The Veil is Lifted

7/27/2019 The Veil is Lifted

1/10

ApocalypsePart of Speech: NounDefinition: Mass DestructionAn Apocalypse (Greek: "Lifting of the veil" or "Revelation" is a!isclosure of soething hi!!en fro the a#ority of ankin! in anera !oinate! $y falsehoo! an! isconception% i&e& 'he veil to $elifte!&

Ashe to Ashehapter )

*efore the Lift

'here ha! $een signs& Soe thought the signs +ere #ust natural

or!er to the +orl! cliate% to +orl! change that ha! happene!$efore illennia ago& People of religeon $espoke of the coingApocalypse% an! Rapture% preparing theselves for the return of theprophets% the return of hrist&&& the return of &&& soething& 'here+ere even a fe+ +ho coul! rea! the signs clearly% $ut +ere thoughtupon as heretics% charlatans% !oo,sayers% an! on the ost partignore!&

'hey +ere all fools% Ashe tol! herself& 'hey pointe! to

calen!ars% thupe! $i$les% stoo! on street corners an! fortol! of!oo% the en! of the +orl!& She +atche! the on television rarely%$ut every so often she +oul! $e accoste! $y soeone on the streetcorner in the goo!,si-e! city of Rapi! ity% South Dakota% an! tol!that the en! +as near& She erely +alke! past the% siling an!no!!ing her hea! to shut the up& She thought that they% too% +erefools% an! i!iots& So any ha! pre!icte! the ./0 $ug% an! ho+ it+oul! !evistate the +orl! $y aking all coputers free-e up or

stop +orking altogether% or of Nuclear +ar that +oul! set the +orl!into a post,apocolyptic state% +here everyone +as out fortheselves& None of this ha! coe to $e in all the years ofpre!ictions an! prophesy& 1t +oul! never $e& 'his +as reality&

Ashe +as a veterinarian in an area +here vets +ere revere! fortheir kno+le!ge on health of anials% ho+ever% her #o$s +ere$ecoing fe+er an! further $et+een& She sa+ the fars in the area!ying out% $eing replace! +ith cattle fee!lots% chicken fars% hogfars% an! larger% genetically engineere! foo! corporations& Shetrie! to keep up +ith the latest in e!icines% an! anial hus$an!ry%$ut it eant returning $ack to school to learn ore% an! leaving her


2/10

patients $ehin!& 1t +as a catch // situation for her an! her sall$usiness&

She +atche! as faily after faily in the rural South Dakotanarea left their fars% an! ove! into to+n +here they thought they+oul! have a $etter life% $etter #o$s% $etter pay so they coul! sen!their chil!ren to $etter schools& 2o+ever% she also sa+ ore peoplecoe to the +i!e open space of the i!,+est fro hurricane,tornsouthern an! eastern coasts% to fin! reprieve fro the har!shipthere& Ashe actually ha! coe fro a large city% San 3rancisco%+ith a Degree in veterinarian e!icine an! an i!ea that life +oul!$e easier for her a+ay fro all of the noise% congestion% all,aroun!$a! feeling that the city ha! given her as she ha! gro+n up&

No+ she isse! her ol! hoe% an! her parents& She sa+ the

once a year& 4very hristas% she +oul! go hoe to see the% an!her ol! frien!s& 1t +as coing close to that tie again this year& She+as e5cite! to $e on her +ay in her truck% to !rive alone thefourteen hun!re! iles to her hoe north of San 3ran% +ith onlyher usic% her $ooks% an! her e5citeent to carry her the length ofthe +ay& She ha! alrea!y $ought the nearly a half of a $uffalo ineat% an! a +hole skin for her father& 'hey love! the gifts she+oul! $ring that spoke of her tie in the 6+il! +est6& She +as also

please! +ith the gifts fro the that ephasi-e! the life ofalifornia& *athing suits% sun $lock% ovie posters +ere norally+hat she recieve! fro the% an! that nostalgia +as one reason+hy she kept going $ack&

2er Gran!father ha! coe fro 7yoing% an! that +as onereason +hy she chose to visit the vast prairies of the i!,+esternstates& 2e +oul! tell her stories of free ranges% horses% co+s an! theever popular o+$oys an! 1n!ians& She ha! $een sitten +ith the

i!ea of life in a +il! country% to take care of anials% $ig an! sall&So she +orke! har! to learn all she coul! in science% ath% an!literature& She +as the top of her class in alost all su$#ects% an!ha! earne! scholarships to veterinarian collages% aking herparents an! gran!father very happy& 2o+ever% +hen she tol! theof her plans to ove to South Dakota% at the age of nineteen% they+ere all very upset% $ut her argueents coul!n6t $e !enie!&

