Bryan S. Glosemeyer [Glosemeyer - Before the Shattered Gates of Heaven Part 1: Trickster’s Pit (Shattered Gates Volume 1 Part 1)

Before the Shattered

Gates of Heaven

Part 1: Tricksters Pit

by

Bryan S. Glosemeyer

Before the Shattered Gates of Heaven

Part 1: Tricksters Pit

Bryan S. Glosemeyer

Editor: September C. Fawkes

Cover: Dan Van Oss,

Covermint Design

Published November 2018

Copyright 2018

Bryan S. Glosemeyer

Void Forms Media

All rights reserved.

Kindle Edition

This e-book is licensed for personal enjoyment only and may not be re-sold, re-distributed, reproduced, or given away to others. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Void Forms Media logo designed by Orion Harbour.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the authors imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

For my Mother, who always wanted me to write,

And for my Wife, who supported me when I finally did.

Before the Shattered Gates of Heaven

Part 1: Tricksters Pit

THE GIRL WAS eighteen, and like all Humans her age, she had one chance to choose her fate.

She chose the pit.

The girl spent the last moments before her final pit embraced by her brood-sister, whispering little secrets back and forth. Saying goodbye.

They had sought out what little privacy they could, away from the packs of off-shift diggers and squealing mine rats, and huddled together within a far recess of the cavernous warrens. All of them where khvazol, unseen and nameless property.

Even back here, the sounds and smells of Warrens Zevna proved inescapable. From nearby came the rhythmic grunting and musk of sex. The buzz of the air systems biomech lungs and the chugging of sanitation biotubing were as ubiquitous as the odors of old tunics and dry stone.

Remember last year? the girls brood-sister whispered. When those three shit-eating aggies were going to toss me into an old mine shaft if I didnt... And you fought all three of them, got them off me. You hadnt even started Pitter Discipline yet, and you still deep bashed them. She pantomimed grabbing an invisible enemy by the neck with one hand and punching him in the face with the other.

Of course I remember, the girl whispered back. I remember they bashed me right back. And I still have the prod burns the overseers gave me after.

But you won. Her brood-sister rubbed her pregnant belly, as she often did when she was anxious. Even as a mine rat you never lost a fight. Just like today. Youre going to win. I know it. You were born to protect people.

Gods see me, the girl said. Her brood-sisters presence and soft touch had always been calming for the girl, one of the few sweet pleasures in her life. Even still, the girl couldnt stop fidgeting and darting her gaze across the warrens. The overseers would be here soon.

There were nine shafts a human could follow, and when they turned eighteen, everyone was given a choice between two. The girl and her brood-sister had been given the same choice: fight in the pit to earn a name, be seen, and travel the stars; or remain forever nameless, a living incubator giving birth to brood after brood of human khvazol. Even as a young mine rat, the girl had decided a quick, bloody death was better than her other option.

Nearby, a brood of young mine rats wrestled another brood for extra rations of protein paste and cugs milk. Her sister was charged with minding them. The hen-mothers of both broods were dead and mulched, and her sister didnt have any of her own children to attend to yet. She gave her attention to the girl though, occasionally casting a side glance to make sure none of the little mine rats were killing each other.

The girl wanted to block everything out and see only her brood-sister. But their wrestling grew more heated, and their constant noise made it harder to hear what her sister was saying. The girl pulled out a small, dense protein and fiber loaf from her uniforms pocket. She broke the loaf in two, tossed a half to each of the squabbling young broods, and told them to quiet down while she was visiting.

Will you be fighting one of those vermin again? Her brood-sister made a disgusted noise. Theyre so gross.

I think so, but I never know until just before. But the last four have been infidels, so probably.

I remember after your first pit, when you fought that boy, you puked for a whole sleep shift. I hope they give you another vermin this time. Better one of them than one of us.

The overseers know what theyre doing when they match us in the pits. Ill fight whoever or whatever they put in front of me. But yeah, Id rather it be a vermin too. The girl scanned around again for signs of the overseers. Anyway, Pitter Discipline has toughened me up since then. Now the only thing that makes me puke is the smell of your farts. I swear to Mother of Life, since you became a hen your farts could melt granite.

Her brood-sister poked her in the ribs and smiled. The girl smiled back briefly with tense, dry lips.

I bet theyll send you a deep handsome pillow for your victory, her sister said. Hell be extra gold since this is your ninth pit. Maybe I can turn up a digger to drill myself. We can pretend like we are celebrating together.

Is that safe? the girl asked. You need to be more careful. Youll be in trouble if the little mine rats in your belly get damaged.

Medics said its safe. For now. Medics said I can drill as much as I want, long as it doesnt get too rough. And the diggers who like me now, who like me like thisshe looked down, patted her ripening bellytheyre more gentle than some of those others. Too gentle. Dancer see me, sometimes I wish I could find a boy not afraid to give me a real drill.

The girl laughed despite herself. Her brood-sister could always find a way to make her a little less anxious, even if only for a moment. The girl wanted to thank her sister for spending these last moments before the pit with her, but the finality of it brought a bad taste to her mouth, and the words wouldnt come.

Who knows? her sister continued. Maybe the pillow will drill a baby into you, and a hen from our warren will birth your blood-daughter. Ill check every newborn for your blood glyph.

Extra gold, she whispered. Sudden, sharp movements near the far entrance to the warren told the girl the overseers had finally arrived. Theyre here, she said.

The overseers strode toward them, parting through currents of khvazol, as focused and mindless as drills through dry dirt. Yelps of pain marked their progress through the cavern as the overseers prods found the backs of those who didnt clear the way fast enough. They came for the girl and saw no others. That was life for khvazol humans in the Labyrinth. Always watched, never seen.

Her sister kissed the pitter girls tattooed brow and prayed for the Gods protection. You dont have to go. You can still change your mind. Her brood-sister rubbed her palm in circles across her belly again. Being a hen aint so bad. You get to eat more. You see the medics more. Sometimes, its even a little gold, feeling the lives growing inside you. Like these three little mine rats curled up in here. Her hand stopped circling as she looked up. Besides, then we can still be together. Like before, before your discipline.

Dont be scared for me. The girl kissed her sisters brow in return. Eight times Ive gone into the pit, and eight times Ive come back. One more, and its done.

Win or lose, live or die, she thought, its done.

Can you imagine the shame in Grandfather Spears eyes if I were to give up now? the girl said. Dont worry. The next time you see me I wont be a pitter anymore, or a mine rat. Ill be a Servant of the Divine Masters. Ill have a name.