The Third Selection

“…we here at ‘Purgatory’ sincerely hope that you enjoyed Six’s end and hope you’ll join us next time!”
“Fuck!” 01 screamed, grabbing a game system from beneath the television and throwing it across the room. “Son of a bitch!”
03 crossed the room quickly and wrapped his arms around the wailing wolf, following him to the floor as his knees gave out. “It’s okay… it’s okay… You saw the lines. He was gone in seconds.”
“Get off me!” 01 shouted, fur bristling as he fought the deer’s grip. “It isn’t okay! He… he was just starting his life. Just like me. He was sweet! He was fucking sweet!” The wolf glared at the domes, snarling and widening his eyes. “…And you fuckers killed him. Why? Why are you doing this?”
02 opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by 05 placing her hand on his arm and shaking her head.
“Why don’t you go try and get some sleep?” 03 offered.
“Sleep?” 01 laughed, finally managing to break away from the deer’s embrace. He scooted across the floor, eyes manic. “You want me to sleep. Sleep when I could be dead in a matter of hours?”
“I want you to breathe, One.”
The wolf paused, staring down at his shaking hands. “…I can still smell him on me. I…”
The deer stood and looked down at the canine with pity before turning to the other two competitors and shaking his head.
05 followed 03 to the kitchen, 02 padding over to the wolf’s side and sitting cross-legged before him.
“What… what do you want, Two?”
The cheetah shrugged, wringing his hands together and picking up a broken piece of a game system from the floor. “I just… I’m sorry, One.”
The wolf nodded, buried his face in his palms, and cried.

~

“How’s he doing?” 05 asked as 03 exited the bunkroom, closing the door behind him.
“Still in shock, I think, but I managed to get him in bed.”
“Good. Down to four now, huh?”
03 went to the kitchen, threw open the fridge, and grabbed himself a beer. Twisting the cap off, he tossed it on the counter and went to one of the sofas, collapsing against the leather and rubbing his eyes.
“Don’t you go breaking down me too,” 05 joked, sitting beside the deer. “What’ll we do without our leader?”
“Leader? Me?” 03 snorted and took a drink. “Hardly. I just… Three more of us are going to die, maybe myself, and I don’t see a point making it harder on one another.”
“So you’ve been saying since we woke. Leader.” 05 nodded, waving as 02 walked out of the bathroom, fur soaked through. “How was the shower?” she asked.
“…Fine…?”
“One is sleeping in there.” She nosed to the bunkroom. “Come watch a movie. Let’s let him rest. I was thinking of pulling up one with space battles.”
03 flinched and sat his drink aside. “Can we maybe do a modern action?”
“Heh, big stag afraid of aliens?”
The cervine shook his head. “It isn’t that. Four… She wrote science-fiction. I… read her notebook. I just don’t think…”
“Shit. Sorry. I didn’t know.”
“It’s fine.”
“How about this racing one?” 05 asked, pointing the remote at the screen.
02 ran the towel through his fur, shaking his head free of loose water, and walked to the sofa. “How do you get this thing to show regular television?”
05 squinted and looked down at the remote. “I’m not sure. I was wondering that myself.”
03 turned his back to 05. “Can you help me with this?” he asked, pointing to the zipper of his top. He stared at the television while the civet freed his chest of the confining garment, tossing it aside and leaning back against the sofa. “I doubt it can get outside channels. Can’t have us knowing where we are or if anyone’s looking for us.”
The civet smirked, tossing the controller to 02. “Nobody is looking for me, I can guarantee that.”
The cheetah tossed the towel to the floor and sat nude on the opposite sofa. “Didn’t you say you had a brother?” he asked, brushing the long bangs from his eyes.
“I did, yeah. But, I haven’t seen him in years. When I left home,” 05 snatched 03’s beer from his hand and brought it to her lips. Taking a drink, she handed the bottle back and continued, “Let’s just say it wasn’t a happy farewell between mom and pops. Now I get to die on some fucked up reality show.”
“You don’t know that,” 03 reiterated. “None of us do.”
