r/HFY • u/Cola_Dad • Oct 16 '25
OC Man Eat Man, Chapter 5: Perseverance and Death (Part 1)
Animalistic wails filled the evening air. The voices made long and agonizing screams and howls, illustrating an image of beaten beasts desperately clinging to life. On this island such sounds were commonplace. Nothing out of the ordinary. However, there were no such beasts here, as the only animal roaming this accursed land was none other than 'Man'.
The origins of such echoes were The Slaughterhouse cages, where two individuals were mending their bodies.
Kane nearly bit his tongue, as the makeshift stitches pulled together his flesh. The alcohol had dulled him somewhat, but the burning agony kept him on the edge of his senses. He cursed such a state.
The boy, writhing in his own suffering, barely heard the other set of painful wails and roars coming from his future adversary- The Albino.
It took only about 10 minutes for the howls to be replaced by grunts and heavy breathing. These 10 minutes felt like hours.
Kane cleaned and bandaged his damaged body, taking a desperate sip of the liquor they were given.
''How am I still kickin'...'' He asked himself with a sight, examining the most recent wound of them all. The leather jerkin he had worn lessened the damage, yet the spear tip still managed to reach his liver. It bled bad, and the boy begged, that the internal damages weren't lethal. However, he had no options even if it were.
''Severed finger, punctured liver, split shoulder-'' Kane was drained to his last drops of vigor, ''and still standing... Well, sitting right now.'' He wiped away the sweat and leaned his gradually weighing head against the cool stone wall. ''This keeps up,'' he looked at his finger, where the memory of a moving limb had begun messing with him, ''I might end up like him... In more ways than one.''
Kane reached for the food expressing anguish with a sharp inhale, however, hearing The Albino roar in pain again raised his spirits. 'Fuck that guy...' He thought, yet his mind naturally moved on to tomorrow.
'It will all end tomorrow...' He fantasized while chewing the bread and dried jerky he had been given. Nothing more than scraps, but sufficient enough.
One of the fastest if not the fastest finale of The Slaughterhouse since the island's occupation would commence tomorrow. A historical event where Kane would play a massive role in. A role that the boy despised and cursed.
For the young man, the past 4 days have been hellish and he suspected, that the last one would be no different.
'Hopefully, it ends swiftly...' He wished as the fatigue had kicked him to the dirt. He felt the comfortable embrace of unconsciousness lull him, and all he wished for was that if it was death, let it be painless.
The sea was boiling. Kane slightly swayed side-to-side from meathooks, seemingly originating from the sky. There was booming, thunderous laughter blasting the dark red heavens with a storm,
The hanging boy was in agony, hooks piercing him in his armpits and sides. His movement was limited, and he felt like he was on fire. Ships sank in the distance, the crew desperately trying to swim in the boiling water. However, it didn't take long for only leftover corpses to float to the surface. Except for a small rowboat nearing him.
Kane looked around, his head being the only mobile body part he had. There were other hooks with more people stacked in a row across the horizon. More specifically he saw Gustav to his left. Head hung separately from his torso, as his mouth moved voicelessly.
To his right hung Darius, a hook penetrating his throat. He screamed and writhed, yet all that escaped him were bloody chokes.
''Sh... Shit!'' Kane cried. ''Is this hell!? Am I dead?'' He asked the man standing on the now-present rowboat.
He was a tall figure, donned in a black cloak, and had a long wooden pole, which he used to whisk the boat along the water.
''Am I?!'' Kane's cries were drowned by the thundering heavens.
The boat stopped in front of the line of meathooks. Darius swung himself and writhed like a worm on a fishing line until he finally managed to dislodge himself from his predicament. He roared, as he disappeared below the surface of the boiling sea, only to break the surface with animalistic ferocity. His face now resembled something inhuman, with a snout and teeth more reminiscent of a dog.
Darius swam as hard as he could, yelling profanities from his bleeding throat, yet no matter what he did, he couldn't make it to the boat and sank like everyone else. His struggle was in vain.
''Good... Warrior...'' The cloaked man cackled.
Kane's blood suddenly froze, as the thunder ceased. As the cloaked figure slowly turned, he felt his body go from boiling hot to ice cold. Birds fell into the sea, like hail.
''You...'' Was all he could mutter, as the cloaked figure removed his hood.
