by David Peters
~4~
Dylan was dozing slightly when a strange sound woke him. He looked around in confusion as he tried to get his bearings. The wagon was behind him about two hundred feet away. He could see both Caperson and Jokester’s heads rolling as the gentle motion of the cart rocked their sleeping frames. Travis was directly behind them laying all the way down on the neck of his horse as he also dozed, his arms swinging as the horse walked. He turned back around and saw a crew of men running from a pile of freshly felled trees. His first instinct was to pull his rifle but it was in pieces in the wagon and without ammunition. His tired mind then heard his name being called out.
“You made it back!” a strange voice called out.
“Did you guys nuke the hive?” another asked.
Dylan held his hands up to quiet the crowd, “We Dusted the entire hive. We won’t be hearing or seeing anything from that place for a very long time.”
Several people in the crowd cheered.
He held his hands up again, “If you all don’t mind, we spent the last four and a half days solid on the trail. We need to get these horses taken care of and about a week’s worth of sleep.”
The crowd parted for the four man team and they continued up the gravel road toward home. A few members of the work crew ran up the scout trail in order to spread the word as fast as possible. As happy as he was to finally be home, he desperately wanted to sleep in a bed.
“Even when we get through that gate we aren’t going to see the other side of a blanket for several hours. You know that don’t you?” Caperson asked from a few paces back.
“I know that and you know that, but let’s not tell my butt anytime soon.”
~5~
Dylan could hear the crowd ahead before they turned around the final bend leading to the barricade gate. He couldn’t tell if he was excited or scared of what lay ahead. On one hand he was desperate to see his family again. When they had departed he felt he was leaving and would never return. On the other hand, the praise and recognition wasn’t something he wanted or needed. They had a job, and they did it. He understood the fact that the town, the people, needed heroes. He simply didn’t want to be one of them.
A roaring cheer went through the crowd when they finally came into view. People whistled and yelled their names but it seemed like a dream to Dylan’s tired mind. As the barricade door slowly slid open, there was a clearing in the crowd where the people waiting for their return stood. Niccole held Daniel. Jen stood shoulder to shoulder with her holding Annie. Erica was next to them nearly vibrating with anticipation while Jenny, Jokesters girlfriend stood with tears in her eyes.
Dylan made eye contact with Niccole and felt the tears begin to flow. He could see them start in her eyes as well. He dismounted several feet in front of her and Daniel was finally able to wriggle free and run toward Dylan.
The small boy ran as fast as his toddler legs would carry him and slammed into his father’s legs, “Weccum home Daddy! That was a wong wook day!”
“Thanks, Little Bear. I sure am glad to see you, buddy.”
“Miss you much, Daddy.”
“I missed you like crazy too.”
Niccole wrapped her arms around him and held him tight as the tears began to flow, “I never thought I’d see you again.”
“Can’t say I didn’t think the same thing.”
“Did you get it? Did you kill the hive?”
“We turned it into an empty hole. It’s nothing but a beautiful, light blue, empty hole.”
“You are the most handsome man I have ever seen, but you look terrible,” she said as she lightly ran her hand over his face.
“We had a few issues.”
People would offer to shake his hand but thankfully the pats on the back were kept to a minimum. All four of them were still wearing the torn clothing from the battle and looked nearly as bad as they felt.
Doc moved from one man to the next for a quick evaluation then promptly demanded to see all of them in his office the following morning. No one argued with him, they simply didn’t have the energy.
They had destroyed another hive. Another hive that was several times larger than the one in Sumter. They had a new weapon that was turning the tide and giving humanity a fighting chance. Other townships would hear about this and learn. Other townships would be able to fight back very soon.
~6~
It had been nearly three weeks since they had returned from the Folkesburg hive and there had been no attack on the town. There were still reports of Hunters moving around in the forest but they were always at a distance. The Dust bombs Travis had left in the new Sumter dig had yet to be set off and no new footprints were seen in the dirt around the mound.
Dylan sat on the bench in front of his cabin. He was finishing the final oiling of the replacement stock for his rifle. He had been able to find some walnut wood suitable for the stock and did everything else by hand. It was much lighter in color than the original and a little heavier but he was happy that he would soon have is old rifle back.
