by T A Williams
The Prophet opened his blood red eyes. “I do not fear you, but you should fear me.”
Banner raised up and punched the man in the face, sending Prophet onto his side. The smack of his fist on the man’s face echoed throughout the empty basement.
“I’ll ask again, how many men do you have?”
For a moment the pale man didn’t move, then slowly he raised himself back up.
“Hundreds upon hundreds,” the man said, his voice darkening. “They will come like a tidal wave and cleanse your evil from this place.”
Banner turned his back on the man and wiped the blood from his fist. He closed his eyes and took in a calming breath before turning back around. “You can’t honestly believe that God wants you to murder innocent people?”
The Prophet shook his head slowly. “None of us are innocent, otherwise we wouldn’t still be here. Do you truly believe that the world can go back to the way it used to be? The world was nothing more than a house of cards and the power going out was a gust of wind.” The Prophet sat up tall. “The wind is still blowing, yet here you are trying to build that house back up again.”
“And here you are taking advantage of the chaos so you can get off on your sick power fantasy,” Banner said.
“Please,” the Prophet said rubbing his face where he had been struck. “You pretend you do noble work but you are nothing more than a weapon. A weapon wielded by those above you in order to secure themselves more power. Those who wish to return the world to what it was want to do so in order to secure power for themselves.”
Banner walked to the gate and Thomas opened it for him. Banner started to walk out and stopped. He turned back to the pale man.
“If they come and it looks like they are going to overrun us, I will come in here myself and put a bullet in your head.”
The Prophet smiled and raised his hands into the air. “And then I will be released to take my place by his side.”
Banner walked out and Thomas secured the gate behind him. The men walked out of the basement and Ben and Ty followed. Once upstairs Banner flopped down on a leather couch in the recessed living room and rubbed his eyes.
“The dude is bonkers,” Thomas said, sitting down in a chair near him.
“They all are, which makes them even more dangerous,” Banner said.
“You think there really hundreds upon hundreds like he said?” Ty asked.
Banner nodded. “All told, there are probably close to a thousand followers. They may not all be fit to fight but if they believe their religious leader is in trouble that probably won’t stop them.”
“How long will it take them to get here?” Ty asked.
“Probably a day or two by vehicle on these roads. But that’s with a small force. If hundreds of them mobilize it should take considerably longer.”
“So we should have a couple of days to prepare and with that many people they should be easy to spot coming,” Ben said.
“We have scouts a couple miles out watching for them,” Thomas said.
Ben’s brain switched into military mode. “This place sits up on a hill overlooking the city down below. Do we have any defenses down there?”
“We can send a small group of men down there to hit them and retreat but I don’t know what difference it will make.”
“Do you have any more of those pipe bombs?” Ben asked.
Banner stopped rubbing his eyes and sat up. “I’ll have to do an inventory but yeah, we should have quite a few.”
“They have to pass through that city to get to us. I say we barricade the routes so they only have a few roads to get here and then we fill those roads with explosives.”
“Damn, B,” Ty said.
“We hit them hard down there and maybe we can scare a few of them and make them think twice. What about them, what kind of hardware will they have?”
Thomas sat up this time. “Mortars and missile launchers just to name a few. They can sit outside and rain destruction down on us.”
“They won’t,” Ben said. “We have their savior. They start shooting explosives in here and they risk killing him.”
Banner looked impressed. “That’s true, but they are still going to have serious machine guns and next to unlimited ammo.”
“If their journey is going to take as long as you are saying then they have to decide between ammo and food. We don’t have to kill them all, we just have to hold them off. They run low or out of ammo and then they turn tail.”
Dex walked inside the building with the soldier’s engineer, Steward, at his side.
“What’s the news?” Banner asked.
“It’s on but we’re not picking anything up or sending anything out,” the man said, defeated.
“What does that mean?” Ty asked.
“It means we’re going to be fighting this battle by ourselves,” Crimson said.
The room was quiet for a few moments.
“Not like we have much of a choice,” Banner said, running his hands through his hair.
There was shouting outside and before they could stand a man came barreling into the house. The man was soaked in sweat and battled to catch his breath.
“Jesus, Harold, what the hell is it?” Thomas asked.
“The Forgotten--one of the scouts spotted them; they are on their way.”
“How far out?” Ben asked.
The man shrugged as he continued to try and catch his breath. “A day, maybe two if we are lucky.”
“How many are there?” Banner asked.
“I don’t know. They just said as far as the eye could see.”
Alec
“Are you sure this is a good time?” Mason asked as he slung the backpack over his shoulder.
“As good a time as any,” Alec said as he handed the man a full canteen. “As long as you’re feeling strong enough.”
Mason had begun running a mile a day after the last snow melted. That mile then turned into two and eventually three. His face looked fuller and his body finally managed to fill out his frame. For the first time Alec had gotten a glimpse of the man that had fought alongside his brother, and he could see how it would be easy to follow him. Mason had also shaved the rat of a beard that covered the majority of his face, outside of the burns where no hair ever grew.
