Chapter 3: Abel
#3 of Trials
In the woods alone, one person of the party begins to do some self discovering, but will something discover him?
Chapter 3
Abel
I'm still amazed by the undeniable beauty the forest possesses. A natural machine , I'm in awe just being around it. Marcus and Carmen keep saying it's cold, I wish I could understand them better. I hope during this journey I can be better at communicating and understanding people, But people are.. confusing. I'm sitting by the fire reading up on Krove culture. They measure a persons worth by what they offer the community, their age, gender, family, health, and what skills they have. They put all these factors together and create a 'Net worth.' Whoever has the highest net worth is the king.They prefer the cold because of their furred bodies and have the ability to drink the blood of others, its a taboo because its addicting.
"What'cha thinking about?" Marcus asked, he's cuddled up by the fire with a blanket around him shivering.
"The Krove, and what they're like."
"I saw one when I was a little girl.. they look kind of intimidating, furry bodies, sharp claws and fangs, they have Wings under their arms too!" Carmen said, she was sitting close to Marcus but was poking at the fire with a stick.
"I can't wait to see one, but it's nice to experience nature. It's relaxing, and the ruins we saw were beautiful."
"Don't get use to it.. we're leaving soon. I think we've stayed here enough." She gave an extra sharp poke to the fire.
"But it was a good idea right? To practice our survival skills more?" Marcus asked.
"I've read ahead in the journal that Dad gave us, After this we're going to the Chamas City. It'll take us a little over a week get there. Versus the three days it took us to get here." I said.
"With two mouths to feed its going to be rough.. We don't really know what we're doing, the only thing we can do right is catch fish." Carmen said, she looked at me for a second and swallowed something and raised her eyebrows slightly before looking back at the fire.
"It's not a race." I reminded her, she's been really pressing us to move quicker I wonder why.
"I didn't say it was Abel! Stop taking everything so literally!" She raised her voice. I must've done something wrong again.
"Sorry Carmen." I said.
"You should be.., we should start getting ready to go in an hour."
"Abel, you've been reading about the Krove for awhile, what're they like?" Marcus asked.
"Strange, Humans praise technology. The Krove praise money and social standings above everything, Before the great war the Krove believed in slavery, still do.. but it has a different name now.. it's called 'Servitude.' One person can buy another by paying the servants net worth, but both parties must consent to the transaction, if this is done then the servants net worth is doubled but forfeits all his or her rights and becomes a second rate citizen until the person that bought them releases them from servitude. However they must stay a servant for 2 years."
"Interesting.." Marcus answered.
"I'm more interested in their sports." Carmen said.
"They have their own form of fighting, it's called 'Somba' and it's brutal."
"How brutal?" Carmen asked, she perked up and her voice more relaxed and her eyes widened a bit.
"It's normal for people to become injured." Why do people enjoy tragedy, violence and hate? It's.. upsetting..
"I'm going to go for a walk.." I need to be by myself to think..
"I'll come with you." Marcus said.
"No, you need to stay warm." I closed my book and started to walk away from camp. I could hear the frozen grass under me crunch as I walked, I wonder what cold feels like.. Carmen and Marcus don't like it. We were right by a small river and pine tree's surrounded us, small beams of sunlight managed to pierce the leafs and branches. I loved it.. it was beautiful.. Marcus and Carmen don't seem to notice, I wonder why.
"Be.. safe." Marcus said, I wonder until I'm satisfied with my isolation and find a boulder by a hill and sit and listen to the birds chirp. I listen, and think about all kinds of things.. Since we left the differences between me and them have been magnified. I don't eat, Sleep, or drink.. I think Carmen dislikes me.. she's always mad at me. I can't help but be the way I was made.
I peeled some of the fake skin off my chest and saw a tiny valve, turned it slowly to see a tiny pipe underneath. "Ready."
"Ok.. pour it in slowly.." Marcus told me as he put a funnel on top of it. He poured a container of water down into the pipe and I felt better.
"I'm glad I designed you to run off water.. easy to get.."
"Me too. I wonder why it feels strange when you pour it in me."
"It's strange that you can 'feel' anything Abel.." He placed the container down and chuckled a little.
"Why'd you name me Abel anyway?" I asked.
"It means breath.. you were going to be a new beginning for me.. you're an advanced model of golem, nobody my age has made something as efficient as you, soul or no soul. I thought it'd be ironic since you can't breath."