She ree$ere! all of that as she a!e her +ay to her truck% alarge !ual +heele! +ork vehicle that hel! all the e8uipent nee!e!to perfor her !uties as a 9et% e!icines an! har!+are rangingfro scalpals to forceps% hypo!erics to $an!ages& She ha! $een


3/10

a!!ing to the truck +ith every paycheck& 'here +ere spare +heels%chains for poor roa! con!itions an! large insulate! containers that+oul! keep e!icines col!% or +ar% !epen!ing on ho+ they +erenee!e!& She ha! !one +ell for herself an! it sho+e! in here8uipent& She +as rea!y for nearly anything&

2er call that !ay% a +eek $efore hristas% +as to a farer#ust insi!e the reservation6s $oar!ers% +ho ha! trou$le +ithlivestock that ha! run through fenses% an! even a ilk co+ that ha!$een shot $y a poacher& She a!e the nearly hour !rive +ith usicplaying% going over each !etail in her in!% an! coing up +ith afirst plan& Soeties it +as as easy as a first plan% $ut she kne+$etter than to go in +ithout ultiple plans for !ifferent situations&

2er tastes in usic leane! to+ar! classical% $ut on occasion%

she +oul! fin! another song or t+o that +oul! ove her& Shelistene! to that on the +ay& A techno,type $eat +ith a nearlyoperatic voice that tol! a story in four !ifferent languages& 2alf ofthe she kne+& She sile! as she !rove% happy the roa!s +ereclear&

She coul! tell +hen the roa!s of South Dakota s+itche! +iththe unkept paveent of the Pine Ri!ge Reservation& Large cracksline! the shoul!ers% as +ell as tufts of +il! grasses reache! over the

$lack roa! as if to !rag it $ack into the +il! prairie& 'he groun! thatstretche! out into the *a!lan!s +as froste! +hite +ith a !ull $ro+ntint& 'hey +eren6t calle! the *a!lan!s for nothing& She kne+!ifferent stories of ho+ $o!ies coul! $e !ispose! of in the*a!lan!s% an! +hen tourists +ent issing every year& She thought$y no+ people +oul! kno+ $etter than to tept the +il!erness that+as the *lack 2ills an! *a!lan!s&

'he roa! to the '+o ro+s far +as rough% off the high+ay%

an! ruts +ere fro-en over% aking her +ince every tie she hit one&'he col! of this +inter +as unpreci!ente!% an! of course%conspiracy theories a$oun!e! a$out the glo$al +aring% theapocalypse% all kin!s of things& Ashe #ust kne+ that it +as !ancol!% an! the ultiple layers of clothing she +ore !i! very little tocut the $itterness fro the +in! +hen she +oul! step out into it&She !rove carefully% the heater $lo+ing in her face% an! usicpiping softly fro her ra!io& As she !rove% she spotte! a pair ofscruffy !ogs trotte! on the shoul!er&

'hey +ere all $lack% ri$s sho+ing% an! ears stoo! taller thannoral !og6s ears !i!& As she !rove $y% they looke! up at her in


4/10

unison% eyes ilky +hite% as if $lin!% $ut they seee! to look rightat her% kno+ing +ho she +as& She shu!!ere! an! continue! to!rive& 7hen she looke! in her rear vie+ irror% they +ere no longeron the shoul!er of the roa!% perhaps they ha! run to the !itch&

7hen she finally pulle! into Roger6s !rive+ay% it seee! as ifhe +as alrea!y in the sall $arn& Roger '+o ro+s ha! a goo!si-e! faily living in a house that +as $ut a pair of trailer hoeshooke! together $y a flisy ply+oo! passage+ay& 2e ha! si5chil!ren% his +ife an! her other% plus her gran!father living there&2is o+n gran!other staye! +ith hi as +ell% an! all live! in thee8uivelant of a four $e!roo house& 'he $arn itself% +as anotherho$$le! together contraption of ply+oo!% so! an! $ales of stra+&She +as surprise! that any of his livestock live! here% $ut it +asn6t

her place to coplain% #ust to treat the in#ure!% an! ake the $est ofit&

All of his anials ha! shelter% $ut it +as $arely any $etter than+hat his faily live! in& Roger ha! a pair of ilk co+s% a $ull an!four horses& 2e6! ha! a sall flock of chickens% $ut the coyotes ha!+ipe! the out +hen +inter hit& Ashe trie! har! to treat his anialsany tie he calle! her +ith the least e5pense& She even stitche! uphis ol!est !aughter6s han! once +hen she ha! $een careless +hile

