The Way It Is [#OpenNovellaContest2019]

• Chapter Ten •

*Gore Warning!!!*
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"Robert."

Faiths father took a deep breath, and looked up slowly to the shadows that were gathered around the fire pit. They weren't really shadows, just people wearing long black robes with hoods that hid their faces, so that they blended with and looked like shadows.

They were in a forest. The night was dark around them, no stars, no moon. The fire pit was the only source of light.

"Come closer."

Robert took a few steps towards the biggest shadow, the leader of the gang.

"Closer."

A few more steps.

"Now... are you ready for the ritual?"

Robert nodded slowly. He had to show he was confident. The gang could smell fear.

"Bring out the sacrifice."

Two shadows disappeared into the darkness. It was silent until they returned a few moments later, with a big bag that was shaking slightly.

The bag was placed at the feet of the big shadow. He reached down, untying the knot and pulling the bag off whatever poor thing was inside.

The poor thing was a deer. A small doe, shivering in fear, its hooves bound together with rope. Robert felt remorse in what he had to do to it, but it was him or it. And he didn't particularly want to die.

The same three shadows dragged the doe over to the fire, so that it was in front of the flames.

Another shadow presented a large knife to Robert, it's hilt decorated with carvings.

Grabbing the knife, Robert turned cautiously around to where the doe was trembling, tied up on the ground. As Robert approached it slowly, it began to thrash, trying to escape its sad fate.

Roberts hands were trembling, but he couldn't show weakness. He waited a few moments to calm down.

And then, the knife flew in an arc of destruction, the firefight reflecting off its silvery blade. 

Robert couldn't close his eyes for fear of cutting himself, but he blocked out every memory of what his hands did to that poor creature.

Slicing a long cut all the way down it's body, blood spilling out as the doe made unearthly screams of pain and terror.

Sawing off its legs at the knee bone, the hot blood covering his fingers.

Slowly cutting off its ears and tail, then prying it's eyes out with the tip of the blade. They popped out with a sickening, squishy noise.

And finally, while the creature was still barely alive, Robert slit its throat, the blood gushing over his hands, running over the ground and staining his pants where his knees rested on the soil.

It was silent for a moment.

Then there was rustling.

The three shadows came and quickly took the limbs of the doe, but not before prying its head off and handing it to Robert. They also took the knife. Then they shuffled towards the big shadow, giving him the knife and standing behind him with the remains of the animal.

The big shadow raised a hand to the sky.

"Robert has committed a great sin. The slaughter of an innocent. He has proved himself worthy of our trust, and in doing so, we have granted him freedom. We now give this sacrifice to you, Great Power, in exchange for the purification of Robert Samuel Brooks."