The door to the Dining Hall opened and a man dressed all in black with a white collar strode in. The priest came right over and sat down at the table next to Emmett and the girls.
“Well, good evening,” he said. “I’m Father Ahaz. Welcome to our little community.”
“I’m Emmett.” He already didn’t like this man.
“We’re happy to have you here, however brief it may be. Did Levi inform you about our rules?” he asked, his eyes roving from Emmett to the girls, whom he eyed hungrily. No, he didn’t like this priest at all.
“He did,” Emmett said.
“All of them?”
Emmett hesitated.
“Ah, I see. Let me explain them now so we don’t have any misunderstandings. There are ten, and I’m sure you’ve heard of them before.” Father Ahaz went on to list the Ten Commandments, word for word as far as Emmett could tell. When he finished, he added, “The punishment for breaking any of the rules is death.”
The way he said it made the hair on Emmett’s arms stand up.
“We won’t be here long enough to break your rules,” Emmett said, staring the man down.
“I’m sure you won’t, but if you do…” he paused as Levi came in the door and noticed Father Ahaz talking to them. Levi hurried over as the Father stood up. “I should be going. It was nice talking with you.”
He walked right past Levi, ignoring him.
What the hell was that all about?
“I’m sorry if Father Ahaz bothered you,” Levi said, coming over to sit down where the priest had been. “He likes to preach even when he’s not in church.”
“He’s quite the character,” Emmett said, watching the priest exit the Dining Hall. Right as he was about to leave, Father Ahaz turned back to them and shook his head. Something was seriously wrong with that man.
“He creeps me out,” Alexis said, shivering.
“He’s good at that, but trust me, he’s harmless. He just likes to scare the visitors. Wants to keep his ‘flock’ safe.”
Levi was smiling again, that warm, inviting smile. He seemed like a good man, a soft man. Emmett didn’t think he would last long in this new world, but maybe if the walls held and… No, he wouldn’t last long at all. It was a pity.
“Anyway,” Levi said, “I just wanted to make sure you found everything to your liking.”
“Oh yes,” Alexis said. “The showers were amazing and the food was delicious.”
“We really appreciate the hospitality,” Emmett said.
“Good, I’m glad. If you need anything else, I’m just two houses down the street, number one-fifty-one.”
“Thanks, we’ll keep that in mind,” Emmett said.
“You know, there’s room here in Safe-Haven and we could use more people like you.”
“Like us?” Ana asked.
“Yes, fighters, survivors,” he said. He must have caught Emmett’s raised eyebrows because he continued. “I’m not naïve. I know what we have here is rare and people will want to take this from us. We need people like you to help keep those people away. Otherwise, we don’t stand a chance.”
Emmett nodded. He couldn’t agree more. “Sorry, Levi, but we have somewhere to be. I’ll give you some advice though,” he said, leaning in close. “Watch your back, and don’t trust anyone. People will try to deceive you to get in here and then try to take it from the inside.”
“You’re saying I shouldn’t trust anyone? Even you?”
“No, you shouldn’t. We could be killers for all you know.”
“Thanks for the advice, Emmett, but you’re not evil. I can tell that much. But I’ll keep that in mind.”
“That’s all I ask. You have something special here and it would be a shame to watch it go up in flames.”
Emmett yawned and the girls joined him.
“The hot shower and food is putting me to sleep,” Alexis said.
“I’ll let you be for the night,” Levi said, getting up. “Just remember my offer. We could give you a roof over your head, food in your belly, and all the warm showers you want. Think about it.” He turned and walked to the door. “Oh, and breakfast will be at eight. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight,” Alexis said as she began to yawn again.
“I’m beat,” Ana said, standing up. “I’m going to bed.”
“I think we all should,” Emmett said while also getting up. They thanked the woman who had served them before walking across the street to their room where the girls immediately plopped down on their bed, not even bothering to take their shoes off.
“You girls gonna sleep in your clothes?” Emmett asked, shaking his head to clear it.
His thoughts were foggy, and he was having trouble focusing. He must be a lot more exhausted than he thought. Alexis mumbled something in response but didn’t move.
He went into the bathroom and splashed some cold water on his face, which didn’t help. What was going on? It’s almost like… we’ve been drugged!
He staggered over to his bed where his go-bag was sitting. He began to fumble inside, looking for his toiletries kit. I might have something that…
His thoughts trailed off as he fell to the floor, darkness closing in.
~~~
His head pounding, Emmett awoke lying on the cold floor. He blinked, willing his eyes to adjust to the darkness around him. He was in a small, bare room with a cement floor, no windows, and a single door. He rose to a sitting position and his head began to swim, so he leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes, waiting for the nausea to pass.
A few minutes later, he opened his eyes and looked around, noticing two figures lying on the floor. He looked more closely, trying not to move his head. It was the girls, and they were breathing. Taking stock of himself, he noticed his gun and boot knife had been taken, along with all the contents of his pockets. Where were they? What was going on?
