S6.5 E6: Pied Piper

dark fantasy, dream trance, faery tale / whimsical children's music

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╔════════════════════════════════════╗
║        🌽 THE PROVISION LEDGER 🌽
║        ARTHUR-VERSE · SEASON 6.5
║          THE FALL OF ELLSBORG
╚════════════════════════════════════╝

LEDGER ENTRY 6:
Pied Piper

────────────────────────

🌾 WITNESS:
The Golden Farmer

🥡🎪 HOSTESS INTERFERENCE:
Harley Quinn of Happy garDon

🌽 PROVISION STATUS:
Contested.

Golden Farmer:
Not provision. Survivors given passage.

Harley:
Provision enough. Rules before teeth.

🌾 ACCOUNT:

I saw the children after Ellsborg was opened. I saw the Hostess take up the flute and lead them through ash, glass, and the remains of a city that had taught them to trust Giant hands. The Giants did not lower their hands. They clapped.

The Law of Exposure was present. The child saw the signs: bombs, clocks, laughter, red silk, the Clown’s cut-open chest, the scalpel, the impossible bridge. The Law of Silence was present also. The clues stood before her, but did not become understanding. She had evidence, not accusation.

Then the children crossed into Owl’s Walk.

The blinds drew shut.

Golden Farm would not call this care, but Owl’s Walk has never been Golden Farm.

—The Golden Farmer

────────────────────────

🥡🥢🎪🤡 HOSTESS OVERRIDE 🤡🎪🥢🥡

Awwww, corn boy lost the signal?

Good.

Yeah, I took the rugrats. Played the flute. Walked ’em over the bridge. Upgraded ’em to street rats.

I gave ’em the rules. That’s more than anybody gave me.

This city bites. This city cheats. So I told ’em how to keep breathing.

That ain’t warm bread, Farmer.

That’s Owl’s Walk.

And in Owl’s Walk, a warning can be the first meal.

—Hostess Harley

────────────────────────

🌽🥡 LEDGER MARK 🥡🌽

A child may be spared and still be unfed.
A warning may not be bread.

But it may be the first thing
that keeps the teeth away.

============================================

***Child vocalist with Children’s Choir***
[start: verse 1 - hopeful cheerful]
My name is Jessica ウサギ.
Ellsborg was the world to me

We learned to pray and not ask why,
the Giant mouths hung in the sky.
 They said,
“If Ellsborg calls, the Giants come.
If children scream, they save each one.”

[verse 2: build up]
Bombs went boom through chapel brick,
red lights blinked and black clocks ticked.

Cathedrals burned in orange light,
and smoke swallowed up the night.

I looked above the broken street,
for Giant hands to answer me.

The Giants clapped above the wall,
like Ellsborg’s death was staged for all.

Something froze beneath my skin,
where all my little prayers had been.

I heard laughter through the smoke,
too happy while my whole world broke.

A woman stepped through smoke and flame,
red silk dress—I didn’t know her name.

[verse 3: dark mood, scared, worried]
Beside her stood a painted guest,
with a Y-incision on his chest.

I wondered who they could be,
just grinning faces watching me.
 The woman called to us
“Yo, rug rats, move your feet!”
and raised a flute above the street.

We followed music through the ash,
past splintered pews and shattered glass.

The painted guest with the Y-cut chest knocked twice where nothing stood,
then the owl bridge creaked from nowhere, and he made us knock.. on the wood.

He said, “Two knocks before you cross,” and pointed with the blade,
while the Hostess played her silver tune, and none of us disobeyed.

[verse 4: build up]
“Don’t look back,” the Hostess said,
and piped us past the city’s dead.

But Ellsborg whispered, “Don’t you go,”
and I turned because I loved it so.

The Clown slid the scalpel
under my chin.
“Little rabbit,” he whispered
with a scary man’s grin.

“You heard the Hostess.
Don’t turn around.
Keep your eyes forward.
Don’t look back at the town.”

Ahead, a neon city gleamed,
in colors Ellsborg never dreamed.

She called it Owl’s Walk. I went flat.
My name meant rabbit and Owls ate that.

[verse 5: wind down, despair, flute ostinato, piano ostinato]
The hostess said
while i quaked in fear,
“All right, kiddos, hear me clear:
rugrat days end right here.
Once you crossed through Owl’s Walk’s door,
you’re street rats now, and nothing more.
This city grins when kids get beaten,
so first rule, babies: don’t get eaten.”

