The Azrael
The Azrael
Prisoners
Jesse Gagnon
Table of Contents
The Azrael
Prologue
Chapter 1: In Van She Trusts
Chapter 2: Forced to Plunder
Chapter 3: Hope for Sam
Chapter 4: The Diner
Chapter 5: Vanilla and Strawberries
Chapter 6: Jane’s MANipulation
Chapter 7: Ethan’s Interrogation
Chapter 8: Save the Farmers
Chapter 9: Motives
Chapter 10: Anything for Savanna
Chapter 11: Disappointments
Chapter 12: Safe House Survivors
Chapter 13: Trust in God
Chapter 14: Foolish Hope
Chapter 15: One Step Ahead
Chapter 16: Kids in Cages
Chapter 17: Noah Flynn
Chapter 18: Rooftop Conversations
Chapter 19: The Frequency Map
Chapter 20: Spiritual Guidance
Chapter 21: Spilling the Beans
Chapter 22: A Day Which Will Live In Infamy
Chapter 23: Escaping the Diner
Chapter 24: Toko’s Return
Chapter 25: Finally Awake
Chapter 26: Taliah’s Transit
Chapter 27: An Unfortunate End
Chapter 28: Dr. Kolovski
Chapter 29: A New Pet
Chapter 30: Samantha’s Transition
Chapter 31: A New Alpha
Chapter 32: Friends or Foes
Chapter 33: Driving Steve Crazy
Chapter 34: Transition Complete
Chapter 35: Reunion
Chapter 36: Hello Mr. Awakened, Sir
Chapter 37: A Stoic Leader
Chapter 38: Trial and Error
Chapter 39: Mario’s Interrogation
Other books by this author
Brief Background History of Characters
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Prologue
A young teenage boy roams the outskirts of Chicago. Kept safe from the radiation in the air, he wanders for survivors within a protective suit. The clear glass fogs with each breath but dissipates before he takes another. The radiation alarm fixed to his wrist, reprogrammed into a smartwatch, indicates no threats within a few miles other than the behemoth of a man walking next to him. He is an Awakened Azrael brought to Chicago to help locate the living or to identify the dead. His help has been monumental in locating and identifying the dead found throughout the city. Unfortunately, no living being has been discovered in over a week. The sky remains a drab gray while the land mimics this dreariness with ash and dust.
A voice enters his ears through an internal speaker system within the suit.
“Are you ready to hear the next book?” The scratchy sound of an old man sputters into existence.
“I thought you’d fallen into a nap Mr. Schwinn.” The boy says.
“I had a heck of a time finding the next one. I found it wedged between two boxes covered in dust.” Dr. Schwinn explains.
“I was hoping you were still awake. I wanted to find out what happened to that girl, Samantha.” The boy confesses.
Suddenly, the Awakened Azrael darts off towards a building. The boy hurries after. He studies the blips on the smartwatch again and the only radiation signature is that of his friend. His heart races and he seems out of breath.
“What did ya find?” The boy hollers while panting.
“Huh? What did I find?” Dr. Schwinn sounds confused.
“No, not you Mr. Schwinn. The Awakened found something is all.” The boy answers.
The Awakened cautiously enters a broken window of a gas station. Movement from within causes the boy to freeze.
“Are you okay?” Dr. Schwinn asks.
“I think I saw something, Mr. Schwinn.” The boy admits while seeking something to hide behind. He settles behind a skeleton of a car.
“Don’t go near it. If something tears your suit you’ll…”
“I know. I know. I’ll stay out here. Wait…he’s coming back out.” The boy interrupts.
The Awakened Azrael exits the darkness of the building carrying something…someone.
“Is that thing alive?” The boy asks.
“Alive? Did you find someone alive?” Dr. Schwinn asks with excitement.
An anorexic corpse of a man moves feebly within the arms of the Azrael. The Awakened sports a troubled face. It grunts and lifts the bones up towards the boy.
