Botanicaust

Name … ”
    The words thrummed along her spine like the bass in a song, tugging deep in her gut. What was he chanting? A past she didn ’ t want to remember. Now it was her turn to back toward the cell door. Fumbling for the palm pad and escape, she fled up the stairs, hardly able to breathe.

    Until this moment, Levi had thought only himself in danger from the Blattvolk. When they didn ’ t immediately alter him, he ’ d become complacent, unaware of their real intent. Of course they didn ’ t want just him. They wanted all his people. The Blattvolk wanted to pervert the world.
    They were after Josef. And Samuel, and Beth…
    Thoughts of offering salvation left his mind. The time for dreaming was over. When he ’ d fallen to his knees reciting the Lord ’ s Prayer, the abomination had fled, as if burned by the Word of God. These people truly were damned if the prayer affected them so.
    He had to act. But what could he do? He could go back to starving himself. Could he manage to die before they forced the Mark of the Beast upon him? Once they changed him, would his mind alter, as well? Would he then betray his people? He couldn ’ t let that happen.
    Would his death save the Holdout? The Blattvolk knew about his home. With their flying machines, did they even need Levi to lead them there? They ’ d find the village eventually.
    The cannibal dogs would be useless in the face of the flamethrowers. The tunnels his people hid inside during a fence breach would not conceal them from the Blattvolk for long. The technology available to the abominations would lead them straight to the secret entrances.
    No, his death would not stop the Blattvolk. He had to escape and warn the Brethren. They had to find a better way to hide when the Blattvolk came.
    As he had many times, Levi examined the door and lock of his cell. Tula came and went with the swipe of her hand on a flat pad near the lock. His own hand merely turned the screen red. The lock had no manual keyhole as far as he could tell.
    The cage bars were set into the cement floor and ceiling. The cot, toilet, and small sink were solidly attached, as well. The flaccid gamma pad sheet and the stubby plastic pencil were useless. All he had was the single blanket he kept wrapped around his waist. Nothing to help him escape.
    But maybe he could bluff his way. Awnia ’ s violence had been poorly executed, with her separated from her captors by bars. Tula had been entering the cell. If the Blattvolk thought he might harm her, then perhaps she would open the door for him.
    But what if she fought back?
    Levi paced the bars. Jesus taught to turn the other cheek, and the Brethren took that seriously, not even fighting when the cannibals found a way through the fence. God would save them, or it was His will they join Him in Heaven.
    Flexing his hands, he reminded himself that these were Blattvolk. Not real people. Jesus ’ s words did not apply to them. It couldn ’ t. In this case, he might have to use force, like rounding up livestock. Just enough to convince the Blattvolk he was serious. His people ’ s lives were at stake. More than that — their souls would be threatened with damnation if the Blattvolk found them. God would forgive him a little force.
    He sat on the bed, telling himself how easy it would be to overpower Tula. She was tiny. She didn ’ t carry any weapons. But how could he keep her from screaming? Maybe his blanket could be useful.
    He ’ d be careful not to hurt her. And he must avoid looking at the pin k patch of humanity on her arm.

T ula leaned against the outside of her apartment, soaking up the afternoon sun reflecting off all the mirrored privacy screens. She dug in her pocket for the last of the candy. Her tongue had sugar burn from the previous two, but the sensation comforted her.
    Over and over, her mind played the last few moments with Levi. The prayer on his lips had opened a chasm of coalescing memories and made her nauseous. She tried not to think about the words and contemplated his look of absolute revulsion when he realized she was inviting him to convert. How could he not see the gift she was offering him? She thought they had been building a decent relationship — fostering trust and respect. But all along he ’ d been horrified. Of this place. Of conversion.
    She traced the edge of her scar as the sunlight tingled across the rest of her skin. How had she felt when the Haldanians invited her to convert? She could barely