Legend of Mace

by Daniel J. Williams

  The fireball sprang from the catapult at a high rate of speed, colliding into the head of the infected. Its head instantly disappeared as the fireball swept it clean off and headed straight towards the rear of the truck. It hit just inside the roof of the trailer and bounced inside as dozens more infected raged to escape their darkened prison. Huge flames erupted within.

  Watching what he’d accomplished, Travis couldn’t help but giggle for a second before he turned and sprinted off. “I did it!” he squealed with pride. “I did it!”

  As the girls ran towards the training center (their spot to converge in case of breach), Maya suddenly stopped. Chelsea and Kelly didn’t notice and kept running as Maya turned back for Travis. Unable to bear the thought of losing another friend, her heart all at once ached for his goofy attention. She would rather die than lose another person she cared about. At that moment she realized how much he meant to her. He was the only boy that was always there for her, no matter her mood or how badly she treated him.

  Her heart pounded in her chest as she watched Travis launch the burning fireball into the trailer with the infected racing directly at him. She screamed, “Run, Travis!” as she loaded an arrow in her bow, ready to protect him from the swarming infected. To her amazement, as the closest infected shrieked in outrage and reached for him, Travis pulled the six-shooter he kept in his belt holster, turned while running, and nailed it in the head with one shot. He turned back, and the fearful look on his face turned to a goofy smile at the sight of her.

  “C’mon!” he yelled, as he grabbed her hand, “I’ll keep you safe.” For the first time in a long time, he felt brave and valuable. He felt six feet tall.

  On the roof, Jade picked off two infected that trailed closest before jumping on the Walkie-Talkie. “We’ve got roughly a dozen infected inside the camp. Jim and Yvette are down. Travis took out most of the threat, but they’re coming!”

  Woody’s voice came on the radio immediately. “Stay on the roof and keep watch outside. You too, JB. We need to know if any new threats approach. We can handle this.”

  CHAPTER SEVENTY FOUR

  Speeding towards the Alamo, Mace reached the debris fields and dodged through piles, the Harley smooth and in control. He suddenly noticed a huge plume of black smoke billowing up from somewhere behind the camp.

  Glancing to his far left, he spotted the ambulance racing towards the camp, and his first thoughts centered around the ambulance lights. If the infected made it inside, the lights could prove useful at disrupting any attack.

  Leaning into the bike, the Harley zoomed left towards the ambulance. Mace flew around debris piles as he rolled the throttle harder. He figured they had about a minute before the remaining bikers caught up. If the camp was overrun and unprepared for a second assault, it would fall.

  Roger caught Mace’s approaching dirt trail and veered the ambulance to the right. Rolling down his window, Crockett stuck his head out as Mace pulled up next to them. They were both traveling at over eighty miles an hour. Mace’s bike wavered as he tried to pull close. Trying to keep his eyes on the road, he glanced quickly at Crockett. “Lights!” he yelled. “Follow me!”

  Crockett understood immediately, more from reading Mace’s lips than hearing him clearly. Turning to Roger, he said excitedly, “Turn on the ambulance lights! It messes them up!”

  Mace turned the Harley back towards the direction of the main gate. “Follow Mace!” Crockett yelled. The ambulance bounced over debris and briefly rocked as Roger adjusted the course of the vehicle.

  Inside the infirmary, globs of sweat clung to Lisa’s grayish skin. At the sound of the tailgate crashing against the back wall, the urge to fight and protect sprang forth. Jason and Shawn were huddled in the back with Melissa. They would be the last room to fall.

  “Get me my gun,” Lisa yelled weakly. “I’ll die before anybody touches these kids.”

  From behind her, Melissa started to protest. “You can’t even grip one without…”

  “Get me my goddamn gun and don’t say another word!” Lisa yelled hoarsely. The outburst almost knocked her out. Her head spun as black dots flashed in front of her eyes. Much more quietly, she said, “Just lay it on the bed and keep those kids back. Nobody is getting past me.”

  CHAPTER SEVENTY FIVE

  “Everyone to the training center!” Woody yelled into the Walkie-Talkie. “Form a line in the middle and don’t break ranks!”

