A grim smirk appeared behind his broken demeanor. Warren pulled on his coat to straighten the creases from his momentary lapse of emotion. “Your words mean nothing to me, but in grand tradition of war negotiations, I have arrived at the question in our conversation to where I am supposed to hear your terms of battle.”
While still keeping my gun aimed towards his head I said, “My only term is for you to walk away right now. No blood will be spilled. Our paths will not cross anymore. You leave with your people, and I’ll walk away with my family.”
“Unfortunately, Atlas, that is not an option. I must eliminate all the poisons of this world and you along with your people are part of the purification process,” Warren explained.
“What about your people? If you did win, what happens to them,” I asked.
“Their fate will be the same. Once their purpose is fulfilled, they will be purified as well,” Warren explained. “I can see it in your eyes that you’re worried for them. Isn’t that chivalric of you? Now I can see the glimmer of what is important about you. But it is too late. It has been set in stone that you die on this day underneath the shadowed sun. Your blood will flow on that hill amongst your kind.”
“It doesn’t have to be like this Warren. You can still walk away,” I explained.
“It has already been written. I expect you to lay down your guns before we begin,” Warren said.
“Why would we give up our guns before we fight,” I asked.
“This land is sacred ground. Battles were fought with iron fists and fiery blades. If you place your guns to the grass, we will do the same. We shall fight like the crusaders. If you refuse my request, my hidden followers amongst the trees will fire upon your family before you turn your back. The one they shall shoot first is your beloved and your bastard offspring,” Warren explained.
I looked towards the trees and saw a red bead move from my chest to the direction of Aurora. She stood against the wind not knowing of who was watching her. I turned back towards Warren as he tipped his hat.
“I’ll be searching for you amongst your friends,” Warren said.
I nodded while placing my gun in the holster and I stepped away.
As I created distance between us Warren yelled, “You will not win Atlas! This is an inevitable end to the Z.E.D.S.”
I stopped as I looked at my entire family standing in line waiting for my return. A tingle caressed my body as I turned back to Warren and yelled, “This will be your end Warren! It’s our resurrection!” I turned away from Warren and walked to my family.
The Z.E.D.S. watched as I arrived, and their gazes surrounded me. Each member gripped their weapons tightly. Deep inhale, long exhale; I wasn’t ready to lose any more people. I refused.
“What did he say,” Shaun asked.
“He wants us to lay our guns to the ground and only use fists and blades,” I answered.
“Nope. Not happening. Let me shoot him right now,” Shaun demanded.
“Listen to me. He has people hidden in the trees that have their aim on Aurora and Kiere right now,” I explained.
“What about his guns? Are we going to fight knives against guns,” Shaun asked.
“He said he will lay his down as well. He is adamant about this being sacred ground, and he wants to battle like they did in the crusades,” I said as I placed my hand on Shaun’s shoulders. “I need you to send Josh and Chase to search for his hidden people. We will keep a gun hidden on us. But don’t use it until they can find them. Send them over the ridge and around the perimeter. Tell them to stay low.”
“On it,” Shaun replied as he walked into the group.
I walked in front of the entire team trying to find the words to say to them. Their faces expressed anxiety, fear, and anger. I miss seeing their faces when the world wasn’t what it is. The times in which we forgot it all. The times that weren’t life and death. Aurora and Kiere stood next to each other awaiting to run in the field. Aurora’s hand shook as it held Kiere’s. I wanted them to go home. Stay safe inside the walls. Be far away from here. They wouldn’t allow it. They would never let me do this alone.
“The terms of Warren’s battle are that we must lay our guns to the side and fight without them.” The team expressed anger and worry. “There is something out of my control to where we must toss aside our noticeable guns. The ones he sees are the ones we lay down.” Their eyes wondered amongst each other in confusion. “It’s ok. Just trust me.” The team gripped their heavy artillery and threw them to the side.
