“The Butler family. You have been chosen to be judged by our savior! This is the highest honor. Please come to me and be glad.” The Butler family rises from their seats and make their way toward the front of the hall. The air becomes heavier after each step they took. We all knew their fate and we prayed that they would be the few lucky ones who are immune to the poison. One child got out of line and dash towards the door hand in hand. No one turns to look at her because as in the eyes of The One, being out of line is punishable. One of them took of their mask revealing a 15 year old girl, who looked more like a porcelain doll then a human, with her long ink colored hair slicked back into tight ponytails. Two of the unmasked men run up to the girl and grabbed both of her arms to force her toward the front of the hall. She screamed, struggled, trying desperately to break free from the man’s clutches. The girl was forced up onto the stage. I expected the unmasked man to let the girl go, but he held her in place, staring blankly at the crowd. I look up at the Butler family and watch as each of them were given a small bottle filled with a thick red liquid. A kind that only few are immune to. (Once the bottle touched their fingers the bottle, they gulped liquid.) Each of them fell to the ground all except the girl and a boy, whom I assumed was her brother. The boy fell to his knees and started to sob uncontrollably. His screams echoing through the hall piercing my ears. I squeezed my eyes shut, tears welling up in my eyes, my nails dug into my hand. I couldn’t stand the sound. We all knew the fate of the Butler family.

The unmasked men picked up the lifeless bodies and dragged them to the back of the stage to join the other men, women, and children, whose lives were stolen by The One to join him in the abyss. The two newly orphaned children were frozen, tears pouring down their faces, their cries echoed throughout the hall. I knew the pain and sorrow the two felt. It's a choice we don’t get the choice to make. Die or suffer the deaths of your loved ones. The leader of the unmasked men cry out in unison, “Rejoice young ones, for your family will be burnt under the sacred fires releasing their souls where they may join The One in his utopia. May they pass his tests, for if they fail, they will be forced to burn in the fiery pits of hell until The One frees them.” Then the Unmasked man procedes to escort the children to the door of the judgment hall. “Return to your sections,” he barks at the two children. The Leader returns to the front of the hall and raises both of his hand above his head. “Thank You Savior” he cries. We repeat his words. The lies left my lips like fire. I hate Tuesday.