The Outbreak Series (Book 2): Purgatory

by Baker, Thomas

"Yes. I saw something like a ball of light right there, above these fallen trees. It was blinding. I saw pictures in my mind, what was happening in the world and what God wanted me to do. Commanded me to do. I took the plan God's sent me that day and it’s now become my life's work."

  Hannah was enraptured by Albright’s story. How brave he must be to save all those he has. How strong must his faith be to accomplish all he has?

  "We are now living in the end time. The Rapture, the end times. As written in the scriptures. These so called zombies are the sinners. This is their punishment, their Purgatory. To wander the Earth until God cast them down. I’m one of the chosen few who will help in casting them down. I’m also to gather the faithful, the righteous, and shepherd them so they may join their Father in Heaven."

  "God spoke to me that day, as surely as he had spoken to Moses through the burning bush. I’m to do the greatest work on the Earth since Jesus himself died for all of our sins. I have to punish the wicked and prepare the faithful to ascend to their rightful place beside their Father." He had gotten a head of steam going as he talked and by the end, he was preaching in sing song rhyme, like he did at the pulpit.

  Hannah stared at the fallen trees intently. The singing of crickets and the chirps of birds were the only sounds for some time.

  "I know it may be hard to believe. There are not many modern day miracles. If someone had told you a year ago that zombies would be a real thing in the world, would you have believed them?" Albright came over and placed Hannah's hands in his.

  "So why are you telling me these things, out of everyone who is here? The people who have been here longer, they should know. Like Charlie, Margaret, Alice."

  "I have two reasons. Let me explain them to you as we walk back. One, I’ve been putting some thought into grooming more help. As my flock grows, I’ll need to have people I can trust beside me, to help fulfill God's plan. I think you could be one of those people."

  Hannah felt her face warm. Could he be serious? She had been here for such a short time, compared to some of the others. She was at a loss for words.

  "Two, I’ll need you to prove to me, and God, that you are a true believer. I need to know I can trust you. This was the first step. God has provided a test for you. We’ve captured your former friend, Tyrone. He will be punished for his hand in killing Linda and attacking my men. You’ll be the one to pass judgment on him and to make him pay for his sin."

  Hannah came to a sudden stop. Her heart pounded in her chest. He mouth suddenly felt as dry as sand. She wanted to say something but her mind was complete chaos, she couldn't form the words.

  "I know it will be hard," Albright said in soothing tones. "All tests are. The tests the God put Abraham though are a great example. I have faith in you. You have come to the right side. You have rejected the wicked. You have until tonight to prepare yourself. I suggest using the time to pray. Pray for the strength and clarity you will need. Pray for the Lord to walk beside you during this trial. I will come and gather you when it is time."

  When the reached the back of the church, Albright walked away, leaving a stunned Hannah behind. What exactly did he want her to do? What kind of punishment was in store for Tyrone? Why did JT, Tyrone, and Gus betray her like they did? What exactly happened? All these questions pouring into her mind like sand slipping through an hourglass. Her thoughts buzzed through her mind like pissed off bees as she walked back alone inside the church. Tears streamed down her cheek as she wiped them away with her sleeves. All thoughts of happy times forgotten. Thinking about the way JT had turned his back to her back at the jail overwhelmed her. She thought she would go follow Albright’s advice and she went into the chapel to pray.

  She looked up at the giant cross. She knelt before it and placed her hands in prayer. Her tears splattered on the hard wood floor.

  That night's service and dinner passed her by like a barely realized dream. Hannah was way too distracted to pay any more than a surface attention to anyone or anything else. Her mind swayed back and forth between Albright's story and what he expected her to do. Was it possible God had talked to him? God had commanded him to walk her through this trial? What was she expected to do to Tyrone?

  After service she was sitting on her bed in her room, the curtain drawn between her and her roommate, trying to decide if she should change for bed and go to sleep. It was getting so late she was just about convinced Albright wasn't coming back for her tonight. Maybe he had changed his mind and it wasn't going to happen after all. Maybe he’d decided a test wasn’t needed at all. A heavy knock came at the door.

