“What is that,” Kiere asked.
“A childhood. It was stripped away from you so quickly that you couldn’t enjoy the little things that make a childhood memorable,” I explained. “The dolls, the toys, the mud pies and escaping on a rocket ship to other worlds just by thinking of them. You should have had an imagination and an imaginary friend even. I had more than one when I was younger.”
“What was his name,” Kiere asked.
“Who? My imaginary friend?”
“Yea. What was his name? What did you do,” Kiere asked.
“I called him Ghost because people couldn’t know his real name. He was an intergalactic bounty hunter that no one could catch. He did noble things for the perfect price. We traveled to many worlds together with his crew. A cybernetic android that saved his life when he was a kid by the name of Olick and two other crew members named Haven and Raven. It was amazing,” I explained.
“Well, there is no room for imaginary friends now. If you don’t focus, you die,” Kiere said as she stared towards the mud stained floor mats. “It’s too late for any of that.”
Not only was that a devastating blow to my stomach because of her lost faith in what she could still have, but it made me want to prove to her that it is still possible.
The small town of Summer Shade was surprisingly still standing after all this time. In the middle of the community there stood an old family owned toy store. Mr. Beckett was one of the nicest men that I had ever had the pleasure of getting to know when I was a kid. He would hand out free bubble gum to the kids that would come into his store. I would talk to him about comic book heroes and who was the best. Even when his store was full of potential buyers, he always made time to sit aside and discuss the difference between heroes and gods with me. At first, he wasn’t a big fan of them, but one day I brought in a reprint of the first Superman comic and Batman comic from when they were Detective Comics and Action Comics. He liked them so much he began selling them in his store.
We had become really close over the years. I would go talk to him if I were having trouble in school or doubting my mindset of creating the Z.E.D.S. He always assured me that nothing I did was stupid because I was one of the smartest young men he had ever known. The day when I enlisted for the army, he was one of the first people I told. I figured he would have been proud of me for that decision, but the words he said to me left a dark mark on me. I could tell he was scared, but after that day I never went back to his store.
“Atlas, joining the army will provide you with nothing but despair and regret. If you are stupid enough to join the military over some misinformation about democracy and freedom, then leave. I thought you were smarter than this. I am disappointed in you for wanting to leave your family behind for a war that never should have been started. I guess it’s whatever you want to do.”
He was a skinny old man with the personality that would have made even Hitler rethink his outlook on people. I never heard if he survived the beginning of this storm, but I don’t see it being a likely event. He was in a car accident a couple years before the beginning and was paralyzed from the waist down.
“What are we doing here,” Kiere asked when I pulled over at Mr. Beckett’s toy store.
“I’m going to show you Kiere that you can still have a childhood. We are going to go in here and I want you to pick out whatever you want,” I answered.
Kiere had a look on her face that confused me. “There is no point in doing this. I’m not a child anymore.”
I put the truck in park and shut off the engine.
“Kiere listen to me. Despite how the world is, and everything you have been through, I still want you to see things can be normal for once,” I explained. “I went through war and I still came back from it. I have seen friends die in front of me. I even had one in my arms. Logan was one of the best friends I could have ever asked for. He was a brother. I failed him in keeping him alive. That has been my job since I took on the responsibility of the Z.E.D.S., but I will not fail you in holding on to something that can make this world bearable.” Kiere looked at me before looking back to the floor. “Kiere you are my responsibility. You are my daughter and I will not fail you like I have others in the past. I love you too much to allow that to happen.”
Kiere saw a tear coming from my eye and she reached over to wipe it off my cheek. “Dad, Logan was not your fault, and you didn’t fail him. You haven’t failed me. You have taken care of me and have done everything you can to protect me. I miss Logan just as much as you do. I know he wouldn’t want you thinking you were a reason he died. He was alive for as long as he was supposed to be like my real dad.” The more she talked the more tears came from my eyes and Kiere began to whimper. “My dad took care of me until you were able to take on the responsibility. For some reason there is an unknown force out there that has placed these pieces together. We may never understand why, but not only have you saved me but you have saved all of the others. There is a reason for it. You and Aurora are now my mother and father, and I know my dad wouldn’t have asked for anyone better to take care of me. My dad provided me with a childhood I will never forget, and don’t ever think you failed in doing that.”
