Dead World

by Shaun Jeffrey

  He took hold of her hand and continued leading her forwards.

  The Enforcers observed from the watchtowers that dotted the walls, while the residents of Sanctuary formed an open pathway for them, leading towards the single gated exit.

  He noticed Ben and Zeke standing at the front of the crowd. Zeke had his hands in his pockets, fidgeting, kicking at the dust, looking like he would rather be anywhere else. Ben had his arms crossed, pouting. Isaiah knew his youngest son was jealous his sister had been chosen. He probably wasn’t alone. It was an honour to be sent outside. Why didn’t Anna realise that?

  Anna stood towards the rear of the crowd, nervously wringing her hands and chewing her lips. Despite the heat of the sun, she wore several layers of clothing, and carried a small satchel over one shoulder she tried to keep hidden as best she could. She stared up at the platform where Roman stood. Roman looked out over the crowd and caught her eye. He fixed her with his gaze, eyes narrowed, a fierce expression that said he was in charge, a glare that seemed to dare her to try to stop what was about to occur. Anna turned away, feigning subservience.

  She sensed the crowd growing restless as people shuffled around murmuring, and the Enforcers seemed unsure whether to focus their attention outside Sanctuary or on the courtyard. Roman nodded to the other brethren and signalled the Enforcers at the gate.

  The heavy front gate opened and Isaiah led his daughter outside until they stood several metres out. He gave her a hug and a kiss, and hurried back inside. A man in one of the towers struck a loud gong. The sound reverberated around Sanctuary.

  Anna fidgeted. She chewed a fingernail. Roman lifted a well-worn leather bible. He raised one hand and the crowd fell silent, all eyes on Roman, as if anticipating his next words.

  “But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You, who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead.”

  The man in the tower struck the gong again.

  The crowd began to chant: “Out with the old, in with the new.”

  Anna weaved her way towards the front where her children stood. When he saw her coming, Zeke appeared taken aback.

  “Mum. I didn’t think you’d show up.”

  Ben turned and looked up. He smiled. “She’s so lucky,” he said, indicating his sister.

  Anna peered through the gate. In the distance she noticed crooked figures stumbling from the tree line. Their movements jerky and awkward, they seemed to sniff around aimlessly as if looking for direction. The gong reverberated through the air again, and all visible heads snapped simultaneously towards Sanctuary.

  Anna grabbed her children and pulled them close enough to hear her above the crowds chant. “Both of you, listen to me. This isn’t right. Something’s wrong.”

  Ben tried to pull away. “You’re hurting me. Let me go.”

  Anna didn’t relinquish her grip. “You’ve got to trust me. I can’t tell you how I know, but your sister wasn’t chosen. The lottery was rigged.”

  Ben shook his head, looking at Anna as if she’d grown a second head.

  “We were there. She was chosen.”

  Zeke frowned.

  “Zeke, I know you’re unsure about the Chosen. I see it on your face every time there’s a lottery.”

  “I’m not… I don’t…”

  “Come with me.”

  “Come where?”

  Anna glanced towards the gate. Zeke followed her gaze.

  “We’re getting out of here.”

  Zeke’s mouth dropped. “Are you crazy? That’s their domain. Nothing’s out there except them. That’s why we’re not allowed out without express permission.”

  “How do you know? How do any of us know what’s outside? Nobody but the Hunters are allowed outside the walls. We only have the brethren’s word.”

  “You don’t trust them?”

  Anna shook her head. “No, but I’m asking you to trust me.”

  Ben started squirming in her grasp. “Let me go. Dad!”

  Anna held him tighter. “Together, we have a chance. One day, your name might be drawn.”

  “Good! I want to be chosen,” Ben said.

  Anna glanced back through the fence. The figures in the distance were getting closer, their gaits shuffling and slow. Then the gates were shut.

  Zeke looked from his mother to the door, then gazed around at the chanting crowd. He pursed his lips and nodded.

  “But what about Dad?”

  Anna peered up at the walls where Isaiah had climbed to look outside.

