Peter was the next that had been really close to our hearts. Celeste couldn’t find the courage to bring herself to shoot the man that had been her father. She dropped her gun falling into a sitting position with tears pouring from her eyes. I placed my hand on her shoulder.
“He was my family too. You’ve always been like an older sister. Let me do this for you,” I told Celeste.
She bobbed her head in affirmation. I took careful aim shooting him between the eyes. He was the only Fallen I had ever seen in my entire life wearing Hawaiian shorts. Celeste found the courage to give Frank his peace when he showed up.
Amy was among the last of the Fallen that came. I seemed to lack the strength to lift my gun. Dan asked me if I wanted him to do it. I shook my head no. It was something I had to do. I calmed myself the best I could. Took me another minute to free my mind from the memories flashing in my brain. I took aim at what had been Amy closing my eyes as I pulled the trigger. Among the unquestionably dead surrounding the tank that no longer even twitched there was no sign of Jessie.
We all sat up there daydreaming for the next hour after the job had been completed. Eventually all three of us made our way down to the truck. It was decided that we would return tomorrow to begin burying the bodies. Right as we were about to leave I heard a mew sound. I turned around finding Ally who was dirty and a little scrawny. She looked healthy despite being on her own since the day Sandra and I had left. I walked over picking her up in my arms while she began purring away.
Dan got one of the backhoes running the following day making a mass grave for the majority of the dead. Those that were closest to our hearts were given individual graves. We had a funeral later in the week to say our final farewells. We checked for supplies that had been stored in town. Almost everything had been cleared out.
The following week Dan went with me to the wreck site where Sandra had been abducted. After detailed observation we came across two leads to follow. The first was that the tracks from the truck which hit us appeared to have headed in a northerly direction. The other was a half used matchbook that had been tossed out a window a couple miles down the road in the same direction. Wrapped around it was a necklace I had given Sandra about a year ago. The matchbook was from a bar in Hot Springs, Montana called Booze N’ Beer with an address.
We discussed the community in Montana later that night. I recalled the problems that Alpine had with them in the past. Celeste had visited there among the other communities for trade in the past. According to her, they had a population of around sixty citizens the last time she was there. The man in charge of the place for the last ten years was known by Manny among the majority of the population. His real name was Manuel. She told us that none of the people there could be trusted especially him. Dan also informed me that Montana was one of the five communities that had attacked Alpine.
“Which five joined together to attack us,” I asked pretending to simply be curious.
“The ones in Montana, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Kentucky, and Arizona.”
“So what the two of you are basically saying is that it is probably too dangerous to look for Sandra.”
“We aren’t saying that we won’t. We just need to come up with a plan. Maybe we can get some assistance from the United Kingdom or the community in South Dakota. There are also the ones in Canada and Mexico. There is a lot to think about before just rushing in to the Montana compound. We have to play things smart and safe.”
I couldn’t blame Celeste for not wanting to rush in blind. The truth of the matter is that she still had her little one to look after. I couldn’t ask her to risk her life. Dan had already lost so much. It was probably better if he stayed with Celeste. Someone really needed to look after her and Jake anyway.
Later that night I silently snuck out the bedroom window after I was certain they were both passed out in deep sleep. I left a note asking them to take care of Ally for me. I stated that Sandra would want her little brother to have him to remember her by. I asked them not to worry about me or come searching no matter how long I might be gone. I promised that I would return after I found Sandra. I had other reasons for leaving, but didn’t want to worry them with those details. With me I took my sword, a rifle, a handgun, and a few supplies to get me by for a couple days. I would find more supplies as I traveled somehow. I went to my mother’s house in Alpine. Hoping in Jess’s Chevy Cheyenne I went to the fuel refinery hitching one of the large fuel tank trailers to the back. I hit the road traveling in the direction on Montana.
Epilogue
Some time has passed since last I wrote in my journal. I’m twenty-one years old now. There are only a few pages left to write on. I suppose it is only right since most of those spoken of have passed on. This story has come to a conclusion, but perhaps I’ll find a new journal. I’m sure there will be a new story to tell about the journey I’m still on. I still have yet to find Sandra. The only new lead to the man that took her is that his name is Ashe. I am also on a quest to revenge the murder of my family, friends, and the community of Alpine. I won’t rest until all those involved pay for what they did. Only then can I return back to Alpine and whatever family is left.