I didn’t understand how she could have such great knowledge of everything at such a young age. She explained this to me better than I ever could to her.
“Kiere, I didn’t save you. You have saved me. I couldn’t ask for a better daughter.”
Kiere unbuckled her seatbelt and wrapped her arms around my neck. It was one of the tightest hugs I have ever felt.
“Can you please just do me one favor Kiere,” I asked while she still hugged me.
“What is it,” Kiere asked.
“Will you still walk in here with me and give me an experience of watching my child pick out a toy from a shelf” I requested.
Kiere leaned away from me with the look of a teenage girl who lost a battle. “Yes. But I am not picking out a Barbie Doll.”
As I chuckled, I said, “I honestly don’t expect you to.”
We opened the doors of the truck and stepped onto the nature covered asphalt. I had my gun gripped standing next to the glass door. No matter the reasoning for any trip you always must expect danger around every corner. I opened the door to see if the old bell hanging from the top of the door would make notice of any dead roaming inside the store. None came forward. I shined a beam of light into the shadowed store and searched around for a possible legless zombie that just couldn’t make it to the door. None were apparently rotting inside the store.
I place my gun back in the holster and said, “It’s clear Kiere.”
Kiere stepped in and began looking around the store. Most of the shelves were broken and smashed on the floor with scattered merchandise spread across the tiles.
“Who used to own this store,” Kiere asked.
“His name was Mr. Beckett. He was a gracious old man that became a bigger nerd than me,” I replied.
Kiere stood in one spot in the isle next to the one I was searching and asked, “Was Mr. Beckett in a wheelchair?”
“Yes, he was, why do you ask,” I asked.
“I think he never left,” Kiere replied.
I walked over to Kiere and saw her standing next to an overturned wheelchair with a body cradled to it and a shotgun resting near the feet. I could tell it was Mr. Beckett because of the patch sewn on to the short sleeve shirt he always wore. It was a symbol of hope from the Green Lantern comics that shown the Blue Lantern Corps. The discussion about the Blue Lantern Corps being better than any of the other Corps never ended. I argued that Hal Jordan would always carry the lantern beyond any other character created. He would always save the graphic novels for me only to argue the true dynamics between each symbol and story arc. Beckett always told me that the hope symbol from the Blue Lantern Corps was just like Superman’s S on his chest. They both stood for something that everyone needs to have.
“Yea, that’s Mr. Beckett,” I said as I kneeled to him. “He w
as a good man. You would have loved him.”
We turned to face the opposite direction Mr. Beckett was laying and went down a different isle. Kiere journeyed to a different section of the store where stuffed animals were scattered. I walked behind Mr. Beckett’s old desk. The comic books he would stash for me would always be in a false bottom drawer attached underneath the cash register. Even though once I enlisted in the war I never really spoke to Mr. Beckett, I still hoped that he possibly hid some for me anyways. I placed my hand under the top of the desk and pulled out a drawer that was filled with old written checks, rubber bands, staples, and receipts. I tapped the corner of the inside of the drawer and the bottom popped open. There was a nice stack of comic books hidden in it with a note addressed to me. I picked up the note and what he wrote will never be forgotten.
