In the sulfurous haze between human perception, Sir Pent and the Tempter discuss strategies to distract and drain young adults by promoting dissatisfaction with their human bodies through piercing, staining, and mutilation. Sir Pent paces with a predatory grace. "We need a new plan to distract and drain the young adults," he declares, his voice like the dry rustle of dead leaves. The Tempter shifts, a flicker of boredom crossing his handsome, cruel face. "Why?" he asks, gesturing vaguely toward the shimmering veil that separates them from the human world. "We already have plenty of corrupting agendas in place, including drugs, alcohol, marijuana, video games, porn, social media, news media and various types of entertainment." He pauses, visualizing the billions of glowing screens currently anchoring young souls to their seats. "We distract them with movie stars, music idols and sports heroes."
He stands, his voice rising with a dark sense of accomplishment. "We have stretched their emotions to the breaking point, causing suicide, rioting, chaos and lawlessness." He looks at Sir Pent, wondering if his partner has grown greedy. "What more can we do to drain their mystic light to feed our growing army of wickedness?"
Sir Pent leans in, his eyes narrowing into slits of cold calculation. He has watched the humans for eons and knows the greatest vulnerability lies in their self-perception. "I propose we promote the dissatisfaction with their human bodies," he says slowly, savoring the concept. "We can make their soul feel so uncomfortable in their body that they want to start cutting off pieces and rearranging the basic design."
The Tempter stares at him, genuinely stunned by the sheer audacity of the suggestion. He recalls the previous victories they have shared, yet this feels like a new frontier of malice. "You have had some wild ideas in the past, but this surpasses anything you have ever proposed," he admits, his voice hushed with a mix of awe and skepticism.
He begins to pace now, ticking off Sir Pent’s past successes on his long, pale fingers. "I didn't think you could convince so many young kids to terminate their lives, but you did." He looks back at the other entity. "I didn't think you could get marijuana legalized, but you did. I didn't think you could get law enforcement officers canceled and defunded, but you did. I could not imagine how you would manage to open the borders to allow an illegal invasion, but you did."
The Tempter stops and smiles, a slow, terrifying expression of total alignment. "How could I doubt your ability to convince teens to willfully permanently destroy their bodies?" He bows slightly, the commitment sealed. "I'm all in. Just tell me what to do."
Sir Pent’s form seems to expand, fueled by the Tempter's submission. "I plan to increase the young humans' desires to pierce, stain and mangle their healthy bodies," he explains, his mind already mapping out the ripples of agony and confusion this will cause. "This will increase their flow of mystic light to us so we can feed our hungry armies."
The Tempter nods, though a practical concern flickers in his mind. "Won't mankind discover what we are doing and stop it from happening?" he asks.
Sir Pent chuckles, a sound devoid of mirth. He understands the power of the slow boil, the way humans accept the unthinkable if it is served in small, digestible portions. "Implanting new desires is a slow, long-term process," he says. "We start with an established tradition, such as girls getting their earlobes pierced when graduating from High School, and push to lower the age."
He gestures into the air, as if painting the decline of a civilization. "Then we spread out the location and multiply the number of piercings in each ear. Through gradual creeping normalcy, we extend the piercings to the nose, lip, tongue and everywhere on the body."
---
The Tempter and Abby explore body piercing trends while her mother navigates the social pressures of peer inclusion and face jewelry. The Tempter watches Sir Pent with a growing sense of appreciation, his mind churning through the logistics of this psychological siege. "I like that!" he exclaims, his voice smooth and dangerous. He begins to see the beauty in the subversion of history. "The old tradition serves as the bedrock. We build on that platform by promoting the right to be imaginatively creative."
He paces the dark floor, his eyes glowing with the thrill of the hunt. "If two piercings are OK, then four holes in the body must be better," he reasons, mimicking the flawed logic they will soon harvest from the youth. "If it's good for the earlobe, then it must be good for the eyelid, belly button or anywhere else. Each new radical extension gradually becomes normalized." He turns to Sir Pent with a wicked grin. "Eventually, young girls with only ear piercings will be considered abnormal."
Sir Pent nods, his gaze already shifting toward the boys, seeking a way to ensure no one escapes their influence. "We can make the boys feel left out, so they start adding body piercings into their lifestyle," he suggests, his voice dripping with malice. He knows that once the barrier of physical integrity is breached, the path to deeper destruction is clear. "This new normalcy makes it much easier for society to embrace more radical mutilation like earlobe stretching and extreme ballooning bodies."
In the physical world, far from the shadows of the Tempters, Young Abby stands before her mother, her eyes wide with a longing she doesn't fully understand. The birthday celebrations are approaching, and her mind is fixed on a single desire. "For my birthday, I want to add more sparkle to my face," she announces, her voice small but determined.
She thinks of the girls at school, the ones who seem to possess a confidence she lacks. "Other girls have glittering diamonds on their lips, cheeks or noses, and I desire to be equal to them," she explains, her internal thoughts consumed by the fear of exclusion. To Abby, the cafeteria is a battlefield of social status. "They won't let me sit at the Glitter-Girl table in the cafeteria unless I have additional face twinkle."
Her mother looks down at her, a flicker of hesitation crossing her face. "You are only ten years old," she reminds her daughter, trying to hold onto a sense of normalcy that is rapidly slipping away. "Maybe you could start with just ear piercing."
Abby considers this, her mind already negotiating for more. "OK," she agrees tentatively. "But I want to add a new piercing each birthday."
The mother smiles, the gravity of the request lost in the desire to bond with her child. She doesn't see the invisible threads Sir Pent is pulling. "That could be a fun new tradition," she says, her own vanity beginning to stir. "Maybe I should do that too!"
