“They said we’d vanish without a trace. We left offerings at every gate.” ~ Tree of Wampus

After another harrowing night where I dreamed Dear Leader himself was walking the halls — inspecting us like livestock, surveying his Dead Army — I stopped trying to understand what was real.

I stayed wrapped in my scratchy blanket, playing the Obedient Girl role they seemed to want.

I wasn’t taking any chances. A face appeared, one of the guards that really hated me. “Come on. Time for video court.”

I didn’t know what that meant. But I followed, dancing inside that I was out of the cell.