by Kip Nelson
But Tillman didn't shout. Despite his hopes for the future he somehow knew nobody would come to his aid, and he didn't wish to call anyone to their death. George's death was enough for one day.
Soon, Tillman thought, he would be able to rest. If he made it through this trial, he would be able to make it to the ranch and he actually could close his eyes in sweet sleep. This was just another test of his endurance. He knew he was up to the task. His endurance had been tested many times over the years of his gaming career. Beginning when he was a youth, he always had enjoyed taking part in gaming marathons. Over the years he had continued training for them, keeping himself in prime physical condition and honing his mind to focus on the task at hand.
As he tensed his muscles and stretched his limbs in preparation for battle, Tillman looked at the oncoming man. He was packed with fat and muscle. Tillman worried that if he tried to punch the man, his fist would sink into his body and he would be swallowed up whole. But there were more ways to defeat an opponent than just brute force. Tillman's gift was analyzing an opponent's weakness. It was a skill that had had since a young age, nurtured and developed throughout his adult life. It's what gave him such prowess, and it would prove to be vital in surviving the challenges that presented themselves in this brave new world.
The source of his competitive success would now give him the greatest success of all; his life.
Tillman looked at the huge man as he lumbered toward him. He wouldn't be able to win this fight with raw strength. The man must have been six foot five, and Tillman didn't even want to think about how much he weighed. If Tillman went toe-to-toe he'd lose. So, he had to change the playing field, and make it quick, to ensure the other enemies didn't intervene.
He took one look at the man and knew he had to bring him to his knees. He moved forward, ready and willing to meet the man in combat. The huge man grinned, and Tillman could tell he was arrogant. That would prove to be his undoing.
“Uncle,” Jessica said.
“It'll be okay, Jessica. Just remember what I said.”
Tillman hoped she would be able to run if the opportunity presented itself. If he could distract them long enough, then maybe she would be able to get Anthony and Major to safety. He'd hoped that his time on this Earth wasn't so short, but if he could guarantee that Jessica was safe, then it was something he'd be willing to do. Since he'd never had a daughter of his own Jessica was the closest thing he had, and he wasn't going to see her defiled or killed.
Tillman walked toward the brute, inhaling deeply, remembering all the hours he'd put in at various gyms and martial arts classes over the years. He was going to bring this man-mountain crashing to the ground by whatever means necessary.
Tillman sensed the mood of his enemies. They all were looking forward to this, assuming the man-mountain was going to smash Tillman into a bloody pulp. Not today, he thought. He strode out purposefully, then as the two of them almost were in front of each other, Tillman sprinted forward, using all his weight to give him momentum. Tillman moved into the man-mountain’s orbit and slammed his shin into the man's thigh. He roared with pain. It reverberated through his thigh and he bent down to clutch at his aching leg. Tillman took advantage of the momentary lapse as he made his way around and landed two swift blows in the man-mountain’s kidneys. While Tillman continued his movement, the man-mountain swung wildly but hit nothing but air.
As Tillman came around the other side, he cracked the man across the jaw. Pain lanced up his arm, but Tillman didn't blink. The man spat out blood. Tillman worked on the leg again, kicking at the back of the knee. The man reached out angrily, snarling like a wild animal as he tried grabbing Tillman and bringing him close in an iron grip. Tillman stayed out of reach. He was quicker than he looked and used his agility well. He kicked with all his might at the back of the man's knee, sending him to the ground. The height advantage had been neutralized, but Tillman knew he couldn't let up. With a man of that size, who possessed a goliath’s strength, one hit was all it would take to knock Tillman out.
The man scrambled back up to his knees quickly, more quickly than Tillman had anticipated and flung out an arm. Tillman narrowly dodged the blow. He felt the air move around him. He jammed a fist into the man's chest and felt solid rock. If Tillman gave the man any chance to get to his feet again, Tillman would be finished.
The next time the man-mountain thrust out his arm Tillman caught it and brought it back, dragging it around his back, holding it at a painful angle until he had to blink back tears of anguish. Tillman didn't even bother looking at his companions or his enemies. He only vaguely was aware of Major's hostile barking. Tillman wasn't a violent man, but he already knew he could tap into the dark side of himself when it was needed. The man-mountain shook his head. Tillman brought his arm down on the elbow joint and heard a bloodcurdling cry of pain.
The man cradled his elbow, looking pathetic, but Tillman wasn't done. He quickly spun on his heels and buried his knee into the man's face. A sickening crack echoed through the ghost town. Blood ran down the man-mountain’s face, pouring out of his broken nose. Tillman punched the dazed man and watched him fall like a mannequin.
This time, Tillman did glance up, but the enemy wasn’t defeated yet. They all were shocked, but they were not demoralized. Tillman had to go further. He had to show them they were making a mistake. He towered over the fallen man-mountain and stared over to look Khan straight in the eyes, giving him a cold, hard stare. He summoned up all the white-hot fury, all the rage coiled inside him, all the pain and suffering of all those who had died, and used it in that moment. He raised his foot, and then drove the heel of his boot into the man's jaw. A loud crack echoed down the empty street, followed by a loud howl of pain as the man's jaw lolled and looked as though it was going to drop off. The huge man was lying on the ground. Even a titan could be defeated if you knew where to strike.