Dear Atlas,
When you asked me if it would be a good idea to join the army, I said some harsh words to you that I’m not proud of. I was scared that you wouldn’t be able to make it home, and I would never have gotten to see you again. But with all those words that I exchanged to you I just wanted to say I had never been prouder of you. You were a wonderful kid and all you have ever wanted to do was help people. I was just hoping your version of helping was volunteering at a soup kitchen or teaching little league. Unfortunately, there was a higher calling for you than I could have ever anticipated. I just wanted to let you know I am so proud of the man you have become, and I will miss your visits here to my store. In case you do decide to come back, and I have long passed, here are some comics that I knew you would enjoy. I was going to mail them to you in Afghanistan, but I guess I was hoping you would come by and pick them up yourself. Well anyways, customers are rolling in and I have to move my wheelchair around and about for some exercise. You have a good life Atlas and I hope you make it back home safely.
Your friend,
Charles Beckett
Underneath the letter was Justice League volumes, a couple of autographed pictures from people who played comic book characters such as Adam West, Tom Welling, Brandon Routh and the graphic novel Kingdom Come. Each picture was signed to my name. Charles had gone to Comic Cons and was able to get autographs. He was sitting next to these iconic actors on a stage smiling from ear to ear with a thumb up in every one of them. I couldn’t help but smile while looking at these pictures. I hope he had fun. He seemed genuinely happy.
“Dad, I found something,” Kiere said as she walked towards me. I looked up to Kiere and she was holding a stuffed pink hippo. “My dad bought me one just like this when I was little for my birthday. It was left behind once we ran from our home and I didn’t have a chance to grab it.”
“If that is what you want Kiere it’s yours,” I said while placing the letter in my pocket.
Kiere hugged the pink hippo and then looked down at my hands. “What is that?”
I cracked a smile as I looked back down at the comics Mr. Beckett left behind for me. “It’s a gift from….” The bell at the front door chimed and we looked up towards the front of the store. “Kiere get down,” I whispered as I pushed her out of sight.
We couldn’t tell what came into the store. The shelves were blocking our view.
“Is it a zombie,” Kiere asked while clutching the hippo.
I peeked above the counter and looked at the mirrored security camera lens, in the top corners of the stores roof. I saw three people roaming around the shelves. They were heading in different directions of the store. The suns glare made visible of a tattoo across one of their faces, a crimson cross.
“No, they aren’t zombies,” I whispered. “Listen, there is a back office passed this door and a window leading to the alley behind the building. I need you to sneak back there and crawl out the window before they come over here.”
“Are you are coming with me,” Kiere asked.
“I’ll be right behind you. I’m going to distract them so they can’t see you, and you can get out.” I gripped an old wind up monkey toy with symbols attached to its hands. “As soon as I throw this you crawl to that office and get outside.”
Kiere nodded her head as I activated the toy. I tossed it to the far corner of the store, and it began slapping the symbols together causing a loud commotion.
“Go.”
I placed the comics from Mr. Beckett on to the floor and watched as two of the men walked towards the monkey with their guns aimed. Kiere began crawling towards the office.
“Hey! Stop right there,” the third man yelled as he saw Kiere trying to sneak out the back.
I gripped the gun from my holster and stood behind the counter. I pulled the trigger three times and the man fell to the tiles near Mr. Beckett’s body. The other two men began shooting towards the counter. Splinters of wood began exploding around me, pieces of dry wall crashed around the floor. I dove towards the wall and landed on the other side of a shelf where I scurried to the dead body of the man I just killed. They were still shooting towards the counter as I snuck around to the front of the store. My feet were sliding because of the quick force I was using to place myself at the edge of a storage holder.
I looked at the large lens of the security cameras again and saw one of them stepping towards the counter as the other one kept guard from a distance. Once the cross face stood at the front of the counter, I held my gun around the corner and unloaded my clip into his back. His body shook and arms waved uncontrollably before he fell on top of the counter. His friend began shooting towards me and I covered my head as exploding toys filled with cotton and some plastic substances fell around me.
The bell chimed again at the front door and another cross face ran in the store frantically while seeing me huddled near the edge of a shelf. Her weapon wasn’t aimed directly at me. In turn allowed time for me to push myself around the corner and out of her sight. More bullets began flying towards me while I tried to evade the constant gun fire. Before I could get to the other end of the chaos a gun cocked in front of me.
