... "What is free will, and what is purpose? Are we all doomed to live according to the script written by Theós, or do some of us truly have the power to shape our own destiny?" an ancient evil asked his helper.
"I do not know the answers to your questions, master. But what I do know is this—if it is not within Theós' plan, then it cannot be done," the helper replied.
"I feel that I am nearing the end of my script. Theós is done with me... another shall take my place," the ancient evil said, his voice filled with longing.
...
"Grayson, I've already told you—stop playing with that dog! Get over here and help me unload these groceries from the car!" shouted a tall brown woman, struggling to balance four bags between her hands.
This currently irritated woman was none other than my mother. The Saturday evening sun complemented her perfectly smooth, brown skin as she blew the strands of her dark, woven hair away from her face.
You could tell from her tone just how frustrated she was, but her gentle, light brown eyes always gave her away. They radiated warmth, even in moments like this.
'The same eyes that will bear witness to the enlightenment,' I thought.
"Coming, Mom!" I shouted, trying to wrestle free from Nala's overly affectionate licking. With how fluttery she was, you'd never guess the stupid mutt was pregnant.
Nala is a 68 cm-tall greyhound with clear white fur, except for one grey patch circling her left eye. Her eyes, a pure, light shade of amber, radiated joy and excitement every time they landed on you.
'If you weren't pregnant, I would've killed you already,' I thought.
She went missing for just one day and came back knocked up. Must've been desperate, I guess. She's getting older—and it's not like she's going to get any from us.
"Hurry up, please. I need to finish making dinner before your father gets back... I've got these four bags. You get the rest from the car and bring them to the kitchen," my mom said, rushing toward the front door.
"Here are the last ones," I said, placing two bags on the kitchen counter.
Our family has moved around a lot. Normally, we wouldn't stay in one place for too long. We weren't rich, per se, but we're definitely better off than the average middle-class household.
Recently, we moved into a two-story house that was way too big for just the three of us. It wasn't necessary, but I liked the space.
"Mom, why do we even buy groceries when we have fields full of them?" I asked, irritated by this weekly routine.
"Well, your father said we can't eat our own supply. Sometimes I think he just says that to sound like some kind of drug lord," she replied with a smile. "I don't really mind, though. It gives me a reason to go out. Don't worry—we can afford it."
'Foolish man... He keeps giving me more reasons to kill him,' I thought.
My father was a tall, white man with a perfectly toned build for his age. Whenever he's out in the fields, he ties his semi-long, dirty blond hair into a ponytail.
His face looked like it was carefully sculpted, having sharp edges and deep blue eyes that seemed to see through everything. He had always been wary around me, having his guard up like he was expecting me to try something sinister. He never failed to remind me that there was something wrong with me.
'Can't really blame him, though—not with all the surrounding animals that have met a most unfortunate end,' I thought with a chuckle.
He's been especially cautious since we moved all the way out here this summer—deep in the middle of nowhere, where no one could ever hear them scream.
'I just see no reason for him to be so paranoid,' I thought, fully aware he had every reason to be.
The closest town, Sherwood, was two miles out—a ghost town, really. The isolation gave my mother the time and space she needed to think and get creative with her writing.
She's quite the accomplished author. Every one of her books has sold out, ranging from historical novels to deeply philosophical works.
Her most famous piece, Purpose, shattered so many records that even I had to give it a read. I may despise her, but one thing remains undeniably true: the woman was brilliant. She viewed life in such a quirky, expansive way—it's hard not to admire that brain of hers.
'Really makes me want to crack open her skull and see it for myself,' I thought gleefully.
When my father suggested moving out here, she was all for it. It was the perfect environment for her to be alone with her thoughts, away from the city's chaos.
On the bright side, it's also the perfect place for them to die. But my father's constant vigilance—and his ridiculous physical strength—has proven... inconvenient.
His childhood working the fields, combined with his military service, gave him a body like iron (not literal). I know I can't overpower him, so I'll have to take a different approach. Something indirect. Or maybe a surprise attack—perhaps while he's sleeping.
The only shame is that his end will have to be swift. I would love to at least impart a few words of wisdom to him before he goes. I want to see the look on his face as I tell him exactly what he did to me, just before he takes his last breath.
.I've been waiting for months for everything to fall into place and take them all out in one fell swoop. My parents and the dog included. Because let's be real, it's the suspense one gets throughout the hunt that really makes the kill worthwhile.
Circumstances like these cannot be rushed, it wouldn't be wise. If all there was to lose was time, for the sake of validating every single detail of the situation, I can afford to lose it. Everything has to fall into place, or else, this won't be worth it. Knowing this, it doesn't feel all that bad to wait.
'Just like my good old hunting days...' I thought as I began to reminisce about my enlightenment.
'They have to pay!' I continued to think.
If everything goes well, tonight should be the perfect opportunity to take my first human life. I've been starving Nala these past two days, and she seems to be showing signs of giving birth. With all the moaning she's been making the past hour, she should be due later tonight.
She must be feeling hungry and weak, even now. She will either die from giving birth or end up eating one of her young. Whoever is left breathing will have their head severed by the end of the night.
"...Grayson...! Grayson...! Get out of your head and go check on Nala! Make sure to go with some food for her. She seems to be getting a little thinner lately....
You as well, actually. I can practically see your bones. As soon as you've fed Nala, I want you to come right back and eat. Dinner is almost ready. I don't want my handsome young man to grow up all bones and no meat.
I might end up missing out on having grandchildren if all the ladies run away from you, hahaha..." She said, laughing, clearly proud of her little mom joke.
"Alright mom," I responded, ignoring her joke.
'She's so cheerful. What gives her the right? This oblivious charade from both of them is what has been refueling my anger all these years!' I thought to myself.
"Can't argue with her though, I am quite handsome," I said, looking at the living room mirror.
Mother always says I have the most beautiful turquoise eyes she has ever seen. I got my dark hair from her except for the few blonde strands here and there. That I most definitely inherited from my father. I'm only 17, but I must say I'm quite the looker.
"Grayson, I understand why you would want to admire yourself, but please go check on Nala. If she gets any louder, my eardrums might burst!" Mom said to me, her worry only increased.
As I walked towards the barn, with food in my hands, Nala's annoying moans kept getting louder and louder. I found the barn door open and looked through it with disgust.
Beyond the door were three puppies on the floor with some disgusting liquid and a bit of blood all around them. One of them seemed to be completely silent and wasn't moving.
"Ha-ha, the bastard actually went on and died before I could get to him," I said out loud.
'It seems there are still more of them coming. This might take a while,' I thought to myself.
I closed the barn door, then immediately threw away the food to the side.
'You won't ever need to eat after tonight,' I thought.
As I walked back to the house, I ran into my father, who had just come back from working in the field.
He walked towards me, as he used the shirt he was supposed to be wearing, to wipe off the sweat on his face.
"Grayson, what are you doing out here?" he asked, a little more than curious.
"I was just checking on Nala, she should be giving birth soon," I replied without hesitation.
"Have you been feeding her? I've noticed that she's been losing weight...I don't want her to end up like the others. Unlike you, she is actually capable of showing empathy," he said to me sternly.
"Of course I have. I actually just came from giving her food right now," I replied, ignoring his last comment.
"Didn't you say you only went to check on her?" he asked as his deep blue eyes stared at me intensely. It's like he could see right through me.
"I, I just forgot to mention that before," I replied hesitantly.
"Is that so...? Anyway, I can smell something good being prepared in the house. Let's go and eat," he said, dropping the topic, but not without taking a few curious glances at the barn.