02 cupped his toes around the edge of the coffee table and fidgeted with his tail. “Do you think there ‘are’ people looking for us? I mean… it’s been long enough, right? Maybe… maybe the police will break through at any minute!”
The deer nodded his head, lifting his bottle at that and finishing off its contents. “Maybe.”
05 frowned. “Don’t get your hopes up. This is underground. We’re probably on some oil rig off the coast of some backwater country.”
“Did we decide on this one?” 02 asked, nosing at the movie selection onscreen and changing the subject.
“Yeah, kid,” 03 responded. “That one looks good.”

~

“Can I join you?”
02 jerked up from the hot tub, holding a hand to his chest in shock before smiling and scooting aside. “Oh, hey. Sure.”
01 slipped the pants of his uniform off and slipped into the hot water, closing his eyes and exhaling before returning the cheetah’s smile. “Did you fall asleep in here?”
“Just a little.” 02 grabbed the remote alongside the hot tub and turned the television up.
“A western? I didn’t take you for the type to watch those old things.”
The cheetah shrugged. “I figured if I’m going to die, I might as well see all I can first, right?”
01 leaned back in the water, legs floating near the top, and closed his eyes. “Why don’t you sleep in the bunkroom?”
02 laughed. “It isn’t like I don’t want to, I just… have a hard time sleeping around others.”
“So, you’d prefer falling asleep in a hot tub?”
02 splashed water at the wolf and rested his head on his arm.
“Hey, be nice,” 01 chuckled, pressing his foot against the boy’s back and pushing gently.
“The first thing I’m going to do if I survive this,” 02 said, swatting the wolf’s foot away, “is eat burgers until I pass out.”
The wolf laughed louder and sunk deeper into the water. “Why don’t you ask Three? I’m sure he’d happily make you one.”
02 nodded. “Yeah, I’m sure he would. I just mean…” He turned his head cautiously up towards the cameras and sighed. “There was a place near where I grew up, real hole in the wall. But, I swear, One, they made the best damned burgers you can imagine. Add a little bacon and… fuck.”
“Sounds good. I was always a chicken sandwich man, myself.”
The boy groaned. “Ugh. That sounds great too.”
Nosing to the television, the wolf asked, “Tell me about this movie. What’s going on?”
02 fell back into the hot tub and threw his hands up. “Hell if I know. I don’t think I like westerns.”
01 and 02 laughed together at that.

~

“A little birdy told me,” 03 asked, pulling a pack of ground beef from the refrigerator, “that you were wanting burgers for lunch, Two?”
“I…” 02 shot an embarrassed look to 01, the wolf returning his gaze with a toothy smile. “…if you don’t mind.”
“And bacon. Add some bacon to it?” 01 proposed.
“You got it!”
“What about you?” 02 asked sheepishly. “I don’t want you to have a bad lunch.”
03 clicked the stove to life and sat the grill over the flame. “And why would I have a bad lunch?”
02 whispered. “It’s meat.”
The stag chuckled. “I eat meat, kid. On occasion.”
“Really? I’m sorry, I just… thought…”
“Not all meals, but I enjoy a burger from time to time.”
05 walked in at that, returning from her training in the main hall. “Did someone mention burgers?” she asked, sitting on a stool next to 01.
“That good for you?”
The civet slapped her hands against the kitchen counter. “Duh. Who the fuck says no to burgers?”
“Coming right up.”

~

“That makes five songs in a row,” 05 cheered, panting and staring at the screen, leaning against 01 for support. “Who’s next? How about you, Three?”
“I’m fine, thanks.”
“Oh, come on, don’t be a pussy. Come get that heart rate up, I’m sure the viewers will love it.” 05 held her hand to her chest and flicked through the songs as 02 stepped off, panting just as hard as the civet.
The deer chuckled and held his hands up. “Okay, okay.” Turning his head up at the cameras he smirked. “Who am I to deny my listeners?”
At that, something echoed out in the main hall, each contestant falling gravely silent.
05 was the first to move for the door, pausing just beside it, crouching in a defensive position. 03 moved to her side and gripped the handle.
“On three?” he whispered.
05 nodded.