---
Sir Pent and Abby examine the psychological vulnerabilities of teens and the creation of makeshift pillowcase identity shields. Sir Pent observes the unfolding scene in the human realm with a cold, flickering satisfaction. He knows that the hunger for belonging is a void that can never truly be filled by external adornments, only deepened. "Teens worry about being attractive, intelligent, accomplished, or popular," he whispers to the Tempter, his voice a low hum of observation.
He watches Young Abby as she navigates the hallways of her school, her mind constantly comparing her worth to others' reflections. "They lack the coping skills to handle their fears because their brains' prefrontal cortex, which controls reasoning, isn't fully mature," Sir Pent continues, his analysis precise and devoid of empathy. "Teens often act on illogical impulses. Young people are more likely to follow their peers than tradition, regardless of their peers' motivations. It is easy to distract young students with ridiculous, pointless challenges."
Back at home, Abby is clutching a faded, worn pillowcase. To her, it is more than fabric; it is a portable sanctuary. "Mommy, I love my pillowcase," she says, pressing the soft material against her cheek. "I wish I could take it to school with me. It is so soft and warm."
Her mother looks up from her work, a sympathetic but firm expression on her face. "I'm sorry, but they don't allow security blankets at school," she explains, leaning on the traditional boundaries of the educational system.
Abby’s mind immediately pivots, seeking a loophole that will allow her to maintain her comfort without breaking the rules. "But it's not a security blanket, it's a pillowcase," she argues with the earnestness of a child. "Can you cut holes in it so that I can wear it like a shirt?"
The mother pauses, her desire to see her daughter happy overriding her practical instincts. She sees no harm in a bit of creative tailoring. "Okay, I can do that," she says, reaching for the fabric shears.
The next day, Abby walks through the school gates wearing her pillowcase, the arm and head holes slightly jagged but functional. She feels a surge of unique confidence, unaware that she is the catalyst for a new wave of distraction. All the other kids love the idea, and soon both boys and girls start wearing their pillowcases to school, turning the hallways into a sea of mismatched cotton and linen.
---
Evan, Abby, Rev, and Diesel discuss pillowcase breastplates, red circle stamps, and spiritual firewalls in the school hallway. Evan, a boy who often watches his peers with a mixture of concern and detachment, spots Abby in the hallway. She stands with a group of students, her posture rigid, as if bracing for an invisible impact.
"What's with the pillowcase over your chest?" Evan asks, his voice curious but skeptical.
Abby adjusts the fabric, her chin tilted up defensively. "That's my new identity shield," she explains, her internal thoughts consumed by a desire for safety she cannot name. "Diesel only charged me $20 to convert my pillowcase into a special protective breastplate."
Evan steps closer, examining the garment's rough edges. "Looks like he just cut holes for your arms and head," he observes flatly.
"I'm not a fool," Abby snaps back, her eyes flashing with a need to believe in the product. "He did a lot more than that. Look here! See the red circle stamp? That makes it official. It has magical powers to insulate me from negative vibrations."
A boy named Rev joins them, his own pillowcase draped over his shoulders, boasting a much larger crimson mark. "Diesel converted mine also, but I paid $50 for the deluxe, special edition," Rev interjects, looking down at Abby with a sense of superiority. "Look here. My red circle stamp is three times bigger than yours, which makes it more powerful."
Diesel, ever the opportunist, slides into the conversation as he senses a potential sale. He looks at Abby's smaller stamp with practiced pity. "For only $35, I can upgrade your pillowcase identity shield," he offers smoothly.
Abby bites her lip, her mind racing through her meager finances. "I don't have an extra $35," she admits, a wave of anxiety washing over her. "I'm still paying off my debts for my trans-animal tail collection."
Evan shakes his head, his frustration growing. "I've seen a lot of students wearing pillowcase tops," he says, gesturing to the crowded hall. "Why are you fantasizing about having special abilities instead of actually developing those abilities?" He tries to offer an alternative, a path of internal discipline rather than external purchase. "I can teach you how to establish a tubular firewall of spiritual energy that shields you from negative vibrations. I predict this new fad will escalate into disaster."
Abby’s eyes widen at the word 'disaster.' The fear of the future, fueled by the environment around her, makes her more desperate for a quick fix than a slow lesson. "More increasing catastrophes?" she asks, her voice trembling. "OK. You just convinced me that I need to upgrade to the special, large-red-circle level of protection." She turns back to Diesel, her logic discarded in favor of immediate relief. "Diesel, do you still have a student loan program?"
Diesel grins, the light of profit in his eyes. "Absolutely!" he exclaims. He catches himself, masking his greed with a veneer of peer support. "I will do anything to make money- oops, I mean, I'll do anything to help my fellow teens succeed."
From the shadows, Sir Pent watches the transaction with a cold, hissing laughter. "Humans are easily distracted by both real or imagined looming disasters," he remarks to the Tempter. "It is much easier to manipulate teens by creating problems that instant magical solutions can avert."
The Tempter nods, his mind already spinning the next thread of the web. "We can target children with developmental delays and mental illnesses to start radical new trends," he suggests, planning to exploit the most vulnerable to accelerate the chaos.
---
Abby, her mother, and a psychologist discuss adolescent body changes and the psychological attachment to security pillowcases. Young Abby stands before her mirror, tugging at the cotton fabric that once draped loosely over her frame but now pulls uncomfortably across her chest. The "identity shield" feels less like a sanctuary and more like a cage.
"Mom, the bumps on my chest are getting bigger, so the pillowcase doesn't fit anymore," Abby complains, her voice tinged with a growing resentment toward her own biology.
