by Thomas Baker
"Yes Charlie, how can I help you?" Albright said, hand tapping on the door.
"Sorry to disturb you Rev," Charlie scratched at his neck. "It's just that, so far we have had no luck finding Randall. Wherever he is hiding, it's a darn good spot."
Randall. The Sheriff was an asset when Albright first got here. Now he had turned on Albrightas well. Albright thought it was justas well, anyway. His congregation was large enough now he felt didn't need Randall around any longer. He could control the city. He would turn this into the perfect excuse to get rid of him too.
"Let's have everyone take a break for now. I need you to do something else for me Charlie. Get a few men, the most experienced with the zombies. We're expanding the project."
"What, you mean Purgatory?" Charlie asked, stunned. "So last night wasn't a one-time thing?"
"Right Charlie. I think it is time to get things back under control. We'll do one more trial with Tyrone. When we catch the others, the whole church will be there to watch. Not left standing outside the college, thinking we shot the sinners like last time. They need to be shown what happens to liars and betrayers."
"Sure," Charlie said, bobbing his head. "I know just who to get." A sick smile crept upon his face.
"One more thing Charlie. Make sure Hannah is ready to go with us tonight."
Charlie opened his mouth as if to say something. With almost a snap he shut it again. He turned and left. Albright closed the door on his retreatingback.
He went back to the Bible, but the words kept slipping straight through his mind. He eventually gave up. He had to admit he was more nervous about how Hannah would do tonight than he would like to admit. He wished he had more time to work on her.
He sat back down behind his desk, swiveled in his chair, and poured himself a drink. A few sips and he thought maybe he would visit Alice. He hadn't had a meeting with her for some time and it might be just the thing to calm him down. Clear his mind and let him focus. Besides, she was missing him by nowhe was sure. He sat his drink down on top of the Bible. Feeling more optimistic about his future with the church, Albright strode out the door, locking it behind him.
In the passing days, Hannah had fallen into a rhythm within the community. Today though all the feelings of safety and happiness were swirling into a cyclone of mixed emotions.
She walked the paths outside in a daze. She simplycould not wrap her head around what everyone was whispering about. The jailbreak, shooting poor Daryll and almost killing him and Charlie. JT and Tyrone sneaking later that night and taking Gus. She especially could not fathom the thought of them killing Linda when she caught them. Along with two other men of the congregation. She would give anything to go downstairs to the basement and see for herself but Albright had set guards on the stairs.
She was feeling incredulous that JT would even do such a thing. She needed to talk to Albright, tell him her doubts. She wanted to go to the basement, go to the jail. Talk to Alice, who apparently saw Gus fleeing and hear her side of the story for herself. Find something that could convince Albright that JT and Gus were not murderers.
Hannah looked up from the view of the pavement she had been lost in. Looking around, she noticed Margaret was in the garden, pulling carrots from the ground and putting them into a wicker basket. Hannah headed over to talk to her, hoping to pry some information from her about where Albright was. She hadn't been able to find him or Alice on her own.
"Hello Margaret," Hannah said, trying her best to sound pleasant and non-confrontational."Out here by yourself this morning?"
Margaret looked up, shielding the sun with one garden gloved hand.
"Yes," she said, looking annoyed. "Gardening always helped me to relax. I need some now. Things seem tense inside."
"That's the same reason I'm out here for a walk. I thought it'd be nice to talk to Alice. She is always so sunny and cheerful. I could use some of that, after they've accused my friends of such horrible things."
Margaret's lips became a thin line. "God has a plan for her and Reverend Albright will guide her on that path. He will guide us all. "
Hannah thought she was being terriblyelusive. Could Margaret be hiding something?
"Blessings be upon you ladies," said Reverend Albright, as he came strolling up between the rows. His sudden appearance out of what seemed like thin air startled Hannah.
"Margaret, I hope you don't mind but I would like to borrow Hannah for a little while. The Lord has sent me a command. I should talk to her."
"Not at all Reverend. We all do our part to serve God." Margaret smiled sweetly at Albright. She stood and patted Hannah on the shoulder.
Albright held out his hand and Hannah took it, raising herself off the ground with his help. Hannah's heart skipped a beat. She had wanted to talk to him but she also feared it. She feared she would find out the truth about what Tyrone and JT had done. It was like a cruel nightmare, how they could turn like that. No, what was she thinking. It couldn't be true.
"Walk with me," Albright said.
He led Hannah out of the garden, off of the property, and into the woods behind it. Most of the trees were balding as winter approached. Their steps crunched as they walked over the carpet of leaves on the ground. Hannah thought there wouldn't be too many more nice days ahead.She stopped her thoughts there, before they could overwhelm her again. She had already cried herself to sleep the night before when she had heard the rumors. It was too terrible to contemplate again. They walked until they came to a place where two huge logs had crashed on top of themselves, blocking the natural path they had been following. It was here the Reverend stopped.
"It was here it happened. I remember it like it was yesterday," he said, facing away from Hannah and looking at the fallen trees. When he turned to face her, he wore a solemn expression. "I am about to tell you something I haven't revealed to the rest of the congregation yet. Understand?"
