Patriarch: Soulless Wanderers Book 2 (A Post-Apocalyptic Zombie Thriller)

by Drew Strickland

  Billy was right next to Pax, grabbing Walt and pushing him off as best he could. Billy wasn't the biggest guy in the room, but he definitely committed to everything he did. Walt hit the floor, and Billy helped Pax stand firmly on his feet. Billy pulled his gun up, but before he could do anything, Mark stepped up, pointing his rifle at the two men. "Put it down," Mark commanded.

  Billy didn’t waiver. "That ain’t gonna happen," Billy said.

  Pax looked to the corner where Guthrie was climbing to his feet. "What are you doing here, Mark? Guthrie killed Reggie like it was nothing. He didn't even let him have a chance to say his peace with anyone. Reggie was your friend, man. And now this?" Pax motioned around him. "You're better than this." Mark looked like he was going to waiver. Pax had him right where he needed him.

  "Kill them!" Walt shouted, getting up from the floor.

  Before anything else could be done, Vanessa came in swinging the pipe. She went straight at Mark, knocking his rifle to the side. A bullet hit the wall, bursting a small cloud of drywall into the room. She swung it again in an arc and hit Mark across the face, putting him on the floor. She turned her attention to Walt.

  Pax looked over to the corner where Guthrie had dived for cover. He was up, and Pax wasn't going to let that happen for long. Without his gun, he would have to get his hands dirty, as if they weren’t dirty enough already. He ran to Guthrie and threw a fist right into his bearded chin. Guthrie stumbled to the side and came at Pax hard. Pax ducked the first punch that Guthrie threw, but Guthrie connected with the second. Pax felt a pop in his jaw and through his ears.

  "You stupid son of a bitch!" Guthrie yelled as he threw more and more punches.

  Pax wasn't able to keep up and took a few more to the face. He could barely keep standing. Guthrie was a lot stronger than Pax was before being injured, and now that Pax was bleeding everywhere, it really didn't bode well for him. Guthrie threw one more, but Pax slid down, charging Guthrie against the large window in the room. The glass splintered where they collided. Guthrie pushed Pax off him and stood tall.

  Pax grabbed his gun from the floor and spun around, pointing it at his enemy. Guthrie was already ahead of him and grabbed the tray off the rolling food cart, swinging it down and hitting the gun to the side. The bullet fired, putting a hole in the glass window. The tray was swung again, swatting the gun from Pax’s hand and across the room. Guthrie spit blood from the punch Pax delivered earlier and smiled. Pax kicked the rolling food cart forward and into Guthrie's gut, separating the two by a couple of feet.

  "Pax!" Billy yelled, tossing his gun over to him.

  Pax saw the gun fly in the air. Guthrie saw it flying, too, but it was too far from him to grab it. Pax took it in his hand but stopped when he saw Walt. "Drop it, asshole," Walt said, staring him down.

  Walt held his gun pushed against Vanessa's head. Her face was bloody from fighting with him. She no longer held the pipe she had taken Mark down with. Walt's head dripped blood down his face, which meant that at least Vanessa had gotten some good blows in before their current situation. Walt stared at Pax, pushing the gun harder against her head.

  "Just kill the ass-" Walt smacked Vanessa with the gun before she could say anything else.

  "Why didn't you run, Pax? You had every chance. Instead, you chose to end it all. For what? Looks like you're in a bit of a pickle here. You can try and kill me, but your girlfriend over there gets her brains plastered all over the room."

  "What's the alternative? Don't kill you and you still kill everyone?"

  Guthrie licked his teeth and looked over at Vanessa. "Maybe just you and Billy over there. Although, at this point, I think it would be a mercy killing both of you if you don't keel over before that. I mean look at you guys. I’ve shot you, what, three times now? And Billy over there looks like he’s lost more blood than this hospital keeps stock. But I think we can think of a few things to keep the mamacita around for."

  "Go fuck yourself," Vanessa spit, continuing to show no fear with a gun against her head. Walt cocked the hammer back. "Do it, Pax!"

  Pax held the gun, knowing what would happen with either decision. What should he do? Before he could figure it out, a gunshot fired from the corner of the room. Pax looked over at Vanessa. She stood, blood splatter covering her face. She was fine. Walt was on the floor, blood and brains spilled out everywhere. Mark stood next to where Walt had been. The gun was in his hand, still raised, now pointing at Vanessa. He looked over at Pax. "Walt was always an asshole, like Guthrie." He lowered his gun. "Do it, Pax."

  After everything that had happened, here he stood. Pax was pointing a gun at the man he thought was going to lead the way. But there was still room to be good. And that was not what Guthrie was. Pax gritted his teeth and swallowed hard. He felt the water in his eyes as he was about to kill this man that, at one time, had meant so much to him. "You asked why I didn't run before. Why did I choose to stay? I chose Diego. He was a better man than you, and I know what he was using the hospital for. But you, Guthrie? If you had the hospital, who the fuck knows?" Pax narrowed his eyes and trained his gun on him.

  Guthrie's face went red with rage. He kicked the cart, sending it flying into Pax, the gun firing right into the cart, missing Guthrie. "You motherfuckers!" Guthrie shouted. Guthrie reached across the cart and grabbed at Pax’s hand with a newfound rage. He slammed his hand down and swung his other fist into Pax’s face. Pax stumbled backward, leaving the gun in Guthrie’s hand. ”All you fucking traitors!”

  Guthrie pointed the gun at Pax, but stopped suddenly when the gunshot rang out. The bullet fired from Mark’s gun, the rifle being reloaded as Guthrie looked down, dropping his arm. The red blossomed from his chest in the center. Guthrie let out what seemed like an exhausted chuckle, raising his arm again, ready to squeeze the pistol’s trigger.