$utchering a !eer& 'he girl +oul! have a scar all her life% $ut it!i!n6t haper her oo! or her +ork& Plus% she +oul! never akethe sae istake t+ice&

Ashe parke! ne5t to the $arn% an! tightene! the hat !o+n uponher hea!& 1t +as a funny looking hat% yello+ an! orange +ith atassle top an! tassle ties& 1t ha! $een a gift fro a +oan +ho ha!Ashe look at her !og after it ha! $een kicke! $y a horse& Ashe ha!recieve! a lot of really nice things in place of payent for her

services& 1t +as a very +ar hat% a!e of +ool% an! +ell a!e%even though it +as o!!ly colore!& She sile! an! tie! the hatsecurely% then e5ite! the truck&

She +as only five foot three% very short% an! unfortunately% notpetite& 7ith the +earing of all her layers of coats an! long#ohns% shelooke! like a little Micheline Man& She6! al+ays ha! a har! tie asa ki! gro+ing up% al+ays a chu$$y onkey% her other +oul! say%$ut she !i! the $est she coul! to ignore the cruel taunts of the otherki!s& 'he hat covere! her op of curley $ro+n hair% al+ays so har!for her to keep in line% $ut it +asn6t anything a goo! hat coul!n6tkeep !o+n& She sighe! as she caught sight of her face in the si!e


5/10

irror& ust !o the #o$% Ashe% you can ope later a$out stupi! stuff%she thought to herself an! close! the !oor&

'he !oor sli! open to the she!% an! Roger steppe! out% lea!ingthe t+o horses into the $etter light& Ashe looke! over at the an!gaspe!&

"2oly 2ell% Roger; Di! they go through a eat grin!er


6/10

treatents scrolling through her in! like a rolo!e5% $ut this ay$e too uch% even for her e5pertise& She ay nee! to operate% an!not even that +oul! guarantee the life of the anial&

"1 calle! the cops on the ki!s that +ere shooting up the place&'hey +ere arreste!% an! it +as late& 1 thought that if she +as stillalive this orning% 1 +oul! call you% see if you coul! !o anything tohelp her& She6s the ki!6s favorite% too& " he reache! over an! pette!the anial6s hea!% an! she !i!n6t react to the touch&

" 1t ay $e too late% Roger& 16ll see +hat 1 can !o% though&" Shesai! softly% an! a!e her +ay to look ore closely at the $ullethole& 1t !rippe! $loo!% $ut the co+6s +hee-ing +asn6t a hopefulsign& She listene! to the chest% +here the noral thu,thu! of aheart$eat norally +as% there +as a +hoosh&&&+hoosh& Also% +hen

she $reathe!% it +as a heavy gurgle in her lungs& Ashe close! hereyes% "16ll have to put her !o+n% Roger& 1 can6t get her to a clinic tooperate& 1f 1 !i! it here% she6ll $lee! out&"

Roger no!!e!% an! +ipe! at the corner of one eye% "16ll get theki!s rea!y to $utcher& 7e can save the eat at least&" he sighe! inresignation% an! a!e his +ay to the house& Ashe sighe! as +ell%an! stroke! the co+6s forehea!&

"1 +ish 1 coul! take you 8uicker% co+& .ou serve! this faily

so +ell&" She +hispere! to her& 'he co+ $o$$e! her hea!% earst+itching a $it& Ashe patte! her shoul!er% an! steppe! $ack as theco+ seee! to un!erstan!% an! +ent !o+n to her knees% then laye!!o+ fully% hea! resting on the $loo!,soake! hay& Ashe +atche! asthe co+ took one last +hee-ing $reath% an! !ie!&

She felt the sa!ness +ell in her heart% an! tears !rippe! froher eyes& 1t al+ays $roke her heart to see a $elove! anial go% an!especially in this anner&

Roger returne! carrying his hunting riffle% an! the t+o ol!estchil!ren follo+e! close $ehin!& 'hey carrie! rope% knives an! apair of $one sa+s& 'hey sa+ her kneeling $y the co+% an! the girlstarte! to cry& Roger a!e his +ay to Ashe% an! sighe!% "She +ent8uicker than 1 thought& Di! you give her a shot to !o it


7/10

there +ere the t+o !ogs% sitting there% staring at her once again& Shesco+le! an! close! her eyes% the fatigue of a heavy heart seeingto get to her& She opene! her eyes% an! the !ogs +ere gone&

