Hunting Season

Long Gone

Adira's jaw trembled at the sight of the bodies scattered before her. She swallowed heavily as two swung from the tree branches, disemboweled and pale- while the other three were sprawled in different directions.

God stepped over one, reaching up to untangle a young male from the tree. Adira couldn't contain herself. She cried out, covering her face as she fell to the floor in an attempt to hide. God turned behind him, observing the cowering woman with an agitated sigh, "If you think I did this you're wrong."

Adira shakily uncovered one eye, trying to avoid the mutilated corpse dangling from God's grip. She didn't believe him, which he knew. Casually, he dug his hand inside the corpse's cold chest, fumbling with the human's organs. Adira covered her ears, breathing heavily until she felt it was all over.

God was now holding what appeared to be a heart. He dropped the body on the floor and made his way over to the side of a tree. Adira didn't want to know what he was up to, nor did she ask. She stayed paralyzed as she examined him squeezing the organs in his hands, dripping the cold blood over a familiar looking pile of rocks. On top sat a little effigy- the one with horns she once saw a while back.

"They were all hanging from the branches when I arrived. I never felt or saw who did this."

Adira chewed on her lower lip as she shakily glanced around her. She took note of visible signs of struggle and more strange rock monuments covered in blood. It was hard to believe God hadn't done it, especially after he was further vandalizing the bodies.

"H-how do I know it wasn't you? You're...ripping out their..." She couldn't finish and threw her hand up to her mouth to suppress a gag. God stood up, motioning around him, "I believe in the old saying 'an eye for an eye.' There's no reason for me to kill these mortals unless they harm my forest. I offer the blood of those slain to a much higher being, one who hungers for the flesh of man. Whether it is done by me or not, a human sacrifice will always be offered."

Adira felt her skin crawl at the mention of something worse than God being out there. It made her wonder what other monstrosities plagued the world.

"Then...you don't know who killed them?" Adira felt sick with fear, "What if it's your freaky cult people? Or a bear?"

"Those women are insane, but this is beyond them. As for an animal don't be stupid."

Adira turned her back to God, her chest rising and falling rapidly, "So this is what you wanted me to see? A slaughter and a sacrificial offering to god knows what. Is this how the rest of my miserable life will be?"

God took his time plucking the last body off the branches overhead, repeating his practice while he made sure Adira was still turned away. As soon as he was finished, he licked the blood of his hands and made his way over to the woman. She jumped when he laid his hand on her shoulder, which in turn made him let go.

"You say you found your people. I can also assume your little boyfriends still missing."

Adira had almost forgotten.

"I-I did. Please help me get them out of here. Mitch is still missing but once we find him I will keep my promise. I can't give up now."

God was once again amused and bent down to get a better look at Adira's face, "Once you spend a couple nights with me, I'm sure you'll be looking at the world a little differently. 'Miserable' is far from it."

Adira sneered at the beast, not even attempting to hide her disgust, "Don't think you can brainwash me like you did with your creepy cult."

"I don't need to."

"I don't like your tone," Adira spat back venomously, fuming as her cheeks flushed red. She started to march down the path, ignoring what could only be described as sick, distorted laughter behind her.

She continued walking as God trailed after her, both of them heading for Kevin and Conrad's camp. Adira hoped the men wouldn't be too afraid, and that God wouldn't do anything stupid. She feared something would go wrong, and with a quiet sigh stopped walking just as they were less than a mile away.

"Please, God. Please don't hurt them. They're not themselves. They need to get out of here," Adira silently begged, though she knew she could be heard. God merely made his way past her, as if dismissing what she had said entirely. Annoyed, she was about to open her mouth once more when a large claw flew to her lips, covering her face entirely.

God shushed her, sniffing the air as if something was wrong. His great horned head looked around them like a deer, aware of some unknown, unwanted presence. Adira was now terrified, wondering what it was that made the terrifying beast before her so worried. After what seemed like forever, he let go and acted as if nothing was wrong.

"Your friends aren't themselves you say? No surprise. This forest can do things to you."

Adira furrowed her eyebrows, shaking her head in confusion, "Wait stop. What was all that about?" God stared at her with a blank expression, as if wondering what she was talking about. He didn't respond, and instead waited for her to lead the way.

His companion wouldn't forget that moment, and would have pushed for a response had it not been for more pressing matters. She motioned for him to follow and warned him repeatedly to not be himself around the men. If anything happened, or if they were scared he would have to leave immediately. God, of course, wasn't going to and wanted to inflict terror, but he pretended he would do as she said.

Adira felt her stomach start to bubble with nervous gas as she inched closer to the sheltered camp. God examined their surroundings, wondering how he had never seen the place before. As the woman rounded a corner she began to announce her arrival, "Kevin? Conrad? I brought help. Please don't freak out or anything he's, uh, a friend."

To her surprise, no one was there. The fire pit was completely out and cold, the tents were gone, and even the damaged cabin's door swayed slightly with the wind...it was as if no one had been there in ages. Despite how run down it was before, Adira could feel the aura of emptiness radiating from the place.

God noticed it also, sniffing the floor as he crawled towards the camp. He examined each area, glancing at Adira's upset face every now and then. The beast even went so far as to peak inside the isolated cabin.

Once he was done, he made his way to Adira with a shake of his head, "There's no one here."

"...Maybe they left. I knew I shouldn't have-."

"You don't get it," God cut her off, "I can't smell anything. No one has been here in a long time."