She could tell it wasn't a question. She nodded. She felt her pride swell at being so trusted by him.
"I was sitting in my house, reading through the Bible as I was putting together a sermon. The TV was on in the background. It helped fill the silence. The emergency broadcast warning came on, so I looked up from my work. The next thing I knew I was standing in front of the television screen, dumbfounded at what I was watching."
"I know what you mean," Hannah said, a quiver in her voice. She shivered all over. What he was saying triggered the memories of the first few days of the Outbreak. When her and Ashley watched the world die on social media. Of going outside to face the horror or die of starvation.
He smiled sadly at her. "That is when I heard the voice. It told me to go outside and into the woods. It wasn't the kind ofcommand you'd argue with either. So, I turned and left, not even taking the time to turn off the TV. I walked out here and at this spot is where I stopped and received the vision."
"Vision?"
"Yes. I saw something like a ball of light right there, above these fallen trees. It was blinding. I saw pictures in my mind, what was happening in the world and what God wanted me to do. Commanded me to do. I took the plan God's sent me that day, and it's now become my life's work."
Albright's story enraptured Hannah. How brave he must be to save all those he has. How strong must his faith be to accomplish all he has?
"We are now living in the endtime. The Rapture, the end times. As written in the scriptures. These so-called zombies are the sinners. This is their punishment, their Purgatory. To wander the Earth until God cast them down. I'm one of the chosen few who will help in casting them down. I'm also to gather the faithful, the righteous, and shepherd them so they may join their Father in Heaven."
"God spoke to methat day, as surely as he had spoken to Moses through the burning bush. I'm to do the greatest work on the Earth since Jesus himself died for all of our sins. I have to punish the wicked and prepare the faithful to ascend to their rightful place beside their Father." Albright picked up steam as he talked and by the end, he was preaching in sing
song rhyme, like he did at the pulpit.
Hannah stared at the fallen trees intently. A lone bird cried out. It sound was like the declaration that winter was coming. That all you knew was dying. She shivered.
"I know it may be hard to believe. There are few modern day miracles. If someone had told you a year ago that zombies would be a real thing in the world, would you have believed them?"Albright came over and held Hannah's hands in his.
"So why are you telling me these things out of everyone who is here? The people who have been here longer, they should know. Like Charlie, Margaret, Alice."
As they walked back to the church Albright explained. "I have two reasons. Let me explain them to you as we walk back. One, I've been putting some thought into grooming more help. As my flock grows, I must have people I can trust beside me, to help fulfill God's plan. I think you could be one of those people."
Hannah felt her face warm. Could he be serious? She had been here for such a short time, compared to some of the others. She was at a loss for words.
"Two, I'll need you to prove to me,and God, that you are a true believer. I need to know I can trust you. This was the first step. God has provided a test for you. We've captured your former friend, Tyrone. God will punish him for his hand in killing Linda and attacking my men. You'll be the one to pass judgment on him and to make him pay for his sin."
Hannah came to a sudden stop. Her heart pounded in her chest. He mouth suddenly felt as dry as sand. She wanted to say something but her mind was complete chaos, she couldn't form the words.
"I know it will be hard," Albright said in soothing tones. "All tests are. The tests the God put Abraham through are a great example. I have faith in you. You have come to the right side. You have rejected the wicked. You have until tonight to prepare yourself. I suggest using the time to pray. Pray for the strength and clarity you will need. Pray for the Lord to walk beside you during this trial. I will come and gather you when it is time."
Albright walked away, leaving Hannah at the treeline, too stunned to move. What exactly did he want her to do? What kind of punishment was in store for Tyrone? Why did JT, Tyrone, and Gus betray her like they did? What exactly happened? All these questions pouring into her mind like sand slipping through an hourglass. Her thoughts buzzed through her mind like pissed off bees as she walked back inside the church. Tears streamed down her cheek as she wiped them away with her sleeves. All thoughts of happy times forgotten. Thinking about the way JT had turned his back to her back at the jail overwhelmed her. She thought she would go follow Albright's advice, and she went into the chapel to pray.
She looked up at the giant cross. She knelt before it and placed her hands in prayer. Her tears splattered on the hardwood floor.
That night's service and dinner passed her by like a barely realized dream. Hannah was way too distracted to pay any more than surface attention to anyone or anything else. Her mind swayed back and forth between Albright's story and what he expected her to do. Was it possible God had spoken to him? What was she to do to Tyrone?
After service she was sitting on her bed in her room, the curtain drawn between her and her roommate, trying to decide if she should change for bed and go to sleep. It was getting so late she was just about convinced Albright wasn't coming back for her tonight. Maybe he had changed his mind, and it wouldn't happenafter all. Maybe he'd decided a test wasn't needed. God might have put in a word with Albright for her.
A heavy knock came at the door.