  Hannah jerked up, trying to catch her breath which had suddenly ran away like a panicked horse. She sent a quick prayer up to God for a sign she was making the right choice. The pounding on the door came again. She calmed herself as best she could and crossed the room. She opened the heavy wooden door. Albright was there, along with Charlie, Alice, and Ralph. Albright was holding a large lantern. Between Ralph and Charlie was Tyrone. He was bound at his wrists with rope and a cloth was stuffed into his mouth. He didn't struggle. In fact he stood there staring at each in turn, his eyes as calm as if they were all about to go on a peaceful outing. Hannah had a hard time meeting his stare.

  "Are you ready to go my child?" Albright asked. He stood shoulders slumped but with a fire in his eyes. A righteousness.

  Hannah nodded.

  "Walk with God." Albright calmly said as he extended his hand.

  She walked beside Albright, with the rest of them trailing right behind. They went through the chapel, down the stairs, and into the basement of the church. Some boxes had been moved aside, revealing a door in the basement wall. Charlie opened it. They went through it, down five steps, and entered into a tunnel. The tunnel was wide enough for three people to walk side by side. The ceiling was low, Hannah could reach it if she stretched up, and she was a woman of average height. Darkness pressed on her from every side. It seemed as if the lanterns could hardly penetrate it.

  In the dimness Hannah stole a look back at Tyrone. He stood stoically, head high, not acting at all like he was a prisoner. He seemed a little smug. Did he really kill Linda?

  She was beginning to doubt it and doubt herself. To do that though, she would be calling Albright a liar. Her conviction that she could do what Albright wanted her to do was faltering. She reminded herself that it was suppose to be a hard decision. This was a test of faith after all. Like the test of Abraham. It wasn’t what Albright wanted her to do. It was what God willed.

  They continued walking through the tunnels. Here and there they passed a branch that shot off into darkness. The group always continued on the straight path. The light from the Reverend's lantern seemed feeble in comparison to the enveloping darkness. The tunnel moved at a steady incline. They came to another door, which again Charlie opened after first unlocking it with a key from his pocket.

  They were standing in a room filled with machinery and ductwork. It all laid dormant now. Albright led them through the room, out a doorway, and up a flight of stairs. Up they climbed, until coming out into a larger hallway. From what she could see by lantern light, it looked a lot like the hallways in the dorm area Hannah stayed at before. Hannah could make out several doors along the hall, along with a stretch of lockers all down the left side.

  "Down the hall we go," Albright whispered.

  Continuing on, they didn't stop again until they were outside a large set of metal double doors. A thick chain was wrapped around the handles and a large padlock hung from the chain. Albright handed his lantern to Alice and pulled a set of keys from his pocket. He unlocked the padlock and unwrapped the chains. He set them all down on the floor right next to the wall. Hannah wondered what was inside, and if the chains and lock were to keep something dangerous out, or to keep it in.

  "Alice, Hannah, if you would be so kind as to open the doors," Albright asked, taking back the lantern.

  The women pulled open the doors. Hannah expected them to squeak and squeal but the doors open
ed silently. Albright and the other men went through. Hannah and Alice entered after them. Now inside, the Reverend reversed the process. Handing his lantern again to Alice, he picked up a matching chain, wrapped it around the door handles and locked them with a padlock. This made Hannah even more nervous.

  Hannah looked around. She couldn't believe her eyes. They were in the school’s pool gymnasium. A banner, half fallen from the ceiling, sadly declaring this school Eagle Proud. The pool, where many swimming matches must have taken place, had been drained. She could see the lane lines, painted in red like crosses at the ends. At the far end were six diving platforms, for each lane.

  Hannah froze, her breath catching in her throat, when she saw what was in the drained pool floor. It was a cage of chain link fence. She thought its sides were at least eight feet tall. There were two doors on it, with a big span between them. Over the cage hung a rope on what looked like a home made pulley system, attached to the ceiling rafters. Attached to the end of the rope was some kind of harness system.