“Wo, wo, wo there, Atlas. Where do you think you’re going,” the man asked while I was looking at the floor. “Darcy, I’ve got him!”
The woman from the front of the store ran up behind me. “Where is Doug and Greg,” she asked.
“Apparently they weren’t quick enough for our gun slinger here,” the man replied.
I looked up and noticed the man had a recently shaved head and a red cross tattooed on his face. “Listen, I don’t know who you guys are, but what do you want from me.”
The man chuckled as he said, “Well Atlas, you don’t have to know who we are, but we definitely know who you are. Prophet Cross told us about you and your team.”
“Prophet Cross? What does this Prophet Cross want with me and my team,” I asked behind an angry tone.
“You’re the reason there is no cure to this zombie outbreak. You destroyed any chance we had bringing our people back,” the man said.
The look on his face was terrifying. The way he spoke about us and the strength he had behind his words made visible that he honestly believed we were the reason for this. There is nothing more terrifying than a person who is vengeful in a lie they believe.
“Listen. I don’t know what this Cross person has told you, but that facility wasn’t working on a cure. It was a ground zero for a mass production of the virus. We went there to figure out how to stop it,” I explained.
The man gripped his gun tighter and I could hear Darcy behind me stepping closer and breathing heavier.
“Lies! You destroyed the only way to cure this infection. Prophet Cross is the messiah that will bring us back to a thriving world. He is the one we follow for he is the one that speaks truth. He said Darcy and I were picked for a special reason. He knew you would show up here. We have been stationed here for months. Watching and waiting. Behold our luck and his promise. The one who led the mission that has killed all of us. Prophet Cross is going to be so proud of us,” the man stated.
I could hear Darcy laughing and from the distance of her so
und she was close enough. I slowly slid my hand to the knife attached to my boot and gripped the handle tightly.
“Now Atlas, stand to your feet. Our people should already have that little girl that was with you. We need to take you to Prophet Cross,” he said while keeping his aim on me.
I slowly stood to my feet and I felt the barrel of Darcy’s gun against my back.
“Get moving asshole,” Darcy said right before I turned and gripped the barrel of her gun.
The barrel connected to Darcy’s nose once forced upward and she lost her grip of her gun. My arm extended faster than the cross face could pull the trigger and the knife flew from my palm to his neck as his bullet grazed Darcy’s neck. I turned to Darcy, pulled my second knife from my belt, and placed hot steel into her chest while the other was struggling to keep blood in his wound. He staggered towards Mr. Beckett’s body before his friend’s teeth dug into his ankle. His scream echoed inside the store as he fell to the tiles where his buddy began devouring his flesh. The bell rang once more at the front door and as I turned around, I noticed our commotion in the store drew the attention of some cannibals that were journeying through the small town.
The office door and the window on the wall were wide open from when Kiere escaped. I held onto Darcy’s weapon and fled towards the window. I dove through the gaping hole and slid inches across the asphalt feeling the hot rock burrow into my arm. I rose from the blacktop and didn’t see Kiere anywhere.
“Kiere!”
I looked down both sides of the alley and no one was there. Before I ran down one direction, I heard an echo of Kiere’s voice. “Dad!” I turned towards the direction her voice came from and sprinted towards it. “Dad, help me!”
I turned the corner of the building and fog cascaded over my eyes. I was forced onto the pavement accompanied with a slight headache and blurred vision. A subtle ringing surrounded my hearing as I turned my head right to left, trying to focus. I became surrounded by people with crosses tattooed on their faces each with grueling smiles and weapons in their hands. Beyond the crowd, I placed my focus on a midnight blue truck where Kiere was being carried to as they kicked my gun away from me.
Z.E.D.S. Series (Book 2): Z.E.D.S. Wayward Son Page 9
