The church was a small single white building arched in the middle with a steeple centered at the top. The bottom of the church sat atop a brick foundation. The tents surrounding it resembled a shantytown. The surrounding area was fenced in with simple chicken wire. It hardly resembled the fortified gates of New Haven. Rob parked the truck to the side once they passed the entrance.
“Home sweet home,” Walter said.
His group hopped out of the bed of the truck and stood nearby as Walter climbed out. Paul got out last and walked to the front of the truck where the weapons were. He examined the camp and saw several children among the occupants of the camp. The presence of young ones caused Paul to second guess the need to be armed.
“Leave the weapons in the truck,” the Sheriff said as he exited from the passenger’s side, though he still had his own pistol at his side.
Rob pointed out the pistol at his hip, and in response, the Sheriff told him that while one gun sent a message, too many would give the wrong impression. They were visiting the camp as neighbors, nothing more, nothing less. Walter walked around to the front of the truck as his own group dispersed back to the tents.
The visitors in their truck appeared to be family men as they were met by wives and children. However, one question remained. What had happened to their homes? The camp looked like a refuge from a hurricane or earthquake. Its setup and design seemed temporary and hastily built. As far as Paul knew, there hadn’t been an attack anywhere near Missouri. Who were these people, and where did they come from?
“I think this camp is a little farther than seven miles,” Rob told Walter.
“Is it?” Walter asked. “My pace count is generally always spot-on.”
“I clocked it at about ten,” Rob said.
“Can’t argue with a speedometer, I guess,” Walter said.
The Sheriff observed the camp ahead of them with great interest. He felt a sense of sadness, maybe even pity for the conditions the people were living in.
“Just breaks my heart,” he said to Rob.
Walter overheard and stepped in.
“Is there a problem?” he asked.
“Just sad to see these people living like this,” the Sheriff replied.
Paul figured it was his chance to get some answers.
“Where did they all come from?” he asked. “Don’t they have homes?”
Walter took a step back and raised his hand in the air.
“Let me clear this up. Everyone here comes from different backgrounds and circumstances. Some were homeless prior to the end, others had lavish and beautiful homes. Together, we all live the same. Personal possessions and extravagances are of no importance to the Seventh Order. Things like that simply don’t matter anymore. We live very frugally. We adopt an extreme minimalist lifestyle, taking only what we need. Then we wait.”
“Wait for what?” Paul asked.
“We wait for what’s coming,” Walter answered.
Paul could see where the conversation was going and chose not to press him any further.
“So who lives in the church then? Must be pretty nice in there,” David pointed out.
The Sheriff gave him a look that suggested he back off.
“The church is our learning center, not a home,” Walter said.
The people in the camp were quiet and behaving in a careful manner. Several of them went into their tents upon the New Haven’s arrival. The bolder ones stood outside and watched them with careful eyes. Already Paul felt wary of their presence.
“They’re looking at us like we’re a different species,” he said.
“Don’t worry about them, they’re good people. They haven’t seen any new people in over a month,” Walter said.
“A month?” Paul asked. “But the attacks started only a week ago.”
“Oh, we’ve been prepared far before that,” Walter said. “Now please, enough chitchat, Sister Bonnie waits. Follow me.”
Walter led the group past rows of tents and piled clutter. The air smelled poignant and strong. Piles of compost and trash lined up along the tree line engulfed the camp in its smell. A small fire burned in front of one of the tents, roasting a skewered squirrel above the flames.
“Are you kidding me?” David whispered to Rob after pointing out the squirrel.
Rob didn’t respond but gave David a knowing glance. They climbed up the steps into the church to the red double doors. Walter pulled on one of the large circular-shaped handles as the door creaked open. The dank air rushed their senses. They were met by an empty foyer, which led to two rows of church pews on the opposite side of each other. At the end of the room was a podium. Interestingly enough, the walls had been stripped bare. Not a picture or cross hung on the wall. In the place of decorating were lit candles placed in every conceivable location. They sat along the red-carpeted floor, on the windowsill, the pews, the podium, and several small tables that filled the room. To the right of the foyer was a closed door with a sign that read: “office.”
“Please wait here; I will get Sister Bonnie,” Walter said.
He went to the door and lightly knocked on it.
“How much you want to bet she lives in here while everyone else roughs it out there,” David said.
“Those candles are about the creepiest thing I’ve ever seen,” Shelly whispered.
“Looks like someone forgot to pay the power bill,” Ryan cut in.
His comment elicited laughter from Rob, Shelly, and David. The Sheriff turned to them.
“Keep it down; you’re acting like a bunch of children.”
“Sorry, Sheriff,” Rob said. “I’m just getting sort of a cult vibe from this place, that’s all.”
“We’re the furthest thing from a cult, I assure you,” a woman’s voice said from the corner of the foyer.
