“How hot?”
“I dunno, hot,” he teared.
“I felt cold,” Charlotte said, remembering.
Benjamin looked to him then to her. “What else did you feel?”
Charlotte thought about it. “A lot of pain, cold, then like I couldn't feel anything. It was like I was sinking but then I saw Jesus!”
Benjamin turned to Marcus. “You feel hot? Just hot?”
“A little,” Marcus shuddered, uncomfortable in his restraints, sobbing like a kid trying not to cry.
“I think the armor worked!” Benjamin exclaimed, looking warmly to Dad's wife.
“What?!” Lena freaked.
Benjamin rubbed oddly along Marcus' sweaty arms and legs. He messaged and felt around as Marcus squirmed and groaned. "I don't feel anything." He untied Marcus' closest hand. “Sit up, drink some more.”
“Are you sure?” Dad asked, sitting with his wife who perked up.
“No,” Benjamin said, trying to untie but letting Lena take over. Lisa helped her. He examined Marcus' back and his sides, looking keenly.
“His signs are just pain, emotional. His wounds look like abrasions from under the armor. I think most of the blood was not his. I don't see or feel any wounds or cuts. There are just little abrasions, bites on the armor and padding, I think.”
Lena helped him sit up. She was so focused.
He sat up.
“Get him some rest, comfort. Clean him up more. I think he's fine,” Benjamin shrugged with that old Jewy glum look. "He's fine."
Lisa hugged Benjamin.
Dad stood with his wife.
“Praise be to Jesus!!! Whooh hooh!” Charlotte danced.
18. The Law Condemns
“You must do as I say!” Dad said, pacing about the room as they ate stoically. “Coming out there was not part of the plan. I did not need any help.”
Duanne and Steve looked down. Lena hugged Marcus tightly. They were still emotional, having experienced what they thought was a farewell. Dad thought only a moment about them. They looked exhausted, physically, mentally, and spiritually. He hid his joy.
“Look, I need warriors. I need knights! But there is a method to my madness and I can not have you all jumping out thinking you can do it, thinking you can just fight. It's not about fighting them. It's about out-smarting them!”
They looked up and nodded in various ways.
“Fighting is... it's the last resort. It is merely a method to get through, to get to what is really needed. Understand?”
They nodded.
“Keep training, keep understanding how to fight, how to swing, but don't assume that is the answer. I fight to clear them from my path. I fight to accomplish something. We can not confront them head on. You don't just stand there and swing 1, 2, 3! They are millions, we are few. I must be able to go out again and rescue survivors and know you are doing your part. Not mine! Yours!"
He looked to the three new people: a man, a woman, and a child. All separated from their families and joined in desperate survival. They were the ones they just rescued in that fighting fiasco.
They clung to each other for comfort, but soon would join in, somehow. Dad realized that with saving more, that names and personalities would get lost. He looked at the girl. She was eight or so. She had been through so much. He hoped the other kids would give her courage.
What he needed now were leaders over groups who would have responsibilities to keep those groups trained and safe. There was work to be done. Each group was to do things, to help in fighting, building, survival. This all flashed in his mind as he glanced at them.
Dad turned to the whiteboard. “I need to assign groups, duties.” He turned back. His thoughts and movements were erratic. He was second guessing his thoughts but had to get through it. Ray and Nick perked up. Tom, in the back, away from Steve, looked on. Steve rubbed his tired face. Duanne stared like an actor at rehearsal. Eva was cleaning up and being dutiful. Randall ate with Beth and her children but listened. Katrina sat with Cory, Stu, and Trish. Why, Dad did not know. She was a bit older than them. Dad shook off his thoughts.
Jake and Charlotte were on guard duty on the roof. Little Julio and his sister Juanita were ever the messengers and delivery personnel, taking food up to the roof for them, doing all kinds of messaging, even silly messages. Maria, Amador's wife and mother of Julio and Juanita, was also handling food service.