Daniel sat on the porch in front of him playing with two very worn out plastic dinosaurs. Dylan had no idea where they came from but Daniel loved them so he didn’t question it.
Niccole stepped onto the porch with a small tray, “Thought you might enjoy some tea while you watch the town.”
Dylan looked offended, “I’m not watching the town. I’m working on this gun stock. I didn’t want the house to smell like linseed oil.”
“If you say that is what you are doing, then I will choose to believe it.”
“Okay fine. So I am watching things a little but not for the reason you are thinking. I’m just not used to things running so well.”
“You mean you’re not used to having an hour of free time to yourself.”
“You spend a few years not having enough hours in the day and an hour of free time almost feels wrong.”
“We have plenty of people in the right positions doing the right things. We have plenty of stock on most of the items we will need for next winter already. People are happy and well fed. With the longhouse finally finished, everyone that wants to be out of a tent is sleeping indoors for once.”
“I’m still surprised at how many choose not to stay in town.”
“As we have gotten more people you kind of have to expect it. There will always be people that can’t live with other people.”
“I guess.”
Dylan carefully rubbed another coat of oil into the stock.
“That stock is looking really nice.”
Dylan held it out at arm’s length, “I’m anxious to get all the pieces back together. Hopefully in the future I’ll only need to use it on elk.”
“Hopefully.”
Epilogue
Six months later...
Dylan climbed down from Buck and slung his rifle over his shoulder. His patrols had brought him along the edge of the secondary defensive wall. Quite a few people that had made their way to Paradise Falls found life far better than trying to survive alone. But a few always found the rules a little more than they cared to live with. Those few would build their own homes on the outskirts of the defensive wall surrounding the town. It offered slight protection with the daily patrols moving through and they were able to trade for most of the things they couldn’t find or make for themselves. The more adventuresome were starting to make weekly trips into what remained of Sumter looking for anything of value that hadn’t been burned or destroyed by the passage of time.
People would come and go unchecked. Free to walk in the wilds and risk their own lives without endangering those behind the heavy walls. If their cabin was left empty for more than two weeks without any notice, it was given to the next person in line.
Dylan had just passed an empty cabin as he returned from his daily patrol. He noted in his log that this was the fifth day it had been this way. Beau walked from tree to tree, smelling anything and everything but constantly looking over his shoulder to see where Dylan was.
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br /> He dropped the small log book into this chest pocket and opened one of the saddle bags. Buck exhaled loudly as he pulled another mouthful of grass from the ground. Dylan unrolled the large, canvas bag and made his way into the orchard. The apple trees had grown unchecked for several years and were full of large red apples. He could already smell one of Niccole’s pies baking as he began to fill the bag with the ripe fruit.
Beau was resting at his feet when his ears stood straight up and he stared at the distant line of tall grass. The hackles on the dog’s back rose slightly as he continued to stare at the distant forest edge.
Dylan backed away from the tree, as he did so he unlimbered his rifle and began the search. He felt he was being stalked; he felt it as surely as the sudden, quiet air. That was his first clue that something was out of place.
“I hate this part,” he growled to himself quietly.
A low growl began in the dog’s throat. Unlike Dylan, Beau lived for this. He loved the hunt and had no fear that any surviving human would have.
The tops of the brush and bushes twitched as if something low to the ground were coming toward them. As the bushes gave way to the tall, dry grass, the movement continued as the unseen predator continued forward. Whatever it was, there was no doubt that it was coming toward them.
“Damn Hunter, guess it could have been worse, but not by much. What do you think Beau, Pure Blood, or not?”
Beau continued his low growl and Dylan rubbed the scruff on his chin. Hunters were never a problem if you spotted them this far out. He just hoped it wasn’t the body of someone he knew. After all these years, he still couldn’t quite figure out how to cope with killing a friend who was already dead.
The brush gave way to low grass about fifty yards from where he was standing in the direction the Hunter was coming from. This gave him lots of time. Hunters usually broke into a run at half this distance.
