ManBeast - Book 1: A Kingdom of Predators

Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Six darkly robed figures, aligned in a semi-circle, stood silently in front of a roaring bonfire. The light from the dancing flames flickered to and fro, kissing the dark contorts of their robes. In front of each figure was a sizeable and smooth rock, no bigger than a television. None moved, none spoke; they waited in anticipation of a sacred ceremony that has been passed down through their species for generations. A deep drum beat began to sound off, seemingly intensifying the flicker of the flames.

As the drum beats stopped a moment later, the sounding blast of a winding horn caused the robed figures to stand erect and at attention. A gaudy and ornamental figure, wearing a golden deer skull mask, complete with a large cloak of fur appeared from behind the flame. "CASSST OUTTT YOURRR ATTAACHHMEENNTSS," a voice in the darkness hissed, causing the robed figures, one by one, to cast items into the fire. Pictures of family, sentimental trinkets and good luck charms burned quickly but unevenly in the roaring flame, causing black smoke to rise in greater mass from the fire.

The Skull moved its arms about, giving the appearance of conjuring the smoke from the flame; as the figure danced, another voice from the darkness called out: "The rights of ascension must be treated with the utmost reverence, lest the ancestors of old are offended and forgo their blessing. A successful Hunt, for a predator, is the difference between life, and death in the wild; so too shall its metaphysical representation for these Hunters. To "Hunt" is to determine the meaning of life and death."

The first hissing voice returned with instructions: "LIFFFFTT YOURRR ROCCKK, AND TAAKKEE HOLD OFFF YOUR DESSSTINNYYY!!" At the same time, each figure flipped their rock and revealed a mask and an envelope underneath. Each one removed their hood, and donned the mask in its place before opening their envelopes. Inside each envelope was a picture and a piece of paper: the picture was of a young black man in semi-professional attire; the paper, a resume. On the top of the paper, the words "JULIUS P. JONES" were illuminated by the dancing firelight.

"Nothing to be nervous about. All I have to do a swing a decent sketch, to a bunch of people...who will make or break my career...Nothing to be nervous about"; Jules found his first thoughts on Monday morning to be anything but pleasant or calm. The weekend had its moments of self-care ("ooohh this line-up is sharp, boss-man!") and completion of personal tasks ("63 cents to do a load of laundry? What the fuck bruh"), but the majority of it was spent in preparation for this meeting with the senior partners. If Frankie was looking for his words to have a desired effect on Jules, they were potent to a "T"; Jules sketched and drew, drew and sketched, completing several different design concepts that despite the manhours invested, felt incomplete or lacking. This drove Jules crazy, as he was never the type to present work to someone that he wasn't willing to stand by, hell, even die by. His work WAS him, in spite of Frankie's words. "Fuck that."

Jules grabbed his phone after rolling out of bed, flipping through his playlists to shake that typical morning funk. "I Ain't Never Scared" by Bone-Crusher cycled through the selections and ended up being blasted a few decibels higher than normal as Jules got dressed and left for work. Much like the first day, Jules' excitement and nervousness over impressions caused his mind to wander to a myriad of "what if's". Despite the vastness and effect of his own imagination, these thoughts equaled to no matter: forward was the only direction available. This was directly succeeded by a typical commute, typical wait in line for coffee, typical greetings to staff; mundane in its initial sum, given the anticipation was what was to come.

Around 11 A.M., as Jules was putting the finishing touches on the two "best" pieces he could drum up, Beverly, the young woman who Jules bumped into the week prior, tapped him on the shoulder; Jules shifted his headphones to the side.