Weeping Season by Seán O'Connor

Author:Seán O'Connor [O'Connor, Seán]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Uafás Press
Published: 2019-12-14T22:00:00+00:00

THIRTEEN

The frost came during the night, so sudden it felt to Charles as if someone had pushed a button. As a result, the ground hardened to the extent that the task of digging became a near impossibility. Instead, Two’s body had to lay wrapped in rags where they’d placed her in the forest, not too far away, but out of sight. The group argued about the morality of the situation, but without the right tools, giving the woman a burial was simply not going to happen.

The mood in camp had become so depleted, no one could lift their heads from their collective depression. Even when the silver cylinder rose from the ground to deliver its latest transmission, everyone just sat where they were and barely listened to the robotic words.

PARTICIPANTS: ATTENTION.

The Host’s tone seemed to be growing more determined as the days wore on.

PROGRESSION: FAILURE TO COMPLETE OBJECTIVES HAS BECOME A CONCERN.

SUBSCRIBERS ARE WORRIED ABOUT DETERIORATING HEALTH LEVELS.

“Oh, fuck your subscribers!” Tiff yelled at the inanimate object.

PARTICIPANT: THREE…

BASED ON CURRENT HEALTH STATUS YOU HAVE BEEN SELECTED FOR THE NEXT OBJECTIVE.

REWARD: ADDITIONAL FOOD AND HEALTH SUPPLEMENTS.

PARTICIPANT: THREE…

BASED ON PROFILE. FEAR EXPLOITATION IS A CERTAINTY.

Charles saw that Nabil was visibly shaken. Fear exploitation could only mean thing – his worst nightmare… Snakes. The transmission provided the trial’s location. No one in the group commented. Spirits were low all around, leaving Nabil to make his way into the forest alone, though Charles made sure to wish him well.

The remaining campmates slowly came to life and began the ritual of preparing the basic provisions of vegetable soup, bread, and hot water that had appeared for them that morning. Though bland and boring, all agreed that it had to be eaten, being just about enough to sustain them.

Everyone hoped Nabil would return victorious, and all fantasized about this feast they’d been promised. Their collective desire for the comfort of hot savoury food almost made them forget that they were here against their will. Almost. What if he failed? Another night without food before sleep, with only a small portion of stale vegetables to look forward to the next morning. Between their malnourished state, losing Two the night before, and their constant struggle to remember their past, it wasn’t surprising the general mood was so dark. Most of them didn’t care anymore, and Charles worried about that. They needed hope if they were to survive this place.

He looked over to Stacy’s camp bed. She was the only one who hadn’t got up, still lying motionless beneath the pile of rags they’d covered her with the night before. While the group ate their meagre rations, he got up and walked over to her, his heartbeat thumping in his ears. Something wasn’t right. She was normally the first one up, bedding hand-washed and neatly folded. He’d hoped her horrific ordeal wouldn’t get the better of her after a night’s rest – that she’d wake up and be stronger for having come through it. But she’d taken it hard, there was no doubting it.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.