  The cage was like a huge dog pen. Inside though weren't dogs, but zombies. They milled about aimlessly inside. They shuffled in there silent way. The only noise was an occasional rattle of the fence when one of the zombies would brush up against it. She guessed it held about ten of the undead.

  She saw Tyrone struggle against his ropes and against the men holding him for the first time. Horror grew inside as it dawned on her what Tyrone's punishment was going to be.

  "No, no, no," she whispered to herself.

  Albright came to her, and grabbed her by the elbow. He led her to the outer door of the cage. The stench of rotting meat grew stronger. She covered her nose with one hand.

  "Here we shall judge Tyrone," Albright said, slipping into preacher voice. "If he is found wanting, here he will stay in Purgatory, with the rest of these sinners. It is not for us to question the word of God, but to obey."

  At the sound of his voice the undead gathered at that end of the cell, pushing each other up against the fence. The rattling became louder and faster. Reverend Albright left Hannah standing there and walked over to Tyrone. He held up his lantern to Tyrone's face. To Hannah, in the lantern light, Tyrone looked like a scared little boy now.

  "Tyrone. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

  "Amen," said Charlie.

  "For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil."

  Albright grabbed Tyrone's tape with his free hand, pulling the suddenly trashing young man forward, around the pool to the back side. "Charlie and Alice. God’s faithful servants. You know what to do."

  Charlie and Alice went around to either side of the cage. There Alice worked the pulley system, bringing the harness down. Charlie grabbed a hook off the wall and used it to bring the harness over to him. Alice gave him slack as he brought the harness over to Tyrone and fit it on him.

  Tyrone struggled as the Reverend pulled. Ralph stood next to Albright, in case he was needed. Hannah hesitated, frozen in horror. Albright nodded for Hannah to follow as they took Tyrone to the diving platform. Tyrone was forced up on it. Hannah was motioned to stand behind him. Albright stood on one side, down on the floor, Ralph on the other. Below the undead mulled. It dawned on her exactly hat she was expected to do. Even if Tyrone had killed Linda, even if what Albright had said made sense, Hannah didn't know if she could it.

  "Here is your test. Tyrone has broken one of the Ten Commandments. He has committed the sin of murder. He, in cold blood, killed Nurse Linda. He failed in his attempt to also murder Brother Darryl. We have judged him and you will assist God with his punishment. You will open the doors of Purgatory, and you will cast Tyrone into the pit."

  Hannah's heart was racing. Her hands trembled as she raised them. Did she have to do this? Could she? Tyrone. It is so hard to believe you did this. If you did kill her, surely it was a mistake.

  She wished she had a chance to sit down with him, talk over what he had done, give him a chance to explain himself.

  "Hannah, you must hurry. You know the wicked must be punished," Albright said, looking up at her. "If he is not guilty, God will keep him safe. If you can't trust in me yet, then still trust in God."

  The bound Tyrone stood there, his back facing her. The long rope with a latch on the end, attached to the harness, trailed behind. The gag in his mouth muffled whatever he was trying to say. At least his back is to me, so I don't have to see his face.

  Thin tears rolled down as she took a step closer to Tyrone. She sent prayers up to God, wanting to hear His voice. Give her some sign.

  "You must push him in," Albright whispered in assuring tones. "God will do the rest. If he is true and innocent, he will not be harmed."

  The tears in her eyes doubled and tripled as she neared Tyrone. He twisted his head around to look at her, his eyes pleading.

  "This is your last chance. If you can not do this, you are not a child of God. You will have to leave us. I can't have you in my church. I’ll then have to judge Tyrone myself."

  "Why? Why would you do it Tyrone?" Hannah whispered as she held his face in her hands.

  Hannah yanked at the gag and slapped Tyrone. “Tell me the truth, tell me what you did!” Her voice broke at the end.

  Tyrone recoiled and turned his head back to her. "If you believe this shit, then you are a dumb crazy bitch, just like all of them." She had never heard him speak so harsh in all their time together.

