Chapter 30
“Everyone! My disciples, my followers, my family, I present to you a false prophet,” The Reverend yelled.
The preaching of The Reverend woke me along with a sudden burst of light streaming into my eyes. Screaming men and women surrounded the ground. My body was barricaded with tight ropes and hands bound by the same. My blurred vision outlined flaming barrels and a crowd of people standing below me.
“I thought he was part of the second coming. The salvation in which to lead us to a promised land that would rid us of the evil that lurks outside these walls,” The Reverend preached as he held up his hands. “Forgive me for I had fallen into a gaze of false vision. The book spoke of a being that would influence mountains to do his bidding by just words. The same being was the snake that slithered its way into the Garden of Eden and forced our beloved Eve to take a bite of the forbidden fruit. The same being was the one who caused such tragedy to Job as he was rich but lost everything. The exact same being that turned Judas against his savior.”
My focused turned to what was all around me only to halt my gaze towards Karmen leaned over and tied to a cross. Beside Karmen stood Kiere tied to a post with a gag in her mouth. My heart raced as I attempted to free myself.
“Our true savior is the one who has provided us with constant protection from the world outside. Our protector who has banished all evil from our home,” The Reverend preached. “He couldn’t banish all for not only did this false prophet deceive us, but so did my own personal confidant!” The Reverend waved his hand towards a guard who shoved Michelle onto the stage beaten and broken. “This woman who I trusted everything to, went against my word and helped plot against me.”
“Please Reverend, I did no such thing,” Michelle pleaded.
“Hey,” I yelled. “Reverend!” The Reverend turned to look at me as I struggled to break free. “Listen to me. You don’t have to do this. Kiere and Michelle had nothing to do with anything we planned. They are innocent. Let them go.”
“Innocent you say,” The Reverend answered as he pulled a gun from his belt. He held the barrel to Michelle’s head and pulled the trigger. Her body fell off the stage and onto the dirt.
“He claims innocence. A woman who was at my side for many years decided to go against everything we stand for is not innocent. He also says the girl who lied her way into our home is innocent!” The crowd began to yell once again. “She is a spawn of you. Michelle was corrupted by your word. Your daughter is guilty by blood. Michelle was guilty by word. By the sly of her tongue. Your daughter by the sins of her father. They are not forgiven in our home.”
The crowd yells in agreement.
“Kiere did what she needed to do to survive. A psychopath kidnapped her and tried to use her. She is only a kid,” I explained.
“Ah yes. You claim a man kidnapped her. What we were told is he tried to save her. He wanted her to have passage into Heaven even after your corruption,” The Reverend preached.
I looked over to Kiere as she struggled to free herself.
“Bring the one who walked with her,” The Reverend demanded.
I looked to the crowd and three guards brought a man to the front of me. His glasses broken and crooked on his face. His legs were limp as he was drug to the foot of the stage. “This man goes by the name of Garth! As his lying whore came into this town, so did he. They claimed to be wed and lost looking for shelter. They lied to all of us. We opened our hearts and doors to these people.”
“What are you doing,” I asked.
“We banish evil from our home. We kill the devil as he appears. The spawn influenced this man to lie. As we tried to bring him back to God he only kneeled to the devil,” The Reverend preached. “Since you are a follower of eternal flames, it is only right for you to leave this world in which you love to live.”
I could hear Kiere screaming from behind her gag. As I looked over to her, the burning barrels shined her tears as they flowed down her cheeks. A guard appeared with a red can full of gas and began pouring it onto Garth.
“Stop,” I yelled.
Another man walked over to Garth with a flaming torch.
“May the fire of a thousand suns purify your soul,” The Reverend yelled.
“Don’t do this,” I yelled.
Debra and Serenity stood close to the stage standing side by side. I turned to them for help.
“Please. Help us. We are not evil. The Reverend is evil. My daughter and Garth are innocent,” I pleaded, but it was to deaf ears as Debra chanted with the crowd and Serenity’s head rested on her shoulder.
