Chapter 21
It was a smooth night, and there were no signs of animals during the night. Last night reminded me of the last time I was on watch in Afghanistan. It scared me a little bit to be the one in charge of our safety because last time I had that job, my base got attacked. It was an uneasy feeling, but I got the boys ready and gave them their new back packs with all new supplies; they seemed very pleased with the contents. James and Dai seemed to have their own system and they didn’t take as much as we did. Dai preferred the light path, He had a small bag filled with what he called the essentials: Small medical kit, a few knives, some ammo, a pistol, and hand sanitizer. Maybe he is planning on joining us and that is why he is taking so little.
Damian: Are you two going to be joining me and the boys?
Dai: Considering the fact that I haven’t seen you in a long time, I am going to say yes. We will join you, and go wherever you go. The bigger the group the better. Especially when it comes to the wildlife. Even big animals know not to mess with a big group, but you already knew that didn’t you Damian.
I responded with scoff and a slight smirk because I always felt it was safer to be alone, but Dai did have a point, we will be stronger with all of our skills being put together. It will be exciting to have James and Dai join us on our trip, despite Dai convincing me to leave the wagons behind because they would slow us down. I figured he would do that though because he used to do the same thing when we were in the military together. I don’t know much about James though so maybe I should get to know him a little more.
Damian: So… is James your real name or is it a name that you came up with after the fever hit?
James: James Marshall is a name that I use as an alias. I took the name from my favorite basketball player and my favorite musician. My name used to be Adrian, but this is a new world and a new life, so I figured that I should also start over and be someone new.
Damian: I get what you’re saying, this world changes a person. It’s good to know that you were able to change with it instead of going against the grain
I explained to the group that we were going to Woodland Park because I’ve always had good luck at the markets there. They seemed excited to go, and I think James and Dai are familiar with these marketplaces too. I needed to visit someone specifically though; I needed to get some more PI-19 shots. I prefer the shots because they work almost instantly. The PI-19 pills take about thirty minutes to start working, and often times people bleed out before the pill kicks in. This guy in Woodland Park has his own system for getting the PI-19 serums. He pays off a doctor that was part of the CDC lockdowns. CDC buildings locked down when the blood fever hit, and the doctors inside still try to develop cures and serums, but they are cut off from the rest of the world. The guy I know gets PI-19 serums by the box and of course he pays handsomely for them. I have to locate him first and make sure that I can get him alone because he only deals with certain people, and I happen to be one of those people. The danger of dealing openly keeps him pretty secluded.
We began to approach Woodland Park and I could see that ahead of us were some B.V's walking toward us. If they are a part of that camp that we just raided then they are in for a big surprise.
Damian: James, I need you to cover from a distance, just in case we happen to get into a confrontation with these guys.
James: I got this, I'll go find a vantage point.
James disappeared to the right of us before the B.V's could spot him. The protein they receive from eating humans affects their vision, and makes them unable to see far, so James was able to disappear pretty easily. As we got close, the B.V's started to eyeball each of us. They tried to intimidate us with their group size compared to us.
B.V. leader: Well, well, well. Looks like we have some sheep who have lost their way. Why don't you hand over one of them boys back there and we'll let you go free, SHEEP!
Without hesitation Dai pulled out his sword.
Dai: Good luck with that request. You wouldn’t be the first cannibalistic monster this blade has met.
B.V. leader: Oh I am so scared you little yellow faced prick.
Dai: If you don't believe me, why don't you go checkout your camp that we destroyed. Every last abomination there is now dead.
B.V. leader: You stupid yellow motherfucker! Get them boys and skin these two assholes protecting them!
One of the B.V's ran towards Dai and right before he got to him, James shot him in the side of the head with an arrow. Dai proceeded with his sword and began to separate limbs from bodies. I pulled out my knife and began to help out Dai. There was blood flying, limbs on the ground, and arrows flying from James’ bow. Once the movement stopped everything was silent and the only thing you could see were B.V's on the ground and blood everywhere. The three of us managed to kill nine B.V's… I could see one of them still breathing so I told Dai to go and finish him off. As Dai approached the B.V. on the ground, The B.V. swung his knife into to the air cutting Dai's face diagonally from the bottom right of his chin to the top left of his forehead. Dai quickly pushed his sword through the B.V's face and forced his last breath. I was surprised that the B.V's weren’t armed with guns. You would think that as much as they raid people they would carry some guns. Then again, it is hard to own a gun because bullets are so scarce and regulated in certain regions. This is why I didn’t use my gun on these B.V’s. I didn’t want to waste ammo on the likes of them. I was glad that the boys were unharmed, but we do need to get Dai a serum before he bleeds out too much.
We rushed into town in search of Prometheus. Prometheus is the name of my contact. His real name is Randall, but Prometheus is definitely more appropriate for him. Last time I was here, he had a stand within the market, and you would have to give him the right password in order to carry out the business that you wanted to. We went into the market area of Woodland Park and immediately I escorted everyone to the correct booth. The set up was the exact same as Randall's stand, but instead of Randall standing there, there was a young woman. She could not have been older than sixteen, and she grabbed the attention of both boys quickly.
