The Black Farm

by Elias Witherow

  The sheer disgust of what I was seeing paralyzed me and it took me a second to realize that the skin tubes disappeared out of the walls and grew past my line of sight. As I stared, I felt pieces starting to come together in my mind.

  Jesus Christ, those two snake-like creatures wrapped around the smokestacks outside are part of The Pig!

  As the fog of fear continued to clog my mind, I suddenly noticed something moving on either side of The Pig’s colossal head. I choked back a scream as I realized there were two massive Pig Born standing next to the Pig. They were a dozen feet tall, their charred flesh covered in scabs and infected scars. Their heads were covered by sacks of bloody skin, a draping veil hiding their features from view. Twisted, knotted muscle lined their deformed shoulders and I saw that each of them held a crude strip of iron as tall as they were, sharpened to a deadly point at the tip.

  Suddenly, Danny was stepping forward, his head bowed in reverence, his voice booming but respectful. “I have brought another eager group who wishes to join your herd. Will you allow them to swear their lives to you? Will you grant them the honor of shaping their existence to parallel your perfect vision?”

  The Pig stared at us for a long moment, its eyes boring into each and every one of us. As it appraised me, I felt a knot form in my stomach and a fear took hold of me so great that it took everything in my power to remain standing. Under its gaze, I suddenly was acutely aware of every imperfection in myself, a razor sharp point that pierced every flaw: the taste of stale sweat lining my tongue, the coat of dirt that plastered my skin, the grease tangling my hair, the grime beneath my fingernails, everything that made me disgusting in that moment.

  Slowly, the Pig lowered its head.

  Face grim, Danny bowed once again and motioned for Peter and the rest of us to come stand with him before The Pig. Knees knocking together, I approached, feeling my companions at my sides. Judging from the smell, it appeared as if one of them had pissed himself.

  Danny walked behind us and gently placed a hand on our shoulders, instructing us to kneel. As his hand brushed the nape of my neck, I got down and joined the others. Sweat dripped from the mess of hair hanging over my eyes, the heat in the chamber threatening to suffocate me. The Pig’s snout was only a couple feet in front of us and I forced my gag reflex under control as it blasted us with blinding heat, its breath rolling over our skin like hot garbage.

  “Are you three ready to pledge your existence to the will of The Pig?” Danny asked quietly from behind my shoulder. The two old men were sniveling in fear and Peter hushed them urgently into silence. I focused on breathing through my nose, The Pig’s dripping snout swaying before us.

  “I am,” I said as loudly as I could, keeping my eyes trained on the filthy floor.

  “I am,” the other two said in unison, their voices cracking.

  “Then repeat after me,” Danny recited. “I have come from nothing, and I seek reformation.”

  “I have come from nothing, and seek reformation,” We echoed. My heart was throwing itself against my chest, sweat streaking down my dirty face. Here we go.

  “My body and mind are broken and shapeless, and I beg on bended knee to be molded into the form best suited to serve,” Danny continued. We repeated his words, The Pig watching us silently.

  “I wish to become a pillar on which to carry the world. Brand and bathe me in the desires of my God, and accept my fragile state so that I may become a Hoof of the Pig.”

  As we repeated the words, one of the Pig Born giants moved in front of us, its flesh sack swaying over its face.

  I heard Danny take a step back. “Accept the will of The Pig, and let its eternal power wash away any doubt or fear you hold.”

  “We accept,” the three of us said weakly.

  The Pig Born raised its iron weapon as The Pig slowly opened its mouth. Unable to stop myself, I looked up, fear a heavy drum in my chest. The Pig Born inserted the makeshift spear into The Pig’s mouth and pushed it down its throat.

  The Pig stomped its hooves and cannon fire rocked my ears as its dark eyes bulged. Suddenly, with a horrific squeal, The Pig lurched, its body jerking as a spasm rocketed through it. I had only a moment to slam my mouth shut as a wave of hot vomit exploded from the open maw of The Pig and splashed over the four of us.

