At the End of the Ride
“What? I’m going with them? Why?” Plaintively, Aaron throws his hands out. His discomfort at having to get into the same cage as Benton and Edgar is palpable. It had been a decisive vote: he was the only person that thought differently.
Because I’m different, yeah. All these dumbfucks just can’t recognize my intellect. Story of my life.
“Ain’t about being dumb or smart, fool,” smirks Benton. “Just that peeps recognize that the two of us need to have a… ah, conversation. Let it all out, you dig?”
“Sorry, but I feel safer if it’s just us two women,” apologizes Caitlyn. “I mean, you know, right? Schrodinger’s Rapist and all? Women need to be more cautious, it’s nothing personal, I don’t mean
any of you are rapists, but the thing is, I don’t know either, and, well, I need my safe space!”
“Heh, that’s… that’s right…” chuckles Aaron. “Yeah, I mean, you don’t know if the thug or a hobo is going to rape you, right? I… I understand… I’m your ally. Not all men are like that. I mean, you and I… we think alike, we’re on the same side… we have an understanding, right?”
Caitlyn smiles awkwardly “Uh… right.”
Ew. What a creep.
---
Aaron’s Choice:
A. You feel betrayed. How could she even think of you as a creep? She’s just like all the other women. Bitches. Damn bitches. All of them. You thought that this time it would be different, but alas, it is not to be.
B. You are upset, but not entirely disheartened. You just need to appeal to her more. Sure, she might not have come around to it yet, but she’ll soon realize that you are the only man in here that respects her. She will get it.
---
Benton bursts out laughing. “C’mon, girl. You think I’d want a skinny bitch like you? I prefer my women to have more meat. More cushion for the pumping, if you know what I mean. And how do you know that the Jesus vegan isn’t some lesbian rapist, huh? I seen it happen in the streets before. Nasty stuff, them two-handed dildos,” he leers.
“My… I never!” Francesca is quite offended, her hands firmly on her hips. “I may practice sexual healing, but only with my husband! That is wholesome stuff advocated in the Good Book! I do
not rape!”
The cage rattles, metal clinking as the chains sway from side to side. The others turn to see that Edgar has already gotten onto the ascending cage without a word. Leaning against the metal bars of the cage, he stares at Caitlyn.
“Should… should we go?” Caitlyn asks, twisting her hair nervously.
Murmurs of yes are heard, and the group splits up. When the last of them enter the cage, the monitor comes to life again.
AT THE END OF THE RIDE, WILL YOU FIND HEAVEN OR HELL?
BON VOYAGE, MY DEAR FRIENDS. BON VOYAGE.
***
The cage rises, and rises, and rises, until it finally stops. Aaron, Benton and Edgar find themselves in a new area of the facility: the walls seem to be newer and cleaner, and the floor more polished, but it is equally as deserted as the level below.
“Looks like a maze, man. Shit. What the
hell is this place?” Benton looks out at the darkened corridors in front of him, with no seeming end in sight. Still, there is nowhere to go but forward. Before that, however… he turns to look at Aaron, who has raised his hands defensively. He knows what’s coming.
---
Benton’s Choice:
A. It’s time to have that ‘talk’. With your fists. Asshole like him deserves a beatdown.
B. You’ll do more talking than hitting, you just want to scare the guy. But a few punches wouldn’t hurt.
---
Edgar watches. He scratches his scraggly beard.
---
Edgar’s Choice:
A. You try to stop whatever Benton is about to do. Fighting is… wrong. Fighting is only a last resort.
B. You run off on your own. Survival is paramount. You are not going to die here, and these two idiots will only drag you down.
C. You watch. That is all you do. You watch.
---
***
As the cage touches the bottom, Caitlyn and Francesca find themselves in the middle of a jungle. Halfway through the ride, the walls had fallen away to the sides, revealing a vast expanse of land. They had been surprised. And then astounded. As she steps out of the cage, Caitlyn looks up at the – Sky? Roof? – and squints. There is nothing but white up there, with a miniscule black hole where they had descended. An unknown light source is illuminating the place. She flaps her blouse. It
feels like a real jungle. Hot and humid. Well, she would not actually know what a real jungle felt like, having never left the comforts of her upper middle-class lifestyle before, but this is what she
imagined a real jungle would be like.
The illusion is shattered by the faint sounds of Handel’s
Air, threading in between the rustle of the swaying trees.
Caitlyn grits her teeth. This is strange. This is just all too strange. There is a monitor nearby, hanging from a tree.
WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE. WE’VE GOT FUN AND GAMES.
Those are the only words displayed.
They seem to be mocking her.
---
Caitlyn’s Choice:
A. The constant use of misogynistic, patriarchal classical music is triggering you. You loudly demand a change to a more egalitarian, gender-neutral style of music from whoever it is keeping you imprisoned here.
B. You bear with it. Although you fully recognize it is unhealthy to ‘suck it up’, you decide to be patient and suppress your rage, and to tolerate the continued use of old, white male music. You hope you do not get any more triggers, however. You do not know how much more you can take without ranting.
---
Francesca looks around at the jungle around her with a mix of wonder and fear. Is this… real? She bends down and touches the soil. It feels real enough. She handles a leaf. The veins and the texture are indistinguishable from the real thing. She knows very little about technology – most technologists are capitalistic heathens full of hubris against God, not to mention they participate in ecologically unfriendly practices – but she is doubtful whether it is possible to create such a place. At least… not without God’s help. She freezes. Could this all be a test of some sort? If so… she needs faith. She needs faith, more than ever.
Francesca glances at Caitlyn, who is glaring at the monitor and clenching her fists.
---
Francesca’s Choice:
A. You try to broach the question of whether or not Caitlyn believes in God. You believe that this is a test of faith, and the more believers that you can recruit, the more likely you are to succeed in it.
B. You attempt to calm Caitlyn down. She seems stressed. Perhaps talking about your God-designed natural ecologically-friendly initiatives will help take her mind off things.
---