  Billy let out a loud yell, almost like an archaic war cry. He showed no signs that he was injured anymore. All the color had rushed back to his face, and he charged Guthrie. Guthrie, turned, firing his gun at Billy, hitting him three times, but Billy didn't stop, not even for a moment. He tackled Guthrie and the two of them hit the window. The glass shattered, and they went out the window together.

  "Billy!" Pax shouted. They all ran to the window and looked down. The two men were in the street. Blood splattered around them in a mess, leaving a Rorschach-like image. Six stories up was a long way to fall, but even if they weren't dead, the soulless surrounded them. It was like pigs rushing to a trough. None of them could see either Billy or Guthrie anymore. All they heard were the sounds of the chomping and the soulless devouring them.

  Pax watched, smiling. The threat of Guthrie was gone. He felt a little sadness for Billy but was also happy he found himself and made a decision. Pax closed his eyes for a moment and slid to the floor. “Pax!” Vanessa yelled.

  He smiled at her when she crouched down on the floor with him. “I think I might need some rest, maybe someone could also stitch me up, preferably with morphine. It’s been a long day.”

  “I thought you were dead,” she said, smacking his arm.

  His face twisted in pain. It was funny how he could be shot, punched and beat nearly to death, but a light slap could cause so much pain still. “I’m not dead, but I’ve still been shot. Three times if you didn’t hear.”

  “I’ll go get some help, you’ll be fine, just stay awake.” Vanessa smiled again before getting up. “Mark, you stay here and make sure he stays awake.” Her voice became distant down the hall. “Help, someone help me! Ayudame!”

  Pax smiled and closed his eyes, disobeying his nurses instructions.

  19

  The blonde hair blew in front of his face. Pax knew immediately it was his wife before she even turned around. He smiled wide when she did. "I’ve missed you so much," Pax whispered, tears welling in his eyes.

  She smiled wide and caressed his face. "I love you, Paxton."

  "I love you, too."

  "You need to wake up."

  "I don't wa
nt to go anywhere."

  "You need to wake up." Stacey drifted away, further from his view.

  "No, don't go."

  "Just wake up."

  She faded from his vision completely, and he started to open his eyes. "Just wake up, Pax." Vanessa sat next to his bed, still wearing her nurse’s uniform. He looked over at her, crying in the chair. The boy, Hector, the one he saved from Guthrie's gun, was sitting on her lap.

  "Aunt Vanessa, look." He pointed at Pax with a smile. Pax returned it, wiping the tears from his own eyes.

  Vanessa looked up and immediately rushed to his side, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Oh my God, I was afraid you wouldn't wake up. Thank God you're okay."

  Pax swallowed hard. He may not be the bad man he was making himself out to be, but he wasn't ready to thank anyone who didn't deserve thanks, especially Him. He returned Vanessa's embrace. "Thank you."

  "Hector wanted to make sure you were okay. He kept asking about the nice man from outside." She put up air quotes when she said it.

  Pax laughed. "I'm doing okay, now. Thank you.” He held his hand out, trying for a handshake. “I’m Pax.”

  Hector slapped his palm with his in a high five instead. ”And I’m Hector." Pax smiled and nodded at the little boy. "I'm glad you are okay and not dead."

  "Me too, buddy." Pax put his hand on the kid’s head.

  "Go ahead and go play," Vanessa said to Hector, who ran outside the hospital room.

  "So, how bad is it?" Pax asked when Hector was gone.

  "It's bad, but not as bad as it could be."

  "The dead?"

  "Mark took some of the others and started clearing out the soulless while you were in surgery. If you keep this up, we're gonna have to bill you." She smiled.

  "What happened to the nurse who hated my guts and wanted me dead?"

  "You saved Hector. You saved all of us."

  "Maybe. Guthrie is dead now, but that doesn't mean there aren't still threats out there. There are good people in here and people who want to take advantage of that. Guthrie wanted to rule the world. I'm not sure if he ever didn't, but he became the thing he preached against, if he ever believed in it at all."

  "That's not you. I know it. Diego knew it."

  "I know it, too. Now." And he did. This place was going to thrive, he would make sure of it. And if anyone tried to threaten that, he would make sure they paid the ultimate price. He may not be evil, but he was capable of doing whatever it took to get what he needed.

  <<<<>>>>

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  Afterword

  None of this would have been possible without the support of my family, friends, editors and fans who send me encouraging messages. Thank you to everyone!

  I know hospitals are nothing new in zombie apocalypse stories, but this one came to me especially when I was in the hospital with my youngest son. I knew it had to be a children’s hospital in the story.

  How depressing!

  Being in the hospital for weeks, days and nights, sometimes I felt like a zombie myself. Thankfully, everybody is doing great now, especially thanks to the doctors, nurses and other staff.

  FYI, the hospital cafeteria is my sanctuary.

  Now, I know there’s going to be some questions about the story. Where the hell is Daniel?

  Well, he’s still up north, so don’t worry. He will be back in book 3, along with everyone else. This was Pax coming to terms with who he is and who he has become. Not everything is about Daniel!

  I hope you enjoyed Patriarch and I can’t wait to share the next in series with you!

  Thanks for reading,

  Drew Strickland

  December 2, 2018

  About the Author

  Drew Strickland is the author of the post-apocalyptic series Soulless Wanderers. When he isn’t writing, he enjoys reading, watching horror movies and spending time with his wife and children.

  www.drewstricklandbooks.com

  Copyright © 2018 by DREW STRICKLAND

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Cover Design by Clarissa Yeo