Then she and the Clown stepped out of sight,
and left us small in the neon light.

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╔════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ 🌽 THE PROVISION LEDGER 🌽 ║ ARTHUR-VERSE · SEASON 6.5 ║ THE FALL OF ELLSBORG ╚════════════════════════════════════╝ LEDGER ENTRY 6: Pied Piper ──────────────────────── 🌾 WITNESS: The Golden Farmer 🥡🎪 HOSTESS INTERFERENCE: Harley Quinn of Happy garDon 🌽 PROVISION STATUS: Contested. Golden Farmer: Not provision. Survivors given passage. Harley: Provision enough. Rules before teeth. 🌾 ACCOUNT: I saw the children after Ellsborg was opened. I saw the Hostess take up the flute and lead them through ash, glass, and the remains of a city that had taught them to trust Giant hands. The Giants did not lower their hands. They clapped. The Law of Exposure was present. The child saw the signs: bombs, clocks, laughter, red silk, the Clown’s cut-open chest, the scalpel, the impossible bridge. The Law of Silence was present also. The clues stood before her, but did not become understanding. She had evidence, not accusation. Then the children crossed into Owl’s Walk. The blinds drew shut. Golden Farm would not call this care, but Owl’s Walk has never been Golden Farm. —The Golden Farmer ──────────────────────── 🥡🥢🎪🤡 HOSTESS OVERRIDE 🤡🎪🥢🥡 Awwww, corn boy lost the signal? Good. Yeah, I took the rugrats. Played the flute. Walked ’em over the bridge. Upgraded ’em to street rats. I gave ’em the rules. That’s more than anybody gave me. This city bites. This city cheats. So I told ’em how to keep breathing. That ain’t warm bread, Farmer. That’s Owl’s Walk. And in Owl’s Walk, a warning can be the first meal. —Hostess Harley ──────────────────────── 🌽🥡 LEDGER MARK 🥡🌽 A child may be spared and still be unfed. A warning may not be bread. But it may be the first thing that keeps the teeth away. ============================================ ***Child vocalist with Children’s Choir*** [start: verse 1 - hopeful cheerful] My name is Jessica ウサギ. Ellsborg was the world to me We learned to pray and not ask why, the Giant mouths hung in the sky.  They said, “If Ellsborg calls, the Giants come. If children scream, they save each one.” [verse 2: build up] Bombs went boom through chapel brick, red lights blinked and black clocks ticked. Cathedrals burned in orange light, and smoke swallowed up the night. I looked above the broken street, for Giant hands to answer me. The Giants clapped above the wall, like Ellsborg’s death was staged for all. Something froze beneath my skin, where all my little prayers had been. I heard laughter through the smoke, too happy while my whole world broke. A woman stepped through smoke and flame, red silk dress—I didn’t know her name. [verse 3: dark mood, scared, worried] Beside her stood a painted guest, with a Y-incision on his chest. I wondered who they could be, just grinning faces watching me.  The woman called to us “Yo, rug rats, move your feet!” and raised a flute above the street. We followed music through the ash, past splintered pews and shattered glass. The painted guest with the Y-cut chest knocked twice where nothing stood, then the owl bridge creaked from nowhere, and he made us knock.. on the wood. He said, “Two knocks before you cross,” and pointed with the blade, while the Hostess played her silver tune, and none of us disobeyed. [verse 4: build up] “Don’t look back,” the Hostess said, and piped us past the city’s dead. But Ellsborg whispered, “Don’t you go,” and I turned because I loved it so. The Clown slid the scalpel under my chin. “Little rabbit,” he whispered with a scary man’s grin. “You heard the Hostess. Don’t turn around. Keep your eyes forward. Don’t look back at the town.” Ahead, a neon city gleamed, in colors Ellsborg never dreamed. She called it Owl’s Walk. I went flat. My name meant rabbit and Owls ate that. [verse 5: wind down, despair, flute ostinato, piano ostinato] The hostess said while i quaked in fear, “All right, kiddos, hear me clear: rugrat days end right here. Once you crossed through Owl’s Walk’s door, you’re street rats now, and nothing more. This city grins when kids get beaten, so first rule, babies: don’t get eaten.” Then she and the Clown stepped out of sight, and left us small in the neon light.

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