Her mother looks up, offering a simple, traditional explanation. "Those bumps are milk-making machines for when you have a baby."
Abby recoils at the thought, her internal focus entirely fixed on the immediate social cost of her changing shape. "Oh, but it's going to be a long time before I have a baby," she argues, her frustration mounting. "I don't like my bumps because they make my pillowcase not fit."
The mother, sensing the depth of Abby's distress, leans in. "Are you firm in your feelings?" she asks, inadvertently using the language of the Tempters to validate a temporary discomfort as a permanent truth.
"Yes," Abby declares, her voice rising with a rehearsed desperation. "And if you don't affirm my feelings, then I have no other choice but to be depressed, take drugs and then kill myself."
Startled by the severity of the threat, the mother chooses professional intervention. "Let's go talk with a feelings specialist," she decides.
The psychologist's office is sterile and quiet. Abby sits on the edge of the chair, clutching the tight pillowcase. "I don't like my bumpy chest because it makes my pillowcase too tight," she tells the doctor. "I won't be able to hang out with my pillow-buddies if I don't have a pillowcase on."
The psychologist smiles with a detached, clinical warmth. "I am a specialist in human feelings," the doctor says. "I studied for many years to understand how people experience feelings. I can see you are addicted to always having your security pillow on." The doctor pauses, weighing two very different paths. "It can be very challenging to break an addiction, especially when you are more attached to your feelings than your developing bumps. Would you like help in becoming more mature and breaking your attachment to your pillowcase, or are you steadfast in your feelings?"
"Yes, I am firmly convinced, young adult and will never change my feelings," Abby replies, her jaw set. "If I don't get to wear my pillowcase to school, then I would rather be dead."
The doctor sighs, surrendering the role of healer for that of a facilitator. "As an expert professional, I can confirm you have steady, unchangeable anti-bump feelings," the psychologist concludes. "I can't help you because the bumps are causing your problem, not your feelings. You should talk to a knife-wielding surgeon for help. They know the youth are most vulnerable to suggestions of mutilating health care."
---
Abby and a surgeon discuss surgical bump removal procedures and freezing body parts for the future. Abby enters the surgeon's office, her mind a whirlwind of anxiety and anticipation. She views her own maturing body not as a miracle of life, but as an obstacle to her social survival. "I don't care if I become a mutant," she tells the surgeon, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and defiance. "Being mutilated would give me special privileges and governmental benefits. I don't like my useless milk-making bumps because they make my pillowcase too tight to wear anymore."
The surgeon nods, his expression unreadable behind a mask of professional indifference. He has seen this pattern before, a collision of adolescent obsession and biological reality. "That seems to be a widespread experience as young girls mature and are still addicted to their security pillowcase," he observes. He leans back, his tone shifting to one of clinical detachment. "Even though you still want to wear your pillowcase to school, society claims you are no longer a child and can now make major life-changing decisions."
"Please help me," Abby pleads, her internal world collapsing into the singular need to fit back into her fabric shield. "I can't live like this any longer."
The surgeon accepts the psychologist's assessment without question, seeing the flesh as the enemy rather than the mind. "You have strong, overpowering feelings which the Psycho Doctor labeled as normal," he says. "I don't know anything about addictions, but I am an expert bump remover. I trust the all-knowing Psycho Doctor who declared the problem is not your feelings, but the bumps." He outlines the procedure with a cold, financial efficiency. "I only know of one solution for big-bump problems: make them smaller by removing the unnecessary milk-making machines growing on your chest. You will save a lot of money by not needing to buy bras and expensive women's lingerie."
He offers the distraught girl a bizarre form of insurance. "You can save your bumps in a plastic bag in your home freezer, and someone else could put them back in later on, when your feelings change."
Abby scoffs at the idea of her feelings ever shifting. "I am fourteen years old, so my feelings are very dependable," she asserts, convinced of her own eternal consistency. "They will never change. I will always feel this same way, even when I am very old. Trust me. I know I will never be able to live without wearing my pillowcase." She leans in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "I don't like my bumps, and I would rather be dead. Please make them smaller, but don't tell my parents. They won't affirm that my feelings will never change."
The surgeon agrees to the secrecy, his mind already calculating the government reimbursement. "I will convince the government to pay me to cut out the milk machines inside your chest and freeze them, so you can put them back in later on in life when you want to become a mother."
"I feel being a mother has gone out of style," Abby retorts, her thoughts influenced by the dark suggestions permeating her school. "You can throw away the milk machines. I don't feel like making babies and raising children. It is very much like being a slave." She pauses, a momentary flash of physical fear crossing her face. "Will the removal process be painful?"
"As a body cutting expert, I can assure you, you will be passed out and won't feel any pain," the surgeon replies, offering the comfort of chemical oblivion. "Modern drugs will block out all pain until after you wake up from the surgery."
Abby sighs in relief, the prospect of a smooth chest and a loose pillowcase blinding her to any long-term consequences. "Oh, that would be wonderful; then I could keep wearing my pillowcase."
The surgeon stands, the consultation over, and his responsibility ending at the edge of the operating table. "I will then get paid for my services and no longer have any contact with you, for all eternity," he states bluntly. "Patients who have had their bumps removed experience varying levels of discomfort. That is your problem, not mine." He offers a final, hollow disclaimer. "I am not a prophet and am unable to predict how your body will react to having vital, healthy parts cut out. Some radical Anti-bump-removers predict you could experience lifelong pain and regret, but they are not prophets either and can't predict your future feelings."
"I will be sure to tell my pillowcase addicted friends about your removal services," Abby promises, her mind already planning to recruit others into her chosen path. "I'll help you make lots of money."
