Read Online Immortal by Kelvin Kelley - Free Book Online Page A

disobedience then it
must be his punishment that’s tonight in the square.” Said
Sarah.
    “Punishment?” Asked Gabrielle. “I didn’t see
a notice.” She said.
    “It came out this afternoon. The notice said
that it’s scheduled for right after the evening meal, so it must be
about to start any minute.” Sarah replied.
    “I don’t want to know about it.” Gabrielle
said. “This whole thing has me just sick.”
    “Gabrielle.” Jericho said softly. “I have to
go.”
    “Go. You mean to the punishment? Are the
Guardians requiring you to be there? Is this part of your own
punishment?” Gabrielle asked, distressed.
    “No. Nothing like that. They didn’t even
mention it. But I have to go. Donovan or not. Wrong or not. I have
to see this. I have to see this through to its end.” He said.

Chapter 8
     
     
    As they arrived at the square, the girls
opted to stay far away. They did not plan to actually watch the
spectacle at all. They were there, more or less for moral support
for Gabrielle, who refused not to go. And especially once they
realized that Jericho could not be stopped. He felt that he must
attend. The square was not large by any means, but it currently
held hundreds of villagers. They were packed tightly into the
available space, but the center of the square which held the small
raised stage, and a slim path from the control center to the stage
were completely empty. Guardians stood around the back walls, each
unmoving and silent. Jericho made his way toward the center. He did
not want to be in the very front, but he wanted to get close enough
to see Donovan’s face. He wanted to see into his eyes. Jericho
knew, more than anyone, what Donovan had been through over the past
day, because he was certain that he had experienced the same type
of interrogation. This gave him some type of kindred spirit, with
Donovan, even if it had truly been Donovan’s fault to begin with.
What he was did now, wasn’t for Donovan though. What he did now was
for himself. Somehow he felt that if he watched this through its
finality it would give him some kind of absolution. It was a way to
go on with his life, and to leave the events of the last day behind
him. He was near the front now. Close enough that he could see the
rusted chain rings on the whipping post quite clearly. It would be
here that Donovan would be shackled for his punishment. Jericho’s
heart hurt. Even if Donovan was an ass, did he really deserve this,
he asked himself.
    A sudden commotion at the far side of the
courtyard, subsided seconds after it had started. Though Jericho
could not see directly, he could tell from the crowd’s reaction
that the Guardian had entered the area and now led Donovan to the
center platform. It couldn’t have been very far, but from where he
stood, he just could not see. For what seemed like an eternity, he
expected to be able to see something in the center of the square,
and then suddenly he did. The Guardian stepped onto the platform,
and from Jericho’s viewpoint he could see that the floor of the
stage was stained a dark brown. He knew it was long ago dried blood
from other punishments. It was immediately obvious what took so
long. He watched as the Guardian dragged Donovan’s unconscious body
to the center of the square. The Guardian hoisted his limp body on
top of the stage. Jericho thought that Donovan looked much worse
than he himself had ever felt during his interrogation. His face
was flaccid and gaunt. There appeared to already be streams of
blood soaked into his shirt, though the first lash had yet to be
thrown. And, Donovan was unconscious.
    The Guardian pivoted Donovan’s body to the
post, and it calmly and methodically fastened Donovan’s arms around
the rings. The Guardian stepped slightly back it as it released its
hold on Donovan, and his body slumped as far to the floor of the
stage as it could. His arms were still held up in an awkward
fashion by the shackles, as a stream of drool ran from his