Cain

by E S Richards

  Rushing over to the camp where the fire was now slowly dying out the memories began to flood back to Cain. He had allowed his mutation to take control of him again. Just like it had at the advanced mutant camp the last time he had seen his brothers and just like it had several times during his months alone after that.

  With a heavy heart Cain looked at the five bodies scattered around the camp and swallowed. He didn’t need to look closely to know what he had done. They would all be dead by now.

  Dragging his feet towards the fire Cain sank to the ground beside it, shivering. Why had he agreed to fight Ozzy? He had already known couldn’t control his mutation and he had already known the horrible consequences unleashing it had. As his body shook tears began to fall from his eyes as he tried to deal with what had just happened. He hated himself and what his mutation did to him. He didn’t want to hurt anyone, he never had. Unable to stay in the small camp much longer Cain forced himself to stand once more and move towards the hut where he had spent the night. He needed to get his things and get out of there. He wasn’t safe to be around anyone.

  As he began to cross the camp Cain paused for a moment, thinking he had seen some movement in his peripheral vision. Glancing up in the direction of the movement he waited, but his eyes only saw two still bodies lying in front of him. Shaking his head he looked down to the floor once more, there was no hope for the boys now.

  A whisper of his name on the wind quickly pulled him out of his dismay and his attention back in the same direction. Then he saw it again. Definite movement. One of the boys was still alive. Breaking out into a run Cain sprinted towards the body, dropping down onto both knees when he realised it was Jay. The first mutant to offer him any kindness after months of being on his own. Immediately Cain began to cry again.

  “Jay,” he stuttered. “I’m so sorry.”

  Jay opened his mouth to speak but coughed and spluttered on blood instead. It was clear to Cain he didn’t have very long left.

  “I’m so sorry,” Cain repeated as tears continued to slide down his face. He inched closer and took a hold of the older boy’s hand in his own, looking down on the tragedy he had caused. Jay coughed again and his eyes drooped closed for a second while Cain held his breath, knowing there was nothing he could do.

  “It’s okay,” Jay’s voice came as a faint whisper as his eyes peeled slowly open again, the life quickly fading from them. “I don’t blame you.” His words were punctuated with coughing as Cain gripped the boy’s hand firmly, his tears mixing into a puddle of blood on the ground beneath him.

  “Jay…”

  “Be strong Cain,” Jay continued to speak quickly as he squeezed back on Cain’s hand. “Be safe.”

  Cain held his breath as Jay spoke and watched as the boy gave his final breath, the pressure of his hand growing limp and cold in Cain’s grasp. He gritted his teeth to stop himself from crying, the image of Jay’s body instead remaining clear through his eyes. After a moment he released his hand and leant forward, bringing Jay’s eyes to a close for the final time before stepping away from his body.

  Cain moved on autopilot after that. He walked back to the hut where he had slept and collected his belongings. He knew he would be unlikely to find somewhere similar for a long time but he also knew he couldn’t stay in that camp any more. Not after what he had done. Exiting the hut where he had slept he moved swiftly to one of the others – the one that none of the boys had slept in. Opening the door he found a storage room, filled with boxes of canned food from The Before Time, empty water bottles, blankets and old cooking pans.

  With remorse – but knowing he still had to survive – Cain began filling his bag up with food, water bottles and a couple of blankets. He knew he would not be returning to the small camp so took with him as much as he could carry, for one thing he could not know was when he would find a place of safety again. In fact the only thing he was sure of was that he could not allow himself to get close to other people. He could no longer trust himself, no matter what happened or who he met. As he stepped out of the storage room and cast one final look over the camp and the five bodies that lay around it Cain resigned himself to a life of solitude. Too many lives had been lost on his account and he wasn’t willing to let that pattern continue.

  Chapter 4

  As the weeks turned into months Cain continued to travel. He taught himself how to navigate by the stars and gradually developed an internal map of his surroundings, discovering new places, unique camps and mutant settlements. He never once approached any of them, his vow to no longer cause anyone any harm firmly set in his mind.

  The events of his past still haunted him each night when he slept and his mutation still tormented his waking hours. Every time he lost control of himself he was reminded of the innocent lives he had taken. He saw the faces of Jay, Ozzy and the other boys from their small camp. He saw his brothers and other faces from further back in his past.

  During one week of extreme loneliness, when his food supplies were at their lowest and his fatigue was taking hold of his consciousness he found himself aimlessly wandering back to where his parents lived. He made it all the way there without realising what he was doing and it was only the familiar surroundings that finally snapped him out of his stupor.

