Dangerball by Scott McCord

Author:Scott McCord [McCord, Scott]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781091386730
Published: 2019-06-04T22:00:00+00:00

27

For security reasons, members of The Body aren’t usually out after dark, but when we arrive, the tabernacle and the chancel are still in place. Torches won’t be lit until the priest makes his appearance. The souls of Groups 13 and 14 wait in the fading light. We push in among them. Gas finds Ellie and I see my parents, but I stay with my friends for the announcement.

We wait…as whispered conversations make their way through the crowd.

We wait…as the sun yawns out its last rays and drains from the sky.

We wait…as the moon makes its ascent and casts a halfhearted glow across Community. My eyes grow accustomed to the silver-gray and the cry of a Lopper from somewhere Outside reminds me our world is a wild one…maybe a godless one. Conversations fall to nothing in the dark, silence is all around, and we wait.

There’s a stir up front as someone thinks they see a messenger enter the tabernacle. I’m hopeful, but still, we wait.

Mim shifts where she stands, letting out a heavy sigh. “This day keeps getting better and better,” she huffs. “What happened out there, Will?”

I’ve been replaying the whole thing with Starter in my head, and even though I’m justified for making up Slitters to keep from getting my ass kicked, I’m not sure I can make the story sound as innocent as it is. It’s better to keep it to myself. “Nothing,” I say, “nothing really.”

More silence and we wait.

Time crawls until torches are finally lit and the priest takes the chancel. His face is the color of a small moon, and his eyes are empty, black pits. He’s at ease in the darkness. This is definitely a nocturnal man.

“I have startling news.” His voice is damp as mildew. “Earlier today, Slitters launched an unprovoked attack on our water supply.” The crowd gasps. “Do not be afraid. In time of prayer, God forewarned Verick of the impending incursion and our leader stationed a unit of Scorpions at the flume. The Slitters were turned back. Ayden himself now commands a detachment of militia set to guard our rightful claim from the Slitter infidels. Once again, The Body provides protection and sees to the well-being of Community.”

Murmurs of appreciation circle through the night.

The priest in his tall hat, draped in robes, seems larger in the flickering light. He holds up one hand to quiet the people. “From Verick,” he starts, “hear this: for some time we have known Slitters do not honor the treaty set forth and agreed upon generations ago. They do not check their population. They have not observed the Cardinal rule of 900 as we do. Their numbers grow beyond what God ordains, ignoring His Will for the Culling. Vital resources Brother Ark provides are taxed by their weak and less fit. While Community suffers for God, our heretic neighbors ingest Ark animals and consume in excess of their due.”

“Slitter scum!” a woman yells from the shadows.

“They’re trying to kill us all,” someone else hollers as a chorus of indignation rises up from the crowd.

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