  “Your father, he… he doesn’t understand. Your grandmother thinks he’s blind.”

  Ben snorted. “Gran’s crazy. Even Dad says so.”

  “She understands more than you think…”

  Ben shouted for his dad, but the roar of the crowd drowned him out.

  “Come on, we’ve got to go, now.” Anna dragged her son towards the gate. Ben thrashed around and she had difficulty keeping hold of him. A couple of people stared at them but they didn’t take too much notice as they were busy making their way to the walls or the chain link fence to stare outside.

  Now that the gate had been secured, it had been left deserted and nobody noticed as Anna drew back the bolts and opened the gate. She pulled Ben outside, with Zeke helping.

  Up ahead, Lucy was standing watching the approaching figures.

  When the residents of Sanctuary realised that Anna had gone outside, the chant died and a strange silence descended until she heard Isaiah shout, “Anna, what are you doing? Get back inside.”

  Lucy turned around and saw her mother and siblings coming towards her. Her peaceful expression turned into a frown.

  “Mum. What are you doing out here?”

  Anna swallowed. “We’ve got to go. This is all a lie. You weren’t chosen in the lottery. Quail rigged it.”

  “Rigged it? What are you—”

  “I don’t have time to explain. You’ve got to believe me. We’ve got to go.”

  “Go where?”

  “Anywhere. Zeke, grab your sister. Now!”

  Zeke hesitated a moment, and then grabbed Lucy’s arm.

  “But the Gods… I’m going to become an immortal. I was chosen.”

  Anna studied the figures shuffling towards them across the field. She counted fifteen in all.

  “Do they really look like Gods to you?”

  Closer up, the figures appeared dishevelled, grey flesh peeling. Some were missing limbs or chunks of flesh. They lurched forwards, arms extended and jaws wide, eager for their prey.

  “Of course they’re Gods. They don’t die,” Lucy said.

  Anna shook her head, her expression a mixture of exasperation and fear as she glanced again at the approaching figures.

  “I’m your mother, and you’ll do as I say. Now let’s go.”

  Anna headed away from the approaching figures, wanting to distance herself as much as possible. Ben still struggled and shouted for his dad. Zeke pulled Lucy along, although she still seemed confused, hesitant.

  Behind her she caught angry shouts emanating from Sanctuary. Words such as “Blasphemy”, “Cursed” and “Heresy,” rang out, but she ignored them.

  As they reached the tree line, a man dressed in tattered rags staggered out from the trees and lunged for Lucy. His skin was rotten and congealed and the bones of his hand were visible where the skin had decayed. Lucy let out a little scream.

  Acting out of instinct, Anna swung her satchel around, hitting the man in the face and sending him sprawling to the ground.

  “Run,” she screamed.

  Behind her she thought she heard her husband shouting but couldn’t be sure.

  “I’m sorry, Isaiah,” she whispered. “For everything.”

  CHAPTER 5

  Isaiah stared at his wife and children as they headed towards the woods. He couldn’t believe what he saw.

  “Anna, come back. What are you doing?” he shouted, but his words were
lost in the cacophony of angry cries emanating from the residents of Sanctuary.

  More yells came from the courtyard and he looked back down to see two of the Gods had staggered through the open gate. They were both dressed in ragtag clothes and one had half its face missing, the jawbone and teeth clearly evident. The other one appeared bloated, its skin purple and grey.

  A heavily armed Enforcer ran towards the bloated God and tried gently pushing it back, but the God snapped at him, trying to sink its teeth into his arm. The Enforcer lost his footing and the God crashed down on top of him and bit into the man’s throat, tearing out a chunk of flesh. The man screamed, the sound almost inhuman.

  People backed away, their expressions reverent. One man dropped to his knees and started praying. He raised his arms in reverence as the God with half its face missing approached.

  Roman barked out a command to the Enforcers. “Don’t just stand there. Get them back outside.”

  Several Enforcers stepped forwards holding sticks and shields and started pushing the Gods towards the exit. Once they got them outside, they rushed back inside and shut the doors.

