The Decay of Humanity Series (Book 3): Demise of Humanity

by Dawn, M. K.

  Archer clasped his hands in front of him. “I’m sorry, we don’t know, not yet. But after we resolve this issue, it will be my top priority.”

  Maria sniffled. “What about his body and the others that were killed? When can we have a service for them? To say goodbye.”

  “Soon,” Britney said. “Tomorrow. As we have discussed before, the bodies will be burned, but we will honor our dead. They deserve that and so much more.”

  “Gracias.” Maria took her seat, dabbing the corner of her eyes with a handkerchief.

  “Any other questions?” Archer asked.

  Sloan spotted Smith and three others heading their way with Eli nested in between them.

  Anger spread across the crowd. Many whispered in the ears of their neighbors as Eli passed, while others glared. Clearly, word had gotten around and people had already formed an opinion on the matter.

  “Good.” Archer waited at the edge of the platform to the right of the stairs. “Again, let me remind you all to not interact with the accused or you will be escorted from the area.”

  Smith waved Eli up the stairs while Axel pulled a chair forward and gestured for him to sit.

  Sloan had never seen Eli so dejected. He stared out onto the crowd, his lifeless eyes red and swollen. “Where’s Mia?”

  Sloan scanned the rows of seats, finding it odd that she hadn’t shown.

  “She promised she wouldn’t let me go through this alone.” Sobs broke through Eli’s words. “She said she would protect me.”

  Archer peered down on Eli. “Please sit quietly. At the end, you will be allowed to address the crowd. Do you understand?”

  Eli glanced up at him with pleading eyes. “Where’s Mia? Can you send someone to find her? I don’t want to do this without her?”

  Archer jutted his chin to one of the guards. “Go.”

  “Thank you.”

  Archer averted his eyes. “We still need to get started.”

  Eli lowered his head into his hands and wept.

  Pain etched Archer’s face. Even though Eli had committed a horrific act of violence, he was still just a teenager.

  Archer faced the town. “As I’m sure you are all aware by now, Shifter’s body was discovered this morning in the old storage shed. Dr. Egan examined the body and concluded that his death was not accidental and was caused by a stab wound to the abdomen. Because of Shifter’s rocky history with Eli and Mia, they were brought in for questioning.”

  Sloan kept her eyes on the crowd in an attempt to gauge their reaction. Most had their eyes locked on Eli and seemed indifferent to his blubbering. Not that Sloan could blame them; it was hard to feel sorry him knowing he admitted to killing Shifter.

  Archer continued. “Eli claimed that he killed Shifter out of self-defense, to protect his sister after Shifter attacked her. Mia told the Council that Shifter hit her. She has a black and bruised eye from the attack and required stitches.”

  The crowd fumed, whispering amongst themselves.

  Archer held up his hands. “Please, let me finish.”

  A hush fell over the crowd. Seems no one wanted to leave on such a drastic cliffhanger.

  “As I was saying,” Archer continued, “Mia accused Shifter of hitting her and stated he threatened to inflict additional body harm.”

  “Harm!” Eli jumped from his chair. “Harm? He said he was going to kill her!”

  Archer glared at the prisoner. “Interrupt me again and you’ll be escorted back to your camper. Do you understand?”

  Eli clenched his jaw and nodded, slinking back into his chair.

  “Good. After the alleged assault, Mia returned to her camper and told Eli what happened. An enraged Eli tracked Shifter down and confronted him. Eli stated that he believed Shifter intended on making good on his promise of killing Mia. So, he stabbed him in the abdomen and left him in the shed to die. Neither he nor Mia told anyone what happened. It wasn’t until the Council questioned them on Shifter’s death, that Eli confessed to killing him. I think it’s important to mention that Eli believed he was acting out of self-defense even though Shifter did not harm him in anyway.”

  It was strange listening to Archer recount all the twins had told them as if he were speaking to a jury in a formal court of law.