I turned back towards Garth as I saw the man bend over and light the gasoline on fire. Garth screamed as the flames engulfed him. Unable to move he lay on the dirt surrounded by a crowd of people cheering as he burned. Kiere’s scream was muffled behind the cloth.
“You piece of shit! I’m going to kill you,” I yelled as I struggled to get free.
“Oh no my son. You will never be able to kill me,” The Reverend said as he leaned in. His eyes turned to raven, and a crooked smile appeared on his face.
“What are you,” I asked.
“I am a man of God,” The Reverend said behind his grim smile before his eyes returned to normal. The Reverend turned to the crowd once more. “God sent us a true protector!” The Reverend turned back to me and yelled, “Our protector has a plan for you in which you will never set foot in our walls again! You will never be able to spread your disease!”
The crowd began to cheer louder as The Reverend addressed them.
My people! We have rid this world of two demons. Unfortunately, his words have corrupted one of our own. My sweet precious daughter has fallen to his influence. She has become a lost soul in which I can never reach again.”
“Karmen! Karmen wake up,” I yelled. “Come on! You need to wake up now.”
Karmen began to move her head while searching for a way to open her eyes.
“You will not speak to my daughter for your words have corrupted her enough,” The Reverend ordered.
Karmen opened her eyes and realized what was happening. She struggled to free herself as The Reverend approached her.
“My sweet daughter,” The Reverend said as he placed his hand on her cheek. “You have fallen ill to the teachings of the wicked. Your soul has been corrupted by the shadows that had taken your sister from us. I have lost you as we had lost her.”
“Dad, what are you doing? Untie me right now,” Karmen demanded.
“I can’t. The wicked must be punished by the righteous. Your soul is damned. I’ll pray that you won’t always feel the flames. Just only when I cast you from this world will you burn,” The Reverend said.
“Untie me right now! You have lost your damn mind, “Karmen yelled.
“Kara killed herself because she knew you would fall into the devils play-pin. She couldn’t live with herself knowing her sister would become a heathen,” The Reverend said.
“Kara didn’t kill herself! You killed her,” Karmen yelled. “It took me a long time to realize it, but it was because of you she died. I always told myself she sacrificed her life to save us, but you threw her into that pit of zombies so you could live. You killed her!”
“Lies! Everything you speak is lies,” The Reverend yelled. A horn echoed amongst the crowd. The Reverend turned to the courthouse and stood still. “Ah yes. Our protector is ready to grace us. Everyone, kneel before our guardian!”
As the doors opened a figure stood with a light shining behind him. The crowd kneeled with their closed fists to their chests.
“Oh shit,” Karmen said as she turned to me. “Warren’s here.”
The figure stood like a shadow wearing a trench coat and cowboy hat as a bright light shined behind him. His steps were loud amongst the silence of the people. As he walked towards us Kiere turned to me with a fear in her eyes. The bonds were too tight for me to break free. Karmen stood motionless as Warren stepped closer to us. The crowd didn’t move as he passed through
them allowing his fingertips to graze the top of their heads.
“My children. You have not disappointed me,” Warren said as he stretched out his arms. “You will all be blessed with a place in Heaven as you have brought me the one who intended to end the creation in which God provided for you.”
“This man is a lunatic. What are you doing,” I yelled to The Reverend.
“This man informed me of who you are Atlas Conrad. You were never a savior. Divinity does not exist in you. You are not a good man; you are the devil incarnate. The destroyer of our world. The bringer of the uprisers. You created the virus and released it amongst the people. You are the Anti-Christ,” The Reverend preached. Warren walked up to The Reverend and held out his hand. “My guardian. I present to you, The Destroyer.”
“Thank you, my son. You are forever blessed by God’s hand,” Warren said as The Reverend kissed his hand. “I have been well acquainted with Mr. Conrad here. We have met many moons ago. How are you Atlas?”
“Screw you,” I said as I spit in his face.
The Reverend’s hand slammed against my face. “How dare you spit on a holy crusader? Need I remind you what happened to Lyle for such blasphemy,” The Reverend asked.