“One… two… th-”
Someone knocked on the door, cutting 03 off. The two recoiled from the door as the handle turned.
Standing beside one another, the contestants watched in horror as the twin Pale Horses stepped in. Behind the equines, however, was a face familiar to the four. Ankou.
The coyote grinned, waving as though he were meeting them for the first time at a friend’s party. He wore a black vest, white, long-sleeved shirt underneath and a pair of straight, black dress pants.
“A ‘welcome!’ would be nice,” Ankou chided, bringing a sickly-grey, furred hand to his face, brushing the white bangs aside.
“What the fuck do you want?” 05 asked.
“You know?” Ankou asked, tapping on the chest of one of his bodyguards, “I like her. Even when she was kicking me in the face,” he paused, “especially when she was kicking me in the face… She’s got spunk. We could use more of that in these seasons, don’t you agree?”
The horse grunted, his twin folding his arms.
01 snarled. “What are you doing here, murderer?”
“Me or them?” Ankou asked, eyes wide with confusion, thumbing towards the Pale Horses. “I’d never hurt a fly.”
The wolf lunged forward, 03 turning and capturing the canine in his arms.
“Everyone is so on edge,” Ankou whispered.
“Is that odd for one of your ‘seasons’?” 03 asked over his shoulder. “You’re killing us.”
Ankou hummed and padded around the contestants, stopping by the kitchen counter and slumping down on a stool. “No, I suppose you’re right. Ah, well.”
“So, why are you here?” 02 asked.
“Right. I come bearing a gift one of you will greatly enjoy.” Ankou hooked his thumbs behind his belt and grinned.
02’s eyes lit up. “Are you going to let one of us free?”
“Oh, you sweet, naïve boy,” Ankou said sadly. “And look at that heart. Nearly double the speed it was when we walked in, isn’t that lovely audience?” The coyote waved up at the cameras before plucking a banana from the fruit bowl.
The cheetah covered his chest up with his hands, lips quivering.
“No need to bother with modesty, Two,” Ankou said, unpeeling the banana and taking a bite, “I say with no small amount of pleasure that your heart gets tuned in to above all the others here. Must be a cheetah thing.”
“Enough!” 03 shouted. “What ‘gift’ did you bring?”
Ankou pointed with the banana. “Knowledge.”
“Care you elaborate?” 01 asked through gritted teeth.
“Of course! Drumroll please!” The coyote slapped his hands against his legs. “You guys get to ask one question of me and I will answer it with absolute truth.”
The meaning wasn’t lost on the contestants as they all looked at one another with caution, nobody daring to speak first.
“As you noted last night, everything in here is disconnected from the real world. This is your chance to formulate a question where you can satisfy your curiosity. Or, you can ask anything else. How the weather is, what my fetishes are, where your bodies go, anything!”
“Where our-”
“Two, no!” 03 snapped, cutting him off before he could ask. “I see what you’re doing here, Ankou-”
“Shouldn’t you be adding ‘Master’ to the front of that?”
The stag’s eyes narrowed. “He’s trying to trick us. Nobody phrase anything as a question until we’ve decided amongst ourselves what to ask.”
“I love this deer,” Ankou said, wiping a fake tear from his eye, “so smart. One season, someone asked me if that was the only reason I was in here,” he laughed. “I had to have one of my beautiful twins here hold back the other contestants from tearing his throat out.”
“Can we-” 05 bit her lip and turned her eyes to 03. “Let’s go over by the television and discuss away from this fuck.”
“Agreed.”
Ankou grinned evilly as they crossed the room.
“Anyone have any suggestions?” 03 asked, whispering quietly.
“Well, the obvious one would be to ask where we are,” 05 offered.
02 nodded. “If someone with law enforcement is watching, they’ll be able to send help.”
01 shook his head. “No, no. That’s too easy. As far as we know, we’re on a ship somewhere. They had to have taken precautions for such a basic question.”
“Do you have any suggestions?” 03 asked the wolf.
“Maybe… How deeply do you think they looked into our lives?”
05 jerked her thumb at 02. “They got this kid’s life all on camera. Ankou posed as a cardiologist.”
