by Thomas Baker
"Hannah and I are going out. See if we can find some medicine. Something we know what it does, like morphine or penicillin. Maybe a medical guide as well can help us help Gus. Who knows, maybe we'll hit the jackpot and find an actual doctor." JT didn't think that was likely but hey, let's keep everyone's spirits up and all that.
"This is for you." he handed Tyrone the crowbar. "Take care of him."
Tyrone took the crowbar, nodding and frowning. JT gave him a couple pats on the back.
"I'd keep searching around. See if you can find any other weapons. You would think they'd at least had a rifle. You're the man of the house now."
Tyrone gave him a weak smile.
JT and Hannah drove off, back to the gravel road. They continued following it until they came to a black top, two-lane road. Left or right. They had a choice to make.
"Should we do a coin toss?" JT asked Hannah.
"I got a good feeling about left," Hannah said.
"Left it is."
They drove on through gently rolling hills. Wild, unkempt farmland passed them on either side. Lots of the crops had turned brown now it was falland they had been untended for so long. Once they saw a pasture, where cows continued grazing, blissfully unaware their owners were probably dead or turned into zombies.
They came over a steep rise and saw the land flatten out before them. On either side once green corn stalks, now going brown, marched off into the distance. Ahead was like a valley of sorts, before the hills rose again. JT could make out a building off the side of the road, with a beautiful, giant tree standing between it and the road, like a sentinel. Its blazing orange leaves made everything around it look dull in comparison. Back beyond the small building, a few larger ones stood. Farther in the distance, there was a smattering of buildings. It looked like another town.
"It's the first building we've seen all day. Let's check it out," Hannah said.
"I doubt it's a pharmacy, out here in the middle of nowhere. It looks too small to be a hospital," JT said, disheartened. "What the hell, I need a lunch break, anyway. Let's be a cautious though. Go in quietly."
JT pulled the truck over to the side of the road. He grabbed the shotgun and the bag of food out of the back. Hannah joined him and the two walked along the road towards the building.
"I think it might be a church," Hannah said, when they got a little closer. "Yeah, I can see a cross on the top of it."
"I don't know if we will find anything useful in there." It came out as unintentional snark.
"I will. Gus could use all the prayers we can offer."
The two passed the entrance to a parking lot that set off to the right of the church. At the far end of the parking lot, a two-lane road went down a small incline. A sidewalk ran alongside the road starting somewhere out of sight, at the back of the church. Keeping his eyes peeled, his mind alert, he and Hannah approached the church. JT couldn't help but wonder why they were stopping at a church when time was of the essence.
That immediately left JT's mind when he noticed something hanging from the massive tree in front of the church. Are those what I think they are?
Various ropes were hanging from the thick tree branches. He counted seven bodies, swaying from the ropes in the fall breeze. Someone or someones had hanged them all. With a struggle he pulled his eyes away from the freak show and saw one of those signboards in front of the church, the ones where you can change the letters. On the sign the name of the church read The Holy Covenant of Saints. Written on the board below that was, "And it was commanded them thatthey should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God on their foreheads. KJV 9:4-6"
Hannah took a sharp breath then froze. Her hands flew over her mouth.
"Welp that cancels this stop," JT announced, walking back a step. "Back on board the party bus everyone."
They turned around as one. Standing there was a man and a woman, both with dull expressions. Neither looked like they had a bath or a good meal in weeks. The next thing JT noticed was both of them had rifles pointed at them.
Damn! How did I not hear them?
The man, whose long hair fell across his face, spoke. "Easy does it you two. You, drop the shotgun." He made a stabbing gesture with his rifle.
JT thought about pulling the trigger and seeing if he could take them both out. He might have to, if Hannah wasn't with him. Instead, he gently sat it on the ground, along with the bag of food. Not to take any chances, he raised his hands above his headas well. Hannah followed suite.
"All right you two," the man continued. His small eyes squinted in anger. He spoke slowly, like to a child. "You are trespassing on church property. I'm not taking any chances you're more thieves. We're going to take you in to see the Reverend. He will listen to your story and decide what to do with you."
"We can decide what to do with ourselves," JT countered back. "We are grown ass adults. We don't mean any harm. We didn't know anyone was even here. Let me gather up my shotgun and we will be on our way."
"Make one move towards that shotgun and I will blow your hand off," the man said. "Watch your mouth too. None of that filthy language inside the church."
The woman, her dark hair clinging to her head in dirty clumps, spoke up for the first time. She sounded like a lifelong smoker. "Now thatyou know we're here, we can't just let you go. The Reverend will decide if you can be trusted or not. He will ask almighty God and pass judgment upon you. To me, you look like a couple of sinners. You best go on now."
JT couldn't see how they could protest. The man and women both looked angry enough to open fire without much provocation.
"Okay, okay," JT said not happy in the slightest. "Lead on. You be cool, we'll be cool."
He looked over to Hannah. Hannah's looked terrified. He could only imagine the dread she was feeling at being held at the mercy of strangers again.