Tillman looked defiantly at Khan, who seemed angry.
One down, four to go.
Another of Khan's companions rushed toward Jessica. He moved too quickly for Tillman to stop him. Anthony was too weak. Jessica shrieked as the man wrapped his arms around her throat and held his fist to her head, seeming to be so arrogant that he reveled in the act rather than just getting on with it. Major snapped at his heels, but the man was wearing leather boots and didn't seem fazed by the dog's attack. Tillman started toward her, but he didn't have to. Jessica raised the can of mace and sprayed it directly in his face. The man screamed and let go of her, clutching his face, falling to the ground, writhing in agony.
Now two of them had been felled, and the odds were looking more even.
Tillman stepped away from the man-mountain he had defeated and looked squarely at Khan.
“Are you still sure you want to do this? You're not a king yet, and you've just lost two of your men. Suddenly, the odds don't seem so great,” Tillman said.
Khan's lip twitched. He evidently hadn't expected this to happen, which is what Tillman had been counting on. Bullies like him preyed on the weak. As soon as they were shown others were stronger than them, they cowered in fear. But the battle was not over yet. There still were three strong men, and if they chose to fight, they wouldn't make the mistake of taking Tillman lightly.
One of the men behind Khan looked worried. Tillman had seen that look before. It had been written on the faces of those who had met their doom as planes fell from the sky. He leaned in to try talking to Khan, but Khan didn't even bother turning around. He swatted him away like a fly. The frightened man retreated back to his companion and stood close with him, holding onto him for support.
“You want to suffer the same fate as your friends here?” Tillman said, directing his words to the frightened man.
“I bet you thought nothing could take him down. If I can do that to him, imagine what I can do to your puny ass? And this king clearly doesn't care about you. You think he's going to leap to your defense? He's going to leave you lying there, it's just a matter of which bon
es I choose to break. Maybe you'll be lucky, and I'll take your fingers, or your ankles. It'll be fitting to watch a bully like you crawl. There's no way out of this for you, but I promise you I won't kill you. I'll just leave you incapable of moving. You'll starve to death out here, which would be a real shame, especially when you're so close to all these stores with food and water. But soon you'll just be a corpse on the side of the road, and when people come through here they'll wonder what happened to you, never knowing that you had a choice to stay alive.”
The frightened man was trembling visibly and looked as though he was going to break down sobbing. He shook his head, turned, and scampered away. Khan looked back and hurled verbal abuse at him, but it wasn't enough to stop him. He disappeared into the distance. Tillman couldn't help but smile. The man had some sense.
That just left Khan and one other. Technically, Tillman’s side now outnumbered them, but Jessica and Anthony didn't count for much in a fistfight. Still, Tillman wasn't going to show any sign of worry.
“Well, Khan, looks like your army is getting smaller all the time. Do you still want to do this?”
“I still have enough to beat you,” he growled, his face turning a distressing shade of crimson. The man standing beside him didn't look so sure.
“You think? I don't think he's convinced,” Tillman said, nodding toward Khan's companion. Khan looked back and seemed furious at the last man standing.
“If you're weak like the others you can go too!” he roared. Despite everything he'd done, Tillman almost felt pity for the man who was suffering Khan's wrath. He didn't seem to know whether he should stay or go and ended up rooted to the spot.
“Even if he fights with you, I'm still going to bet on myself. Major here is damn feisty, and he's a hell of a lot more loyal than your men. It seems to me you've got a long way to go to learn to be a king.”
Khan clenched his fists by his side and shivered with rage. Tillman kept his voice even and didn't take his eyes off Khan, knowing that one sign of weakness would bring forth his anger. This was a delicate situation, and it still could go either way. He just hoped Khan had enough sense about him to see the right call. Tillman's fists were aching, and it was taking all he had to hold himself together. The toll of the last couple of days had piled up. His limbs were heavy. His muscles were sore. His throat was dry and scratchy, and all he wanted was to rest.
If Khan attacked, he honestly wasn't sure if he would be able to withstand him. The moments were filled with tension as he waited for Khan's decision. The welfare and safety of himself and the others relied upon this moment, and Tillman only could hope he had done enough.
Chapter Thirteen
The two men were like gunslingers, staring at each other as time passed. Even Major seemed to sense the tension as he had stopped barking. The world around them was silent, aside from some weak groans from the men who had fallen. Khan still was strong, still powerful, but he had lost his army. Tillman wasn't a pushover, and he wasn't going to simply give in to Khan's demands.
The longer it went on, the more confident Tillman was that Khan would relent. If he was going to attack, he would have done it instantly, fueled by his rage. It was tempting to speak again, but Tillman held his tongue. He didn't want to betray his desperation by seeming too persuasive. Silence would serve him better now. Let Khan ponder what was running through Tillman's mind. Khan's doubts were a greater ally to Tillman than his words could have been.
Khan seemed to shift his weight between his feet. He glanced back at the one man he had remaining and then looked at Tillman again. Raising a gloved hand, he pointed to Tillman.