  Immediately, my gag reflex went into overdrive as the warm bile gushed over my face and ran across my chest. The smell was beyond anything I had ever suffered, an acidic rot that dripped of death and decay. I opened my eyes and stared down at myself, the brown sludge swirling with bits of gore from its previous meal. A severed finger slid down my shoulder and plopped onto the floor with a sickening splat.

  My stomach rolled and I bit my tongue to keep it in check. Waves of heat emanated from the discharge, warming my skin like a gore-soaked rain. At my side, one of the old men cried out, falling forward on his hands.

  He gagged once, twice, then heaved his guts up onto the floor, body going into repulsed spasms.

  Without explanation or warning, the tall Pig Born stepped forward and slammed his spear down into the back of his head, killing him instantly.

  I felt a bolt of shocked horror rip through me as blood gushed from his head, the spear pulled away with a sickening jerk. The back of his skull was obliterated and I watched as his brains oozed out onto the floor in a wave of sticky gore and bone.

  “He was not able to accept the gift,” Danny said quietly behind us. “And so he has been cast out, back into the herd.”

  The Pig had shut its mouth and stood to watch the rest of us, exhaling loudly through its nostrils. Between the stink of its breath and the vomit soaking my body, it took every ounce of willpower to keep gallons of bile out of my mouth. I squeezed my eyes shut, body shivering despite the heat, and focused on settling my revolting stomach.

  The old man next to me was crying, but he managed to get himself under control after a few seconds, his murdered comrade motionless before us. I shot a sidelong glance at Peter and saw his face pale, his mouth a grim line. He had been through this before. He knew what would happen. Why hadn’t he warned us?

  You’re being tested.

  I turned away as the second massive Pig Born stepped forward and stabbed the corpse with its spear. Effortlessly, it lifted his corpse up and walked it to one of the blazing furnaces where it flicked the flesh inside. The flames roared and accepted the fuel gratefully.

  I looked up, waiting to see what would happen next and found myself staring directly into The Pig’s eyes.

  The blood drained from my face and I felt as if something sharp was boring into my eyes, but I couldn’t turn away. The Pig held my gaze, its inky eyes two wells of eternal darkness.

  And I saw a malicious intelligence in them.

  It was in that moment that I realized something.

  This was not a mere animal, despite its appearance.

  “Stand,” Danny instructed and I felt a hand under my arm pulling me up. My legs almost gave out as I stretched them, the muscles turning to liquid. I placed my hands on my thighs, rubbing life back into them.

  “You have accepted the offering, you have been washed in the desires of your god. Let us go forth and conform our lives to its will,” Danny said. “Do you so accept?”

  “I do,” we mumbled, strands of blood and vomit trailing down our bodies.

  “Then it is finished,” Danny said, “let us depart.”

  Without thinking, I lowered my head and bowed to The Pig. It snorted loudly and then we were leaving, a stunned silence clinging to our minds.

  As we wordlessly exited the chamber and pushed through the doors back outside into the rain, a single thought wormed its way forward.

  You’re never getting out of here.

  10

  None of us spoke much on the way back to the Temple. What we had just witnessed was still ringing in our ears and rattling around our disturbed minds. Even Peter was quiet. The rain washed the vomit and blood from my face as we trudged toward the forest
. The Black Farm was eerily silent. I adjusted the ax on my shoulder, grateful to have it back in my hands. Behind us, The Barn shrank, the two coiled monstrosities on the smokestacks watching us with still eyes.

  The trees and heavy canopy of green grew before us and we crunched through the underbrush, wading into the belly of the woods. My robe stank, but I was grateful that most of the gore had been erased. I lowered my hood.

  “How are you doing, William?” I asked the old man beside me.

  He looked at me with bloodshot eyes, “Anthony. I’m Anthony.”

  I shut my mouth and decided to return to the miserable silence. My iron will and determination had been shaken, a brutal reminder of the hell I was in. How could I possibly hope to overcome such awful odds? I realized that eliminating a couple Pig Born and Suicidals didn’t make me invincible, despite how I had felt. I was just one man against an entire world of snarling violence, just waiting for an opportunity to hurt me.