“No need for anger my son. He is only acting on his impulse. That’s what separates us from them,” Warren said as he wiped my spit from his face.
“You going to kill me Warren? If so then you better hurry up and get it over with because when my hands get loose, they will be wrapped around your neck until your last breath is taken,” I threatened.
“Your time Atlas does not end tonight. Your time is coming when the moon crosses the sun on a holy battlefield of Bennet Hill. Do you know that place,” Warren asked. “It was a place of trinity where angels from Heaven and demons from Hell fought for domain over you people many millennia ago. As you can tell we won, but not without consequence.” Warren turned to the crowd. “Lift your heads children. Your attention I need. This man is to come with me on this night only to be cast away on sacred ground. On that day, when the moon kisses the sun, I invite you to see the beginning of a new world for all of you. A new Garden of Eden will emerge from Heaven and grace you with its existence.”
The crowd’s hands rose into the air as each gave praise to Warren.
“How can you all listen to this bullshit? This man has no ties with God or anything heavenly. He is lying to all of you. Why are you all so damn stupid,” Karmen yelled.
“Your daughter seems to have a vulgar tongue Reverend,” Warren said. “The daughter of The Destroyer speaks no such language. She only cowards in fear and realization.”
“Don’t you go anywhere near her,” I demanded.
“Do you have a torch handy Reverend,” Warren asked. The Reverend snapped his fingers towards a guard. A guard placed a torch into Warren’s grip. “Remove the bond from around her mouth please.”
The Reverend walked over to Kiere to do as Warren asked. Warren walked over to Kiere and stared at her.
“Dad,” Kiere yelled. “Dad help me!”
“Don’t. Don’t you dare,” I pleaded. “Warren, look at me. LOOK AT ME!” Warren turned his head with a grim smile on his face. “It is me you want not her. Just let her go. You can take me, kill me, do whatever you feel like you must do. Just don’t hurt my daughter.” Warren turned back to Kiere. “Warren! WARREN! She is just a girl! She has nothing to do with this!”
Warren hung his head and behind his grim smile he said, “That is where you’re wrong Atlas. She plays a bigger part in this than you. Well I should say played. Her time ends tonight.” Warren’s eyes were illuminated by the flame of the torch. The black iris overshadowed any white pixel inside his eyes.
“No! Kiere I’m sorry! I love you! I am so sorry I failed you,” I yelled as tears poured from my eyes.
“You sick son of a bitch! How could you,” Karmen yelled at The Reverend.
“It is not my will Karmen. It is God’s,” The Reverend said.
“If you hurt her, I swear I will kill you. You better kill me now Warren because if you don’t, I am going to cut every inch of you. I will pour salt on your wounds and keep cutting. Do you hear me Warren?! Look at me Warren! I will burn you alive,” I yelled behind my tears. “Kiere! Kiere look at me. Don’t look at him sweetie look at me.”
Kiere turned her gaze towards me and tears streamed from her eyes.
“It will be okay. I promise. I am right here. I’m not going anywhere. I’m coming to get you,” I said.
“Dad,” Kiere yelled.
“Warren! Don’t you do this,” I yelled towards him.
Warren bent over with the torch in his hand. The scream that exited my voice trailed a darker echo. Warren’s eyes widened as he stared back towards me. As the flame became closer to the dry weeds surrounding Kiere’s post an echo appeared from a gun at a distance. Warren rose quickly. I looked over and saw blood ooze from his arm. The Reverend turned to look at Warren when another gunshot appeared, and The Reverend fell to the stage with skull fragments scattered around him. An explosion arose from the center of the crowd and they scattered in fright. A war scream flowed passed me as Lyle wrapped his arms around Warren and they fell to the dirt.
Grenades went off in sequence with gunfire flooding the courtyard as multiple people rushed in. I looked to Kiere and saw she was being cut loose by someone with a ski mask covering their face. I felt the rope around my hands fall along with the ties that held me against the post. As quickly as I turned around arms wrapped around me.
“You are an asshole for leaving me Atlas Conrad,” her voice said behind her mask. Her arms left my body and she lifted her ski mask.