  The guard who had been attacked lay on the ground, blood pumping from the wound in his throat.

  People in the crowd started shouting:

  “What about the sacrifice?”

  “The offering must be made.”

  “The ceremony’s been ruined.”

  “The Gods will curse us!”

  Isaiah barged past people and thundered down the steps to the courtyard just as Roman joined the Enforcers who had surrounded their fallen comrade. One of them bent down and inspected his colleague before he looked up at Roman and shook his head.

  Grumblings emanated from the crowd.

  Roman held his hands up. “Citizens, I won’t let misfortune befall our community. The ceremony will go ahead as planned. Even if I have to go out and bring them back myself.” Cheers went up from the crowd. “Anna Charles will not go unpunished.”

  Isaiah noticed the body on the ground twitch. Roman must have seen it too because he motioned to one of the Enforcers who stepped forwards holding a spear. Roman nodded at him and the man rammed the spear into the dead man’s head.

  “Only those chosen by the lottery are ordained to become as one with the Gods,” Roman said. “Any other way is blasphemy.” With that he turned and strode away. As he reached the other side of the yard, he stopped and turned. Fixed Isaiah with a withering glare. “Do I need to tell you to accompany me, Isaiah Charles? Your family has disrupted our ceremony.”

  Isaiah nodded, tried to swallow the lump in his throat. “Yes, yes, I’m… erm, I’m sorry.” He hurried across the yard, book tucked underneath his arm. Sweat trickled down his neck.

  He followed Roman across the yard and around the corner of the main building. The imposing structure towered overhead. Stepping into its shadow made Isaiah feel cold and he shivered. The numerous cell windows were covered by iron bars. Isaiah had read about similar buildings in one of the books he’d read. The author had called them prisons; their purpose to contain criminals, keeping them apart from society. He found it ironic that what was once a place of chastisement had become a haven. Not that anyone would be interested. Most people weren’t interested in books and history. Except for the Governor. Vincent Carmichael. It was he who had assigned Isaiah the task of archiving and cataloguing the books they had in the library. Most of them had rotted away, but he took great care with those that survived. He didn’t know what Carmichael was after, but Isaiah had to brief him on everything he found that related to history.

  Isaiah realised Roman was leading him to the Governor’s residence. The building stood apart from all the others. The residence was a square two storey structure, grey brick walls fronted by an arched colonnade. Roman marched up to the front door, red robe kicking up swirls of dust where it swept across the ground, and strode inside without knocking.

  Isaiah increased his pace and followed him inside.

  They walked along a short hallway and into the dining room where Carmichael sat behind a table laden with food of better quality than most of the residents had access to. Due to his large girth, Carmichael’s chair was pushed back from the table to allow him to sit comfortably. His features were distorted by the extra weight he carried and he always smelled of pungent body odour. Isaiah never liked spending too much time in his company and he always made his reports of the books as succinct as possible.

  Many ancient artefacts decorated the room, including a large standing clock, and a frame with a glass frontage Isaiah had learned was called a television. Then there were ornaments and knickknacks the purpose of which was impossible to imagine. Nobody had much knowledge about the artefacts.

  Carmichael sat poised with food wavering on his fork. “You’d better have a good reason for bursting in while I’m eating.”

  “When aren’t you eating?” Roman muttered.

  “What did you say?”

  “I said you missed the meeting.”

  Carmichael waved his hand dismissively, food flying from his fork. “Seen one you’ve seen them all.”

  “Not like this one. The Chosen one ran away.”

  Carmichael shrugged and lifted the fork to his mouth and started eating.

  Roman leaned forwards and placed his hands on the desk. “Didn’t you hear what I said?”

  “The Chosen one ran away,” he said while eating. “So what? Out with the old, in with the new. Space has been made in Sanctuary for the newborn, so what’s the problem?”

  “I’ll tell you what the problem is. Her mother took her and fled into the forest. Along with her other two children.

  Vincent shrugged again. “Well that’s good news, isn’t it? We now have even more space available.”

  Roman shook his head and exhaled noisily. “It’s not that simple. The people are angry and scared.”