Amador was sitting, eating, ready to get back to work. Dad's wife and Cherry, a bit too social, were eating lightly and talking. By the look on their face, it was about something of the past, of civilized times, now gone forever. Dad realized that it was gone forever. Whatever it was, Hollywood, movies, restaurants, new TV shows, streaming services, it was gone. It flashed in his mind as he tried to focus. He felt a slight dizziness, an overwhelming sensation. He had to lead and his brain was trying to flee to some happy dark place.
He shook out of it again. “We need nobles and knights!” he blurted.
Everyone suddenly perked up. Eva froze in mid carrying. They all turned to him, wide eyed.
Dad didn't realize what he said till he said it. He then kind of looked at them, but kind of not. He blinked out of his blurriness, then wrote on the whiteboard. “Tom, I need you to be in charge of the gates. The gate keeper, our border patrol, our Earl or Thane, Tom the Thane, Tom? Lord Tom, guardian of our borders.”
Some chuckles sprang up.
“Hey, he looks like Aragorn from Lord of the Rings!” Stu spouted.
“The Dunedain ranger! Guarding our borders!” Ray perked up.
"Duneah whah?" Stu asked.
Tom did have that look, with his scarfs and grimy look. He looked like some border ranger, keeping the evil at bay.
“Quiet!” Dad shot out. “Sorry, just Tom. Tom is focused, reliable. It's maybe the most dangerous duty. Stu, you help him.”
“Oh man,” Stu sighed. "I'll be like lil'Froh-doh!"
"Just..." Dad turned to others as some held back giggles.
“Duanne, I need you training and becoming more capable of fighting. You have the physique. You and Marcus. I need you two to be, well, like me. Honey, wife?”
His wife realized he was addressing her. She looked at him confused.
“We need better armor for them. Steel, heavy like mine,” Dad said.
His wife looked at them. “I can't do that. I can sew. I'm not a blacksmith. But I could maybe reinforce their armor. Make it heavier.”
"We gotta go to Greystone Castle man!" Duanne said, sitting forward and flexing just a bit.
Marcus got excited too, flexing a bit. "Yeah yeah."
"Alright, alright," Dad said. "We will. But I need you guys armored better just to go."
"Man, her armor did protect me!" Marcus said, motioning to his wife. Lena leaned over and grabbed his wife's arm.
"I can add more stuff, if that's what you need honey," his wife added.
“Well, whatever it takes,” Dad said. Then without a segue-way, Dad looked at Duanne and his gear. “And you can't have that damn rifle swinging all over your back. The zombies grabbed it!"
"Yeah, I know, shit," Duanne shrugged.
"They were yanking you all over the places, constricting your movements.”
Duanne waved agreement. “Agreed. I'll figure it out. Hey what about Steve? He's a bad ass.”
Steve did not want to be called on, as everyone glanced at him for affirmation.
Dad looked on reluctantly. “Steve is leaving us.”
Steve rubbed his face again, tired, not just of today, but of the days.
“Whah?” Duanne peered back and forth.
“It's not like I want to leave. You're making me leave,” Steve said nonchalantly.
“I'm not making you leave, but I am making you choose,” Dad said.
“T'ah! Yeah, choose to be who I am? No. I have to be Christian like you to stay,” Steve said, tired.
“No, not Christian, you have to comply with the rules, with the morals I s
et forth. And I happen to be Christian. But the saving grace of Jesus is not to be forced on anyone. Never.”
“Whatever, I'm as Christian as you,” Steve said. “At least I accept everyone.”
“Do you accept me, that I believe homosexuality is a sin?”
“Sure, sure, whatever, send me out to die because of your high morals,” Steve responded.
“I'm not sending you out there. I'm asking you to comply with the morals I set forth, for this place, and you do not want to. Thusly, there has to be an enforcement,” Dad said, struggling with his words.
“Enforcement of what? Kicking me out?” Steve got more animated.
“Whoah whoa, you're kicking him out cuz he's gay? That's some fucked up shit?” Duanne said.
“Thank you,” Steve responded.
“I'm not. I'm not.”
“Seriously man, that ain't Christian at all! That's fucking some right-wing hate shit!” Duanne continued. “I mean, I am or was Republican but I wasn't no hater.” He chuckled a bit to lighten it up.
