HUNTING GODS

Abel

The land had long ago stopped being fertile below the buildings of the Believers, their homes towering to the sky in attempts to regain their status in the promised place. But the Fallen were cast from these places, so they made their homes amongst the trees and forests that remained, overtaking abandoned homes once inhabited by those of lesser means. They were made to work the farms and fields, overseen by the Omega, all to produce the best for the Alpha. Those that could not work were left to die, starving in name of filtering out the weak. It was one of many ways to die under the "guidance" of the faithful.

The sun raced the party back to their home, the last golden rays lighting Gideon's scowl as they walked. Abel, fascinated by their new companion, kept Asa's attention with his inquisition.

"Do you come from another gathering? Are they a large group? Do they all seem to glow like you?"

Asa smiled as she listened, her responses polite and vague. "It is a bit like a gathering, but there are only a few of us left now. The glow I can't account for, though I do think we all share similar qualities."

"Are you Fallen too? Have you taken another name? Our township is Outlier 25, but our 'leader' decided we needed our own title." Abel dramatized the air quotes before continuing. "so we became the Core."

"The Core? What an unusual name, what does it originate from?"

"Well the majority of us were born from scientists. So core, like nucleus."

"Are you a scientist?"

"He didn't get the chance to become one." Gideon joined the conversation, his tone indicative of his frustration. "Abel's father was an Alpha, and one of the top scientists of his lifetime. He was the first one tossed when they came for them."

Asa turned back to the older man, his face a myriad of embarrassment as he avoided her gaze. He pulled his shawl up over his head, tucking his long locks into the fabric. "My father was too smart for them I guess, too rationale. He was one of the original heads of state so I guess he never feared the change till they came one day and knocked down the door. They took my father away and cut the Alpha sign from my mothers arm. They left her there to bleed as my father screamed for his own friends to save her. Men that had shared our table, men who's homes we had been welcome in, just stood by and watched my mother die. "

Asa touched Abel's arm lightly, her hand drawing down to the scar on his forearm. "Where were you?"

"My father's friends argued amongst themselves of what to do with me, as I sat just out of reach of my mother's hand. Even when they placed the hot iron on my arm to burn my status, I couldn't find my own tears to shed. All but one left once they were sure my mother was dead, one left behind to drive the final knife across my neck."

Gideon quickened his pace as Abel chocked back tears. "He waited till they all left, and then he leaned down next to where her face was. I don't remember the pain from my burned arm, but I remember not fearing death. Watching my mom take her last breath seemed to rip out my own. So I closed my eyes and waited for him to kill me. The last thing I remember was him drawing his knife."

"How did you escape?"

"He didn't." Gideon pushed the corn stalks from their path, opening them to a small town. "Chief Bowen ran."

"The Chief?" Asa seemed stunned.

Abel shook his head, "He wasn't Chief back then, he was just a young cadet, but yes, when I opened my eyes he was gone."

"Why did he spare you?"

"I don't know. I think it hurt my father the most to see him part of it all, his family had been involved with ours for years, and yet ..."