Abductees

by Alan Brickett

  “Grab the woman.”

  The other Inja did, and Latai got manhandled into submission again.

  The first Inja looked at Odon, noting the sweat on his brow and how heavily he was breathing.

  “That’s all you’ve got, isn’t it, boy?” He thought for a moment, and his eyes sparkled with an idea.

  “I like you, boy. You have fire. Why don’t you join us?” He asked the question with absolute sincerity.

  “I’m sure the Asagi will welcome you.”

  Despite the weight of his limbs, Odon’s mind was still clear. There was never any way he was going to lower himself to being like these Inja. The name was not even accurate. They could not be dog warriors since they were less than animals.

  He did not have to say anything. The dog warrior could see his response in his eyes where the hatred shone.

  “Ah, well, that’s too bad, boy, because, you see, we need a life for a life here.” He pointed at the broken bones and meat that had been the other Inja.

  “That man was one of ours. So, either you become one of ours, or we exchange his life with one of yours.” He smiled viciously.

  “And I’m not going to take you, young man. I’m going to give you a choice.”

  Odon started to feel a pit growing in his stomach, a dark feeling sweeping over him. But this time, he didn’t have the strength left to do anything.

  The Inja lifted his head in an upwards gesture to the other, who let go of Latai. She stumbled a bit and would have run forwards if the dog warrior had not lifted a warning hand. He then pushed Ayana ahead of him. Holding onto her shoulder, he kept her from going any further as well.

  It was with a deadly serious look that he gave Odon his choice.

  “One of them must die. From boy to man, you have grown, but not I think, into what a man really is. Men make hard choices. Boys lash out in temper tantrums.”

  “So, choose, boy. Choose who will die.”

  Odon stood trembling, overwhelmed by the impossible situation.

  Ayana looked from him to their mother, scared, crying, barely understanding what was going on but in her innocence believing that he could do something to save them. She had seen him fight back already, and he felt so stupid that he had not been smarter at it.

  He had nothing left to offer.

  Latai called his gaze over with her own eyes.

  Hers were brown pools of love and understanding, filled with pride that made his stomach even heavier. Odon could barely keep from breaking down into tears himself.

  “Are you ready, boy? Here is your time to choose.”

  With that, the two Inja let go of Ayana and Latai, but Latai did not move.

  She just stood there, tall and confident. Odon could not shake the sight of her, so he looked over at his precious sister. As soon as their eyes made contact, she ran over and into his outstretched arms.

  Instinctively, he tried to protect her.

  Even though he knew what had happened, Odon felt deep despair as the Inja said calmly.

  “That is your choice made, then.”

  The last words that Latai spoke to her children were: “I love you.”

  The dog warrior behind her stabbed his stone-tipped spear up into her back.

  It was a vicious but strong thrust that pushed the gray tip, stained with her blood, out of the front of her chest. Redness flooded down her chest, staining the paler skin and the robe that usually covered her modesty. With a twist, he pulled it back out with a sucking sound and another cry of pain from their mother.

  She sank to her knees as Odon watched in horror, keeping Ayana’s face pulled in close to his chest so that she could not see.

  More blood spilled out; down over robe and legs, her arms went weak as the life quickly drained out of her. She slumped down with blank eyes, staring at Odon without the love that had filled them before, and then fell flat to the ground.

  He stared at the fallen corpse that had been his mother only moments ago, tears streaming down his cheeks even as he tried to comfort his sister. He did not notice or care about the Inja, who laughed maliciously and left to join the rest of their group.

  Sacks of valuables and all sorts of precious items looted from the caravan jingled as they departed.

  Eventually, her blood slowed from the larger wound in her back. The ground turned muddy with it, the wild grasses glistened black and small insects struggled to swim in the pool. Odon stared at it until long after it had stopped running.

  Deep down within his absolute core, the very center of his being, Odon started his obsession to keep Ayana safe above all else.

  Table of Contents

  PROLOGUE

  Excerpt from “Comrades” the second book of the Gravitonics Chronicles.

  Excerpt from “Conlin Shaw and Orion’s Arrow”.

  Excerpt from “Convict Fenix”.

  Excerpt from “The Boloi”.