The wolf waved his hands. “No, I don’t mean like that. I mean… do you think they checked on our families?”
The other three contestants looked down at that, worry crossing their features.
“My parents both work with the government. Mom’s a captain in the Navy, Dad is a military lawyer. If we can word it right… maybe we can get Ankou to reveal something specific about our location beyond ‘off the coast of butt fuck nowhere’.”
“Tick tock,” Ankou called from the stool. “Every moment you deliberate is another moment closer to the third selection!”
“Would you-”
“Five,” 03 warned.
“Fuck him…”
“Do you think they’re watching?” 02 asked hopefully.
01’s shoulders slumped as though the possibility seemed less likely. “I don’t really know… Maybe I’m grasping at straws.”
“Yeah,” 05 agreed. “They’d have to find wherever these fucks are streaming. I doubt it’s advertised on television.”
03 licked his lips and pointed up at the cameras. “Ankou might not be able to hear us… but the viewers can. You revealing what you did might alert ‘someone’ to who you are.”
“If anyone is watching,” 05 reiterated.
03 nodded.
“I… have a suggestion too,” 02 said quietly.
The deer smiled. “Let’s hear it.”
“What happens to the winner?”
They all exchanged glances, looking somewhat confused.
“Think about it!” the cheetah continued. “They can’t just… open the door to ‘Heaven’ and let us out, right? Why wouldn’t we just go straight to the authorities?”
“Fuck, kid has a point,” 05 relented.
01 growled. “How do we even word that? What’s keeping Ankou from just saying the winner is set free?”
“Do you think,” 03 clapped his hands together and pointed with his fingers. “Do you think that the show keeps tabs on the victor? Like… if we asked what he was doing now… would they know?”
“Do we care?” 05 asked. “I mean, I personally don’t give a damn what happened last season. I want out of ‘this’ season. With my heart beating,” she added, staring up at the cameras.
“They know our names, right?” 01 asked.
“Be quiet!” 02 growled, jerking his head up towards the slit in the ceiling where the turret was housed.
“I’m not going to say mine,” 01 assured. “I was just thinking… what if we asked the name of last season’s winner?”
The group pondered that for a moment. 03 spoke up first. “Say someone is watching the stream who is looking for us… what would knowing the name of the last winner do? Chances are, he didn’t know where they were either.”
“Unless,” 05 interjected, “they asked the right question themselves. Ours could narrow it down!”
02 sighed. “We don’t even know if Ankou did this last season.”
“Fuck, he’s right,” 01 agreed.
“What’ll it be?” Ankou called, rummaging through the refrigerator and helping himself to a stick of string cheese.
“We’re still deciding!” 01 hollered.
“It’s your lives,” Ankou shrugged, offering a stick to his bodyguards.
“I don’t know what to ask,” 03 relented. “What are we thinking? Do we ask about One’s parents, ask the last season winner’s name, or ask where we’re located?”
“…I’d like to rescind my suggestion,” 01 offered. “Even if they have people on this… I’m not a senator’s son or anything. It’s… not likely.”
03 placed his hand on the wolf’s shoulder reassuringly and nodded. “That leaves two options.”
“It’s basic,” 05 said, gritting her teeth, “but I think our best bet is to ask where we are. For all we know, the winner of last season has since died.”
02 began sniffing, his leanly muscled body quivering.
03 hugged the cheetah tightly. “How do we word it?”
“If only our writer was still alive.”
“Really, Five?” 01 snapped. “Really?”
“…Sorry.”
The deer breathed deep, chest rising and falling slowly. “How about this? Where exactly is ‘Purgatory’ located?”
“Where is the ‘show’ ‘Purgatory’ located,” 01 corrected. “Ankou strikes me as the type to get philosophical if we don’t word it right.”
“Okay. Is that good with you three?”
“No,” 05 shook her head. “It isn’t good enough. I can think of at least three different ways Ankou can deflect the question.”
“All right, how would you word it?” 03 asked.
The civet pursed her lips.
“The address.” 02 spoke softly, turning his head up and looking over the others’ faces. “Why don’t we ask for the address? If there is one, we’ll have that, if there isn’t we’ll know if we’re moving.”
