Hominid

"I really like you," she said.

We were sitting near the river at a secluded spot where people seldom came. We felt comfortable there and time passed quickly in each other's company. "I mean I really, really like you. You treat me so much better than Oslo ever does. You take time to listen to me and you're gentler. He's such a brute you know; not just with me, but all the other girls as well."

She looked at me sincerely. I realise now that she was trying to tell me she loved me, but I just felt my hairs bristling. I didn't like to think of Oslo, especially not with Alice. I lived, breathed and dreamt of the day that I would take him down. Red mist would descend over my eyes and I would lust for violence, but I had the patience to bide my time. I knew that one day I would be harem leader.

I wouldn't have to bear the humiliation of fucking Alice in secret either. I hated the way she made certain no-one knew we were sexual partners. In public she barely acknowledged me and whenever we met we'd always have foolproof alibis. I sometimes wished that Oslo would find out so I'd get the chance to fight him.

"I like you too," I muttered absently. The sun was shining through the trees and the shadows danced with the breeze. The light caught her hair and suddenly she seemed very young and innocent. She was attractive and I could imagine her being my primary female, given time.

"Bend forward," I told her. She complied with a smile; she liked being fucked that way. I held her roughly, with my hand in her hair and my muscles taut. She cried out, but I wasn't in the mood for being gentle. When I'd finished I left without saying a word.

Later that week I met up with my friend Lester. He was from a different harem group and had come over to Oslo's to sell wares. We sat in the circular abode that I shared with some other males. There were several abodes, arranged in a circle around Oslo's hut. His was far bigger than the rest and the only people he shared with were the women that were in favour at the time.

"Lester, I have a confession to make," I said. I felt safe talking to him, he associated with different people and there was no-one else about.

"Sounds serious," Lester said. He was older than me, but scrawnier.

"I've been seeing a girl," I said.

"What? Are you crazy? You're nowhere near old enough to be thinking of challenging Oslo and you know that he'll probably kill you if he finds out. She'll be thrown out of the harem too and it's tough to survive on your own. What do you mean by 'seeing' anyway?"

I suppressed a twinge of guilt – it hadn't crossed my mind to think of what might happen to Alice. "Oslo's getting old, besides I'm not afraid of him. And what do you think I mean? I've been giving her the fucking of her life, that's what."

It annoyed me that Lester gave Oslo such respect and I choked back angry bile. We'd never spoken about it, but as the years went by it became obvious that Lester would never fuck. I liked that about him, except when he was subservient towards Oslo.

"Well, just be careful, that's all," said Lester. He looked sad and resigned as he left and I didn't see him again after that.

I was mending the side of my hut when Oslo came over. Most of the time I avoided him, but he'd gone out of his way to find me. He was taller and broader than me, but his hair was flecked with grey and his walk lacked the athleticism it once had. However, his presence still made me tense and I had to force a friendly nod.

"Lancey, just the boy I've been looking for. I need you to de-lice Teddy's, my son's, hair. He's waiting near my abode," Oslo said. I could feel him challenging me with his eyes.

"No problem Oslo, I'll do it right away," I replied. Inside I raged and was only thankful that no-one else was around to hear the exchange. There were several reasons for my annoyance: my name is Lance, not Lancey; I despised being called 'boy' and de-licing was a woman's job and an archaic, symbolic one at that. I may have been able to take him then, but the time wasn't right.

I finished fixing my hut and then strolled over to Oslo's abode. Teddy was sitting on a stool outside and he looked up at me with wide eyes. It was probably the first time he'd been de-liced by a man. I could hear the sound of girls tittering and my humiliation seethed like poison in the blood.

"Daddy says you've got a soft touch, that's why you're a de-licer man," said Teddy. I didn't reply, but instead dug my fingertips into his scalp until it looked like he'd cry.

I heard Oslo's voice coming from inside, "Mm, you're a good girl aren't you? A real dirty, little bitch. I think I might have to make you my primary female." He was fucking some girl and making sure that I heard.

She was moaning and making sex noises, but she was more muffled than Oslo. I listened, despite myself, and with quiet horror I realised that it was Alice. I felt sick and shocked and tears stung in my eyes as I absently massaged Teddy's scalp. I was angry at myself: I wanted to go in and kill him, but I was unable to move.

"Ah, Lancey, thanks for doing that, you can go now," said Oslo, as he came out of his abode, half-dressed. Alice followed in her nightie; she threw me a guilty glance before scurrying off. I stared at the floor and then walked back to my abode.

The days passed, the wind howled amongst the abodes, and I grew restless. Alice and I met once at the river but things had obviously changed. The leaves had dropped and the ground was cold and hard.

"I'm sorry Lance. You know I can't see you any more," she said. She looked older and tenser than before. I remembered what Lester had said about her being ostracised from the harem, but I didn't give a shit about that. I scowled and we sat in silence until it was too cold to sit still any longer.