  Twenty-four kids instantly spread the word or were already scrambling towards the courtyard. The remaining Rangers quickly dispersed weapons piled at the center as a line formed. The warrior princesses all grabbed bows, while the rangers armed themselves with spears and javelins.

  Travis and Maya were the last to enter. Travis fired several shots towards the infected as they ran through. Bullets punched through dead flesh, missing the brain center that would stop all activity. The infected shrieked as they gained ground.

  Entering the courtyard, Travis grabbed Maya and pressed her against the inner wall as the infected all sprinted past. Spotting the line of kids in the middle, the infected roared as they sped faster towards the small congregation.

  “Now,” yelled Bailey, the head Ranger with Crockett and Bowie gone. Arrows and javelins instantly took flight as the racing dead barreled towards them. Arrows pierced rotting meat as javelins slammed through their bodies. The infected roared as they charged, and the kids screamed in defiance as they came together.

  Dropping her bow as they stormed, Chelsea's heart pounded as she swiftly grabbed the spear by her feet and jabbed it upwards into an infected's head. It crashed into her as the spear punched through the back of its skull. Herman scrambled around her body and down her back leg as the infected slammed into her and Buster lunged at the infected from beside her. Clamping onto the infected's leg, Buster growled loudly as the zombie and Chelsea tumbled backwards. They all went down hard as Herman leapt from Chelsea's leg to avoid getting crushed. Landing on Buster's back, he momentarily looked like a lizard rodeo star as he clamped onto the dog's fur and Buster tugged and ripped at the lifeless infected's leg.

  Bailey was suddenly in front of her, protecting her with his own spear as more charged. "Get back!" he yelled as she quickly crawled backwards, trying to scramble to her feet. His javelin pierced through a zombie's upper chest and it kept coming, pushing him backwards. Chelsea suddenly rushed it as she screamed in outrage, an arrow in her hand. She stabbed it deep in the side of the head with the shaft, looking at it in hatred as it went limp.

  "Look out!" yelled Kelly as another one grabbed Chelsea's shoulder. Buster charged again, a deep growl sounding as he dug his teeth into the new zombie's leg. Herman remained clutched to the back of the dog, trying not to get dislodged as Buster's body writhed with determination, trying to rip the infected's leg from its body.

  Maya's heart jumped as she witnessed the zombie grab Chelsea, and she darted swiftly away from the wall, lifting her bow at the infected's head. An arrow suddenly protruded through the zombie's forehead as Maya released it with a determined scream. It startled to topple over as a javelin split its head apart from the front. Kelly stood eight feet away, disgusted by the display but thankful she'd payed attention to Crockett's lessons.

  Despite her initial shock at Crockett's physical touch, Kelly found she couldn't help herself from seeking him out for more javelin-chucking instructions and playful banter. She found that she couldn't get enough of him and found herself constantly thinking about him. In the process, she became deadly accurate with a spear.

  The remaining infected were swiftly overcome as the children fought with the ferocity and skill of a trained army. Within a few minutes the threat from the infected was squashed.

  Pressed against the inner wall facing Maya, Travis felt an adrenaline rush as the infected quickly fell. Doing the unthinkable, he kissed Maya directly on the lips. Her look of complete surprise turned to warmth for a split-second before she turned her attention back to the situation. Travis beamed.r />
  Maya glanced back at him with a light blush covering her cheeks. “We need to get ready for a second assault,” she said, her face trying to remain composed. She couldn’t help herself and kissed him lightly on the lips. “Let’s go.”

  CHAPTER SEVENTY SIX

  “It’s Mace and the ambulance!”

  Bailey caught sight of their vehicles and lifted the radio to report it. “Open the gate! They’re traveling fast!”

  “On it,” Woody answered a second later as he rushed to heave the gate open. Pulling it wide, he spotted the dirt trail from the bikers in the far distance a moment before Bailey announced their presence. “We need to get ready,” Bailey said. “The bikers are coming!”

  The Harley sped through the open gate, followed closely by the ambulance, lights flashing. As soon as he stopped, Mace was off the bike, gun at the ready. Woody rushed up to greet him. “Infected are all down. We lost two.”