---
Rev, his father, a psychologist, and Evan discuss muscle dysphoria and Peter Pan maturity-blocking pills. The shadows of Sir Pent and the Tempter lengthen as they observe the boy, Rev, standing before a mirror in his own home. Like Abby, he has found his maturing body a source of profound agitation, a biological betrayal of the comfort he finds in his fabric sanctuary.
"Dad, my favorite pillowcase is too small," Young Rev complains, his voice tight with frustration.
His father looks at him, noting the broadening of his shoulders and the thickening of his limbs. "Your man muscles are growing bigger," he observes.
Rev scoffs, his thoughts prioritizing safety over the reality of physical growth. "So what! I want to keep wearing my pillowcase. I would rather artificially feel secure than actually be strong."
"Are you firm in your feelings?" his father asks, echoing the same validation that had led Abby toward the surgeon.
"Absolutely!" Rev declares, his chin set in defiance. "I know how I feel, and I can trust that my authentic self's feelings will never change. I would rather be dead than be pillowcase-less."
Finding no comfort at home, Rev seeks out the Feelings Doctor, who greets him with a mixture of professional skepticism and clinical curiosity. "As an educated professional, I can affirm you are addicted to your security-pillowcase," the doctor states, leaning forward. "Aren't you a little old for a security blanket? Are you sure you want to keep wearing your pillowcase in High School?"
Rev bristles at the perceived slight. "Why are you teasing me? I thought you were a doctor who would affirm me as having feelings of insecurity, depression and loneliness." He begins to recite a rehearsed manifesto of identity. "I believe these are real, lifelong feelings that I accept as part of my real self. Do not try to change my feelings, as it would change my authentic self-identity."
He looks at his hands, disgusted by the strength beginning to manifest there. "I am no longer a child and can decide what is best for me. I don't need my parents, science, common sense or even the real truth to tell me what my identity should be. I do not see a need for bulky man muscles to play video games. Please cut them out. I want to be like Peter Pan and never grow up to be a real man."
The psychologist sighs, offering a metaphysical excuse for the boy's distress. "Your divine Creator has gotten very old. He is getting mixed up when creating new bodies. It is not your fault that the mentally declining Almighty forgot you should have a Peter Pan-type body. Pray to him to have him change your body."
"I tried that, but the Creator isn't answering prayers as he used to," Rev retorts, his disillusionment complete. "He takes very long naps, and the help request backlog is more than He can handle. He is so proud of always being in charge of everything, so He won't let anyone help him."
Evan, who has been quietly observing the session, finally speaks up, his voice grounded in a different reality. "That is not my experience. Maybe you are not praying to the real Creator."
The Psycho Doctor ignores the interruption, focusing back on Rev’s "muscle dysphoria". "As society unlearns common sense, many students want to stay small and weak. Because you believe your feelings can't be changed, you have only two choices." The doctor lays out the options with a chilling lack of concern. "I can give you special drugs that block your transition into manhood, or a trustworthy surgeon can cut off those cumbersome bulges. Which would you prefer, seemingly harmless pills or drastic, painful surgery? It's your body—your choice."
Rev considers the path of least resistance. "Both choices are beautiful, and I can't see much difference between them. I like to experiment with drugs, so give me some pills for now." He smiles, the idea of chemical escapism appealing to his lack of resolve. "I enjoy taking pills because they replace the need to develop self-discipline. I plan to keep increasing the number I ingest for the rest of my life. That way, I can use pills to control myself or at least have a lot of fun. I'll decide later if I want bulging extremities surgically removed."
Evan warns him of the unknown, but his words fall on deaf ears. "There are many new drugs, vaccines and medical procedures that have had little research on long-term side effects."
The Psycho Doctor holds up two vials, like a dark reflection of a fairy tale. "Here are some pills to choose from. One pill makes you larger, and one pill makes you smaller. The ones your mother gives you don't do anything at all."
"I'll choose the ones that make me smaller," Rev says eagerly. "I'm like Peter Pan. I don't want to grow up and be stronger. Thank you very much. You are so loving, kind, and supportive. I hope you get rich from helping so many teens block their manhood."
---
Rev, the Psycho Doctor, Sir Pent, and Evan examine the consequences of Peter Pan pill addictions and pillowcase capes. The Psycho Doctor beams at Rev, already envisioning the lifestyle his newfound patient will help fund. "Please tell your friends about my services," the doctor urges with a practiced, friendly smile. "I have a long list of planned expensive vacations. I can prescribe any Peter-Pan pill you desire. There are some major, long-term, painful side effects you might want to be aware of."
Rev dismisses the warning with a wave of his hand, his mind focused entirely on the immediate gratification of his chosen identity. "Who cares about small, insignificant, undocumented side effects?" he scoffs. "Companies would not make these pills if they weren't good for me. Give me lots of extra pills so I can share them with my friends to get them addicted. Together, we can stay small and weak."
The doctor nods, noting the broader societal implications of Rev's choice with a detached curiosity. "I expect you will be unfit to join the military and shoot at other humans labeled as the enemies of your country," the doctor observes.
"Wonderful!" Rev exclaims, his internal thoughts celebrating the avoidance of any traditional responsibility. "I won't get drafted into the army and die in a war. Thank you, Psycho Doctor, for saving my life. I won't get hired to do dirty jobs like being a sewer inspector, meat processor, or construction worker." He laughs, feeling he has cheated the system. "I won't outgrow my clothes so that I will save lots of money. I don't know how much you charge, but you deserve to be well paid. You can help my friends to become Peter Pan pill takers for the rest of their lives."
