time, the man plugged in headphones as he once again, sliced through flesh and skinned the bodies down to bone basking in the preparation of the beginning of the end of his art work.

He took his time polishing them and took a break to taste them for lunch since there was nothing better than having a combination of his two centre pieces roasted in celebration.

When he'd filled his tummy and regained his energy, he painted their polished remnants with brightest most eye catching colours and added details that would make them stand out the most, intending to glorify their sacrifice in order for his work to be whole.

Because without the oppressed, there are no oppressors. Without the poor, there's no rich. Without the needy, there's no one to turn to for help.

Without circumstances, there's no inequality.

Fin.