Damian: Hello.
Evelyn: Um hello, how can I help you?
Damian: I'm looking for the man that used to run this booth, Randall was his name.
Evelyn: Oh, well he's here, one second, Grandpa!
Damian: Grandpa? I didn’t know that Randall had a granddaughter?
Evelyn: Yeah he does. Me and my father just got into this town a few days ago and we saw him here at this booth and figured we would give him a hand and help him run it.
Damian: Well that’s very nice of you, and what’s your name?
Evelyn: I'm Evelyn, and my father's name is Gabriel.
Damian: Well, Evelyn, that is a beautiful name. Is your Grandpa coming because we have an emergency.
Evelyn: He will be out in a second, I just need you to be patient…
Before she could finish I went and grabbed Dai and pushed him towards Evelyn and said, "Would you please hurry now!"
Evelyn: Oh my god, bring him in back, we have just the thing for him.
We walked Dai into the back of the booth which used to be a store back before the fever hit. We laid him down and she came back with two shots of PI-19. She handed me the shots and I stuck one in his forehead and the other one in his chin. The cut on his face began to heal before our eyes. In a matter of fifteen seconds, his face was completely healed, and all that was left was a scar across his face.
Damian: I have never seen the serum do that. Did it do that because we used two shots?
Evelyn: No, this was a new version of the serum that we just tried. PI-26.
Damian: What do you mean by tried? You've never used this before?
Evelyn: Well, technically, no.
Damian: What if it killed him?
Evelyn: it didn’t!
Damian: Where is your grandfather?
Evelyn: He is with my dad further back.
I got up and walked towards the bac
k of their shop. I could hear two gentlemen talking behind a curtain, so I opened the curtain and saw that Randall was in a bed. He looked very sick and tired. I guess Evelyn was hoping I would just leave after waiting too long for him to come to the front of the shop; I’m glad I didn’t
Randall: Damian! I haven’t seen you in a while, what are you doing back here in Colorado?
Damian: I was here trying to get some shots from you, but now that I see you, I think I may change my plans.
Randall: What do you mean Damian?
Damian: Well you have that girl running your stand. That is not very safe for her.
Randall: What else do you propose I do Damian?
Damian: I can see if my group would be willing to stay and help you for a few days. Your family looks like they could use the extra help.
Randall: I would never ask this kind of favor of you, but if you choose to stay, I will not protest it.
Damian: Do you need us here, Gabriel?
Gabriel: How do you know my name?
Damian: Your daughter told me.
Gabriel: Oh, well we could use some help bringing in more fur from animals. That’s what my father has been using to sell to cover up his serum work.
Damian: Let me go talk to my group and see if they want to stay.
I approached the group as they were finishing up helping Dai. I know that what I was about to ask them contradicts what I told them back at the store, but Randall has been good to me in the past and it would be the least I could do for him.
Damian: I have a huge question to ask everyone. Evelyn's grandfather is very sick, and he needs us to help him and his family keep this shop afloat. I told him that we would be willing to stay just a few days in order to help his family, but we need to vote on this first. All in favor of staying and helping them out, say aye.
The vote to stay was unanimous, so it was time to settle down for a few days and get this family straight before we leave.
Chapter 22
What was supposed to be days turned into weeks, and then months. We have been staying here with Randall's family for two months now, undisturbed. Randall has long since passed, He choked to death on his own blood in his sleep. His departure was really hard on Evelyn and Gabriel, which is part of the reason why we all decided to stay here. Evelyn and Berg have grown a very close bond with each other and Twitch has started to learn how to defend himself better with James and Dai. I am worried about Evelyn the most though. She has been getting sick lately. She has been throwing up a lot and it is starting to concern me. She is already very petite, so she cannot afford to go without eating. Berg has been doing what he can to get her to eat and keep it down, but no matter how hard he tries, she continues to throw up.
Spielberg: Damian, I don’t know what to do. Evelyn isn’t getting any better. What should I do?
Damian: Well let me talk to her and see if I can figure out what might be wrong.
I made my way over to Evelyn in the back of the shop. As I got there I pulled back the curtain to her room, I saw her sitting on the floor with an onion. She took a big whiff, sighed, and took a huge bite.
Damian: What are you doing, Evelyn?
Evelyn: This onion is delicious, and it has been the only thing I can eat without feeling sick. I don’t know why, but onions have just been so delicious to me. Is that weird?
Damian: No, not at all…
As I said that, a memory raced across my mind. My wife would eat some of the weirdest things when she was pregnant. Pregnant. Evelyn could not be pregnant, when the blood fever hit, women could not get pregnant because the disease prevented women from holding the lining in their uterus in order to sustain pregnancy. There is no way that pregnancy is even an option.
Damian: Evelyn have you done anything lately that maybe you have never done before? Anything at all?