  “Now, we are at the point when you all come in. Considering the ramifications of the Jerry and Barbara situation, the Council decided that it would be better if we put Eli’s fate to a vote. But before we do that, we will allow the accused to speak.”

  Smith grabbed Eli by the arm and helped him to his feet.

  Eli shook her off and lumbered to the front of the stage. “Shifter hated me and Mia from the moment he laid eyes on us. Alone, in the middle of town, after we had just escaped the Children of the Apocalypse. He hated us because we were outsiders, and that has never changed. Mia and I have worked hard for this town. We made friends and felt like we were becoming one of you. But Shifter never trusted us. Then, during the infested attack, when so many people were losing their lives, he sought out my sister and hurt her. She was terrified but managed to escape. She truly believed he would come after her again and finish what he started. I did what anyone else here would have done. I protected my family.”

  A few women looked on with tear dampened cheeks but most of the other people kept the same hardened expression, unimpressed with Eli’s speech.

  Sam raised his hand, and Archer called on him. “Yes?”

  “Are we allowed to ask the accused questions? I would like to get a better understanding of what happened.”

  Archer turned to the Council. “Are we okay with that?”

  They all nodded.

  “Okay. Sam, go ahead.”

  “Thank you.” Sam addressed Eli. “Why didn’t you tell someone what happened to Mia? Or what happened between you and Shifter? You just left him there and said nothing as the entire community searched for him.”

  Eli fiddled with the hem of his shirt. “It all happened so fast and during the infested attack. Mia was terrified that Shifter would finish what he started that night.”

  Another woman raised her hand and stood. “But you found him at the old shed, nowhere near the RV park.”

  “So? He could have come to our camper later that night,” Eli snapped.

  “You didn’t answer my second question,” Sam interrupted. “Why didn’t you tell anyone what happened?”

  Eli’s lips parted. “I...I don’t know. Guess I was scared. Didn’t want everyone thinking I did something wrong.”

  Sam narrowed his eyes. “You killed someone. If it were self-defense as you claim, why not come clean? Tell your side of the story?”

  “Um,” Eli’s eyes darted past the crowd and widened. “Mia! You’re here! Please, I need your help!”

  Mia rushed up the stairs. “What’s going on here?”

  “He’s on trial for Shifter’s murder,” Archer explained. “And unless he has anything else to add, we need to vote. Which means you need to take your seat.”

  Mia kissed Eli’s cheek and whispered in his ear.

  Eli pulled her into a hug. “I understand.”

  “I’ll be right here.” Mia took the empty seat in the third row.

  “Any other questions?” Archer asked. “Or shall we vote?”

  A dozen hands shot in the air.

  Archer ran a hand through his hair. “And by questions, I mean those that if answered a certain way would sway your vote.”

  No surprise, everyone lowered their hands.

  “Good. Time to vote. Those of you that find Eli guilty of Shifter’s murder, raise your hand.”

  Sloan started to count until she realized everyone but Mia had their hand raised, including Makayla and Axel.

  Archer continued. “Not guilty.”

  Mia lifted her hand.

  “The majority of the town has found the accused guilty. The next vote is more difficult, the punishment. There are two options that we feel are viable options: exile and execution. As we have no w
ay of locking him up, life in prison doesn’t seem reasonable. Please take a moment to weigh both options. The majority will be enforced immediately.

  Eli’s jaw dropped. “What? You can’t do that! Mia, please, do something.”

  Mia rushed toward the stage, her cheeks wet with tears. “It’s okay, Eli. I’m right here.”

  Archer kept going. “All those in favor of exile without supplies, raise your hand.”

  “Ten,” Sloan said after a quick count.

  Archer lowered his head. “Execution?”

  Counting wasn’t necessary. It was clear which punishment the town preferred. People were angry and they demanded retribution.

  Archer turned his back on the town, his sad eyes locking on Sloan. “Execution, it is.”

  Sloan knew what troubled him; the next vote would be the most difficult. If the town decided that Eli would die by any other method besides lethal injection (which Sloan had already collected), Archer would be the one who would most likely have to serve out the punishment.