“You're lucky today. You've proven yourself strong. I can respect that, but you're not strong enough to make it in this world. If you truly were a king, you wouldn't let me leave. We'll meet again, Tillman,” he said, narrowing his eyes.
He snapped his fingers and walked away. The other man hurried behind him, albeit hesitantly as he looked back at the allies he was leaving behind. There seemed to be no bond between them, though, and Tillman knew that was going to be their downfall. Khan never would be a king in this world, he only could be a bully. People never would want to rally around him for anything other than fear, and that would not create lasting trust.
Tillman held himself tall until Khan was out of sight, then he staggered back as the weakness and pain took over.
Jessica rushed to him and tried helping him stand. Anthony just about could stand by himself now. Major came back up to Tillman and nuzzled at his feet.
“I can't believe what you did!” Jessica said. “Are you okay?”
“I think I will be. I'm just glad he walked away. I don't think I could have taken him down if he had come at me. I'm just glad you're safe. You did well. I know it was a scary situation, but you kept your head,” Tillman said.
“I'm glad you gave me that mace,” Jessica said. She looked down at the bodies lying at their feet. They groaned and writhed in agony. Tillman didn't want to be there when they regained their faculties.
“It's time to go home,” Tillman said.
“Wait, what about them? What are we going to do about Khan? Are we just going to let him walk away?” Jessica asked.
“We have to. What else can we do?”
“There must be someone we can call. The police?” she said, looking toward the police station, but as she spoke her words trailed away, for she came to the realization there were no police any longer.
“That's not an option,” Tillman said softly. “Just like we can't get these men medical help.”
“So, they're just going to die?” Jessica asked, evidently troubled with the idea. Tillman was glad she was. The last thing the world needed was for people to become comfortable with death.
“They'll be alright. There are people in this town who might take pity on them, and I imagine they will be humbled by their experience today. As for Khan, well, he'll try bullying others, but I won't be the only one who stands up to him. There will be others waiting to teach him a lesson. There's always a bigger fish, after all. He'll find out this world isn't as easy to control as he thinks it will be. I just hope he doesn't cause too much pain along the way.”
Tillman said this part with a rueful tone. He still had the gun. He could have shot Khan as he walked away and spared the world the man’s misery, but it still didn't feel right to take a life so callously.
“Do you think he meant what he said about seeing you again?” Anthony asked. Tillman had steadied himself by now, so Jessica had gone back to supporting Anthony. She'd given Major's leash back to Tillman.
“I'm sure he meant it with all his heart, but I doubt it will come to anything. The world is too big now. He doesn't know where we're going to go, and a man like him will find trouble wherever he goes. Even though I spared his life today I don't think he'll find peace anywhere. I doubt he'll be alive for very long.”
Tillman started moving away, not wanting to dwell in this town for any longer than he had to. He only wished he had found Khan before the man had killed George.
“I just can't believe how everything has changed. I keep thinking I've gotten used to this world, and then something happens that I haven't even thought about. What are we supposed to do now that there's no police? How do we punish criminals?” Jessica asked. Anthony was quiet as they walked. Tillman assumed he was trying to put on a brave face for Jessica and not reveal just how much pain he was in.
“We don't. Maybe if some people manage to form a community they might be able to come up with their own rules, but for us, out here alone? There's no chance. We can't afford the resources, for one thing. It's not the way I'd choose to live, but it's the way things are, and there's no use trying to change them.”
He noticed how Jessica was suddenly quiet and realized he may have painted too bleak a picture for her young mind to comprehend.
“There are still police out there,” he continued softly, “but without the ability to use their radios or their cars their effectiven
ess has dropped significantly. They're not going to be able to communicate with each other, so they're more like lone rangers. Hopefully, some of them have banded together and still are fighting the good fight, just like I hope nurses and doctors are doing the same, but we're talking about the city there. Out here, where there's not many people? It's up to us to try living the right way. I've already seen too many people giving into their darkest desires.”
“What was it like?” Jessica asked.
Tillman considered a response to her question, but he knew there was only one proper way to answer it.
“Hell,” he said.
Jessica didn't say anything to that.
Tillman walked away from the town, wondering if he would return. The homecoming had been anything but welcoming, although it had been nice to take a stroll down memory lane. It only served to prove to him that it was time to say goodbye to his old life. He'd always held out a slim hope that one day he and Angela would get together again and find a way to mend their differences, rekindling the romance of their youth. He had a vision of the two of them meeting up at the same booth in the ice cream parlor where they'd had their first date, regretting all the time they'd wasted by not being together.
In his mind the dream faded away. There was no hope of that, no hope of anything anymore.
They walked down the road, which was much the same as when Tillman had made his way into town. This time he walked more slowly, harrowed by his experience. Walking away from the city had been one thing. People were crazed and panicked. He'd hoped that this place might be a little different, that in this small town, people would hold onto their sanity and their sense of community better. But it all was the same. This apocalypse had reached everywhere. There was no escape, and he almost dreaded the thought of coming back, for fear of what it would become in the future, when people would be more desperate.