The Last Survivors (Book 5): The Last Refuge

by Bobby Adair

Ella walked slowly from the stairs to stand on the other side of Bray, her mouth agape. She couldn't take her eyes off of Jingo.

  "You can speak," she whispered, as if she'd misheard Jingo.

  "Yes," Jingo said, a half-smile on his face. He looked at Ella as if he was greeting an old friend. "I don't get any visitors, other than Ivory. One would think I'd forget how."

  "B-but you're a demon."

  "I suppose you could call me that, although I don't associate with them. I prefer to remain in my tower, passing my time alone. I was infected. But that doesn't mean I'm not human."

  "But I don't—" Ella's sentence cut off as she tried to formulate a question. There were too many. Ivory knew the feeling.

  "Stay back, Ella," Bray warned, grabbing Ella's arm. Tension spread over the roof as he glared at Jingo. "He's got a knife."

  "I only grabbed it because I heard voices," Jingo explained. "I mean you no harm."

  "It's okay," Ivory repeated. "No one's here to fight." Ivory watched Bray, hoping to get the conversation back on track. "He's the one I told you about—the one who can help William."

  "William," Jingo mused, looking over at the top of the stairs. He pointed a finger at the boy. "Is that you?"

  William nodded and swallowed.

  "You don't look infected. Although I suppose I didn't, either, at first."

  William opened and closed his mouth, still in shock as he remained by Melora's side. Melora held onto William's sleeve. Jingo took a step toward William, holding up his hands and the knife.

  "If you want, I can—"

  Bray charged. One minute he was standing next to Ella, the next he was hoisting his sword in the air and yelling.

  "No!" Ella screamed.

  Ella snagged Bray, catching hold of his sleeve and dragging behind him. She fell. Bray swung at Jingo, but Ella's intervention caused him to miss. Jingo cried out and scooted backward, bumping up against the ancient stone he'd emerged from behind. And then Ella was on her feet in between Bray and Jingo, waving her hands, trying to stop Bray. Bray's eyes stung with violence as he pushed Ella aside and swung again.

  Ella dove in the way.

  Ivory watched in horror as the blade sliced into Ella's neck. Her eyes went wide as she realized she'd been deeply cut. Screams and panic filled the air. Bray tried wrenching the blade free from Ella as she fell to the ground. The world became a chaotic, red mess of screaming and cries and threats as Melora and William ran for their mother, waving their swords.

  "Ella!" Ivory screamed, his warning a beat behind.

  Jingo skirted away, taking refuge. Bray fell to his knees, pulling his sword free and screaming Ella's name as her blood spewed from her neck and soaked the rooftop around her. Melora and William reached him, shouting and waving their weapons. Sensing danger, Bray scooted to his feet, backing away from the already-lifeless woman.

  In an instant, Ivory realized the terrible mistake he'd made in bringing these people here.

  Chapter 46: Tenbrook

  "You're soaked," Tenbrook observed, watching Sinko enter the dining room.

  Sinko looked down at his clothes as if he hadn't noticed.

  "I've been listening to the thunder," Tenbrook continued.

  "I have news to report, sir."

  Tenbrook nodded. "Speak."

  "I came from the marketplace. Franklin was speaking there."

  "Did he see you?"

  "No," Sinko affirmed. "I don't think so. There was a large crowd."

  Tenbrook furrowed his brow. "Were you able to hear him?"

  "Everyone did."

  "What do you mean?"

  "He was sermonizing to the merchants and the peasants in the market. He had everyone gathered around him."

  A reflexive anger passed through Tenbrook's face. He fought to conceal it. Hoping for a distraction, he speared a piece of meat on his plate and turned it over in his hand.

  He asked, "Were The People responding, or watching?"

  "They stopped what they were doing and formed a half-circle. It was like a sermon in the Sanctuary. Only outside."

  Tenbrook stuck the food in his mouth, forcing himself to chew.

  "We'll spike them," Tenbrook said over his meat. "What are their names, Captain Sinko?"