“Is it Awakened?” The boy asks. He looks down at his detector. Nothing is indicating toxic levels of radiation other than the Awakened.
The Awakened shakes its head. The Azrael turns towards the boy, its teeth chatters and it attempts to lunge towards him. The boy takes a few steps backwards.
“It’s a sickly Azrael. Nothing to report.” The boy gripes.
“At least you’re safe, young man.” Dr. Schwinn sighs.
The Awakened places the corpse on the ground. It attempts to get up but the Awakened thrusts a knife through its skull before it does. The body grows limp and collapses to the dust. The Awakened wears a saddened look, stands tall and continues its trek towards the outskirts of town without even a grunt.
“You can go ahead with the next book, Mr. Schwinn.” The boy says. He kicks the bones of the Azrael, sighs with contempt and hurries to catch up to the Awakened.
“Be careful what you wish for. Death will not care if you are a boy or not.” Dr. Schwinn warns.
“I know. It just seems pointless. We’re never going to…”
“Enough of that talk.” He interrupts. “Let’s see...Janice seems to have had a bad go at things. I wonder what happens next...” Dr. Schwinn starts the next book. The first chapter details her fate.
Chapter 1: In Van She Trusts
On the way back to the Highwayman station, Janice encountered several downed trees and loose small herds that seemed to meander about. Although only a few miles away from the city gates, Janice decided to continue on foot due to the numerous obstacles in the road. After parking the van, she realized that the day was coming to an end and chose to head out in the morning. As long as the Azrael didn’t know she was in the van, she figured that it was safe to sleep in there. That night, a severe thunderstorm stirred her from her sleep curled up beneath an itchy wool blanket.
“Do I get no peace?” She mumbled to herself as she tossed and turned.
The sound of rumbling in the distance accompanied flashes of light that illuminated the van in a strobing white glow. Powerful winds carried golf ball sized hail towards the van and sounded as if it were raining rocks. Janice began to worry when an ice shard ruptured the windshield, bounced off the dashboard and wobbled towards her foot. She picked it up. It was cold and organic shaped. The hailstorm only lasted for a few minutes, but the damage was devastating. Most windows of the vehicle were cracked or broken through. A fierce rainstorm followed, delivering a cold uncomfortable shower to Janice while she covered her body with the itchy wool blanket.
After several hours of an unpleasant attempt at returning to sleep, Janice sat up and tossed the blanket off her. She checked her watch and it was only a few minutes past midnight. A few flashes of light in the back window revealed a few masses moving in front of the glow. It startled her but she kept quiet.
A quiet rumble trailed and flickers of light revealed several more figures moving through the dark rainy landscape. A faint aroma of Azrael funk entered t
he van causing her nose to twitch. She silently reapplied the improvised dog repellant as a masking agent in hopes to hide her fragrance. She also subconsciously retrieved her pistol from its holster and aimed it towards the back door. Janice soundlessly held her ground for hours as countless Azrael bodies travelled behind the van. Daylight was still a few hours away, the tormenting thunderstorm lingered while hundreds of Azrael continued to move past the van towards Chicago drawn to something…something big. By this time, she had to pee. She knew the distinct ammonia scent could draw attention and was at war with the random sharp pain it inflicted within her bladder. After forty-five minutes of excruciating pain, her bladder decided her fate for her.
“No…please, God…no.” She whispered to herself.
A warm liquid puddled beneath her, finding grooves within the van’s floor as gravity spread its ammonia scented fragrance towards the back doors. It was only a matter of time before one of the Azrael identified the distinct human aroma in the air. Seconds passed in slow motion as her heartbeat sped up in quiet anticipation, an anticipation for the figures to leave. Why were there so many? And with that thought, the moment came. Janice’s heart nearly stopped when she saw it.
