by Stuart Keane
Goodright chuckled. "They aren't supportive, are they?"
"Don’t believe everything you see. Your revelation has … will change things."
"How so?"
"Before, the men were unsure. They had no idea what was happening, what those creatures were. Their futures were uncertain, bleak, they had no ambition or goal. They were part of my crusade, sure, but they didn’t feel it. No man or woman likes to wake up to uncertainty."
"Okay," Goodright replied, confused.
Xander smiled. "Now, they do. Everything is peachy and crystal. I'm not only their leader and their saviour, the one person who can keep them alive, but I am God. I've created a new world for my followers, albeit dangerous and more unforgiving, but I have also created the next chapter of evolution. The world is our oyster, and we will make the rules going forward. Nothing can stop us."
Goodright shook her head. "You're deluded. You didn’t start this, Dr. Nichol did. You're taking credit for his work."
"Without me, it wouldn’t have happened. You just said this. I was the primary catalyst, so I can take full credit for this outbreak."
"Your men won't like it. You'll have a mutiny on your hands."
"They don’t have to. If they have issue, let's see them survive on the outside, alone and hungry and unarmed. Trust me; people would give their lives to exist under my rule, and I can easily replace people with others who will appreciate what I do for them. You don’t know how things work around here, not yet, but you will."
"You're a monster," Goodright chided, defeated.
"No, humanity is the monster. And I just vanquished it."
Goodright said nothing.
"This outbreak. It will be the defining moment in the history of the human race. And that's all down to me. You and your people? You just got lucky. Welcome to the beginning of the rest of the world."
As Xander walked away, Goodright slumped into the sofa. She glanced around the warehouse, her brain foggy and throbbing, and saw Peter working on Harrison and Melanie across the room, partially protected by white screens. Thoughts of Morgan weaved through her mind, pinning her to her seat. She looked up, thankful that Bruce had remained hidden. It gave her group an option, a slim one, but an option nonetheless.
This place is a safe haven, but is it really?
Food, drink and water. A place to sleep, a place to live.
A place to grieve.
In some regard, anyway.
Xander is deluded, but his men have some free will.
We'll see how it goes.
Besides, he left you unattended. That speaks volumes.
As she contemplated the bleak future, one that was certainly the better of two evils, exhaustion got the better of her. Goodright closed her eyes and nodded off.
We'll survive.
If it’s the last thing we do.
If it's the last thing we…
To Be Continued…
Coming Soon
Pandemic
A Cerebral Novel #2
Extinction
A Cerebral Novel #3