Prey

Chapter 1 - Why We Are.

Chapter 1.

Why We Are.

I woke up, finding my whole body numb, my vision still blurry and I could almost feel my brain as it kick-started back to life in several small jolts.

As my vision began to clear I could see the cold harsh concrete that made my body numb, my nose started detecting faint wafts of mould and mildew that lingered in the nostrils.

“Hey, so you are alive”

As those words revolved in my head my body shot up almost to a full height as I prepared to make a run for it.

Whoa, whoa, calm down mate. At least for now, there’s no way out of here. Come sit with the rest of us.

As this strange gruff looking man placed his shoulder under my arm to help carry my weight I couldn’t help but observe his features, easily taller than me by a head, the darkest of skins I have ever seen even in the runner camps and they saw all types. He looked like hell, a tough old narrow face outlined by greying stubble and a head full of hair to match. But the thing you couldn’t help but gaze upon were the deepest of blue eyes that must have seen the horrors in this world more than I could ever know, the sadness was enveloping.

We reached a corner that he leaned me into resting my back between the two walls, the cold was familiar and strangely comforting. Feeling the bruises that must have crossed the entire available space twinge with sharp pains then succumb to the numbing cold of the walls. Faint sounds of breathing and wheezing were all around, then the near silence was broken by a sickly cough.

From out of the dank forms started to appear, as they neared my position they began to squat and take a place forming a makeshift circle. Faces started to become clear, most looked sick or elderly. This is when it occurred to me where I was, the slaughter houses.

 The people in the circle began to reach out and caress my bruised body gently as best they could, many having rough skin on their fingers that acted more as sandpaper. The mumbling continued but no-one spoke a word.

“My names Zed” a recognisable voice stated, it was the man that had helped me over here.

“The polite thing to do now mate is to tell me yours, we could be together a while, or not”… he said with disturbing finality.

As I turned those words over in my head, those piercing eyes looked into mine pulling me out of my daze.

“Ah, Sizarow, my name is Sizarow” I muttered under my breath.

I took another look around the room at all the withered depressed  faces, some looked no older than me, just more sickly, but that’s how it is, when the church send out enforcers to “gather” their crops we run and usually the old or the sickly are the sacrifices. Another reason I would rarely spend any time with large groups of runners, some have been known to trip you up to make you a target… assholes!

Others like my parents are just running scared. Let’s face it, who in their right mind wants to end up being invited to a banquet with the upper ranks of the clergy only to find out their part of the main course…

These poor people didn’t, but if we are in the slaughter houses, it seemed it wouldn’t matter what they wanted, it was their fate… and mine…

“So kid, where you from” Zed whispered.

“Here and there really” I replied. My mind flashed to all the camps I had passed through outside the central city walls never staying more than a night to rest and replenishes my water stores and some dried foods. Corn bread and root vegetables mostly, there’s not a lot of arable land to grow foods like I had seen in books.

I snapped back to reality suddenly seeing that Zed was hoping for more of an answer. “but I grew up in the desert of Maguma with my parents” I added “I suppose that’s as much home as any”.

“Not a bad place Maguma, if I may say. You guys know how to grow your nuts”

“Yeah, dad had a small harvest each year that helped support the camp. At least until he was taken”.

“Sorry to hear that kid, I had a little girl myself, spose she’d be about your age now if she aint been captured” a small grimace crossed his face speaking more than any words out of his mouth could have said.

“But not to worry kid, I’ve lived a life, spent most of it in one breeding camp or another, but the best years were with her, and those are the memories I will carry with me”

The room suddenly fell totally silent as the clinking of what sounded like keys on a chain rattled, the sound reverberating off the hallway walls outside. Then the door opened.

A sharp beam of light poured in through the crack as the door swung open with an ear piercing rusty screech. As it came to a full open standing in its frame were three figures, but mere shadows with the blinding light illuminating them to an almost evangelical state.

Zed leaned in close and whispered in my ear “Just stay quiet kid, and hope it’s not you their after”. My mind filled with images of my body strewn across a clergyman’s dining table fit for a feast, the image so strong I could almost smell the roasted portions.

That one! An enforcer boomed pointing towards the corner I was in. The only thought in my mind was “SHIT! SHIT, SHIT, SHIT, SHIT! What do I do”?

The two enforcers entered the room from behind the first who had given the order, each footfall was in slow motion as I saw the end drawing to a close on my life.

They entered into the huddling mass of people passing one by one by. My face not letting an iota of fear show, while my insides from top to bottom were a jumbled mess of flight or flight responses.

The two men stopped halfway through the mass, looked down and through the gloom let show a glint of teeth. “Dinner time” they said in unison.

They hauled a young woman off her knees dragging her along the surface of the concrete floor. Nothing but a faint sob left her lips as they dragged her through the door.

Satisfied they had fulfilled their orders, the door was dragged shut with a resounding clack as the door was re-bolted, once again sealing the room in near perfect darkness.