Hunting Season

Mother Mary

Jane didn't utter a word or move in the slightest as she struggled to keep her eyes off of the horrifying site that greeted her.

There were bodies dangling from nooses at the entrance of what looked like a small village. Women with curious faces peered at Jane from cabins they seemed to have made themselves. She attempted to keep her cool and not be thrown off by the badly decomposing corpses that swayed with the wind as she passed under them. The scent was all too revolting as well, causing her to raise her hand up to her nose at times.

Annabelle turned back, completely unfazed as she smiled gently at Jane. The other hid her panic well and exchanged a similar look.

"We don't take too kindly to people who try and harm us. When God isn't around to swiftly punish these sinners we do it ourselves. Look."

Jane realized Annabelle wanted her to examine their work, to which she nodded and forced herself to glance up.

She felt her heart leap up to her throat as she took note of each individual- some fresh, others badly rotten, and a few nothing but rags and bones. Jane was so caught up in realizing the cult had killed some of the people her group was looking for that she almost failed to catch sight of someone familiar.

Her whole body went stiff as she stared into the empty sockets of a body- its loose, ripped shirt and blue shorts stained brown with its putrid fluids. Flashbacks of a young man wearing those exact same clothes popped up in her mind, and Jane realized she had at last found her son.

Gently smiling, Jane slowly looked back at Annabelle and the other women who examined her with silent curiosity. She greeted them with a simple nod and glanced around, "Where is Mother Mary? I'm eager to meet her."

"Come, Jane. I will leave you inside the ceremonial house and she will greet you shortly."

Jane clenched her fist to keep it from visibly shaking as she followed behind Annabelle, her other hand resting on a pocket knife she had concealed under her waistband.

They both walked up to a larger cabin just in the middle of the cult's hideout. She was told to hand over her weapons and backpack, to which she agreed to. Thankfully, she wasn't patted down and her knife remained hidden. Jane was escorted inside the cabin, and told to wait inside until their leader arrived and spoke to her. Annabelle explained how everyone had to go through the process, and some other things that Jane paid no attention to. She only agreed and said she understood when she didn't even hear half of what she was being told. When the cult member left, Jane was finally alone and in her solitude collapsed onto the floor. Her hand flew to her heart as she looked around quickly to make sure she wasn't being watched.

The place was one big room, with windows boarded up and a wooden table at the front. There were a few chairs facing it, but thankfully were unoccupied. Jane bit down on her hand to suppress a wail and instead composed herself rather quickly, wiping the tears that spilled down her face.

She sat on one of the chairs, digging into her pocket to pull out the knife and conceal it in her sleeve. For now, there was nothing to do but wait.

It must have been close to an hour, and Jane was so sure the cult knew what she was up to until she heard the sound of a door unlocking. She turned ever so slowly towards the entrance, not knowing who or what to expect. It was only when she laid eyes on a thin, frail figure with a strange limp that she came to the realization the leader had walked in.

Mother Mary's hair was long and red, had skin a sickly pale color, and the dress she wore was white with old stains Jane thought looked like blood. Though that wasn't the most shocking part, the old woman realized the cult's leader had a crown of roses on her head with thorns that dug into her skull. Puss and dried blood seemingly leaked out of the wounds, causing Jane to swallow in disgust.

She had no idea how to react or what to do, and so when Mother Mary silently observed her with eerie gray eyes, Jane stood up and bowed.

Jane could feel those cold, dead eyes digging into her skull, and when she looked up the corpse looking woman was even closer than before. She stood her ground, however.

"Jane, I can sense something in you that is different from everyone." Mother Mary commented immediately, not even introducing herself first. She stood as still as ever, observing the older woman who tried to keep a serious face as well.

"What is it you sense, Mother?"

The red head now blinked, a trickle of humanity finally flowing into her otherwise dead appearance. She cocked her head, almost smirking as she approached Jane and examined her from head to toe.

"I was told God brought you here? He doesn't come around us, and we hardly see him. You are very lucky."

More like I'm not insane. Even a monster realizes they're crazy. Jane thought, clenching her jaw before responding. "Yes. I heard stories of him. He led me to where I can find people like myself."

Mother Mary walked past Jane, and towards the wooden table. She rested her thin fingers on the surface, gliding them across the cold material. "God doesn't care for any human. Why would he care for you or who you believe?"

Jane felt a knot grow in her throat, but she immediately thought of a response, "There's something else in the forest killing people. God doesn't like to share his power and sent me to give you all word of it. He wants to know what's going on."

"God spoke to you?" Mother Mary seemingly paused, eyes narrowing in suspicion, "He spoke? And you understood him?"

"Yes...I suppose that's why he took a liking to me?"

The red haired woman nodded, and it seemed she was done with the interrogation. "Very well, Jane. You have been chosen by God himself and are very lucky. There are things you must do for us, but I have no further questions for you." She was seemingly about to move on, until Jane cut her off.

"I have something to ask you now, Mother. I...question who is God. It's not a question of faith, but he seems almost human. Where did he come from? And is there another like him out there?"

Mother Mary smiled softly, as if she was pleased the other was curious. "I see what God cannot see. Unlike these other women, I am also gifted like you. I understand God. It's a gift only a few who are truly his chosen ones receive. The others are merely pawns." She paused, slowly readjusting her crown until fresh blood pooled down the side of her face. Jane tried to remain unfazed by how grotesque it all was.

"He is like God, but has grown mad and deformed from his sin. He was blessed with such potential, like God, only he is unhinged after the awakening. Sooner or later he will come around."

Jane felt sick. "Awakening?"

"Yes," Mother Mary seemed proud, "A perfect creature created from man. God's purpose is to wipe out those who harm Earth's gifts."

The older woman fingered the knife in her sleeve, shaking as she struggled to control herself. "So he came from man...as well as the other one who's out there. Who are they?"

Mother Mary gave a very eerie smile, and Jane realized she didn't have to be told who God was. He had told her himself without even knowing it.