"What's that like?" I asked as I put the valve back on and put the skin back in place.
"I can't describe it.. We do it so much and so often we don't really notice it. It doesn't feel like anything." He looked down at his chest and patted it through his shirt.
"Living bodies are so interesting.. so much upkeep and work into keeping them at top shape.." I said.
"Heh, yeah.. But we have doctors to help us."
"Your like my doctor.. maybe I should be yours? I could learn how to.. All I have to do is read about it. I want to return the favor."
"You do?" He asked, he stared at me with a half smile and cocked his head to the side. Then squinted his eyes slightly then went into a full smile.
"Yes.. I want to fix you if you break." I said looking back into Marcus's eyes.. I felt something inside of me change, like a connection.. I felt.. happy.
I heard a branch break behind me and turned around to see nothing. I stood and scanned the area.. Something made that noise. I couldn't see anything except trees and bushes. "Hello?" Nobody replied, am I about to meet a remnant?
I walked slowly to the source of the noise and got my sword ready. I hope I don't have to use it but if I must then I'll do it. I looked behind bushes, rocks and tree's but I didn't find anything.My attention went back to hearing the birds then one of them landed on my shoulder and picked at my shirt.
"You aren't scared of me?" I don't know why I asked, I know it wouldn't talk back.. nobody talks to me, I'm ignored by everyone except Marcus. The bird kept picking at my shirt. I raise my hand and another small bird landed on my wrist. The birds aren't scared of me.. Why? Do they know what I am? Is it a good thing they aren't scared of me? They both suddenly fly away, I hear something behind me move around. I turn around and nothing was there.
Am I imagining things? I sit on the same rock as before and think some more. I feel disconnected from everyone because of my differences. Carmen, I can't relate to her.. every time I try to talk to her she gets angry or defensive and Marcus treats me like an experiment. Luis is the only person that treats me like I'm alive..
"Boys I need to talk to you.. It's important." Luis said as we walked in the door. We walked to the kitchen where he was leaned against the counter with his arms crossed. "You passed your final exams today?"
"Yes'sir."
"I've wanted to tell you about the trials the entire time, I'm.. sorry." His eyes were half open and his voice was quieter then normal.
"It's okay.. It's against the rules. Now what? What do we do?" Marcus asked, he seemed confident for once.. why isn't he scared?
"Here.." Luis handed me an old notebook. "This.. belonged to your mother, Marcus." I handed it to Marcus. His eyes went wide as he gazed over it and opened it to the first few pages. "Its a journal she took while we were on our trial.."
"You went on your trial together?" I asked.
"Yes.. and it's also how she met, your father Marcus.. and how she.. lost him." His voice cracked as he talked and he put a hand over his mouth.
"Lost..?" He asked, his attention going back to Luis.
"He.. didn't make it. I couldn't tell you the truth before, it was against the rules.."
"How'd it happen?" Marcus asked as he started to browse the pages looking them over.
"He stayed behind so we could get away... your Mother was still pregnant with you and couldn't run fast. I promised him I'd take care of her, and you.. both of you."
"Thank you." I said, he placed a hand on my shoulder and pat me. "It means a lot that you include me."
"You're apart of this family Abel, It doesn't matter how you got here." He said with a smile, and then continued with the story.
I start heading back to camp as I realize what I've been feeling like this since we left.. I'm lonely. No one takes anything I say seriously.. I walk back to Carmen and Marcus to find everything already down and ready to go.
"You couldn't wait for me?" I asked.
"I don't know why we'd have to? We're in a hurry Abel!" Carmen said, shrugged her shoulders then she picked up the Tent that was balled up and threw it to the ground.
"Then why'd we rest here for three days?" I asked.
"We needed to practice our skills more.. it's going to get harder.." Marcus piped up.
"Yeah, too bad Abel doesn't care about stuff like that.. all he needs is water.." She narrowed her eyes at me and bobbed her head to the left when she said it.
"I wasn't.." I tried to say.
"Look.. let's just go... we need to hurry.. I want us to get ahead of Javier group.." She said while putting her pack on.
"They should only be a day or two ahead of us. Having five members to our three would slow them down.. and Diego isn't athletic.. Based on what I've learned about Humans physiology I'd say our chances of catching up to them are 45%." I said, Carmen rolled her eyes and then stared at me.
"Good.. let's get going, Everythings ready!" I don't know how much longer I can keep my feelings bottled up. I just want a friend.. I want someone to help me feel.. alive.