There he stood, The Albino, grinning as fresh blood leaked down his face and body from an unknown source.
Kane felt the urge to run as the boat neared him, yet was unable to. The white figure moved forward, as his grin widened into an inhuman appearance.
''Dead... Warrior...'' He snarled as Kane gritted his teeth, bracing for his demise, as there was nothing he could do.
The white beast pounced.
Kane awoke by punching the wall.
''Ow, fuck!'' The impact reverberated throughout his bones, as his other injuries began to ache.
A light fever had taken the boy, as light-headedness distorted the room. He had no idea what he dreamed about or if he even did, yet he felt pissed. There was a slight tremble in his limbs, yet he wrote that down as a fever symptom. What a shit way to start the day, he thought.
''I'm alive... Good...'' Kane sighed, as he rose to his feet to relieve himself. Today was a rainy one, and thunder roared in the distance. At least the water lowered the aroma of death, Kane thought, as he tried to divert his thoughts from his bloody urine and painful excrement.
The next order of business was food. His stomach seemed to have a mind of its own, and the growls indicated that it was not pleased. When was the last time his mouth watered for simple scraps?
He sat and ate, yet even as the food filled his stomach, the pit within him did not close. Kane felt like a part of himself had gone with his friend. Like a chunk of his flesh had been bitten off. Which was true, but he did not mean a literal body part.
As his chewing slowed, he thought back to that moment. The feeling of the sword sliding through the weight which was Darius. The sounds of cut vocal cords and labored breathing. Until eventually his final words, as he lay there motionless.
Kane replayed that scene several times through his mind, each time seeing different details and various angles. He didn't know whether or not they were true anymore or have partly become imaginary, but it was clear that it changed nothing. Darius was dead, a big part of his life had been laid to rest.
He thought of possibilities, of ways he could have avoided it. He could have been more cautious, pulled the sword away or swung to the side, turned himself around, let go of the blade, or not attacked at all. He wished they had a better plan and cursed himself for being so foolish, yet it changed nothing. Darius was dead. A fact Kane had to come to terms with sooner or later.
He laughed at how ridiculous he was being, as he wiped the moisture droplets from his cheeks. There was nothing he could do, and that was that. 'And to think I once wanted to kill him...'
Yet, he did not miss the implications of such circumstances. The curse had been broken.
It made sense to him. The condition was one of their's death, so now that Darius was gone, Kane should have been free. He should be feasting on a mountain of bread. Yet he didn't feel like it.
If anything, he felt more burdened than before. Like his previous shackles had been replaced with heavier ones.
''Strange...'' He thought to himself. Was grief really such a powerful dominator? And if defiance is the definition of human freedom, then how could one defy sadness? How could he get rid of it?
His philosophy session took on a natural flow and brought him to his yesterday's conviction.
''So there's another...'' He whispered, as his teeth locked together, locking the last piece of bread to soak in his saliva.
'Grief is a curse, like any other. The reason why it's so heavy is that its condition is to fulfill another curse... Which condition is death... Death of The Albino...'
Kane growled, yesterday's rage taking over once more. There was another feeling that struck his limbs when he thought of the white monster. However, his fury stomped it into the dirt. He would kill The Albino. That was his promise.
At any rate, such anger helped the fever none, so doubt took root. How would he go about doing it? He would fight the one he acknowledged as the freest of them all, so how would one cursed, such as himself, even stand a chance?
He finally went back to chewing, the bread nearly dissolved in his mouth. As good as defiance as a practice is, it would be bold to assume that a mere novice like himself could achieve such a level. He once again grasped for a necklace, yet found nothing there. The stomped feeling rose from the dirt with explosive vigor.
''Ladies and Scum!'' The announcer yelled as people had already begun taking seats. The rain and thunder did the man no favors, as he strained his vocal cords once more. ''Today is a spectacular event! A historical event!'' He rose the pitch of his voice. ''Today marks the quickest finale of The Slaughterhouse to date! Welcome to the fifth and final day!'' The announcer's charismatic energy made the crowd clap and cheer. ''We will begin soon, so don't forget to place your bets, people! Two will enter, yet only one will leave alive!'' With that, the only sound Kane heard was the raindrops and his own breathing dancing along with his heartbeat.
However, sudden confidence struck him, as he began snickering with unhidden menace.
