Two freshman pledges stare into an inferno, horrified and enthralled at what they had done. The taller of the two pulls a flask out of his pocket, his hands shaking nervously as he unscrews the cap and pours the dark liquid into his mouth. He passes it to his companion, who finishes the contents in one. They join hands, and start to chant.
For the members of Phi Gamma Delta, this was no horror story. This was a time-honored ritual of utmost importance: sacrificing the float of a rival fraternity to the Alcohol Gods, so that they may continue to show their favor to the brotherhood.

“Burn, burn, burn away,” begins the chant, as the flames began to rise. “Wash, wash, wash away our sins,” they continued, as more brothers join them. “Drink, drink, drink it down.”

As the chant continues, the volume of their ritual increases as the inferno engulfing the homecoming float of Phi Kappa Psi continued to grow larger. Flames begin to lick at the clothes of the pledges, who pay them no mind.

“Whiskey, bourbon, beer and wine!” the bro-tanked worshippers shout. “All in the name of our divine!”

The fire begins to descend. The cheap materials and plywood are no match for the cool night air continually feeding the flames, but even that can only go so far. The area grass, wet from the dew, catches, sputters, and dies. The chanting grows quieter, and the crowd begins to disperse.

“Burn, burn, burn away….. burn, burn burn, away….” Nothing is left now. The homecoming float of the hated rival is gone. And so are the perpetrators, their dark task now complete.

From the doorway of Phi Kappa Psi, a fraternity brother emerges to see the smoldering wreckage of their tribute to Husker pride. Grief overtakes him, and he drops to his knees.

“Motherfucker,” the brother says to no one in particular. “Every year. Every fucking year.”
The dying embers flicker, and fade.