The sacrifise

Georgia intensely watched Yossarian busy himself with the construction of an altar. Casually strolling around, the corner of her eyes ingesting every detail and step Yossarian took. Soaking in the minute details that Yossarian plastered on the rigidity stick structure.

The hair on the back of her neck started to prick up. Her instincts kicked in, screaming at an unknown presence behind her. Georgia flicked her head back. Her shaking hand grasped at the leather butt of a knife tucked in her side. Fears of yesterdays events haunting the back of her mind.

Yet nothing was there. Only stones, green shrubbery and trees lay behind her. Her instincts still cried out, her skin crawling with the sense of being watched. Georgia strained her eyes further into the area around them, faint sweat starting to slick the roots of her hair.

"So you've started to notice their presence too," Yossarian stated, standing back to admire his work.

"Notice who?" Georgia slowly stalked her way back to him, not taking her eyes off the surrounding trees, bushes and mounds of dried-up leaves.

"The local deities. They have always been watching, of course, taking a slight interest in our endeavour. Now, however, they watch with a newfound intrigue," Yossarian muttered, grasping around his coat for something.

"For the offering?" Georgia questioned, glancing briefly to the altar.

"Precisely. Their keen to know who we beseech help from."

"And who exactly are we asking for help?"

"Not a clue," Yossarian replied, swinging out a metal flask. He flicked off the top and gently placed it on the altar's platform, the twigs straining at the added weight. "Meat from your uncle, and some vintage wine from Greece. Who would say no to such a feast."

Georgia felt the presence intensify, an unknown pressure forcing down on her. Her legs felt ready to collapse, her stomach churned with pain, her mind panicking. Never had she felt such a force before, the sudden shock of it all, terrifying her to the core.

Yossarian gripped her by the shoulders and stared into her eyes, snapping her from her hysterical trance.

"Breathe Georgia, breathe. They're preying upon your vulnerability to divine energy, unconsciously forcing you to submission already. Remember what I taught you. Breathe deeply and focus on your internal flow, focus on your chakras."

Georgia strained to follow his instructions. A sudden chill spread through her, forcing her teeth to chatter and click against each other after every breath. Eventually, she managed to sense something, a single glowing orb within her, radiating bright white light.

The pressure seemed to ease, if only slightly. The presence still weighed heavily onto her, yet its burden lessened.

"Good, good. I will have to begin now, so keep focusing on breathing. We can't show our mortal weaknesses too much." He looked around, before staring down at her. "Where is Ruby?"

The realisation brought a moment of shock in her as well. Georgia briefly remembered Ruby close to the river banks edge, eyeing the trees whilst they worked on the altar.

Yossarian took another desperate glance around before sighing. "We'll just have to do this without her. It's not wise to keep divine beings waiting, less we want to be cursed."

Yossarian made his way to the poor shrine, placing himself on his knees. "I beseech thy, O'honorable deity. Lord of this river and controller of its flow. Mighty ruler of their Sovern land, Deter. Please answer my call and offerings!" Yossarian shouted to the top of his lungs.

A great swirl of energy flew around them. A gush of wind blew past their legs, leaves and twigs fluttering into the air. The river seemed to quicken, water surging stronger, more uncontrollable. The pressure on Georgia's shoulders rapidly increased to the point she felt like she was carrying a fat and ripe cow ready for harvest. Then it all dissipated.

The sudden weight disappeared, the water slowed and calmed, the wind fell back to a small breeze. Georgia picked up a 'tsk' from Yossarian.

"What happened?"

"They refused our call. Tempted as they were, they pulled away last minute."

"Then let's call the other one." Yossarian stared back at her, fear etched into his gaze. Something's wrong, they cried. Georgia swallowed a large build-up of saliva in her mouth.

"We made a gamble and weren't answered. No being likes to be another's second choice, especially those from divinity. We do this we would be asking for a considerable amount of danger," Yossarian informed, sending worried glances to the swaying trees around them.

"It's too late to worry about that now. To not call them would bear an even greater sin against us." Ruby stated, emerging from the trees. "This is what happens when you get involved with the gods. You are put into a tight corner with every action you take. Something always being a cause of disrespect or contempt. A word being enough justification to be struck down by divine wrath. I'd rather not be here for this, but it would seem like you need the push."

"Aye, your right." Yossarian slowly nodded in agreement, moving back to face the altar. Georgia started to quicken her beath in suspense, her mind starting to sway and lighten. Screams of panic sprayed across her mind.

Ruby tightly held her hand, much to Georgia's surprise. Ruby's gaze fixed on Yossarian with desperation and fear. "Don't lose yourself now girl. We've far crossed the line in fearing for our lives."

Yossarian started to preach again, words and phrases of honour and praise spouting from his lips. gratitude and pleas more desperate than his last, Georgia realised. His speech lasting for longer as well.

Another spell fell on her. The winds shot with a visceral gutter. Trees swayed with more flexibility than normal. Leaves seemingly stagnated in the air before moved around in a dance. Leaves, twigs and wind started to amalgamate above them.

Then the everything came to a stop. But the pressure didn't loosen, only growing heavier by the second. A great shadow fell on them, a figure floated in the sky.

Their limbs and body seemingly green and made of rough brown leaves. Twigs sprouted from their head. Flowers and roots planted and dressed across their figure. Their shape shockingly human.

"What do thy mortals call me forth for?" They bellowed in an echoing voice. Their words spinning and twining in her mind. Their voice inhuman, godlier and demanding, yet holding a feminine edge.

Georgia stared in awe at the deity before realising she wasn't breathing. She dropped to her knees, lungs crying for air, her mouth forming the actions to breath. But no air came in. Georgia's eyes started to bulge, veins pulsating with blood, shooting to her brain, suffocating her thoughts.

Georgia saw the others befalling a similar fate. Yossarian struggled to his feet, planting one leg down defiantly on the stone and dirty bay. The deity looked down at him whilst he made his way to both legs, his hands clutching tightly to the necklace on his throat.

"Your rather tenancies bugs. Fine, you may breathe," The deity bellowed. Air surged back into their throats. Georgia breathed in hard, her lungs moving quickly, forcing more air than she could carry, rubbing her lungs raw.

"Goddess I've come with requests and offerings. I hope thy divineness consider my stance for a mere moment," Yossarian croaked. His shoulders were slouched with tiredness, arms dropping to his sides.

Sompthuis -Georgia seemed to recall faintly - watched in disdain before looking down at the offerings. 'Meat and wine. Long since I've had an offering to me. Meagre as it maybe. Hurtful as it is to be ones second choice. It will do. You have a minute to plead thy case. I wouldn't waste it."

As Georgia's vision blackened and fuzzed, a new sensation emerged from her very core. Something she never thought she would feel. Want. Want for a Gods power.