Of Little Faith by Thomas Eggert

Author:Thomas Eggert [Eggert, Thomas]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2013-12-19T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

"Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t know."

---19th c. Proverb

Oblivion … 00.01.08

The ground violently quaked. A flint block tumbled over the side of the shelter roof and crashed between Vincent’s legs. His eyes flew open with his mouth. He tried screaming, but the pain emptied his lungs of air. He rolled over, jerking up his knees, the ground trembling beneath him. Vincent searched the crimson sky for storm clouds, falling acid, anything causing the shaking. He saw nothing as he stood up, propped himself against the shelter, and sucked in a lungful of caustic air.

Vincent scanned across Vagary Heights. It remained mostly empty, only a few straggling lost souls milling about. “Thaddy!” Vincent yelled, the ground still shaking. “Thaddy! Where are you?!” He jogged through the twisted maze of flint block shelters to the brink of Vagary. There sat Thaddy, his leg bandaged, his skin hood pulled over his head.

“What the hell’s all the rumblin’?” Vincent asked, walking up behind the boy.

Thaddy turned around and smiled, his eyes sparkling. “You are awake.”

“How long have I been out?”

“You have been gone a long time, mister.”

“How long-- Ahh, it doesn’t matter. Vincent turned back around. “I guess Glipp never came back?”

Thaddy shook his head. “No.”

“It’ll be okay, kid.” Vincent patted the child’s back and sat down.

Thaddy grinned. “The rumbling comes from below. The storms have been tremendous.”

Vincent cast his stare into the valley. It was shrouded in purple clouds that spewed out glowing blue rain. Through the turbulent storm he could still see the outline of the fortress, could still see people working.

“Don’t they care about the acid raining down?” Vincent asked.

“Most do," Thaddy said. "But those closest to their Savior claim to exist for it, anything that can provide pain.”

“That’s insane.”

Thaddy turned to Vincent. “It is all they have. There are no gods to worship in oblivion, mister. There is only pain. And their Savior has shown them a way of salvation, a way to eliminate the agony of pain by forcing themselves to embrace it.”

“What kinda nutcase would--" Do you consider me a sinner, Mr. Goss? Zedekiah asked from the shadows of Vincent’s past. Am I going to hell? Am I? Vincent jerked his head and looked at Thaddy. Pain is what makes life worth living, Zedekiah reminded, never forget that! “Thaddy?” Vincent meekly asked. “Their Savior,” Vincent paused and swallowed, “it’s Zedekiah, isn’t it?”

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