Anyway, let me fill you in on some of what has happened since the night I left Alpine. A few days after I left I happened upon what appeared to be a small caravan of vehicles moving a few miles ahead of me while still in Colorado. I followed keeping a really good distance away. They were far enough away that their vehicles were basically specks of dirt on my windshield. They eventually turned off the road taking a path into a state park. As I came up near the entrance to the state park I pulled over under the cover of several trees. I commenced to breaking several branches with leaves to cover it the best I could. Before walking I grabbed my rifle with the silencer and a Bowie knife. I found a good hiding spot a ways into the park in a thicker wooded area until it got dark. After the sun fell and darkness set in, I began creeping around on foot searching for them. I happened upon their camp after a couple hours. A campfire burned low with four of the men sitting around it talking. A noticed a couple other men patrolling the area. About eight tents were set up in the area they were staying. I presumed that some of the men were probably already sleeping. I carefully made my way close enough to overhear some of the conversation. Listening for a few minutes it became apparent that these were some of the men that had attacked Alpine. They were even eating some of the supplies we had acquired from Walmart. They were taking their merry time getting home exploring while they went. They had taken a small vacation at a lake which is how I was able to catch up to them.
I snuck away keeping a good distance until they had all retired except for the guard detail keeping watch for Fallen. I turned on the night vision on my rifle scope. Looking through the green colored lens I waited for the right moment to take down the guards without drawing attention. After finishing them off, I sat my rifle down next to a tree. Then, I pulled the Bowie knife from its sheath. I made my way into the camp silently moving around. I let myself into each of their tents. Covering the mouths of each men or woman I slit their throats in their sleep. Only three of them opened their eyes long enough to see the person taking their lives. I went to sleep out in the open curled up next to the fire without a care in the world. The next day I scavenged through their belongings. Now I had enough supplies to last me for several months. I syphoned enough fuel from their vehicles to top off before getting back on the road.
Montana came into view a little more than a week later. It took a while avoiding the big cities and jammed highways with abandoned vehicles. I secured a cabin along Hot Springs Creek a few miles from the town located on the Flathead Indian Reservation. Every day for several months I kept watch on the entrances of the fencing they had put up around the tiny town. A couple of runners were the only ones that exited during that time. I followed each of them long enough until the right opportunity provided itself to take them unawares. One of the three I had no choice other than to outright kill. I thought I had
caught him off-guard, but he managed to pull a gun on me. I was lucky that I got a shot off first. The other two I was able to knock out without a fight. I took them to the cabin holding them prisoner until I could get no more information from them. I couldn’t just let them go afterwards. I ended their existence without remorse or guilt. It was from one of them that I learned the name Ashe. I kept them alive for a long time trying to whittle more information that might lead me to Sandra’s whereabouts. I snuck into Hot Springs one night to get a better idea of the layout. Creeping around in the dark with guards is never a good idea. I was spotted during that outing when I basically ran right into one of the guards under a tree. He was hidden in the shadows of the large elm. He drew his gun at hearing my footfall crunching some of the leaves. I noticed the shadows appear to take the form of a man when he moved turning in my direction. There was barely time to throw the knife I was carrying around in case there was trouble. It struck him in the eye making him drop his gun. He yelled out as he fell to his knees. I rushed in finishing him off before vanishing from the area. I made a hasty escape while on high alert. Just to be safe I skedaddled a few towns over temporarily to let any parties that might be searching forget I existed enough to let their guards back down.
Well, those are a couple of my adventures up until now. I don’t plan on giving up until I find my wife. I will either rescue her or find out she’s dead from the lips of the man named Ashe as I slowly take his life. Only then can I begin making those responsible for the destruction of Alpine pay for what they did. And trust me they will pay!
-End of Book 3-
Thank you for reading another one of my books. I hope that you enjoyed the journey. In case you are wondering, Ember will return outside of this trilogy to tell a much darker story as you’ve caught a glimpse of in the epilogue. The Fallen are still ruling the world in massive numbers. This mysterious Ashe is somewhere out there. Hopefully, Sandra is still among the living. Although, there are fates worse than death so the saying goes. Those responsible for slaughtering the women and men in Alpine are still out there. Did the terrorist in the United Kingdom die or will they return to bring about more death? These and other things will keep you up at night I know!
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Through the Eyes of the Phoenix Page 15