Pygmy (9 page)

Burdened, slung to carry over shoulder, sister totes fabric sack weighed with mystery cargo. Initial sister disappear within window. Next now, sack of cargo conveyed into sleeping chamber. During all procedure no sound twig snap, no rustle foliage. No neighborhood canine cry out. No electric fixture illuminate interior sleeping chamber.

Quote, “Insurrection is an art, and like all arts has its own laws.”

When calculation position lunar satellite, taking account season, place hour at 1:07 with twenty-four-second margins for error. For official record, host family domicile remain dark. Sister window slide until healed in wall. Remain outdoors this agent to accomplish pick lock, gain entry.

Begins here tenth account of operative me, agent number 67, recall former practice offensive attack exercise
. Battle gallery
. Headquarters
. Combat rehearsal dated back many year. For official record, repeat recounting here formative history of operative me.

For reinforce early lesson training of operative me.

Depict here standard battle gallery, layered mirror to cover all one wall. No window. Cement floor sullied often with blemish ancient bloodstain. All operative present for the practice of Flying Hyena,
lash-pow
, single leg sweep thrust. Operative Tanek. Operative Bokara. Operative Pavel. Especial operative Pavel, agent 43. Battle gallery reverberate grunt of exertion during combat. Pack thud noise bone battering impact against opponent muscle. Gallery reek stenched operative perspire, stink chlorine bleach having ghosted ancient history floor bloodstain.

Foot of operative me, sparring kick, sweep air to shatter skull of operative Magda. Sweep thrust during Magda evade, return own Flying Hyena to stomp ear of this agent. Leave this agent stunned, ear listening ring sound.

Under no shadow of fluorescent illumination, electric hum, grunts, thud blows landed, operative Tang spar operative Chernok. Operative Sheena spar operative Ling. Operative Pavel battle operative Boban, agent 11.

For official record, no two operative so opposite spectrum bell curve. Operative Pavel all attempt able foot splinter thick
wood plank while kick. Chop hand of Pavel shatter solid brick concrete, single
swing-bash
, Elephant Stomp brick so become dust. Every sparring, operative Pavel manifest Whirling Wolverine: head butt, hip check, poke eye, spin until become blurred. No agent parallel.

For official record, operative Boban combat entire opposite talent, perpetual hesitate. If land any blow, Boban immediate say, “Sorry.” Kick groin, say, “Sorry.” Bite windpipe, say, “Sorry.” Inflict Lashing Lynx,
slash-scratch
to opponent, operative Boban say, “Sorry…” If suffer any blow, impacted Boban, agent 11 crumple to floor, arms wrapped so clutch own rib cage, eye squeezed to retain water. Out clenched teeths, Boban forever say, “Good hit, comrade.” Knotted around own pain, say, “Top congratulations.” Forever skin spotted as Dalmatian dog, bruise hematomas. Hopping stride with lame leg. Face skin secured shut with sewing stitches. Boban forever absent plethora front teeths.

Pavel, top of class. Boban, ultimate most low.

Pavel, brilliant wolverine. Boban, suffering pigeon.

Boban squeal as baby swine during Pavel knuckle punching, swift kicking. Agent 43 so grind agent 11 flat, next then more flat against floor so spreading red most recent stain blood. Pavel pound utilizing foot heel. Pile drive utilizing bent knee, dropping entire own weight to pulverize with bony knee. Operative Boban, mouth leaking blood, open wound scalp leaking blood, Boban remain forever say, “Sorry…sorry…sorry.” Say, “Excellent hit, comrade.”

All Pavel blow splashing up many spray drips of blood, during operative Pavel remain pounding, remain stomping.

Operative Magda launch elbow slam to craft ruptured eye of operative me. Operative Tibor twist neck of operative Tanek. Visible all operative layered in mirror wall. All wearing
naked foot, wearing black color uniform trouser with blouse, belted with holster of regulation pistol. Wearing grim face of combat, all operative remain spar during floor become more slick coated splash of Boban blood, agent 11 mouth swollen, no tooth, say slurred, words vomit of red saliva, say, “Exceptional hit, operative Pavel.”

Operative Magda heave battering shin to meet genitals of operative me, flood awareness full suffering pain, spur desire contents stomach to project. Reproductive weapon of operative me hammered with agony, mouth of this agent say, “Well-done, comrade.” Say, “Injury put in jeopardy entire future generation operative.”

Next now, operative Pavel cease Flying Hyena stomp to carnage of Boban. Pavel stance above fallen agent, balloon own chest with deep inhale. Operative Pavel rooster crow, say, “Ha-ha!” Brandish deadly hand chopping oxygen too fast able eye to witness. Shake own fist at roof. Rooster crowing, say, “Bring me more bones to break!”

New now, door no remain healed in wall. Door of battle gallery swing so display best-accomplished attack instructor. As required, all sparring cease, with unison all operative announce: “Greetings, esteemed most revered educator.” In single unite voice, say, “Accept, please, our gratitude for the wisdom you impart.”