The group froze and looked around. Walter turned away from the door and looked to the other side of the room. Out from the shadows stepped a woman holding a thin, long stick used for lighting candles. She shook the stick’s small flame out and examined the group with narrowed eyes. Her large figure was covered by a brown dress that covered her from head to toe. Her matching dark brown hair was pinned back to form a single bun. She wore glasses with thick frames and looked like an aging librarian, but her expression was intense and impossible to read. Her mouth was a fixed straight line along her lips. She stared at them wide-eyed with wonder, like they were animals in a zoo.
“Sister Bonnie,” Walter said. “These are our guests from the town of New Haven.”
“Nice to meet all of you,” she said with a monotone voice. “I’m so glad you could make it.”
“Allow me to introduce everyone,” Walter said, walking over from the office door. Sister Bonnie stopped him.
“All in due time, Walter. If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like our guests to wait outside so I can have a word with you.”
The room went silent. Walter stumbled over his words, looking confused, but tried to play along. “Um, yeah, sure.”
Sister Bonnie looked to the group. “I apologize; we have some urgent business to discuss. I want to give you all my full attention, but I must really speak to Walter first.”
“Not a problem, ma’am,” the Sheriff replied.
“Yes, I’m terribly sorry, if your group could just wait outside for a moment, we’ll be right out,” Walter said.
He walked over to the double doors and opened them. “It should only take a moment.”
Led by the Sheriff, the group walked out and stood on the steps as Walter closed the doors.
“What do you think that’s all about?” Paul asked the Sheriff.
“Not sure just yet, but let’s not jump to any conclusions,” he responded.
“The woman looks like a fucking nutcase,” David said.
“Now David, look. I didn’t bring you so you could rile these people up. Just look at them. They’re clearly living in desolate circumstances. No wonder they reached out to us,” the Sheriff said.
�
�They said they wanted to trade and to barter. Where are their crops? Their livestock? This place looks doomed,” David said in protest.
“Keep your voice down,” Shelly sneered as some of the camp’s residents walked by carrying buckets of water.
“We need to be ready to walk away. The fat lady in there, she’s not right. I can see it in her eyes. Just like the other guy, Walter. We’d be stupid to have anything to do with these people.”
“David, I’m surprised by you. These people are no different from you or me. And you better get used to it, because as long as I’m in charge, I’m going to make sure we help as many people out as we can,” the Sheriff said.
“I got it, Sheriff. I don’t like it, but I got it.”
Sister Bonnie slammed her office door and circled Walter as he stood in the center of the room. The office was cluttered with stacked boxes, dusty furniture, and old clothes. A small futon sat in the corner near a stained-glass window, which depicted a flying dove surrounded by an array of colors.
“I thought I had made it patently clear that there were to be no visitors allowed in our church,” she said with her arms interlocked behind her back.
“You asked to see them, Sister,” Walter said.
Sister Bonnie grabbed Walter by the collar of the shirt and pulled him near.
“That’s the problem; you don’t think these things out. Just because I want to meet our newfound friends doesn’t mean that I grant them permission to enter our church. It’s a sacrilege. They are not of the same heart and mind. Their presence alone in here denigrates the walls, the windows, our shrine, and our very beliefs.”
“So we have them join us, problem solved,” Walter said.
She loosened her grip on his collar and pushed him away.
“It’s not that simple and you know it. Minds have to be cultivated, nourished with the word and the truth before they join.”
“But they have food. Real food. They have supplies. I mean, you name it. They’re very well prepared.”
“They also mocked us. I heard everything they said.”
“Give them a chance. We need their help. Some of them might even be open to the prophecy.”
Sister Bonnie stopped in front of Walter and stared him down.
Her brown eyes were tired, slightly bloodshot, and fierce. “I want to make something clear so there’s no misunderstanding here. We don’t need anyone’s help. Do you hear me? Have you forgotten your place? Have you forgotten who I am? How dare you lecture me about help.”
Walter blinked rapidly and tried to keep his composure. “Yes ma’am, Sister Bonnie, how foolish of me.”
She backed away and calmed herself. “Maybe you have a point, but I’ll be the judge of what these outsiders can and can’t offer us.”
“Yes, Sister Bonnie,” Walter said.
The church doors opened, revealing a smiling Sister Bonnie and an amicable Walter.
“Sorry about that,” she said to the group.
“Not a problem, ma’am,” the Sheriff said.
David turned his head away to roll his eyes. Walter stood between the Sheriff at the bottom of the stairs and Sister Bonnie a few steps up.
“Allow me to introduce everyone. This is the Sheriff, he’s, as you would guess, a sheriff,” Walter said with a laugh. “Then to his left is David, to his right is Paul, Rob, Ryan, and Shelly.”
“Welcome, I’m Sister Bonnie,” she said.
“You’re pretty good with names there, Walter,” the Sheriff said.
“Always have been,” Walter replied.
“I’m good with names too, guess we have something in common,” the Sheriff said.
Sister Bonnie clasped her hands together and spoke.
“First I want to thank you and your group for taking the time to come out here. We haven’t had any visitors in a while, so it’s nice to see some new faces. So please, let me give you a quick tour of our camp.”