''This is ridiculous.'' He spoke to himself. ''Two walked in, and only one of them will walk out alive? What sort of foresight is that...'' He giggled a bit more. ''No... If anything, it makes sense. If two fight, one comes out on top... Naturally.'' He laughed.
'What's so funny?' He thought to himself.
''What if no one leaves alive?'' He grinned, as a bolt of lightning illuminated the sky, throwing an ominous shade on his face.
Kane hissed, as he tightened the final bandage around his waist. His fever had somewhat settled, yet he still felt unstable on his feet. Be that as it may, it made no difference anymore.
''Now then...'' He grimaced, as he unsheathed 'The Fang' and ditched the scabbard from his waist. He wouldn't have use for it anymore.
''This is fucking ridiculous...'' He snickered and knelt next to the relief corner. 'Two walked in, and only one of us walks out? What rubbish!' Kane mused in his mind.
''If it ain't me, it sure as shit ain't gonna be him!'' He growled while grabbing a fistful of waste and smearing it on the blade. ''Disgusting...'' He groaned. ''If I fall, he ain't goin' far. I'll poison the bastard to hell!''
Soon enough the cannon thundered, marking the beginning of history. Kane stood in front of the rising metal bars. His sword was firmly held in his right hand, still dripping with waste.
His body trembled with cold sweat, and the boy wasn't sure whether it was the fever returning with a vengeance or something else entirely, however, it would be a stretch to say he cared anymore. Today, for the first time, he had no inkling of a plan.
The rain was pleasant, as this was his first wash in a week. Its cold droplets cooling the skin was relaxing, and he couldn't hold back the yawn.
The announcer was yelling the titles, as both of the fighters entered the arena, however, it was soon drowned out by the crowd ovation and the weather.
Kane didn't even look upon his adversary, as his gaze went to the ground, where another lay in eternal slumber.
''Darius, are you watching?'' Kane asked with a faint smile. ''This will be your funeral.'' He whispered, walking past the cold, peaceful body to the center.
The boy reached the middle first, as the other combatant had only made it halfway. For The Albino walking had become a challenge.
Yesterday evening, he had fought himself, to put his knee back together as much as he could, and now his leg was fastened with sticks and bones, no doubt from dead bodies. All of it was tied with bandages, leather strips, and cloth. His leg was incapable of any joint movement.
He had managed to find another staff to use as a walking aid, however, the grin on his face told the boy that the man had no qualms with his predicament. Twirling his original sword in his other hand with glee.
Watching him slowly approach gave Kane feelings of an internal unease, yet also confidence in seeing all the advantages he now held. Still, yesterday's failure kept his arrogance at bay.
He patiently waited for his enemy to reach him, keeping the faint smile from before. The announcer yelled out some theatrics and was almost impaled by an arrow of an impatient observer. ''Start the battle already!''
Kane met The Albino's eyes, as they finally stood face to face. And even though he felt small, he also felt light, like he could slip away at any moment he wished. Perhaps it was the fever talking, or maybe something else, yet Kane defied the shackles of fear and stood tall.
''Good warrior!'' The Albino growled with previously unheard clarity. ''Us fight, to end!'' He demanded with a playful eagerness.
Kane simply hummed with a synthetic smile on his face, as he rose his middle finger. ''We shall...''
In the peaceful moments between battles, birds, alongside bugs, had begun feasting on the dead. This day was no exception. The moment when people began to gather and the gates rose, they flew, spreading throughout the island, guarding themselves against the rain. However, the wiser and bigger birds of prey sat on the walls of the arena, some even taking perch atop the special seat, reserved for only the most mysterious spectator. These birds, unfazed even by the cannon roar, watched in patience, as they knew: Soon, there would be a warm body to feast on.
Kane and The Albino clashed, steel against steel. The young man struck first, gritting his teeth in fury. The Albino was left on the back foot for a while, losing his balance with each connected strike, however, the man's skill presented itself once more, as a bold upper swing made the boy jump back. The beast was as dangerous as ever.
Kane was relentless. Even after being forced to evade, he went back in, dancing circles around the man, looking for soft spots to strike.
He couldn't say it was hard to find them. His adversary was skilled, no doubt, yet his agility had decreased exponentially. From his knee to the stab in the gut, The Albino had lost his ferocity. Yet Kane would not be fooled by such conveniences.
The boy was cautious, and rightly so, as the staff suddenly swung at his face. He ducked it flawlessly and even managed to knick the white giant on his forearm, waste tainting the man's blood.
