Chapter Fifteen
Three days later, Barrent received a visit from a tall, dignified manwho stood as rigidly erect as the ceremonial sword that hung by hisside. The old man wore a high-collared coat, black pants, and gleamingblack boots. From his clothing, Barrent knew he was a high governmentofficial.
"The government of Omega sends you greetings," said the official. "I amNorins Jay, Sub-Minister of Games. I am here, as required by law, toinform you personally of your good fortune."
Barrent nodded warily and invited the old man into his apartment. ButJay, erect and proper, preferred to stay in the store.
"The yearly Lottery drawing was held last night," Jay said. "You,Citizen Barrent, are one of the prize winners. I congratulate you."
"What is the prize?" Barrent asked. He had heard of the yearly Lottery,but had only a vague idea of its significance.
"The prize," Jay said, "is honor and fame. Your name inscribed on thecivic rolls. Your record of kills preserved for posterity. Moreconcretely, you will receive a new government-issue needlebeam and,afterwards, you will be awarded posthumously the silver sunburstdecoration."
"Posthumously?"
"Of course," Jay said. "The silver sunburst is always awarded afterdeath. It is no less an honor for that."
"I'm sure it isn't," Barrent said. "Is there anything else?"
"Just one other thing," Jay said. "As a Lottery winner, you will takepart in the symbolic ceremony of the Hunt, which marks the beginning ofthe yearly Games. The Hunt, as you may know, personifies our Omegan wayof life. In the Hunt we see all the complex factors of the dramatic riseand fall from grace, combined with the thrill of the duel and theexcitement of the chase. Even peons are allowed to participate in theHunt, for this is the one holiday open to all, and the one holiday thatsymbolizes the common man's ability to rise above the restraints of hisstatus."
"If I understand correctly," Barrent said, "I'm one of the people whohave been chosen to be hunted."
"Yes," Jay said.
"But you said the ceremony is symbolic. Doesn't that mean no one getskilled?"
"Not at all!" Jay said. "On Omega, the symbol and the thing symbolizedare usually one and the same. When we say a Hunt, we mean a true hunt.Otherwise the thing would be mere pageantry."
Barrent stopped a moment to consider the situation. It was not apleasing prospect. In a man-to-man duel he had an excellent chance ofsurvival. But the yearly Hunt, in which the entire population ofTetrahyde took part, gave him no chance at all. He should have beenready for a possibility like this.
"How was I picked?" he asked.
"By random selection," said Norins Jay. "No other method would be fairto the Hunteds, who give up their lives for Omega's greater glory."
"I can't believe I was picked purely by chance."
"The selection was random," Jay said. "It was made, of course, from alist of suitable victims. Not everyone can be a Quarry in a Hunt. A manmust have demonstrated a considerable degree of tenacity and skillbefore the Games Committee would think of considering him for selection.Being Hunted is an honor; it is not one which we confer lightly."
"I don't believe it," Barrent said. "You people in the government wereout to get me. Now, it seems, you've succeeded. It's as simple as that."
"Not at all. I can assure you that none of us in the government bear youthe slightest ill will. You may have heard foolish stories aboutvindictive officials, but they simply aren't true. You have broken thelaw, but that is no longer the government's concern. Now it is entirelya matter between you and the law."
Jay's frosty blue eyes flashed when he spoke of the law. His backstiffened, and his mouth grew firm.
"The law," he said, "is above the criminal and the judge, and rules themboth. The law is inescapable, for an action is either lawful orunlawful. The law, indeed, may be said to have a life of its own, anexistence quite apart from the finite lives of the beings whoadminister it. The law governs every aspect of human behavior;therefore, to the same extent that humans are lawful beings, the law ishuman. And being human, the law has its idiosyncrasies, just as a manhas his. For a citizen who abides by the law, the law is distant anddifficult to find. For those who reject and violate it, the law emergesfrom its musty sepulchers and goes in search of the transgressor."
"And that," Barrent said, "is why I was chosen for the Hunt?"
"Of course," Jay said. "If you had not been chosen in that way, thezealous and never-sleeping law would have selected another means, usingwhatever instruments were at its disposal."
"Thanks for telling me," Barrent said. "How long do I have before theHunt begins?"
"Until dawn. The Hunt begins then, and ends at dawn of the followingday."
"What happens if I'm not killed?"
Norins Jay smiled faintly. "That doesn't happen often, Citizen Barrent.I'm sure it need not worry you."
"It happens, doesn't it?"
"Yes. Those who survive the Hunt are automatically enrolled in theGames."
"And if I survive the Games?"
"Forget it," Jay said in a friendly manner.
"But what if I do?"
"Believe me, Citizen, you won't."
"I still would like to know what happens if I do."
"Those who live through the Games are beyond the law."
"That sounds promising," Barrent said.
"It isn't. The law, even at its most threatening, is still yourguardian. Your rights may be few, but the law guarantees theirobservance. It is because of the law that I do not kill you here andnow." Jay opened his hand, and Barrent saw a tiny single-charge weapon."The law sets limits, and acts as a modifier upon the behavior of thelawbreaker and the law enforcer. To be sure, the law now states that youmust die. But all men must die. The law, by its ponderous andintrospective nature, gives you time in which to die. You have a day atleast; and without the law, you would have no time at all."
"What happens," Barrent asked, "if I survive the Games and pass beyondthe law?"
"There is only one thing beyond the law," Norins Jay said reflectively,"and that is The Black One himself. Those who pass beyond the law belongto him. But it would be better to die a thousand times than to fallliving into the hands of The Black One."
Barrent had long ago dismissed the religion of The Black One assuperstitious nonsense. But now, listening to Jay's earnest voice, hebegan to wonder. There might be a difference between the commonplaceworship of evil and the actual presence of Evil itself.
"But if you have any luck," Jay said, "you will be killed early. Now Iwill end the interview with your final instructions."
Still holding the tiny weapon, Jay reached into a pocket with his freehand and withdrew a red pencil. In a quick, practiced motion he drew thepencil over Barrent's cheeks and forehead. He was finished beforeBarrent had time to recoil.
"That marks you as one of the Hunted," Jay said. "The hunt-marks areindelible. Here is your government-issue needlebeam." He drew a weaponfrom his pocket and put it on the table. "The Hunt, as I told you,begins at first light of dawn. Anyone may kill you then, except anotherHunted man. You may kill in return. But I suggest that you do so withthe utmost circumspection. The sound and flash of needlebeams have givenmany Hunteds away. If you try concealment, be sure you have an exit.Remember that others know Tetrahyde better than you. Skilled Huntershave explored all the possible hiding places over the years; many of theHunted are trapped during the first hours of the holiday. Good luck,Citizen Barrent."
Jay walked to the door. He opened it and turned to Barrent again.
"There is, I might add, one barely possible way of preserving both lifeand liberty during the Hunt. But, since it is forbidden, I cannot tellyou what it is."
Norins Jay bowed and went out.
* * * * *
Barrent found, after repeated washings, that the crimson hunt-marks onhis face were indeed indelible. During the evening, he disassembled thegovernment-issue needlebeam and inspected its parts. As he had suspec
tedthe weapon was defective. He discarded it in favor of his own.
He made his preparations for the Hunt, putting food, water, a coil ofrope, a knife, extra ammunition, and a spare needlebeam into a smallknapsack. Then he waited, hoping against all reason that Moera and herorganization would bring him a last-minute reprieve.
But no reprieve came. An hour before dawn, Barrent shouldered hisknapsack and left the Antidote Shop. He had no idea what the otherHunteds were doing; but he had already decided on a place that might besecure from the Hunters.