For official record, Boban no speech greeting.

Pavel foot kick into rib cage of operative Boban. Repeat boot. Repeat repeat boot until Boban eye cover skins flutter, lips whisper say, “Greetings, esteemed most revered…” Voice fail.

Instructor bow head.

Operative all bow head.

Acclaimed instructor make small parade to penetrate gallery
Respected instructor revolve head to cast eye, rest on all combat operative as individual. Step deeper into battle gallery, hands clasped behind own back, jawbone firmly set. Stance tapping shoe repeat against floor, tapping only noise in gallery, tapping until wrapped all heartbeat into unison. Next then, shoe stop. All heart stop.

Top revered attack instructor swivel head to cast eye on operative Pavel. Projecting own chin, instructor say, “Savor your most high status, comrade.” Say, “Simple to decide you as supreme among total this operative class.”

Bloodied hands folded behind own back, operative Pavel balloon chest, make small bow with head.

Eyeing matted, blood mess crumpled of Boban on floor, trembling buttocks of agent 11, much wisdom instructor offer own hand, say, “Grant me your pistol, comrade Pavel.”

All operative issued regulation Beretta nine-millimeter, semiautomatic, double-action, recoil-operated, hip-holstered, loaded fifteen-round reversible magazine. Muzzle velocity 2130.3 feet per second. Operative Pavel release safety strap own holster, withdraw pistol, grant over to instructor.

Receiving nonglare Beretta, matte-black finish, top accomplished instructor say, quote benevolent ruler, stern dictator Augusto Pinochet, quote, ‘“Sometimes democracy must be bathed in blood.’”

Respected instructor direct pistol aim upon crumple Boban, click trigger to cocked.

Operative Boban, eye squeezed, body curled, clenched, balled tight around own heart muscle. Nostril sniff to retain water. Uniform matted blood.

Operative Pavel fashion mouth to make curling smile of pleasure. Display every shining white teeth. Smile wide as to compress Pavel eye into slits.

During event witness, fellow operative breath locked inside lungs. Skin layered sweat growing chilled.

Next now, pistol discharge. Loud retort. Smoke of stink rising.

That same current now, Pavel smiling head explode. Bullet violate skull, exhaust soft gray contents, spattering mirror wall. Spattering operative Magda, operative Chernok, operative me. Warm blobs gray sponge, former thinking machine of operative Pavel.

Pavel skeleton buckle, spiral until heaped garbage proximate to weeping Boban.

Brass metal shell casing of ammunition arc ejected out pistol, trajectory degraded until strike concrete floor, bounce—ding sound, ding sound, ding.

All much valued education of Pavel, all skill and experience, every memories, dreams for glory, regrets, affection and loathing, education of history events and trigonometry equation, entire personality with identity, all of these blasted. All skill and talents. Past and future. All meticulous plan and training and practice. Pulverized and shattered. All former joy and sorrow made steaming gray meatloaf, evicted from skull out exit wound.

Respected attack instructor flex knees, stoop so hand able retrieve brass shell casing off floor.

For official record, announce instructor, the state requires no epic hero. No strive achieve personal celebrity of spotlight and applause. Lectures instructor, the state desires best ideal perform as mediocre. No gain attention showboat. No buffoon. Best effort so occur average. Suppress climbing ego. Become ordinary. Invisible.

Required to erase own self. Otherwise state will do so.

During lecture, instructor rotate own head to put face upon
individual operatives. Contacting eyes of each. Next then, cast own eyes on rubbish of Pavel. Cast eyeball on quaking mass, bloody flesh Boban.

On concrete floor, agent 11 shiver. Cower. Single drop yellow urine roll stripe from trouser cuff of operative Boban. Both knee pulled to own chest, squeezing self most small as able.

Acclaimed instructor make pistol arm straight at shivering spine, backbone of operative Boban. Next then, barrel flash. Blam. Smoke.

Quote, “Sometimes democracy must be bathed in blood.”

Last blood escaping agent 11. Dying final breath, lips fluttering, operative Boban whisper, say, “Best congratulations, revered instructor.” Exhale own precious life to say, “Most excellent shot…”

Exploded drops Boban blood …burst gray blobs of Pavel brilliance…chilled sweat trace slow crawl down face cheeks of operative Magda, operative Tanek, operative me. Knees of this agent automatic flex, stoop so hand able retrieve brass metal casing of ammunition. Finger chilled. Cradled in palm of operative me, casing shell retain tiny warmth.

Begins here eleventh account of operative me, agent number 67, attending this today structured compulsory education session. Participate combat among student public education institution
. Forced battle to list English alphabet letters which comprise typical vocabulary word. Spelling war staged auditorium
. Dated current now. For official record, all American youth become casualty, already slain attempt letters to build
coordinate
or
transpire
. Six youth destroyed from battle against word
separate
.