From Surgipelago, the Beach Surgery encyclopedia
The Laughing Scream
The crash is sudden. The rocket cart shatters on the beach. Leif falls, white wings catching sunrise for three seconds before folding and dragging him down. His body breaks against sand and rock. Katita, armoured, tumbles and comes to her feet. She laughs—bright, almost joyful. Katita: “"We did it. We actually—"” Then she sees Leif's angle, the blood spreading. Katita: “"No. No no no—"” She crawls to him, dresses his wounds, covers his eyes with fresh bandages, pulls the wheelchair from the medical box. Places the hand cannon in his lap. Takes the heat-sharpened pipe-blade and resharpens it with trembling hands. Katita: “"We need to break the cycle. We can do it. We can—"” She resets. The beach vanishes. She stands in the desert, Leif unconscious, wheeling him across parallel wires toward the car park. It all begins again. The coin spins. Katita: “"Again. Again. Again."”