“Aurora,” I said as my heart dropped.
Her lips pushed a fire into mine.
“I missed you so much,” I said before I kissed her again.
“Mom,” Kiere yelled as she ran towards us.
“My baby girl,” Aurora yelled as her arms wrapped around her.
“How did you find us,” I asked.
“We will talk later, right now we have to get out of here,” Aurora replied.
“Get Karmen free. I’ll be right back,” I said as I ran towards Lyle.
I jumped off the stage and landed where Lyle laid on the ground. “Where is he? Where’d Warren go?”
“I don’t know,” Lyle said behind his cough.
Blood rushed from his stomach as he fought his pain.
“Come on. We got to get you out of here,” I said as I tried to move him.
“I’m not going anywhere man,” Lyle said as he lifted his sleeve. Teeth had pierced his flesh.
“Oh man. No,” I said as I kneeled to the dirt.
“It’s ok. Get your family and get out of here,” Lyle said.
“I can’t leave you here like this,” I explained.
“Nah man. You need to go. Your friends are bringing back up that aren’t the kind you normally need. I’ll be fine right here,” Lyle said. “Here, I grabbed this from your bag.” Lyle said as he handed me a vile he pulled from his pocket. “Make sure your friend ingests all of it.”
“Atlas, we got to go,” a voice said as they grabbed my arm.
“Shaun,” I asked.
“Yes. Come on. We need to go. The hoard is here,” Shaun demanded.
I looked over at the gates and hundreds of drifters began roaming inside the walls.
“Go Atlas. Get out of here,” Lyle demanded.
“Come on. We got to go,” Shaun demanded.
“I’m sorry brother. Thank you for everything,” I said as I grabbed Lyle’s hand.
“Survive this world. Make it mean something again,” Lyle said as he placed his gun to his head.
As Shaun pulled me away, I heard the gun shot that took Lyle’s life. Zombies began to overrun the town as we escaped over the wall. Screams filled the air as we left the community behind us. Flames as high as mountains engulfed everything. The entire community vanished. The Reverend’s legacy was lost amongst his town. Hi
s loyal followers became food for the roamers, or their destiny turned them into wanderers. No one to follow; just the instinct for hunger.
Leaving Lyle amongst the dead was one of the most difficult things I’ve had to do. His memory lives with me. Never forgotten, never in vain. Stories of him will be told to many survivors as we live throughout our days. He is a legacy along with Farrah, Logan, Zora, Tyler, and the rest we have lost. He was a friend and a brother. He is a Z.E.D.S.
Chapter 31
Blood dripped from my lip. I never thought she would ever kick my ass the way she did. I knew she could, but I didn’t think she ever would. I couldn’t blame her really. When she found me and placed that succulent kiss amongst my lips was more of a surprise than what was happening in that moment.
“You are a son of a bitch you know that,” Aurora yelled before punching me in the face again.
I staggered backwards trying to find my balance. “Don’t interfere guys.”
“Oh, trust me. We won’t. We agree with this,” Shaun replied.
“If you ask me, I hope she beats the living shit out of you,” Mara said with her arms crossed.
“Well thanks,” I said as I wiped the blood from my lip. “I was hoping for a little argument about this decision.”
“We mean that with the most love possible,” Shaun replied.
“How could you have left us like that,” Aurora yelled before hitting me again.
“I’m sorry. I know I messed up,” I replied.
“Mom, please stop,” Kiere begged.
“Don’t worry sweetie. I’m not going to kill him. I’m just going to beat the Hell out of him,” Aurora said before planting her boot into my chest. The concrete floor was as sturdy and breath taking as Aurora. Possibly as cold at the moment too, but it was with good reason. “I don’t care what your reason was. We could have went looking for our daughter together! Instead you took it upon yourself to leave all of us behind!”
“I couldn’t face you after what happened. It was my fault she was taken,” I said behind my cough from trying to find my breath. “I lost her.”
Z.E.D.S. Series (Book 2): Z.E.D.S. Wayward Son Page 26