  Archer faced the crowd once again. “Even though Shifter died in a brutal and painful manner, we should never stoop to the level of a criminal. We are a town built on the kindness of others, here to help those who lost everything. For those reasons, Eli’s execution will be by lethal injection.”

  Sloan closed her eyes for a moment, relieved at the decision.

  “You can’t do this.” Eli’s body shook. “Mia, please, tell them.”

  Archer squatted next to Sloan. “Can you do this, Slash?”

  Sloan bit down on her bottom lip and shook her head. Like Makayla, she’d taken an oath to heal and that oath was engrained into every fiber of her being. “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay.” Archer stared out onto the onlooking crowd. “I’m not sure we should do this in front of everyone. Maybe take him back to the clinic?”

  To Sloan’s surprised, no one argued.

  “Can I say goodbye?” Mia asked, her face wet with tears.

  Archer waved her up. “Yes.”

  Mia climbed the stairs slowly and pointed to Eli’s tied hands. “How am I supposed to say goodbye with his hands tied together? He can’t even give me a final hug.”

  Axel rose to his feet, pocket-knife in hand. “Don’t do anything stupid. And make it quick.”

  Mia threw herself in Eli’s arms. “I’m so sorry. This is all happening so fast. There’s not enough time.” She brought her lips next to his ear and whispered.

  Eli bobbed his head.

  Mia kissed his cheek. “I love you. You’re doing the right thing.”

  “I know.” Eli pulled a syringe from his pocket and jammed the needle into his chest, injecting the black substance into his heart.

  “Shit.” Axel reached for his gun.

  But it was Archer who didn’t hesitate putting two bullets into his chest, preventing the infested from taking over.

  People screamed. Others fled.

  Archer whirled around and got into Mia’s face. “You told him to do that!”

  “No.” Mia took a step back.

  “What did you whisper in his ear?”

  Mia fell to her knees beside Eli. “I told him not to fight. That it would only make things worse. That at least this way, he wouldn’t suffer.” Mia threw her hands over her face and sobbed. “Oh, my God! My poor Eli. What have you done! What have you done!”

  Sloan sat dumbfounded, still not sure what she’d just witnessed.

  Axel leaned closer to Smith. “Take her back to her camper and keep an eye on her. Don’t let her go anywhere alone.”

  Smith helped Mia off the floor and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “Come on.”

  Archer rubbed the back of his neck. “Fuck! Where the hell did that come from?”

  Sloan moved to his side and ran a hand down his arm. “We need to move Eli’s body. Everyone’s watching.”

  “I don’t care.” Archer moved from her reach. “He tried to turn himself into an infested. How long has he had that thing? Where the hell did even come from?”

  Archer collapsed into the nearest chair.

  Sloan crouched in front of Archer. “It’s better this way. He took his own life. We didn’t have to execute him.”

  “I shot him.”

  “You killed an infested.” Sloan covered his hands with hers. “Protected this town from another attack. It’s time to move on. Have the funeral we promised and hope all this horror died with Eli.”

  Archer swallowed hard. “I don’t know how we’re going to move on from this.”

  Neither did Sloan, but for the sake of the town, they would try.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  Britney covered her nose and mouth with the neck of her sweater in an attempt to keep the smoke from entering her lungs.

  The smell of burning bodies and wood always made her queasy even though most people swore they could only smell the pine.

  After two years, they still couldn’t say for sure what attracted the infested...blood, flesh, or the human body in general. They didn’t want to risk the smell of decomposition attracting the infested, so they opted to burn their dead.

  A light breeze carried the smoke high in the air. Britney hadn’t been sure a large bond fire was the best thing right now, but something needed to be done with the bodies. Only two days had passed since the attack, so the decomposition wasn’t too bad, but if they’d let them go any longer, they could have drawn in unwanted attention like wild animals or more infested. Plus, everyone needed closure and a chance to say goodbye to their loved ones.