  Watching from a distance Cain found himself unable to leave until he caught sight of his mother. He didn’t know what he expected to see, it being common for children of advanced mutants to leave their families early and start their own lives. Therefore seeing his mother out in the field gathering plants and flowers like she had always done confused him slightly. He was happy that she was okay but also slightly sad that he couldn’t be with her. Despite how much of him wanted to go down and say hello he knew he couldn’t allow it to happen. If he was responsible for anything bad that happened to her he knew he could never forgive himself. It was a cruel twist of fate that those he cared most about he would have to keep at a distance from.

  Leaving his parents – although he had been unable to catch a glimpse of his father as well – Cain continued to travel. As the months continued to pass and he grew another year older Cain could confidently say he had walked through most of the surrounding areas, learning about what could be found nearby.

  He discovered larger villages and even some cities, although none of them were bustling with life as they had been in The Before Time. He heard rumours of different sanctuaries and hidden places where certain mutants would group together, although his information was mismatched and only taken from what he heard when hiding from other mutants.

  He still refused to speak to anyone in case he would end up later hurting them; his mutation still taking over him when he least wanted it to. Instead he began to slowly train himself to be able to control his mutation. In the time he spent alone he learned more about himself than anything else around him. He discovered how he could willingly let his mutation break out and worked on channelling this newfound ability. Often he would find a completely secluded area and then let himself lose control, knowing that there was no one he could truly harm.

  Of course, there were times that even with his planning something went wrong. Lone mutants who wandered through the forest while he was out of control lost their lives and Cain mourned each and every one of them the same way at first. Eventually this became easier as well and he no longer beat himself up so much over each lost life, but still the important ones stayed with him. A constant reminder of the mutant he truly was.

  After a little over a year – although Cain struggled to keep track of time – he believed he had developed enough control over his mutation to try and start a better life. Although he still did not trust himself to live around other groups of mutants, his life of wandering aimlessly around each day began to lack a purpose and he accepted he needed something more of a routine.

  With his vast knowledge of the surrounding landscapes Cain set a route for somewhere he hoped would become his home. A couple of months ago he had passed an abandoned hut in the deser
t, but close enough to a small forest that he had hunted in for a few days. Upon passing the hut Cain had kept silent and hidden but listened for voices inside as he always did. Overhearing conversations was his only way of learning what was going on in the world. With a lack of conversation coming from the hut Cain’s interest had peaked and he’d looked inside. The place was completely deserted; just two small rooms each bearing minimal furniture. That was the place Cain now decided to return to; knowing there was also an opportunity for work nearby.

  From the day he made the decision it took him another month to travel back to the hut. His journey was slower than usual as every day he doubted his decision and stopped, wondering whether to continue his path. He also trained his control of his mutation more severely, knowing that if he was going to interact with other mutants again he would have to be completely sure of himself. Even the slightest slip-up could set his progress back by months.

  When the hut finally came into view on the horizon one day Cain stopped and stared at his destination. As a Gen 4 mutant of almost sixteen it would not be unusual for him to live by himself, but after travelling around for so long he suddenly doubted whether he could survive living in one place. With a shake of his head and a few internal words of encouragement to himself Cain knew he had to at least try. One short hour later he was pushing aside the heavy rug that still hung in the doorway and entering the small hut.

  Looking around Cain breathed a sigh of relief when he discovered it was exactly as he had left it a few months ago. It was by no means anything like some of the buildings he had seen in more extravagant camps or settlements during his travels, but it was perfectly adequate for what he wanted.

  For the following week he didn’t leave the hut, setting up the interior two rooms how he wanted and unpacking the collection of belongings he had acquired over the last couple of years. He also made sure the hut didn’t already belong to anyone by staying there for the week. Listening in his sleep for anyone passing by and keeping his eyes trained on the horizon through the days. When Cain finally felt comfortable there he set out once more, knowing the next thing he needed to do was find work and knowing exactly where to go to get it.

  Clearing his throat as he walked Cain coughed several times. He realised how long it had been since he actually spoken out loud to another mutant and his voice was croaky and hoarse as a result. The work he was hoping to get was something of a delivery courier. He wasn’t exactly sure what it would involve but had overheard an old mutant complaining to his wife on his journey to his hut that he needed more workers. It sounded to Cain like good, solitary work that would keep him busy. He knew the routes to pretty much every camp and settlement by now so knew he would have no difficulties with that. His only worry was to do with his mutation but as Cain grew nearer to the old mutants’ camp he reminded himself that he knew how to control it now. He also planned to keep his Gen 4 status hidden if he could. He now almost always wore a jacket hiding his generation ranking, even on the hottest of days.

