Beyond An Accidental Shoreline (4/4) By Christopher Skolik

(1/4), (2/4), (3/4), (4/4).

4. The School Set Sound effects of children's voices reverberated along the empty wood paneled corridors, the effect was disconcerting. But much of what Dennison had seen he had found troubling-if not in actuality, then in its more subtle aspects. As master of ceremonies in this unusual world MacGregor seemed altogether too comfortable, he seemed to take a salacious delight in the details that made the island so alarming.

MacGregor stopped abruptly, nodded toward a classroom door. Peering in Dennison was shocked to see a room full of children, of about 8 years of age, facing a blackboard. "Jesus, Children? You have children here?"

MacGregor pushed open the door, ushered Dennison in. The sound of a times table chant issued from speakers on the wall. Dennison approached the nearest child, a boy; blonde-it was a mannequin, a remarkably detailed mannequin. Dennison turned to MacGregor, who smiled, eyes that trapped the light like water at the bottom of a well. "Yes, they are rather good aren't they? They seem to fulfill their function-"

"And what is that?" Most of the colour had drained from Dennison's face. "Well we are attempting to be pragmatic here; we can no more wish away their predilections than we can wish their victims better." "So these, these things-" Dennison spat the word out, "-are meant to substitute for real children?" Dennison felt confined, suffocated.

MacGregor nodded. "I told you, we believe them to be incurable, treatment is a waste of resources. Here they can be what they are, without the risk to the rest of us. Did I tell you these models are anatomically correct? They even scream..." Outside, against a wall, MacGregor discovered Dennison. "Ah, there you are. Wouldn't you like to see the gymnasium? That's where the more experimental work is done, some of it is rather Bellmer-esque, and as some of the residents have homicidal and sadistic tendencies it seemed that we should take that into account-admittedly the repair bill can be rather high, especially with the animatronic models..." "I really think I have seen enough..."

5. An Ending The helicopter dipped momentarily as it lifted from the island, from the window Dennison saw figures watching. "What do you think of our little project?" Dennison looked at the sea, speeding past beneath, fragmented waves catching the glow of a sun building up to set. "I don't know, you say they are incurable, that treatment is pointless, you cannot execute them, I don't know..." Dennison shook his head.

"Maybe we will find that paedophilia is a step to somewhere else, rape may well be part of an evolution, maybe here we will find out where it leads..." Dennison felt a chill. He didn't know for certain but suspected there might be more to this than protecting society. Maybe a military experiment? Dennison felt icy claws tighten about his insides...MacGregor was whistling 'The world is a circle' from Lost Horizon.

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