Hannah jerked up, trying to catch her breath which had suddenly run away like a panicked horse. She sent a quick prayer up to God for a sign she was making the right choice. The pounding on the door came again. She calmed herself as best she could and crossed the room. She opened the heavy wooden door. Albright was there, along with Charlie, Alice, and Ralph. Albright was holding a large lantern. Between Ralph and Charlie was Tyrone. They bound him at his wrists with a rope and a cloth was stuffed into his mouth. He didn't struggle. In fact, he stood there staring at each person, one at a time, as if he was the one judging. His eyes looked calm, as if they were all about to go on a peaceful picnic. Hannah's eyes dropped when it was her turn.
"Are you ready to go my child?" Albright asked. He stood shoulders slumped but with a fire in his eyes. A righteousness.
Hannah nodded.
"Walk with God." Albright calmly said as he extended his hand.
She walked beside Albright, with the rest of them trailing right behind. They went through the chapel, down the stairs, and into the basement of the church. Some boxeswere moved aside, revealing a door in the basement wall. Charlie opened it. They went through the door, down five steps, and entered intoa tunnel. The tunnel was wide enough for three people to walk side by side. The ceiling was low, Hannah could reach it if she stretched up her arms, and she was a woman of average height. Darkness pressed on her from every side. It seemed as if the lanterns could hardly penetrate it.
In the dimness Hannah stole a look back at Tyrone. He stood stoically, head high, not acting at all like he was a prisoner. He seemed a little smug. Did he really kill Linda?
She felt doubt about it and doubted herself. To do that though, she would call Albright a liar. Her conviction indoing what Albright wanted her to do was faltering. She reminded herself that it was supposed to be a hard decision. This was a test of faith. Like the test of Abraham. It wasn't what Albright wanted her to do. It was what God willed.
They continued walking through the tunnels. Here and there they passed a black hole, another branch of the tunnel that shot off into darkness. The group always continued on the straight path. The light from the Reverend's lantern seemed feeble compared to the enveloping darkness. The tunnel moved at a steady incline. They came to another door, which again Charlie opened after first unlocking it with a key from his pocket.
They were standing in a room filled with machinery and ductwork. It all laid dormant now. Albright led them through the room, out a doorway, and up a flight of stairs. Up they climbed, until coming out into a larger hallway. From what she could see by lantern light, it looked a lot like the hallways in the dorm area Hannah stayed at before.Hannah could make out several doors scattered down the hall, along with a stretch of lockers all down the left side.
"Down the hall we go," Albright whispered.
Continuing on, they didn't stop again until they were outside a large set of metal double doors. A thick chain wrapped around the handles and a large padlock hung from the chain. This locked the doors.Albright handed his lantern to Alice and pulled a set of keys from his pocket. He unlocked the padlock and unwrapped the chains. He set them all down on the floor right next to the wall. Hannah wondered what was inside, and if the chains and lock were to keep something dangerous out, or to keep it in.
"Alice, Hannah, if you would be so kind as to open the doors," Albright asked, taking back the lantern.
The women pulled open the doors. Hannah expected them to squeak and squeal but the doors opened silently. Albright and the other men went through. Hannah and Alice entered after them. Now inside, the Reverend reversed the process. Handing his lantern again to Alice, he picked up a matching chain, wrapped it around the door handles and locked them with a padlock. This made Hannah even more nervous.
Hannah looked around. She couldn't believe her eyes. They were in the school's natatorium A banner, half fallen from the ceiling, sadly declaring this school Eagle Proud. Ahead was a drained pool, where many swimming matches must have taken place. She could see the lane lines, painted in red like crosses at the ends. At the far end were six diving platforms, one for each lane.
Hannah froze, her breath catching in her throat. Her eyes locked on what sat on the drained pool floor. It was a cage of chain-link fence. She thought its sides were at least eight feet tall. There were two doors on it, with a big gap between the inner and outer fence of the cage. Over the cage hung a rope on what looked like a home-made pulley system, attached to the ceiling rafters. Attached to the end of the rope w
as some kind of harness system.
The cage was like a huge dog pen. Inside though weren't dogs, but zombies. They milled about aimlessly inside. They shuffled in there silent way. The only noise was an occasional rattle of the fence when one zombie would brush up against it. She guessed it held about ten of the undead.
She saw Tyrone struggle against his ropes and against the men holding him for the first time. Horror grew inside as it dawned on her what Tyrone's punishment would be.
"No, no, no," she whispered to herself.
Albright came to her and grabbed her by the elbow. He led her to the outer door of the cage. The stench of rotting meat grew stronger. She covered her nose with one hand.
"Here we shall judge Tyrone," Albright said, slipping into preacher voice. "If he is found wanting, here he will stay in Purgatory, with the rest of these sinners. It is not for us to question the word of God, but to obey."
At the sound of his voice the undead gathered at that end of the cell, pushing each other up against the fence. The rattling became louder and faster. Reverend Albright left Hannah standing there and walked over to Tyrone. He held up his lantern to Tyrone's face. To Hannah, in the lantern light, Tyrone looked like a scared little boy now. "Tyrone. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God and if it first begins at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
"Amen," said Charlie.
"For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil."
Albright grabbed Tyrone's tape with his free hand, pulling the thrashing young man forward around the pool to the back side. "Charlie and Alice.God's faithful servants. You know what to do."