“You can't kick him out! You can't! If you do,” Ray moaned.
“We already talked about this without you guys,” Stu said to no one.
“He is the leader!” Katrina said.
His wife stepped closer to him.
“Keep me out of this, dang,” Howie said.
“Are you really going to kick me out?” Steve suddenly blurted, ending all the comments.
“No. But you are going to leave. And I will help you,” Dad said.
“Awe come on,” Duanne said, with dramatic arm and torso gestures, waving to others and moving about on his seat. “You can't be serious.”
“My husband saved you. He saved everyone!” his wife said.
“And now he's gonna kick him out, to his death? Cuz of some judgmental bullshit. That's not Jesus!” Duanne said gently but firm.
“Stop Duanne. Stop. We had long discussions on this before you came. I brought my family to this school and fought to defend it, to build it, then to save others. But this is my fortress. I am the king here. My rules and laws are in place. We must rebuild surrounded by beasts and monsters. I set the laws.”
“Kill gays? Is that your law?” Duanne got more heated than Steve. It was like he was part of the Hollywood political Left even as a 'Republican'.
“Shut up and listen! I saved your ass out there today, when you risked everything to act like a hero. I go out there and am a fucking hero! And you got Marcus to run out and risk himself while you played with your God damn sword and gun!”
“Fuck! So you're the dictator then?” Duanne shook his head, not in anger, but in submission, sort of.
“Yes, I am. Not a dictator, but a king... and my rules are set. I want a Christian kingdom. You are not required to accept Christ or be a Christian, but the morals of man and woman, of marriage, of family are set in stone here. I am not changing that. If Steve wants to be a damn monk and stay here fine! But he doesn't. He wants to be openly gay, to preach gay, and to sell it to the kids, to ones we need to marry and have kids and build our future.”
“Children are the future,” Benjamin suddenly blurted.
“That's fucked up. He ain't selling shit,” Duanne continued.
“You can go with him. Any of you can. I ain't stopping you. He wants exactly what you want, some open free willing happy-dappy sexual society. That's totally fine. And I'll help you. Duanne Henderson, big shot movie actor, you can go with him. It's your choice.”
Duanne looked back at Steve, who looked glum and rolled his eyes.
“When we going then? To start my own damn fucking kingdom?” Steve finally said.
“Very soon,” Dad responded.
“Cool,” Steve stared at Dad. "And it ain't no 'sexual' happy-dappy society, it's a free society."
"Whatever you say," Dad replied.
"It ain't all..." Steve looked at Ronan, his wife, the rest. He was tired. He waved it off. "Whatever."
People started to get up, mainly Duanne, Howie, Ray.
“I'm not done here,” Dad said.
“Well maybe we want to go with him,” Ray said, showing a rare unsettled emotion.
“Anyone that wants to go with Steve, raise your hand,” Dad said.
They suddenly looked reluctant, unsure.
“I'll take you to West Hollywood. You can drive there in some beat up car, find a spot to defend, and then build up your kingdom: your free kingdom with no rules or his rules, no morals or whatever, no Christ. I'll ride my bike around, lead them away from you. Give you a chance.”
“That's crazy,” Ray said, sitting back down and feeling the weight.
“I'm taking my God damn weapons!” Duanne said.
“Sure,” Dad said, which surprised everyone.
“If I go.”
“What?” Dad didn't quite hear that.
“If,” Duanne suddenly realized the weight of it, the fear, the burdening reality.
Dad eyed them. He eyed Steve. “Steve, if you were in charge, and I went around preaching what I truly believe, the words in the Bible, saying homosexuality is a sin, what would you do? And I truly, truly believe it, right now, and live that out. I wouldn't force anyone to believe it, but I would say it every time anyone asked, would you accept it? Would you accept my faith in your community?”
“Sure,” Steve said, shrugging.
“Thou shalt not bear false witness,” Dad responded.
“Oh, so you're saying I'm lying?” Steve responded.
“Yes.”
“Fuck you!” Steve said, standing. His chair screeched. Everyone was silent.
“You must have your own community. I will help you,” Dad responded.