  People took turns standing in front of the group and saying a few words.

  Britney kept to the back, putting enough distance between herself and the bondfire as she could without being rude.

  Thirty minutes passed, and people began to take their leave.

  Britney headed for the house. She’d promised the kids that she would spend the rest of the day with them doing whatever they wanted. As she left the house this morning, it sounded as if she was in store for an afternoon of games and maybe a Lego building contest, if Blake got his way.

  The walkie-talkie on her hip cracked, followed by Axel’s voice. “Brit, you there?”

  “Yep. On my way back to the house. What’s up?”

  A few minutes passed and Axel didn’t respond so Britney hit the call button. “Axel, you still there?”

  “One sec.”

  Britney’s palms sweated at his clipped tone. He and Archer had volunteered to take guard duty at the gate so the other people in town could attend the funeral.

  Which meant that’s where they were now.

  Britney hurried past the house and headed for the clinic to see if Sloan had talked to Archer this morning. She too, had opted not to attend the services. Rainey’s health was fading at an alarming rate and Sloan, with the help of Makayla and Evelyn, had been doing what she could to help manage Rainey’s pain. They had taken turns sitting with her during the last twenty-four hours, trying to keep her comfortable and calm until she passed. Britney knew all too well how difficult it was to sit at the bedside of a dying loved one. Her mother’s last days would be forever burned into her memory.

  Britney swung open the door to the clinic and found Sloan with her head on the desk, propped up on a thin pillow, lightly snoring.

  “Sloan,” Britney whispered as she shook her shoulder.

  She groaned, and her eyes fluttered. “What’s wrong?”

  “I’m not sure. Have you talked to Archer in the last few minutes or so?”

  Sloan leaned back in her chair. “What? No...why?”

  Britney tapped the walkie-talkie she clutched in her hand. “Axel called about five minutes ago, didn’t get to why, and went radio silent.”

  “You didn’t ask him why?” Sloan must have still been half asleep, as Britney already answered that.

  “Like I just said, we didn’t get to that. He said just a sec and then never got back to me.”

  Sloan yawned. “Maybe he got d
istracted and forgot.”

  “Or something bad happened,” Britney added, more for herself because of the sinking feeling creeping up on her.

  Sloan cocked her head. “Why do you always assume the worst?”

  Britney picked at her cuticles. “Because lately, we can’t seem to catch a break around here.”

  “Just because we’ve had a string of bad incidents—”

  “Bad luck,” Britney corrected, knowing how much that would irritate her rational sister.

  Sloan scowled. “Luck is not real. We live on a farm during a time when bad things are bound to happen. We’ve had a good year overall. Everything that has happened lately is just a sign of the times. Things break down. Infested attack. Accidents happen. We learn to adapt and move on.”

  Britney rolled her eyes. “Sometimes, I really hate how rational you can be. Like, one time it would be nice for you to have a mental breakdown. Not a huge one but something small to remind me that you’re human.”

  As soon as the words left her lips, Britney regretted saying it. “I’m sorry. That was rude and uncalled for. Especially considerin’ the state of the world.”

  Sloan squeezed Britney’s hand. “It’s okay. I know what you meant. I realize, at times, I come off as a bit uncaring, but I assure you, that’s not the case. It’s easier for me if I don’t process everything right away and focus on the task at hand.”

  “I wish I could turn it all off sometimes.” Britney sighed. “That would make life a hell of a lot easier.”

  Sloan stood, stretching her arms over her head. “I’m exhausted and don’t have long before I have to relieve Evelyn. The clinic has been overrun by people with stress-related illnesses. The three of us are struggling to keep up. I think I’m going to head back to my camper and take a nap.

  Britney pressed her lips together, fighting the urge to ask about Rainey.

  Sloan studied Britney’s face for a moment before releasing a weighted breath. “She doesn’t have much time.”

  Britney’s eyes burned with unshed tears. “She went downhill so quickly.”

  “It happens that way sometimes.”