  "I'm not sure," Sinko admitted. "The market was so busy that I'm not sure we could determine that. To get all their names would be a difficult task, without census-takers and soldiers to guide them."

  Tenbrook clenched his fork. If not for Sinko, he might've hurled the utensil across the room. His anger was deepened by his surprise. He'd expected Franklin to cower in the Sanctuary after the farmers had been killed, huddled with his wench.

  At least, that's what Tenbrook fantasized about while other men dreamed of loose women.

  "Send for Franklin. Tell him to meet me here."

  "Right away, sir." Sinko moved for the door.

  "Wait." Tenbrook paused a moment, forcing away his haste. "Give it a few hours. Then tell him to meet me in the morning. Let him have another sleepless night." Tenbrook dismissed Sinko, then speared another piece of meat on his plate, chewing without tasting.

  Chapter 47: Ivory

  "You killed her! You killed her!" Melora's face was wild and red with spit and rage as she swung her sword at Bray, prompting him to retreat from Ella's collapsed body.

  "Kill him! Kill him!" William screamed, looking around in all directions. His eyes were narrow and rabid. He looked as if he'd lost his sanity.

  Bray backpedaled, smacking into a large hunk of ancient stone, almost losing his balance as Melora swung again. He skirted to the side just in time to avoid the attack. Her sword clashed with the ancient stone. He opened his mouth to speak, but Melora's cries drowned him out.

  "You killed her on purpose! You did it because she wouldn't be with you!" Melora shouted, gritting her teeth in rage. "You filthy son of a bitch! You murderer!"

  "Kill him!" William screamed again, spinning in circles.

  Bray got his sword up in time to defend himself, but not before another swing from Melora's blade tore his shirt. He cried out as the blade sliced his arm.

  "Stop it! Stop it!" Ivory screamed, frantically trying to intercede. He reached Melora in time to stop her from taking a swing, giving Bray the opportunity to plunge down the stairs before Melora and William could reach him.

  "Kill him!" William shrieked wildly, pointing and ranting. "Kill him!"

  Melora tried to run after Bray, but Ivory pulled her back.

  "You'll be killed if you go down there!" Ivory yelled, listening to the loud commotion in the streets.

  "I don't care!" Melora screamed back. She turned, tears streaming down her face, appraising Ivory with anger as she held up her sword. He held up his bow to protect himself, as if she might strike him. She spun back to face her mother. There was nothing left to do. Ella's face was contorted in the same expression she'd had when she'd fallen. Blood flowed and puddled on the rooftop. She was dead.

  "I'm so sorry," Ivory said to Melora, competing with William's crazed shouts. He leaned down next to Ella as if he might be able to help. "I did this. I shouldn't have brought you here."

  "She's dead," Melora said, her eyes wide and disbelieving.

  Remembering his teacher, Ivory spun in all directions, as if Jingo might work some miracle. "Jingo!"

  Jingo appeared from behind a distant rock. He watched Melora and William, as if they might be waiting to attack or blame him. Neither moved toward him.

  Jingo crossed the rooftop and knelt next to Ivory, Melora, and William. He leaned over Ella, a pained expression in his eyes.

  "She's beyond help," Jingo said, shaking his head with pity.

  "She's dead?" Melora whispered again, as if someone might argue with her.

  Jingo lowered his eyes. "I'm sorry."

  Ivory's head snapped up as a particularly loud demon screech drifted from somewhere below them.

  "We should hide," Ivory said, looking around frantically as if someone might b
e coming in the building.

  Jingo shook his head as a man's scream pierced the air. "No. We might be able to hide for a while. But I've seen the way these things go. The demons will linger in this part of the city for a while. More will come. Soon, the city will be overrun, and we'll be trapped in the building. Then we'll die."

  "We have plenty of floors to hide on. We should be able to find a safe place to wait them out," Ivory argued.

  "But for how long? Some will come in here, eventually," Jingo said firmly. "The better idea is to leave before the streets are too thick with demons. We need to get out of the city, Ivory."

  Ivory opened his mouth to argue, but the look on Jingo's face kept him quiet.

  "We can use the route in back that I showed you," Jingo said.