Evan watches the exchange, his spirit heavy with what he is witnessing. "Having corrupted self-delusions is made worse by infecting your friends," he warns Rev, his voice steady and grave. "Lack of awareness of your soul's adversaries increases the likelihood that your enemies will recruit you to support their perverted plans. The sooner you realize that war is being waged against your soul, the sooner you can start defending yourself against your enemies."
Deep within the shifting shadows of the lower realm, Sir Pent turns to the Tempter, his eyes glowing with the successful harvest of Rev's potential. "It is necessary to keep recruiting new comrades to replace those who have been drained of their holy spirit life energy," he explains, his voice a cold, rhythmic hiss. "Planting deceptive lies instills false beliefs and corrupting, incessant desires. It is so much easier to program our false teachings into the youth once their morals, virtues and values have been adjusted to align with our progressive agenda."
Back in the physical world, Evan approaches Abby and Rev, hoping to offer a practical, non-destructive solution to their physical discomfort.
"Abby, I have solved your growing bump problem by turning your pillowcase into a cape you wear on your back," he says, presenting the modified garment.
Abby’s eyes light up with a new, less dangerous fantasy. "I like that," she says, draping the fabric over her shoulders. "Now I can pretend to be like Superwoman and keep my bumps."
Evan then turns to Rev, holding out a similar modification. "Rev, I have solved your problem by sewing together two pillowcases to create an extra-long cape."
Rev takes the cape, his desire for a security object finally finding a form that doesn't require chemical or surgical intervention—for now. "I like that," he agrees, feeling the weight of the fabric. "Now I can pretend to be like Superman and not have to mutilate my strong body."
---
Abby, Rev, their fathers, and the Tempter review the rapid spread of multi-pillowcase clothing fads in school. In the wake of Evan’s temporary solutions, a new wave of physical growth once again threatens the fragile peace of the students’ identity fads. Abby stands before her mother, the pillowcase cape trailing behind her, but her brow is furrowed with a new logistical crisis. "Mom, I'm growing so tall my pillowcase isn't long enough," she complains, her mind racing for a way to extend her fabric armor. "I want to be able to wear a second pillowcase like a skirt?"
Her mother, now fully accustomed to the strange requests, doesn't hesitate. "I'll cut an opening so you can wear it to school tomorrow," she promises. When Abby appears at school the next day, the sight of the pillowcase skirt triggers an instant wave of imitation among the girls. Within days, the hallways are filled with girls wearing both pillowcase tops and pillowcase bottoms.
Rev watches this evolution from the sidelines, his own sense of belonging feeling threatened by the gendered nature of the new fashion. "Dad, I want to wear two pillowcases as the girls do," he tells his father.
His father attempts to apply a moment of practical logic to the situation. "Son, that won't work because boys pee standing up," he explains, trying to maintain a distinction in their attire. "You would have to have two pillowcases, one for each leg."
Rev’s eyes widen as he realizes this isn't a barrier, but a brand-new opportunity for distinction. "Great! That sounds like fun," he exclaims, his mind leaping ahead. "I can wear three pillowcases and still pee standing up." The following morning, Rev marches into school sporting three pillowcases—one covering his torso and one dedicated to each leg. As with every other iteration of the trend, the fad takes hold quickly, and soon many boys are seen wearing two pillowcases as shown below.
In the unseen realm, the Tempter watches this rapid escalation with delight. "We can build on the tradition of cutting off the tip of the boy's pole and transition to cutting off the whole thing," he whispers to Sir Pent, plotting the next radical shift. "Extended severing of healthy vital body parts gradually creeps forward to become accepted as normal."
---
Abby, her mother, the Psycho Doctor, a surgeon, and Evan explore pee-pole transformations and cosmic body errors. As the pillowcase fad deepens, the students' physical differences become the next target of their growing dissatisfaction. Abby, seeing the boys’ new multi-pillowcase configuration, approaches her mother with a demand born of a perceived inequality. "Mom, I want to be able to wear two pillowcases below, as the boys do."
Her mother attempts to point out the biological reality behind the design. "That's because boys pee standing up."
Abby’s internal thoughts flare with resentment and a desperate need for validation. "I don't care," she retorts, her voice sharp with a rehearsed intensity. "My genuine self feels like I want to be able to wear two pillowcases."
The mother, now conditioned to treat every whim as an immutable truth, asks the familiar question. "Are you firm in your feelings?"
Abby’s response is a chilling escalation of the threats used to secure her previous surgeries. "If I don't get to wear two pillowcases below, I will be severely depressed, overdose on drugs and cease to exist," she declares. She turns the blame outward, weaponizing her mother’s love. "It would all be your fault for being a selfish mother and not affirming my eternal, genuine, real self-feelings."
Faced with this ultimatum, Abby is brought back to the Feelings Doctor. The psychologist, seeing the deepening obsession, attempts a milder intervention first. "What can I do to change your mind so that you won't desire to wear two pillowcases down below?" the doctor asks. "Would you like to try some anti-twin pillowcase pills?"
Abby’s resolve is absolute, her identity now fully merged with her aesthetic demands. "There is nothing you can do or say to change the real-me identity feelings," she insists. "I believe I will continue to have these same feelings for all eternity. Don't try to change who I am, or I will accuse you of making unprofessional advances toward me."
The Psycho Doctor quickly retreats, offering the same dark diagnosis as before—blaming the divine for the child's distress. "I conclude your problem is not due to your emotionally unbalanced feelings," the doctor states. "Your problem is due to your aging, demented Creator making the wrong body for you." The doctor gestures toward the next stage of the process. "A knife-wielding surgeon can help you decide which perfectly healthy body parts you want to mutilate forever."
