by E S Richards
The man and his wife regarded Zahyra’s introduction for a moment, looking at each other and exchanging hushed whispers.
“Why have you chosen our settlement?” The man asked opening his arms to gesture around him, once again drawing Zahyra’s attention to the pincers he had instead of hands. She was reminded of a crab, a water-dwelling animal she had read about in a book when she was younger. It puzzled her how such a deformity had appeared on the man. “Are any of you warped like many of our members?”
Zahyra swallowed. They had prepared for this question and she just had to carry out the lie with conviction.
“No,” she replied, “we are not warped. However my younger brother is a Zero and therefore we feel this settlement would be the safest area to raise him in. We’re hard workers, and we’ll contribute as best we can to your lifestyle here. We’ll follow your rules and offer up our weapons to help you protect this place.”
Zahyra half smiled as she spoke her last sentence. They had hidden most of their weapons in a nearby area, knowing it was unwise to enter the camp fully armed. She and Cain now only carried a rifle each and one spare box of ammunition, making it seem like they had scavenged the weapons from somewhere else on their journey. She squeezed Asher’s hand as she saw the older couple looking at him. Telling them he was a Zero was a big risk, but Cain had been right in saying they needed a reason for choosing the warped settlement rather than any other one. As Asher was the only one branded as a Zero, it naturally fell to him to take on the responsibility.
“And what about you two?” The woman spoke for the first time and again Zahyra had to control a gasp as a long, lizard-like tongue flicked out of her mouth as she spoke. It snapped in the air at the end of each word, making her sentence take longer to speak than it should. Her voice also sounded stifled in some way, like her mouth was full of food and she was struggling to get the words out.
Zahyra raised her eyebrows at the question before realising she was asking about Cain and her own generation numbers. Swallowing again she began to roll up her sleeve.
“I’m a Gen 1 – I can see a wider array of colours than other mutants. Cain is branded as a Gen 4,” Zahyra paused; this was the part of their story that she liked the least. They’d had to come up with a powerful mutation that could warrant being branded a Gen 4, but wasn’t threatening in any way, or could be proved. “He has visions of the future.”
Zahyra could see the disapproving looks on the couples’ faces when she revealed Cain’s generation ranking. The man said something to his wife who turned and walked back into the settlement, not looking back or saying a word to the three of them. There was a long pause before the man spoke again.
“We are not in the business of turning others away here.” He spoke slowly and clearly, knowing full well a small crowd had gathered behind him to hear what the verdict would be. “However, you must understand that we have to be cautious with more developed mutants. We have a couple that reside within our walls, but they did not gain their places frivolously. We are going to hold a council meeting, so that each of you may say your piece and our community can decide as a whole whether to welcome you or not. If you please, hand over your weapons and follow me.”
On his instruction a slightly younger man limped forward, dragging behind him his left leg. Zahyra could tell she was going to struggle to get used to seeing deformed mutants in this settlement, already having to remind herself not to stare.
The man with a limp – due to what could only be described as a clubfoot – held out his arms for the guns Zahyra and Cain carried when he reached them. Zahyra felt nervous disarming herself but knew Cain carried a knife in his boot if they needed it, and they could both hold their own in hand-to-hand combat.
After their weapons had been confiscated the man with the clubfoot inclined his head and moved away from the crowd, leaving Zahyra, Cain and Asher to walk up to the older man.
“My name is Vincent,” he said simply, “this way.”
As he spun on his heel the crowd of gatherers naturally parted, leaving a small path for the four of them to move down. Zahyra purposely kept her eyes on the ground in front of her as she walked, untrusting of herself to not gape at the many deformities that surrounded them.
She knew if the three of them were to be accepted then they needed to look at members of the warped settlement like they weren’t deformed at all. Just like how she wished people would look at her even after they found out she was a Zero.
***
“We have called this council meeting,” Vincent’s voice boomed out around the meeting room. They were stood in an old building, one that Zahyra figured must still be around from The Before Time. There were a few rows of seats behind where the three of them stood, and several more behind a long desk in front of them.
Seated behind the desk were five council members. Vincent and his wife, a woman whose facial features were all squished together in a small circle around her nose, and two more men. Neither of them looked immediately deformed, so Zahyra wondered whether they were regular mutants or if their deformities were simply hidden.
“In order to address whether these three travellers can be admitted into our settlement.” Vincent continued, making eye contact in turn with Zahyra, Cain and Asher. “The young boy is a Zero and the girl a Gen 1, neither of which we have ever encountered problems with before. This meeting is ultimately to discuss whether we can admit Cain, a Gen 4 who tells us his mutation is to be able to see into the future. Cain,” Vincent paused for a moment, “could you tell us a little more about your mutation please?”
Zahyra turned her head slightly to look at Cain. He was standing upright, his persona emitting confidence but not cockiness. She admired him for holding himself together so strongly when he was about to tell an outright lie.
