Sinner (Children of the Corn/Malachai)

Chapter #4: Weird Children

It was later in the day when I next left the barn and re-entered town. I had layed down and slept for a good portion of the day after returning from the general store earlier.

The sun was now beginning to set in the sky, making the clouds a pinkish color and everything on the ground a mix of orange and goldenrod. The air had cooled down quite a bit and it was a very relaxing temperature outside. A gentle breeze blew through the town, it tossled my hair as I walked through the streets.
Most people had gone in for dinner by this time - I supposed that I should do the same? There was a small diner down the street from the square that I had remembered seeing earlier, so I decided to go there.

The inside of the diner was alive with people, adults mainly. They chatted and laughed amongst themselves while they ate.
There were only two other teenagers in the diner with me - Katie and some girl with long blonde hair. They sat at a booth by a window and sipped on milkshakes, looking like they were having a serious conversation.

Good Lord being in a cafe this busy made me feel uneasy.

But, keeping my composure I took a seat at one of the barstools by the counter, where a passing waitress handed me a menu.
Glancing down at it instantly made my mouth water, I hadn't seen any food like this in years! Hamburgers, french fries, chicken tenders, pie, milkshakes, soda - It all sounded so good. Eventually though, I decided on a burger, fries and a coke.

Now that I had ordered I took the time to look around the restaurant. 50's style decor, a jukebox, old movie posters, a pinball machine - The place was already reminding me so much of Hansen's Cafe back in Gatlin.
Hansen's....that's where it all began 4 years ago. Though now that it drifted into my memory, it felt like just yesterday.

Images of that day came to my mind now. I was playing pinball when Job and his father showed up, coming in after church let out. I remember smiling at him, thinking it was funny how he had no idea what was about to happen. Isaac came a few minutes later to let us know it was time to start the slaughter -- Mary poisoned the coffee and served it to several of the people in the cafe. When they started to choke and cough, that's when me and the others grabbed our weapons and went to work -- not a single adult survived us. After that...we started our new way of life.

Little Job and his sister Sarah, I thought about them more than I let on -- they were bystanders that Isaac allowed to live just because Sarah had the "gift of sight". They lived on our rules, but yet still went against my commands forbidding music, games, and drawing. They even helped that outlander Burt fight against us -- it irritated me just thinking about all of it.
I let out an annoyed sigh, there was no point in getting mad about it now. All I knew though, was that if it had been me in charge the day we killed all of the adults, I would have sacrificed those two kids with them.

After this thought crossed my mind, my food arrived, thankfully. I shook my head to readjust my thoughts and looked down at my plate.

Holy...

The smell that came along with the delicious looking food was enough to take my mind off of what I was just thinking about -- I didn't know where to start. After a few moments though I picked up my burger and took a bite -- and oh it was good, my mouth watered at the taste.
The next 10 minutes were like this, until I had practically cleaned off the entire plate. I couldn't even deny it -- this was "outlander food", but it was great. I sat completely content now, drinking my coke.

Until then, when I got the sudden overwhelming feeling of eyes on me.
I looked back behind me to see if it was Katie looking at me, but she was still talking to the other girl that sat with her at her booth. Confused at who's stare I'd felt, I turned back around on my stool. But, as I did this I found my culprit.