The Father_A Dark Cannibalistic Thriller

by Allen Dark

  “Yes.” Ben said fixing his glasses that had made its way down the bridge of his nose. “I’ve been a part of The Community since let’s see—" He paused to think. “Since I was give or take four years old. I’m 28 now.” He said glancing towards Bexley. As if it mattered.[DAB10]

  “A kid? You been a part of a cannibal community since you were a boy?” Nepolai asked. He was a bit surprised what a boy would be doing with a cult of cannibals.

  Ben jerked his head at Nepolai. “It’s Man-eaters.” He said with a blank expression. “Don’t use that word, it’s impolite.” He said with a stern look on his face. He looked back and Bexley unable to keep his eyes off her for too long. He was afraid that something beautiful might change and he would miss the exquisite transition of the perfection he thought she was. He scouted every edge of her dress all the way up past the silver necklace that ran down in between the top of her breast to her deep blushed lips that brought out her small Ruby earrings. “You are immaculate.” He said.

  Bexley appreciated his complement but she didn’t know what to say back. They were making her feel more cautious and wiry about him.

  “Thanks.” She said.

  “It’s my pleasure.” Ben said softly. “Are you and Nepolai together?” He asked with his eyebrows shooting up to his for head.

  “Oh, not at all!” She said. We are not a couple. For some reason she had the knee-jerk reaction to denounce even the idea. Nepolai looked at her as if she had made it seem like it was the worst thing in the world. He didn’t care but he did feel as though her tone was rude. Bexley’s glass was just about finished and Ben wanted to take advantage of the opportunity.

  “It looks like you’re just about out of champagne. How about we grab some more and find a place to sit. You know, to get to know each a little more.” He asked.

  “No thanks.” She said immediately after he finished his sentence. There was no way she was going anywhere alone with him knowing that she was in the house full of killers. Plus, she was supposed to be watching Nepolai’s back. A few seconds ago, Ben’s face was filled with astonishment, but it quickly drained from existence. It made him feel a certain type away. Rejected by the most beautiful being he’s ever seen. He shook it off soon after, but he still had the look in his face as if he wasn’t the person to let something go so easily. Leah rushed back into the lobby. Leah rushed back into the lobby.

  “Excuse me everyone!” She said with a bold voice making sure that no one was unable to hear her. The room was quiet.

  “Thank you for your attention. If everyone would gather in the dining room and have a seat, we will be getting started momentarily.” Leah said.

  Nepolai and Bexley followed everyone else into the dining room. They pulled their chairs out from a large rectangular table. Bexley sat on the right side of Nepolai who was at the last seat at the table. Bexley was relieved to see that the seat to her right wasn’t filled. Because the chairs were so close to each other the thought of someone sitting so close to her made her feel claustrophobic. A woman pulled the chair out. She looked up at her. Dammit. She thought. Even though it was a woman she still felt uncomfortable but she thought it could be worse.

  “Excuse me.” A man said stopping the woman from making her way in front of the chair to sit. “I was sitting there.” He said. Bexley looked back and seen Ben taking the chair from the woman and sitting next to her. Her senses heightened. “Hello again.” Ben said smiling at her.

  Things have gotten worse. She had left her phone in the car so the only way for her to check the time was to look at her watch. They had been there for just a little over an hour, but she was already ready to get the hell out of there. Bexley didn’t respond to Ben. She knew what he was doing and she thought she made her position clear. She wanted nothing to do with him.

  A fleet of servers gathered from the lobby to serve dozens of people. They started from Nepolai’s end of the table and worked their way down placing plates of food in front of everyone. Leah took a sip of her champagne and stood up at the end the table as the servers finished up.

  “Almost 60 years ago The Community was found by the Anen family. Leah said folding her hands and placing dropping them in front of her. “On their journey fleeing from the south they met others who shared the same ideas, the same truths and the same goals. Because of who they were and who we are can never be or would never be understood by those on the outside, they decided to create a community where we wouldn’t be looked down upon. We could live and pursue our lifestyle and share our way of life.” She said.

  Bexley eyed her meal and thought about all the things it could’ve been. Her stomach growled at her. She wasn’t sure if it was because she could see a face attached to the food or her not eating anything before she came. She held her stomach as if she was calming it down and telling it’s relax.

  “Not only do we as a community, provide shelter security and peace of mind but we also protect our own from those who seek to do them harm. We are a family, if we don’t protect those in our community there is the severe consequence of there no longer being one. As our first father said the day he declared this community, ‘let’s eat.’ Enjoy.” She said sitting down and took another sip from her glass. “Oh and Bexley.” She said picking up her fork and digging into her plate. “I spoke with our chef and your plate is kosher.” She said smiling.

  Bexley wasn’t sure she should believe her or not. What if she was lying and trying to trick her because she was uninvited. Bexley went with her gut decided not to touch her food. She would rather be safe than to be mistakenly eating another human being.