  Plucking up all his courage Cain moved to the front door which he knew belonged to the mutant he was seeking and balled his hand into a fist. The movement was familiar to him, his knuckles constantly raw and torn from his violent outbreaks, although thankfully he objects of his rage had more often become trees than other mutants. This time however Cain simply lightly rapped his knuckles against the wooden door and took a step backwards, waiting.

  “What?”

  The door was harshly tugged open a few seconds later to reveal the old mutant Cain had been expecting. He knew the man to be ranked as a Gen 3, although was uncertain what his mutation was. Gen 3 mutants appeared to be the most middle ground you could be Cain had discovered. In certain camps they lived and interacted with lower ranked Gen 1 and 2 mutants while in others they fought in violent groups of Gen 4 and 5’s. In the case of the mutant standing in front of him a solitary life had been chosen, something that Cain himself had a great respect for. He coughed as the old mutant repeated his question, preparing himself to speak.

  “Here for work.”

  The words sounded strange coming out of Cain’s mouth and the old mutant raised his eyebrows at the sound. While Cain had once been a very eloquent and talkative child, that was something else that he had completely left in his past.

  “What?” The old mutant repeated the word again. “You want a job?”

  “Yes.” Cain stammered. “Delivery?”

  Cain remained still as the old mutant regarded him. He was now once again strong and built out with muscle, his hunting abilities keeping him fed well on every day of his journey. However while he knew his physique could probably be intimidating, he hoped his demeanour appeared honest and true.

  “Where are you from?” The old mutant questioned as he continued to analyse Cain, forcing him to breathe steadily and ensure he remained calm and in control of himself.

  “East.” Cain spoke directly. “Live nearby now.”

  “Where?”

  Cain pointed off into the distance. “Half day walk.”

  “Hmm,” the old mutant appeared to think for a moment longer. “What’s your name son?”

  “Cain.”

  “Well Cain, you don’t talk much do you?”

  Cain couldn’t tell if the question was intended to be answered so chose to keep his mouth shut. The old mutant laughed.

  “I guess not. You can call me Ace, if you ever find the words. And as for a job? Well you seem trustworthy and I know where you live now. I’ll give you a job but if I find you’ve messed me around they’ll be hell to pay for, you understand?”

  “Yes.” Cain nodded. “Thank you, Ace.”

  “Alright,” Ace smiled. “Come back here in two days and I’ll have some work for you. Be here at sunrise.”

  “Sunrise,” Cain repeated as he returned Ace’s smile. The motion was usual for him but as he turned away from the old mutant he found it stretching out over his face. Although it hadn’t been much he had spoken to another mutant. He had found himself a job and best of all he had kept control of his mutation.

  Two days later when he found himself back at Ace’s home he collected a package and was given instructions on where to take it. Cain didn’t question what he was delivering or who he was delivering it to. The directions Ace gave him were familiar and he completed the journey with ease, making it back to the old mutant in just under a week. A few days later his next delivery took place and pretty soon Cain fell into a familiar pattern.

  As the months passed and Cain grew another year older he continued to work for Ace. He liked the old mutant but still every time he saw him Cain reminded himself not to become too attached. He kept his talking to a minimum and their relationship strictly professional, his vow not to let anyone get close to him still always on his mind. Ace eventually found out about Cain’s mutation but for some reason it didn’t faze him and their working relationship didn’t change. Cain learnt to take himself out into the forest near his hut once a month and allow himself to lose control of his mutation there. The deliveries he continued to make allowed him to practise his control around groups of mutants of all different generation rankings and when a year finally passed where Cain hadn’t hurt anyone as a result of what he was he felt pride.

  Although Cain knew he could never have a completely normal life because of the mutation he carried, he also knew what he had made for himself was just about as good as it could get. In the evening’s when he sat outside his hut and watched the sunset over the desert he believed he was in the right place. He was a lone Gen 4 mutant and although he hadn’t turned out like the rest of them he was happy. His life was simple and that was just the way he wanted it to stay.

  About the Author

  Thanks for reading Cain, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you want to find out more about Cain and what happens in the next years of his life look out for my main trilogy 'The Generation Series' where Cain and another key character, Zahyra will eventually meet.
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br />   I'm currently 22 years old and working my first 9-5 job after leaving university. Writing is really what I want to do though so I hope this short novella has given you an insight into what is yet to come.

  Get In Touch

  Email: ellzrich6@gmail.com

  URL: www.esrichards.com