1character | Congregation (50 Sentences: Original Character/Original Work)

Character: Original Character
Fandom: Original Fiction
Theme set: Epsilon
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Mentions of abduction; disturbing concepts; attempted human sacrifice

#01 - Hood: The hooded figures who had abducted me forced me down onto a large stone slab, binding me with shackles that had been built into its surface.

#02 - Buzz: All around me, I could hear an odd buzzing sound, which they joined in with: An eerie chant, the words of which I couldn't make out.

#03 - Wish: Their leader loomed over me, smirking as he covered my mouth; already terrified, his grin made me wish I'd screamed when I had the chance.

#04 - Seasons: "The seasons are about to change once more," he announced to his congregation, "and once again we are called upon to serve a fitting sacrifice."

#05 - Threat: So this was what I was being threatened with: To be slaughtered for the sake of a belief that I had no part of.

#06 - Portrait: "Behold this portrait of abject terror that lies before us," he continued, motioning to me; "here is, indeed, a fitting offering."

#07 - Loud: The chanting grew in volume, loud enough almost to shake the foundations.

#08 - Energy: Their energy was seconded only by my own terror.

#09 - Purge: "With this captive's blood, we shall purge this place of all that blights it," he finished, raising a dagger high.

#10 - Mouse: Not one to simply lie meek as a mouse, I thrashed against the restraints, the sole reward being pain where each band of metal met my skin.

#11 - Attic: "Be still, fool," the leader warned me, taking his palm from my lips, only to strike me across one cheek; "you're not meant to be killed outright; each sacrifice is meant to last the whole season, during which we imprison them in the attic of this structure until we've finished with them."

#12 - Second-Rate: "I'm not willing to be victimized in any form by some second-rate cultist freaks," I shouted.

#13 - Dash: In reply to my outcry, he dashed his hand sharply across my face again, his eyes flashing with anger.

#14 - Attitude: "With such an attitude, my patience is being drained away," he warned.

#15 - Wisdom: "Have the wisdom to behave decently," a nearby underling agreed.

#16 - Sight: The leader nodded: "Or else this altar will, this very night, be the final sight you ever behold."

#17 - Address: He turned then to address the gathered witnesses, who looked, as far as I could tell, somewhat alarmed and confused.

#18 - Minute: "I crave your patience for a minute or two," he called to them; "our sacrifice is a bit...reluctant."

#19 - Cotton: The henchman who'd spoken came closer to me, a cotton rag in his hand.

#20 - Claw: Before he could stuff it past my lips, I gave one last tug at the chains binding me; to my relief, their settings seemed to be heavily worn, for the nearest one came free, allowing me to claw at him before the gag could be placed.

#21 - Limit: Indeed, all of the chains had evidently reached their limits, as each one came out with the renewed, hope-fueled struggle.

#22 - Unique: "This is a unique complication," the leader gasped, whirling back to face me; "the metal and stone have been connected for centuries, with no issues!"

#23 - Gravity: The gravity of the situation was not lost on the rest of those gathered, and I heard the beginnings of a troubled mumbling filling the air all around.

#24 - Yesterday: Only yesterday, I had been safely at home, with not a care in the world.

#25 - Jungle: Now, I was in a jungle of bloodthirsty humanity--if they even deserved that title; and I was determined to do everything in my power to escape.

#26 - Garden: The cultists seemed a veritable garden of confusion; none of them appeared to know how to handle the fact that t heir sacrifice was committing the unthinkable act of fighting back.

#27 - Question: "How can you be doing this," the leader questioned, in baffled fury as I threw myself from the altar, ignoring the fact that the shackles were still irremovable.

#28 - Text: "I...believe I read of something similar in our ancient texts," his henchman breathed, regarding me in vague horror; "something about a prophecy that our time would be at an end when a sacrifice freed herself without assistance."

#29 - Plastic: I gathered the dangling links of metal around me as best I could, wishing that they could be reduced to lightweight plastic; they were heavy, but that at least gave me the advantage of having a potential weapon in the form of one of the staples, to which still clung a chunk of rock.

#30 - Block: "Don't block my exit," I warned, swinging that length of chain in warning, "or the first person to try will receive the headache of a lifetime!"

#31 - Escort: "At least permit me to escort you out," the leader offered, his voice suddenly oily as he tried to approach.

#32 - Insult: "Don't insult my intelligence," I shot back, flinging the chain in his direction.

#33 - Blood: The bit of attached stone made contact with his face; though it was a glancing blow, I saw a bit of blood welling up from the resulting scratch.

#34 - Gold: "Don't pretend that your word's as good as gold," I added; "if you come near me, you'll only try to recapture me, and I'd prefer to avoid a repeat!"

#35 - Spot: Spotting the shackles' keys dangling from his belt, I motioned to them; "Toss them over here, right now."

#36 - Melt: The smugness in his eyes melted as he lobbed the keys at me; and he even winced as I caught them easily, in spite of the chain.

#37 - Guilt: The rest of the congregation parted for me as I made my way to the door, evidently held back from attacking me by a strange guilt.

#38 - Duel: "If you want a sacrifice so badly," I muttered to them, "then why not duel each other for that dubious honor?"

#39 - Stranger: "Because our laws require that the sacrifice be a stranger to the congregation," one of them answered, his voice low and bothered.

#40 - Wait: Not bothering to wait for further explanation, I cinched the links more conveniently around me, and fled the building.

#41 - Glow: The glow of a full moon lit my way as I ran.

#42 - Action: Far behind, I could hear shouts and sounds of action; to my relief, they sounded more like that of internecine confrontation than pursuit.

#43 - Chain: One of the chains slipped away from my grip, tangling in a tree root, forcing me to fall to the ground.

#44 - Bitter: Cursing bitterly, I slumped where I'd fallen, doing my best to finally apply the key to the shackles.

#45 - Lock: Their locking mechanisms hesitated, before opening, exposing raw and aching skin to the moonlight's gaze.

#46 - Order: With the chains at long last gone, I ran through the remainder of the woods, desperate to reach safety before an order could be given for my retrieval.

#47 - Friends: Soon enough--though it felt like a thousand eternities--I found myself back in the plaza where I'd been abducted, to find my worried friends searching for me frantically.

#48 - Prison: They dragged me reluctantly to the authorities, who swore to do their best to capture those who'd tried to sacrifice me; but I had a feeling that the congregation would be long gone by morning, never seeing a prison cell.

#49 - Journal: Now here I sit, in a well-guarded room at the local inn, committing these details to my journal.

#50 - Zero: I have zero interest in following through to seeing justice done; I want to be away from this place, in the safety of my own home, as quickly as possible.