  Chapter 11

  the dining room was scattered with people conversing with each other and forks and knives clinking against their plates. Nepolai and Leah were just about done with their X. Nepolai thought it was one of the best he ever tasted, the first being Nora’s. Bexley had been quiet most of the time trying her best to ignore Ben’s advances over the past 20 minutes. He tried to continually try to start a conversation with her but was on successful. All the responses he got back if she responded at all was flat and blank void of any tone that was suggest she was interested in anything he was saying. The only thing Bexley had touched on the table was her glass of champagne. And even then she felt a little weird drinking that. She tried to think of all the possible things that a human could make that looked like champagne. There was a much so she wondered if maybe they had poisoned the champagne. After thinking about it for second she realized that that didn’t make any sense. She had been drinking champagne for almost an entire hour that they were there. If there was anything that was one on to her mind state it would’ve happened already. There was no reason for her to be worried. She felt the the band around her thigh and remembered she had a knife.

  Nepolai would you come with me please. She asked standing up from the table. Nepolai sat his glass down on the table and swallow.

  Were we going? He asked.

  To meet that friend I mentioned. She said.

  Nepolai got up from the table and Bexley tried to follow.

  Bexley if you would take your seat. This is a private meeting. She said gesturing her to sit back down.

  Bexley height Nepolai gauging his reaction to see if that’s what she wanted him to do. Nepolai nodded.

  I assure you that it will only take a moment. She said.

  Bexley sat back down in her chair and pulled the left side of her dress up unhooking her knife from its sleth.

  Nepolai followed Leah out the dining room and up the staircase from the lobby. Once on the second floor she made a right turn before making a hard laugh down a dark orange lit hallway with paintings of older gentleman and women accompanying them. At the end of the hall there were two men guarding a two door entrance. Both with long dirty blonde hair with a full face of facial hair trimmed just enough to see the structure of the draw. Leah opened the door and as he followed her inside he seen an older gentleman maybe in his early 50s in an elegant dark gray suit walking to a desk i
n the middle of the room. The room was wide and rectangular with a bookshelf that covered almost entirely the back wall. A dark brown door that matched the color of the the wooden bookshelf took up the rest of the back wall.

  Father. She said lowering the voice she used the whole night she interacted with Nepolai. It was more soft more subservient. Was his her dad he thought? Why would she call him friend if he was her father. The father approached Nepolai. Father this is...

  Nepolai, I’m aware of who he is. He said taken Nepolai’s hand shaking it. It was firm in a bit like he was finished interviewing for a job knowing that there was a high possibility for him to get hired. It’s been a long time. He said remembering the last time he saw him. The father walked back towards his desk. I’ve been keeping a very close eye on you, well and Nora to. How is she?

  Good I guess? How do you know Nora? He asked.

  Let’s just say that we have a bit of history. A lot actually. He said with a glowing smile on his face. It was history he was working two resolve and why Nepolai was meeting with him. I’m sure that Nora is not the one responsible for the trouble you’ve been getting in. He said sitting in the chair behind his desk.

  Nepolai wanted if he was referring to the situation with Bexley. Frankly he was past it and he was tired of people bringing it up like it was in the world. He knew he messed up but what could he do?

  Unfortunately it’s been causing us an extreme amount of trouble. He said. Nepolai wondered if it was the investigation into Gibbs that was causing the problem. I have hunters who are afraid to hunt. What sense does that make? None, not a lick. The father leaned back in his chair with his hand on his desk rocking lightly back and forth. He tapped his finger on a desk before standing back up. Let me ask what happens when your hunters don’t do their job? He asked. His face started to rot as if just thinking about the answer made him want to lash out. We starve! Leah’s head flinched back a little bit. It was like she was almost immune to the father’s behavior. She knew when he was getting upset and learned to prepare herself.

  Nepolai didn’t know why he was yelling at him. How was any of this his business. As far as he was concerned he and Nora didn’t have to worry about anything. Nepolai can’t help to think why the father have hunters in the first place. Wasn’t the whole point of being a cannibal to hunt for your own food. From what he can tell the father didn’t. It was pathetic. Are the people in this community actually following this man? Or were they just like him and relied on other people for their survival? He thought. If there was an ideal leader for community like this he would assume that they would do the hunting and teach the people following them how to get their own food. He was intrigued with the idea of this community but at the same time he felt like it was week and needed a fresh power dynamic in order to be strong.

  Tough luck he said. Nepolai couldn’t help himself. The father chuckled and sat on the edge of his desk.

  Tough indeed but I want to share that luck with you. Your the reason we are in the situation but I want to give you a chance to fix this. An opportunity to redeem yourself and opened the doors of our community to.

  And what would that be exactly? He asked. He was starting to get tired of the father’s demeanor of being superior and higher than now. Nepolai glanced at Leah and noticed that she was starting to get a bit uncomfortable. What she always like this around him or was it something else. It could’ve been him because he’s never seen her like this. It could’ve been that she wasn’t fond of him.

  I’m hungry. My people are hungry. He said. Associating yourself with outsiders, those who do not eat., His baggage that holds you back and is against what our community stands for. The father got down from his desk and button his sport jacket. His face was devoid of all emotions. Kill them. He said

  the poll I was confused on who he was talking about. Who did you want on the kill was he told him about Bexley or maybe Corbin. He needed to be more specific for Nepolai to understand.

