“Son, I really do love you.”
I don’t stop him from pointing the gun at my chest and pulling the trigger three times. The pain is unbearable and my mouth hangs open, blood dribbling out. I look down and know that I will be dead in seconds. When I look back at my father, I don’t see a man who is glad that he has killed his son, but a man full of remorse, but also a man that will not let anything stand between him and his mission.
I helped make everything possible for Jeremiah to take over Shadowface’s position. Part of me never meant for it to happen, but another part of me is glad. I’m happy that I was able to do something for my father. I never meant for the day to end like this, but I suspected this would happen. I haven’t stopped him from gaining power, but perhaps it isn’t my place.
I suppose now it isn’t.
Jeremiah stands in front of me, watching as I gasp for air, though my lungs fill with blood. Here I am drowning and all I can think about is what my father is thinking. Does he hate what he has done? Does he feel sadness?
As I slump in the chair, I think about what I have planned all along—to make my final command. I am supposed to order him to take the gun and shoot himself in the head so we can die together as father and son.
But the command will never reach my lips. I take my last gargled breath.
The bright room suddenly goes dark.
Chapter 27 - Remi
Evie rests on my hip as I stumble forward down the street. It’s mostly empty but for a few greyskins lurking after something else behind us. The sounds of gunfire and screams haven’t stopped, nor will they for some time, I suppose.
For what feels like hours, I’ve done everything I can to try and get Evie out of here, but everywhere we turn there are either more greyskins or soldiers fighting greyskins. For the longest time, she and I hid inside the building where I shot Paxton, but I knew if we were going to get out, we needed to find a vehicle.
My leg feels like it might fall off if I go any further, however. I set Evie on the ground next to a dumpster, the two of us temporarily hidden from the action in the streets a block or so away. I rest my head against the wall and wish I could just fall asleep.
Evie crawls up next to me and hugs me tightly. I rub her soft hair with my fingers. I think for a second that she actually falls asleep amid all the chaos around us, but she stirs a little when a blast goes off just down the street. She doesn’t cry. It’s almost as if she has seen this so much that she’s getting used to it. It breaks my heart because this is nothing for a three year old to get used to. What kind of person will this make her later in life?
What kind of person has it made me? This storm of greyskins has changed us all—made us all do things that we thought we would never do, good or bad. Events shape people and our actions make us who we are. I think about my actions over the past three years. My actions have made me a survivor.
A loud screeching echoes through the city streets causing me to reach for Evie’s ears to cover them. It sounds like feedback from a microphone, and I discover that I’m right when a voice follows.
“Attention. Attention. I sit here gathered with the surviving settlement leaders,” the voice says. I’d recognize the voice anywhere. Jeremiah. The realization sends a shock to my heart. That means Waverly wasn’t able to kill him. And if he isn’t dead, he might have killed her! I lower my head and close my eyes, hoping, praying that Waverly is all right.
“This is Shadowface. But that name no longer means anything, for I am lifting the veil that has concealed my identity for so long. It was necessary for my protection. But as you can see from tonight’s events, not even secrecy will stop my enemies from trying to kill me.”
I wish I was there. I wish I could stop him right now. I look down at Evie. If He’s alive, then that means Evie will be…
Her survival now is more important than anything.
“My name is Jeremiah. I started this network for the betterment of mankind, and will continue to grow it in order to maintain a peaceful existence. Enemies, such as the ones who have attacked us today, cannot be allowed to prosper, for they impede the search for a cure, and prolong the life of the virus that plagues humanity.”
“Who is that?” Evie asks me.
I shake my head at her. “Just some jerk, kid.”
I start to listen to the rest of the speech, but something else grabs my attention. I can hear my name. Someone is yelling it out.
“Remi! Remi!”
I close my eyes, scanning the entire city for the location of the voice. The more I search, the further away it seems, but finally, I can hear it clearly.
It’s Gabe.
“Remi! We’re waiting for you!”
Gunshots. The groaning of greyskins. They won’t be able to wait for me much longer.
I grab Evie in my arms and start running despite the shooting pain from the gunshot wound in my leg. I try to focus my ears on the voice as Gabe keeps crying out. He knew I would hear him. He knew it would work. We run for several blocks until two greyskins stumble out in front of us, their limbs flailing. I lift my pistol and shoot one of them in the head. The other I miss completely. I take another shot and hit it in the brain, but not before it’s too close and falls down on top of us both. Evie lets out a cry as I try to push the greyskin off. It rolls to the side, but there are ten more greyskins chomping their jaws at us, running toward us. I let off as many rounds as I can, but by the time I run out of bullets, there are still five of them left.
I hold to Evie tightly. I wish I could run away, but these are too fast. Is this it? What did I change to make the future different? I thought I was supposed to survive this. I thought Evie was supposed to survive this.
I close my eyes and hug the little one, expecting nothing less than teeth and claws to sink into my flesh and rip me to pieces.
But that never happens.
Instead, I hear loud gunshots blasting away. When I open my eyes, the greyskins are lifeless and on the ground, and I’m about to cry when I look past them.
