Questions: 4th Installment

     Damn that girl! Nannoc was furious. He kicked the side of his bed in frustration. He had been doing so well, getting so into scaring her. It was great fun, and he forgot all of his doubts. Then she had to go and ask that damn question! He had been angry enough with her because of her incessant inquisitions, but asking him why the People had the right to sacrifice millah? The idea was ridiculous. Of course they had every right to do what they were doing! But these damn doubts! He slammed his fists against the wall and sank down on to his bed, staring up at the ceiling.
     Why did she place so many doubts in his mind? Why was she so difficult to handle from all the rest of the special ones he had dealt with already? He sighed, his mind swirling with questions. The stupid girl's habit of wondering about everything had apparently worn off on him. Deciding to place all these doubts out of his mind once and for all, Nannoc got up and began walking to Elliott's room. Of all the people who could make him sure in his duty to Sephirin, Elliott was the best.
     The way to Elliott's Adult room seemed very long. He could hear Lilly asking her question, the words bouncing around in his skull: What right do you have to treat us like this? After what seemed like forever, Nannoc was in the Adult section of the caves, right in front of Elliott's room. Shaking his head to clear it, he walked in to his friend.
     Elliott didn't notice at first that Nannoc had come in. Nannoc had always prided himself in being the quietest of the Children; he feet never made a sound against the stone floors or on the surface of the Outside world. He hoped to be a Hunter when he was made an Adult. It would be a good use of his skills. Now, he snuck up behind Elliott and stood right behind his him. Lowering his mouth to Elliott's ear, Nannoc said, "Anom," as a greeting, then watched as Elliott nearly flew three feet in the air.
     Nannoc lowered his hood so his friend could see it was just him, and Elliott's expression of surprised anger became that of mere boredom. "So," he said, "You decided to come visit me to see how Adult life is and express your wondrous awe?" Nannoc had realized that Elliott had become pompous, but this was a new level.
     "No, Elliott. I merely wanted to ask you a question." Elliott seemed to deflate a little.
     "Oh. Alright then, what do you need my Adult advice on?"
     Rolling his eyes, Nannoc asked, "Why do we sacrifice the Outsiders? What makes them so different from us that it's not a form of murder?" Elliott looked as though Nannoc was the stupidest being on the entire planet.
     "What makes us different? What makes us different?! Seriously, Nannoc, I thought you were supposed to be one of the smarter Children! Honestly!"
     "Will you please just answer my question?"
     Elliott looked as though he thought such a question was beneath him, but he said, "Fine. We're better than the Outsiders."
     "Why?" Elliott looked like he might explode into another outburst. "Please, just answer the question."
     "Because Sephirin says we are, and our god is always correct."
     "Does Sephirin also say we must sacrifice, breed, and eat the Outsiders?"
     "How can you be so dumb, Nannoc? The Elder tells us what Sephirin says and we carry it out. The Elder said a long time ago that Sephirin wished us to sacrifice the special Outsiders and to use the others as food. It's as simple as that."
     "But why couldn't we just use the cattle-things that the Outsiders use for food?" Talking with Elliott wasn't going the way he planned. "And, just think, what if the Elder was wrong, or what if he was lying to us?"
     Elliott's face drained completely of color. Nannoc could see the fury in his posture and could hear it in his voice, though it was obvious he was trying to control it, "How could you even think that? I could turn you in to the Elder and you could be put to death for saying something as blasphemous as that." Though he didn't, Nannoc wanted to say that blasphemy is only for doubting a god, and the Elder was certainly not a god. "Nannoc, where have you been getting these dangerous ideas? Who have you been talking to? We need to turn them in to be punished for saying such things to you, a mere Child."
     Getting angry with the constant patronization by a person so near his age, Nannoc let out, "I am not a mere Child! I am nearly the same age as you, I'm the eldest of the Children, and nearly an Adult. Don't treat me like a little kid. And the ideas aren't from any of the People." They both stood, glaring at each other.
      "Then where did you get those ideas, from your own head?" Then a look of comprehension crossed Elliott's face, and his eyes narrowed even further. His voice came out as a furious hiss, "You've been talking to the millah?!"
      Feeling defiant, Nannoc crossed his arms. "So what if I have?"
      "Nannoc, that's completely against all the rules of both the Elder and the Council! You can't just be doing these things!" Looking furtively around to see if anyone had heard any of their conversation, Elliott practically shoved Nannoc out of his room. "Don't come back here. I can't have someone like you ruining my chance of becoming a great person within the Adults. Leave, now." With that, Nannoc turned and left, fuming at the betrayal and lack of understanding by someone who had been his best friend. As he traveled the tunnels back to the room he shared with the other older boys, he felt very alone. But I'm not alone, he realized. There's someone else who thinks the same way I do.