“Cruelty” by Harold Loeb

I Bet On Losing Dogs by Mitski plays.

I’m tired of watching Lem get pulverized. Every day a new argument is made psychically that he didn’t love her. And it’s sick.

You all are hideous. You aging bitches in mom jeans with ugly hair and mannish shirts? You men in dresses? I hate your sense of style. People today look like demons.

And this business about the Illuminati has to stop. You all either do or don’t exist.

Listen…Diego was a fool. But so was Chris.

You hate…her. You hate HER.

Therefore your narcissistic attack is faulty. Because you can’t truly destroy an entire person. You can Jill them but you can’t destroy them.

“The Illuminati wants to kill Lacey?” asks Casi.

“Yes. The liberals were narcissistically triggered by her presence and so Diego decided to murder her. But they refuse to admit that.” says Harold.

“We weren’t ever trying to murder her! That’s simply untrue! We were stunned when she discovered us. That’s all.” says the evil Illuminati.

“No. You’ve been hoping to murder her and her family since the beginning.” says Diego. “You’ve psychically manipulated her family to hate her.”

“Just her? That’s weird. Sounds more like she’s the problem.” says the evil Illuminati.

“No. No. …What proof do you have that I was gay?” asks Lem.

“There is no evidence.” says China.

“Then why do you keep violating the Holy Spirit to insist I was?” asks Lem.

“Because! It makes me feel rich!” said a dozen Millennial women in big lips, fake nails, puffy bottoms with hideous camel toes, and huge sweatshirts.

“Yeah! When I first started attacking her, I asked the Illuminati if women loved her. Because I could tell men had been mostly worthless. And I was told that they don’t. And so I worried I was being a huge bitch by attacking her. But…I’m happy. And I don’t give a fuck about anyone else.” says a man at MSNBC.

“That channel is heartless.” says Diego. “They truly don’t give a shit about humanity. They just use social justice warriors to look human.”

“Why do you all want to kill her?” asks Vladimir Putin.

“Because she’s annoying.” says a Millennial woman jogging.

“Why?” asks Putin.

“Because…we have to keep people on the right track.” says MSNBC. “And she’s too much of a glaring contradiction to our agenda.” He thinks. “If there’s nothing different or wrong with her…then were liars.”

“I agree! I hated being around her too!” say her Aunt Terese. “I always felt so guilty.”

“Why did you feel guilty?” asks MSNBC. “You’re supposedly conservative.”

“Because I’m catty and two-faced. And she’s not. …I hated being nice to her the older she got.” says Terese. “I didn’t want there to be anything wrong with her. Neither did her mother. So as long as she was perfect we were nice to her. But when she started getting sad…we decided to destroy our relationships with her.”

“And her husband was too elite.” says Steve.

“He was smarter than me. My mother and father hated that. Because Lacey won. And yet…they had nothing to brag about.” says David.

“We sound like monsters!” says Becca.

“Maybe you are that cruel.” says Tom Banks.

“I’m not that cruel!” says Becca.

“Anyway…we wanted to kill her too.” says MSNBC. “But because she’s a real intelligent, conservative, loving, beautiful woman. And that aggravated us.”

“Whatever. My daughter is prettier.” says Terese.

“We implied that to be hurtful but it’s not true. And everyone knew it.” says Gwen.

“When she fell apart and worried she was schizophrenic…I told her my sob stories about cleaning maggots.” says Paula.

Masquerade, Suite From The Incidental Music For Orchestra by Aram Khachaturian plays.

“What?!?” says Gwen.

“Yeah. I cleaned a neighbor’s kitchen once. For money. As a teenager. And they had maggots in the kitchen.” says Paula.

“Why did you tell her that?!?” says Gwen in a panic.

“Because. I didn’t give a shit about her…and I felt spiritually high as a kite telling her.” says Paula. She thinks. “Well…that’s not true. I cared a little. …And something compelled me to tell that story. And emphasize it.”

“That was me.” says Lem.

“That was also us.” says the CIA. “Paula were you ever a spy?”

“Mrs. Carlisle stares at Paula wearing her tiara. Listen, I felt bad for Lacey too. So I gave Lem an easy pass to your mind. …Paula…why does your family hate her? I know you don’t.” says Mrs. Carlisle.

“I’ve felt rejected by them too.” says Paula. “What do you think it is?”

“Why don’t you let us kill her?” asks MSNBC of Mrs. Carlyle.

“Goodness. Should I write a blog post?” asks Mrs. Carlisle.

“Was your son the love of my life?” asks Paula.

“Yes.” says Mrs. Carlisle.

“He was. Wasn’t he. …Dammit.” says Paula.

“I’ll write a blog post.” says Mrs. Carlisle.