In the surgeon’s office, the conversation takes a radical turn toward the irreversible. "I can help you," the surgeon says, his tone devoid of any ethical hesitation. "Since you believe your feelings and desires will never change, there is only one solution left. I can transform your pee-hole into a pee-pole so you will be able to pee standing up." He offers a brief, hollow warning of the agony to come. "However, there are extensive, excruciating, permanent, painful side effects which cannot be undone."
Abby’s internal desire for transformation blinds her to the warning. "Any amount of pain and suffering would be worth it to attain what I desire," she claims. "My bliss will overcome any slight discomfort I might experience. My Psycho Doctor has assured me there are modern drugs to resolve the many lifelong side effects."
The surgeon validates her "well-thought-out" decision, contrasting it with the "restrictive" nature of mature adults. Abby is filled with a dark gratitude. "Thank you so much, Doctor. I would love to have a pee-pole to show off to my friends!" She views the surgery as a correction of a cosmic error. "You affirm that my feelings are eternal instead of advising me to wait until my brain develops more logical reasoning. I feel this way because my creator made a big error when he fashioned the wrong body for me. Please repair my broken body so I can pee standing up like the boys."
Evan, witnessing this descent into permanent body modification, tries one last time to ground Abby in spiritual reality. "Your soul was assigned a body which will best help you master your poorest qualities and abilities," he explains. "Avoiding your cosmic lessons and tests will increase the intensity of your life's initiations. This will manifest as ongoing dramas, traumas and catastrophes."
---
Sir Pent, Rev, the Psycho Doctor, a surgeon, and Evan analyze de-poling surgeries and zombie drug prescriptions. In the unseen corridors of power, Sir Pent watches the fallout of his suggestions with a cold, analytical eye. "I plant seeds in the youth now which will grow to create adult failure," he explains to the Tempter, his voice reflecting a patient malice. "Children who are encouraged to make foolish choices will blame the predictable, disastrous future consequences on everyone but themselves." He knows that by remaining in hiding, he can redirect their inevitable anger toward parents, doctors, and the government.
At school, Rev finds himself at a new crossroads in his identity, sparked by a desire to match the aesthetic of his female peers. "Dad, I want to be able to wear a skirt like the girls at school," he tells his father.
His father tries to maintain a shred of biological logic. "Girls wear skirts because they pee sitting down," he points out.
"I don't care, I desire to wear a skirt," Rev insists, his internal thoughts prioritizing his aesthetic whim over physical function.
This new desire brings him back to the Psycho Doctor, who seems to have abandoned any attempt at traditional therapy. "What can I do to change your mind so that you don't desire to wear a skirt instead of two pillowcases?" the doctor asks. "Can I give you some pills to make you forget who you are and walk around like a zombie?"
"I am firm in my feelings, and there's nothing you can say to change my mind," Rev declares, though he is intrigued by the offer of chemical escape. "If I can't wear a skirt, I don't want to live anymore. But please give me some zombie pills so I can use them on Halloween."
The doctor accepts the boy's "illogical fantasy feelings" as unalterable truths. "I will not risk my reputation by attempting to heal your distorted desires," the doctor admits. "Maybe a Knife-ologist can help you. They work in a laboratory to conduct corrupt, unregulated and irreversible experiments on children."
Rev meets with the surgeon, who presents the procedure's finality with chilling nonchalance. "If your feelings are stronger than your limited common sense, then there is only one solution," the surgeon says. "I can slice off your bothersome pee-pole and construct a pee-hole. Then you'll be able to pee sitting down."
Rev's mind is already far in the future, justifying the loss of his fatherhood for the sake of his hobbies. "I don't plan to ever be a father, because it takes too much time away from when I could be working to earn money to buy more video games," he reasons. He imagines the wealth his parents would have had without him and begs the surgeon to fix what he calls his creator's "big mistake."
The surgeon offers a list of potential horrors—permanent pain, heart attacks, and strokes—but Rev is unmoved. He is more excited by the prospect of the "zombie drugs" he will be prescribed for the pain. "Oh, doctor, that would be so wonderful," Rev exclaims. "I will be sure to share the zombie drugs with my friends. Then we can have all of our dreams come true."
Evan watches the surgeon with a gaze that burns with quiet fury. "May other Surgeons treat your own children as experimental guinea pigs, just like you treat children now," he says. The surgeon flinches, his composure momentarily breaking. "Hmm! I don't want that to happen!"
Trying once more to save Rev from the knife, Evan offers the same compromise he gave Abby. "Rev, I have solved your problem by sewing together two pillowcases to create an extra-long cape."
Rev takes the cape, the immediate allure of being "like Superman" temporarily overriding his desire for the surgery. "I like that," he says, feeling the weight of the fabric on his shoulders. "Now I can pretend to be like Superman and not have to mutilate my strong body."
---
Abby, the Psycho Doctor, a surgeon, and Evan explore arm removal surgeries and AI robotic assistants. The cycle of dissatisfaction and extreme solutions takes a surreal turn as Abby returns to the experts, her face etched with a new, frantic distress. She stands in the psychologist's office, tugging at the sides of her pillowcase where her limbs protrude. "Doctor, my arms are in the way," she cries, her voice high and unstable. "I currently need extra holes in the side of my pillowcase so I can wear it. When I try to put the pillowcase on with my arms inside, it doesn't fit properly."
Abby’s internal thoughts are a chaotic storm of sensory overload and social terror. She feels as though her own body is a foreign object preventing her from achieving the "smooth" look her identity demands. "I feel like I am going crazy," she confesses, her desperation reaching a breaking point. "I don't want to live anymore. If you can't fix my problem, then maybe you can provide bigger zombie pills so I won't care anymore. I keep having to double the dose to achieve the same effect."