“I’m… I’m good with that,” 05 agreed.
“Same here,” 01 added.
“All right. I’m on board too,” 03 nodded.
The four turned back to Ankou, crossing the room in near silence, only their footfalls echoing through the dormitory.
“Came to a decision, finally? I thought I was going to have to escort you to the main hall for your selection myself.”
03 looked over his shoulder, making eye contact with each contestant before facing Ankou. “What is the address where the show ‘Purgatory’ is being filmed?”
At first, Ankou’s eyes widened, then he grinned, devilish teeth baring themselves in his trademark smile. “Oh… Oh, you are a clever bunch, aren’t you?”
“Answer the question, fucker,” 05 demanded.
“Very well.” The coyote hopped off the stool and padded over to one of the walls, knocking a fist against the wood and pointing to the floor. “There is no address. We are always moving.”
“Fuck that!” 01 shouted. “There has to be an address!”
“Motherfucker!” The civet ran forward, skidding to a stop as a Pale Horse placed himself between her and the host.
“Always moving,” 03 repeated. “He’s not… he’s not lying.”
“One was right,” the cheetah said. “We’re on a ship.”
“Ship, plane, outer space, who knows?” Ankou chuckled and snapped his fingers. “Let’s go, boys.” The Pale Horses backed out of the dormitory as Ankou exited, keeping their hooded faces on the contestants as they retreated.
“He’s getting in the coach,” 03 stated, staring with 05 through the door.
“Yeah. Notice anything else?”
Ankou turned to wave at them as he closed the door to the coach.
The deer stiffened and brought his lips in close to the civet’s ear. “The wheels are spinning,” he whispered.
05 swallowed heavily before turning and facing 01 and 02. “Anyone else up for another game?”

~

The contestants’ spirits remained down for the remainder of the evening. None of them had the energy to do much besides sit on the sofas together and watch a bad comedy flick. None were laughing.
When the siren went off, they looked to one another tiredly and rose to their feet, remaining silent despite the spike in their heart rates.
“You four aren’t being very entertaining, you know,” Ankou chided, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth like a parent scolding a child. “And after that wonderful presentation your hearts were giving our viewers earlier on the dance machine. One, I should have examined ‘your’ heart, not Two’s!”
The wolf held his middle finger up at the cameras before huddling close to the group.
“Charming. Well, you guys know the drill. One hour.”
“Anyone have anything they’d like to do before we go…?” 03 asked the group.
05 sat back down on the sofa and resumed the film. “Yeah. I want to see if this idiot actor learns not to laugh in the parts where he’s trying to be serious.”
01 sat beside her and scratched at his muzzle. “I think that’s more a fault of the director than the actor.”
The contestants laughed, genuinely, for the first time since Ankou’s visit.

~

“Ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, ladies,” Ankou snapped his fingers three times, “and gentlemen! Welcome… to another selection here in ‘Purgatory’! Who will end their time with us and leave through the door to ‘Hell’? Stay tuned to find out!”
The contestants stood close to one another, 02 taking his usual place in 03’s arms, 01 and 05 standing on either side. The entire group looked somber. Spent. Even 05 seemed to lack the energy to direct her usual insults at the mirror.
Ankou frowned, mildly annoyed by the numbers drop in viewers. He checked the stream, noting that all lights were green, and squinted at the cause standing below his mirror. Though the drop-off wasn’t high, he couldn’t quit looking at the screen.
“You four know how this works, right? I’ll press this button here,” he said, fighting to keep his energy up, “and the light will select your means of execution! Two of them are already off the chart, leaving three exciting methods for grabs! Gallows, Gas Chamber, or Vivisection! Who wants to give one final dance for the audience? How about inhaling poisonous fumes while being free to wander the room? Or my personal favorite… who wants to see their heart removed right before their eyes?”
“Just hit the button,” 03 said, hugging the cheetah.
Though their fight was lacking, Ankou was pleased to see the EKG lines jumping wildly on the meter. “As you wish,” he answered in a singsong voice, pressing the button on the console.”
