“The name’s Inteus. I’m to be your father.”
“I won’t be your son. I’m to run away from here and meet Hao. We’re going to live off the land together and be a family.”
“Do you know where the traders go after they see us?” Inteus grew serious. “They trade their humans for jewels that the Scalpers find.”
“No!” I screamed, jumping up. “Hao!” I ran out of the hut with Inteus at my side. “I must find my brother!”
“Where do you think you’re going?” Inteus asked. “The Scalpers live that way.”
I glanced in the direction he pointed.
“You better hurry, boy. Most humans don’t last more than a day with the Scalpers—if they’re lucky.”
I dashed into the woods, ignoring the foreign shrubs that smacked me in the shins. My brother was a prisoner with the ones we spent nights praying we’d never meet. There wasn’t anything I feared more than to lose my only family. We picked each other which meant our bond was stronger than when you haven’t a choice in who becomes your brother. We needed to stick together. I had to find Hao.
The trees rustled above me, birds raced away, animals scurried as I ran. Hao was out there and I was going to save him.
“Francisco!”
I skidded to a stop. The voice came from the tree tops. “Hao?”
“It’s a trap, don’t come any closer.” Hao shouted.
“Where are you?”
“Look up,” he said. “I’m in the treetops.”
“Hao?” I lifted my eyes up into the trees. The forest was too dense. “I can’t see you.”
“I’m here, Francisco, but it’s a trap. If you come any closer—”
My foot jerked backwards, held by some type of rope. I flew across the ground, my face hitting roots and bushes. My nose bled and I rose into the treetops. “Hao!”
“I told you not to move,” Hao cried. “Now we’re both going to die.”
We glanced at each other, both hanging upside down in the treetops. “I’ll cut you down.” I said. “I stole Inteus’ knife.” I struggled with my pants. “I’ve got it right here.”
“Who’s Inteus?” Hao asked. “Is he helping us?”
“I’m Inteus.”
Hao and I glanced down at the Barbarian. He stood beneath us.
“It’s a trap!” Hao shouted.
“Get back, Inteus!” I said.
“You’re already in the trap, Francisco.” Inteus stepped forward. “I hear the Scalpers, they’re coming.”
“Cut us down, Inteus!” I screamed. “Save us!”
“You have my knife, boy.”
“Give him back his knife!” Hao ordered. “Please, Francisco, hurry.”
“If I give back your knife, will you cut us down?”
The Barbarian turned in a slow circle. He raised his arms wide. Rain fell through the trees. “I love being caught in the rain. I feel whole when it rains.” Inteus told us. “Where’s my knife, boy?”
“I have it here!” I pulled the blade from my pants, waving it to and fro. “Will you save us?”
“Only one,” he said. His finger pointed towards us, “Francisco, you pick who gets to live. You’re the one with the knife after all.”
“Francisco, I’m as good as dead.” Hao said. “Give the man his knife and live. The scalpers are almost upon us.”
“I’m not going to abandon you. I made a promise, remember?”
“You’ll both die.” Inteus decided, stepping away. Fire blazed around us. The Scalpers chanted, marching forward.
“Francisco,” Hao sobbed. “I’m scared.”
“No, Hao, you can’t be afraid. I’m the one who’s afraid. You’re the brave one!”
We reached for each other—our fingertips grazing. “Thank you for being my brother,” I whispered.
“Thank you for being loyal to me.” Hao reached for me, swinging to and fro. “Save yourself before it’s too late. This is my dying wish.”
“I won’t turn my back on you!”
Drums played loudly in our ears. Torches appeared and the Scalpers stood below us.
“Francisco!”
“Hao!”
TODAY
Lisa and Francisco
“Francisco,” Lisa said. “You’re almost complete stone.”
“Brother,” Hao sighed. “I’ve lived on borrowed time. You saved my life from the Scalpers when we were young boys. It’s time I returned the favor.”
“No Hao!” Francisco cried. His voice broke. “It’s almost done. I must pay for my mistakes, its okay.”
“Stop this nonsense.” A shadowy figure crept out of the woods.
Michael braced himself. “It’s Inteus.”
“What do you want?” Lisa said.
Inteus stepped forward, standing above Francisco. “I’ve come for my boys.”
“You shouldn’t be here,” Michael snapped. “It’s Inteus!” He shouted. Ally, Alex and the others turned.
Celeste stood over her father with her eyes sharp and angry. Charles readied himself, calling the winds to his fingertips.
“Wait!” Lisa yelled. Her voice echoed, rippling along the shallow waters. “What do you want, Inteus?”
“Francisco wasn’t the traitor. I played games with them, turning two brothers against each other.” Inteus touched Francisco, bringing a little life back into him. Slowly, his arms appeared. “I grew to love them, but it was too late, the damage had been done. I’m here now, to take my boys home.”
“My legs,” Francisco cried. They’d broke when he fell to the ground. “I can’t feel my legs!”
Inteus bent, picking his son up in his arms. “It’s alright, my boy, I’ll fix this.”
