Anger Management

5-12-20

Chains.

Is that what these are? I gaze at the bloodied and rusted things linked to my arms and legs, remembering the days when they were shiny and silver. I swallow, my throat pressing against the cold metal that suffocates me. I smile, licking my teeth that are bathed in blood, savoring the taste.

Insane.

That's what I am, huh? Maybe you're right. I hum softly, smiling. 

"Mama, we all go to hell... Mama, we all go to hell... I'm writing this letter and wishing you well. Mama, we all go to hell." 

I laugh, looking around as the others look at me. They're not here for the same reason as I am. They're prisoners. I'm insane. They watch me, scared eyes flickering.

"Oh well now, mama, we're all gonna die. Mama, we're all gonna die~ Stop asking me questions, I'd hate to see you cry. Mama we're all gonna die." I look around the room, smirking. I rattle the chains, forming a beat. I hear someone begin to sing along with me.

"And when we go don't blame us, yeah."

"We'll let the fire just bathe us, yeah." I sing in response, my orange eyes glowing.

"You made us oh-so famous. We'll never let you go~" We sing together, and I hear a third chime in.

"And when you go, don't return to me, my love." The guy smiles, closing his eyes.

"Mama, we're all full of lies." I look to the first guy.

"Mama, we're meant for the flies." Both guys sing.

"And right now, they're building a coffin your size; Mama, we're all full of lies." I point around at the others, who shrink away. Their eyes are flickering with fear, and it makes me laugh.

"Well, Mother, what the war did to my legs and to my tongue." I hear a third guy join in, just realizing I'm the only female in the room.

"You shoulda raised a baby girl, I should've been a better son." I hear most of the guys begin to sing, some timidly, some loudly. I hear the click of the door as the guards peek in with a confused expression.

"If you could cuddle the infection, they can amputate it once." I sing, looking directly at the guards.

"You shoulda been, I could have been a better son." The first guy sings.

"And when we go don't blame us, yeah. We'll let the fires just bathe us, yeah." We all sing, causing a guard to pull out a gun.

"You made us oh-so famous." I glare at them, noticing I'm the only one too stubborn to stop at the sight of a weapon.

"We'll never let you go~" One of the guards - the one with a gun - sung with a smirk. I tugged at my chain, snarling like a rabid animal.

"She said, you ain't no son of mine." I growl the lyrics, boring my eyes into his.

"For what you've done, they're gonna find-" I pulled the chains again, and other joined me. The metal rattled, transfixing the guards.

"A place for you and just you mind, your manners when you go." I pull loose, standing. The guard goes to fire but the man closest to the door trips him and he misses. I run over, grabbing the gun.

"And when you go don't return to me, my love." I smile into his eyes, pointing the gun at him. At this point the other guard has pulled out her gun.

"That's right. Mama, we all go to hell." I quickly shoot her, and she falls to the floor. I swoop down, picking up her gun in my other hand.

"Mama, we all go to hell." I pick up the keys, tossing them to the back for the first guy to unlock himself.

"It's really quite pleasant except for the smell." I look back at the first guard, pressing the barrel of one gun to his forehead, the other to his throat.

"Mama, we all go to hell." I hear the guys echo the 'two, three, four' before chanting. 

"Mama, mama, mama, ma~" I smile, looking around before turning back to the guard. He tries to scoot away, but fails as one of the prisoners grabs his shoulders.

"And if you would call me sweetheart, I'd maybe then sing you a song." I pulled both triggers, letting him fall limp to the floor.

"But there's shit that I've done with this fuck of a gun." I stand up straight, pushing the gun in my left hand into the waistband of my jeans.

"You would cry out your eyes, all along. We're damned after all~" I smile, looking around at the now free men - about thirty of them - and walk to the exit.

"Through the fortune and flame, we fall. And if you can stay then I'll show you the way to return from the ashes you call." We walk down the halls, and I shoot any guard I see.

"We all carry on when our brothers in arms are gone. So raise your glass high for tomorrow we die and return from the ashes you call."

And the light comes, shining on my face is the dim glitter of the moon. It washes over the blood that's not mine, and the bruises I don't remember. And I'm free.