As he brought the lever action rifle to his shoulder, he mumbled, “Please don’t be anyone I know, or at least be too corrupted to tell.” Another breeze moved through the valley as if some giant gently exhaled over the grass and down the draw toward Dylan. While the Hunter would have difficulty smelling Dylan, he had no problem at all smelling the Hunter.
The sleek black beast moved out into the open like a large cat. It sniffed at the air in the open field like any carnivore would. Their eyesight was poor but their sense of smell more than made up for that. The jet-black abomination still had some remnants of clothing hanging from its gangling frame which told Dylan it hadn’t been turned too long ago. This was a blessing and a curse. It wouldn’t be as strong as a full Hunter but it would have retained enough of its old appearance, to be recognized as the person when it was alive and human.
He moved the crosshairs over the bridge of the Hunters nose and pulled the trigger...
Notes from the Author
Thank you for taking the time out to read the fourth book in the End World series. I plan to continue this series, not only with the further adventures of Dylan, Niccole, Caperson and Jen, but to also relay the tales of other characters that came and went. Characters that I feel need to have their stories told. If you enjoyed the story, please take a few minutes to review the book online at your point of purchase. If you didn’t like it drop me an email at [email protected] and tell me what I could do better or to simply say ‘howdy’, I try to respond promptly to all emails. I also enjoy hearing what people want to know more about. The story of Caperson was done specifically at several reader’s request.
Thank you for joining me in the world of the Corrupted and I hope to see you around Paradise Falls in the future.
Other Books by David Peters:
Solvi
In a future world where technology has been frozen after a war that nearly brought an end to mankind, Solvi, a molecular forgesmith works his craft in the small western town of Jefferson. His daily life is interrupted when his talents gain the attention of the local Magistrate. Attention from the government could force long dead secrets to the surface, bringing the past he thought he had left behind back to the present.
Solvi can see the storm brewing, but can he stop it?
A Darkness
Adam Carter lives in a world of swirling Darkness. He is cursed with the ability to see the life essence that swirls and storms around all living beings. He has spent his life living under the curse, alone, until the fateful day he meets another with the same abilities. Another that wants nothing more than to consume him and send his life essence floating on the winds of nothingness.
His only hope is to master his own Darkness, confront the fears and protections he has put in place after a lifetime of dealing with the curse. In a world filled with swirling Darkness, he is desperate for the light of hope.
End World: Dawn of the Corrupted (End World Book One)
On a sunny day in rural Eastern Washington, Dylan Murphy looked to his neighbor’s home in the distance and saw smoke rising toward the horizon. Little did he know this was the first sign his world was about to change. Spreading across the planet was an infection that challenged humankind as the dominant life form. He was soon to be set on a path that would force he and his wife Niccole to use every resource possible in a struggle for their lives and for the survival of what was left of the human race.
End World: Ultimate Corruption (End World Book Two)
The story continues for Dylan and Niccole Murphy as they fight to carve out a life in the small community of Paradise Falls and continue the defense against the neighboring threat known as the Corrupted. The evil growing in the nearby ward has also begun their next phase of life and continue their attempts to become the dominant life form of the world. But for Paradise Falls, not all enemies come from outside the walls of the small fortress ward.
End World: The Captain’s Tale (End World Book Three)
In this, the third book in the End World series tells the tale of Chris 'Cap-Cap' Caperson and Jen 'Whiskey' Valder. With nothing but vague reports and rumors, the National Guard is called in to restore order in Boise, Idaho. It doesn't take long before 'Cap-Cap' realizes they aren't fighting a simple uprising and that something far more sinister is growing. An enemy unlike anything he has ever had to fight. An enemy he may not be able to kill.
End World: Corruption Undone (End World Book Four)
Dylan and Niccole Murphy continue their daily fight for survival in a world crushed by the arrival of the Corrupted. Sumter is once again under attack and an evil moves toward Paradise Falls from the East. The township has developed a new weapon for their arsenal, but will it be enough? Can they save Paradise Falls from this new threat?
End World: Corruption Undone – Second Edition
© 2014, David Peters
[email protected]
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