“Wait!” Lisa chased after the Native with his two sons. “What happened, you can’t just leave and not finish the story.”
Inteus turned, motioning for her to touch Rat. “He knows, he can show you the ending.”
“Don’t let them get away!” Alex said. He called the lightning, forcing it into the woods. “Stop them! Everyone!”
“It’s okay,” Francisco smiled at Lisa. “They’re no match for my father.”
Lightning shot across the sky, fire blazed around them.
“What’ya mean?” Lisa chased them further. “Where are you going? What’s happening? Are you against us?”
Inteus stopped, handing Francisco to Hao. “Take your brother—you know where.”
The Native, the “I” in C I N, pointed his finger at Lisa. “I wanted to use my boys for my own benefit, to keep them alive so that they could house my powers for me. I only needed one son to do this. I thought, the better son would learn to take from others and he’d be my power source.”
“Why them? Why not someone from your tribe?” Lisa asked, trembling as the man stepped closer.
“You’d be surprised how loyal an abandoned boy can be to the one who feeds him. The power I gave them turned them into hungry wolves, taking from anyone they thought to be weaker. I trained them well.”
“How could you?”
“I thought when the time came; I could take their longevity for myself.” Inteus lowered his eyes. “But when I tried to steal from Hao, Francisco protected him, becoming empty and the first epoch. His only instinct—to survive. He took from hundreds in our tribe, killing them instantly.”
Lisa couldn’t move. Her heart thudded in her chest. “He killed hundreds of people like us?”
“Hundreds,” he nodded. “And then torched them for daring take his brother from him.”
“But it was you!” Lisa exclaimed. “You were the one!”
“They don’t know that,” Inteus said, turning away. “And I plan to keep it that way.”
Lisa ran out of the woods, smacking into Michael. He grabbed her by the shoulders, squeezing her tight. “What’s the matter? Are you alright?”
“I’m okay,” she said. “We need to have a meeting with everyone here—get all the stories straight; who’s who, ya know?”
&
nbsp; “Sure, okay, we’ll get to that.” Michael whispered. He brushed a stray tear from her cheek.
“Now!” Lisa shouted. “I’m tired of being in the dark!” She ran forward, grabbing Rat in her arms. “Finish the stupid story, Rat!”
-6-
“They’re almost upon us!” Hao wept. “I don’t want to die!” He still hung upside down across from Francisco.
“Now that’s what I wanted to hear!” Inteus said. He sat in the tree besides the boys.
“How’d you get up here?” Hao asked, shocked by the Native’s presence.
“Which one of you is it going to be? Who should I save? Which boy longs to live most?”
Francisco and Hao glanced at each other, tears trickled down their cheeks. “We’re better as a team,” Francisco answered. “Set us free and we’ll do whatever you say, together.”
“For how long?” Inteus smiled, snatching his knife from Francisco. “How long will you be indebted to me?”
“For as long as we live,” Hao said.
“Right again,” Inteus laughed, slicing the ropes. The boys fell, landing in a pile of leaves. “Hurry boys, the Scalpers see you.”
Francisco and Hao huddled together. They watched spears doused in flames point at them.
Inteus fell from the trees, landing with a thud. “Brothers!” He laughed. “They say they’re brothers. Everything they do is better when they’re together.”
The Scalpers murmured, backing away slowly.
“I can’t have you harm brothers, can I?” Lightning flashed, sending the sister tribe deep into the brush.
“They’re frightened of you,” Hao exclaimed. Inteus helped the boys to their feet.
“That, they are.” He pointed to the sky. “And in time, you’ll frighten them as well.”
“Are we to be your guardians?” Hao tugged on the Native’s arm.
“Not quite,” he smiled. “You’re to be my sons, my prodigy.”
The boys ran ahead of Inteus. “We’ll be the best prodigies ever!” Francisco promised.
“At least one of you will be anyway.” He said under his breath.
_____________
Fatal Beginnings End Eventually…
_____________
About the Photographer
Sarah A. is a dental student who loves photography, traditional art, manipulations and digital art. She won first place during a photo contest for the C I N Series. Congratulations, Sarah! Check out her live interview here!
Interesting facts about Sarah A.: (taken from her deviant account)
Favorite style of art: Photography
Favorite cartoon character: Cheese from Fosters home for imaginary friends
Personal Quote: Yesterday is history; Tomorrow is a mystery; But today is a gift; That is why it is called Present
Favorite movies: Blood Diamond, Shawshank Redemption, Obsessed
Favorite books: Holy Quran, Autobiography of Malcolm X, Portent
Favorite games: Basketball
Favorite gaming platform: Playstation 2
Tools of the Trade: Photoshop CS3
See more art from Sarah A. here.
The Puritan Series
Story Two
SUCKI
The Scalpers invade his village. Sucki runs. Now he’s banished and labeled a coward. If he saves his sisters from the Scalpers—he’ll be forgiven. Only problem with this is: His sisters aren’t what they seem…
A True Hero Isn’t a Monster
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Fatal (C I N's Puritan Series Book 1) Page 2