Hearing a noise outside, he figured he would get an answer to those questions soon. The door to the small room opened and a figure stood tall against the light streaming in from the outside. It was the priest from the Dining Hall. Emmett wanted to lunge at the man and tear his head off, but knew if he moved he would be lying on the ground again.
“You come in here, into my flock, stained and dirty, and you think I’ll just let you be? No, I cannot allow my flock to be tainted by your sinfulness. You will stay here until I can prepare for the sacrifice. You must pay for your sins,” Father Ahaz said.
He turned around and closed the door behind him, plunging the room back into darkness. Mind racing, Emmett listened as he heard the priest’s steps retreating up the stairs. They were in a basement somewhere, probably still in town. The priest wouldn’t have risked leaving. Emmett had known he didn’t like Father Ahaz, but he’d had no idea he was insane.
“Hello, is someone there?” a voice said from the other side of the wall.
“Yesss,” Emmett slurred.
“I’m sorry…” the voice said.
“For what?” Emmett asked, his speech coming back to him.
“That you’re here. This is the end,” the voice said in resignation.
“What do you mean?”
“He must ‘keep his flock clean by sacrificing the unworthy.’ We’re the sacrifice. And by that he means he’s going to feed us to zombies. I’m the only one left for him to sacrifice tonight. He already ‘sacrificed’ the rest of my family.”
Steps interrupted whatever the person was going to say next.
“It’s time,” Father Ahaz said.
“No, please! I’ll repent. I’ll change my ways. Just please don’t—”
“It’s too late for you, child. Your sins have tainted you.” Emmett heard a zapping sound and something hitting the floor. “Get him up.”
Shuffling and grunting sounded from the room, and he heard two sets of steps retreating up the stairs.
“Poor lost soul,” Father Ahaz muttered under his breath as he followed.
He was feeding people to the infected to
cleanse the sins of the town, and they were next.
12
Drifting
The Andderson brothers sat on the steps of the courthouse, lost and unsure of what to do. As the morning sun rose higher into the sky, a vehicle pulled onto the street half a mile down from the courthouse, bringing the brothers out of their stupor.
“Who do you figure that is?” James asked his brother. Connor looked through the ACOG on his AR.
“Red Xs,” his brother said simply.
“Good. We’ll kill ‘em all,” James said, trying to stand but sitting down again when pain flared in his leg. “Oh, right.”
“I got you, bro.”
Connor ran down to the truck and pulled out his .308 rifle, then ran back up the steps. Lying prone, he brought the rifle to his shoulder and scoped on the car that was beginning to slow two hundred yards out. James was lying next to his brother, AR at his shoulder.
“Ladies first,” James said.
The car was slowly cruising towards them. James could see the four men pointing at the white truck when the shot went off. The .308 bullet punched a hole in the windshield and took the driver in the chest. The car sped up and swerved, crashing into a nearby light pole, and the three remaining men stumbled out of the wrecked car. James squeezed the trigger, but his shot went wide, hitting the car door next to the man he was aiming at.
Oops, guess I had a little more to drink than I thought. He reacquired the target, who had taken a knee to fire his handgun. Doesn’t he realize he wouldn’t hit us at two hundred yards with that?
The man next to his original target pulled out a rifle, and James aimed at him instead. He took his time aiming, ignoring the bullets that smashed into the concrete in front of them. He fired and the man went down, a bullet blowing through his lung. James swung onto the man with the handgun, but he was already on the ground, a pool of blood growing around him. Surveying the scene, he noticed the fourth man was down as well. Connor was deadly with that rifle of his.
James looked over at his brother, who looked back at him.
“Let’s take a look at your leg,” Connor said.
“Fine, now is as good a time as any. I won’t feel it as much in my current state,” James said.
“Yeah, I saw that first shot. What the hell?”
James shrugged, “You know I can’t drink as much as you. I wasn’t expecting more Xs needed to be killed.”
His brother laughed as he returned from the truck carrying a first aid kit and some water.
“Take your pants off. It’ll be easier to get at the wound. Otherwise, I’ll have to cut them.”
“Don’t you dare cut my pants,” James said as he undid his belt, then gently slid his pants down over the wound. “You better not let me die like this.”
“If you do, I’ll make sure to put your pants back on.”
Connor poured a bottle of water over the wound, cleaning it. Then he looked it over, noticing there was some bruising but only two very small open wounds.
“Looks like just two BBs. I’ll have to get them out.”
“Oh, and I’m sure you’ll hate doing it,” James said.
“Causing you a little pain isn’t gonna hurt me one bit.”
“No, but it’ll hurt me.”
Groaning could be heard coming from the top of the steps as a zombie shambled their way. Connor looked at his brother and smiled.
“You better kill that freakin’ thing! I don’t have my pants on!” James said.
Connor chuckled darkly as he picked up his AR, shooting the zombie.
He set his AR back down and looked at his brother.
“Don’t worry. I told you I wouldn’t let you die with your pants down.”
