the darling

“There’s a lot of different types of movies I didn’t know existed either. Some movies don’t even make any sense. I guess that’s what makes them art or whatever,” Johnny shrugged. At this point, he didn’t care what type of movie it was. For one, he was excited to be watching it and have access to it. But also, if it made him feel something then it was definitely worth it to watch it for him. “I don’t know. I guess some people will do anything to take their mind off things. Or they just love an adrenaline rush.” For him, Johnny could say that he liked to be scared for both of those reasons. “Of course. A lot of movies are based off of books, I think. Are there any in particular you might want to watch?”

Anna listened with rapt attention as Johnny talked about movies. In books, they were so commonplace, things that people saw alone, together, on dates, with families. She couldn’t help but wonder why Salvation didn’t allow movies. Surely there had to be suitable movies about God that didn’t consist of a few lengthy VeggieTales episodes, right? “I don’t know that I’d like to be scared by a movie,” she commented, wrinkling her nose. “I’m not sure. I really liked Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carrol, and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I think those two would make excellent movies.”

At first, it seemed as though Johnny hadn’t made any progress in recruiting Anna to the revolutionaries. Despite his defeat, he smiled back at her until her next question took him by surprise. It wasn’t much, but it was something. She was curious and that was all that mattered. All of the revolutionaries were curious about what they’d been left out from at first. That’s how most of them became how they were. “They sure do, and they’re pretty great if you ask me. A lot of people hate the idea of being scared but I think it can be really thrilling. At least when you’re watching one of the good ones.”

“I thought movies were supposed to be a happy thing? In all the books people watch romantic comedies and laugh about them, but I’ve never really heard of scary movies before,” she told him. Sad movies, sure, a wide range of emotions for movies she had heard of, but not scary. “Why would anyone want to be scared?” she asked, pushing away her worries about getting caught, even if only for a few moments. “Do they make movies that are like books?”

“You never know until you try, Anna. I promise it won’t kill you.” Although he couldn’t promise that. Not whatever happened to Myra, and for that he was angry, upset, saddened by the ways of Salvation. None of his friends deserved to burn for having a little fun. “I don’t know, anything you want. Comedy, horror, romance…”

Anna smiled good-naturedly, though everything Faith had told her made her unsure of his words. It was dangerous, to go against God’s Law. It was a sin, something to be avoided. But then again, so was reading books that were hidden away in the back of the library, supposedly dangerous. “They make horror movies?” she asked curiously, now fully immersed in at least learning more about the things she had only barely learned about before.

Masterlist of Memes

The backpack was inched towards Jill’s shoulders again, and she pulled upon its straps to fasten them, arms relaxed as she gave the lightest look of a grimace. “I’m surprised you think you did have a life,” Jill remarked, playfulness deliberately withdrawn. It was indeed what she truly thought of Anna, but she was a better person than most teenagers around town. “Not mindlessly drawing into the ground for sure.” Returning friendliness was not her specialty. 

The problem Anna had with Jill was that she could never tell if what they were talking about was a joke or not. She wasn't the best at picking up sarcasm as it was, but when Jill got serious like this, was she actually serious? Or was she joking? “Well, I’m bored. I don’t really have many better ideas and drawing mindlessly into the ground seemed like a good idea at the time. Do you have any better ideas for something to do?”

He’d given her minutes, and was timing it on his watch. One thing he hated was the post-fuck lingering. Since it was midday the latest girl was more receptive in going out first, she kissed him before she left, leaving her phone number in his hand. With her hopeful eyes searing into him Luke pocketed it, and made a vague plan to call her sometime. She attempted to stay in their bubble, to gain something more solid out of the nothing he presented her. Many had tried and none had succeeded, he decided it was time he angled his watch to show that the streets would fill again and church service would be getting out. Halfway through the usual lines, how great she was, how beautiful, her eyes flicked to the intended target. An unsubtle way of saying, she better get on her way if she didn’t want her friends asking questions. It worked and she was out the door in seconds when the realization dawned on her. 

The book that Essie had given her a few weeks ago was one that Anna found the need to keep reading. It was so heartbreaking and intriguing that she couldn’t bear to put it down, not even when she finished it for the second time. Something about a society where they burned books solely because they didn’t want people reading chilled her to the bone. She was glad they didn’t burn books in Salvation. They only locked them up but you could still get to them if you knew how. Censorship was a word she’d been trying on her tongue for the past couple of weeks. Was censorship something that was happening in Salvation? Even if it was for their own protection. 

Freddy stared at her blankly. “No.” His voice was firm, but he in his good spirits couldn’t disguise the twinge of amusement that crept into his tone. Anna was just so…he didn’t want to call her innocent, nobody on the side of Myra’s burning could warrant that, but he was at a loss for a better word. Innocent to the laughable extreme, that’s what she was. A picture perfect example of just how badly Salvation could brainwash you. “You actually do something other than read the Bible?” He folded his arms across his chest, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Color me surprised.”

Anna nodded, sure that she should have known the answer before she even asked the question. Maybe before he had gone off the edge he would have found Assumption to be a fun time, but not anymore. Now he was crazy as Faith put it and Godless as Lizzy put it. At his comment, her expression morphed into something that was a mixture of annoyance and unimpressed neutrality. “Of course, I do. I do have a life, you know.” Was this what people thought of her? That she was nothing more than a Bible reader?

“No.” Nora snapped, putting her headphones back in. There was a pause before she played her music, though. “You can go now.”

“Wait! Could you help us look for it? It’s only that we don’t know where it went but it’ll be easier if we have more people looking instead of just us,” she said, not taking the cue to leave.

“I guess you can’t be good at everything you do.” Wouldn’t it be a perfect world if every subject came as easy as pie to himself? “They’re waiting to see if we slip. Don’t give them the satisfaction.” 

“I suppose you’re right, but it would be rather nice, wouldn’t it?” she speculated with a shrug of her shoulders. “True! But it’s so hard to focus knowing that everything exciting is going on outside of school, not in it.”