I walked in front of them gathering the courage to address them. I searched for a war speech that would inspire them. Moments of history in which every great leader inspired their army. But there was a difference between those leaders and me. This isn’t my army. These aren’t my soldiers. They are my family. I looked towards Aurora and Kiere and saw their approval with a subtle nod and a lipped I love you escaping both of them.
“I’m sorry this is what we have to do. I am sorry that this was something I didn’t prepare you for. We prepared for a lot of things, but a mad man dressed as a dirty cowboy was not one of them,” I said hoping for a small smirk from the group. “There were a lot of things I wish I could have done differently. I would have spent more time teaching you that people can be as evil as the dead. I wish I could have taught you that some people we just can’t save. But the most important thing I wish I could have done differently is played a board game with each of you. Sat down and had a conversation about something other than this stupid apocalypse. I wish I could have held you closer,” I said to Aurora while placing my fist over my chest. “I wish I could have experienced playing with dolls with you Kiere.” I bowed my head to fight the tears that wanted to appear. Aurora walked to me and grabbed my hand as Kiere followed behind her and grabbed the other.
“Unfortunately, my wishes are to the stars now. They have become my promised dreams. My promised dreams that I make to each and every one of you. We will do those things. We will go home and live a life of past. A life where my dream for us comes true. A life before zombies, before the apocalypse. A life before Warren Cross. But today on this day, we must fight to hold that dream. We must uphold another promise we made. We promised to always fight for the innocent, stand up to evil, fight until our dying breath to protect all in this world. That evil man across the field wants victory. He wants death. He wants extinction. He wants our defeat, our surrender, our blood. He believes he can destroy everything we are and what we do,” I said as I looked to all of them. “But we are the Z.E.D.S. We don’t allow evil to take over. We fight it. We destroy it. I’m not going to lie, I am terrified. But I’m not as terrified as I would be if you all weren’t here. I’m not afraid of dying because I have all of you to show me the way to Heaven’s gate if I am allowed in. You stand with me; you will stand after me. I’m terrified that the ones with him will die for nothing. But they chose to follow Warren, and all of you chose to stand with me. Once we march towards them, I want all of you next to me. Not behind me. We will win this battle. We will live to fight another day if I have all of you with me. If you don’t want to march with me on this day I understand. This is a war where we may all not make it back home. I will make sure that you will always have a home. You will always be with me long after I’m gone as I will always be with you. But if you do stand with me on this day, I want you to raise your fists in the air and let me hear your voices.”
“We are with you all of the way baby,” Aurora said before placing a kiss to my lips. “Let’s end this.”
Aurora and Kiere lifted their swords in the air and screamed the Z.E.D.S. name that shook the field. Each member began raising their weapons and chanted along with them. The echo from our scream surrounded the battlefield. I turned to look at Warren and he stood with a radiant orange glow around him at the top of the hill. His hand raised from his side with a single finger pointing towards us.
I took a deep breath and yelled, “Z.E.D.S.!”
We began running into the field
while the grass crumbled beneath our boots. My attention was focused on Warren as we pushed through the field. He raised his hand in the air and sent his people towards us. My heart pounded inside my chest. The wind blew strong against my face. The air became silent. I could see the anger in their faces, but their screams were muffled. A sensation caressed my soul as I continued to charge towards the mob. The screams began to surpass the quiet. Aurora screamed as she ran next to me. Kiere’s screams stowed confidence inside of me as I ran. Images began to appear in front of me. Faded figures atomized as we became closer to the hoard. Their fists were raised in the air and they screamed our name as it faded in.
“Z.E.D.S!”