  I moved past Anthony and walked to Peter’s side.

  “Can I talk to you?” I asked quietly, stepping across a snaggle of thorns.

  “Sure,” he responded, his voice empty of emotion.

  “Why did you do that with us?”

  “What do you mean?” he asked turning.

  “You’ve already been through that; you’ve already passed your test. You didn’t have to partake, you could have simply watched from the side. So why go through that again? This was our initiation, not yours.”

  Peter let out a long breath, “I’ve been doing this for a long time now. I’ve seen many new recruits go through that. And each time I get down with them, bend my knee right alongside them. I hope that one day, Danny or The Pig will take notice of my constant servitude and dedication. I want to join them at The Barn, permanently.”

  “Why?”

  “I want to rise. I want to help Danny usher in the new Suicidals like my brothers before me have. To be able to witness the birth into this world…in my eyes, there is no greater thing.”

  I stepped around a tree and turned back to Peter. “What about what you do at the Temple? Breeding Pig Born and humans? Isn’t that what you’re all about? Isn’t that the point of our servitude? To be able to witness the fusion of human and pig?”

  Peter sighed, “Yes, of course, and that’s a wonderful thing. It is a great honor to be able to be a part of that. The ones that live and grow are a wonderful, beautiful tribute to The Pig. But my heart lies elsewhere. I’ve been at the Temple long enough that I seek out new ways to contribute to the Black Farm.”

  I didn’t say anything for a little bit, letting the drizzle of rain fill the void. After a moment, I decided to press my luck.

  “Do you think I can see it?” I asked.

  Peter looked at me, confused, “See what?”

  I lowered my voice so that Anthony wouldn’t hear. “I want to see the consummation.”

  I could see Peter turning the idea over in his mind before he answered cautiously, “I don’t know, Nick. That’s reserved for members only. Just because you passed this trial doesn’t mean you’re fully one of us yet. I told Ryder I’d inform him when you’re ready. This is just too soon.”

  I could feel impatience bubbling in my stomach and I forced it down, trying to placate Peter instead. “Yeah, I understand that; I do. But, I just want to watch. I know I still have a long way to go before I’m a true Hoof of the Pig. I think I’ve earned that, no? Without me, we’d all be dead. Those Suicidals that attacked us, I helped you kill them. Anthony and William were useless. If I hadn’t stepped up, our corpses would be rotting in these woods.”

  Peter sniffed, “You got a point there.”

  “Please,” I begged, “I’m not asking for much. Just let me watch the next time they breed.”

  Peter exhaled heavily and pushed a low hanging branch out of our way, “All right. But don’t go telling anyone about this. The other recruits would not be happy.”

  I tried to suppress the elation I felt. “Thank you.”

  Peter’s voice turned hard, “I’m warning you though, Nick. Just sit in the back and watch. Don’t talk, don’t even breathe. Once the ritual is complete, you go back to your chambers and tell no one. I’ll let the other members know you’ve earned a viewing.”

  I drew my fingers over my chest. “Cross my heart.”

  Peter looked back at Anthony. “Actually, there’s going to be a breeding soon. When we get back, change out of your robes and meet me by the basement stairs.”

  I nodded. “Ok.”

  We trekked on, falling back into silence. The woods became a continuous, unchanging blur of dripping oak and tangled brush. Anthony remained silent throughout. I almost felt bad for him. The events behind us had clearly shaken him to the core. I felt it, too; the echoes of the actions we had witness vibrated behind my mind’s eye. I kept it there though, refusing to let it cloud or falter my step. I focused on putting one foot in front of the other, my destination before me, my mission unchanged.

  Eventually, we emerged from the forest and crossed over to the other side. The mountain towered in the distance, its eerie splendor only matched by the dead, broken sun hanging in the sky. The grass crunched underfoot as we made our way back towards the temple, a cautious eye cast up at the dripping crimson tears in the clouds. Only once did we spot a handful of Pig Born but they kept their distance, making their way for the Needle Fields.

  Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, we reached the temple. I was almost glad. We walked up the stone steps and under the stone pig head above, the rain water gushing over us as we crossed the threshold.

  Peter pushed the doors open and a thick silence greeted us. I scrubbed moisture from my face as Anthony shuffled past me and quickly retreated to his chambers, his eyes reflecting the ghost of his lost friend.

  I watched him go and then turned to the sanctuary. I paused, unaware that it was mostly full, the pews lined with kneeling Hooves. Their eyes were downcast, their hands clasped in reverence. At the head of the chamber, standing on top of the altar was a creature unlike any I had ever seen.

  It stood about three feet high, its form standing on two human feet. Its eyes shined with intelligence, two black pits sunk deep into a pale skull. Its skin was white, shockingly so. A snout jutted from its face but ended abruptly. I realized that the lower half of the face was pig-like, almost as if it was wearing a mask from the eyes down. A shock of black hair tumbled into its eyes and the creature snorted at me, a blast of mucus misting in the air. It raised its hands towards the ceiling and I saw that its arms ended in hooves.

  Peter closed the doors and then turned, his eyes meeting the creatures. Immediately, he dropped to his knees and pulled me down by his side.

  “Show some respect,” he hissed. “That’s a Son of the Swine.”

  I lowered my head. “What? What is that?”

  “That’s one of the cross breeds that has survived the birthing. It’s one of two that have lived past its first birthday. The Hooves are holding Adoration,” Peter said quietly.

  I chanced a look up and saw the creature frozen in place, arms still stretched toward the ceiling. It was completely naked and its human feet remained planted on the altar, something completely inhuman swinging between its legs. I turned away.

  “This is what we breed here?” I asked quietly.

  Peter gave a curt nod. “This is the next step in evolution. This is how we purify the human failings of our race.”

  I swallowed hard, completely disgusted by the monster before us. The congregation remained rooted in their pews, complete adoration emanating from each one of them.

  These freaks actually looked up to this abomination.

  “It’s beautiful,” I lied.

  Peter murmured his approval and then leaned into my ear. “Go change. Meet me back here in a couple minutes. They’re preparing for another breeding. I’m going to go report our trip to Ryder. By the time you’re back, we’ll all be downstairs.”

  I quick
ly got up and scurried for the hallway, doing my best to remain quiet. I slipped down a corridor and began to navigate back to my room. My ax clinked against the stone floor and I jumped, having completely forgotten I still held it. It was beginning to feel like an extension of my body.

  I finally found my room and pushed inside, stripping the stinking robe off and throwing it into the corner. I looked for another, but the room offered none. I adjusted my shirt to make sure none of the vomit had soaked through, and when I was satisfied, I walked over to the small desk in the corner. Someone had left a bowl of water on it and I gratefully lowered my head and slurped half of it down. Sighing, I then splashed the remainder over my face, ridding my skin of the clinging filth. The water dripped back into the bowl, a filthy concoction that I stared at in disgust.

  I paused suddenly, catching my reflection in the rippling water.

  “You’re not looking too hot, Nick,” I said quietly, gazing into the gaunt face that glared back.

  You’re almost there.

  I laughed. “Almost where?”

  The water stilled and I backed away, retrieving my ax from the bed. It was time. If Jess was here, she’d be in the basement. I didn’t want to think about if she wasn’t.

  Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself.

  “Here we go.”

  I left my room and began making my way back to the sanctuary. I tried my best to suppress the surfacing worries and doubts that were now arriving in mass quantities. I tightened my grip around the ax at my side.

  I was slightly surprised no one had relieved me of it. The Hooves were either immensely stupid or immensely confident. I hoped it was the former. If they wanted to take it from me, they were going to have to ask. Until then, it stayed in my hands at all times.

  The passageways were quiet and I only passed a single person walking the other way, his hood drawn low. He didn’t even look at me as I pressed forward, twisting back the way I had come.