“Get in the SUV!” Gabe yells. When he helps me up I can see Ethan in the driver’s seat, Waverly in the middle, and Stephen in the back. The rest is a blur to me. I don’t notice the other greyskins that come up, but it doesn’t matter because I’m in the car before they can get to Evie. I feel Waverly hug me tightly.
“I failed,” she said. “I tried to kill him but I couldn’t!”
“It’s okay,” I tell her.
“It’s not! I had a job to do!”
“It’s okay,” I say over and over.
Jeremiah’s speech is playing out over the radio in the car. I want to tell them to turn it off, but then he says something that sends a jolt to my heart.
“The enemies today are the Starborns. They have ascended from the shadows to bring down a society that has already seen hard times.”
“No,” I hear Waverly. “We ascended so we could bring people like you down.”
I reach for her hand and squeeze it. “We did our part.”
“I hope so,” she says.
My eyes go wide, but Waverly squeezes my hand this time. When I look at her, she’s shaking her head. “Jeremiah will never find us,” she says. “We will go into hiding. He never finds us.”
“How do you know?” I ask.
She simply holds my hand and squeezes again, letting me know that she has seen it.
Of course.
“But what about Evie?” I say. “She can’t live like this.”
Gabe speaks up next. “When we were separated, I found Mike and Jenna.” He turns back to look at me. “I explained everything to them. Even about the future. They are going to meet us outside of Orick at dawn.”
I look down at little Evie. Her eyes are closed and she’s already asleep, oblivious to the important role she plays in the future. I wish I could keep her—stay with her forever. But that is not our part in all of this.
“We did our part,” I whisper to myself. “We did our part.”
&n
bsp; Evie is barely awake in my arms as Gabe stands next to me. Waverly keeps her distance for some reason, turning to look toward Orick every couple of seconds. Ethan and Stephen went in to Orick to make sure our vehicle was in good shape and that we had enough fuel to make it to wherever we would all go next.
The sky is a mix of orange and purple hues as the clouds shadow the rising sun. I can’t help but smile a little at the thought. Waverly had been sure that the sun was setting in her vision, never knowing it was actually a sunrise instead. I mention this to her, but she just shrugs, telling me that that is the nature of her Starborn gift—that the future is not always predictable, despite what we see.
I try to tickle Evie’s back when I see an SUV pull up in the distance. I think I can see Mike in there, and maybe someone else in the back. But when Jenna steps out, my heart starts to pound harder. I don’t feel ready to give Evie away, but I know it’s what has to happen. Mike and Jenna are from a safe place, though no place will be safe forever. She will be more secure with them than with us. At first, Gabe had said that we should all go with Mike and Jenna, but our presence would only bring uncertainty. Jeremiah will want us dead for our betrayal. The best thing we can do is hide away in the shadows forever.
We’re wanted people, though Waverly has assured me that we will never be caught. I don’t know if she’s just telling me that to make me feel better, but I will let it stand as it is.
Gabe rubs my back and I can feel tears in my eyes. I look at Waverly again, knowing the answer to the question I have before I even ask it. “Is this it? Is this what you saw?”
She nods at me. “It’s the only way,” she says. “This isn’t a future we should try to change. Evie has an important job to do.”
I wipe the tears from my cheeks with my left hand, and in my right arm, Evie stares at me with her big eyes.
“Why are you crying?” she asks me in her sweet voice.
“Because you have to go away.”
“No!” Evie cries out, clutching me, not wanting to let me go.
“Oh, kid.” I hug her, wanting nothing more than to just take her with me. But her destiny is more important than my wishes. And yet, I want her to fulfill that destiny.
Jenna approaches, but keeps her distance as I say my last goodbye to Evie. I don’t know how long I hold on to her. I don’t want to let her go. I can’t let her go.
Finally, I look at Jenna. “Swear to me that you will do everything you can to give her a good life.”
Jenna takes a step forward, reaching out to Evie’s hand gently. “She will be protected, and I will raise her as my own. As long as I am alive, Evie will be cared for, and will know only love.”
With another tight squeeze, I look at Evie again. “You’re going with Jenna now, okay? You’re going to have a great time. Can you be a strong girl for me?”
“I can be strong,” she says.
“Good.”
“Strong!” Evie says, this time she’s smiling.
Letting Jenna take Evie from my arms is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. As I cry, I bury my head into Gabe’s chest and he wraps his arms around me.
“You are providing a better future for her,” Gabe whispers into my ears. “Because of you, she’s going to save us all someday. You did your part.”
Chapter 28 - Waverly
I don’t watch as Jenna drives away with Evie. My eyes are set on Orick, watching for Ethan to return. I’ve taken the liberty to look into his future. After the week we’ve had—the month we’ve had—I had to make sure. The future is bright, though not without its hardships. Few details passed through the vision, but I saw enough to know that I don’t fear the future. I don’t fear it for him or myself. I don’t fear it for Remi or Gabe either. All of us will continue to live in our own way. Jeremiah will not conquer us. The greyskins will not conquer us. That’s enough for me.