My hand gripped my sword tighter as I prepared to swing. Our name soared above us as I saw a beautiful sight. We were not alone. Within the midst of the battle cry Logan appeared in an attire I had never seen him wear. Gold plated armor with metallic bonding flourished in the fog as his battle axe was held high in the air. Farrah appeared with a red fabric swaying behind her and metal apparel keeping her safe while she swung a mace with her hand. Zora was cloaked in a forestry hooded wardrobe with a metallic shield attached to her arm. The sword shimmered off the mist as if it cut each drop it touched. Lyle was covered in full metal body armor with a trail of fire surrounding him. Their scream echoed in my ears. As they met the others, they disappeared into a mist causing some of them to separate and fall with no blood spilled. Only flesh a bone fell to the ground. My blade pierced through the skin of the first woman who came to me. The clash between us and them caused a thunderous explosion across the field. Steel clashed against each other. Dirt catapulted in the air as boots dug into the ground and left the earth. Blood was spilling all around me as they kept falling. My eyes stayed focused on Warren as he stood away from the battle. His fist was clinched in the air.
As I battled through the hoard my eyes caught glimpse of Josh and Chase running from the trees firing a single shot into the air. I gripped my guns from their holsters and yelled,” Guns out!”
Each of us pulled out our arsenal and began firing towards the others. Bullets flew across the air piercing flesh and showcasing blood. Warren’s fist signaled his hiders to open fire towards us, but no gunshot appeared from the trees. As he turned to look at me with a surprised look, I held up my hand and presented my middle finger. His shoulders arched and I heard a scream that exited Warren’s mouth that overcame the sounds of gunfire. I searched around to see where my group was and saw Chase being overrun by multiple followers. Jackson and Laura were fighting next to me, killing everyone they could.
“Jackson, Laura,” I yelled as they pushed lifeless bodies away from them. “Help Chase!” I pointed towards the pile of cross facers.
“On it,” Jackson said as he and Laura disappeared into the crowd and I continued to fight a pathway to Warren.
Julian ran through with Justin as they caused a flood of bodies to fall with each gun shot. Mara fought next to Kiere as their guns and blades pierced the skin of every follower that came near them. Vincent tackled a follower as Brock struggled to push her away. Karmen stood alone before Shaun came to her. He stood proudly at her side with every kill he made.
Fists clashed with faces as more tried to fight against me. A piercing of flesh from my gun coursed through multiple skulls as they ran towards me.
I felt Shaun grab my shoulder and lean against my back. “We are a bit outnumbered don’t you think?”
“We’ve been in worse situations,” I replied. “Just keep them occupied until I can get to Warren.”
“Will do,” Shaun said before disappearing into the crowd.
Seth and Sloan focused on a single follower that opposed a challenge due to his many martial arts talents. Riley charged towards a group of followers with Mark and Amelia killing each one they connected with. Selest guarded Piper and Ophelia as multiple followers focused on them. The cross facers fell at the hands of Selest before they could touch them.
“Atlas!”
I heard Aurora scream my name but could not see her. “Aurora!”
I searched around until I saw my dad beginning to run through the crowd.
“I got her,” my dad yelled as he jumped into a group where piles of bodies lay.
As I began to run towards them, I felt steel separate the skin on my arm and my gun fell to the grass. I turned around, and saw a bristly, brute man with no shirt drooling as his stare pierced my eyes. I gripped my arm and planted my boots into the ground.
“I’m going to rip you limb from limb you Satanist abomination,” he said while wiping his mouth.
“Come on then sasquatch. Let’s see what you got,” I said while catching my breath and pulling my sword from the sheath.
His sword rose to the air and with a force stronger than mine, it clashed with my blade. I staggered backwards as he kept swinging. Every movement he made a loud grunt followed. With each contact from our swords, I lost my footing. My weapon was removed from my grip with another swing from the sasquatch, and his foot planted deep into my chest. The ground provided no comfort for my fall. He stepped confidently towards me with a red glow in his eyes and his sword in his hand.
“I’ll be remembered as the mighty Joseph. The one who brought down the creator of the virus. The destroyer of man. I’m going to stare into your soul as it fades to the darkness,” he said as he gripped the sword with both hands and raised it into the air.
His eyes wide with desire faded intensity as he felt pain of his own. His scream rumbled the ground. Blood began dripping from his stomach as he looked down. Emmitt’s head peeked over his shoulder with a grit.
“You will be forgotten, not remembered,” Emmitt said as he left his sword in the man’s back.
