The Gate

Chapter 4

Faye backed away slightly, covering her mouth with her hand.  She hadn’t expected the Gate to be so intimidating, towering over her like a bully towered over its victim.  She stared at it, amazed and terrified at the same time.  How had she managed to make it all the way to the Gate without being caught by the Government?  Why hadn’t she been arrested?

Faye knew she should have been running.  Running away from the Gate, back to the safety of her friends sleeping soundly in the tent.  But she couldn’t.  All she could do was stare.  And even though her mind screamed at her, she felt herself move forward, her fingers curling around the metal of the Gate.  It was cool to the touch, and she almost yanked her hand back in surprise.  But, as she kept a firm grip on the Gate, she became used to its lack of heat.

“Wow,” she murmured, unable to accept the fact that she was standing in front of the one thing she was forbidden to ever look at, to walk up to, to touch.  She just couldn’t believe where she was, what she was doing.

Another snap pulled her from her reverie.  Faye’s hand flew from the Gate, and she took a step back.  For just a moment she’d forgotten the terror of the beast on the other side, the terror of being consumed whole.  Maybe no one ever got arrested.  Maybe they all got eaten and the Government covered it up.  Faye shook her head.  No, those were silly thoughts of course.  She’d seen those convicted being pulled away in Government’s vehicles.

She felt herself stop breathing as movement became visible on the other side of the Gate.  She stood there, frozen as bushes began to move, and a silhouette appeared in the darkness.  Faye’s insides went cold.  She opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came out.

A figure appeared.  Faye’s eyes widened and she slapped a hand to her mouth to keep a cry of fear from escaping her lips.  She took a step back.  And another.  The figure didn’t seem to notice her yet, for it was looking around frantically as though it was searching for something.  It’s looking for me, Faye thought in a verge of panic.  And once it finds me, it’s going to eat me.

Faye felt herself stop moving as the figure stopped in its tracks.  Its eyes landed on her.  The dread moving through her, she stared the strange creature down.  But, as she examined it, she realized that it didn’t look strange at all.

It looked exactly like her.

Well, not exactly.  The hair on the creature was much shorter, and unlike the girls of Cesve, this creature did not have curved hips or breasts.  It was wearing clothes, but its clothes were much different than the ones she was used to seeing.  Something about them, though she couldn’t figure out what, was just . . . different. 

The creature took a step forward, as though assessing if she was going to attack or not.  Faye couldn’t fathom why it would think she would attack.  It was the beast, was it not?  And then, as Faye continued to gape at the creature in front of her, it spoke.  “W-what are you?” it asked.

“Don’t eat me!” Faye screeched stupidly, rushing backward.  She tripped on a rock, sending her toppling backward.  She cried out in pain, clutching her knee.  “P-please don’t eat me,” she begged softly, feeling tears burn in her eyes.

The creature stood there, looking just as shocked as she felt.  It looked around disbelievingly, as though it couldn’t understand how it was at the Gate’s borders.  The creature’s expression was a replica of the emotions churning within her.  Fear, confusion, disbelief. 

Curiosity. 

“Are you the beast?” the creature asked suddenly.  It stepped forward, wrapping its hands around the Gate.  “Are you what the Legend always speaks of?”