wow 500 words is a lot less to work with then I thought it would be! I could only manage 566, posting any way but it does break the rules... and it's not funny.
FRIDAY
THE PROMISE
He made them a promise; he said he would save them. The people of Freetown had been good to him; they had shared their homes and their food with him, they had treated him like an equal. The small refugee townships hidden in the slopes and plains of this vast mountain range was Friday's first sight of what life could be like without war. But Freetown was not unaffected by war; the Karvau had built a church there a month ago, and already the religious war waged across the galaxy threatened to tear apart this quiet place.
Preacher Corgan had come to prepare the way; his sermons warned that when the Karvau came, the young would be taken to do God's work and only the faithful would be saved. Freetown had not welcomed him but with the might of the Karvau army at his back there was little they could do to stop him.
Friday had been given a room at the Macmillans' home, although he never seemed to sleep. He repaired farm equipment in the daytime and stood watch at night. He ate with the family, Ed and Milly and their two daughters Sarah and Kate, but he rarely spoke. He listened while they talked about preacher Corgan and what would happen to Sarah and Kate when the Karvau came.
That night, instead of standing watch, Friday went to church.
'You are not welcome here!' spat Corgan.
'I was about to say the same to you. Leave and tell the Karvau there is nothing for them here, or I promise I will cause you and your ridiculous religion trouble like you have never seen.'
Corgan stared though Friday as if he were just a shadow. 'Hell is coming. The heathens shall burn and only the repentant will be saved. There is no hope of redemption for you, clone. The fire is here and you have no soul to cleanse.'
'I'll be back for you, preacher.'
Corgan stared into Friday's cold, blank eyes and felt his soul shiver. After a moment, Friday left Freetown and walked into the night.
Friday didn't come back the next morning or the next week. Milly Macmillan had asked Friday what he would do when the Karvau came; she assumed that now she had her answer. Preacher Corgan however could not rest easy. The army should have been there by now and he had lost all contact with the 53rd divine regiment of the true god. The preacher would have to bring down the cleansing fire himself. He opened communication with the orbiting fleet.
'Preacher Corgen to Sword of Vengeance.'
'Go ahead Preacher.'
'Have lost contact with the 53rd, presumed destroyed by the heathen. Unleash the wrath of God.'
'Understood, Preacher. God be with you.'
The Sky screamed and death rained down from orbit, the mountains caught fire for hundreds of miles and the ground burnt to glass. Friday watched from amongst the bodies of the 53rd as the beam streaked from the sky laying waste to everything it touched. He imagined he could hear Ed and Milly and Sarah and Kate as they boiled and burnt to ash. He watched still as the red sunset melted into the fiery mountain range. He made them a promise, he said he would save them and he didn't. He made Corgan and the Karvau a promise too and he intended to keep it.
The End
FRIDAY
THE PROMISE
He made them a promise; he said he would save them. The people of Freetown had been good to him; they had shared their homes and their food with him, they had treated him like an equal. The small refugee townships hidden in the slopes and plains of this vast mountain range was Friday's first sight of what life could be like without war. But Freetown was not unaffected by war; the Karvau had built a church there a month ago, and already the religious war waged across the galaxy threatened to tear apart this quiet place.
Preacher Corgan had come to prepare the way; his sermons warned that when the Karvau came, the young would be taken to do God's work and only the faithful would be saved. Freetown had not welcomed him but with the might of the Karvau army at his back there was little they could do to stop him.
Friday had been given a room at the Macmillans' home, although he never seemed to sleep. He repaired farm equipment in the daytime and stood watch at night. He ate with the family, Ed and Milly and their two daughters Sarah and Kate, but he rarely spoke. He listened while they talked about preacher Corgan and what would happen to Sarah and Kate when the Karvau came.
That night, instead of standing watch, Friday went to church.
'You are not welcome here!' spat Corgan.
'I was about to say the same to you. Leave and tell the Karvau there is nothing for them here, or I promise I will cause you and your ridiculous religion trouble like you have never seen.'
Corgan stared though Friday as if he were just a shadow. 'Hell is coming. The heathens shall burn and only the repentant will be saved. There is no hope of redemption for you, clone. The fire is here and you have no soul to cleanse.'
'I'll be back for you, preacher.'
Corgan stared into Friday's cold, blank eyes and felt his soul shiver. After a moment, Friday left Freetown and walked into the night.
Friday didn't come back the next morning or the next week. Milly Macmillan had asked Friday what he would do when the Karvau came; she assumed that now she had her answer. Preacher Corgan however could not rest easy. The army should have been there by now and he had lost all contact with the 53rd divine regiment of the true god. The preacher would have to bring down the cleansing fire himself. He opened communication with the orbiting fleet.
'Preacher Corgen to Sword of Vengeance.'
'Go ahead Preacher.'
'Have lost contact with the 53rd, presumed destroyed by the heathen. Unleash the wrath of God.'
'Understood, Preacher. God be with you.'
The Sky screamed and death rained down from orbit, the mountains caught fire for hundreds of miles and the ground burnt to glass. Friday watched from amongst the bodies of the 53rd as the beam streaked from the sky laying waste to everything it touched. He imagined he could hear Ed and Milly and Sarah and Kate as they boiled and burnt to ash. He watched still as the red sunset melted into the fiery mountain range. He made them a promise, he said he would save them and he didn't. He made Corgan and the Karvau a promise too and he intended to keep it.
The End