  Mace’s head briefly spun at the declaration before returning to the other immediate threat. “Close the gate!” he yelled. “Gang will be here any second.”

  Staring at Woody for a brief second, Mace couldn’t help but ask. “That semi was supposed to be loaded with infected. How’d you take them all out so quickly?”

  Woody couldn’t help but smile despite the oncoming threat. “Travis stayed behind and launched a fireball directly into the trailer. He’s a hero.”

  At the mention of Travis’ name, Mace smiled himself. “Good for him,” he said appreciatively. Bailey's voice came back on the radio. They could both hear the urgency in his tone. “It looks like they’re going to hit us from the rear.” A second later he said, “Scratch that. Damn, they’re splitting up. They’re going to come at us from two fronts.”

  “What do we do?” Woody asked, looking up at Mace.

  Feeling himself get focused and dark, Mace answered slowly and deliberately. “We kill every last one.” Taking a deep breath, he tried to quickly formulate a plan. “We’re looking at about even odds I think. They’ve got speed but we’re better protected. Let’s start with fireballs and flaming arrows. Make them think twice about storming the compound. If we can keep them at a distance, we can use the sniper rifles to pick them off.”

  “The back wall is compromised,” Woody said, wanting to share all information. “That’s going to be their best shot to get in.” Seeing the curious look on Mace’s face, he added, “They slammed into it with the trailer. A good portion of it crumbled.”

  “That’s where I’ll be, then,” Mace said, clenching his fists as he itched to finish off Razor and his gang. He’d die before they’d lay a hand on any of the kids. Thinking of the kids, he couldn’t help but ask, “Who’d we lose?”

  Woody’s face went slack for a second. “Jim and Yvette.”

  The anger Mace felt turned momentarily to shock and sadness, then to an overwhelming sense of rage. “Those motherfuckers,” he said bitterly as he turned towards the back wall.

  As Razor moved his half of the gang towards the rear of the compound, two of his riders suddenly split off and drove behind debris piles, where they stopped and hid. They'd wait and climb over the side wall, creating chaos from within.

  Woody spoke quickly to the kids waiting inside the training area. “Get the catapults ready. Man one at the front and two at the rear. We’re not giving up our camp.”

  Looking up, day was just beginning to give way to twilight. Another hour and they’d be covered in darkness. “Let’s take these guys out before it gets dark,” he said more quietly.

  Mace watched from the crumbled rear wall as Razor and half his bikers pulled to within a hundred yards of the compound. They began circling in a wide circumference, revving their engines. Standing next to Mace, Chelsea looked up to him and asked, “What are they doing?”

  Maya and Kelly leaned in to hear his response as a half- dozen other kids took up positions along the wall. Mace briefly looked back to watch Travis and a few other boys reposition the catapults.

  Black smoke continued to wisp up from the trailer, which steadily smoldered. The smell of burning flesh filled everyone’s noses. None of them reacted.

  “Trying to intimidate us and see what we do.” Staring out at the bikers, he wanted blood. His whole being cried out for it.

  When he first approached the back wall, he’d been greeted by the lifeless and mutilated bodies of his friends. He moved them to the side, then heaved the dead infected over the wall as the bikers started circling. Staring out at his enemies, the desire for bloodshed flowed through him like a wildfire uncontained.

  “What are we going to do?” Chelsea asked, looking up and growing a bit more nervous as bikers screamed out war-calls, sounding loud and deranged.

  Mace’s face went dark. “Send them a message.” He lifted his Walkie-Talkie. “You ready, J?”

  “Just say the word,” she answered, her eye pressed against the scope as she lay prone on the roof of the amphitheater. The barrel of the rifle rested on a brace near the edge of the roof.

  Looking behind him and locking eyes with Travis, Mace said, “Get ready to launch the fireballs once the arrows let loose. I want them aimed fifty yards out.”

  Travis felt his heart race with pride. Looking over at the Ranger that manned the second catapult, they nodded at each other in preparation then cranked on the levers to the desired mark. Once they reached it, they lifted their torches, ready to ignite the heavy projectiles.