Crouching down, Connor pulled out the tweezers and spread the wound with his fingers, then stuck the tweezers in and grasped the small BB. James clenched his teeth and grunted. He may not be able to feel as much in his intoxicated state, but he could sure as hell feel his brother sticking the tweezers inside his leg. After a few minutes, Connor had both BBs pulled out and the wounds cleaned, irrigated, and wrapped in gauze.
“Doesn’t look like it did much damage, other than the little holes and the bruising. My official diagnosis is you just need a good dose of ‘toughen up buttercup.’”
They both smiled at that. It was one of their dad’s favorite sayings. Had been, at least. He was gone now and so was their mom. All the mirth drained from them as they realized they had no plan, no purpose, and no reason to go all the way to Alaska if it was only them. It was supposed to have been their whole family.
James pulled his pants up and stood with the help of his brother. Putting weight on his leg, he realized it wasn’t as bad as he’d thought. He’d be able to walk with only slight pain and a small limp.
They walked back to the truck.
“Might as well go get their guns, although we’re collecting a small arsenal,” James said, climbing into the driver’s seat. He turned and started the truck; glad it was his left leg that had been shot and not his right.
“Should you be driving?” Connor asked, goading his brother.
“Shut the hell up and buckle up. No telling where we might end up.”
Pulling over to the wrecked car, Connor got out and retrieved the guns and a bag of supplies. Once he threw the bag in the bed, he climbed back into the passenger seat.
“What now?” Connor asked.
They sat there in silence for a few minutes, the full weight of everything pressing down on them.
“I honestly don’t know…” James said.
He knew they should pray for guidance and protection. But he just couldn’t bring himself to. He was pissed at God for letting his parents die, for letting all this happen. He wanted to hurt those responsible for this—hurt them like he hurt—but he couldn’t because they’d killed them already.
“We’re pretty good at killing bad guys,” Connor said, “and this is war, so let’s go hunt the enemy.”
“I like the sound of that. Let’s head east and get on the interstate, then head north. Might as well work our way up still.”
“It’s as good a direction as any,” Connor said.
“Hey, did you ever get ahold of Tank?”
“No. I tried his cell twice, nothing. I don’t think he made it.”
“Damn, he would have been a big help. East it is then,” James said.
They drove back past the courthouse, noticing a few of the Red Xs had turned and were milling around outside. They pulled to a stop and killed them a second time, which made them smile. But their smiles were short-lived.
After driving down the highway a few miles, they saw three people scavenging around in a couple of cars. James pulled to a stop before the people realized they were there. It was two men and a woman, all armed and looking rough. Anyone would look rough right about now, and if they didn’t, that might be more of a cause for alarm.
“Let’s leave the truck here. No reason for it to get shot up,” James said, turning it off and stepping out. His brother got out, too, and they walked towards the scavengers, who saw them after they had closed the distance to a hundred yards.
“What do you want?” one of the men yelled as all three turned around and aimed their weapons at them. The brothers already had their guns up and aimed, ready for any reason to drop these people.
“Just seeing what kind of people you are,” James answered.
“What does that mean?” the other man asked, looking cocky. “We have more men around you, so I wouldn’t try anything.”
“Bluff,” Connor whispered.
“Oh, I’m sure you do,” James answered. “What are you doing here?”
“Why? Do you own the whole road?” the cocky man asked. The other man leaned in and whispered something in his ear, to which the cocky man nodded.
“I don’t like this,” Connor muttered under his breath.
“In fact, I don’t think—”
A shot rang out, stopping the cocky man mid
-sentence as he fell to the ground. James had the other man on the ground less than a second later. The woman just stood there, stunned.
“You don’t—” James began but was cut off as she started firing and dove to the ground. He shook his head and motioned for his brother to go around and flank her.
Connor moved off in a crouch, sticking to the vehicles for cover, while James started to fire on her position, keeping her down. Connor made his way around to where he had a good view of her from seventy yards. He would give her one more chance, but she saw him and began to fire in his direction.
He shot her in the chest.
Her body crumpled to the ground and the brothers closed in on their position. One of the men was alive and groaning from having been shot in the gut.
“Help me…” the man whispered, looking pleadingly at them as they approached.
“Not my best shot, I admit,” James said, walking up to the man and shooting him in the head.
“Get the guns and let’s go.”
They picked up two guns. One of the men had been armed with an airsoft gun spray-painted black.
Idiot. It’d gotten him killed in the end. They were halfway to the truck when they began to hear groaning. Looking around they noticed a horde of zombies heading their way from the east.
“Can’t go that way!” James said as they hurried to the truck.
“There has to be at least a hundred of them!”
“Look at the map. See if we can get back on the interstate further north or south on one of the roads we passed.”
Connor pulled out the map and flipped to the page showing Nebraska.
“Yes, we can go back a few miles, then turn onto Platte Road and head north for a hundred miles. I-29 comes to meet the road. All we have to do is pass through a small town called Haven. Should be an easy detour and we can be on the interstate within a few hours.”
“Good. Let’s go.”
~~~
Night had passed and it was brighter in the room now, but not by much.
The Brother's Creed (Book 1): Outbreak Page 12