As always, the light started over ‘Gallows’ and began dancing over the remaining methods at a quick rate. Before long, however, it slowed, bouncing between each at a declining pace and, finally, coming to a stop.
Four.
“Would you look at that? It must be my lucky day. Vivisection!” Ankou watched as the heart monitors skyrocketed at the choice, blasting past all previous days’ selections. “Such strong, healthy hearts. Who will be showcasing theirs to our audience?”
“Just… get it over with!” 05 shouted, shaking visibly.
01 reached out and offered a hand.
At first, 05 shook her head, but after her heart skipped hard, the line of her EKG taking a moment to return to normal, she accepted the gesture and interlaced her fingers with his.
“Not me, not me, not me…” 02 kept saying over and over, eyes tightly shut.
Even 03 looked shaken, the big stag’s arms trembling as he held the cheetah close to his body.
Ankou was used to the responses but it never grew old. Being executed was one thing, being cut open and exposed was another. Inputting his password, he waited, finger over the button that would reveal their votes, savoring the fear his show placed in the hearts of the four below him.
“Come on!” 01 shouted then, teeth bared in a rage induced snarl. “Are you having technical difficulties?”
Ankou licked his lips. With a short laugh resembling a bark, he pressed the button on the console, watching intently as the votes flowed in.
Being down to four, the votes were more skewed, favorites of the audience garnering more votes than others. Some were significantly lower than others, but, as always, one number collected the most.
“One.”
The wolf released 05’s hand and staggered away, fear taking control of his body as he ran back towards the dormitory, fighting with the locked door. “No… no, no, no, no, no… Not like… not me… please!”
02 fell to his knees, 03 guiding him down so he didn’t hurt himself. “Thank you, thank you…” the cheetah kept repeating.
“I guess I get my wish after all,” Ankou said, chuckling. “I’ll get to check your heart out even closer than Two’s now.”
“Shut up!” 03 hollered. “For once, can you please just be quiet?”
“Come now, Three. You’ve already used your question.” Ankou laughed and looked over at 01’s heart monitor. “Say, wolfie, have you ever had your heart examined before? Your poor ticker is doing 203 right now. That’s fast even for this. You’ve already beaten your boy, Six, out.”
The wolf pressed his back against the door, holding his hands to his ears as if to shut everything out. Panting, he slid down the wood until he was sitting, eyes unblinking as the Pale Horses exited the coach.
05 attempted to slow the horses down, standing defiantly even as one aimed his gun at her chest. “Three? You got him?” she asked, taking a step back as the Pale Horse pointed the barrel down at her knee.
The stag knelt alongside 01, gripping his sweating hands in his, massaging at the palm pads and looking him in the eye.
“W… what… what should I do?” 01 stuttered. “Three… help…”
03 closed his eyes and rose, his EKG fluctuating wildly. “Ankou!”
“Yes, Three?”
“Take my heart instead. It’s pumped far more than One’s here. Don’t you think the audience would rather see one with some miles on it?”
“Really?” Ankou asked with genuine surprise. “That… that’s never happened before. I…” The coyote looked back at his team, glad to see that he wasn’t the only one taken aback.
“Three?” 05 asked, stepping aside for the Pale Horses as they approached.
The deer stood, chest pushed out, breathing quickly. “What do you say, Ankou? How’d you like to see my heart?”
The coyote drew a pen from his vest pocket and chewed idly on the cap. His Pale Horses turned and looked up at the mirror expectantly.
“I’m sorry,” Ankou said, a rare show of truth coming through the microphone. “I… admire your sacrifice. But, the rules are rules. Pale Horses, please take One to the ‘Hell’ chamber.” Flicking his mic off, he paused for just a moment before turning the monitor in 01’s chest on.
“No!” 01 screamed, grasping 03’s leg tightly, trying with all his might not to be lifted off his feet. His muscles rivaled that of the Pale Horses, but they were two and he was one.
Knowing he couldn’t help any further, 03 stepped away, refusing to watch the monitor as 01 was hauled towards the door, his toe claws scraping loudly over the floor.