A flicker of lightning provided a backdrop to the silhouetted figures that moved across the landscape behind the back window of the van. The steady flow of Azrael had been a familiar consistency, except for one that remained motionless amongst the crowd. Its dominating presence lingered as two more flashes of lightning revealed its ominous existence approaching the van’s back doors. Its size was half that of the others amongst the herd but it didn’t matter. It only takes one to find you, she thought. Janice’s eyes dared not blink. Her eyes only grew wider and her heart raced. She quietly slid backwards towards the front of the van until her back hit the second row of seats. The third and fourth rows had been removed to stow scavenged items. Fortunately for Janice, they hadn’t found anything so the back of the van had become a makeshift bed. Unfortunately for Janice, there wasn’t anything to hide behind. She aimed her pistol towards the door, shaking in fear and awaiting an imminent death.
Two more figures approached slowly being intermittently revealed by the flickering of light. These behemoths were much larger than the initial threat that seemed to have vanished from view. Surrendering to her thoughts, Janice stared off into nothingness. She wondered how painful her death would be. She fantasized about the idea of becoming awakened like the rare few roaming Azrael territory. What if she were immune to the virus? How horrible would it be to be eaten alive? A thick wave of Azrael funk filled the air she breathed. Heavy rumbling of thunder shook the van and rattled the windows and broken shards of glass that decorated the interior of the van. Five flashes of light revealed the two massive Azrael hunched over and staring at Janice awkwardly through the back window. Their gray Azrael eyes fidgeted around while their nostrils flared as they drew in her scent. This was it.
A small hand firmly gripped her right shoulder from behind. It startled Janice and she discharged her pistol at one of the Azrael at the back window blasting a chunk of meat from its shoulder. It barely flinched in reaction and casually glanced down at the wound with a scowl. Another small hand reached down and pried the pistol from her trembling hands while the other hand on her shoulder turned her around. Its wiry fingers dug in uncomfortably and she winced from the pain of it.
A small Azrael girl with red hair, wearing all white blood-stained scrubs faced her. Without looking, it tossed the pistol behind it through the windshield. It waved an index finger at Janice with a disapproving grimace and whimpered, like the dog from the Vet. Why was it…? Janice remembered. Was this the same girl from earlier? As if the girl read her mind, it placed her left index finger on Janice’s lips while her right index finger covered its pursed lips. The rancid odor of the finger caused her nose to twitch, but she dared not move. It studied her face with curiosity and ran its left hand through Janice’s light brown hair. Its expression shuffled from awe to joy and to confusion all in the same moment. Janice wondered if it was distracting her as the other massive Azrael broke in from the back doors. Without thinking, she turned to look and the girl quickly grabbed the bottom of her chin with the strength of a full grown man, pulling it back towards its face. It snarled and leaned in only a few inches from Janice. Was she an Awakened? It whined and whimpered again, exactly mimicking an injured dog.
A fierce howl in the distance behind the van caused the girl to stand upright over Janice’s frame. Its eyes danced about and it sniffed the air. It looked down at Janice and attempted to form words with its mouth with trouble. It grunted and groaned in frustration, placed her left index finger on Janice’s lips again and slowly backed up. It leapt through the windshield onto the hood with a thud and disappeared into the blackness of night. Janice quickly turned around and the two Azrael that were posted up at the door were gone. What the fuck happened? The fierce howl returned a bit further away. A few more scattered flashes of light revealed a dwindling crowd of Azrael. After a few minutes, the lightning exposed an empty landscape behind the van.
Unable to fall back to sleep, Janice battled her thoughts about what happened. Was she dreaming? An uncomfortable chill of her urine-soaked clothes answered that question. She located her backpack, found a change of clothes and dressed after wiping everything off with a damp rag and a bar of soap. Although surviving in a dystopian world, she still desired to maintain good hygiene whenever possible.