“I feel good and the sooner I get on the road the greater my chances are to meet up with the military and track down your brother,” Mason stopped for a moment and looked around. “It’s just…things still aren’t settled with Sturgeon.”
The last of winter had been quiet. No more missing livestock, no more Sturgeon scouts in Centralia or New Hope. Mason was right; things weren’t settled but they were quiet.
“We’ll find a way to come to an agreement, and if worst comes to worst, we have more men and more manpower.” Alec patted the man on the shoulder. “We can take care of ourselves.”
Mason smiled and wrapped Alec up in a tight hug. “I will find him and I will bring him back.”
When Mason released him Alec kept his head low. He had built up a wall to keep the hope out and this man was threatening to break it down. “Just be careful.”
“I will,” Mason said.
They all came out and watched as Mason got on his horse, with town-made saddlebags filled with supplies strapped all around it, and watched him take off into the unknown. Trevor stood next to Alec as they watched him leave.
“I know you don’t agree,” Alec said as he watched.
“It’s not that,” Trevor said. “I just don’t want you to get your hopes up and I don’t want him to get killed. You going to be ok?”
“I will,” Alec said as he turned around and walked away.
Alec spent the rest of the morning on his back porch looking over the field filled with livestock. Frustration filled his body. He was mad that his body still refused to fully heal. He felt like he was just taking up space. He couldn’t work in the fields for very long, he could still barely lift anything, all he was good for was standing aro
und looking important. As the sun began to make its way down toward the horizon Trevor walked by and stopped in front of him. The man’s face was stoic but his eyes were filled with worry.
“Hey, I’m heading over to Centralia to meet up with Landon to set up our next food transport. You want to come?” he asked.
“Sure, I’m not doing anything here but sitting around lost in my own head.”
“Penny for your thoughts?” he asked.
“Just thinking.”
“I figured that,” Trevor said as he came over and sat down on the porch next to him. “I’m more interested in what you’re thinking about.”
“Nothing and everything.”
Trevor watched him for a while and then smiled. “You’ve always seemed like you had the weight of the world on your shoulders, ever since I’ve known you. From the young guy I found beaten to a bloody pulp to the hero that sacrificed himself to protect this town. Don’t take it all on; let some of it out.”
“I don’t know my place here,” Alec said without thinking. “I understood my place in the old world. I was the man of the house. I helped my mom and I took care of my family. Then this.” Alec gestured all around him.
“You helped build this.”
“I did, but it doesn’t need me anymore. You’ve helped turn it into something that exceeded even my loftiest expectations. It can take care of itself now.”
“That’s not true,” Trevor said. “Come back to the Council. We could still use your guidance.”
“I’ll think about it,” Alec said.
“At least,” Trevor stopped as he looked out over the horizon and a look of shock appeared on his face.
“What is it?” Alec asked, then he followed his gaze. A dark cloud of smoke rose above the area where Centralia should be. “Get the horses.”
They rode hard to Centralia, leaving the rest of their guards in place and ready for anything. Alec expected to hear gunfire or screaming as they approached but instead they were met with silence. The only change was the ever-growing plume of smoke rising in the distance. Once they were on the outskirts he realized the smoke wasn’t coming from in town; rather in one of the fields they used for farming, but there was definitely a fire. Whitford came walking around the corner, a streak of blood running down his face.
Trevor jumped off his horse as he got close and ran to him. “What is it? Are you okay?”
Whitford waved him away. “I’m fine but Simmons was hurt. He’s in the town hall.”
Trevor paused for a moment and then ran toward the town hall.
Whitford looked up to Alec and shook his head. “We caught them trying to steal some of our crops. They opened fire when they saw us.”
“Was anyone killed?” Alec asked.
“Not on our side.”
“How many?”
Whitford wiped the blood from his face, leaving behind a streak of red. “There was only one body left behind but I know we hit another.”
“Dammit,” Alec said as his mind raced. They had gone from general dislike and mistrust to a straight-up war in a single act. Whitford seemed dazed now but he would be out for blood once he recovered. “What about the fire?”
“It’s nearly contained but I think we may have lost most of the crops.”
“Whitford, I have to ask you to hold off. I know you are probably pissed and I know-”
“They looked like skeletons,” Whitford said, staring off in the distance. “They are starving. I didn’t want that. I…I was just pissed when they got the supply drop and refused-”
“I understand,” Alec said as he realized that Whitford actually felt sorry for them.
“Dante has to pay,” Whitford said. “But we can find a place for the others.”
“We can figure something out,” Alec said.
The sound of vehicles driving down the road reached his ears. “They have a vehicle?”
The truck pulled into sight and stopped at the edge of the town square. It was Landon. The man got out quickly with his eyes turned to the smoke rising from the field.
“The hell is going on?”
Whitford stepped forward. “It’s under control.”