05 stood in silence, torn between 03 and 01. “Good luck,” she whispered before going to 02’s side. Fulfilling the job 03 couldn’t, she hefted the cheetah to his feet and ushered him back inside ‘Penance’, leaving the deer alone with 01’s heartbeat in the main hall.
As always, the execution chamber had been fitted to match the scene. At the center of the room sat a metal operating table, straps for the wolf’s ankles, wrists, and neck waiting for him like vipers. Hanging above the table was the mirror and cameras from 06’s execution. Alongside the table stood a tray topped with surgical equipment, beside which rested a device connected to what looked like an oxygen tank.
01 fell to the floor as the Pale Horses released him, watching with horror as the door sealed itself behind them. “Please, don’t do this,” he begged, crawling up to one and pressing the top of his muzzle to his hoof. “Please!”
In what could be called compassion, the horse sighed and pulled the wolf up. “It won’t hurt as much as you think. We’ll fill you with anesthesia.”
“I… I’ll die in my sleep?” the wolf asked, heart skipping painfully through the speakers.
“No, but it will kill your major pain receptors. You’ll feel some tugging and burning, a bit of a pressure… but then nothing. We’re here to kill you, not torture you.”
“Please take the top of your uniform off and lay back on the table,” spoke the second horse as he checked over the tools.
“I don’t want to die…” the wolf said, tears dripping down his muzzle.
“I know.” The first horse felt over the wolf’s arms. “You put a lot of effort into this body-”
“Brother,” the second warned.
The first nodded. “Please. Remove your top and lay back on the table.”
01 fumbled with the latex, barely managing to get it off by himself. Letting it fall to the floor, he padded over to the operating table and ran his hands over the cool surface. His heart slammed against his ribs, slightly vibrating his pec.
“Hop up,” the second commanded, tapping the butt of what appeared to be a handsaw against the metal frame.
The wolf hyperventilated but brought a leg up, sliding atop the table and whimpering as the first Pale Horse came into view. “Fuck… that… that was…”
The horse cocked his head to the side, dead eyes of his hood staring down at his patient.
“That was the last time my feet will ever feel the floor…” 01 spoke quickly, rubbing them together, wincing as the ankle straps were pulled tight.
The Pale Horse gripped the over the wolf’s toes reassuringly, warming the pads with his hands before patting the tops of his feet. Silently, he worked with the wrist straps before coming to 01’s neck, taking care not to pull it too tight.
“Lean your head up for me?” the second asked, holding up the mask from the anesthesia.
01 complied, openly crying as the mask was fitted around his muzzle, tears turning to sobs as the horse turned the dial on the tank, each breath causing him to lose more feeling, starting in his fingers and toes.
After a minute of nothing but his heart racing, the horses exchanged glances with one another and began their work, the first standing beside the tool tray, handing off a scalpel to the second.
“Ready?” the surgeon asked, placing the tip of the scalpel against the wolf’s heaving chest.
“No… No, I’m… I’m not…” 01 could barely speak, the anesthesia leaving him lightheaded.
The Pale Horse shrugged and began the cut, 01’s eyes widening as he watched the mirror in terror, the scalpel sliding through the fur and flesh of his chest.
“It stings!” 01 choked, gritting his teeth and taking deep breaths of the anesthesia.
The first horse reached over to the tank and turned the dial up another click before taking the scalpel back from his twin and handing over the bone saw.
The racing beat of 01’s heart was drowned out momentarily as the surgeon began to carefully saw through his sternum, the wolf closing his eyes tightly.
Handing off the saw, the second horse accepted a rib spreader from his ‘assistant’ and fit it in place. Turning the crank, the wolf was treated to the squishing sound of his heart exposing itself to the open air. The speakers fluctuated as they picked up the splashes of 01’s heart rather than the bass filled beats.
“Look,” the first Pale Horse said.
01 opened his eyes, staring at the mirror in wonder. There, beating within the protective confines of his pericardium, was his heart, lungs ballooning quickly on either side. “That’s… my heart…?”
“Yes. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” the surgeon asked, turning away from the wolf and collecting a fresh scalpel.
“You’re just as strong internally as your muscles suggest,” the first commented.