As the '+o ro+s faily $utchere! the co+% Ashe +ent intothe stall to uck out the $loo!y hay an! so!& 7hen she +ent insi!e%there +ere the t+o !ogs% lapping at the $loo! on the floor% an!che+ing on the hay% as if to get every $it& She picke! up a pitchfork%an! shoute! at the% "Get out; =ut of here% you utts;" she +ave!the pitchfork at the% an! they looke! up at her& 'heir ears +ereperke! up% an! the ilky +hite eyes stare!& 'hey !i!n6t gro+l% or$ark% an! Ashe felt a chill run !o+n her $ack&

".ou ok in there


8/10

sa+ the !ogs again% trotting !o+n the roa! in the sae !irection she+as !riving& An! these !ogs; 7hat the hell are they< She aske!herself% pulling up $ehin! the in her truck% an! pulling to a stop&'he !ogs stoppe! as +ell% an! turne! in unison& 'his creepe! herright the hell out& 'hey +alke! to the front of her truck% an! sat%staring at her% un$linking% +ith those ilky +hite eyes&

She !i!n6t e5it the truck% an! in fact% pulle! a sall han!gunfro her glove$o5% as +ell as a tran8uili-er !art she store! close toit& 'he !ogs #ust tilte! their hea!s% an! seee! to +ait% +atching%+on!ering +hat the huan +oul! !o ne5t& She +oul! sho+ the+hat she +oul! !o ne5t&

She rolle! !o+n her +in!o+% an! took slo+ ai at the closerone% an! cocke! $ack the trigger& 7hat happene! ne5t% she never

8uite un!erstoo! until any any years later&"My nae is Death% an! the en! is here&" a voice that seee!

to coe fro the ra!io% $ut she ha!n6t turne! it on& 'hen the !ogsvanishe!& She looke! $ack an! forth% $ehin! the truck an! aroun!the si!es& Nothing&

"2oly fuck&" she +hispere!% an! rolle! up her +in!o+& Shetore out of her parking spot% an! spe! for the city& "1t ust $e thecol!&&& an! the stress&" She trie! to tell herself% $ut !an&&& the

Dogs;< 7hat the hell +as that yearsol!% giggling an! +aving french fries in the air& She sile! an!


9/10

place! her or!er for coffee an! apple pie&'he stor $re+e! on outsi!e% i5ing sno+ +ith rain no+%

+hich fro-e to the +in!o+s as soon as it hit& Noone seee! to +antto leave the resteraunt% the col! +as ore than enough to !eter thefro aking their +ay to their cars an! trucks& Ashe sighe! as shefinishe! her thir! cup of coffee% an! picke! up the ticket& She !i!n6t+ant to leave% $ut she ha! to get hoe% fee! her !og% an! ake surethe +ater +asn6t fro-en in the sall house pipes&

She sile! an! no!!e! to the faily +ho +atche! her go tothe front of the resteraunt +here she $egan to check out& She $eganto feel !i--y% an! a +ave of nausia tore through her gut& She!ou$le! over as the +aitress approache! to collect her payent%then all +ent $lack&

11'he 9eil is Lifte!

Ashe6s eyes fluttere! open +hen she hear! the $leep $leep$leep of the 40G% reali-ing she +as in a hospital $e!% not in thePerkins on ?thStreet% +here she ha! $een& She looke! aroun!slo+ely% the light in the roo o!!% an! the clarity of the o$#ects +as

uch sharper than she thought she ha! seen $efore& She ust haveleft her contacts in% she thought% an! slo+ely touche! at her eyes tosee if they +ere in place&

She fro-e +hen she sa+ soeone else6s han! coe to+ar! herface% as if they kne+ she +ante! to touch her eyes& She shirke!a+ay fro the rising han!% even going to $at at it +ith the other&She a!e a soft eep +hen she sa+ soeone else6s han! sacka+ay the first han!% feeling a sharp pain as they colli!e!&

"7hat the fuck


10/10

polishe!& 2er ears felt long an! pointe!% an! poke! out of the hairalost t+o inches& 'he hair% sooth as silk% fell through her fingers&She cra+le! out fro un!er her $lankets% a nee! to fin! a irrorscratching at her in! like a cat in $o5% an5iety floo!ing her hea!&'he nee!les in her ars +ere painfully tugging at the skin an!!igging into the flesh $eneath% so she reove! the as e5pertly asshe coul!% consi!ering they +ere not in soeone6s $elove! pet% $uther o+n ars& She let the tu$es fall to the floor% +here her feetlan!e! soon after& She sat for a oent% then stoo!% +eaving $ackan! forth% catching herself on a rail to keep fro tipping over& 2ereyes travele! aroun! the roo% until they fell on the sink in thecorner% a$ove that% a irror&

Ashe Screae!&

Documents

The Veil is Lifted