“Of course, Vincent. My mutation is what you would call a passive one. Unlike many Gen 4’s, I do not display an aggressive mutation. I started having visions of the future when I was a young boy, but as you can imagine I didn’t understand them much at that time.
“At my Turning Age Ceremony, my parents were surprised by my result and it wasn’t until a few years later that we figured out what I could really do. Sadly I have little control over my visions, and cannot predict when they will come or what I will see. I am quite often gifted with seeing two possibilities however, and I have come to realise that my actions often affect which outcome turns out to be true.
“I must add though, that I do not really regard myself as a Gen 4 mutant.” Zahyra smiled at that statement, knowing it was the first bit of truth Cain had said so far.
“While other Gen 4’s are prone to violence, I prefer to live a life of peace. I was quite happy living in solitude as well, other mutants often disapproving of me for my mutation being so passive, so unlike what a Gen 4 should be. It was only when I met Zahyra that I realised a life of solitude was not meant for me.
“With her I have seen so much more of the world and I am so grateful to her for that. I have come to care for her, and her brother Asher, very deeply and it is because of them that I employ you to let us seek refuge in this settlement. We will not cause any trouble and only wish to find a home where the three of us can be happy.”
Zahyra’s mouth dropped open at Cain’s words. She didn’t realise how much she had affected his outlook on the world and her cheeks turned a faint shade of pink as she heard the true affection in his voice when he spoke about her.
“Thank you,” Vincent said once it was clear Cain had finished speaking. “I’m going to turn this decision primarily over to Cyrus,” one of the other men on the council inclined his head slightly. “You might be surprised to learn that Cyrus is not only one of our longest serving council members, but he is also a Gen 4 like you are. What are your views on the matter, Cyrus?”
Zahyra was shocked as she focused in on the man Vincent had referred to. It was now clear why she could not figure out what his deformity was, as he didn’t have one. Instead she wondered
what his mutation was, and how he had managed to become a leader of this group despite his branding.
“How often do your visions come?” Cyrus asked bluntly.
“Unfortunately I have little control over them,” Cain replied. “Like I said, they come and go when they please. If I had to put some explanation on them I would say they come at times when important decisions have to be made, but sadly even then sometimes they arrive too late for me to be fully aware of the choices.”
Zahyra was impressed by Cain’s continuous lie, undoubting very much that if she were in his position she would have faltered by now. Cain seemed to be perfectly confident in everything he said and never broke eye contact with Cyrus whilst he was answering the question.
“Very well,” Cyrus paused for a moment. “So ultimately, you want to be allowed into our settlement for the safety and protection of your two companions. Would you be happy for them to be allowed sanctuary and yourself turned away?”
“I would.”
Zahyra couldn’t help but gasp out loud at Cain’s statement, spinning around to look at him and begging him internally to say something more.
“My number one priority is to make sure they are safe. However,” Zahyra breathed a sigh of relief at Cain’s words, “I must tell you how much it would devastate me if I had to be separated from them. Zahyra in particular has changed my life, made me a better person. I would not have the confidence to stand here and speak to you without her by my side. If you honestly feel like I would be a danger to the settlement and only they can stay here I would accept your judgement. But you would be taking from me the only good thing I have in my life.”
Zahyra’s heart was somersaulting inside her chest. Her cheeks turned pink once again at Cain’s words, overwhelmed by his public display of affection towards her. Please, she begged the council in her mind; please let the three of us stay here together.
As her eyes rose from the ground she saw Cyrus watching her intently, his mouth curling up into a faint smile. She breathed in deeply and returned his eye contact, trying to force desperation into her gaze.
“You may all take a seat,” Vincent spoke up once more. “Give us a moment to discuss what we have heard here today.”
Zahyra stumbled backwards and sat down on the bench behind her. Cain moved over and sat next to her, softly taking her hand in his own. Asher sat on the other side of him. He had said nothing since they arrived at the settlement, his Zero status already widely accepted within the group. He was still worried though. Worried that Cain wouldn’t be allowed to stay and then where the three of them would travel to next. He knew that although Cain would encourage them to stay behind Zahyra would never even consider it. Especially not after what happened at the safe haven. They were a group of three now, wherever they ended up.
A few minutes later Vincent cleared his throat, letting the three of them know the council had come to a decision. They rose from their seats, Cain still not letting go of Zahyra’s hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze as they stood and waited for the verdict.
“Your honestly has impressed us today,” Vincent began, causing Zahyra to smile at how dishonest they had truly been. “But you should also know this decision was not an easy one. Our council was split in its vote and therefore it has fallen to me to make the decision.”
Zahyra held her breath, anxious about what the pincer-handed man would decide.
“Due to my deformity, you can imagine I have been through my fair share of hardships,” Vincent continued. “Everyone in this settlement has seen difficult times but it is because of the community we have here that everyone has been able to get through them. I firmly believe in second chances and the trust that holds our settlement together. Because of this, I have decided you may stay.”
