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Chapter 2.5 - Happenstance
“My kingdom for a way less boring secret cult,” Alice mutters.
“What?” Miko frowns but keeps her voice low enough not to echo.
The Secret Society members haven’t done much of anything besides huddle in small groups and talk. Alice and Miko have been sitting on pins and needles for over an hour.
“I know you think I’m crazy and don’t have a plan,” Alice starts.
“I hate to break it to you,” Miko replies, “But you don’t. You think if you get straight As and a distinguished mark on your final project, it will be enough to get you over the hump. But the review panel awards that to projects that offer ‘groundbreaking editorial commentary through art.’”
“I know! You don’t think I know that?”
“No, I don’t think you do,” she hisses. “I love you, Alice, you’re my best friend. But you have no idea how any of this will turn out. You are betting your entire degree on an exhibition about a bunch of undergrads in costume. Students who pull off distinguished marks work on their projects for years, not months.”
“I know!”
“Then why are you doing this?” she prods. “You could delay graduation; take the time you need to actually get your GPA up.”
Just the thought of hanging around an extra semester sends Alice’s pulse racing. She bites down on her lip so hard she tastes blood. “I can’t.”
“Oh, Alice...”
“If I don’t do it, then Jeffery’s right: I am stupid, and I was lucky that he was willing to take care of me because I obviously can’t do it myself.” The words shame her so much she wants to curl up in a ball. Alice shakes her head to clear it. “I don’t mean that. I’m just…I don’t mean that.”
Miko climbs to her feet and scowls as she offers a hand. “That man hit you.”
“I know what he did. I was there. And I don’t want to go back.” She takes the hand, letting Miko pull her to her feet.
“Good. And your weirdos are starting to do something more than talk, so let’s get this party started.”
Alice strips off her sweatshirt and stuffs it into her backpack so she can move freely. Then, out comes her camera.
Click. She snaps pictures as the sims in robes begin to twirl, their bodies curving and sensuous, almost—
—ecstatic.
Click. A low hum builds as the robed figures speed up, their bodies bending and snapping in unnatural ways.
Was it some kind of yoga? Alice started taking classes during rehab in hopes it would help her calm down, but she never learned any shit like this. She pauses to check the battery on her camera.
“We have to go,” Miko croaks.
“What do you mean?” Alice looks up, but what she sees doesn’t make any sense. Those sims can’t be floating. And where is that light coming from? Was it always there?
“Alice! Seriously! We gotta move!” Miko tugs at her arm, jolting her back to reality.
Right, the correct thing to do when the weird cult you’re stalking starts chasing you is run.
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