84. The TLS Program

        "Get up!" Eden reached for Zara's hand and lightly slapped her face, bringing her back to reality: the show was over. Eden brushed the dirt off Zara’s robe as she regained her footing, lost for a moment of disorientation as the crowds pressed by moving towards the gates. "What.. happened?"

         "Everyone thought you were the most beautiful Cow Goddess we've had in a long time is what happened" Eden assured with a smile, placing her sprig of ivy in her hand before wiping the blood from her head. "Don't worry about your little tumble, no one noticed. You did great!"
         Eden's words seemed so far away, Zara felt as if she was in some other dimension, still struggling to remember why she was there... Did she just graduate?

         "And Orien was amazing, you should feel really proud of yourself!"
         "Orien..." And then the image of Orien's head, bleeding out into the Golden Goblet flashed back, bringing it all back. Her knees buckled again, this time Eden caught her. "Now stop that!"

         Zara didn't feel proud of herself at all as Eden led her up Main St towards the Headquarters building. Her head was pounding so hard, her senses were all distorted, even the cool mist blowing from the fountain irritated her as they walked through the square. The Headquarters steps, once so exciting to climb felt like a mountain today, each step took the very last bit of energy she had. 

         Eden held the door for her as she walked into the massive lobby, unable to even glance at the revered paintings on the wall, she felt so ill, so secretly jaded inside. Once again, Zara found herself sitting in the waiting room of the Moha Lab, dodging Seton's painted gaze... She could feel him urging to look his way but she fought back, forcing herself to look at the floor. A drop of blood spotted the ground beneath her.

         "Aaagh!" She reached up to touch her head, it was wet. She glanced at her hand, it was covered in blood!

         "Look! I'm bleeding!!!"

         "Hello, Adon" Eden was relieved to see him.

         "And who have we here?" He took a moment to study the new patient, recognizing her in spite of her condition. "Zara! How nice to see you again! Congratulations on your Honors!" 

         "Unfortunately, Zara passed out from the sun" Eden informed. "Heat stroke."

         "Heat stroke is unusual this time of year. Let me see..." Adon leaned in to inspect the new wound. "Oh dear, it looks like a stitch has come undone... Don't worry Sugar Cheeks, we'll fix you up, you'll be feeling much better soon" he promised. "Why don't you follow me?"

         Zara followed Adon into the now familiar bowels of the Moha Lab, down a long narrow corridor until they came to an examination room.

         "Take a seat"

         As he pulled a red folder out of the inbox by the door, Zara wondered anew as to their significance, was it the same one she held in her hand that day? What made him privy to the contents? Who taught him the secret language? He wasn't a god, he didn't look a day older than the day she had met him all those years ago, either. She scanned the room, trying to keep her composure as he took her blood, skin and hair samples, unable to take her mind off the folder for very long, sure now it was indeed the same red folder that had followed her here. What was it? Her authorization to exist? Medena had it, Hedena had it, it seemed everyone had had it and understood the cryptic codes inside, except her. She wanted to ask, but her head pounded at the thought. She was beyond feelings of fear; even a lashing couldn't make her feel worse. "What's in the red folder?"

         But Adon continued to document the samples.

         "I'd just like my head looked at if possible, it's really hurting."

         "The T.L.S. program will fix your head" he assured, handing her the red folder. "Give this to the doctor when you see him." He held out his hand. "Come, I'll take you there right now."

         Zara followed Adon out into the Hub. "Don't I need a pass?"

         But Adon just led her down the hall.
         "What's the T.L.S. program?" She asked, struggling to keep up.

         "The TLS are the Twelve Lessons of Supremacy" he clarified. "You'll like it. It's a soul-cleansing program, it ensures you have a safe journey to the Promised Land. I understand you got into some trouble a few times, this program is designed for aribu like you, it will ensure you arrive there safely."

          "The Promised Land?" She echoed, thoughts racing as she followed him into the reception of the TLS Institute. She wondered where it really was now. "Where is it?"

         But Adon was busy filling out her registration tablet.

         "Just take a seat, the doctor will be out shortly." A receptionist suddenly appeared before her, touching her shoulder, pointing to the chairs. 

         Confused, Zara looked around the room for Adon but he was gone...

A seat was good. Her pulse was pounding so hard it made her head throb so bad. It didn't feel good, nothing felt good, she feared the worst. From her waiting room chair she could see the familiar row of paintings on the wall. Nestled between the portraits of Medel and Atalon was the portrait of Torus.... Torus? Torus God of the Underworld? Images of his Maintenance crews sorting through the dead bodies after the Culloom Disaster flashed through her mind... Images of the Products who had all died an Honorable death had in fact resembled Hellias... Was that what would become of her dead body?

         "I'm going to the Promised Land?" She asked out loud to anyone, but no one heard.

         Moments later a doctor arrived at the reception.

         "Excuse me" Zara tried again to be heard, this time directing her attention to the doctor. "Is Torus really the god of the Underworld?"

         But once again her questions fell on deaf ears, it was as if she had no voice, as if no one could hear her. It only amplified the fears she felt inside, her questions only spawned more terrifying thoughts as the dots began to join.

         "Isn't Hellias in the Underworld?"

         A familiar voice finally reached out to her. "Zara?" Once upon a time she had trusted the god of Medification but now she wasn't so sure. This world all seemed so deceptive all of a sudden, including his change of title. He seemed deceptive all of a sudden, scarier than she remembered him to be. 

        She stood in salute as a good cog would, noticing he had her red folder already. "Your Honor!"

         "How nice to see you again" Doctor Seton smiled. "Come this way" he took her hand and led her down the hall. "Don't you worry, we're here to help you, we'll have you feeling much better soon!"