The morning came and the sun broke through the clouds, separating them until the white hue in the sky vanished completely. The sour odor of settled rain and Azrael fluids stung her nostrils as she hopped out of the van. The entire city was bathed in floodwater from the massive amount of rain the storm delivered the night before. Janice’s boots splashed the icy pool in the street that stopped mid-shin. She hadn’t planned on flooding but immediately understood why when she noticed the vegetation from wild grass and weeds bursting through the sidewalk and the asphalt. It had repossessed the landscape in all cracks and corners blocking storm drains and other human made trenches.
“Damn it. I just dried off.” She spat under her breath.
Janice retrieved her pistol from the front of the van. She inspected it for damage and placed it in its holster. She hurried over to the sidewalk that only wore a few centimeters of moisture on its surface. She wiggled her feet, shaking off the excess water from them. The weight of waterlogged boots and damp socks fought her ankles as she shook them. With each step, she could hear a squishing noise from the water in her boots that annoyed her. Unfortunately, there was nothing she could do about it at the moment. She didn’t have a spare set of boots nor did she have another set of socks. She entered a light jog towards the inner city. She winced at each squishy step. A few blocks down the road, she found something potentially life changing. A shoe store, although severely weathered from a broken window, provided Janice with a win.
“Yes!” She celebrated with a tightly clinched fist in the air.
Janice hurried over, sloshing and squirting water between her toes with every labored step towards the store. The storefront was illuminated by the glow of the sun and revealed eight aisles full of shoes. She located the women’s section and her size on aisle seven. The further back into the store, the darker and more sour it became. Fortunately, the aroma of Azrael did not accompany the smell of mildew. Janice wasted no time locating a pair of boots and a 2-pack of thick knee high socks. She quickly exited the darkness and sat in a chair that carried a thick moldy scent. It amplified when her butt compressed the cushion releasing more sour puffs into the air. She removed her boots, peeled off her socks and dried her feet with the second pair of socks that came in the pack. Two minutes later, she was exiting the store with a fresh pair of socks in a water resistant pair of mountaineering boots.
Now satisfied with her condition, she began her long walk towards the inner city of Chicago. In the distance above the buildings ahead of her, several plumes of smoke climbed int
o the sky at a slant. The wind attempted to clear the sky but a continuous wave of black smoke billowed up. What happened? Was it still safe to go there? She thought. As she moved through the empty streets, Janice had a knot building up within her gut. The Azrael…they beat her to the city. She paused her step and wondered if she was the last one left. Is this the end? Knowing that Chicago was quite possibly no longer a safe place, Janice decided to enter through the hidden emergency exit to the south. An infected zone within the Sunlight District hid a secret entrance that only the Highwaymen knew about.
The closer to the city walls she came, the more information was revealed about the battle within Chicago. Blood stained asphalt and pavement next to expensive armored vehicles that she had not seen before suggested that Chicago had come under attack from man as well. Janice didn’t recognize the logo that was painted on the vehicles that still secreted exhaust from their mufflers. Without hesitation, she hid from sight and headed for the Sunlight District.
Countless wandering Azrael littered the streets surrounding and within the Sunlight District. Janice followed along S. La Salle Street and entered the West 31st Street entrance to the Sunlight District. She carefully jogged beneath the railroad tracks and kept her posture low until she found the nearest building on her right to place her back against. She sniffed her pits before she went further, hoping that the makeshift masking agent continued to do its job. Displeased with the result, she reapplied the dog repellant spray that she acquired from the vet the day before. Although it stung her nostrils, due to the capsicum concentration, it managed to hide her escalating body odors. Janice twitched her nose a few times and hurried towards S. State Street. She knew that if she travelled north, it would take her to the sealed wall preventing her from entering the Moonlight District. However, an overgrown tree hung over the train tracks platform to the east. She ascended the tree and dropped down onto the unused and rusted tracks. A wall was erected to keep the Azrael from entering the inner city using the platform but a hidden door was created so that senior Highwaymen could enter and exit the city in case such an incident were to occur. She wondered if any other Highwaymen thought the same thing as she quietly opened the door and entered the war-torn city.
The Azrael (Book 5): Prisoners Page 1