The Psycho Doctor, having fully transitioned from a healer to a mere witness of the descent, offers no resistance. "I have stopped trying to heal infected young minds," the doctor admits with a hollow shrug. "I can give you some mega-pills to make you completely forget who you are and walk around like a zombie. Otherwise, try visiting a miracle-working surgeon."
Driven by the doctor's suggestion, Abby seeks out the surgeon. "Can you make my arms retract inside my chest?" she asks, hoping for a technological or biological miracle.
The surgeon shakes his head, but his eyes gleam with the prospect of another radical procedure. "No, but I can easily cut off both your arms," he offers, as if suggesting a minor wardrobe adjustment. He repeats the empty promise of the freezer. "You can store your severed healthy body parts in the freezer and put them back on again when your mind matures in the future."
"Awesome," Abby breathes, her mind latching onto the idea of a "straight-stick look" as the ultimate expression of herself. She is willing to risk everything for a momentary feeling of aesthetic perfection. "My arms would be safely stored because the electricity never goes out, or at least not very often. I am firm in my feelings and no longer want my arms. Please cut them off, but don't tell my parents. I want them to be completely surprised by my new straight-stick look."
A brief flicker of survival instinct prompts a question: "By the way, one tiny question: how can I function without my arms?"
The surgeon’s answer is ready, painted with the glossy promise of modern technology. "Oh, that is easy. The new AI robots can do everything for you," he explains. He describes a future in which the government provides a six-armed robotic assistant as a constant companion for the armless. "Six arms are better than only two arms. Next year, when you return to school sporting a smooth pillowcase, the other students will be jealous of your six-armed friend and also want to have a government-provided servant." He adds a chilling detail about the robot's "self-defense" machine guns and its potential to make "better choices" for her than she can for herself.
Abby is enthralled. "Artificial Intelligence has become so advanced, I now trust it as much as I trust my feelings," she declares.
Evan, ever the voice of grounded logic, steps in with a sobering experiment. "I have a solution. I will make a bigger pillowcase, tie your arms behind your back and pretend to be your AI servant for a day," he proposes. "That way, you can see what armless life would be like."
"Weirdly, that makes some sense," Abby admits, her curiosity momentarily outweighing her obsession. "I'll try that."
The surgeon, seeing his lucrative procedure slipping away, reacts with predictable hostility toward the interruption. "Nurse, please escort this rabble-rouser out of my office," he commands. "He is trying to ruin my business."
---
Rev, Evan, the Psycho Doctor, and a surgeon examine headless backup procedures and hole-less pillowcases. The escalation reaches its zenith as Rev approaches the psychologist with a request that defies even the pillowcase cult's loose logic. "I want to wear a pillowcase with no holes in it," he declares, his mind completely untethered from the functional reality of his physical form. Evan stands beside him, his expression one of weary resolve. "I could not talk him out of this addiction, so I came along to see what your approach would be," Evan explains to the doctor.
The Psycho Doctor remains unmoved by the absurdity, prioritizing the student's chosen identity over their health. "Humans must be careful when trying to alter a teen's self-created, perverted lifestyle," the doctor lectures, viewing intervention as a threat to self-esteem. "It is best not to interfere with their chosen addictions and personal lifestyles. Professionals are trained to affirm their free-will choices rather than to heal their imbalances." The doctor points toward the door, directing Rev back to the surgical wing where "unscrupulous knife-wielding doctors" wait.
Rev finds the surgeon and repeats his ultimate goal: "I must wear a pillowcase with no holes in it."
The surgeon’s eyes light up with the prospect of a payday that could bankrupt the state. "You are a very imaginative, advanced rebel," the surgeon praises. "This could start a new trend and make all surgeons very wealthy, while the government goes broke." He asks the standard question about the firmness of Rev's feelings, to which Rev responds with a defensive rant. "Accidental emotions are not meant to be logical," Rev claims. "I don't care where my feelings come from as long as they spur random creativity."
The surgeon proposes the final humanist solution. "The easiest humanist technological solution would be to blend the contents of your brain with an AI robot friend and then cut off your head," he suggests calmly. Rev is instantly enamored. "I like your straightforward approach," he says.
Evan interrupts, aghast. "Aren't you going to try to talk him out of his addiction to a security pillow?"
"Of course not?" the surgeon retorts, his voice sharp with greed. "I wouldn't receive any large government bonuses if he changes his mind. I make money with a knife, not by convincing students they are twisted and delusional."
Rev snaps at Evan, "Stop interrupting the educated expert and let him explain the proven, effective process of beheading."
The surgeon paints a macabre picture of the future. "Your lifeless, headless, armless torso could then be covered by a hole-less pillowcase and displayed in the school hallway," he explains. "Everyone would be shocked to discover what surgeons are capable of and willing to do, under the guise of helping the youth resolve their troubling feelings." Rev finds this a "fantasy come true," believing he could live forever as a "happy six-armed AI robot," free from the burden of karmic suffering.
Evan questions the stability of such a path. "What happens if the robot gets hacked, damaged or loses power?"
The surgeon scoffs at the existence of international hackers, dismissing them as a myth because he has never seen one. He insists that all computer viruses are "accidentally, randomly generated" and that a loss of power would result in the patient "painlessly disappearing" without memory of their existence.
Evan makes one final attempt to show Rev the reality of his choice. "How about I give you a full-body injection of Novocain and prop your senseless body up against a wall in the hallway?" he offers. "You can experience being a statue for a day as the students walk by laughing at your full-body pillowcase."
