What Makes Us Human {on hold}

Chapter 1- When the soldiers came

Chapter 1

I was running as fast as I could when I saw the distinct silver glint of a sword behind me. I turned my head slightly to the right to see it clearer, trying not to break pace, when I saw the Ra'ac holding his large sword. It glistened and shined in the sun, and threw off a beam of light on the ground. I shoved my way through the tall grasses crowding both sides of me, still trying to outrun him.

I was trying to run faster when I tripped on something large and my feet flew out from under me, throwing me hard to the ground. I whipped out my arms from my sides to break my fall but still felt the dirt hit my face hard. I threw a glance behind me to see what I tripped over, and I felt a small pang in my heart when I saw it was my childhood friend, Za. I quickly quelled the feeling, and tucked it away with all the other loss in my heart.

She was covered in hundreds of small cuts, the preferred form of death among the emotionless Ra'ac. It was simply called The Thousand Cuts. They had a strange obsession, or what one might call fondness, for inflicting pain.

I glimpsed the Ra'ac, one of many in His vast army, still behind me. He moved methodically behind me- like a robot, their telltale sign.

While I was slightly offended that they didn't think I was important enough for more than one, I was grateful to not have to fight more off, but I mean, I did try to kill The Supreme Ruler.

The Ra'ac have been genetically engineered to have no emotions. At first they did it manually by depriving the Ra'ac children of love, safety, a home and everything that makes us who we are. Now they have isolated the chemical that causes emotions that they can eradicate, and they lose their ability to feel emotions.

They are trying to do that to me.

They're failing.

Spitting the dirt out of my mouth, I quickly got up and continued running, but he had gained a lot of time in my fall. He lumbered behind me, sword poised to kill.

I could still hear his footsteps steadily following me, knowing if he caught me there would not be any hesitation of the blade. The tall grass whipped at my face and clawed at my legs, trying to stop me.

I kept running.

Then in less than a heartbeat he was on me. No battle cry or any kind of negotiation. He just tackled me in an attempt to slit my throat and end my life.

Dumb move.

While he had a large sword made cumbersome by the close quarters, I had a small dagger from my father.

I can still hear his voice echoing in my ears.

Emotions never die... If you can free them he will lose... Remember Korah... Never forget...

I still remember his dying words after one of the Ra'ac killed him for refusing to undergo the procedure, as a punishment for his rebellious attitudes.

I shoved the dagger in his heart feeling his life pour on my hands. His eyes were empty of anything even as he died. His eyes were as black as the soul he lacked.

Father was wrong. There are no emotions left.

With a rush the memory of that fateful night came rushing back. The village was hissing and crackling as the houses of my friends, my family, people I'd known all my life, burned to the ground, and the cries of people trying to save loved ones echoed in my ears. The Ra'ac came in the hundreds at night all for my father.

******

He was one of the leaders of an uprising against the Supreme Ruler. But He sees all. No one knows how but He knows everything that happens. He knows when you sleep, and when you feed your animals. Some think He has spies everywhere. Others suspect He is a god. I believe He is just a man with way too much power and money.