  Melora's eyes brimmed with tears as she looked from Ella to Ivory, then to William. William's face was red with anger. He spun in all directions, as if he was still looking for Bray.

  "We have to go, William," Melora said, barely able to get out the words.

  William stared at Melora as if she was a stranger. "I'll kill him!" he whispered. "We all will! All of us in the city!"

  Melora grabbed William's arm. "Please, William! We have to leave. If we don't go, we'll die! You heard what they said."

  William looked over all of them. He looked at the stairwell. A curious expression took over his face as his eyes roamed back to Ella and settled there. Melora took the opportunity and reached for his arm, tugging him to his feet. She led him toward the stairs next to Ivory and Jingo.

  "Follow us!" Ivory said, as he and Jingo led the way.

  Chapter 48: Melora

  Grief and fear filled Melora's stomach as she plunged down the steps of the ancient tower after Jingo and Ivory. She kept a firm grip on William's hand. She tried to convince herself that Ella's death was an awful, horrible lie, spun by nightmares instead of reality, even though she knew that wasn't true. Her anger and disbelief were tempered by the cries and screeches echoing up the staircase, which promised a similar death to Melora and William if they couldn't escape the tower.

  She listened for sounds of the Warden, hoping to take another swing at him, but his footsteps had already faded into the shouts and cries of battle. She hoped the crazed men outside had buried their swords in his gut. She hoped the demons had sunk their teeth into his flesh.

  Son of a bitch. Filthy, rotten pig chaser.

  He deserved whatever they would do if they got to him, and worse. She wanted him dead. But that would have to wait.

  "You know another way out?" she asked Ivory, drying her tears.

  "Yes. There's a hole in the back of the building. We can jump out. There's an alley in back that they might not be able to reach."

  "We'll follow you," she said.

  "I'll kill him," William whispered to Melora.

  Melora glanced at her brother. Did William even know what he was saying anymore? He seemed to have settled into a strange trance. Whatever it was allowed her to lead him out of the tower, and for that she was grateful.

  The screams of men and women outside grew louder, as if they were intent on pulling the city to the ground. Through holes in the side of the building, Melora caught intermittent glimpses of the battle raging on the streets outside: shirtless men wrestling demons, women screaming. She kept hold of William as they descended. Ivory led them off the steps and onto one of the lower floors.

  Melora skirted around a rectangular section of floor that was missing, revealing crisscrossing girders and ancient beams.

  "Be careful!" Ivory warned.

  Melora wove around the gap, pulling William after her. She crunched over hunks of stone the size of men's heads, and pebbles that threatened to trip her up. They reached a gap in the back wall that was wide enough to fit all of them side by side. Melora peered cautiously from the tower. They were two levels above the street. She looked from side to side, expecting to see an army and a slew of demons waiting for them in the back alley, but the alley was clear. Below them was a mound of sand, piled high enough to cover the height of the bottom of the building. The mound was a ten-foot drop from where they were standing.

  "If we can get to the ground, we can steal away without them seeing us," Ivory said with certainty.

  "Be careful you don't sprain an ankle when you jump onto the sand pile," Jingo said.

  Melora nodded, tears in her eyes. "Are you ready, William?" she whispered.

  William didn't answer. She scabbarded her sword. She clenched his hand, guiding him as he put away his. And then they were in the air, landing on the mound and sliding to the ground in an avalanche of sand and dust. Melora lost her grip on William. Her boots kicked up debris as she skidded toward the ground, sticking out her palms to slow her down. The debris stung her hands. Her eyes watered. She landed on the ground in the alley, William next to her, and pulled herself to her feet. Both she and William had made it safely. She looked up to find Ivory in the air. He landed with ease, as if he'd practiced the maneuver.

  Jingo was last. He looked small and frail as he landed on the sand, letting out a muted cry as he slid down to where they were standing. Ivory caught him, worry written across his face as he helped his teacher to his feet.

  "Are you all right, Jingo?" he asked.

  "I'm fine," Jingo said, patting his arms and pulling his hood over his head. "Now let's get out of here. We'll use the route I showed you."