  “Scared of what?”

  “Well they’re afraid misfortune will befall our community because the sacrifice ran away.”

  “Will it?”

  “Of course not. We both know that. But if we’re not careful the people will panic, or worse lose faith. Who knows where that will lead.”

  As if noticing Isaiah for the first time, he fixed his gaze upon him. “Isaiah, what are you doing here?”

  “This is the Chosen one’s father.”

  Isaiah held his book to his chest as if it was a shield. He inwardly shrank beneath the two men’s gaze.

  Carmichael sat up taller in his chair and squared his shoulders, taking on a more regal posture. He looked Isaiah up and down over the tip of his nose.

  “So your wife’s run away. Do you mind telling me why?”

  “I wish I knew.” He shook his head. “She’s never done anything like this before. I think she might be a little crazy. She’s been spending a lot of time with my mother, and I’m afraid she may have bought in to the ravings of an old woman’s mind.

  “A little crazy? She’s jeopardized our community.

  She’s… I don’t…

  Roman held up a hand, a sly expression on his face. “If I may interrupt, I’d like to suggest he is sent out with a small troop of Enforcers to bring them all back.”

  Carmichael seemed to consider this for a moment before he nodded. “Excellent idea.”

  Isaiah’s eyes grew wide and he shifted his grip on the book so he could hold one hand up. “But… it’s been too long. Wouldn’t they have already succumbed to the Gods?”

  Roman wheeled on Isaiah, face flushed. “Since when do you possess the authority to question the Governor’s rules?”

  Isaiah dropped his head submissively, and took a step back. “I… I don’t…”

  Carmichael tapped his fork against his plate. “Well no time like the present to make a start. Roman, I’d like you to lead the party.”

  Roman’s jaw dropped. “Me. Sir, I don’t think that’s necessary.”

  “Now who’s questioning the Governor’s rules?” Isaiah
said.

  Roman glared at him.

  “That’s settled then,” Carmichael said. “Oh, and Roman, on the way out, get the cook to bring me some more pie.”

  CHAPTER 6

  Anna and her family huddled beneath the trees, catching their breath. Save for the sound of birdcall, the area was quiet and the trees provided shade from the sun. Such was the insular nature of Sanctuary; Anna had never stepped outside its walls before. Everything she needed was provided for within her community.

  She looked at her family. Tears had left clear tracks down Ben’s angry face, and Lucy seemed shaken and confused. Zeke meanwhile appeared anxious and timid, but he tried to put a brave face on when he sensed his mother was looking at him.

  “So now are you going to explain why you dragged me away, Mum? I was about to become an immortal. Do you know what that means?”

  Anna wrung her hands together. “You’ve got to believe me; I did this for your own good.”

  Ben shook his head and glared at his mother while Lucy cradled her head in her hands, sobbing.

  “She’s lying,” Ben said. “She’s jealous because she wasn’t chosen. I want to go home. I want Dad!”

  Zeke punched his brother on the shoulder. “Shut your mouth, runt.”

  “No, I won’t! I want to go home.”

  “Stop it, you two,” Anna said. “We need to work together here.”

  Anna walked across and dropped to her knees beside Lucy and placed one hand on her shoulder. She cupped Lucy’s chin in the palm of her other hand, forcing her to look up.

  “Lucy, I’m anything but jealous. I’m terrified. I love you kids so much and I can’t bear you getting hurt.” She paused, searching for the right words. “I don’t believe what the church has been telling us…not about the Gods, not about the lottery, not anything.”

  Ben snorted. “What don’t you believe? Cousin Hannah was chosen the other month. The Gods took her, and then days later she was back outside. She’ll live forever with them.”

  “I don’t understand what I saw, but that wasn’t Hannah. At least not the cousin you knew. Say what you like about your grandmother… she’s been at Sanctuary a long time, and her mother and grandmother before her. She’s not as addle brained as she let’s on, and she says it’s all a lie. The church, the lottery, the Gods… everything’s a bunch of lies they are using to control us.”