They dropped their hands and went in a single file.The woman in front, Hannah, JT, and the man covered them at the back. The church was big, considering it sat out in the middle of nowhere. It had a solid brick bottom, above this base the rest of the buildingwas made of wooden slats, painted white. It was two stories tall. Windows in the frontset at a level with the brick bottom.There was a cross on the top of a little dome above a wide front porch.
They weren't going in the front door, apparently. The woman motioned them left, around the side of the church. They continued, four little ducks in a row. JT gawked as his passed two big stained glass windows that dominated this side of the church. Both windows were still intact. Both held a multitude of colors, almost to dazzling after all the dreariness JT had seen lately. One window was a figure with a white halo around his head. JT figured that was Jesus. The other had a figure with wings of yellow and red. An angel. Leaving the unexpected but beautiful sight behind, they turned another corner, arriving at the back of the church. There was an open grassy area behind the building, where a small shed sat. A few people were bent over or on their knees, working among some plants. JT assumed it was a garden. A sidewalk ran from the shed and along the border of the garden. At the end of the garden the sidewalk formed a T and branched. One path went straight ahead off towards the parking lot. The other went to the back stairs of the church. On the other side of the parking lot, obscured partially by trees, JT could make out a large brick building.
Unbelievable. I hope this Reverend guy isn't some Harold all over again. Or as crazy as these two seem to be. By the bodies hanging in the tree out front, that's probably a slim hope.
A few steps lead up to a modest porch. A small white wooden door was at the top. The man directed them to go up the stairs with a wave of his gun. They went inside and the first thing that hit him was the smell. It was the smell of too many people crammed into too small a space. JT imagined this is what the shelters after Hurricane Katrina were like. Hannah coughed.
How do these people stand it?
It looked like they didn't have electri
city, considering the mismatched candle scones that lined the dim hall. The light flickered, making his shadow dance, as they passed a row of closed doors. JT was sure he heard people talking and shuffling around on the other side of each door as they walked by.
The hallway took a right. Next they passed through an archway. They came out into what had to be the main worship room. Two rows of pews marched back to the front doors. Light streamed in through the stain glass windows, creating a technicolor shimmer. Directly in front of the windows was the stage. A huge white cross dominated it. A figure of Jesus hung on it. He wept crimson tears, his face a mask of agony. Staggered tables on the stage held countless candles. They lit the whole stage area. In front of the cross was a wooden podium. There a man was standing. He was looking down at a book, hands on either side.He dressed all in black, except of the white around his neck.
That must be him. The Reverend. Here we go. Time to stay calm and do some fast talking.
The Reverend looked up at the sound of their approach. It surprised JT to see he was a young-looking guy. Closer to Hannah's age than his. He was not a bad-looking guy either, with a clean-shaven baby face. If he wasn't wearing those church clothes, JT would have thought he was a member of some boy band.
"Charlie, Patricia. I see you have brought us some guests. Charlie, come up here," The Reverend commanded more than asked.
Charlie ascended the stage while Patricia covered JT and Hannah. Charlie and the Reverend talked in hushed voices, heads close together. The Reverend popped his head up twice while they talked, looking over at them. It seemed to JT he was looking more specificallyat Hannah. The Reverend's eyes seemed to linger on her, measuring her up and down.
When they finished talking, the Reverend waved Charlie and Patricia off. "Both of you may go."
Charlie looked unhappy about this but he and Patricia both left the room without a word. JT looked around. He, Hannah, and this Reverend were alone in the chapel. JT thought about rushing him and bursting out the front door. Not knowing if Charlie or Patricia would wait for him on the other side, he decided to try riding things out.
The Reverend walked confidently over to them, a beaming smile on his face. His straight white, perfectly normal teeth, clean face, and clothes were a sharp contrast to the two who had brought JT here.
"Welcome, both of you," he said in a slight drawl. His voice had a warm shucks, aren't we all best friends kind of tone. He shook JT's hand. Hannah lit up as the Reverend shook hands with her. JT immediately felt a stab of jealousy. The friendliness she was showing the Reverend confused him. Did she already forget about the dead bodies hanging from the tree out front?
"Sorry we had to meet this way. Under the threat of violence," the Reverend continued on."As you are probably well aware of, you have tobe careful in these times. Besides the undead, we have had other...unscrupulous people. Sinners, trying to take what is not theirs. I think there is a commandment about that." He laughed at his joke. It was a pleasant sound. "It is my responsibility to protect this church and its people. I am God's right-hand man in this little corner of the world. You can call me Reverend Albright."
"From what I've seen outside, your methods seem a little hardcore," JT said, probably a little more confrontational than he should have been.
Calm, stay calm.
"Yes, well, a few examples will save more lives overall. That is my goal. God punishes the wicked, so the Bible says," Reverend Albright didn't miss a beat and kept on smiling. "What is your name big man?"
JT stood silently, trying to decide how he would approach this. He learned his lesson with Harold about jumping into bed with someone too quickly. Before he could reply, Hannah spoke up.
