Parallel II: A New Ordinance

3-HUNTERS

We eventually arrived at a remote area of the forest, with only a few deer in sight. I loved seeing the animals grazing about in the wilderness, as they were merely shoved into the most efficient little shack possible back in the compound. There was no regard for their liberty back there, just as there wasn't for any of us, but in nature it seems we were all more free, both animal and man. John instructed me. "Take the rifle on your back and set it down here." He said, firmly, while patting a log. I looked over to Troy, who had been silent this whole time, with a lot of fear. I really didn't want to slaughter the poor animal, and I was worried that he'd make me. Troy seemed focused on something else though. "Now look through that part right there. You see that glass? That's your scope, attached that baby myself. You're going to want to look through that and move the gun carefully over to the deer right there. He seems like he'd be the most agile so we want to knock him down first."

Troy finally spoke firmly as I was moving the thing. Sweat dripped down my back while handling this strange new contraption, but Troy's voice immediately suppressed much of the nervousness. "Stop it, John, don't make the kid do this." Silence fell over us like a waterfall, it seemed Troy's voice had that effect. John looked at Troy with confusion and responded in a cross tone. "What do you mean?" Troy chuckled and shook his head. "I don't want to make this kid hunt. He's been through enough violence for a lifetime." John sat down, completely perplexed, and gave his retort. "Well, then why the hell did you make us come all this way? Just to see the deer?! I'll hand it to you, they're quite beautiful, but I wonder what's even going on with you!" Troy nodded solemnly and patted my shoulder, instructing me to move away from the gun. "We just wanted to get you out here because... well we're planning to tell you something a bit outlandish. A peaceful place like this should help your mind digest what I'm about to say." John glared at him. "I knew something was wrong. You show up to my house with some 13-year-old white boy and expect me to just gloss over it? There's something going on, so please tell me the exact situation." Troy's expression became a bit more belligerent, but I could see he still understood how to progress. Though the conversation had all but lost me, he knew just what to do.

"Listen, Uncle John. I lied to you. We have been through absolute hell and just needed a night of peace, but I always intended to be honest with you at some point or another, and that point is right now." John turned his piercing gaze over to me and pointed at my clothes. "So what's with the boy? What lies did you tell about him?... Did you go behind Jenna's back?! Oh god, is that why you're here? You want to pawn off your sick little secret onto me? Well, buddy, I won't be having that!" Troy interjected quickly before things got completely out of hand. "No of course not! I just..." He trailed off and began to look upset and, for perhaps the first time I had seen, unable to compose himself. "We lost Jenna. A while back." John's eyes immediately widened and he looked to the ground in solidarity with Troy. I had no idea who Jenna was, but clearly, she wasn't disposable in any sense of the word. Troy continued slowly. "After that, things just got worse and worse. I was working as a captain, as you know, which didn't get much easier after losing her. The force just became this sick game, everyone wanted to knock me down to my knees so they could climb to the top. And when your knees already tremble, it's not that hard to stop their support altogether. But then, one random night, this kid stumbles into my precinct with horrible injuries. We had no idea where he came from, or what happened to him, but after he got patched up well enough, I decided to have a private talk with the boy. And what he told me was almost unbelievable. He's not from Canada, John, this boy... was born into a cult."

John started to look quizzically at Troy. "A cult?" At this point, it seemed he was able to believe us, but it was still not easy to comprehend. "Yes, John, a cult. I didn't believe it at first either, but what this kid showed and told me... I couldn't believe what I saw, what I heard! We looked into it and, wouldn't you know, it was real. We sent out a huge amount of the force to check it out, but unfortunately, they were more prepared and ferocious than we expected. There was violence everywhere, but eventually, I reunited with the boy again and we got the hell out of there. The only place I could think to come was here." John was shocked. He turned over to me and asked me quietly, "Is all of this true? You're from a cult?". I nodded and he reeled back in disbelief. Troy tried to hook his attention back. "Listen, I know this all sound crazy, but-" John cut him off with frantic, almost paranoid questioning. "No, this doesn't make sense! Why would you come here, why wouldn't you go to the family home?! And how am I supposed to believe this kid was in a CULT?!" Troy calmly waved me over to him. He lifted up my shirt and showed John the branding that I had been given for my "HERESY". John inspected it closely and looked purely mortified due to it. "And John, we did indeed go to the family home but... It has been wrecked... With the same symbol brandished into it as you saw on the boy. We aren't safe, not even here. I don't know if it's the same people or not, but we really need any of the help we can get." John took a moment to think about everything he had just been told and slowly stood up, pacing all around our surroundings. "I want to see the house." He said, strongly.

Troy was taken aback by the statement but eventually responded. "I don't um... I don't think that's a good idea, John. It could be crawling with ferocious murderers." John laughed. "Oh and like Loveland isn't? Take away the sun and everywhere's crawling with ferocious murderers, Troy." I was concerned by what he was saying, as it painted the outside world in a horrific light, so I tried to reason with him as well. "With all due respect, these people are like nothing you've ever seen before. They've beaten, tortured, murdered those who simply don't follow their every bizarre rule! It's a level of brutality that I can't imagine seeing anywhere else." He laughed right in my face and shook his head. "You have no idea. That all sounds like par for the course if you happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, son. Sorry to get so blunt, it makes sense why you wouldn't understand this kind of thing... but you Troy? I know you understand what I'm saying, and I want you to take me to that house as soon as possible! That is part of my legacy too, Troy! I deserve to see what those monsters have done to it and maybe, just maybe, find out who the monsters are." Troy sighed and stood up. I stood up as well, since I felt the conversation was about to become more mobile.

"It's a risk, but, at this point, I haven't got much to lose, and neither does the boy. And if you're willing to take the biggest risk of all, losing a life that truly matters, then I suppose it's the right move." John nodded in solemn agreement and camaraderie. "Yes, I am. You know I never shy away from these folks. And I know you don't either. That's why we are where we are. And you, Hælend, you're brave all the same. I don't know or... really even understand what's happened to you, it's horrible and truly makes me feel sorry. But it makes me feel equally motivated to stop whoever's doing this. Your time under the beating sun of pain is over, and so is mine! So is yours, Troy! All of us will find these scumbags and teach them not to mess with the Amarel family... and Hælend as well." His inspiring speaking made this feel like a safe adventure. "So, who's ready to go on a stakeout?"