  Turning to Chelsea, Mace said, “As soon as I hit the other side of the trench I want arrows in the air. Adjust for speed. They’ll be heading our way.”

  “What do you mean other side of the trench?” Chelsea asked, surprised. “What are you going to do?”

  “Let them know they’re in for a fucking fight.” He picked up the Walkie-Talkie again. “How does it look out front?”

  “They’re circling about a hundred yards out,” Bailey answered a second later, “screaming like idiots.”

  “Let them circle until you hear Jade’s shot,” answered Mace. “If they try to storm, they’ll start setting off the mines.”

  “Will do.”

  Woody picked up his radio. “We’re ready with arrows and catapult. Let’s get this over with before it gets dark.”

  As soon as Mace’s radio dropped to his side, Chelsea prodded him again, “What are you going to do, Mace?”

  “The cab of that truck didn’t burn,” he said, nodding his head towards the front of the trailer. “I’m going to see if it will still run.”

  “And if it does?”

  “Then I’m gonna ram it down their throats.”

  “There’s got to be like twenty motorcycles out there!” Chelsea said excitedly. “If we’re shooting arrows and you’re driving towards them, aren’t we going to hit the truck.”

  Mace couldn’t help but allow a dark smile to curl up his lip. “I’ve got a roof, remember?”

  “What about the fireballs?”

  Mace just stared back calmly.

  “And what if the truck doesn’t start?” Chelsea asked.

  Feeling his body tingle, he patted her on the shoulder. “You sure ask a lot of questions. If the truck doesn’t start, then I’m going after them on foot.” His adrenaline was peaking.

  “You’re crazy!” Chelsea said.

  Mace turned his attention back to the circling bikers. “Time to finish this shit,” he said loudly. The rear of the semi rested a few feet beyond the trench. The trailer, still smoldering, was almost completely disintegrated.

  Stepping over the crumbled wall, Mace prepared to leap across the trench. He turned back, winked at Chelsea, then lifted the Walkie-Talkie. “Take out these fucks,” he said to Jade.

  CHAPTER SEVENTY SEVEN

  Razor pulled his bike to a stop in the middle of the circle and raised a pair of binoculars to scan the camp. One of his lieutenants pulled next to him as the rest of the bikers circled around them.

  “See anything?” the biker asked.

  In betw
een the pass of bikes, Razor spotted one person: Mace, standing on the other side of the crumbled wall, ready to leap over the trench.

  “Motherfucker,” Razor said. “I’m gonna gut that fucker like a fish.”

  “What do you want to do?”

  “Let’s keep circling until the ambulance shows. Dawson said it was mostly kids. Let’s get them pissing their pants before we blow them to hell.”

  A split second later he spotted a brief flash from the roof of the amphitheater. Blood suddenly sprayed from the biker passing directly in front of him. Brain matter and blood arced around him.

  “Shit!” he yelled, pissed as he wiped specs of blood off his face. “These fuckers want a fight? Let’s storm!” he yelled as he rolled the throttle and pulled forward, leading the gang directly towards the back wall.

  Jade lined up another shot, pissed that a passing biker ruined her shot at Razor. From below her along the wall, the first wave of arrows released, their tips burning and hot. Each arrow had been dipped in pitch, and one kid ran along the front lines as they raised their bows, igniting each arrowhead.

  Flaming arrows suddenly soared from the compound, heading directly towards the bikers. A second later two fireballs sprang from their catapults, and the bikers swerved recklessly to avoid impact, a few crashing into each other as several arrows found their marks.

  Jade’s second shot missed Razor’s face by an inch as he turned the bike suddenly to avoid an incoming arrow. The fireballs landed directly in front of the bikers, bouncing hot and spraying flames as the bikers tried to avoid impact. One of the fireballs made direct contact on its second bounce with a Harley, and its occupant screamed as flames erupted all around him.

  Razor yelled, “Retreat!” as the second wave of arrows sprang forth from behind the wall. A third of his men were down. Several more were injured but still riding. Small tufts of flames leapt off their clothes from where the arrowheads first made contact.