---
Diesel, Evan, Abby, Evelyn, Sir Pent, and the Tempter review the final initiation of medically assisted self-termination and soul harvesting. In the high school hallways, the air is thick with the weight of competing ideologies. Diesel stands near the lockers, his voice ringing with a cold, clinical authority as he addresses a group of wide-eyed underclassmen. “Drastic treatment of confused individuals, particularly youth, is the only valid, evidence-based option,” he declares, his eyes fixed on the profit margins hidden behind his words.
Evan, standing a few feet away, offers a quiet but firm counter-perspective to those willing to listen. “Students who are dissatisfied with their physical, mental and emotional condition can pursue the pathway of mystical self-mastery,” he suggests, hoping to spark a flame of inner discipline.
Diesel scoffs, waving a hand dismissively at the mention of self-mastery. “It is so much easier to employ a range of social, psychological, behavioral, and medical interventions designed to support and affirm an individual's fantasy identity, particularly when it conflicts with reality,” he argues, his internal thoughts focused on the convenience of the system. He leans in, whispering a darker truth. “Although there is no evidence that reality is actually altered, pediatric transition surgeries give unscrupulous doctors permission to experiment on healthy children and get paid.”
Evan watches the students, his heart heavy with the realization that a trap is being set. “The Tempters have created a medical culture that tries to convince the vulnerable youth that body mutilation is health care,” he observes. He looks at the children around them, noting their lack of life experience. “Children are incapable of understanding the full consequences of their decisions.”
Abby, now wearing her dual-pillowcase outfit, chimes in with a rehearsed sense of autonomy. “You own your body and are free to stain, poke holes, add on, or cut off unwanted parts,” she insists, her logic shaped by the very forces Evan warns against. She views her lack of restraint as a virtue. “Children who lack self-discipline can replace fixed reality with flexible fantasy. They can choose fluidity over self-control in their roller-coaster emotions, which rule their desires.”
Evelyn, joining the conversation, points to a deeper failure in the foundation of their lives. “Many parents neglect to teach their children confidence, empowerment, and self-esteem,” she notes, her thoughts drifting to the isolation of the digital age. “Video games and social media do not develop vital empowerment and lifelong, virtuous qualities.”
Abby shakes her head, her mind fixed on a distorted version of equality. “We are all equal. Those who had disadvantages in their upbringing are not responsible for their wrecked lives,” she argues. She believes the burden of truth should be discarded to protect her fragile feelings. “Those who have developed their common sense are responsible for helping the cognitively disadvantaged by affirming and excusing their disorders and lack of talent.”
Deep in the shadows, the Tempter turns to Sir Pent, his admiration for their handiwork reaching a peak. “I am very impressed with how you brought about medically assisted self-mutilation,” he admits, watching the chaos unfold above. “Mankind is blind to what we are doing and to stopping it. What is next on your treacherous agenda?”
Sir Pent’s eyes glow with the promise of a final, absolute harvest of life energy. “I plan to introduce medically assisted self-termination,” he reveals, his voice a low, lethal hiss. He explains how he will redefine death as a compassionate choice. “I will teach the doctors the financial benefits of helping dysphoric and distressed people by presenting end-of-life options. Medical end-of-life care will bring a compassionate, premature close to life.”
The Tempter pauses, the concept of doctors intentionally ending life causing even him a moment of surprise. “I don’t understand. Doctors are supposed to keep people alive, not kill them,” he notes.
Sir Pent smiles, the ultimate subversion complete. “I have taught doctors to see themselves as drug dealers and pain killers, not the fountain of youth,” he says, his silhouette merging with the darkness as the plan moves forward into its final, darkest phase.
In this narrative, Sir Pent and a Tempter scheme to drain human mystic light by promoting body dissatisfaction through piercings, body stains, and extreme mutilations. Students like Abby, Rev, and Diesel fall into various fads and psychological traps, becoming obsessed with security pillowcases, peer inclusion, and avoiding physical growth. This leads them to psychologists and surgeons who readily validate their identity dysphoria through prescription drugs, surgical bump removal, Peter Pan maturity-blocking pills, and even more extreme anatomical modifications. Throughout this cultural descent, Evan acts as a voice of reason, offering spiritual firewalls, cape modifications, and grounded logic, while Sir Pent and the Tempter celebrate the gradual subversion of human biology, self-control, and common sense.
The danger of letting emotional impulses, peer pressure, and ungrounded fantasies dictate permanent physical changes.
How manufactured social dissatisfaction and body dysphoria can be exploited by unseen negative entities (Sir Pent and the Tempters) to drain human mystic energy.
The failure of modern institutional psychology and medicine when professionals choose to validate and monetize adolescent distress rather than foster self-discipline and healing.
The contrast between external, artificial coping mechanisms (pill addictions, identity shields, mutilation) and internal spiritual mastery (building firewalls of light, self-control, and accepting cosmic lessons).
Sir Pent: A dark entity who orchestrates the systematic subversion of human biology and virtue to harvest mystic light.
The Tempter: Sir Pent's cynical partner in malice who helps devise and execute corrupting trends.
Abby: A young student who spirals from wanting facial piercings into becoming obsessed with security pillowcases and extreme surgical body alterations.
Rev: A student who experiences body dysphoria, turns to Peter Pan pills to avoid growing up, and entertains extreme surgeries.
Evan: A grounded student who consistently recognizes the spiritual war being waged and attempts to offer practical, non-destructive alternatives like cape-making and spiritual firewalls.
Diesel: An opportunistic student who profits off his peers by selling makeshift pillowcase breastplates and student loans.
The Psycho Doctor & The Surgeon: Medical professionals who abandon traditional healing and ethics to facilitate irreversible, profitable cosmetic and body-mutilation procedures.