Chapter Twenty-Nine

Walking on the stage wasn't the hard part, neither was standing in front of the audience as Inanis and I were arm-in-arm, bowing and greeting the country as though we weren't about to partake in a gruesome activity.

The hard part was watching Caroline Lennings slowly stalk onto the stage, her body hunched over as though she were in a complete state of defeat.

"The world has many awful people in it. Man or woman, they're all the same." Inanis sighed, as he pulled out his cleaver, removing his arm from mine I suddenly felt ten times more vulnerable, and I caught myself wishing he hadn't let go.

The crowd cheered, agreeing with his words, as he turned to them, giving the cameras a devilish smile that would make any woman swoon.

"And of course," He takes a step back, "This killing is a special one, a first time, a new beginning as some would say." He beckoned to me to come closer, and I hesitantly did so. "This would be the first killing The Harvester shall be joining me."

I received an enormous amount of applause as I stared out at the crowd. I wasn't sure what to say, or if I should say anything, so I said nothing at all.

Finally, Inanis wrapped his arm around my shoulders and guided me to stand behind Caroline, just as every harvester was to do until the killing was done.

Inanis leaned down and quickly whispered into my ear, "At least pretend to look as though you are proud to be what you are." His voice came out like a hiss as he spun on his heel back to the crowd where he smiled and acknowledged the cameras once more.

I had nearly a million insults I would have spat at him if I were not on stage. Instead, I forced myself to smile, albeit a small smile, but it was all they were going to get.

I never did like Inanis telling me what to do.

"Caroline Lennings." Inanis turned to the woman, as the stage lights grew darker, "What an awful woman you are."

She was crying, shaking her head, but we all knew there was nothing she could say that would get her out of this. There was no hope for her.

Why I felt like the one who has done wrong, I don't know.

Inanis walked around her, as though he was sizing up his prey, and I wanted to tell him to stop and just get it over with, but instead I was as silent as the crowd. The only thing that could be heard was Caroline's faint whimpering, and each decisive step Inanis took with his heavy boots.

"It's such a shame." He says running a gloved finger down the tip of his cleaver, "You're so young." He cocked his head to the side, a light in his eyes that wasn't there before, "But then again, the young ones are always more vibrant."

"You don't have to do this." She cried the usual words anyone about to die says, and I felt my body crinkle in disgust either because of Inanis, or myself.

"You're wrong." He said as though he were speaking to a child, "This is what I was meant to do." And without warning, he plunged the blade of the cleaver into her neck in one smooth swing.

There was an abundance of gasps in crowd, and even I felt the air get caught in my throat as we all watched her tumble to the floor, blood spilling out of the wound in her neck like a fountain.

It was over as quickly as it was done.

Inanis got down on his knees beside her lifeless body, and once again forced the cleaver into her, this time in her torso, as he deliberately cut and dug out a single rib.

I nearly vomited as he stood up and handed me the bone. Our eyes met, and I knew it was time for me to do my part. He nodded once, almost as if to reassure me, before stepping aside, giving the cameras a perfect view of me.

I stepped forward to the crowd and held up the bone for all the nation to see.

Bone Harvesters were not known to say much. It's not that we aren't allowed to speak, but I believe most were just as burdened by their situation as I am.

So, I stood without a word, holding up Caroline Lenning's lost rib, and allowed the crowd to cheer.

It was one of the most gruesome and traumatizing minutes of my life.

Finally, I stepped back. Inanis bowed as though he were a gentleman who put on a simple show, and I did a little curtsy, not really trusting myself to do a full bow as I might fall over and pass out.

The audience clapped and cheered, even as we walked back behind the stage.

The moment I was out of view of the cameras, I dropped the rib like it was scalding hot.

One of the crewmembers handed Inanis a small towel, in which he used to wipe the blood from his cleaver.

"I must say, you didn't look nervous at all." Inanis muttered sarcastically, as his eyes were still glued to the cleaver in his hands.

Which meant I had looked awful, and that probably offended him.

"I'm not ashamed that I'm uncomfortable with death." I tell him, as the blood on my hands was starting to dry up, making them feel crusty. I could hardly focus on anything else other than the thought of washing my hands.

"Yes, well you're a big girl now, death is something you're going to have to get used to, because I don't have the patience to hold your hand every time." And then he walked off, back to his dressing room.

I would be angry at his words, but I was so focused on wanting to clean the blood off of me, that I didn't take even a moment to think or care about what he said.

I rushed to my own dressing room, where there was a small bathroom inside. I ran to the sink, and washed my hands thoroughly over and over, but no matter how many times I washed them, I still felt dirty.

