Sacrifice - A short Story

Sacrifice - Short Story

Peru

1511

     Gerónimo de Aguilar had heard the many rumors of a mysterious tribe in this 'New World' that some poor Spaniards had managed to stumble upon. Blood thirsty sacrifices, rampaging cannibalism, and horrid gods were among the many rumors he had bothered to listen to. Now, though, it seemed Aguilar would see this first hand. 

Aguilar was being lead up a massive temple, all of which was covered in spectacular gold plating. A burly, dark skinned native was next to him and was practically dragging him up the seemingly endless steps towards what seemed like an altar. Thick, red blood dripped down from its gold surface and down onto the steps before Aguilar. 

What struck Aguilar most was the smell of drying blood and the noise of flies buzzing over the fresh liquid. When he reached the bloodied steps, he paused...only to be shunted in the back by the big burly native. Aguilar stumbled forward, nearly slipping on the fowl smelling blood at his feet. 

Aguilar luckily managed to recover and stop himself from fully falling into the blood. He tried to glance up at his burly captor...only to be met with a fist to the face. Pain rocketed through up his nose and around his head. Blood squirted everywhere, splashing onto the already bloodied steps of the temple. Aguilar fell onto his knees, splashing more and more blood onto his body. On seeing this, the burly native said something in his language and yanked Aguilar out of the blood puddle he was lying in. 

The punch to the face had hit Aguilar hard physically and mentally. His mind spun like a wheel. Questions kept on entering his brain: 'What's going to happen to me?' 'Will my blood be splattered over these steps too?'

To make matters worse, Aguilar and the native had reached the top of the bloodied stairs; the gold plating now unrecognizable. Another native stood at the top, holding a flint knife with blood covering the blade. He seemed to greet and dismiss the burly naive who had dragged Aguilar up the long flight of steps in their native language. The native, who was clearly more important that the one who brought Aguilar here, turned to look at him. Two pitchy green eyes didn't blink as they drilled into Aguilar's brain. Aguilar was then shoved to the alter by the green eyed native. A cool, slippery golden surface greeted his bare and bloodied skin.

Aguilar didn't even struggle, the mental and physical exhaustion finally overcoming him. The priest held the flint knife above Aguilar and said something indiscernible in his language. With that, the priest slashed down the knife in a quick, forward motion. The knife struck Aguilar in the chest, sinking deep into his heart cavity. The last thing Aguilar saw was the priest pull out the flint knife and reach into the hole of his chest, grabbing his still beating heart, yanking it out of his chest. 

After that, complete and utter darkness.