  Hannah was consumed by a wave of emotion. Albright stepped up and shoved the gag back into his mouth. “You have heard Hannah. His words are as foul as his soul is now.”

  Reverend Albright raised her hands and placed them on Tyrone’s back. She pushed with Albright’s help. She snatched her hands back as soon as Tyrone cleared the platform. They trembled as she clutched them together at her breasts. She nearly fell off the platform herself. She shrank back and Albright was there. He put his hands on her shoulders.

  Charlie stood, hook at the ready. Alice stood tense, her hands still resting on the pulley mechanism. Now Reverend Albright's voice boomed out in the silence.

  "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. How shall young Tyrone be judged."

  Hannah turned to Albright. "Can't we leave now?"

  "No, we must witness. Now watch. God will reveal the truth."

  Albright had a firm grip on her. Every time she tried to look down or away, he would always put a hand under her chin and force her to look back.

  Tyrone landed hard, his hands still bound and his mouth still gagged. He rose and tried to stand still, but she had to guess he knew he would only last for so long. Alice gave the rope slack and Tyrone was free to move around. Tyrone pushed awkwardly off the pool floor and got to his feet. He stood frozen, trying not to make a sound.

  The first of the zombies reached him. He used to be a man with what must have been quite the gut. He was shirtless and now all that excess flesh dangled loosely down over pants. He still wore a cap like a farmer's on his head. He stopped in front of Tyrone, like he was sniffing the air for the scent of his prey. Tyrone still stood statue like. Without warning the thing grabbed Tyrone's shoulders and clamped his mouth down on his neck. Blood sprayed from between the zombies lips and Tyrone's muffled screams brought on the rest of the undead.

  Alice worked the pulley. Ralph came over to help. Hannah stood with Albright’s hands like a vice on her. Her stomach sank. It must have been all true. God has judged. The rope pulled up taking Tyrone with it. The flesh of Tyrone's shoulder was torn out. It dangled in the zombie's teeth.

  Tyrone dangled above the cage, blood spattering the faces of the zombies below. Charlie hooked the harness and pulled him over. Tyrone was freed from the duck tape and the gag removed. Unceremoniously Charlie shoved him hard. Tyrone fell to the pool floor, trembling and holding hi
s gaping wound. Blood flowed out between his fingers. Already though the flow was slowing and Tyrone's face seem to be going slack. The zombies went back to aimlessly wandering around in the confines of their new home. Interest in the fresh meat seemed to have been lost.

  Hannah wasn't crying now, she was sobbing. Albright loosened his grip and took her into his arms. He stroked her hair. She released all she had into his chest, thankful for his embrace.

  Tyrone. Oh Jesus, please forgive me. May he forgive you to Tyrone.

  "So God has judged," Albright said. "So God Almighty has judged!"

  Tyrone screamed and screamed inside his head long after his voice had stopped working.

  He felt terror beyond description as he was shoved back into the zombie pen. Excruciating pain, worse than anything he had ever felt, magnitudes greater than any football injury he had ever received, ripped through his shoulder where the zombie had bit him. He was sure someone had poured small strips of something flammable and lit them, as pure burning sensations ran up and down his body as he laid there, his life leaking out onto the pool floor. He steeled himself as best he could for the moment he would be torn apart. He sobbed knowing he would never see his mama again.

  It was an instant change. There was intolerable pain. What came next was nothingness. His vision clouded. It now seemed like he was peering through dusty windows. He lost all feeling of his body, of himself. He thought he was screaming still, but his ears didn't hear it. They could still hear the creak of the rope, the rattle of the cage, the whooping and carrying on of the people who did this to him. The shouts of amen and praise Jesus.

  He could still think, still hear his inner voice. He thought he was moving his head to look around, but nothing happened. Same with trying to move his arms or legs. It wasn't like numbness either, like when you sit on one leg to long and it tingles. It was complete nothingness.

  He cried out, "Hannah! Hannah!" He thought he did anyway, but he never heard himself.