Where do we go from here? I don’t know. This new journey begins as they all begin in this world—with hope. There will be many enemies to face, and many trials to bear, but life will go on as it always has.
Jeremiah will build his empire, but that is not for us to worry about. We did our best. It’s up to Evie now. Though it may happen sixty years from now, the world will be better for it. Through Evie, an uprising will emerge, and we will be brought to peace. And maybe when I’m an old woman, I can help rebuild the world when the revolution has finished. But that’s a long time from now.
Now, our job is to hide away and live as we can. To survive.
A car in the distance kicks up dust as it drives toward us. My heart surges because I know it’s Ethan. For a time, I thought I had lost him forever. Now, my heart feels love again. It will be enough to get us through.
When I turn to look back at Remi and Gabe, I see them holding each other silently. We will all survive together, no matter what it takes. We will travel with a new purpose. With a smile, I say the words that will move us forward.
“It’s time.”
This is the end of book three in The Starborn Ascension.
If you enjoyed these books, please leave a review on Amazon. Also, you should check out The Starborn Uprising where you will learn more details about the world many years into the outbreak, what happened to Jeremiah, and the fate of the Starborn. To find out more, get the first book, Out Of Darkness for free. Or purchase all three books at a discounted rate: The Starborn Uprising. Keep turning to read the next chapter of this exciting series.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jason D. Morrow is the author of more than twelve books. He also writes under the pen name Asher Elliot. He enjoys playing guitar, making fun videos, and spending time with his lovely wife, Emily, and their dog, Winnie.
Books by Jason D. Morrow
Prototype D
Prototype D (Free)
Prototype Exodus
The Starborn Uprising
Out Of Darkness (Free)
If It Kills Me
Even In Death
The Marenon Chronicles
The Deliverer (Free)
The Gatekeeper
The Reckoning
Keeper of the Books
(By Asher Elliot—a pen name for Jason D. Morrow)
Keeper of the Books (Free)
The Outlaw’s Quest (Summer 2016
Be sure to ‘Like’ Jason D. Morrow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/jasondmorrow
Follow Jason on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jasondmorrow
For more from Jason D. Morrow, and to sign up for his mailing list, visit www.jasondmorrow.com.
The Starborn Uprising: First Chapter
My vehicle ran out of gas. That’s why I’m walking alone through this ghost town with a pump shotgun in my hands and a long knife strapped to my left thigh. Unless you’re stupid or suicidal, you don’t go anywhere without a weapon.
I live in a world where greyskins travel in herds, looking for anything that moves. Anything with blood. I carry these weapons with me because it’s always a question of when a greyskin will find me, not if. I know that I need to be prepared.
“You don’t have to go,” my little brother Jake had said to me. I kissed his cheek and gave my grandma a hug.
“Mora, you’re only nineteen,” my grandma added. “The youngest ones of our village are needed here.” But I couldn’t listen to her or Jake. They were worried about me, but I knew that if I didn’t go, we’d just be attacked again. So I left the village of Springhill with one of the few vehicles that still worked.
Someone has to speak out for my village. The people are vulnerable and running out of food. Sickness threatens them constantly. But worst of all, they are vulnerable to attacks by the greyskins. Someone has to find those that can help us and convince them to do something. Since no one else was going to do it, I took action. I left. Then I ran out of gas and now I’m here.
Wherever here is.
I’ve rarely ventured too far out of Springhill, and when I have, it was with a group of elders from the village who seem
ed to know where they were going. Now I look at the town in front of me and I’m clueless.
There seems to be no sign of greyskins, so that’s good. The town is littered with overturned cars, crumbled buildings and almost zero plant life, but surely there’s an old fuel station somewhere. Then again, I don’t even know how long fuel can sit in a tank before it’s unusable.
My t-shirt and jeans bleed sweat as the scorching sun above me burns without mercy. I rest the shotgun between my legs and pull back my hair into a ponytail so the random strands won’t stick to my face. Satisfied, I pick the gun back up.
Grandma always tells me that I should cut my hair shorter so there’s less for a greyskin to grab hold of. I can’t bring myself to do it. It’s the one thing I get compliments on.
I jerk my shotgun around when I hear something moving behind me, and sigh in relief when I see that it’s just an old garbage bag flapping in the wind. I hate how isolated I feel, but then again, I hate the unshakable feeling that I’m not alone either. I know it doesn’t make any sense, but maybe it’s just the heightened awareness I’m forced to maintain in a world like this.
It hasn’t always been this way, or so I’m told. But it’s all I’ve ever known. It was all my parents ever knew. But my grandma knew the world before the greyskins. She was my age when the first of them started to surface out of nowhere. She said the world used to care about making people more comfortable. It was about advancing and making humanity better. Now it’s about staying alive and trying not to become a greyskin’s dinner. I often wish I could live in a world where I didn’t have to worry about these terrible monsters that used to be people. But that’s an impossible delusion. It’s all I know and probably all I’ll ever know. I’m used to it.
The Starborn Ascension: Books 1, 2, and 3 (The Starborn Saga) Page 70