Chapter 3. The Hunt of The Eloi


Grasping her mother's hand tightly, Shikha paddled alongside her mother across the soft grass in the night air. It was time for the weekly hunt only this time it was very special for the little child as she got a chance to attend.

Shikha was now ten years old and nearly full grown but with her short stature she stood barely four feet tall. This reason because of her breed rather then poor upbringing. She was the same size of a five year old Morlock child. Her size gave other children the advantage to bully her around when she lurked by herself. Only the stout Mog was friendly towards her if not a little rough with her. Being quite used to the fact now that she was an Eloi and the usual scene of the towering Morlocks it didn't bother her.

"Hey Shikha." Mog jogged up next to her and threw a gentle punch at her narrow shoulder. "Aren't you all excited?"

"Of course." She smiled at him with warm, blue eyes. In fact she was quite nervous. How would these Eloi be like? Would they look just like her? She had never seen a living Eloi, only slaughtered ones that were so indistinguishable that she couldn't see their features. "Mom decided I was old enough now."

"Dad says in a few more years I could kill my own Eloi." Mog laughed out loud and stomped on the ground. "I can't wait to sink my teeth in one! Maybe I can try today."

The sound of that made the small child's skin shiver. She kept forgetting that she was also an Eloi. Maybe someday they would all turn against her, even Mog. She dropped her eyes to the ground and picked out the faint reflection of the moon on the tall brushes. If there was any question that haunted her to ask it was how she was here and not with the other Eloi.

"We could play "Find the Eloi" if you want." Mog smiled, flashing his jutting incisors. "I promise I won't peek on you."

"That game is so hard. I can't see in the dark like you can. Plus you always close your eyes so I can't follow their glow." Shikha grunted, waving her hands in a gesture. "Maybe we can play another game! We can gather some ripe berries and smoosh them in your brothers hair."

Mog clapped his hands and nodded. "Oh that would be so funny. Lets!" He grabbed her hand and led her off in the dark. Marn rolled her eyes and sighed as she watched them go. She was very happy to see that her child had a friend. Even if it was only one.

After playing out their cruel game on Mog's brothers they both shot out into the woods to prevent the angry boys from chasing after them. The blonde child giggled and threw her hands into the air. "Did you see their faces? They so weren't expecting rotten fruit all over them."

Mog rubbed his hands together. "Oh that was so fun! I bet they went off to cry to momma." He brought his hands close to his face and took a whiff. Sharply he drew them away and winced. "Ugh that smells awful!"

"It will take a few days till they get that smell out from their hair." Shikha climbed over the top of the hill. "Just imagine Mog. You have to sleep with them."

"Oh no!" Mog frowned. "I forgot about that."

When they made it over the top they saw the Morlocks snaking the chosen Eloi around the old trail. Shikha's eyes widen and she drifted closer to the fine creatures. They were small and fine-built like she was and their hair was blond. Their faces shown brightly in the moon's light as listless and lazy-eyed expressions. With the Morlocks coming behind them with long whips and shoves she expecting them to be fleeing wild-eyed about. The Eloi didn't seem to care at all of where they were heading. So uninterested they were that the stray blonde child standing hand-in-hand with a Morlock was nothing more then a passing glance.

She hadn't realized how long she was holding her breath till the last one passed by. She gasped and brushed the sweat from her forehead. "Wow Mog. They don't seem so scary like I expected."

"They look yummy." Mog drooled. "I can't wait to eat some warm flesh."

Shikha found her mother again and followed her back home. "Momma is this where I came from? Like this? I don't remember taking this path."

"Your parents did but not you." Marn simply answered. "Now no more questions it's time to eat." She opened her sack and let Shikha pick berries and small melons along the way for her own supper.

Back in their own cave she sat down in her mother's lap as they waited for Fown to pick out an Eloi to slaughter. At the moment he came in with one freshly killed Shikha flung from her mother's lap and sat in the corner with her fruits. For some reason she never felt comfortable being around them when they feasted. Their snarling expressions and long teeth snapping at the meat was almost too much for her. Morlocks didn't waste their time on manners. When it was time to eat they went on to it.

Shikha screamed loudly when she saw the dead Eloi male raise his head and cry loudly. He was only knocked unconscious and had woken up from the massive pain in what was left of his gut. Blood spurted from his mouth as his tongue lolled out and his head collapsed again. His body convulsed wildly and his breath came in and out in sharp rasps.

"Finish him off." Marn stared down at him with hard eyes. Fown pulled the Eloi's head close to his face and sunk his longest incisors into the blonde man's neck and snapped the spinal cord. The Eloi moved no more and laid still with bulging eyes. Shikha was laying face down on the warm floor to attempt not seeing and smelling anymore of this grotesque affair. Never in her life was she so afraid.

After the dinner Marn cleaned her face up and gathered Shikha in her arms. Staring down at her with soft eyes she stroked her blonde hair. "I am sorry you had to see that. Don't think of us wrongly. It happens sometimes."

"Do you not like fruit?" Shikha picked up a berry and offered it to her. "They taste so good."

"Not often. Only in desperate times but we prefer meat." Marn cuddled her to her breast and sighed. "Don't worry. Next time Fown will make sure it is dead."

Fown rolled his eyes to the ceiling and huffed. "Should have just left his eyes closed."

"Would you ever eat me? I'm an Eloi too." The child rubbed a finger down her mother's greenish skin. "I don't know why else you would want me for."

"Of course not. You are our daughter." Marn picked up Shikha's fruit and placed it back in a bowl. "Nobody will harm you." She looked over her shoulder at Fown. "Is that right dear?"

Her mate only snorted in response and laid down at one end of the cave for a nap. "I'm too full to chat. Now please be quiet and don't make so much noise."

Shikha always noticed how he never gave an answer to the question. She had asked it to him many times. She picked over her fruit one last time before taking her place next to her mother for their short nap. The child slept longer then any of the Morlocks did. It did bug Mog greatly when he wanted to play he would find her still asleep.

After a few hours Shikha slinked out from the cave entrance and went down the wide isle to the other caverns. She had adopted their slow, swinging walk that the Morlocks carried themselves as.

Mog suddenly appeared out from a crevice and grabbed her around the waist. Shikha, not realizing who it was, screamed and floundered about till she landed into the cold drinking water. The sound of his laughter brought a smile on her face.

"Mog you big meanie." She got up and wrung out her clothing. "That takes forever to dry. Now I'm gonna be dirty."

"So?" Mog chuckled. "Let's go drop rocks down the shafts again and see if we hear any angry Morlocks.

Shikha's eyes shifted when she saw four Morlock males gathered up behind them. She shrunk down and stiffened up, ready go hide in a crevice if they dare to advance. Luckily they were stuffed already and ignored her. One of them was Mog's father.

"Come on Mog. You and the others are making a journey now." He nodded and grabbed his son's hand. Mog stared at them in confusion. "You are grown up now and it's time you learned your place to work. Say goodbye to your friend."

Mog's shoulders sunk and he looked forlorn. He had long forgotten about the journey all the male Morlocks make to train them into adulthood. "Okay." He looked around at his friend for one last time and looked as if he was about to cry. "Goodbye Shikha. I hope we meet again someday."

The leave was so sudden that Shikha could only stand there staring out as they disappeared into the deep cavern. It was a temptation to follow but she knew better. To follow would mean a beating and probably an extra meal for them to squeeze in their overstuffed bellies. It was all silent except for the machinery echoing through the walls. She blocked them out and stared long and hard into the deep cavern alone. "Goodbye Mog. I hope I live to see you again."