"She has been praying for two hours: you see, we are a spiritual people after all." Jun smiled. "She can now relax and rest until her final moments. We will talk to her soon. Maybe then you'll understand."
Imagine my surprise then, in all this display of reverence and submission, the naked girl's calm and placid demeanor became more humanized and lively after finishing her prayers and preparation. Her expression became more alert, informal, and active. Taking a deep breath and turning her head, the naked girl called out to one of the waitresses passing by with a loud, cute voice, who nodded happily and brought a large glass of iced water with a straw to drink from. I was staring in complete silence as she sipped the water, sighed, and thanked her merciful help, who nodded and kept talking as if she asked for more (at least what I could guess), upon which the naked girl shook her head and smiled, politely thanking her, limbs perfectly still. Noticing me staring, her eyes narrowed in surprise and a bit of embarrassment since I was a total stranger, a tourist, witnessing a very private human sacrifice, dismembering of her vulnerable, sacred body into meat for the dead. I was an intruder to her chosen fate and her wish.
Yet, her surprise turned into a warm smile, which I awkwardly returned. She was smiling at me, bundled like a prized piglet and exposed on the altar, greeting me in Chinese casually and bobbing her head, still limbs bound gracefully, then addressed my companion, Jun in a serious, long sentence, who broke free of my hand and walked over, crouching to address her. Smiles faded, they were talking about something, Jun sagely nodding and counting something with her fingers, Me, my erection and numb, frozen body (hoping no one bumps into me because I would shatter)
About what could I talk to her?!?!?!
I said nothing. I could say nothing. I knew nothing of what to say, ripped from Europe's well-off, humanist-socialist, Christian, First World, pasty white suburbs! What was I to say to her? Do not destroy yourself. Your religion is wrong? This is madness? Run to the police(HA!) Good luck with that. Native Americans had cheerful days in Tenochtitlan where children ran around severed heads as people sang and danced, as the doomed prisoners marched sullenly. Hell, some even volunteered and were honored. This was happening, and I had no idea what to do other than follow Jun and see this event to its end.
Jun
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