The New Haven group grumbled as the Sheriff politely nodded. Sister Bonnie walked from the steps and out into the camp as they followed. Walter walked closely behind.
“Now I know it doesn’t look like much,” she said. “But we’ve got everything we need out here. There’s fresh well water, we’ve got small crops, chickens, and we’re even working on a schoolhouse for the children.”
Sister Bonnie led the group past the tent camp through an area enclosed by trees. The wooden frame of a building stood before them. Blocks of wood were stacked in piles nearby.
“As you can see, it’s a work in progress.”
As they journeyed onward, Sister Bonnie showed them the fresh water well, their area for crops, and separate pens that housed chickens and pigs.
“That’s quite interesting,” the Sheriff said. “We got some livestock of our own back in town as well.”
“Can’t survive the apocalypse without it, right?” Sister Bonnie said with a smile.
“Guess not,” the Sheriff replied.
“Our biggest project right now is a waste management system. As you know, disease and illness can spread from improper management of trash and waste, and as it gets colder, we have to keep our people healthy.”
“So that landfill along the camp, that’s your waste management solution?” David asked.
Sister Bonnie didn’t miss a beat or appear offended.
“We’re working on different approaches at the moment. We’ve tried burning, but haven’t found a great enough distance to burn it safely from the harmful vapors.”
“On that note, I noticed that you don’t have a single vehicle around camp. Why is that?” Shelly asked.
“I’ve taught my people not to rely on modern contrivances. The sooner we can live completely within our own means, the better.”
“And what have they said about that? I mean, without a vehicle, you’re severely limited in mobility. What if something were to happen? What if you had to flee?”
“Something is going to happen. And we’re not going anywhere, we’re going to wait, and then ascend to our proper place for all of eternity.”
Shelly caught something in Sister Bonnie’s comment that struck her. Sister Bonnie had said something was going to happen, as if oblivious to what had already happened.
“Sister Bonnie, if you’d please. Do you mind telling us what you believe is going to happen?”
Leading the group back to the tent area, Sister Bonnie replied.
“I speak of the apocalypse, the end of times as we know it. Perhaps your people may see the light before they perish as well,” she continued.
Coming to an end of their tour, they stopped in front of the church.
“Tell me something, Sister Bonnie,” the Sheriff said. “You’ve been living out here for a month?”
“That’s correct. One month and six days.”
“So… have any of your people—are you aware of what’s going on out there?”
“We have a group that goes into town and gets supplies. I’ve heard some things. Nuclear war they say, but it doesn’t matter. Either way, it’s always like I envisioned it.”
“Now let me get this straight, you’ve been out here for one month, preparing for the apocalypse as you call it.”
“This is all very personal information, Sheriff. But seeing as your group helped us out and came out here to visit, I’ll let you in on a little background. I’m a preacher’s wife. My husband Phil, he passed away not too long ago. He left me heavily in debt and alone. About the only thing I had left was this church. Then he visited me from the afterlife and warned me of an apocalypse on the horizon. He told me that I needed to prepare our followers so that we may survive. Before he left, he told me that I had the power to unlock the seven seals.”
“Sister Bonnie, I think that’s enough,” Walter interrupted with a nervous smile. She snapped out of her openness and resorted to a more formal voice.
“Yes, you’re right, Walter,” she said. “I don’t know what gets into me sometimes.”
She turned t
o the Sheriff and took his hand into hers.
“Thank you so much for taking care of our people the other day. Now you know where we are and if you ever want to hear the word for yourself, we’re here to share it.”
“That’d be nice. I’m sure we’ll have some time later down the road to visit again.”
“Sister Bonnie,” Ryan said, cutting in. “I don’t mean to pry, but I saw someone roasting squirrel near one of the tents. It would seem to me that you don’t have the proper food you need out here. When people are reduced to eating something like that, one would think there’s a serious lack of resources.”
“We are at desperate times,” Sister Bonnie replied.
“Fair enough, but—”
“I think what Ryan is trying to say is that if you ever need anything, just ask. Our food supply is carefully rationed and controlled, but we may be able to help out from time to time,” Shelly said.
David cut in. “Yes, we’d be happy to trade with your group. We could do a couple chickens for some squirrel meat; maybe a car for some trash in your landfill.”
“That’s enough, David,” the Sheriff said.
David walked back to the truck in frustration. After he was out of hearing range, the Sheriff apologized for him.
“It’s quite alright, Sheriff,” Sister Bonnie said. “The cowardly, the unbelieving, they shall all be consigned to a fiery lake in the end.”
Shelly’s mouth dropped open. Walter laughed and placed an arm around Sister Bonnie. “That’s why we love her, she doesn’t mince words.”
Sister Bonnie came out of her strange trance and resumed the conversation with the group. “It has been a pleasure meeting you all. Admittedly, we don’t have much to barter, but Walter will try to arrange something for your troubles.”
“Any fuel?” the Sheriff asked.
End Days Super Boxset Page 131