Bound By the Prince of Eels

Chapter 6: Perception

The main cave was not the large common area they’d entered through. It was deeper in the tunnels, past living quarters and meeting areas and supply pockets. It was also significantly bigger, with tiered seating going both towards the surface and down, into cavernous space where it got too dark for sunlight to reach, the bright, luminescent walls the only source to see by.

“Big enough to fit all the Eels at once,” Knez said, softly.

“Really? I mean, it’s huge, but it doesn’t seem like it would fit more than – ”

“Twenty thousand.”

“Holy – That many?!”

Knez laughed bitterly. “Yup, the whole of our population.”

“Well, just make some babies,” Roni ribbed him. At his suddenly weird expression, she raised her hands, “whoa, not you and me! I meant collectively.”

Knez smiled, but it was mostly teeth. And not in a lecherous way. “Just watch who shows up for supper. There’s a rotation we keep, so only those next in line and the hunter-gatherer groups will be partaking today.”

“Please tell me there’s more than just tentacles on the menu.”

“Nope. We finished the last of our reserves two evenings ago, which were meager in the first place. As soon as they finish eating, the hunters have to go out again. Adrian will lead three divisions. His new partner will search for plants and seedlings, although we haven’t had a successful growing season in years. Hopefully they’ll come back with enough to get some of the Eels that have had to wait a few days’ worth on small catches. Otherwise, with the amount of energy Creature’s bodies burn, they could starve.”

“What? Then why not feed them now?”

“It’s a rotation. And the strong eat first. If we don’t feed the providers enough, we won’t survive.”

“And what? The weak are responsible for having families, aren’t they? Shouldn’t you feed the family men and women? Their kids? How are you going to continue if you don’t beef up the next generation?”

Knez laughed as a flow of Eels started streaming into the cave, many of them hollow-cheeked, pale-grey skinned, raccoon-bruises around their eyes. They all looked ravenous.

“Take a good look at our Eels. Notice anything strange?”

“Other than the way they look?”

“You mentioned a next generation,” he hinted.

Watching the stream, Roni got a sick feeling that she knew what he was talking about. The Eels entering the cave and lining up along the serving tier for their portions of the Gobjar were of various sizes, greyscale skin shades, and hair colors, but there was one thing they all had in common. Every last one of them was an adult.

“Where are the children?” Roni asked, softly, but eyes drew in their direction anyway, her question apparently on a mental broadcast.

“We’re super soldiers, remember? Built to last, not reproduce. We’re essentially immortal, but this is it. Since the Illusionists stopped making us, we can only ever decrease in number. Hence, those who have lost their strength serve no purpose. The strong feed them when they can afford to.”

“That’s horrible,” Roni said, trying hard to target the thought just at Knez. This time no one looked up from their task of getting food and finding a seat. It was kind of strange to hear only the churn of water in the cave as people kept their conversations limited to just certain minds. Nothing like a Reg meal. Roni missed the overwhelming chatter and din of the pub. But her nostalgia disappeared at Knez’s careless shrug.