Chapter 2 The Divine
The Divine
Hayes
Two years later…
“Son, once you walk through those doors and stand in front of those men you are not Hayes Valentine star hockey player. You are Hayes Valentine, initiate to the Divine. You only speak when spoken too, you obey their every order. Otherwise you will find yourself on the other side of the tombs again, paying for your sins. Do you understand me?” My father asks and I nod.
The way this man repeats himself every time we are down here is utterly exhausting.
He wants me to be like my older brother Maddox but that will never be me.
I don’t want this life. Unfortunately, I was born into it and I have no choice but to follow in the footsteps of the ones before me.
Even if I hope to make it into the draft for hockey, I want to go pro but this Divine shit is entirely in my way.
The longer I stand down here, the more my god damn head pounds.
It’s so fucking cold and muggy it sends chills straight to my bones.
Last night I didn’t sleep very much. I was too busy partying with my boys.
I’m pretty sure I am still drunk as fuck as I stand here in my red cloak with a gold belt wrapped around my waist looking like a hobbit.
Who ever decided on what we should wear around the deity was a fucking clown.
I huff as more initiates pile into the holding room, lining up behind one another single file.
The last guy arrives and my father signals another man to open the door for us.
We walk into the ritual room as our chant echoes deeply through the space.
One by one we walk past the rows of pews.
Once we get to the top of the aisle, an elder wields a dagger and slices into our palm, letting our blood drip into a chalice.
Then we stand silently around the deity which holds a woman, thrashing against her bindings completely naked and gagged on the long rectangular stone table.
Another elder whips her with red leather as another leaves small slice marks against her skin.
I wonder how long they’ve been doing this.
My guess is hours because of the amount of blood covering her naked flesh.
The chanting gets louder and I cringe, “My blood is now your blood, Brother mine. You have our back and we have yours.”
I wonder if Parker is here. He’s one of the very select few that I know is an initiate.
This isn’t something we are allowed to discuss freely in front of others and when we are in here, our identity is kept secret until initiation day.
One year until we are sworn in and I hope that I fail at every turn just so they kick me out.
“Initiates please step forward. Pick up the chalice and drink.” His voice echos through the concrete room as the chanting continues,
“My blood is now your blood, Brother mine. You have our back and we have yours.”
“This is her blood–” he points to the naked girl screaming.
“Her virgin blood will flow through your veins and embed into your soul.” He says then chants with the others and I lift my chalice and swallow down the copper crimson.
It’s actually sweeter than I’d like but it’s fresh with a cinnamon aroma to it.
After swallowing every last drop, I’m a sick fuck and lick the rim of the metal cup, then place it down onto the table.
Eyes burn into my skull but I don’t care.
I grin because I love the taste of blood.
“Go forth my initiates and we will see you on ritual night,” One of the elders announces; as they surround the girl, holding daggers in their hands then slice into her, digging, twisting and carving into her skin.
Her screams echo as the sounds of muscle and tendons are torn.
I glance back and see blood pouring onto the concrete underneath the deity as they feast on her like wolves starved.
I swallow thickly as we leave the room and back to what I assume is our family's room.
Entering mine, I take off my cloak and wait for my father to arrive.
Eating women? Cannabalism? I thought this was just virgin sacrifices and blood rituals, not consuming of the human body. I’m not sure my stomach can handle this. What the fuck?