  Chapter 49: Melora

  The noise faded into the distance as Melora and William followed Ivory and Jingo through the decayed, cracked streets. Every so often, they ducked into a building, avoiding a running demon that was headed in their direction. Melora glanced back, searching for Jingo's tower, finding it among the other tall buildings. She pictured Ella's lifeless body lying on the roof. How long would it be before demons discovered her mother? Or the birds and rodents?

  She'd never forget Ella's vacant eyes or William's hateful screams.

  Looking at William, she noticed he was already hanging back, walking and mumbling. She opened her mouth to call out, but Jingo stopped her.

  "He needs space," Jingo said. "He's upset."

  "But the demons—"

  "We're far enough away that we should be safe. We'll keep an eye on him."

  They walked until the noise had become a distant commotion. Melora wiped her face.

  "I'm so sorry," Ivory said, looking at Melora.

  Melora swallowed. "Sorry for what? You didn't do this," she said, her sorrow turning to anger. "Bray did."

  "I feel responsible. I introduced you to Jingo. I brought you here."

  Melora looked behind her to make sure no demons were near. "It's my fault. I should've known what Bray was planning. Ella wouldn't accept his advances, and he took the opportunity to kill her. I should've done something about him. If Ella hadn't assured me she was all right, I might've."

  "Your mother died trying to protect me," Jingo said. "I owe her my life."

  Melora's face grew curious as she looked over at Jingo. In the frenzy of the encounter, she'd somehow accepted that she was traveling with a demon. She studied his wart-covered face, his oversized head. Most of his body was covered in human clothing. He was still wearing his hood.

  By all appearances, he was one of the beasts. But he had the voice of a man. And he'd made the argument that had probably kept them alive.

  "I just met my mother recently," she said, feeling the sudden need to explain to Jingo and Ivory.

  "What do you mean?" Ivory asked.

  "My mother came to Davenport to get me, right around the time the massacre happened." The truth felt good as it tumbled from her mouth, and she made no attempts to stop it. "My mother fled Brighton to protect William after he was afflicted. I hadn't seen her since I was three years old."

  Jingo nodded his understanding. "She was a good mother. She didn't want him to burn."

  "What mother would?" Melora asked, momentarily surprised that Jingo had agreed. "The rituals of Brighton and the
townships are overly cruel. Most know it, but most aren't strong enough to do anything about it. Ella was." Melora lowered her head. "And now she's dead."

  Melora bit her lip, working through the grief and the anger, wishing Bray were here so she could release her rage. She looked around, thinking she'd see either him or a demon, but they were still safe.

  "How did you meet Bray?" Ivory asked.

  "My mother met him on the way to Davenport. He helped her and William get there, and then he helped us escape Blackthorn's soldiers." Melora sucked in a breath. She filled them in on the rest of the details of how she'd met Ella. Then she told of their trip to the Ancient City. Several times while she was speaking, she broke conversation at the sound of a distant demon screech. She ensured that they were safe before continuing.

  "Now you know the truth," she said.

  "You came here to escape," Jingo surmised. "You aren't the first to do that."

  "We didn't have anywhere else to go." Melora tossed up her hands. She studied Jingo. "How long have you lived in the Ancient City?"

  "A long time." Jingo bit his lip. "Too long, it feels like, sometimes."

  "You're a demon, but you aren't like the others. You talk. You can reason. You aren't trying to kill us. How is that possible?"

  "It took me a long time to figure that out," Jingo said. "It's very difficult to explain, without confusing you with ancient terms that you wouldn't understand."

  Melora traded her attention between Jingo and the streets while he elaborated.

  "The science of the demon spore—or the knowledge of its emergence—is something that can only be explained with much time. The shortest explanation is that the fungus that twists men's minds doesn't work on everyone." Pausing to look back at William, Jingo added, "It made me smarter, rather than driving me to madness."

  "And that's the reason you don't kill like the rest of them do?"

  "That is one of the reasons."

  "What is the other?"

  "I stay away from the demons. Men descend into depravity after being infected, but some are able to avoid that madness by keeping their distance."