Landon stopped in front of them with his brow furrowed. “I’m going to need more than that.”
“They had a run-in with a nearby town, but it’s been dealt with,” Alec said.
“Is the smoke coming from that field?” Landon asked.
Whitford nodded.
“Seeing as we’re trading partners that affects us,” Landon said.
“We are trading partners,” Alec said. “You don’t trade with Centralia.”
Landon sighed and glanced back at his truck. “Look, Noah is going to want to know about this. I can go back and tell him what little I know and possibly freak him out, or you can give me the whole story.”
“As Whitford said, everything is under control. This doesn’t affect you all or our trading agreement,” Alec said sternly.
Landon’s face darkened. “Like I said, I’ll go tell him what I know.” He looked around again for a few seconds and then walked back to his truck and pulled away.
Ben
They were as ready as they would ever be. The traps were set. Every gun and piece of ammo was handed out to the forty men and women and strategically placed throughout their compound. Every available vehicle, fridge, stove and piece of furniture had been placed throughout the inside of the compound to provide them with cover. It was only a matter of time until they arrived, but time was moving at a snail’s pace. That was why Ben found himself in the basement with the pale man. The Prophet sat in his cell, his white hair running down his back and his red eyes staring out toward the blank wall. He turned when Ben entered and smiled.
“Have you come to save your soul? Are you here to release me?”
“Not hardly,” Ben sat as he stood outside the cell.
“Then have you come to dispense more of your wrath?” The Prophet tilted his head sideways like a dog.
“No,” Ben said. “I was just a boy when the lights went out. I used to play make-believe all day long without a care in the world.”
“The innocence of youth.”
“When the world changed so did I. I lost my family so I chose to fight against those who would do others harm. Because of that I am who I am today.”
The Prophet frowned at him. “Are you here to confess your sins then?”
“I will never understand why those types of people choose to do what they do, just like I will never understand why you choose to be this way. Was it fear that drove you to seek a greater purpose? Was it a craving for power? A desire to find control in a world without order?”
The Prophet said nothing.
“We all choose our own path. In the end I hope that I will have done more good in this world than bad. Will you be able to say the same?” Ben asked.
The Prophet’s brow creased. “The end is coming. My people will make sure of that.”
“They will try.” Ben turned his back on the Prophet and walked upstairs and outside.
The tension was palpable and there was a general stirring throughout the makeshift compound. Several vehicles had been placed near the walls both as reinforcements as well as stands to allow them to see and fire over the walls. Crimson stood atop one of those vehicles with her binoculars in hand.
“They still coming?” Ben asked.
“See for yourself,” Crimson reached down, helping him up, and gave him the binoculars.
Ben looked down the valley toward the city and saw dozens of trucks, Humvees, and several semis. Beyond the vehicles was the Forgotten army. Ben collected himself and took a calming breath. They numbered in the hundreds. Just when he thought he saw them all, he would catch sight of another group setting up shop on the other side of the city.
“What the hell are they waiting for?” Ben asked.
“They’re still arriving. Did they give you a real gun?”
Ben nodded. Banner had given him on
e of the few assault rifles they still had. He figured it made the most sense to give the best weapons to the most seasoned fighters; still, ammo was scarce. Ben had five clips, not nearly enough to take down what was waiting outside.
Crimson took the binoculars back and peered down at the army. “Do me a favor and try not to die.”
Ben smiled. “I’ll do my best if you promise to do the same.”
Crimson dropped the binoculars and reached out a hand. Ben shook it once firmly and they parted ways. Their compound had a little over fifty fighters ready to do battle. A few ran from place to place but the majority walked to where they were going, not saying a word. The compound was eerily quiet. As Ben walked he caught sight of Chavez and Dex cleaning their weapons and loading their clips. They saw him approaching and nodded their heads.
“You all buy me a drink after this?” Ben asked.
Dex laughed and pushed his glasses back up his nose. “I think I bought last time.”
“No, I distinctly remember buying last time,” Chavez said with a smirk.
“Fine, then let’s all agree it is Ty’s turn to buy the drinks,” Ben said.
“Fair enough,” Dex said.
“Sounds reasonable,” Chavez answered.
“See you after,” Ben said and turned quickly.
Banner saw him coming and handed him a single pipe bomb. Ben grabbed the cool cylinder pipe and turned it around, inspecting it.
“I’ll give the order,” Banner said.
“I’ll execute.”
Banner slapped him on the shoulder and moved on, revealing Ty leaned up against the side of one of the houses, staring at the ground. Ben was within a few feet of him before he noticed. The young man gave him a strained smile.
“Hey B.”
“Deep in thought?”
Ty nodded slowly. “It’s going to be a tough one, isn’t it?”
“Not anything we haven’t been through before.”
“Really?”
“No, this is probably the worst,” Ben said jokingly.
Ty gave a real smile and looked back down to the ground. “I’m not like you, B. I don’t think I was made for this sort of thing.”