Religion

"Don’t feel bad for those who do wrong, Danme. One day, it’ll kill you..."
"BANG!!!"
The sound of a gunshot. Blood dripping onto the floor. A lifeless body. When did I get myself into this? Maybe I need to retrace my steps.
...
"Look for the Gravediggers, bro... I believe in you..."
...
07/05/2079. My 16th birthday. One day left until my dreaded graduation into Blood Moon. This isn’t what I wanted, not what I planned, but I’m in too deep now, and there’s no way out.
— Sigh... — I exhaled heavily. My mind was weighed down with worry.
I got up from my mattress, which, by the way, was on the floor. Mercil believed our lives would be a thousand times better once we joined Blood Moon, but in these two years, I haven’t seen much difference between sleeping on a worn-out mattress in a faction base and sleeping in a crowded room at a homeless shelter. But I don’t have time to complain—only to work.
The room is a cubicle they gave us, and it’s almost claustrophobic to look at these bare marble walls with no decoration. At least they left a mirror and a sink on the wall. I brushed my teeth, one by one. When I finished, I stared at myself in the mirror for a moment, noticing the changes in my face from 14 to 16. My jawline had become more defined, my face slightly broader, and my physique had filled out a bit. Still, no facial hair. The only thing that remained the same was the melancholic, somber expression I always wore. The dark circles under my eyes had just gotten a little darker.
When I looked at the top corner of the mirror, I noticed a note on paper—probably left by Mercil. I grabbed the note, and it read: "You probably woke up an hour late, as usual. Get ready for the mission today at 14:00. The Boss has something planned for us. I don’t know what it is, but it seems like our last mission as Rookies. Excited for graduation? You’ll need to be ready for it."
I sighed, relaxing my eyebrows, while I kept stewing over being part of all this. I’ve never killed anyone in this organization, not in these two years. But will that change once I graduate? Well, I needed to focus on getting ready. I couldn’t go see the Boss, my leader, dressed in this gloomy pajama set.
So I left my room, stepping into a dimly lit hallway with a red light, lined with doors to other rooms. The walls were cracked, with trails of ants marching along them. The musty, damp smell was unmistakable in this place. The lack of ventilation had already killed a few members, as bacteria and viruses thrived in such stagnant air. It made the environment feel inhospitable. But low-ranking members of Blood Moon don’t have many options, so we just try to survive, even if we get sick easily here.
I walked to the end of the hallway, and the layout of the place felt like a prison—except instead of cells, there were rooms. This was the dormitory. Two floors, each hallway with a set of eight rooms. Concrete dominated the space. The lighting was almost nonexistent, and I could feel cockroaches scurrying over my feet now and then. The second floor, where my room was, had no railing to keep you from falling to the floor below—it was completely open. If you walked to the edge, you could still see bloodstains on the wooden floor. A member had taken his own life there a year ago. I didn’t know him, but I heard he’d gone mad from the pressure of Blood Moon and decided to end it all. It was deeply, profoundly terrible.
— I need to get out of here... — This place had a horrible, heavy energy. It felt like the people who’d been affected by this faction were watching me, making me viscerally uncomfortable.
A few hours later, I went to the Port, a pretty cool bar. Not many people came during the day, but the bartender—Mr. Hwill—would clean glasses even after they were already spotless, as if there was something special about his perfectionism with cleanliness. The jukebox played a soft, classic tune, a piano melody that seemed to cry with calm and agony. I only saw three other people in the bar besides myself. A man talking to the bartender about his failed relationships—I was amazed at Mr. Hwill’s ability to hyper-focus on cleaning while listening to the drunk guy’s sob stories. At the center table, two middle-aged best friends were venting about their family frustrations, drowning their sorrows in drinks.
The bar had a welcoming vibe, unlike most places in the Outskirts, which were usually made of metal. The Port had a more inviting feel, with wood as the dominant material. Despite its old, rusty appearance, it was a classic that worked. I don’t even drink, but it’s so comforting to sit in the dark corner of the bar, watching people come and go. I forget about my problems while trying to connect with strangers just by observing them. It’s my escape.
— Hey, Danme! — A familiar voice entered the bar. It was my friend, Niik, a fellow Blood Moon member. — Knew I’d find you here. — Niik always had this upbeat energy. The positive guy.
— Didn’t expect to see you here. How’d you find me? — I asked, though I liked him, I didn’t want anyone intruding on my escape.
— Chill out, buddy! — He raised his hands, making a goofy, ironic face. — I went to your room a few minutes ago, didn’t see you there, so I thought, ‘If I were Danme, I’d be at the Port, watching people like a lunatic in the dark.’
— Ha, ha, ha. — I gave a dry, fake laugh and rolled my eyes. — You’re so funny.
Niik chuckled softly. — Hey, you ever think about getting a new beanie? I’ve known you for two years, and you’re still wearing the same frayed one.
— I’m not getting rid of my beanie. It’s the first thing that made me feel cool. — I replied, feeling nostalgic, remembering when I found it in the junkyard.
— Oh, right, right! Of course, weirdo. — Niik ran his hand through his short blond hair, tossing it to the side.
He scratched his cheek lightly, and the sound of his stubble made me cringe.
— At least it’s your favorite season, huh? In this cold, you’re all tough-looking in black with that coat. — He smiled, resting his chin on his hand while tapping his fingers on the table.
— And you? You look like a suburban dad in that leather jacket. Did you age five years the moment you turned 18? — I joked, lightening the mood.
— I think the younger ones here don’t get to talk back to their elders. — He laughed, but his expression quickly turned a bit more serious, and I knew something important was coming. — Heard your graduation’s tomorrow.
— Yeah... — I replied flatly, not wanting to dwell on it.
— Danme, do you know what a religion is?
— A ‘restriction’? — I asked, confused.
— No, no. — He chuckled lightly. — A ‘religion.’ Back on Old Earth, people believed in the existence of a higher power or supernatural force that determined human destiny and deserved respect and obedience. — He continued. — People here in the Outskirts are pretty clueless about that stuff, but since it’s your 16th birthday, I didn’t just come to drop random trivia!
He started rummaging through his pocket, and then he pulled out a silver necklace with a pendant—a stylized cross, sturdy and sharp.
— This is an amulet. I don’t really know which religion it belongs to or how it works—the books don’t have much info on it. But... — He handed the necklace to me. — Whenever you feel lost, ask the amulet to guide you, and have faith.
I was genuinely grateful. — Thanks, Niik. Really.
— Don’t mention it. — He slapped the table and stood up, straightening his posture. — That’s it! Later, bro. See you around.
— Later. — I watched him leave, walking out the door.
I looked at the necklace, its surface catching the light, and put it around my neck. I returned to my dark corner, where I could watch people. In a few minutes, I’d have my mission. Tomorrow, my graduation. But for now... I’ll let the amulet guide me.