Zahyra let out the breath she didn’t realise she had been holding and felt a huge weight lift from her shoulders.
“We will provide you with a space towards the back of the settlement, keeping you slightly further from the main hub at first. You understand that you will be housed here on a trial basis to begin with and should any of us or any other members of the settlement feel threatened by you, we will have to ask you to leave. That being said, I welcome you to our home and I sincerely hope it will become a place that the three of you can eventually call home too.”
Chapter 4 – Cain
Cain couldn’t help but feel nervous as the three of them were escorted out of the meeting room. Things appeared to have gone perfectly. They were being allowed to stay in the warped settlement and no one suspected him of lying about his mutation. But that didn’t stop him from feeling nervous. He knew that all eyes would be on him over the next few days and that added pressure made him have to work even harder at keeping his real mutation at bay.
He also worried about how things could change for Zahyra and Asher if he slipped up. Although they were both eligible residents for the warped settlement, he knew if it was discovered they knew about his real mutation they would be punished for it too.
A small part of him still thought it would’ve been best if Zahyra and Asher had joined the settlement without him, but a larger part of him wouldn’t let that happen. He had meant every word he’d said about Zahyra during the council meeting. Living a life without her now just wasn’t an option for him – the girl had firmly rooted herself in his heart.
If he was being completely honest with himself, he hoped the deformed mutants within the settlement would give them some time to themselves before they had to start contributing to the workload. He knew that wouldn’t happen, the need for him in particular to show his worth stronger than ever. But everything that had happened over the last forty-eight hours still hadn’t been processed properly.
Reuniting with Zahyra, Asher killing his father, losing control of himself to get them out of the safe haven and then what they had witnessed in the city: the strange new device the safe haven now had. As much as he wished they could all put that place behind them Cain suspected it wasn’t the last time they would hear about the safe haven. There had to be a bigger reason for them developing that weapon. From what Zahyra had told him about her T128 trial, and the little he’d learned about the safe haven in his short time there he knew they had to be planning something, but what that was still remained a mystery to Cain.
The area the three of them were escorted to by Vincent was much nicer than what Cain had expected. For starters there was already a shelter built: a two room wooden hut with basic furniture and an actual bed inside. Cain wondered how long the warped settlement had been there, the only camp rivalling it’s developments being the advanced mutant base in the forest he’d joined for a few days.
As Vincent left the three of them he gave them a little more information about the settlement. Each member would be assigned to a workforce, unless they were under twelve as Asher was, in which case they would attend the school within the settlement.
Meals were all taken together in the same building where they had just had the council meeting – Vincent referred to it as the all purpose building, the only place in the settlement large enough for everyone to gather at once.
The roles within the workforce sounded fairly straightforward as well. There was farming duty, where most of the settlement’s food came from, although a hunting party did go out twice a week. Basic maintenance roles were plentiful, ensuring the fence around the settlement was kept in good state and the roads and pathways remained clear. Security was also an option but only for those who had lived within the settlement for longer periods of time and then finally there were several trade stations, where mutants swapped goods they had scavenged or lost interest in.
According to Vincent it was most likely that Cain and Zahyra would be a part of the farming or maintenance teams – neither of which were jobs that excited Cain, but if that was what was required for them to live a normal life in the warped settlement he would agree to anything wholeheartedly.
“This isn’t bad you know,” Zahyra commented onc
e Vincent was out of earshot. “I didn’t really expect we’d get our own place, how many of these huts do you reckon are empty?”
“Couldn’t say,” Cain replied slightly uninterestedly. “There seem to be quite a lot of mutants here though, so I wouldn’t guess at many.”
“What’s wrong?”
Zahyra immediately picked up on his tone and moved over to stand beside him, reaching out to take one of his hands. Cain smiled at the motion and looked deep into her eyes.
“I just feel a little uneasy,” he spoke quietly. “I didn’t like lying to them.”
“I know, but you did it excellently. I don’t think they suspect anything.”
“Can you see the future Cain?”
Asher’s question surprised him. The boy had hardly said two words since they arrived in the settlement, his Zero status being accepted immediately. Cain worried about what was going on in the boy’s head, not only with him thinking about how his Gen 6 mutation would change him but also knowing how he must be feeling after killing his father.
Even though Emerson was never really a father figure to Asher, Cain still remembered the first person he had killed clearly, and the memory often haunted him. Although he had killed many times since then, everyone always says there’s something about the first time.
“Well, let me think,” Cain said in a more cheerful tone, letting go of Zahyra’s hand and turning to look at Asher. “I see you wanting to claim that comfy bed over there for yourself in the future, what do you reckon to that?”
Asher cracked a half smile but didn’t laugh like Cain had expected, only making him worry more about how he was feeling.
“Truthfully no I can’t, Asher. But you understand that we had to say that to them don’t you? And why what my mutation really is has to be kept a secret? I don’t think they’d be as understanding if they knew the violent record my mutation carries with it.”