“Fuck this,” Steve walked out.
Everyone sat silent with disgruntled looks.
19. Feudalism
Dad wasn't sure what to do, so he continued the meeting. He noticed Tom in the back. Tom showed no emotion. He saw Lena who looked at him with empathetic eyes. He smiled calmly.
He turned back to the white board. “Tom will be in charge of the perimeter defenses, the gates, the walls. Nick, I want you in charge of the building, the walls, the fortifications. If Ray is still with us, he's part of that obviously. Work together.” Dad scribbled their names on the board. Perimeter defenses. Fortifications. Farming. “I'd like Robert and Ellie to be in charge of farming, water supplies, gathering water, uh, fresh food stuff.”
“Filtering water, getting a safe supply,” Robert added, his venerable voice calming others as they settled from the harrowing argument.
“Yes, please, thank you,” Dad said.
“Beth, I'd like you to help them, but really be on top of our food. How much we have, how much each person gets, storing it. And make sure we have two or three different places with food, in case one area should burn up or food rot or whatever.”
Beth nodded. "We've got two spots, great spots. I think we can do more."
"Awesome." Dad said.
Randall gave her a high-five, lightening the mood further.
“My wife, she's in charge of armor,” Dad hugged his wife quickly, then returned to writing names and assignments on the board.
“So we got Perimeter, Fortification, Farming & Water, Food Supply, Armor... oh Weapons.” Dad wrote.
“I've been doing that but I'm not an expert. I don't know if I really should be,” Amanda raised her hand and spoke timidly.
Dad looked back, then looked to Amador, Nick, and Ray. “You know what, for now, I think you should do it. But make sure to test them with Nick, Amador, and Ray. Get their advice on making them stronger. Get tools, nails and supplies from them.”
“Okay,” Amanda said.
Dad looked over at Benjamin who looked like he was nodding off. “Hey Benjamin?”
Benjamin was still nodding off. The rest looked at him, with quaint smiles.
“Hey Ben? Benjamin?”
He snored just a bit.
Stu got up to tap him, but Dad blurted out, “He
y Jew!”
“Huh, whah?” Benjamin coughed out of it. Stu looked odd at Dad.
“Benjamin,” Dad said.
“Oh yes, sorry. Did I fall asleep?”
“Yeah, that's okay, but you're our doctor, or something. Maybe you can use some help?” Dad said.
“Oh sure. For what?” Benjamin suddenly got grumpy.
“I don't know, setting up the hospital, getting medicines and taking care of us. With more of us, I think we'll be having more issues, like rashes and infections and swollen stuff,” Dad said off the top of his head.
“Oh sure, sure, I am old. I could always use help,” Benjamin said.
“I can help him!” Eva said, raising her hand.
Dad saw Amanda nod, happy to see Eva do something besides blather.
“Hey, what do you want me to do?” Cory said, standing up with a comedic jeer.
Dad stopped to look at him. “Train. I want you to be a warrior, a motorcycle rider like Randall. I want you to train, train, and train some more.”
Cory stood straighter and removed his jeer. He nodded then sat down.
“The kids will be the snipers on the roof. They'll use the 22s and some of the new rifles. We should keep the high powered ones for tougher situations. Save the ammo.”
“What can I do?” Trish asked coyly.
“Well, actually you and your brother Jake, I want you managing the kids, the roof. You can help out others, but mainly, I want you to watch the kids, help Jake on the roof, and keep the guns ready. Keep the messenger service running. Keep them quiet and disciplined, but also let them be kids, safely, quietly, in the library or maybe let them play in the top corridor. No play outside as they might get too loud, and definitely not on the roof.”
“Got it!” Trish said, giving a thumbs up.
“Hey, what about me!” Katrina perked up. Her daughter and everyone chuckled a bit, seeing her disappointment at not being appointed to something.
“Oh yes, sorry Katrina,” Dad smiled and tried to think quickly. “Well, I think, you could be… our event organizer.”
“Event what?”
“Maybe, we do need some fun once and awhile. You could organize things for us to do.”
Knight of the Dead (Book 4): Realm Page 12