Hunting Season

Goodbye

God blasted into Mother Mary's mouth before she could free herself, causing the back of her throat to explode into a bloody mess.

Conrad lunged at a few screaming cult members who frantically tried to defend themselves with knives they had latched on to their sides. They barely had any time to do damage.

Some fell ripped into pieces, others with gun wounds to their bodies.

God had never felt so alive shooting holes into a couple of deranged lunatics, and it was only when he ran out of ammo did he join Conrad in ripping women apart.

Devon shielded her eyes from the massacre, blocking her ears as she tried to ignore the horror unfolding. Jane, on the other hand, willingly watched everything. She wore a small smile on her lips, finally relieved her son and everyone else who had died from the cult was being avenged.

It didn't take long for the two creatures to finally end their rampage. By the time they were finished, the shore of the lake was tainted red. Blood began to leak into the waters, along with a few mangled bodies. They drifted downstream, now food to whatever animal crossed their path.

God watched the view in silent pleasure, licking his dripping claws as he turned towards the two women. Jane patted Devon's head, telling her it was okay and that everything was over. She forbade her from looking, however, for it would be too much for her mind to handle.

With a heavy sigh, Jane stepped away from the boulder they had stayed behind and started to make her way to the bloodied, horned being. He approached her as well, looking her over as if to make sure she was okay.

"I take it this is the last time we see each other," God stated nonchalantly, flicking off a piece of flesh hanging on to his sleeve. Jane solemnly nodded, resting her gaze on a pale Adira.

The two stood silently, examining the corpse until God bent down to gently scoop her in his arms. He wiped away a wet, blonde strand of hair still clinging to her face before speaking up again.

"She's staying with me. I'm giving her a proper burial, one that is much better than you humans can provide."

Jane didn't have any objections. She walked a little ways past him, picking up her rifle and examining the blood splattered on its exterior.

"Someone's going to notice the mess. What are you going to do when authorities come?"

God scoffed, as if the question itself was stupid, "I am God. They can't hurt me."

She figured he'd say as much, and glanced behind him where a crouching Conrad was devouring one of the cult members.

"It won't...hurt anyone else, will it? And more specifically-."

"His name is Conrad. And justice will be served to those who deserve it," God cut her off, looking down at Adira as he pulled her a little closer. "A life for a life."

After all that happened in Whispering Winds, Jane didn't think she would ever return. She had to tell the people back at camp everything that had unfolded, specifically with the cult. There was a chance some of the bodies hanging there were their own people, but there was also a chance God had killed them, or perhaps other elements of the forest took them. There was no way of knowing...and as for herself, it was time to move on.

"We'll be gone by the end of the day." Was all Jane said as she and God exchanged simple nods. As she returned to Devon so the two could go back to camp, God focused his attention on Conrad.

The poor human creature made him feel sympathy, as well as for the fact that he seemed to be slightly delusional. He could hear Conrad struggling to form words directed at someone that wasn't there. Whatever was going on, it seemed to be something good, for he buried his face in his hands with a garbled 'thank you'.

God decided to leave him be for now, for the two would unite later on. At that moment, he wanted nothing else but to be alone with Adira.

He walked away from the lake, deep into the forest until he found a proper place to lay her to rest.

It was an open area with soft dirt and a bed of flowers beneath his feet. He had never noticed how beautiful the plants of Whispering Winds were, in fact he never took the time to just breathe and take everything in.

The trees that swayed carried with them a scent only he could pick up. It was the scent of living, breathing organisms. In fact, everything in the forest carried it...if there was one thing the cult had right was the fact that nature was pure. The only reason Earth was in such a state of catastrophe was because of humans. God and Conrad were sent as a wake up call. The planet was in trouble, no amount of anything pushed humans to save it. The only solution was war, but a war that human beings didn't even know was happening.

There were other "monsters" out there, and more would come. Sooner or later, not a single trace of humanity would remain...

"But it's as it should be." God whispered, hovering over a pool of fresh, blue violets. He placed Adira on top of them, watching with awe at how beautiful the scene was.

She seemed to be merely sleeping, and her once sad, pained expression at last seemed peaceful. God caressed her cheek, accidentally leaving behind a smudge of blood that still lingered on him from his act of justice. He didn't wipe it off, instead left it there as he silently took everything in.

She wouldn't have wanted him to take Conrad into the waters, because in the end she wanted to be the one to go. He imagined there was a point in some peoples lives where they hit a wall. A point where you make that final decision to end all decisions...

God carefully adjusted himself next to Adira, wrapping one of his arms around her waist. He snuggled up closer to her, taking in the sound of the leaves blowing. They almost sounded like whispers, he thought as his eyes fluttered shut. He wondered if Adira were alive, what she would be doing at that moment.

She would be smiling...and by god, from Mitch's memories, that smile had enough power to light up every crevice of his dark soul. If only he could have witnessed it himself.

"I love you, Adira," God confessed, and together the two lay on the forest floor until the sun began to set.