The Caress of Gamaliel

There is a weight to the driver's words that makes Laurent hesitant to just call out the first quip or answer that comes to his mind. But of course, if someone needs to be sacrificed, or rather broken for Loretta's (and his?) art, there is only one real answer here. His eyes move between the two people here with him, trying to read their faces in the moment of silence that follows the driver's announcement. "The answer is obvious, isn't it?" he then asks.

"Do not even think about that", he says, his voice stormy and deep, his ragged breath still troubled by the monstrous encounter, the last fumes of adrenaline keeping him up. "She's pitting us one against another, can't you see?"

"Yeah? Well, she or he or it or whatever-the-fuck also stopped time earlier and is carrying around a monster in the trunk," Laurent says. He lets out a sigh, then reaches out for Yves' hand. "Fine, let's do it your way, daddy." It's not clear whether he's calling the man by a sexual nickname, mocking his profession or imitating Sanora. "What do you propose?"

Sarona screams in shock as her father takes the hit for her, but barely noticed Laurent coming to the rescue.
She listens to the driver explaining again.

"This sacrifice thing is quite vague... but... sacrifice sounds quite fatal. And if it is, and we really have to make a choice..."
she keeps quiet for a moment. "That should not be too difficult, I think."

She tries to turn away her gaze, but can't help giving Laurent an evil eye for a very brief moment.

The intercom crackles and the Driver's voice comes through, "Have we made a decision yet?" You can hear, in their voice, that they seem both amused at your conundrum and well aware that you have not come to a decision.

The back seat begins to shake and vibrate, and the mysterious entity in the trunk screams a muffled scream, "MOMMY! JESUS!" The Rage Thing is upset.

"You know, if a decision is not made soon, I might have to release the Rage Thing again. Perhaps both arms, this time. It wants to cuddle."

"Actually, I have a better idea. Why don't we put this to a secret vote?"

The partition drops down a fraction, and a notepad and some pencils fall through. It remains slightly open - just enough to slide the papers back if needed.

"Why don't we vote in secrecy, yes? Pencil in who shall be broken and slide the note back to me. This way, you won't have to fight each other to decide. Much more agreeable, don't you agree?"

"Jesus, man," Laurent exclaims. "Maybe give us a minute back here?"

He turns his eyes to the bishop again. "Yves," he says, placing his hand on Sanora's thigh again. "I love you. You know that. But this is about art." He licks his lips as his eyes wander appreciatively over Sanora's body. "We all know that if this is supposed to be worth it, if this is supposed to mean something, then I have to be behind the camera. And I'm sorry, but you can't be the subject, the one to be broken. It always had to be sweet Sanora."

St. Jude, give me your strength.

"Laurent I swear, if you don't shut your mouth", he shouts threateningly, anger taking the best of him.
His grip tightens around the medal, his expression turns pensive. He closes his eyes, biting his lips.
"You mentioned a contract earlier", he asks the driver. "Loretta has hired them, right. Employment contracts, demonic contracts, they are all the same. Words can bind, but they can also be unwoven. And it should be our right to demand to read the fineprint"

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

"Wait! Why me?" Sarona snaps in reply to Laurent instantly. "That is not going to work anyway. I am more valuable to Loretta with my pretty face intact." Sarona takes two pencils and rips a sheet of paper from the notepad, before handing her father the notepad and a pencil. "This shouldn't take too long, right?" she says, but doesn't write down a name yet.

"Sanora," Laurent tells her in a soft voice. "You're beautiful, lovely, talented. I love you and I know we could create many great pieces of art together still. Great, but not transcendent." He licks his lips as he comes ever closer to her. "But you read my article. You heard me on the video I gifted to you. True art comes not from framing something beautiful, but from destroying it, revealing it. When Banksy shredded his own painting, that only made it into something more unique and even more valuable." He tenderly brushes a hand through her hair. "Allow me to make you immortal, sweet Sanora. Write down your own name and become true art, remembered through the centuries." He licks his lips one more time, then leans in for a kiss.

Sarona tries to back away from Laurent as he tries to lean in for a kiss.

"Well, I ain't a little girl with a red baloon," Sarona says, refering to Banksy. "I have plans for the rest of my life you know. Money to spend. Fun to have... And I'd rather do so without your gifts."

Then she sighs loudly.
"Why am I wasting even any time with this?" she says as she scribbles down something on the piece of paper, folds it four ways and deposits through the opening in the partition.

"There... you know now what to do, right daddy?"

He shakes his head, still disbelieving Laurent's sudden mood shift.
But the die was cast, and so, even if hesitantly, he writes a name upon a piece of paper.
"Here you go", he says as he offers the note back to the driver.

Laurent takes the pen and the notepad from Yves and writes down something on the top piece of paper before ripping it off and folding it. He then leans over Sanora's lap and pushes the paper through the small gap towards the driver. Once he's properly leaned back in his seat again, he begins writing something on what is now the new top sheet of the notepad. When that's finished, he hands the pad and pen back to Yves without showing what he wrote to Sanora, then pours himself another drink. "Someone else want something?" he offers his fellow travelers. There is no concern about the outcome of this vote in his voice.

The limousine pulls up into an estate, a small mansion in the hills. The very same one that both Sanora and Laurent have been to before. Rich decor. Manicured lawns. All the dressings of the rich.

"Thank you," The Driver says after reading the notes. "Loretta will be pleased. And so will Gamaliel."

Fin.

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Thank you for playing Kult: Divinity Lost's Hell is Other People. Thank you for going on a ride with me, a journey of discovery [of the game rules][of the inner depths and darkness of your character][of the depths and darkness of the world]. I hope you enjoyed this game.

If you wish to listen to the live-play podcast where I discovered this module, you can find the first episode here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=k2HbMF1l65o