Joseph’s gaze grew from pain to satisfaction. He looked down and smiled at me as he turned his sword in his hands. I reached from the ground as I saw his blade pierce his own shoulder.
“Emmitt,” I yelled as I saw his eyes widen.
As Joseph removed his sword, Emmitt fell behind him. A laugh exited Joseph’s voice. I gripped the sword resting next to me and placed it into his chest. Joseph’s laugh stopped abruptly as I stood wielding my sword.
“Now, I’m going to watch your soul fade into the darkness,” I said as I gripped the knife from my hip. “I hope you choke on your blood as you are dragged into Hell.”
His eyes widened as I slid my knife across his throat. He fell to his side as he attempted to keep the slit closed. I looked over to see Emmitt holding his chest struggling to breathe. My heart stopped. I quickly kneeled to him and gripped his hand.
“Stay with me Emmitt,” I said while placing my other hand on his chest. “You have survived worse than this in your life. This is nothing.”
“I don’t think I’m going to live through this one Atlas,” Emmitt said as blood began to exit his mouth.
“You will be fine. Amelia! You are not dying today,” I said as I felt tears beginning to roll from my eyes.
My heart sank as he began to fade.
“Take care of my girls. Tell them no matter where they are, I’ll be there watching over them,” Emmitt said behind his cough. “Tell them I love them.”
I clutched his hand while placing more pressure to his chest. Blood began seeping through my fingers with every breath he took.
“You can tell them yourself when we get you home. Amelia! I need you now,” I yelled as I could feel Emmitt’s grip loosening.
“Take care of our family brother. I’m sorry I can’t stick around,” Emmitt said while trying to catch his breath. “Survive this world. I love you brother.”
A single tear escaped down his cheek as the last bit of air left his lungs. His eyes slowly closed, and his grip left my hand.
“No, no, no, no. NO! Emmitt! I’m sorry! Emmitt,” I yelled as I burrowed my head into his chest as his heart slowly stopped.
Mark appeared next to me kneeling to Emmitt.
Amelia kneeled and placed her fingers on Emmitt’s neck
trying to find a sign of life. She pushed my hand away from his chest and began pressing against it. “Mark, I need your help!” Mark jumped next to Amelia. “When I tell you to blow air into his mouth you do it.”
Amelia began compressions as Mark attempted to fill his lungs with air with every command. Every moment that passed I hoped he would open his eyes and catch his breath. Time slowed down. Every second lasted to minutes. Emmitt didn’t open his eyes. He faded away. The tears clouded my vision as Amelia stopped trying to save him. She gripped Mark’s arm and shook her head before looking up at me.
“I’m so sorry Atlas. He’s gone.”
“No! No he’s not. Get up Emmitt! Get up,” I yelled while pulling him into me.
The dirt evaporated into the air as I placed force amongst the ground to pull Emmitt close. I felt hands on my shoulders as Aurora and Kiere gripped it tight. Seth, Sloan, and my dad ran up to us and my dad fell on his knees while my brothers kneeled next to us.
“Emmitt, come on now. Wake up son. Wake up,” my dad said.
“He’s gone dad,” Seth said behind his tears.
I rocked back and forth as my dad pulled Emmitt away from me and cradled him within his arms. The look on my dad’s face pushed anger into me. A surge of passion consumed my soul. The darkness began to take over. The tears became dry and felt like fire across my skin. I felt the monster clawing its way to the surface. I looked up from Emmitt to see Amelia staring at me.
“Atlas, your eyes. They are black,” Amelia said as she stared at me.
I placed my hand on my dad’s shoulder as I grazed Emmitt’s black hair. “Get Emmitt out of here.”
I stood from my knees while looking around and seeing most of the Z.E.D.S. still fighting and the other’s numbers were shallow. I gripped my knife from the ground and placed it in my boot. Lightening pierced the sky as rain began to pour. Thunder crowded the air and I turned to look towards Warren.
Z.E.D.S. Series (Book 2): Z.E.D.S. Wayward Son Page 29