"See you around," I said as I left.

In the following months I kept to myself. I went running at night and lifted weights until I collapsed. My hate simmered beneath the surface and fuelled my training. However, in the day I wore loose, dull-coloured clothes and acted like the perfect beta male. I didn't talk much to anyone and I allowed Oslo to think that I'd submitted to his dominance.

When spring festival came round I was ready. There were tables arranged in a large square, with Oslo's in the middle. He sat there with his women and three children. The tables were laden with food and drink and musicians livened up the already excited crowd. I couldn't tell you what songs they were playing.

I ate and drank sparingly and kept my attention on Oslo. He was getting drunk, as were most people, and he was enjoying himself. I waited patiently, as I had done all winter. I spotted Alice playing with her hair. She was sitting behind Oslo and looked bored.

I allowed Oslo time to give a long-winded speech, although I didn't listen. People nodded and clapped politely when they thought it was appropriate. He went on about making it a good year for the harem and how many of his children had joined other harem's last year. It was all quite self-congratulatory. He then made some joke/warning about keeping young 'whipper-snappers' away from his women and then guffawed loudly.

I saw my chance and I walked boldly into the centre of the tables. The crowd went silent. They watched with morbid glee at my effrontery. Oslo was still laughing at his own joke, oblivious to my presence. However, he sensed the tension and turned to look at me. Surprise soon turned to malice.

I went to his primary female, a young blond girl, and put my hand round her shoulder. "These are nice," I commented, as I crudely squeezed her breasts. I felt surprisingly cool, as if what I was doing was perfectly natural. I saw Alice looking at me, but I stared blankly at her astonishment.

"How dare you!" Oslo spluttered. He stood and I saw the doubt in his face. I noticed a roll of fat on his belly and the redness in his face. Blood pounded in my head and cold sweat pricked my back. I breathed deeply and consciously suppressed the fear in my belly.

"I'm going to take your harem, then fuck all your women, one after another. It's time for you to stand down old man," I said.

"You silly, young fool," Oslo shouted. "I will kill you!" He spat on floor and started to circle me. He raised his fists and kept a respectful distance.

No-one made a sound and his shouts seemed to be swallowed up by the silence. Even the three children were stunned into being quiet. All my focus was on Oslo; this was my chance to be harem leader, the thing I had wanted all my life.

"Actually, perhaps I am too old. It's silly to fight, you should be harem leader." Oslo dropped his fists and half-smiled. He took a step forward and I looked to the crowd, confused. That wasn't how it was supposed to happen.

"Fool!" Oslo then screamed. He lunged forward and punched me in the side of my head. As I fell all I could think was how stupid I'd been to fall for that trick. My head was ringing and I bounced when I hit the floor. He then started kicking me as hard as he could. I curled up to protect myself.

"No!" I heard Alice scream. I felt myself submerging into liquid black. For the first time it crossed my mind that I might die.

"Kill him! Kill him!" the crowd started to chant.

Then, as he was about to kick me again, I grabbed his foot and pulled as hard as I could. I caught him off balance and he fell to the floor awkwardly. I quickly pulled myself over his legs and sat astride his torso. My blood dripped down onto his face. He tried to push me off, but I had his arms pinned down with my knees. I then punched him repeatedly in the face until it was a bloody pulp.

I finally came to and stopped punching him. I looked up and saw a hundred blank faces staring back. Gingerly I stood up and took stock of my injuries. I could sense the crowd anticipating my actions. I walked over to the children. They stood still, petrified of me.

"Go over there and stand in a line next to your dad," I commanded them. Oslo was still just about alive. Through the blood I saw his eyes pleading with me. 'Fuck you,' I mouthed. I then went behind the children and quickly, and mercifully, broke their necks. I knew that they hadn't felt any pain as they slumped to the floor.

The crowd, as one, let out a massive cheer and whooped and clapped. They then started chanting again, "Kill him! Kill him!"

I bent down so my face was level with Oslo's and whispered, "goodbye Oslo." I then punched him hard in the windpipe. Blood spluttered out of his mouth and he died.

"Now, all of you, come with me," I commanded the women. They followed me back to the harem leader's abode, which was now mine. They fussed over me and cleaned the blood off my body, but I was impatient to fuck. Outside the festivities continued with renewed vigour.

"Alice, come here," I said. She came and smiled at me, obviously pleased to be elevated to primary female. I fucked her and then I fucked all the other women, one by one. My body was hurt from the beating it had taken, but I fucked vigorously until sweat drenched everything. By the morning the whole abode stank of the sweet smell of sex.

Later Alice and I were alone, resting after all the excitement. "Lance, I love you," she said.

"Yes, I know you do," I replied, and smiled at her.