“Mum. I didn’t think you’d show up.”
Ben turned and looked up. He smiled. “She’s so lucky,” he said, indicating his sister.
Anna peered through the gate. In the distance she noticed crooked figures stumbling from the tree line. Their movements jerky and awkward, they seemed to sniff around aimlessly as if looking for direction. The gong reverberated through the air again, and all visible heads snapped simultaneously towards Sanctuary.
Anna grabbed her children and pulled them close enough to hear her above the crowds chant. “Both of you, listen to me. This isn’t right. Something’s wrong.”
Ben tried to pull away. “You’re hurting me. Let me go.”
Anna didn’t relinquish her grip. “You’ve got to trust me. I can’t tell you how I know, but your sister wasn’t chosen. The lottery was rigged.”
Ben shook his head, looking at Anna as if she’d grown a second head.
“We were there. She was chosen.”
Zeke frowned.
“Zeke, I know you’re unsure about the Chosen. I see it on your face every time there’s a lottery.”
“I’m not… I don’t…”
“Come with me.”
“Come where?”
Anna glanced towards the gate. Zeke followed her gaze.
“We’re getting out of here.”
Zeke’s mouth dropped. “Are you
“How do you know? How do any of us know what’s outside? Nobody but the Hunters are allowed outside the walls. We only have the brethren’s word.”
“You don’t trust them?”
Anna shook her head. “No, but I’m asking you to trust me.”
Ben started squirming in her grasp. “Let me go. Dad!”
Anna held him tighter. “Together, we have a chance. One day, your name might be drawn.”
“Good! I
Anna glanced back through the fence. The figures in the distance were getting closer, their gaits shuffling and slow. Then the gates were shut.
Zeke looked from his mother to the door, then gazed around at the chanting crowd. He pursed his lips and nodded.
“But what about Dad?”
Anna peered up at the walls where Isaiah had climbed to look outside.
“Your father, he… he doesn’t understand. Your grandmother thinks he’s blind.”
Ben snorted. “Gran’s crazy. Even Dad says so.”
“She understands more than you think…”
Ben shouted for his dad, but the roar of the crowd drowned him out.
“Come on, we’ve got to go, now.” Anna dragged her son towards the gate. Ben thrashed around and she had difficulty keeping hold of him. A couple of people stared at them but they didn’t take too much notice as they were busy making their way to the walls or the chain link fence to stare outside.
Now that the gate had been secured, it had been left deserted and nobody noticed as Anna drew back the bolts and opened the gate. She pulled Ben outside, with Zeke helping.
Up ahead, Lucy was standing watching the approaching figures.
When the residents of Sanctuary realised that Anna had gone outside, the chant died and a strange silence descended until she heard Isaiah shout, “Anna, what are you doing? Get back inside.”
Lucy turned around and saw her mother and siblings coming towards her. Her peaceful expression turned into a frown.
“Mum. What are you doing out here?”
Anna swallowed. “We’ve got to go. This is all a lie. You weren’t chosen in the lottery. Quail rigged it.”
“Rigged it? What are you—”
“I don’t have time to explain. You’ve got to believe me. We’ve got to go.”
“Go where?”
“Anywhere. Zeke, grab your sister. Now!”
Zeke hesitated a moment, and then grabbed Lucy’s arm.
“But the Gods… I’m going to become an immortal. I was chosen.”
Anna studied the figures shuffling towards them across the field. She counted fifteen in all.
“Do they really look like Gods to you?”
Closer up, the figures appeared dishevelled, grey flesh peeling. Some were missing limbs or chunks of flesh. They lurched forwards, arms extended and jaws wide, eager for their prey.
“Of course they’re Gods. They don’t die,” Lucy said.
Anna shook her head, her expression a mixture of exasperation and fear as she glanced again at the approaching figures.
“I’m your mother, and you’ll do as I say. Now let’s go.”
Anna headed away from the approaching figures, wanting to distance herself as much as possible. Ben still struggled and shouted for his dad. Zeke pulled Lucy along, although she still seemed confused, hesitant.
Behind her she caught angry shouts emanating from Sanctuary. Words such as “Blasphemy”, “Cursed” and “Heresy,” rang out, but she ignored them.
As they reached the tree line, a man dressed in tattered rags staggered out from the trees and lunged for Lucy. His skin was rotten and congealed and the bones of his hand were visible where the skin had decayed. Lucy let out a little scream.
Acting out of instinct, Anna swung her satchel around, hitting the man in the face and sending him sprawling to the ground.
“Run,” she screamed.
Behind her she thought she heard her husband shouting but couldn’t be sure.
“I’m sorry, Isaiah,” she whispered. “For everything.”
CHAPTER 5
Isaiah stared at his wife and children as they headed towards the woods. He couldn’t believe what he saw.
“Anna, come back. What are you doing?” he shouted, but his words were lost in the cacophony of angry cries emanating from the residents of Sanctuary.
More yells came from the courtyard and he looked back down to see two of the Gods had staggered through the open gate. They were both dressed in ragtag clothes and one had half its face missing, the jawbone and teeth clearly evident. The other one appeared bloated, its skin purple and grey.
A heavily armed Enforcer ran towards the bloated God and tried gently pushing it back, but the God snapped at him, trying to sink its teeth into his arm. The Enforcer lost his footing and the God crashed down on top of him and bit into the man’s throat, tearing out a chunk of flesh. The man screamed, the sound almost inhuman.
People backed away, their expressions reverent. One man dropped to his knees and started praying. He raised his arms in reverence as the God with half its face missing approached.
Roman barked out a command to the Enforcers. “Don’t just stand there. Get them back outside.”
Several Enforcers stepped forwards holding sticks and shields and started pushing the Gods towards the exit. Once they got them outside, they rushed back inside and shut the doors.
The guard who had been attacked lay on the ground, blood pumping from the wound in his throat.
People in the crowd started shouting:
“What about the sacrifice?”