Evelyn: Well a couple weeks ago Spielberg and I were out in the woods and we.. well you know. We did ‘it’.
Damian: Do you mean that you and Spielberg had sex Evelyn?
Evelyn: Yes, we had sex. Is that why I am sick Damian?
Damian: I don’t know yet, but I am going to find out. I am going to have to leave tomorrow to try and find some answers. I won’t be gone long. For now just get some rest and eat your onion.
I had to travel back to that B.V. camp that we raided a few months ago. As crazy as it sounds, I think that Evelyn may be pregnant. The only way I can find out is if I can get ahold of a pregnancy test and have her take it. I have to do this alone though. If that camp happened to be taken over again I would not want anyone risking their lives for such a farfetched idea.
Damian: Alright everyone, I am going to go for some supplies at that old B.V. camp we took care of a few months back. I am going on this trip alone to ensure everyone is safe.
Spielberg: But what if you get hurt, Damian? You need back up!
Dai: Trust me, this is gonna be a piece of cake for him Berg. Our old missions were all about infiltration without being seen. I wouldn’t worry at all.
Damian: Yeah, don’t worry, I’ll be back before you know it.
I started to get ready and prepare for this trip when Gabriel came over to me and pulled me aside.
Gabriel: Thank you Damian, I really appreciate you making this trip… but why the sudden rush to go on a supply run?
Damian: I didn’t want to announce this to everyone, but… I think that there is a chance that Evelyn is pregnant.
Gabriel tried to leave the conversation to confront Spielberg, but I grabbed his arm and kept him with me.
Damian: I know that you are angry with him for sleeping with your daughter, but if I happen to be right and she is pregnant… She would be the first woman in years to have come close to having a child.
Gabriel: Your right Damian, I’m sorry. You do what you have to do. I will keep an eye on her until you get back, and again… I appreciate it Damian.
I grabbed my things and made my way towards the exit, but before I left I looked over at Berg and I realized that He is not the only one who may become a father. Berg seems to really worry about me. I think he is starting to feel a sort of father and son relationship growing between us. I wish Twitch was a little bit closer to me, though. Ever since he started learning how to fight, he has been more introverted. He still has fun like he always has, but I sense a feeling of power from him. He uses his training as an illusion of power over people. I hope that he will snap out of whatever he is going through and go back to being the old Twitch that I first met.
I am glad that I’m able to go on this errand alone. I don’t have to worry about anyone falling behind or compromising me. I have no idea how that camp has changed since these months have passed. For all I know, it is still abandoned and no one has tried to take it back over. I can only hope for the best at this point.
I made my way out of the shop and began my mission. I missed these long walks alone. It gives me a chance to really think about a lot. I cannot help but pray that I am wrong. If Evelyn is pregnant then we will have big trouble headed our way. Who knows what Phoenix would do since he acts as Governor of this region; I worry that if she is pregnant, she will be used for breeding and she will be seen as nothing but a vessel for a new beginning in this world. She would be the rebirth that Phoenix is looking for. We would immediately have a bounty placed on our head, and it would be a pretty hefty payday for someone who captured us. What if the Federation found out? All of the Regions would be ordered to turn us over or face the consequences. President O’Connell is not the nicest leader on the planet. I can only imagine what The President of all the regions would do to one girl in order to preserve the human race. I have to do what is necessary to protect Evelyn, Even if that means going back to a darker place.
As I began to approach the camp, I could hear howling. I looked down into the camp and my worst fear became a reality. A pack of wolves made this old camp their new home. Honestly I would have preferred anything else in the world because wolves are relentless and h
uge. This pack consisted of six wolves and one alpha male. All of the wolves were surrounding the entrance to the store that we stayed in overnight. I would now have to find a way in from the back of the building. I figured that if I stayed in the shadows, I could get in and out in a matter of minutes. I arrived to the back of the building and I found a door I could use to get inside. The door was locked so I was going to have to break off the handle and hope that it opens. I got out one of my knives that had a very sturdy handle and I swung the handle of my knife directly on the door handle, and when the two handles met, they met with a loud bang. Immediately after the first hit, I heard a noise that I knew could compromise this mission. A crow replied to the bang on the door with a loud “caw”. It continued to scream and flap around and rustle the trees. I could hear a loud howl, and then loud steps coming around the right side of the building. I ran in the opposite direction around the left side of the building. I was able to go unnoticed and slip in through the front entrance. I stayed low and glided through the different sections of the store. I heard the wolves come into the store, so I knew I had to be extremely quiet. I finally made my way to the pharmacy area and I found an aisle that contained what I was looking for. I picked up a box and looked at it. My trip was a waste. I never would have thought that a pregnancy test would have an expiration date. It has been six years since the blood fever hit, which means it has been six years since any fresh tests have been made. I cannot believe that I made it to this point just to run right into a dead end. I might as well grab some more supplies while I’m here.
Apocalypse No.3 Page 5