Chapter 1: CHAPTER I

CHAPTER I

58 YEARS LATER

Deep in a mountain pass in the Colorado Rockies, a small collection of people flourished. This small group removed itself from society when the Pox began its outbreak, seeking solace in the crisp Colorado air, and shelter in the former Ski Resort of Breckenridge. They lay undiscovered in the tall Rockies, hidden in the serene areas of Peak 8 for generations. The elders of the group would scare the children with stories of the Pox and the barbaric Scavengers, those who throw away all rhyme or reason and hunt naughty children to experiment and torture.

This group, or Community,  like many others, were drawn to religious fanaticism, believing they needed to appease their God to keep the Pox out of their society. This lead to rituals. Especially, one in particular. The Leader said it is for the clan’s own good, and everyone follows the Leader.

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A boy sat by a mountain stream. The stream’s water level is increasing due to the early spring snowmelt, he thought. He wrote his findings down in his leather bound journal, a relic Grandmother had given him when he was small.

There was a shuffling in the leaves, causing the boy to set down his journal on a small rock, radiating warmth from the early spring sun rays. A large dog bounded out of the woods, its black face and chest contrasting from the tawny color of its body.

The boy let out a low whistle and the dog bounded towards him, frolicking in the tall grass and flowers. The boy let out a laugh as the large dog practically tackled him to the ground, licking his face affectionately.

“Easy girl, easy.” He said in a gentle voice, the boy’s gray eyes looking at the dog fondly. He stroked the dog’s ears and pulled out a piece of rabbit from this morning’s breakfast to feed to the dog. She chomped on the rabbit, please with her owner. A woman’s voice could be heard from the distance.

“-eo! Theo!” The boy sighed and picked up his journal and solemnly walked to the sound of the voice, the dog trotting by his side. He exited the mountainous wood and entered the small village, complete with small log cabins and a large fire pit in the middle of the circle of houses. One house stood out in particular, a multi-story house built out of an old ski lodge. This home was far grander than the other small cabins. Two stories stood tall and imposing above the meager single bedroom cabins. It was even rumored to have a heating system, fueled by pipes of warmed water, and a bedroom for each of His wives. This was the house of the Leader. Decades ago, the previous Leader had led a group of forty people through the mountain pass to Peak 8, to escape the raging war and plague. The Leader makes all decisions and runs all the rituals relevant to the clan. He always knows what’s best.

The boy, Theo, walked to the woman calling his name, the large dog walking next to his feet.

“Mother.” He politely greeted the woman, dipping his head in respect. The woman, her thinning face and graying hair noticeable in the early noon lighting, smiled softly at her one and only son. 

“Are you ready for the Ritual?” Mother asked the boy, her voice thick. Theo nodded. 

The Ritual was the most important event in an adolescent’s life in the Community. All Theo knows is if there are five or more boys from the ages of fifteen to nineteen in the Community, the ritual is performed. The Leader assigns jobs and futures to boys who complete the Ritual, mapping their lives out. Theo’s sixteenth birthday was last autumn, and little Anthony, Theo’s friend and cousin, just turned fifteen not too long ago, making seven boys in the required age group. Today was the day the Ritual would take place.

Mother escorted Theo back to their small one room cabin, the dog prancing in beside them. Theo slipped off his warm sheepskin boots and set them by the door. He then went to the small washroom, separated from the mainroom with a moose skin curtain, and retrieved the wash pale and filled it up with water from the public well, located behind the cabins, bringing it back home, and setting it over the fire in the fireplace to warm. After repeating this process a few times, Theo stripped off his clothes and sat in the luke-warm water and began his bath, making sure to clean himself and his hair, refusing to stare at himself the whole time. After his bath, he dumped the dirty water in the vegetable garden and got dressed in his warm leather and hides, the uniform familiar, as it was the same thing all other boys wore. Mother walked in through the door, her pockets full with stolen berries. 

“Mother?” Theo asks.

Mother froze in her step. “Yes Theodore?” She inquired

“What do you have in your pocket?” Theo asked, sharply. “You know stealing is forbidden, Mother. The Leader must be informed of all transgressions, Article 5, paragraph 3 of the New Script. It is my duty to report you to Him.” Theo said sternly.

“Theo,” Mother said. “The Leader has more food than he can possibly eat. A handful of berries is hardly a transgression.” Mother said, pleading.

“I apologize, Mother, but,” Theo reaches for the copy of the New Script that all homes must have (Article 4, paragraph 8) and begins to recite the lines directly from the book. Mother had a pathetic look on her face, pleading for her son to let this one transgression slide. Theo did not relent. He set the book down onto the mantle, the yellowing pages crumpled slightly with age. “I must report. I will do so at the Ritual.”

“Theo-”

Theo’s temper snapped, “Shut it. Or else I might think you’re a filthy heretic like Father” he practically spit.

Mother sat there with her mouth hung open. “I will not be spoken to by my son in my own house. You must respect your elders and superiors. “‘Children are forbidden to address his or her superior in an insubordinate way.’ Article 3 paragraph 5.” Mother hissed. “And children must be disciplined for insubordination.” She landed a heavy slap across his right cheek, the inertia forcing his neck to snap to the side. 

“Discipline is the role of the Father, not the Mother. You have no right to hit me. I am the man of the house!”

“You are a contentious, ungrateful boy! I raise you, put a roof over your head, and this is how I am repaid! Just because you were chosen to be our great Leader’s concubine, does not make you immune to the Script.”

Theo’s rage burns like fire. “YOU LIAR, HERETIC!” Theo took a deep breath, attempting to calm his scorching nerves. “How dare you tell lies!?”

“Don’t think I don’t know where those bruises come from, my Teddy. I am your mother, I care about you!”

Theo spit at the ground. “You don’t know anything, woman.”

“I know a lot more than you do, child. You’re just like your Father, you hear me!?”

Theo bursts. “I am nothing like that traitor!”

As the sun touched the horizon, Theo slipped his shoes back on and strapped his trusty hatchet to his belt.

Theo met up with Anthony on the walk, finding comfort in the familiar presence of his family and only friend. He filled him in on the spat with Mother.

Anthony gave him a sympathetic look. “I can’t believe Auntie would steal from our great Leader.” Was all he said on their short walk.

Theo and Anthony arrived in front of the Leader’s home. The Leader was standing in front of his home, all three young wives by his side, two of which were round with unborn children. The Leader was a tall thin man with long graying brown hair and was dressed in bright white robes, along with his wives. He nodded at Theo as he took his place among the other five boys, being the last to arrive along with Anthony. He avoided eye contact. Theo flushed at being the last one to arrive, an embarrassing feat in front of the Leader, but his heart soared at the small acknowledgement he got from the Leader. All of the boys took a knee in front of the Leader, showing respect.

“Rise, young ones.” He said. His voice was slightly rough with use and age. The sun slipped below the horizon. “I am sure you all are shaking in anticipation for the Ritual. Since there are so many of you this year and food is scarce, this ritual will be of hunting. Bring back as much prey by dawn as you can. The two with the least amount of prey caught will receive punishment and the Mark. If any foul play is suspected, they will also receive the Mark. The larger the prey, the larger chance of being in the top five is. If it becomes in between a moose versus two squirrels, a moose would beat out the squirrels.” The Leader smiled, his coffee brown eyes narrowing as he gazed at each individual child. “Get to it.”