The wolf smiled momentarily, a strange show of pride revealing itself on his face. Then the second turned and his smile changed to a show of extreme fear.
“Easy. You’ve still got time, I’m just exposing your heart now.”
“W… what do you call that then…?”
The horse hummed before pressing a finger against the jumping muscle, causing it to skip hard, 01 wincing. “This is your pericardium. It’s the sac that surrounds your heart. If we pinch it,” he took ahold of it with a large tool resembling tweezers, “like so… We can open it up.”
The wolf froze, holding his breath while the surgeon worked, taking care not to move, eyes filled with fear as the white sac was split open, revealing the red, veiny surface of his heart, the muscle revealing itself at last.
“Beautiful,” the surgeon said, returning the tools to the tray.
“W… what is that stuff?” 01 asked, staring at the mirror, mesmerized by the movements his heart made as it kept him alive, the muffled squishing through the speakers keeping perfect timing with each pump.
“What is- Oh. The yellow? That’s fat.”
01 opened his mouth, ears folding back as though he were embarrassed. “My heart is fatty…?”
“Everyone’s is,” spoke the first horse, handing another tool off to his brother. “Yours has the right amount. It couldn’t be healthier.”
“…But the speed…”
“Some people just run hot,” the second horse shrugged. “As far as I can tell, yours is perfect.”
“And now it… it’s going to be taken out…?”
“Yes. It’s time.”
The wolf lost his composure at that, moving what little the straps and anesthesia allowed. “No! I don’t want to die. I don’t want to die!”
“Nobody does,” the surgeon said, reaching one hand into 01’s chest, the other bringing forward what looked like a slim pair of shears.
“But, even our hearts will stop someday. Momento mori.” The first of the Pale Horses stood at the head of the table, placing his hands on 01’s shoulders, more to keep him from moving than for comfort.
The surgeon began his work. He gripped the heart tight, 01’s mouth opening as he gasped, the sudden lack of blood flow causing his head to spin. With a few expert cuts, he watched as his heart was removed from his chest.
He panted, staring with wonder as his lungs filled and emptied. The space where his heart once resided, an empty cavity, only his heavy breaths coming through the speakers.
“Look at it,” the first said as the surgeon held the still beating muscle before the wolf’s face. It pumped madly in the horse’s hand, remnant blood spilling out over the table, beating as though it were still safely kept within its host. “Amazing.”
“It…” the wolf panted, tears matting his fur and streaming from his eyes. “It… h… hurts…”
“I know,” the first whispered. “That’s your brain shutting down. Not long now.”
“I…” 01 attempted to speak but his lungs refused to inflate. His eyes began to dull, even as his heart continued jerking in the surgeon’s hand.
The Pale Horses looked at one another and, as procedure demanded, began their checks.
Though there was little point in checking for a reflex with 01’s heart removed, the first horse drew his penlight out and shined it in both of the wolf’s eyes before moving to his feet. Quickly, he dragged the rod over the canine’s sole and nodded. No movement in the toes. 01 was gone.
Ankou could barely restrain himself. The coyote and his crew watched with amazement as 01’s heart continued beating for the next three minutes before falling into fibrillation and finally going still. He looked over at the screen, a wave of relief washing through him as the viewer count rose higher than it had the previous two days. 01 had done well.
“Ladies and gentlemen… what can I possibly say that hasn’t been shown?” Ankou took control of the main camera and slowly panned it up from 01’s toes, to his open chest, and finally his vacant expression. “I’d thought this wolf’s heart was in trouble, given its usual speed, but, I happily admit that I was wrong. What a stunning organ.”
Reluctantly, Ankou typed in the camera number watching the ‘Heaven’ door, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. It had been a long day for everyone.
“What an amazing end to such an energetic life! Thank you for witnessing this with us here in ‘Purgatory’, and as always… we hope you’ll join us for the next session!” Flipping off his mic, Ankou slid his hand under his shirt, cupping his palm over his heart and closing his eyes.
The third lock holding the door to ‘Heaven’ shot loose, the red light signifying a contestant’s life joining the others in death.