"I'm Hannah, this is JT," she said, gesturing over. She looked up at the Reverend with a weird smile on her face. "We're looking for medical supplies. Reverend, you wouldn't happen toknow if there is some place nearby we could get some? A hospital, a care center, maybe even a government camp?"
JT shot Hannah a harsh glare, but she refused to meet his eyes.
"Are one of you hurt?" Albright asked, sounding genuinely concerned.
"No, we need them for, well, for just in case. For emergencies," Hannah backpedaled.
"Well," Albright began, and then stopped for a long pause. "I'll have to think on that. I may be able tohelp you. Why don't you two stay and be my guest tonight? We can have dinner together, exchange some information. I can determine if either of you are a threat to my flock."
"I must confess. I have my own selfish reasons." The Reverend smiled widely again. It was charming, that smile. JT wanted to punch a few of those perfect teeth out of it.
"I have been too busy tending to my people to concern myself much with the outside world. I would be greatlyinterested in some current affairs. What interesting news you must have to share."
"Thanks but no thanks," JT said, backing up slowly as he talked. "It sounds like you don't haveany information that can help us, so we'll be on our way. You can even keep the shotgun, as a show of good faiththatwe mean you no harm."
"I'm sorry. I didn't speak clearlyenough. It wasn't an invitation," Albright's tone became more serious and a little hard edged as he continued. "I need to make sure I can trust you both. There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers."
"Sounds reasonable," Hannah agreed. "That's proverbs isn't it?"
JT was floored. What was she thinking? He was several steps behind her now. He stopped, not sure what to do next.
"You are of the faith Hannah?" Albright smiled and winked at her. "Let me warn you in advance, I will give you a sales pitch about joining our church. JT, it may surprise you at what information I dohold that can help you."
He didn't even give JT a chance to answer before he called for Charlie and Patricia. They came back into the room; the rifles slung over their shoulders.
This isn't at all going like I want it to.
"Will you two please escort our visitors to the guest rooms?" Albright asked his two church members.
The two approached, taking their rifles into their hands as they approached JT and Hannah. They stood like sentinels on either side of them. Albright continued on.
"You no doubt saw the large building behind us, coming in. It was our university. We are still working on converting it for our growing congregation. For now, guests and new converts to the church stay there. In what used to be the dorms. One side is for men, the other is for women. You will be safe in them. Plus, you will not be tempted into sin. Isn't that right JT?" Albright gave JT a half smile. "May you both be blessed."
"Wait, I'm not going anywhere," JT said, raising his voice. "I didn't agree we would stay and I sure as hell didn't agree to fucking splitting us up."
Reverend Albright had been heading back to his podium. He came to an abrupt halt. He swiveled, an ugly sneer now marring his otherwise handsome face.
"Please don't use such language in the house of the Lord," Albright snarled. He made a show of calming down and continued on in a more pleasant tone. "Don't be rudeas well, rejecting our gracious offering. I don't want us to get off on the wrong foot, having to use force against you. If you have nothing to fear then why would you fight us? We will speak again at dinnertime. If you answer my questions satisfactorily, you both will be free to go."
Hannah looked at JT. She was shaking her head yes and looked at him with pleading eyes. JT decided to go along with this for now. Maybe a better opportunity to escape will come up in these rooms he was talking about.
"Good. I will see you two later," Albright said, leaving through a door to the left of the stage.
"Follow us," Charlie said. "Don't try anything, tough guy."
They went back the way they came from outside.JT tried to chat with Charlie on the way, asking about
how long they had been there, how many people were at the church. JT got nothing out of him. He led JT and Hannah out the back door, down the stairs and down the sidewalk to the parking lot.
Charlie led them across the parking lot to another sidewalk, which ran a short distance through a wooded area. On the other side were several large brick buildings. The largest looked to be three stories tall. Its roof was also red, matching the bricks. Around each window was a white window pane. A circular drive wound its way in front of the building. They followed the sidewalk as it turned and ran parallel to the circle drive and up to the white front door.
Charlie went up the three steps to the door. He worked on the lock while his friend covered them. JT looked over to Hannah. He shook his head and frowned. She gave him a shrug and a weak smile back. Charlie walked in and in a few moments came back out.
"Move," he said, gesturing with his gun. "Then stop just inside."
JT and Hannah did as they were told. They stood inside a huge foyer. A hallway ran to the left and right. In front of them was a reception area. There were two sets of stairs, one on either side of the reception desk. An impressive chandelier hung from the ceiling far above. Light streamed in through all the windows, making it about as bright inside as it was outside. From what he could see, the place looked prettyclean to JT. Either it hadn't been hit that hard by the Outbreak, or the church people had done an impressive job cleaning it up.
"Up the stairs on left of the desk." Charlie gestured with his rifle again. "You doknow your left from your right big guy?"
JT balled his fist but kept silent.
Arriving at the second level, JT and Hannah were told to go left. Up here it was much darker. The hallway wascomprised mostly closed doors, with only a large window set where they stood at the top of the stairs providing light. Hannah was pushed through the third door they came to, on the right side of the hallway. Patricia reached in and slammed the door closed on her.
"Not a word big guy," Charlie growled before JT could even protest.