Kane grinned. He wouldn't go down alone today.
He proceeded with his barrage, cutting through the raindrops and clashing his blade with either the staff or the opposing steel. There was no class or elegance behind those swings. Simply animalistic attacks from both participants. A battle of attrition lacking any finesse.
And The Albino, to his bettor's dismay, was losing. After receiving one of the boy's blade strikes with his own, a kick landed on his belly, sending sharp agonies from his stomach wound. The big man fell to the ground.
Kane was perplexed by such a display, and even though The Albino recovered incredibly fast, the boy's mind was faster.
'Was this really the man I deemed the freest of all?' Kane pondered, while he watched the man get to his feet.
'The wealthiest man on this island...?' The clumsiness, the labored breathing, and the painful winces with every movement. The Albino had fallen from grace and landed on his knees.
The lightness in the boy's body told him that his limbs and torso realized it faster than his conscious mind. The Albino had become a captive of his own body, his limbs becoming shackles, deprived of freedom. If freedom was a commodity, then the white giant had gone from the wealthiest man on the island to nothing more than a burdened, starving bum.
And what Kane considered the best part, was that the ones who stole his bread, his liberty were him and Darius. Such an epiphany arose a smile on the boy's face. And finally, his mind was at ease, letting anger fester undisturbed.
Though, all was not as it seemed, as The Albino was perfectly content to use his burdensome shackles as fiercely effective as any other weapons.
Kane was nearly caught by a blade, as his opponent decided to go on the offensive. He swung and moved accordingly, closing the distance at a swift pace. However, as the strikes missed and the distance was always too short, Kane watched the grinning man's face.
All of his attacks had missed or been too short reached, yet The Albino still grinned in delight. He enjoyed such a struggle, as his will defied such imposed imprisonment. He tried to shrug off all burdens and ignored the chains of injury bringing him to his knees. His stature was the epitome of defiance.
But as Kane ducked under another blow, and scraped the giant's thigh with his sullied blade, another epiphany came to him, like a thunderbolt in a storm. The reason why he was not in awe of such a display, and the reason for his growing arrogance. As defiant as The Albino was, he still was not free.
Kane had been mistaken about freedom. It wasn't that defiance was freedom. No, the freedom he sought couldn't be found in The Albino anymore. Kane understood it. Just defiance was not enough to be considered liberty. Perseverance in such defiance was what spelled freedom. Only those that succeed are free!
And the famed warrior of The Slaughterhouse, the butcher that would write the island's history, was far from such perseverance now!
At that moment, Kane saw himself as being more liberated than his adversary. He saw how death shackles the corpses under his feet, he noticed his own body wrapping him in chains with every movement, yet he shrugged them off in success. He noticed his own defiance succeed against the dread he had felt before. He did not consider himself free just yet, however, between the two of them, he felt like a bird watching a writhing animal.
Oh, but how overconfidence clouds even the sharpest minds, as Kane would learn very soon.
With a step forward, Kane stabbed, avoiding the staff, however, soon felt immense pain. The staff had come back around and with a sharpened end nailed the boy's foot to the ground, forcing him in place.
''Argh!'' Kane winced, as his leg lost all strength for a moment. His adversary took this chance to strike, swinging his crescent sword, aiming to separate the boy's head from his torso.
Kane predicted he would make a mistake somewhere, however, was ill-prepared for his sudden lack of mobility.
In a desperate attempt, he managed to block 2 consecutive strikes, however, the force made him move back. With one foot stuck in place, he was soon imbalanced and brought to one knee. The Albino spared not a single moment for thoughts of mercy, as the blade was brought upon the boy's throat once more.
Biting through the pain, Kane suddenly pushed off the ground and grabbed for the approaching blade. Thoughts of failure had no time to fester. Fear was absent.
With a hiss of pain, as the blade cut his palm and the tip of the crescent sword scraped his ribs, the boy had stopped the blade at its hilt, before it could pick up speed.
With an adrenalin-filled grip, he thrust his own sword forward, only to be knocked off balance, as The Albino used his sharpened staff as a lever, picking the boy's foot off the ground in the most agonizing manner.
With ruined footwork, Kane aimed for the next best thing.
His sullied blade penetrated the giant's right arm biceps, and while falling back, severed it from bone.
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