The Beast in Us All

The Vices of Life

The Haven.
A well known hell on earth.
A mistake of the one you call God.
A violent pit soaked in blood and rage.

In a world ravaged by war, humanity lives securely under the dirt of a scorched and rotten Earth. A waking nightmare. A dark wasteland. Filled with only the most twisted monsters. Beings whose existence is suffering. Abominations.

Humanity's dying light remained underground. A Utopia in dirt.

When the war began the Haven was designed to be the best way of defense from blasts,bullets and radiation.

There lived exactly 1,000 people in The Haven. Men,women and children ,of all colors and creeds, resided in the alabaster walls of the underground vault.
The plan was that society would live on inside the vaults all over the world.
Fortified bunkers made of the strongest metal, equipped with the most advanced technology the world had to offer.

However only one was ever finished.
The smallest one.

Inside the Haven lived the last of the humans. They had no names only numbers.
They dressed identically.
But had different personalities.

The homes in the Haven were structured like a giant under ground apartment complex. With it was a courtyard. It looked a lot like a large mall.
The Haven was at appoint of civil unrest.

"The lottery is our best bet of survival." shouted 58, an older balding man.
"We have to at least try to fight back against the beast." said 34,an old grey haired man with a cane, "every year he take some one new and one day our numbers may fall so short that we all die."
"And how exactly do you expect us to fight it, we have no weapons.", exclaimed 721," its a miracle we have anything down here, all of our resources were put toward the war effort."
18 sat back in his chair and thought, he was a young man,the second youngest on the group known as "The Wise Men". They were in charge of all the major plans of action that the people of the Haven would take.

"The coming of the beast purges our home of evil." said 34, the oldest.

"And what if you're chosen next old man" said 58.

"Then that's how I was meant to die !" shouted 34 in a raspy voice.

"Gentlemen, the answer is simple...we must let our people decide." said 18."The lottery is a tradition in the Haven and a public power system, we will vote on what step to take."

18 got out of his chair and walked around the large circular table.
"However we have to be prepared for any out come. Until we can forge weapons of our own we must continue the lottery."

"Are you insane?", shouted 58," We can't let the public know about this."

"And why not?"

"Because the public it would cause mass hysteria, people would become paranoid and begin to conspire."

" All political decision are met with some level of resistance, but the people are desperate, if you give them a chance to survive they'll decide." said 18.

The room grew silent.

"The lottery is coming soon and we best keep this plan under wraps for now, the best plan of action is to wait until we have some ground to stand on...without weapons the decision is obvious.", 18 slicked his blonde hair black.

"We need resources to make weapons, how do you expect us to get them." asked 721.

18 turned toward 721 and gave him a grim look.

"We may have to deconstruct one of the wings. We'll be able to forge weapons from the materials"

"And which wing would you suggest?" asked 34.

"The one with the least tenants."

"But all of them are full" said 58.

"We'll let the lottery decide then." said 18.

"I can't be apart of this...you're willing to put hundreds out of their homes." shouted 58.

"The needs of the many out weight the needs of the few 58. We can reclaim their homes when we expand into the waste." smirked 18.

"This is madness." said 58 as he stormed out.

The other members watched as he did and 18 turned back to the group.

"58 has become insubordinate.You all know how we deal with those who fall out of line." said 18.

The other members looked around at each other disgusted. As if they had been reminded of something they'd rather forget.

"If were going to send someone to the beast why not let it be someone who impedes progress...the greatest sin of the Haven." said 18.

The room was silent.

"Only the evil are corrupt...we are enterprisers. We must use our power for the good of mankind."

34 spoke quietly, "If it must be done...then let it be."

18 smiled and looked around the grim faces in the small white room.

"I take it you all agree." said 18.

The room was still silent.

"You gentlemen have made the right decision. Alert the R&D team of the plan. Remember if must kept secret." said 18.

18 left and a pressure left with him.

[END OF CHAPTER 1]