  Who? Nepolai asked.

  The father glared at Leah as he turned and walked to the back of his desk. He opened the drawer and pulled out a blade and slid it across his desk.

  Your friends of course. The father said grinning. The Cardinal with the stolen heart, the sister with the thirst for blood in the girl you so desperately would like to eat. Nepolai realized that he was referring to Aubri Bexley and Rylan. This is your offering to your new family. The father said.

  And what if I decline? Nepolai asked.

  You won’t. Because even though you think you care about these people it’s hard for you to actually feel anything for anyone in his been that way since the day your parents died.

  Nepolai’s face tightened. What did he know about his parents. The father grabbed the knife from the desk and handed it over to Nepolai.

  You might as well do it because things will get ugly even if you decide not to participate. The father was right. Nepolai didn’t do it someone was going to die anyway but at the same time Nepolai does not play follow. Although the father played the role of being in charge the very structure of his community was week and dare he say desperate.

  Nepolai watched the father walk back to his desk but not before stopping at Leah and tucking the longer part of her hair behind her ear.

  Escort him back downstairs. He said.

  I’ll see you soon Nepolai and I can’t wait. He said before Nepolai and Leah could fully get out of the room.

  Chapter 11

  most of the morning Nepolai thought about all the excuses you can give not to attend someone’s funeral. Even though was too late for him he thought that it might come in handy in the future. Madison’s friends and family had gathered early to finally put her to rest. The crowd was small and the smug fog creeping through the black suits and dresses matched the mood of the dark gray sky and Misty rain lightly sprinkling over the ceremony. A large black and white photo that resembled Rylan so much from afar was covered with tulips. He watched Madison’s parents weep at the front of the crowd it was a bit odd for him to watch the parents of his victim appears so oblivious to him. If only they knew the person who took their baby was in the mist of them. He stared at the mother and watched her wipe her tears with a white handkerchief I was now covered in blotches a black eyeliner.

  The poll I was beating himself up and wondering what went wrong and why he had agreed to come along with Rylan after all it was a cliché for the killer to show up at his victim’s funeral. It was like a episode of Criminal Minds. Rylan’s father had promised he would go with her but she told him that he had to stay home for a last minute conference call. He never failed when it came to being there for her and just when she was starting to think that her father actually gave a damn about her. Nepolai felt bad for. Being alone was something he can understand and if there was any possible chance for her to not feel alone he would do it for her. She was starting to accept that when it came to the worst moments in her life her father would never be able to be the one she could count on for support no matter how desperately she wanted to. Rylan had been reluctant to even go to the funeral alone so she asked Nepolai if he would take her. He wasn’t so sure about it considering he was the one responsible but he found it hard to tell her no. The ceremony was in the ink and her casket started to lower into the ground. T[DAB11][DAB12]his is really goodbye for Rylan. As they waited for Madison to reach the bottom two men walked up behind the crowd dressed in leather jackets jeans and boots.

  Who are they? Rylan asked knowing that Nepolai probably didn’t know the answer but the question was more so for herself. She had never seen them before and she pretty much knew everyone in her family considering it wasn’t a big one.

  Both men stared at Rylen. She folded her arms and her face began to clinch in. They were freaking her out. She tried running people her and Bexley met and she couldn’t attach any names to their faces. Nepolai squinted trying to get a better look at the men and he realizes that one of the guys had a full beard that was trimmed down and long blonde dirty hair tha
t cut off at his shoulders. He looks familiar he thought. But he can’t quite figure out where.

  Do you see that? Why are they just staring at me like that? she asked Nepolai. Then Nepolai remembered he was one of the man guarding the father’s door last night. The other one never seen before. The poll I wondered if these were the hunters the father had been talking about. Leah did mention that they’ve been following him so why would they stop now. More importantly why would they physically show up to the funeral? If they have been following them for years and never showed himself was the purpose of doing so now?

  The crowd began to start laying flowers Madison’s casket. To Nepolai that was a signal that it was time to go but Rylan had brought a tulip that she wanted to give it to Madison before she left. As they waited for the family to say goodbye to Madison the two men forced their way through the crowd and walking straight towards Nepolai and Rylan. This is not good Nepolai thought. He remembered he had the knife the father gave him last night and thought about what the men were planning on doing. It was unlikely that they would be aggressive but it’s Nepolai had the need to always prepare for the worst. Their glare was a bit menacing when they stopped in front of them. They attacked him Nepolai wondered how he would handle the situation. What he pull out his knife and start stabbing or would he tell Rylan to go trying to fight them off. One ended with him showing his true colors to Rylan in the world and the other possibly ending with Rylan China figure out why they were attacking them.

  Hello Rylan, the been with 30 blood here said. Rylan took a step back slightly in machine her way behind Nepolai. Rylan was troubled by the men knowing her name and having no idea who the men were.

  Me my friend here are extremely upset by the circumstances of Madison’s passing. He said. Nepolai watched the men he was unfamiliar with his hands were in his leather jacket, one of them moving around like it was grabbing something. Nepolai felt his general and beginning to bubble. Maybe they were going to try something stupid. Maybe he was right to be ready.