I realized my assistances were patiently waiting to help me take off the Harvester's gown, so I turned off the water, dried my hands, and let them do their job.

When I was back in my own clothes, I felt a bit better, which was a relief.

How odd that I have watched Inanis kill people on television every month since he first began killing, and yet nothing could be more different than watching him do it live.

The fact that people pay thousands of dollars to see him live, is the most bizarre thought I've ever had the displeasure of pondering.

When I was done changing, I left my dressing room in hope of finding Inanis ready to leave this dreadful place. I never want to see this damned stadium again, and I won't have to.

At least until next month.

Inanis was still in his dressing room, but the door was open slightly and I could see him pacing back and forth as he normally does when he's bored, and when he has too much energy, which, really, was always.

Deciding I'm his wife, and that I don't care if he doesn't want to talk to me, I walked over to his dressing room, and slipped in.

He didn't even bother to look at me, as he stared restlessly at his now polished cleaver. "What do you want, wife?" He asked, as he paced back and forth, gently swinging the cleaver in the air, as though he were trying it out for the first time. "I'm terribly busy." He didn't look busy.

"I'm ready to leave."

"Then leave."

I stared at him, "Shouldn't we leave together?"

There was a sudden pause in the room, as that made him look at me, "Do you want to leave together?"

"Shouldn't we?" I repeat, but now wondering if I should have asked at all.

"We should, but I assumed you would have left without me, seeing as I just murdered a woman. I expected you would be mad, and only speak insults to me for the next two weeks."

I frown at his words. He isn't wrong, in fact, that sounds exactly like something I would do.

Why I haven't is a question I won't bother to ask. "I'm not mad at you any more than I normally am." I took a breath, "So can we leave?"

He gave a small bow, "If that is your wish."

I roll my eyes at his sarcasm, but secretly glad he was leaving with me. The last thing I wanted to do was go through the mass of reporters alone.

We left the stadium not even ten minutes later, our car was already waiting, so we rushed to it behind our bodyguards before the reporters and fans could smother us.

When we got into the car, and Inanis slammed shut the door, I felt a sense of relief. It was over, not only making it through the crowds, but the killing, being on stage, being on camera in front of the nation.

It was all over for an entire month.

I was so caught up in my own relief I barely heard Inanis speak.

"So," He said, "We have an agonizing two-hour long trip home, what shall we do? Make out? Talk about our dreams? Would you like to tell me your romantic crush? I have a crush if you would like to know-"

"You're being ten times more sarcastic and annoying than usual today." I tell him, not bothering to give him the satisfaction of actually looking at him, I stare out the window.

He huffed, "And you're being too nice for comfort."

This make me narrow, as I turn to him, "What?"

"You heard me. You have been awfully nice to me the past few days and it's concerning." He gives me a skeptical look, "If you're planning to gut me, I'd prefer you to just do it already." He sat back, "I've lived long enough anyway."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." I say matter-of-factly, "When am I ever nice to you?"

"If you're really that stupid, I'll help you out," He held up his hand to count off each finger, "You stayed up waiting for me last night, you apologized to me last night, you gave no fuss about sleeping in the same bed with me, you come here and aren't mad at me for doing my job and slaughtering a woman, and then you want to leave home with me." He scoffs, "Really, I'm a brilliant man but even you I cannot decipher."

I stare at him, dumbfounded. I had no idea what to say, because once again, he was right.

This was all out of character for me, and it was alarming. Was I really warming up to him so quickly?

When I didn't respond, he continued, "I've spent nearly all night wondering what the hell you have planning, and though nothing I think of is remotely amusing, I'm getting bored of waiting. If you're planning something, I suggest you do it already."

"I'm not planning anything." I tell him, "In fact, I hadn't realized I've been nice to you."

"Bullshit."

"If you don't believe me, that's your problem."

"I don't have a problem; I have a suspicion."

"Inanis, you do have a problem, because if someone actually showing kindness to you is so shocking, then maybe you should take a step back and reevaluate your choices." I turn back to the window, "Whatever suspicion you have, you can drop it, because I'm not planning anything. If I was, I would have acted already. If you are as brilliant as you claim, you would know that."

As much as I wanted to be angry at him, I wasn't. Though he made all valid points, it made me feel sick inside that me showing him a bit of human decency was so troubling for him.

I began to question what would do more damage, insulting him as I normally do, or continue to show the least bit of kindness until he slowly goes mad with conspiracies.

Normally I would be amused at all this, but today, I felt off. There was no doubt that Inanis was a horrible human being and I hated him just as much as I hate anyone else who supports what he does.

But no matter how much I thought about it, our conversation stayed on my thoughts for the entire two-hour ride home.