Anarchy | The Boys

12

Compound V.

Words being thrown around in shadows and in whispers, yet words that have absolutely no meaning to Petra. She doesn't want to hear about it, and yet she does. In passing as people's thoughts make themselves known inside her head. She knows the word Compound V, but she doesn't know the meaning of Compound V.

And so, she thinks nothing of it as she eats her apple in the hallway.

" So, I've been meaning to tell you something," Starlight says with a smile as they walk side by side," Unless you don't care--"

" No, no, no, I care," Petra says with a smile," Go on."

" Well," Starlight says as she bites her lip," I, uh... had a date."

" With who?" Petra asks excitedly.

" His name's Hughie," Starlight responds," He's really sweet."

" Where'd you guys go."

" We went bowling."

And even though Petra smiles, even though she's happy that Starlight can have this bit of normalcy, a part of her breaks as she listens to Starlight go on, for it's a bit of normalcy she'll never have again. She'll never be able to have a first date, she no longer remembers her first kiss, and wishes she didn't remember her first time.

" Anywho," Starlight sighs once she wraps up her little ramble," I gotta get going. Believe Expo."

" What's that?" Petra asks as she tilts her head.

Starlight laughs, assuming Petra is making some kind of joke, but Petra is dead serious. She has no idea what the Believe Expo is.

And it's at the Believe Expo where Starlight takes a brave step forward and goes off scrip.

" Every single word that I say up here, I'm reading from a script. I didn't write any of these words. I don't even know if I believe in them. I mean, I believe in God, I love God so much, but... Honestly, it's... it's just how goddamn certain everyone is around here. I mean, tickets start at, what, 170 bucks, so that these people can tell you how to get to heaven? How do they know? How does anybody know? When the Bible was written, life expectancy was 30 years old. I mean, I'm not so sure you're supposed to take it literally. It also says that it's a sin to eat shrimp. What, if you're gay or if you're Gandhi, you're going to hell? I mean... And if you have sex before marriage, that's, that's not immoral. That's human. What's immoral is the guy who shoved his dick in my face. Here's the truth. Anyone who tells you they know the answers is lying. And I know, I know, I'm supposed to be this hero-idol-symbol-whatever, but I don't know what the hell I'm doing. I'm just as scared and confused as the rest of you. I'm done pretending, and I'm done taking any more shit. Thank you."

Petra watches on the TV in her suite, her first time ever watching the Believe Expo. Part of her feels a sense of pride wash over her, seeing Starlight break the narrative like that, but the other part of her is pissed, and one part is the clear winner. Her eyes glow a menacing scarlet as her mind sits with Starlight's words. It all clicks together, and so she jumps up from her couch as storms out of the suite.

The hallway is dark, the only light coming from the TVs in the Seven meeting room where the Deep sits.

Petra's eyes pierce through the darkness like twin flames of rage. The glow emanating from her eyes intensifies, casting an eerie scarlet glow around her. The hallway seems to shrink in the intensity of her anger, shadows dancing in the corners as if trying to escape the wrath she's about to unleash.

She strides purposefully toward the Seven meeting room, her every step echoing with determination. The muted sounds of the TV within grow louder as she approaches. The scene on the screen shows Starlight's unexpected rebellion at the Believe Expo, a moment that struck a chord within Petra, resonating with the frustration she's been harboring.